E Ink launches Mobius flexible display for your next smartwatch

Although smartwatch makers have had access to e-paper for a while, there have been few such displays tailor-made for our wrists. E Ink is more than willing to fill that void with a new, watch-oriented version of its Mobius screen. The flexible, 1.73-inch panel won't floor anyone with its 320 x 240 grayscale picture, but it can be cut into timepiece-friendly shapes that take more abuse than a typical e-reader. More importantly for us end users, E Ink already has at least one hardware partner lined up: Sonostar is using the tiny Mobius for a smartwatch this summer, and the odds are that the company won't be alone.
Filed under: Peripherals, Wearables
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Source: Sonostar, E Ink

Jelly Bean now on 33 percent of active Android devices, Gingerbread still leads

Google's pushed out its latest survey of the Android landscape, and Jelly Bean is finally creeping up on Gingerbread for the crown. While Gingerbread accounts for 36.5 percent of active devices sporting Mountain View's OS, versions 4.1 and 4.2 stand just behind with a total of 33 percent, up 4.6 percent since last month. Ice Cream Sandwich is helping itself to 25.6 percent of the statistic pie, while Froyo, Eclair and Donut each trail behind with less than five percent combined. Now that Jelly Bean is within a 3.5 percent striking distance of the top spot, this may be the last time we see Gingerbread in the lead.
Filed under: Mobile, Google
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Via: Android Police
Source: Android Developer Dashboard

Bloomberg details Apple's rumored radio service, associated iAd revamp

If you believe the rumor mill, Apple is planning to announce ts long-rumored streaming music service as a feature alongside the iOS 7 update during WWDC next week, and now Bloomberg has more details on how it might work. According to the report, the entire thing will be free and ad-supported, Pandora-style. It's expected to include similar features for tracking user's tastes and serving up similar songs, with tight integration to iTunes so they can buy a track if they'd like to keep it. Where a bigger change may be however is on the backend, in how Apple deals with its advertising business. A shift in iAd directed by Eddy Cue and recent hire Todd Teresi is cutting some fees out, giving advertises more flexibility in how they buy placements, and will share radio ad revenue with music labels.
Filed under: Internet, Apple
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Source: Bloomberg

Sony unveils the Xperia M: 4-inch FWVGA display, dual-core 1GHz CPU, 5MP camera

Sony's just announced a new handset is joining its Xperia line-up this year: the Xperia M. Much like the Xperia L, it's aimed at the lower end of the Android spectrum, with far from benchmark-busting specs. It's got a 4-inch FWVGA (854 x 480) display seated behind a panel of stcratch-resistant glass, and a dual-core 1GHz Snapdragon SoC inside, paired with 1GB of RAM. There's only 4GB of on-board storage, but a microSD slot supporting up to 32GB cards will allow you to bolster that. The rear camera packs a 5-megapixel Exmor RS sensor and companion flash; there is a front-facing shooter, but we're unsure of the numbers for that. There's no LTE radio in the Android 4.1 handset, so HSPA+ will be taking care of data, with Bluetooth 4.0 and NFC for pairing and sharing. While it's not a transparent element, there is a multicolored notification light for, well, notifications. The color doesn't stop there, as the single- and dual-SIM versions will be available in Black, White, Purple and Yellow when the Xperia M becomes available globally "from Q3 2013."
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Sony
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Via: Sony Xperia (Twitter)
Source: Sony

Windows RT 8.1 devices with Snapdragon 800 processors to arrive later this year

The flood of Snapdragon 800 hardware hasn't arrived just yet, but Qualcomm says it expects we'll see Windows RT 8.1 devices with their flagship silicon "later this year." There's still no word on which manufacturers will be using the San Diego-based firm's processors, but you can be sure the resulting tablets, convertibles and laptops will be particularly snappy and pack LTE connectivity. Head past the break for the press release.
Filed under: Software, Microsoft
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Feedly promises raft of new features, integration with Reeder and other apps

Now that Feedly has taken in more than 500,000 Google Reader refugees, it's unveiled a community-driven feature roadmap that'll guide it for the rest of the year. Sitting atop the list is speed, which the team says will be boosted by fresh hardware and the help of new hires. Windows 8 and Windows Phone support, access to Feedly via the web without a plugin, searching within a user's feeds and refined group sharing are coming down the pipeline as well. Naturally, a raft of bug fixes round out the planned updates. The outfit also revealed that Reeder, Press, Nextgen Reader, Newsify and gReader will sport Feedly integration before Mountain View's service retires on July 1st. Word of Google Reader's demise may have caused anguish, but it looks like suitable alternatives are beginning to flourish.
Filed under: Software, Mobile
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Source: Feedly

NVIDIA CEO demos new stylus touchscreen tech, uses Tegra 4 image processing to reduce battery drain

Elaborating from the battery-saving PRISM screen tech that we saw on Tegra 3 devices, the NVIDIA CEO Jen-Hsun Huang showed off a new software-based touchscreen technology that allows you to use a simple capacitive stylus with a degree of pressure-based input. Showing of his writing skills at Computex on an experimental 7-inch tablet, he used a simple (ie. non-digitizer) stylus to write at several different thicknesses, utilizing a flat surface at the other end of the pen to erase any mistakes -- there's sensitivity to the millimeter, apparently. NVIDIA reckons this will improve battery life while using the stylus and offers a high detection rate (thanks to the software-based processes) for slick, curved lines. The primary hardware necessary? No less than NVIDIA's new Tegra 4 chip, of course, and DirectTouch. Check out the gallery of the stylus in action below, and we can expect the company to elaborate on which devices will house the feature in the near-future.

Gallery: NVIDIA CEO Jen-Hsun Huang demos new stylus touchscreen tech

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Software, Mobile, NVIDIA
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Adobe Reader now available for Windows Phone 8, no longer limited to 7.5

Something as simple as a PDF-friendly application can make things so much better for any mobile user -- and who other than the file pioneer to be the provider of such element. While Adobe Reader was already available for folks on Mango, the app is now expanding its horizons and reaching a more recent version of Microsoft's OS, Windows Phone 8. As far as features go, Adobe's app is the very same one that's been present on WP 7.5 for some time, but with the exception that it's now bringing its PDF opening / viewing traits to a broader audience. The Windows Phone 8-ready app is up for grabs now, so hit the source link below if you'd like to get the download process initiated.
Filed under: Cellphones, Software, Mobile, Microsoft
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Source: Windows Phone

ASUS' 31.5-inch 4K monitor priced at $3,799, 39-inch version coming in Q3 (eyes-on)

Yeah, we want one too. Here at Computex, ASUS is showing off its new 31.5-inch 4K monitor, which we just learned will cost $3,799. (Oh come now, don't get all sticker-shocked on us.) The photos below speak for themselves, really, but suffice to say, the combination of that 3,840 x 2,160, 140-ppi panel and that matte, anti-glare finish make for some stunning images. And because the bezels are so thin, photos more or less extend from one end of the screen, uninterrupted. Still think you'll have room to spare after taking into account this monitor's big footprint? ASUS is also prepping a 39-inch version with mostly the same specs (except for pixel density, obviously). We've got pictures of that guy too, though we still don't know how much it'll cost. Look for the 31.5-inch model to ship in June, with its big brother following sometime in Q3. And if a $3,800 monitor isn't in the cards, well, that's what hands-on galleries are for.

Gallery: Eyes-on with ASUS's 4K monitors at Computex 2013

Zach Honig contributed to this report.
Filed under: Displays, ASUS
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Sandisk introduces Extreme II SSD, boasts 19nm tech and faster speeds

We haven't heard a peep about Sandisk's solid state drives since CES, so we perked our ears when the flash maker announced a new consumer SSD today. It's called the Extreme II, a SATA III SSD the company claims is fast and responsive enough to please gamers or just anyone hungering for a performance boost. Built with 19nm process and nCache technology, the Extreme II promises quicker boot-ups and faster runtimes. The hardware boasts up to 550MB/sec sequential read and 510MB/sec sequential write speeds, and up to 95,000 random read Input/Output Operations per Second (IOPS) and 78,000 random write IOPS. You can snag one now in 120GB, 240GB and 480GB capacities for $129.99, $229.99 and $439.99 each. Or you can save some cash and get something a little more budget-minded.
Filed under: Storage
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