Android 5.0 Lollipop is Google's biggest mobile
update in years.
There's
something magical about the idea that, in the space of a few minutes, your
smartphone or tablet can look dramatically different and do some cool new
things, to boot. That's why operating system updates can be oddly exciting, and
Android's latest upgrade, version 5.0 or Lollipop is the firmware equivalent of
opening presents on your birthday. The upcoming release, which is now available
for selected Motorola devices heading to dozens of mobile devices in the coming
months, brings a fresh design and no shortage of new features.
If you've been using Android over the past few months, you
may have noticed that several Google apps have been updated with a fresh design
and they all look the same. This is no coincidence: Google's putting its
three-year-old "Hollow" design language out to move toward a look
known as "Material Design." This new aesthetic is featured distinctly
in Android 5.0 Lollipop.
This consistency between apps and OS is a good thing,
especially since Material Design is cleaner and more colorful than Hollow.
Google says this kind of cohesiveness appeals visual harmony, and yu have to
agree, whether you're using Google apps and services or a third-party option, a
universal design language can ease your frustration of not knowing where functions
really are. Since most apps look similar to each other and the rest of
Lollipop, it should be less difficult for people to understand what to look for
and how to find what they need.
Image Credit : Google Images
And now, the new Android build arrives on Moto
G devices in India, and a tad over two weeks after the initial soak test.
The software version of the Android 5.0 update is 220.21.16.en.03. Android 5.0 Lollipop
brings a host of improvements to the budget friendly smartphone, headed by
fresh material design for the UI, as well as brand new ART runtime. The latter
will almost certainly make last year’s Moto G feel a lot snappier.
Ever since Apple unveiled its iPhone 6, millions of users have been sharing a post which compares the smartphone with a
Nexus 4 (2012), saying "Dear iPhone 6 Users: Welcome to 2012". The
comparison makes absolutely no sense, except for the fact that both phones
share a 4.7in screen. Here is why.
Processor The iPhone 6 uses an A8 chipset with the
second-generation 64-bit architecture. Even though it only has a dual-core 1.4
GHz Cyclone (ARM v8-based) CPU on paper, it is faster than most smartphone
chipsets out there, even ones with quad-core processing.
For instance, have a look at the previous
generation A7 chip on the iPhone 5S, which also had only a 1.3Ghz dual-core
CPU. The smartphone almost beat the living daylights out of every other phone
in its generation when it came to benchmark performances, despite having only a
dual-core processor. The same can be expected with the Apple A8 chip on the
iPhone 6.
Also, for the record, Nexus 5 compares to the
iPhone 5s and the results show the difference when it comes to
performance. Given that it gets wiped out by the iPhone 5S, there's no chance
that it can be compared with new A8 chip on the iPhone 6 since it is much
faster than its predecessor.
Camera Too many people make the mistake of judging a
phone's imaging capabilities by the amount of megapixels that its sensor is
capable of.
In this case, both smartphones have an 8MP
camera. However, what most people don't know is that the iPhone 6 is far more
superior to the Nexus 4, since its Focus Pixel technology provides the sensor
with more information about the image, giving a better and faster autofocus
than one can see in a preview.
All in all, it's a much more advanced and faster
camera. And let us not even get started about its skills with video. The
smartphone can grab 1080p high-definition clips at 60 frames-per-second, take
240fps slow-motion shots, and provide cinematic video stabilisation. And all
that video can be stored on up to 128GB of storage, depending on which version
you go for.
Faster Wireless "The iPhone 6 has faster LTE connectivity
and supports higher download speeds. LTE is short for Long-Term Evolution,
commonly known as fourth-generation or 4G technology. Apple claims it supports
more LTE bands than any other smartphone. Even for WiFi, it will work three
times faster than the predecessor and most other smartphones."
Design Apple takes the lead in this department with a
gorgeous design that blends anodised aluminium, stainless steel, and glass.
Hold it in your hand and you'll agree that it feels absolutely premium.
Comparing it with the Nexus 4's glass and plastic build (which has fared very
badly in drop tests) is completely unfair.
Display
All said and done, the Nexus 4 had a solid
display. And for 2012, it was an amazing offering that was far ahead of many of
its competitors. Here is one aspect that graphic that went viral got right.
Google, unfortunately, wasn't very good at marketing the powerful visual
experience on the Nexus 4.
NFC And More And yes, Apple was rather late to bring NFC onto
its smartphones, something that LG and Google did much earlier with the Nexus
4. However, it is worth noting that having NFC in 2012 was rather pointless,
since it wasn't a feature that was supported by too many vendors in 2012, let
alone today.
iOS vs Android It goes without saying that Apple has always
been slow to add features to iOS. Most of the new features in iOS 8 have been
enjoyed by Android users since versions as early as Android Jelly Bean, which
was released in October 2013.
A good example happens to be multitasking on
Android, which has been present. Since the release of Android 2.3 (Gingerbread)
in February 2011, Android users have been able to run multiple apps at the same
time. Limited multitasking arrived on the iPhone in November 2010 with iOS 4,
but it took September 2013, and iOS 7, for it to be usable with all apps: more
than two years later than Android devices.
As we all know, Apple’s new wearable device the “Apple
Watch” as they call it was unveiled to the world earlier this week as a
rounded square timepiece. While Motorola & LG have opted for a circular
smartwatch with the Moto 360 & the LG Gwatch R respectively. Apple’s Watch
will be available early next year in two square editions and a variety of
finishes. Square might be the only option in Apple’s smartwatch portfolio right
now, but what if the Apple smartwatch was circular?
Designer Alcion has tried to
find out exactly what people were really expecting from Apple. In a series of
concept images, Alcion offers a glimpse at what Apple’s smartwatch would look
like with a circular display. Perhaps not surprisingly, there are a number of
UI elements that match a round display perfectly, including the home interface
and activity monitor. Apple’s Watch might be a little chunky square with
bulging sides right now, but this thin concept shows the potential for future
generations. We don’t expect smartwatch components to get squeezed into a thin
and elegant frame anytime soon but the same was expected from Apple.
Detailed specifications of the Moto
360 smartwatch finally revealed.
Technical Specs:-
Available models
1. Light stainless steel case + gray
Horween® leather band
2. Dark stainless steel case + black Horween® leather band
3. Light stainless steel case + stone Horween® leather band
Saturday I visited the UniverCell Showroom at Causeway, Mumbai with a friend. As we entered the store, I felt something different. It was not the usual get-in-get-out feeling. As we entered the store, we felt a warm welcoming gesture from the from the personnel and (as metaphoric as it may sound) from the store by itself.
I met an executive of the store, who in spite in his busy hour, greeted us and asked us to spend as much time as we needed in the store. Other executives were helpful too.
For me, entering an appliance retail store is like a kid entering a toy store. I can never get enough of it. I wanted to scan through each and every department and every appliance displayed in the store. Surprisingly, my friend (who is not so much of a technology person) also seemed quite interested in the gadgets I was showing her. That's when I realized how important hospitality and planning actually is. It actually makes a total "technology virgin" (pardon me those who are) interested in it. The Store's ambience and aura attracted not only my friend but many others.
Speaking of the Hospitality, The executives and sales persons were courteous and gentle in their approach. They were good with their words and did put forth their helping hand when the customer seems to be in a dilemma. Every person in the store was aware of all information about the department they were handling. I can say this since I have a bad habit of testing people's knowledge about technology, specially of the people closely associated with it. Not only did they help, but they made suggestions about a better product based on your needs. This depicts that the personnel working there is well trained.
Also to mention that all the devices are very competitively priced. It is accessible to almost every class of consumer and is definitely a better alternative than other stores.
Not only is this a gadget store, it is a one stop solution to all your needs. With that note, it is apt to say that the overall experience of the store has been extraordinary. I was more than satisfied with the service provided at the store and would surely recommend it to others.
This post is written exclusively for Indiblogger's UniverCell Sync Contest.
LG's G Watch was one of the first
Android Wear devices to hit the market, but it didn't quite capture the fancy
of the buying public the way the beautiful, round Moto 360 did. So LG
went back to work, and came up with a beautiful, round smartwatch of
its own. Meet the G Watch R.
LG has finally verified that round displays on
smartwatches are real. They're "a thing." The Moto 360isn't a one-off; the industry has officially figured out how to
deliver round wearables, and it's going to do so on a measurable scale. But there
is still an issue.
The G Watch R's key feature is its display, a
1.3-inch Plastic OLED panel that takes up 100 percent of the watch's round
face. LG promises that it's viewable in sunlight and clear from any angle, and
the plastic also comes with some durability benefits — the G Watch R works in
up to a meter of water for up to 30 minutes. The screen rests in a stainless
steel frame, and comes with an interchangeable calf skin leather strap. This
device looks perhaps more like a normal analog watch than any other we've seen
before, including the Moto 360.
Of
course, it's not an analog watch. It's poweredby Android Wear, meaning it offers the same Google Now-based
experience we've seen on a couple of devices so far. You'll get notifications,
easy access to notes and calendar and directions, and more. It's powered by a
1.2GHz Snapdragon processor and 512MB of RAM, plus 4GB of internal storage. It
has a heart-rate monitor, unlike the G Watch, plus a handful of health and
fitness apps that should make the G Watch R a little more useful as a fitness
tracker. Still, from a functionality standpoint the devices don't differ much.
It's all about the hardware — and the hardware makes all the difference.
Where
the G Watch is bland and square — not badly designed so much as simply not
designed at all — the G Watch R has a lovely sense of sophistication to
it. Part of that is also due to the retro-analog watchfaces, which show
sweeping second hands and a set of internal dials that look right at home in a
classic watch. There's even a crown on the side, which is likely the power
button in disguise. (The G Watch's mysteriously missing power button appears to
have been rectified.)
Count
on this being a trend this year: smartwatch makers will churn these devices out
as fast as they can, attempting to satisfy as many tastes as possible and to
learn as quickly as possible what works for consumers. Things will change
quickly, but right now, it's hip to be round.
However, there is still a big question in
consumers´ mind. And that is;
SMART WATCHES STILL DON´T LOOK THAT GREAT
I
can't overstate how important that is. Smartwatch adoption is held back
primarily by two things: one, it's hard to convince people that they need
notifications on their wrist. That's an ongoing challenge, and the ball now lies in Apple's courtto see if the industry is
ready and able to turn that corner. But secondly, smartwatchesstill just don't look
that great. It's a complaint I've been lodging since before the launch of
Samsung's original Galaxy Gear last year. Even the best-looking ones are
compromised.
FASHION FIRST
That's not to say a wrist-worn device must
have a round face to look good, of course, but it can't look like a physical
manifestation of high technology — it has to put fashion first, because it's
always visible. You can hide a smartphone in your pocket or purse when it's not
in use, but wearables have to ascribe to the same rules of design as a shirt,
shoe, or hat. (Imagine how many more Google Glass would be sold if they were
indistinguishable from regular sunglasses or eyeglasses.) The round face, an
iconic element of the classic wristwatch, is a huge leap in that direction.
ANALOG WATCH HANDS ARN´T DEAD
But it's only a leap, not the finish line.
Multiple industry sources have indicated to me that manufacturers are
aggressively pursuing display technologies that would make smartwatches
virtually indistinguishable from a 30-year-old Timex or Tag Heuer without
sacrificing functionality. Analog watch hands aren't dead: consider a round,
full-color display with hands above, or a transparent OLED
with hands underneath, for instance. The
technology is close, and designers are fully aware that they need to get there.
And for smartwatches, that's the dream: once
engineers figure out how to seamlessly walk us back to analog, they'll be able
to replicate the full spectrum of designs found in traditional wristwatches.
Obviously analog hands aren't for everyone, but then you'll be able to choose
something more akin to a Moto 360 or G Watch R, or even a rectangular display
if that's more your style. That variety is a wonderful thing. It's a
celebration of form factor diversity that we've lost with smartphones in the
age of the glass rectangle — but thankfully we won't have to lose it with the
wearable.
Samsung´s galaxy gear series has already been manhandled for a while now and now its time to do the same with the latest device running google´s operating system Android Wear, the Motorola Moto 360. Android Wear is the OS launched by Google to with wearable devices like the Motorola Moto 360, the LG G watch and Samsung´s Gear Live. This the first smartwatch to have a circular design which in itself is drool worthy. I may sound a bit rude here but Samsung´s Gear smart watches look ugly when you compare them with this beautiful smartwatch. The first round round-faced Android Wear is just great looking. The Moto 360 looks just like a regular watch.
Image Credit: Google Images
It is a bit on the thick side but is lightweight and comfortable to wear. It will be available in a soft genuine leather straps and also in metal bands. The Moto 360 strikes a stunning pose on your wrist and, particularly in stainless steel garb. The fit and finish of the device is top notch.
The
chamfered edges of both the glass covering the screen and that metal housing
give it a luxurious look and feel, and the thick, split leather strap is
premium, too. A bit of design
flair has the added benefit of showing off the circular display to the fullest
-- looking closely reveals that pixels are packed from edge to edge, no cutting
corners or bezels.
The Moto 360 has almost the same UI as we usually see in Google Now. Swiping around the UI (up/down to change cards, right/left to dive deeper into them) is super fast and smooth.
Image Credit: Google Images
By default, the screen is off, but when you raise your wrist in the standard check-the-time gesture, the screen lights up. Hopefully that will result in some battery-saving. The screen looked very nice and was easy to read. We're assuming that it too was an AMOLED screen because the blacks were super-deep, and that would make sense for power-savings.
One can make the UI look like a real watch, with multiple dial options to choose from, It seems the watch may be monitor fitness amongst other features like, weather updates, GPS navigation, reminders, reading a Hangout message, watching the caller ID or even accepting or declining calls from the watch itself. From the hardware it looks like this smartwatch will only support wireless charging as there is not input source to plug in a wire into the watch. It only has one hardware button to its right.
Image Credit: Google Images
For now, that's really all we can tell you about
the Moto 360 -- that it's a beautiful and sizable smartwatch. Motorola currently had the 360 running a demo mode of Android Wear, so one could not get a
feel for how the watch actually will work. That said, Motorola's on its way to
proving that sometimes, it's not hip to be a square.
GIF Credit: Google
Hopefully
the price—the biggest open question— will be as appealing as the looks. Meanwhile, you may have a look at this video.
Disclaimer: This Video belongs to Motorola Mobility and is embedded here just for informative purpose.
