Motorola Droid Ultra unveiled with unibody Kevlar design, reaches Verizon on August 20th for $199

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/07/23/motorola-droid-ultra-unveiled-with-unibody-kevlar-design/

As expected, the star of the show is here: Verizon has unveiled the Motorola Droid Ultra at its New York City press event. The 5-inch smartphone is "all about thin," according to Moto, and sports a glossy, unibody Kevlar shell that makes it thinner (7.18mm) yet stronger than its predecessors. It's also speedier: a new dual-core X8 Mobile Computing System delivers about 24 percent faster processing power than the previous generations, graphics that are twice as quick and dedicated chips for both contextual computing and language processing. It sports the software tricks we've seen in leaks of the Moto X, such as hands-free voice control, Active Display notifications and Quick Capture. Google's augmented reality game Ingress comes preloaded for more adventurous owners. The Droid Ultra ships August 20th for $199, and pre-orders are starting today.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Google, Verizon

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Source: Verizon

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Motorola Droid Ultra and Droid Maxx for Verizon hands-on

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/07/23/motorola-droid-ultra-and-ultra-maxx-for-verizon-eyes-on/

Like clockwork, Motorola and Verizon have refreshed their joint Droid lineup, and we're here to check out all three devices. The two premium handsets, the Droid Ultra and Droid Maxx, are the most promising of the bunch for advanced users, replacing last year's Droid RAZR HD and RAZR MAXX HD. Both of those smartphones were at the top of their game in 2012, and that trend appears to continue here -- the Ultra and Maxx are very similar, with the latter boosting the battery capacity, enabling power users to make it through a full day.

Like its predecessors, the Ultra (pictured above) and Droid Maxx sport Kevlar bodies, which both look sleek and feel sturdy. The Ultra we saw sported a glossy red finish, which Motorola suggested is "a lot like a sports car." The Maxx, on the other hand, has a soft-touch black finish. Both phones feature a 10-megapixel camera with a f2.4 lens. We prefer the Maxx's look; as we've said about Samsung's Galaxy lineup, a glossy, plasticky finish tends to look cheaper. What the Ultra's design does have going for it, though, is an extra-thin profile. At 7.18mm, it's already being touted as the "thinnest 4G LTE smartphone available." It packs a 5-inch HD display, which, while not quite as brilliant as the smaller Mini's panel, offers brilliant colors and wider-than-average viewing angles. The Ultra is priced at $199, 100 bucks higher than the Mini and 100 lower than the Maxx.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Google, Verizon

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You Won't Believe These Images Are Just Renders

Source: http://gizmodo.com/9-of-the-most-photorealistic-renderings-on-the-web-823379988

It can be difficult to know what's real and what's fake when it comes to digital art these days. But don't torture yourself worrying about it now: Here are some of the most photorealistic 3D renderings on the web. Each one is completely synthetic; every single detail generated by madly talented 3D artists. Enjoy.

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Alibaba develops Smart TV OS, will use it to sell you things

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/07/23/alibaba-smart-tv-platform/

As much as we enjoyed the decade we spent vegging out in front of the shopping channel, we had hoped that the internet had put such days behind us. Not so, thanks to Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba, which has developed its own Smart TV OS, separate to Aliyun, in the hope of pumping even more cash out of our wallets. Developed in collaboration with Wasu Media, the duo will launch a set-top box later in the year, and are in talks with companies like Cisco, Haier and Allwinner to produce compatible devices. While customers will be able to use smartphones to stream media and control their TVs, they'll probably be strong-armed into buying apps, shopping at the Alibaba-owned Juhuasuan and even making utility payments via the company's Alipay platform. Looks like we've got no choice but to finally buy that noiseless karaoke microphone we've been avoiding all these years.

Filed under: Software, HD

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Via: The Next Web

Source: Alizila

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Google's Street View takes you up Mount Fuji, crampon free

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/07/23/googles-street-view-takes-you-up-mount-fuji-sans-crampons/

In contrast to its happy visits to the Eiffel Tower and Burj Khalifa, Street View's exploration of Dead Island may have given you the wrong impression of Japan. Luckily, one of the country's most picturesque symbols, Mount Fuji, was recently scaled by what must be some of Mountain View's most athletic trekkers. The fruits of the 12,400-foot climb and incessant photo stops are 14,000 separate panoramas, including many sunrise shots only available to diligent night climbers. They're now live on Maps, so hit the source or panorama after the break for a far less taxing peek.

Filed under: Software, Google

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Via: TNW

Source: Google Maps (Blog)

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