Google Fit is Android's answer to exercise and health tracking

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/06/25/google-fit/

Google Fit is Google's new health initiative. It's a service that'll track all your health metrics -- sleep, steps, etc. -- and it's built into the next version of Android. But what does that mean? Well, it means that Google's Android platform is getting the same kind of life-metric tracking that Apple's iOS users are getting in iOS 8 with HealthKit. More importantly, it means that the health devices you're already using will play nice with the myriad Android devices out there. It also means that all your health data ends up in one place, in one app, rather than spread across a variety of software applications. Which app you use, however, is up to you.

Adidas, Nike, Withings, Intel, RunKeeper and a variety of other fitness companies are involved with Android Fit. Nike's FuelBand wearables were specifically given a shoutout onstage at Google's I/O event this afternoon, where the initiative was announced.

What we didn't see from Google today is a dedicated app that collects all your data, like Apple's Health app. Rather, the Fit initiative is a platform for health device manufacturers trying to make their devices interface with Android. Google product manager Ellie Powers described it as using a single set of APIs for all health products, meaning all devices could technically work with all health/fitness software. While it isn't the whole-cloth approach that Apple's taking in creating its own app, it's the kind of open-source approach that we expect from Google.

Filed under: Wearables, Software, Google

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Meet the G Watch, LG's first Android Wear smartwatch

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/06/25/lg-g-watch-hands-on/

LG believes it's hip to be square, and it created a smartwatch to prove it. The G Watch was announced alongside Android Wear, Google's new wearables platform, and the circular Moto 360 this March. After three months, LG and Google are finally ready to let me slip one on my wrist. The watch is going to be available for pre-order for $229 (update: preorders are live here) on the Play Store alongside the Samsung Gear Live (and Moto 360, once it comes out later this summer), and will ship out in both black and white to eager users on July 7th.

With a 1.65-inch display at a resolution of 280 x 280 and sizable bezel, the G Watch is a little bigger than the Pebble Steel, which is the smartwatch I've been using up until this point. It looks like it swallows up my wrist, so it's not going to be a go-to fashion statement for everybody. Just like the Gear Live, LG chose to go with a square shape, rather than circular, mainly to ensure the user will enjoy as much screen real estate as possible. The product managers we talked to also left the door open for future Wear devices with other shapes, so there's certainly a chance we'll see more options down the road -- especially if the G Watch is considered a success.

The display is covered with Gorilla Glass 3; the sides are constructed with stainless steel; and the back is polycarbonate to allow for attenuation and wireless charging (the watch comes with a charging pad that makes this possible). The straps are interchangeable because it uses a 22mm size, but the wristband that comes with the device is made of silicone and offered me a comfortable fit.

Underneath the back sits a 400mAh battery that LG claims is high-density and optimized for wearable use. When asked about battery life, reps told me that it should last 36 hours in always-on state, and even longer if you opt to turn the screen off -- there's a companion app that you can download onto your Android device, and it gives you a few settings. Additionally, the G Watch boasts an ambient mode when idle, which theoretically helps extend the life of the battery.

In terms of power performance, the 63g timepiece features a 1.2GHz Snapdragon 400 processor, coupled with 512MB RAM and 4GB internal storage. I couldn't fully test out the watch's performance in real life because the watch itself was in a special demo mode that only gave me a few cards to play with, but I'll give it a full whirl in my upcoming review.

Filed under: Wearables, Mobile, Google, LG

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Here's What People Would Pay For The iWatch (AAPL)

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-iwatch-price-predictions-2014-6

Although Apple is expected to release its first smartwatch later this year, the truth is we still don't know anything about the device — including how much it will cost. What we  can estimate, however, is how much people are willing to pay for it.

Earlier this week, investment firm Piper Jaffray published results from a study which found that most adult consumers wouldn't be interested in buying an iWatch for $350. The firm then asked respondents how much they would consider paying for an iWatch.

While most consumers said they wouldn't purchase one regardless of the price, more than 30% said they would buy the iWatch if it fell in the $100-$200 price range. Only 10% said they would buy the watch if it was priced at $100 or less, as shown in the chart from Statista posted below. 

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Google Figured Out How To Turn Any Phone Into A Virtual Reality Headset For Next To Nothing (GOOG)

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/google-cardboard-2014-6

At the end of Google I/O, Google's annual developers conference on Wednesday, Android boss Sundar Pichai announced that audience members would be getting some swag. 

Among the takeaways: A piece of cardboard. 

Sure enough, when we left the auditorium, Google employees handed out pieces of cardboard. 

At first it looked like nothing much. But after putting it together, we soon learned that with just some cardboard, a magnet, a rubber band, some magnifying glasses, and the Cardboard App, you, too, can fly around a virtual space, just like you can with the Occulus Rift VR glasses. 

You can find detailed instructions on how to use it — and even make one for yourself  — on Google's site.

Google Cardboard looks like what you think it looks like: a piece of cardboard.

But once you open it up ...

... you see what's hidden inside.

See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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drag2share: Samsung Galaxy Tab S review: slim design, long battery life, stunning screen

source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/06/24/samsung-galaxy-tab-s-review/?utm_source=Feed_Classic_Full&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget&?ncid=rss_full

It'd be silly of me to talk about tablets in the past tense -- we still write stories about them daily and clearly, we review them, too. But of the ones we've seen lately, most have been low-end; mid-range at best. The market for high-end slates, once crowded with companies big and small, now looks more like a fraternity. At this point, the only players left are mostly big names like Apple, Microsoft, Sony. And, of course, Samsung. The outfit just announced the Galaxy Tab S, its flagship tablet for 2014. Available in 8.4- and 10.5-inch sizes, it comes armed with the best possible specs, including a stunning 2,560 x 1,600 Super AMOLED screen, 12-hour battery life and a slim build that measures just 6.6mm thick. In addition, Samsung added a fingerprint reader (still a rarity on tablets) and free goodies like popular magazines, Dropbox storage and a six-month Wall Street Journal subscription. The tablet's up for pre-order now, starting at $400 for the 8-inch model and $500 for the 10-incher. So, you can't test-drive it yet, but, as it happens, I've been playing with it for almost a week. Suffice to say, I've enjoyed myself. Mostly.

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