According to some rumors, HTC is working on its first wearables Smartwatch which will allegedly be called "Petra" and WILL NOT be an Android Wear powered device. Instead it will run a simple custom OS that supports Android 4.4+ and iOS 7+.

 

The HTC Petra sounds like a sporty smart band with IP57 and MIL-STD-810G certifications and an included footpad for more accurate step counting. The wearable will communicate with smartphones over Bluetooth though it should have its own GPS receiver. The screen will be a flexible 1.8" PMOLED with 160 x 32 resolution.

 

The HTC Petra ius rumored to launch by the end of March in the USA, allegedly of course. Here's the Full HTC Petra Specifications list:

 

- Chipset: ST Micro STM32L151
- OS: RTOS developed by HTC (No Android Wear support)
- Size: S/M/L
- Weight: 23g
- Display: 1.8" 32*160 PMOLED flexible display
- Support Bluetooth and GPS
- Charge battery via POGO Pin or USB
- Battery Life: 3days+
- Water/Dust proof rated at IP57
- Passed MIL-STD-810G, Method 516.6 test
- Alarm, Timer, Stopwatch, Music Control, Camera Shutter, sleep Analysis, Sports Analysis/ see today's schedule, weather, your phone's notification.
- Support Android phone(Android 4.4 or later), and iOS(7.0 or later).
- Package include footpad which can help to analysis steps more correctly.
- Color: Teal/Lime, Black/Blue Gray
- Expected Launch Date: (Q1,2015) worldwide release but will launch in the U.S. first.

 

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There have been a lot of rumors going around recently about Samsung smartphones and the most recent one is about a device that is probably going to run on the Tizen OS. According to Zauba, 310 smartphone units codenamed SM-Z510FD, have recently been imported into India from Vietnam. The description "ASSY METAL REAR UNIT" probably means that the handset will sport a metal body, as per the recent trend followed by Samsung. This is most likely the upcoming Z5 that will presumably be the next phone to run on Tizen.

If what we are hearing about the handset is true, then the Z5 will be equipped with a 1.5GHz quad-core CPU, along with 2GB of RAM to handle the 5.1" FHD display and multitasking. Internal storage will presumably be limited to only 8GB, but a micro-SD card slot will be included. The front and back cameras may sport 5-megapixel and 8-megapixel sensors respectively, while all of this is supposed to be powered by an impressive 3,000 mAh battery.

As the specs suggest, the Z5 is not a high-end smartphone and is not going to come to the US anytime soon. If we were to take a cue from Samsung's earlier release plan while launching the Z1 and Z3, then the Z5 will cater to India and surrounding South Asian countries only. As for the release date, they will possibly release the Z5 in the second half of 2016.

Author: Saikat Kar (Tech-journalist and enthusiast)

Tags: htc petra company’s first wearable smartwatch won't run android wear samsung going run tizen? 

Following the Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 which suffered from initial reports out of Korea's Samsung about overheating in early mock-ups causing a delay in the release of one of their flagship phones, the Snapdragon 820 is expected to re-establish Qualcomm's leadership position in mobile-specific microchips.

 

Samsung develops its own Exynos range of SoC that it puts into model variants, particularly in Asian markets, which it used when Qualcomm came up short with the 810. The Galaxy S6, S6 edge, S6 edge+ and Note 5 all used Samsung's over SoC instead of Qualcomm. However, the latter chip-maker is roaring back with its upcoming 820.

Leaked benchmark scores for both Geekbench and AnTuTu indicate that the Snapdragon 820 is likely to outperform the collection of competitors with their best 2015 releases. The benchmark scores beat the Note 5 and even matched the iPhone 6S Plus in some off-screen tests while lagging a little with the on-screen ones.

The test screenshots refer to the SD820 being used on a 6.2-inch smartphone with an eye-gouging 1600x2560 resolution with 4 GB of RAM. Clearly the 820 was being pushed hard with the sheer number of pixels being moved around on the screen during the testing on the Android 6.0 platform. In fact, the number of pixels being managed on-screen far exceeds that of the iPhone S6 Plus which likely explains the on-screen under-performance compared to the Apple model.

LeTV announced the Le Max Pro will use the 820, but Samsung is also expected to release details about the Galaxy S7 in a couple of weeks which is likely to adopt the new Qualcomm technology in some of its phone variants.

Source

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Solis stands for Sun in Spanish and that's what Samsung has decided to name its next smartwatch. SamMobile reported the news along with suggesting that the term "Solis" probably indicates that this one will be round like the sun! The Korean OEM is aiming for a more typical and traditional watch-esque look with the Solis than the rectangular devices that we are now used to seeing from manufacturers all over.

Going by the fact that this will be the successor to the Gear S2, Solis will possibly sport better hardware than its predecessor, but the specifics are unclear right now. According to the report, there will be three general variants of the smartwatch with the model numbers SM-R760, SM-R765 and SM-R770. However, there will also be two carrier specific variants; namely the SM-765V and the SM-765S.

The big news about the Solis range of smartwatches is the fact these will not run on any version of the Android OS. Instead, they will be using Samsung's own home-grown Tizen OS to run things. It is also expected that they will feature a larger display than the tiny 1.2-inch one we saw with the Gear S2. If you are excited about the Solis, did it disappoint you to know that it will ruin on Tizen? We ourselves will reserve that judgement till we manage to get a closer look at one.

Author: Saikat Kar (tech-enthusiast)

Tags: htc petra company’s first wearable smartwatch won't run android wear samsung going run tizen? qualcomm snapdragon 820 expected give iphone plus' run its money samsung solis smartwatch run manufacturer’s own tizen 

About a month after its initial debut, Google's latest mobile operating system, AKA, Marshmallow run on less than 1% of Android phones. According to newly released developer stats from Google, Android 6.0 Marshmallow has found its way onto just 0.3 percent of Android handsets so far.

The data is collected from signals sent to the Play Store, which helps identify what Android version is on handsets or tablets. Lollipop (5.0 and 5.1), on the other hand, accounts for nearly 26 percent, it is worth noting that Android 5.1 Lollipop jumped to more than 10 percent, perhaps implying that a lot of smartphones are still shipping that run this Android version, while Kit Kat (4.4) is the most popular version with about 38 percent of the total.

Interestingly, while Android 4.4 KitKat, which arrived in October 2013, remained on top of the list, which got 37.8 percent. It ticked downward, however, signifying people might already be shifting to Android 5.1 and 6.0.

The numbers likewise suggest that, presently, there are more devices that run Marshmallow OS over those that are powered by Android 2.2 Froyo (0.2 percent), which began rolling out in May 2010.

Android 6.0 Marshmallow first started rolling out to Nexus devices on Oct. 5. That includes the Nexus 5, 6, 7, 9, and Nexus Player. Other new phones with the OS include the HTC One A9.  Officially announced in August, Android 6.0 "is the sweetest, smartest Android version yet.  One of the best features called Now on Tap as well as battery life improvements, more privacy and security controls, and easier device setup.

 

Source: PCMag

Tags: htc petra company’s first wearable smartwatch won't run android wear samsung going run tizen? qualcomm snapdragon 820 expected give iphone plus' run its money samsung solis smartwatch run manufacturer’s own tizen only 0.3 percent android phones run marshmallow 

Google has published the latest Android platform distribution shares, unveiling that Marshmallow - which is the newest variant of its Android mobile operating system - is now powering 0.7% of all active Android devices across the globe. That's marginally more than the December figure of 0.5%.

Lollipop in the meantime got 3% increment in share, touching a total of 32.6% this month. But, KitKat retains the top spot with 36.1% Android market share, though there is a little bit decline from the 36.6% share reported in last month.

You can see screenshot above for the summary of the change in market share.

Source

 

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Nick Lee from Tendigi came into the lime light recently, after he managed to run Windows 95 on the Apple Watch and he has come forward once again with another hack. Apparently, Lee has managed to run Android Marshmallow on an iPhone with the help of both software and hardware. Lee modified the Android build found on the Nexus 5X expertly enough to stream it on to an iPhone. We say "stream" because this isn't a custom ROM that you can just flash on to your iPhone. Instead, the Android OS runs after you put your iPhone into the 3D-printed custom case, that has a micro-SD card slot, a micro-USB slot, an USB slot, a HDMI slot and of course, a lightning plug to connect to the iPhone.

Do you want to do this? If you do, then you better know what you are getting into because this isn't one for the layman. For starters, you will need to install an app on your iPhone and put it in the 3D-printed case, which isn't up for purchase. We could see a prominent lag in the video that Tendigi posted on YouTube, but it's still a tremendous breakthrough. Check out his instructions to know more if you are interested.

Source:

https://blog.tendigi.com/finally-android-on-the-iphone-99b0c8b3adc#.hij4p89u0

Author: Saikat Kar (tech-enthusiast)

Tags: htc petra company’s first wearable smartwatch won't run android wear samsung going run tizen? qualcomm snapdragon 820 expected give iphone plus' run its money samsung solis smartwatch run manufacturer’s own tizen only 0.3 percent android phones run marshmallow close 33% active android devices now run lollipop; only 0.7% marshmallow want your iphone run android? 

How many apps do you use every single day? If you're anything like the average person in 2018, numerous apps and gadgets will spring to mind and you probably can't imagine how you lived without them. Whether it's the organisational apps and platforms we all use to sort out our work and fitness schedules, the myriad indispensable apps necessary for personal security or the digital personal assistants that keep our life smooth and on track, there's no denying we live in a world where our lives are inextricably connected with technology. With that in mind, here's a roundup of the apps and gadgets we can't live without in 2018.

Fitness

Source: Pixabay

Remember the dreary days when you were responsible for your own health and wellbeing? When you didn't have those handy little apps to measure your BMI, motivate you to train harder and put together a balanced meal plan? Those days are long gone. The heaviest hitter in this sector is undoubtedly Fitbit, which offers a range of applications and wearable tech to seamlessly measure your daily step count, heart rate, steps climbed and even the quality of your sleep to keep you on track. Fitbit is by far the most popular platform, with millions of users across the planet. But the buck doesn't stop at wearable tech, as these days you can download apps that measure and track your muscle mass and even buy yourself a high-tech yoga mat that reads your skins receptors and adjusts itself accordingly during a workout.

Personal Assistants

10 years ago, if you were told that one day you'd be dictating your daily life and allocating tasks to a little robot that lives in your living room, you'd have dismissed it as some kind of Jetsons-level fantasy. However, where would most households be today without their Amazon Alexa, Apple HomePod or Google Assistant? The proliferation of e-assistants into our homes has been rapid and advances in technology breathtaking. Whether you're wanting to book an appointment at the hair salon, order in your favourite Lebanese food or put together a music playlist for every mood, your super-intelligent PA has most definitely got you covered.

Security

Source: Pixabay

In an uncertain world, security means a lot of things. Whether it's security against cybercrime and viruses, security against fraud or even protecting your physical safety, there's an app for it. The growth of increasingly smart apps geared around protecting your privacy, information and tech means you're covered in every conceivable situation, with hackers finding it harder than ever to breach the endless safeguard apps that now exist. ExpressVPN keeps your browsing and messaging private, LastPass Password Manager keeps all your accounts safe and, for the extra-cautious, ProtonMail actually encrypts all your emails and messages. Do your worst, cybercriminals!

Nowadays, there's no shortage of technology out there to encourage us to live our healthiest, safest and most-organised lives. If you have any tech tips which have made your life easier, let us know in the comments!

Tags: htc petra company’s first wearable smartwatch won't run android wear samsung going run tizen? qualcomm snapdragon 820 expected give iphone plus' run its money samsung solis smartwatch run manufacturer’s own tizen only 0.3 percent android phones run marshmallow close 33% active android devices now run lollipop; only 0.7% marshmallow want your iphone run android? apps gadgets that run our lives 2018 

Super Mario Run is finally here on Android and available for download from the Play Store. The registrations had been open forever, although iOS users had been enjoying the game for months since it came out last year in December. Unfair as it may seem, we are just glad that it's finally available for us Android users.

In an unexpected turn of events, Nintendo has decided to release the game a day earlier than the original intended date. Personally, I liked the game and as far as experts are concerned, no one has given it a bad rating yet. What I really liked was the fact that Nintendo has done away with the concept of micro-transactions in this one by introducing a one time pay system like the old days. You get to download it and try it out for free, but if you want to get more of Mario action, then you will need to pay for the full game. Critics have hailed the $10 price tag to be a bit too steep for a mobile game, but if you ask me, I will take a $10 price tag over an "in-app purchase" scheme any day!

Saikat Kar (tech-enthusiast)

Tags: htc petra company’s first wearable smartwatch won't run android wear samsung going run tizen? qualcomm snapdragon 820 expected give iphone plus' run its money samsung solis smartwatch run manufacturer’s own tizen only 0.3 percent android phones run marshmallow close 33% active android devices now run lollipop; only 0.7% marshmallow want your iphone run android? apps gadgets that run our lives 2018 super mario run finally here android 

Before you get all excited, let us tell you that it's not an official update that we are talking about and not even an official beta version. The version of Android 8.0 Oreo which we are discussing here is unfortunately, unfinished and will almost certainly make your experience a very buggy one, should you choose to flash it.

The ROM in question was leaked on Reddit by someone with the username mweinbach and it's an expectedly hefty download of 1.4GB. Post the download, you should be able to use the phone, albeit with a lot of limitations. In spite of all its bugs, one cannot deny that it is most certainly a chance to test Oreo before everyone else for Galaxy Note 8 owners.

Before you decide to proceed with the download, take note of the following points, alongside the many bugs.

·         Your device will fail the SafetyNet check

·         Android Pay, Samsung Pay etc. won't work

·         Play Store will constantly show your device as unverified

·         There is no Project Treble to be found here

Check out the video above to get an idea of what to expect from this one.

Saikat Kar (tech-enthusiast)

Head over to our firmware section to find all the latest official updates for your Samsung smartphones and tablets.

Tags: htc petra company’s first wearable smartwatch won't run android wear samsung going run tizen? qualcomm snapdragon 820 expected give iphone plus' run its money samsung solis smartwatch run manufacturer’s own tizen only 0.3 percent android phones run marshmallow close 33% active android devices now run lollipop; only 0.7% marshmallow want your iphone run android? apps gadgets that run our lives 2018 super mario run finally here android can run android 8.0 oreo your galaxy note