This Is Sony's First Android Wear Smartwatch — And Fitness Freaks Might Love It

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/sony-smartwatch-3-android-wear-2014-9

Sony's SmartWatch 3, its first smartwatch that will run on Google's Android Wear software, isn't a fitness device per say. But based on what we've heard, it seems like avid runners will love it.

The waterproof watch (€229 or roughly $300) comes loaded with sensors including an accelerometer, compass and gyroscope for tracking your motion.

This is common for most smartwatches, but the built-in GPS is part of what makes Sony's device stand out. An integrated GPS could prove to be particularly useful for runners and joggers looking to track their routes.

Sony also claims the SmartWatch 3's 1.6-inch display will be visible in bright sunlight since it's transflective, making it optimal for outdoor use.

Like Sony's other recently announced wearable devices, the SmartWatch 3 is designed to work with the company's LifeLog platform. LifeLog is an app that tracks your daily activity and presents it in a digital timeline, telling you where you were when you took a particular photo, hit a certain fitness goal, or played a specific game. 

The watch will launch in black and lime this fall, but Sony says that pink and white wristbands will be available soon thereafter.

Sony is one of several tech companies to announce an Android Wear-based watch. Android Wear is Google's version of Android specifically designed for smartwatches and other wearable gadgets. It's meant to provide contextual information at a glance, similar to how Google Now already works on your phone.

Sony's smartwatch maintains a square design that's nearly identical to its previously released smartwatches, while other manufacturers like LG and Motorola are experimenting with round touchscreen displays. It's unclear if Sony's traditional design will be enough to capture consumer interest with so many competing devices entering the market, but the outdoor-friendly display and built-in GPS are nice touches. We'll find out how well Sony's Smartwatch 3 resonates amo! ng consu mers this fall.  

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Toshiba Has A New Chromebook That Looks Sort Of Like A MacBook Air

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/toshiba-chromebook-2-specs-photos-2014-9

Toshiba has taken the wraps off its next-generation Chromebook, which comes with a slimmer design and an option for a full HD 1080p screen.

Toshiba's $249 Chromebook 2 maintains nearly exactly the same build as its predecessor, which debuted in early 2014. Like the company's original Chromebook, the new device features a textured design that makes it feel a bit more rugged and sturdier than many other laptops of its size.

However, the second-gen Chromebook is noticeably thinner with a wedge-shaped base that faintly echoes the MacBook Air. The Chromebook's all-silver body and black keys add to this resemblance.

Chromebooks are much different than your average laptop. They're designed for those who don't use their computers for much other than browsing the Web, and therefore a Chromebook's functionality is severely limited without an internet connection. Google, however, has been doing its part to change this by adding more apps to its Chrome OS store that work offline.

Toshiba has also improved the screen quality of its new Chromebook, offering a new higher-end model with a full HD at 1,920x1,080 pixels. A less expensive version with a 1,366x768-pixel resolution display will be available, too. The company is flaunting the Chromebook 2's built-in Skull Candy speakers as one of its standout features.

Starting at $249, the Toshiba Chromebook 2 is right on par with what your average midrange Chromebook would cost. Acer's standard C720 Chromebook, for example, is priced exactly the same but comes with a smaller 11.6-inch screen. It does come with more storage space than Toshiba's, however, (32GB vs. 16GB), but Google also bundles 100GB worth of free storage space with all Chromebooks. 

The Toshiba Chromebook 2 launches on Oct. 5, and from what we can tell it seems like a solid choice for those seeking a large! r-sized, yet affordable, Chromebook. 

SEE ALSO: Should You Buy A Chromebook?

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Hackers are using Google's antivirus tool to test their attacks

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/09/02/google-virustotal-used-to-test-hacks/

Google's VirusTotal site can be very handy if you're worried about malware; upload a file and dozens of antivirus tools will check to see if it's malicious. However, it's now clear that this site can hinder as much as it helps. Security research Brandon Dixon has spotted several big hacking teams using VirusTotal to test attacks before launch, including two linked to state-sponsored operations. They effectively treat it like a debugging tool -- if one or more scanners detect a pre-release virus, the developers tweak their code until it slips under the radar. In some cases, they've even put old malware through the site to make it dangerous again.

Some malware groups are smarter than others about hiding their tracks, and Dixon's discovery may get the less clever outfits to mask their activities. However, the revelations could still help Google and security software producers catch abuse of testing services by making it easier to spot suspicious behavior; they could even prevent attacks by tracking the code and building appropriate safeguards. We've reached out to Google to see what it can do. Whatever it's doing, your best defense may simply be to take a cautious attitude. Be wary of files and websites you didn't ask to see, even if your antivirus apps give them the all-clear.

[Image credit: Shutterstock]

Filed under: Internet, Google

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Source: Wired

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New HTML Is About To Make Your Phone Way Better at Using the Internet

Source: http://gizmodo.com/new-html-is-about-to-make-your-phone-way-better-at-usin-1629515032

Underneath every picture of a dog in a beekeeping suit and ice-bucket challenge video you see on the internet, there's a complex framework of code. Soon, that framework will get a tiny tune-up that will make surfing the web on your phone faster than it's ever been.

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Imagination Technologies to ARM: anything you can do, our new chips can do better

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/09/02/mips-64-bit-cpu/

Despite Intel's best efforts, ARM remains the undisputed king of the mobile world, but another chip design house, just 51 miles down the road, is hoping to change that. Imagination Technologies, the outfit famous for its PowerVR mobile graphics tech, wants to knock its better-known rival off its perch with a new 64-bit MIPS chip. The Warrior I6400 promises to be a low-power, high-performance CPU for smartphones, tablets and internet of things devices that, the company claims, has the "technical superiority" over its competition. Since Android L will support silicon of this kind, Imagination is hoping that smartphone manufacturers will consider ditching ARM chips in favor of the plucky challenger. What does this mean for the consumer? Hopefully, faster devices, less power drain and a whole new topic where people can argue the merits of one architecture against the other.

Filed under: Cellphones

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Source: Imagination Technologies

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