Intel-powered ZTE Geek arrives in China on July 25th

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/07/12/zte-geek-intel-clover-trail-china/

When we first caught a glimpse of the ZTE Geek in Beijing, it was merely an awkwardly named prototype. Now, it looks like the smartphone with "Intel Inside" will soon be ready for primetime -- in China, anyway. It boasts the same Clover Trail+ processor as the Lenovo K900, but with pared-down features that help it achieve a lower price point. The phone's outfitted with Android (Jelly Bean), a 5-inch 1,080 x 720 pixel display, an 8-megapixel rear camera, a 1-megapixel front cam, 1GB of RAM and 8GB of storage space. Clearly, it's not the most tricked-out phone there is, but its price might entice people to try it out. The ZTE Geek will make an exclusive arrival at Jingdong Mall on July 25th, where it'll retail for ¥1,888 ($307). If you despise cables and your wallet can take a hit, you can also get one bundled with a wireless charging kit for ¥2,288 ($372).

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile

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Via: Engadget Chinese (translated)

Source: ZTE (Sina Weibo)

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Bremont's Codebreaker Watch Pays Homage to WWII's Enigma Crackers

Source: http://gizmodo.com/bremonts-codebreaker-watch-pays-homage-to-wwiis-enigm-745738355

The allied victory in World War II can be as much credited to the brave men and women who fought with weapons as it can the scientists and mathematicians who successfully broke the secret codes used by the Germans, including the famous Enigma machine. And Bremont is commemorating that accomplishment with a limited edition timepiece called the Codebreaker that incorporates elements of Britain's code-breaking efforts.

During the war, a facility called Bletchley Park was converted into the allies code-breaking HQ, and Bremont's watch actually incorporates elements from that now historical landmark. The Codebreaker's crown is inlayed with pine taken from Hut 6, the building where Alan Turing cracked the Enigma machine, and the watch's automatic movement's counterbalance is made from parts of an actual Enigma device.

Available in just 240 pieces with a steel finish, and 50 crafted from rose gold, even the limited edition numbering appearing on the side of the watch is fashioned from actual printed punchcards used during the war. So as you can expect, the watch doesn't come cheap. The steel version comes in at just under $19,000, while the rose gold option is a bit more pricey at $34,000. But all of the proceeds are being donated by Bremont towards the restoration and preservation of Bletchley Park, so at least your small fortune is going to a good cause. [Bremont via Gear Patrol]

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Transit Times in NYC, Visualized

Source: http://gizmodo.com/transit-times-in-nyc-visualized-752731586

As cities grow and populations expand, people move further and further away from the center. That's definitely happened in New York—and this visualization shows how the shift to more distant neighbourhoods affects travel time.

The interactive maps lets you click on a location and then gives a color-coded insight into transit times across the entire city. It's a little like Trulia's Google Maps mash up—in fact it almost certainly shares some data sources with it—though it collapses data down instead of giving results by transport type. And it looks prettier, too. [WNYC via Flowing Data]

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LG's 55- and 65-inch 4K TVs go on sale in the US for $5,999 and $7,999

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/07/11/lgs-55-and-65-inch-4k-tvs-go-on-sale-in-the-us-for-5-999-and/

Thought Samsung had the US market for 65-inch Ultra HD televisions cornered? Think again. Hot on the heels of its competitor, LG has announced that its 55- and 65-inch UHD sets will sell for $5,999 and $7,999, respectively. They also pack a new feature -- a powered 4.1 channel speaker bar that appears / disappears beneath the front lip of the TV. The prices aren't chump change by any stretch of the imagination, but they're certainly more affordable than LG's last UHD TV: an 84-inch monster that sold for a staggering $19,999. Still, getting your hands on one isn't easy -- like its 84-inch set, LG's latest screens are making their debut exclusively in southern California, and will eventually roll out to stores nationwide. Sure, driving out to Santa Monica to pick up a new TV might not be convenient, but at least it's closer than South Korea -- if you're not in the US, the company expects to roll them out in the UK, Russia and Australia soon. Check out the company's official announcement after the break.

Filed under: HD, LG

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Google's Alfred service shutting down on July 19th

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/07/11/google-alfred-closing/

Google's not done shuttering wares this month, apparently, as the local recommendation service Alfred is headed for the digital cemetery on July 19th. The app issued a warning to its users, spotted by TechCrunch, announcing its impending death and warning users to request data through the feedback tool should they wish to use it post-July 19th.

Mountain View purchased Clever Sense, the company that created Alfred, back in late 2011. The team responsible has since moved on, internally, to other projects (CEO Babak Pahlavan, for instance, is now part of Google's Analytics division). Apparently their baby couldn't escape Google's ever-looming axe, and it joins Latitude in the most recent round of service cuts.

Filed under: Software, Mobile, Google

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Source: TechCrunch

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