Wednesday, August 07, 2013

LG Thinks Putting A Volume Button On The Back Of Its New Phone Will Make You Want To Buy It

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/lg-g2-reveal-in-nyc-2013-8

lg g2 eventLG revealed it's latest smartphone today called the G2.

The G2 will become the company's new flagship Android phone.

The smartphone is slightly bigger than Samsung's Galaxy S4, but a millimeter thicker and heavier.

The G2 is one of the first smartphones to feature what LG calls an "intuitive rear key."  

LG decided to move away from the norm by adding a volume rocker to the back of the phone, right below the camera, instead of on the side. 

LG believes that the buttons on the side of smartphones contribute to you dropping it. The company hopes that by moving the buttons to the back of the phone it will help you keep a better grip.

LG says it placed the keys where your index finger "naturally sits on the phone. The key provides the best comfortable and stable one hand grip with easy volume up and down and self photo."

Besides increasing volume, pushing up on the top button will allow you to quickly launch the memo app, which lets you take a note. The bottom button launches the camera, "so you can quickly take a selfie," LG says.

Similar to Samsung's Galaxy S4, the G2 will feature a "quick window" case, which covers the screen but has an opening cut out so you can quickly glance at the time and weather widgets.

Specs include:

  • Measurements are 5.4-inches long x 2.8-inches wide x 0.35-inches thick. 
  • the G2 weighs 143 grams
  • A 5.2-inch screen with a resolutions of 1080 x 1920
  • Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor
  • 3GB of RAM
  • Android 4.2.2
  • the G2 will use a nano SIM card
  • 13 megapixel camera (with 1080p video recorder)
  • microSD card slot for additional storage
  • a removable 2,610mAh battery

As a company, LG shipped 12.1 million smartphones the last quarter, a year-on-year increase of more than 100%, reports Forbes.

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Android Now Controls A Breath-Taking 80% Of The Smartphone Market (GOOG, AAPL)

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/android-now-controls-a-breath-taking-80-of-the-smartphone-market-2013-8

Android's dominance of the smartphone market continues to be remarkable.

According to the latest data from IDC, Android now controls 79.3% of the global smartphone market, up from 69.1% a year ago.

Apple, meanwhile, 13.2% of the market, a drop from 16.6% a year ago. 

In terms of unit growth, Apple was up 20% on a year-over-year basis, while Android was up 73.5%. 

These numbers are just astounding. Google's search business isn't even as dominant as Android. In the U.S., one of its strongest markets, Google search only has ~67% of the market.

Here's a look at the market share:

IDC smartphone market share

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Netflix releases trailer for Ricky Gervais' Derek, streaming begins September 12th

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/08/06/netflix-releases-trailer-ricky-gervais-derek/

Netflix releases trailer for Ricky Gervais' Derek, coming September 12th to Netflix

A few more of these, and it won't even be news. Netflix is going hard into the original content business, and judging by the outstanding results with House of Cards, we're guessing that it'll be aiming for similar results with a different demographic here. Derek, described as something of a comedy / drama mishmash, is fronted by the affable Ricky Gervais. The show actually aired as Dramedy over on Channel 4 in the United Kingdom, so while it's not exactly a Netflix original, it's getting "original treatment." Per usual, the entire season will be available to stream at once on September 12th (overwhelming, we know), and if you're looking to decide just how much time you should set aside, the trailer is embedded after the break.

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Via: Variety

Source: Netflix (YouTube)

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B&O Play previews A9 Nordic Sky edition wireless speakers (eyes-on)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/08/06/bo-play-a9-nordic-sky-edition-wireless-speaker-preview/

B&O Play's A9 Nordic Sky edition wireless speaker keeps summer's night lights alive through winter

Not to leave its $2,699 A9 wireless speaker stuck with solid colors for the fall and winter, B&O Play's added some limited editions inspired by the natural color palette of Scandinavia. Dubbed the Nordic Sky editions, the three variants previewed for Copenhagen Fashion Week represent dawn, twilight and dusk. The pastel gradient grilles aim to keep the summer night's visual influence alive through the colder seasons, as B&O explains it. The units still feature the same 480-watt (x5) 2.1 stereo output, with DLNA and AirPlay to keep the music flowing. The Nordic Sky editions will retail for the same $2,699 price as the standard versions, while current A9 owners can also purchase each color kit (three wooden legs and a grille cloth) for $259 a pop. There's no exact arrival date yet, but B&O says to expect them on its shelves in September. No doubt these pieces scream opulence, but they're a visual treat in person. Full press release after the break.

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Source: B&O Play

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LIDAR system uses lasers to detect clear air turbulence before it hits

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/08/06/lidar-system-lasers-turbulence/

DNP plane lasers

Fact: turbulence is no fun at all. Aside from the brief moments of bone-deep terror it can cause passengers, clear air turbulence (CAT) can also prove costly for airlines in terms of damages. To help pilots deal with difficult-to-spot areas where CAT is likely to occur, the German Aerospace Center (DLR) is spearheading a new joint European project known as DELICAT. Essentially, the DELICAT program calls for planes to be equipped with a light detection and ranging instrument (LIDAR) that emits short-wave ultraviolet lasers. Radiation then bounces off oxygen and nitrogen particles in the air, indicating fluctuations in air density that signal the presence of CAT pockets. Until the end of August, the DLR will run test flights in a specially modified Cessna Citation plane to both show off LIDAR's capabilities and to give researchers invaluable data on CAT patterns. Though the system is still in its infancy, the folks at the DLR hope that the technology will one day become a standard part of commercial air travel.

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Via: Gizmodo

Source: German Aerospace Center

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