The ZUK Z1 is shaping up to be an interesting device so far. Now there are good news to people planning to buy the device: our forums for the ZUK Z1 have gone live. Also check out our device launch event and unboxing videos!
Next in line in getting their own space over at XDA-Developers is Sony’s flagship trio of late 2015: The Xperia Z5, the Sony Xperia Z5 Compact and the Sony Xperia Z5 Premium. So if you’re planning to snag yourself one of these devices, go ahead and bookmark the forums to stay in touch with the latest developments!
The winners of our OnePlus 2 Invite Giveaway were selected yesterday, and each will soon receive their OnePlus 2 invite to the e-mail address tied to their XDA account. Those who get an invite can then purchase the device. If you won, please allow 24 hours for the e-mail to get to you.
The Winners are:
- tkdsl
- ftdube
- Christopher8989
- kalpesh6331
- viralpatel94
- darock1323
- annoniem
- psnijjar
- ArkAngel06
- samewaterbottle
- daninantro
- schlomomotion
- SCPadgeebar
- xperiax7
- pomaro2006
- ashu11122
- QueQ
- Oomahey
- sublimaze
- akshayh696
- cuci90
- hllywd
- Uray11
- InventedTiME
- fiz:ik
- Waterdroid
- blackline2008
- luca98
- Sunny20122013
- Tyronnster
Congratulations to the winners! If you manage to purchase a OnePlus 2, we hope you enjoy the device and everything XDA will provide for it. Be sure to check our forums regularly for the latest developments!
Check Out XDA’s OnePlus 2 Forum >>
The Mountain View giant has changed its logo many times over the years, and the latest one solidifies Google’s magic across its many services. Eager to check it out? Follow the link!
Last Thursday in London, Honor released the Honor smart watch. A competition has now begun to name the product, the person who submits the winning name will receive all Honor products for the next five years on sale in his/her country. The watch features a 1.06″ circular display, is water resistant to 10-meters and has a battery estimated at lasting for 3 days. Entries should be made via the Honor page on Facebook or via @HonorEU on Twitter.
The watch will be available initially in black, white and khaki colors from Q4, 2015 at a recommended price of €79 / £59.
There have been some great flagships this year, and arguably every 2015 phone makes for a solid daily driver for typical smartphone needs. However, enthusiasts expect a lot out of their devices, especially the ones they’ve been anxiously waiting for. But a single compromise can break an Android lover’s user experience, and compromises are something we’ve seen a lot of this year. Which phones have disappointed you in 2015?
The world of technology is constantly changing, ever more frequently common place devices are being made compatible with the Internet of Things, and advances in the field and large investments from technologies largest players are causing a rapid expansion in an area you might not be aware is here.
Tech giant IBM has invested $10billion in research into the field so far and plans to invest a further $3billion and hire an additional 2000 employees. Which has according to analyst firm Strategy Analytics solidified their place as a significant driving force behind IOT adoption. The company currently has 13 research centers around the world and with the money they are throwing at the concept we could see some major leaps forward.
Google refuses to be left out from the field as well, the company announced at I/O 2015
Philips has also chosen to focus on these devices as well, with a more consumer orientated approach. After speaking to their customers, they discovered that people around the world had specific requirements for their devices and in doing so were able to adapt them to meet their needs. They found the residents of cities like Shanghai and Berlin wanted the ability to control the air quality in their home whilst being able to understand what it was doing better. To meet these needs they developed a smart Air Purifier that provides real-time data on indoor air quality direct to a smartphone. Likewise parents wanted the technology to serve their families needs as they change over time, to which they developed a smart baby monitor and Hue lightbulbs to keep parents connected to their children and allow an improved ambience for bedtime, waking and feeding.
The ‘Internet of Things’ puts the consumer in the driving seat and allows us at Philips to ensure our products are more personal, relevant and impactful than ever before – Pieter Nota, Executive Vice President of Philips
Samsung are also firmly underway with their development of IOT products. At the 2015 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) CEO of Samsung Electronics, BK Yoon, pleaded for greater collaboration between companies in expanding the IOT industry saying:
“The Internet of Things has the potential to transform our society, economy and how we live our lives,” said Mr. Yoon. “It is our job to pull together — as an industry, and across different sectors — to make true on the promise of the Internet of Things.”
He stated that these devices must focus on the users and their lifestyles, he stated “The Internet of Things is not about ‘things.’ Instead, it is about people. Each person is at the centre of their own technology universe, and the IoT universe will constantly adapt and change shape as people move through their world.” Samsung hopes that by 2017, all their televisions will be IoT compatible, and by 2020 all Samsung hardware will be compatible.
As with all upcoming technologies there are lessons to be learned, Cognosec recently revealed that by making it easier for devices to communicate with each other Zigbee had inadvertently made it possible for people to take control of other people’s smart home devices. A fact made all the more alarming in that among these smart devices were door locks. Zigbee is a standard developed by an alliance including companies such as Samsung, Motorola, Texas Instruments and the aforementioned Philips. These companies aimed to provide a cheap, low powered standard for the IOT. When Cognosec analysed these devices they discovered that because they are easy to set up and use, they lack configuration for security and therefore, allow external users to sniff the exchanged network key.
Over the coming years these technologies will surely see massive uptake, it is expected that in the not too distant future the vast majority of our electronics will become connected. With the ability to control your surrounding devices from your phone or wear device, many companies think our lives could be tailored to our individual needs. If you are interested in expanding your devices into the world of the IOT there are many popular products that can start you on your journey:
Philips Hue,
Google OnHub,
Nest Thermostat,
Samsung Smart Locks
Which devices would you like to see connected to the IOT? Leave a comment below!
