Samsung Introduces the Chromebook Plus and Chromebook Pro, Designed for Google Play

At Google I/O 2016, the company announced that Google Play support would be officially extended to several Chrome OS devices. This move vastly extended the capabilities of Chrome OS machines, whose application availability was sorely lacking at the time. Now, Chrome OS has access to thousands of quality apps and games that already have established their presence on Android.

At CES 2017, Samsung announced a collaboration with Google to introduce the next generation of Chromebooks, explicitly designed with Google Play application support in mind. Meet the Samsung Chromebook Plus and the Samsung Chromebook Pro.

Both of these new Chromebooks sport a laptop form factor but with a 360-degree hinge. This allows the Chromebooks to be flipped and used as a tablet, which is more suited for Android applications. The devices feature a 12.3″ Quad HD 2400×1600 display with a 3:2 aspect ratio and Gorilla Glass 3 layered for protection.

The Chromebook Plus will be powered by an ARM microprocessor, though the exact model has not been specified, while the Chromebook Pro will be powered by an Intel Core m3 processor. Both devices will have 4 GBs of RAM, 32GBs of internal storage and will support 4K video output through either of the two USB Type-C ports on the device.

Flexibility is the key word on the new Chromebooks. You have a full-size keyboard and track pad for your conventional Chrome OS functionality. Then, using the 360-degree hinge and the touchscreen capabilities, you can use your device in tablet mode, tent mode, or stand mode. Furthermore, Samsung has equipped the Chromebooks with a built-in stylus embedded on the side of the device for storage and easy access. The pen has a 0.7mm tip and pressure sensitivity which opens up note taking and drawing capabilities.

The Chromebook Plus will be available in February across major retailers in the United States for $449. The Chromebook Pro will be made available later sometime during Spring 2017. Of course, both devices will ship with the Google Play Store pre-installed.

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Mate 9 Hands On at CES

TK is currently out at CES covering all of the exciting new phones coming out. This video is a hands on look at the Mate 9 from Huawei. This is the official launch of the Mate 9 in the US market. You can expect to get this device from online retailers for about $599 very soon.

The most significant new feature in this phone is the dual lens camera. This is an upgrade from the single lens setup in the previous model. Huawei has bee making the switch to dual lens cameras on most of their major phone releases this year, so this is right in line with evolution of their other phones.

This phone will ship with Android 7.0 running EMUI 5.0.

Mate 9 Specs
CPU	HiSilicon Kirin 960
DISPLAY	1080 x 1920 pixels
RAM	4GB
STORAGE	64GB
CAMERA	Dual 20MP/8MP

Thanks to Honor for sponsoring our CES coverage. Be sure to check out the new Honor 6X.

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FLIR Announces 2 New Thermal Cameras for Android

FLIR is well known for their thermal cameras, some of which can be attached to iPhones and Android devices. The company has been selling the FLIR One for a while now, but now they've announced an upgraded series that comes in two different models; one of them is simply called the FLIR One (new generation), while the other is called the FLIR One Pro.

Amazon is selling this older model for about $250 right now, and the new third generation FLIR One thermal camera will be priced at just $200. This device has RoHS, CE/FCC, CEC-BC, EN61233 certification (with MFi on the iOS version), weighs in at 34.5 grams, and should be able to handle a drop from 1.5 meters. The pixel size of the thermal sensor is 17μm with an 8 – 14 μm spectral range. The thermal resolution is 80×60, visual resolution is at 1440×1080, and the HFOV / VFOV is 50° ± 1° / 38° ± 1°.

The second device announced this week at CES is the FLIR One Pro, and it will be priced at $400. It has the same OneFit adjustable connector that adapts the thermal camera to fit with almost any phone case. It can measure temperatures on any spot in a scene between -4°F and 248°F (or -20°C to 120°C). It has the same certifications as the regular 3rd generation model, except for the thermal resolution (now 160×120), and the pixel size of its thermal sensor is 12μm  with an 8 – 14μm spectral range.

This Pro model also lets you connect with certified thermographers around the world, and it has what FLIR is calling VividIR Image Enhancement (which is described as the latest and most powerful image processing). You can pre-register for either of these new thermal cameras directly on the FLIR website right now.
Source: FLIR

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Google Assistant is Coming to Android TV, Android Wear 2.0 and More Devices

Google Assistant has been somewhat of a replacement for Google Now for those who have compatible devices. Many are still waiting for Google to bring the new service to their device, and they're now making some progress with this. Sadly, we still aren't seeing official support for it on non-Pixel Android smartphones, but Google has announced it will be coming to a number of different platforms throughout the year.

The big news here is that all Android TV devices in the United States running Android 6.0 Marshmallow or 7.0 Nougat will soon get an update that adds Google Assistant support.  This is especially enticing given that, at the moment, Assistant is limited to a handful of expensive Google-made products like the Home and the Pixel smartphones. Google gives an example list of Android TV devices that will receive the update, including the NVIDIA Shield Android TV, AirTV Player, Sharp Aquos, Sony Bravia, and Xiaomi Mi Box, but there are definitely others out there that will get Google Assistant.

With voice actions on these supported devices, you'll be able to issue commands like "Play Stranger Things on Netflix," or "Search YouTube for Jimmy Kimmel." This version of Google Assistant will also be able to do Google web searches so you can say something like "Tell me about Jurassic Park," and "How long will it take to get to work?" You'll even be able to control your connected devices that are supported by Google Assistant, so you can say "Dim the lights," to get ready for the movie or show you're about to watch.

We're also told that Google Assistant will be coming to a number of other devices in the near future as well. Google specifically mentions Android Wear 2.0, Android-powered in-car infotainment systems, and "other types of devices" thanks to the Embedded Google Assistant SDK. We'll have to wait and see if the Embedded Google Assistant SDK catches on as much as Amazon's Alexa platform, but each new company that adds support for Google Assistant will make the service that more valuable. Expanding Google Assistant's reach is a great strategy that will bring further exposure to Google's AI and connected home efforts.

Source: <name of site>

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NVIDIA Unveils new SHIELD with 4K HDR Streaming, and NVIDIA SPOT AI Microphone Peripheral

During their CES 2017 keynote, NVIDIA has unveiled the successor to their popular SHIELD TV — simply called the SHIELD. Running Android TV just like its predecessor, the new device aims to replace not only other streamers, but also give you the power of AI through Google Assistant.

The new NVIDIA SHIELD streaming device can now stream 4K content through Netflix and other services. Beyond media content, the SHIELD can also stream multiplayer games from the cloud with support for 4K HDR casting at up to 60fps with NVIDIA GameStream. Outside of these details, NVIDIA did not really specify what powers the streaming device in terms of specifications.

Since the SHIELD runs on Android TV, you also get all the capabilities of the smart OS, including the future update that adds on Google Assistant. Rolling out in the "coming months", the Google Assistant for Android TV update will let users enjoy a hands-free TV experience, with voice control and contextual replies. You could search on YouTube using voice commands starting with the "OK Google" trigger phrase, and interact contextually with the AI Assistant. You can also interact with the connected services that will choose to be a part of the Actions on Google platform.

NVIDIA is also launching a curious peripheral with the SHIELD. Called the NVIDIA SPOT, this is an always-on microphone that aims to spread AI coverage throughout your house. You would need wall outlets that are exposed and are not among furniture that would muffle out your voice commands, though.

The new NVIDIA SHIELD comes with a remote and game controller for $199.99, and is available for pre-order. The NVIDIA SPOT will be sold separately, though pricing and availability have not been announced yet.

What are your thoughts on the NVIDIA SHIELD and NVIDIA SPOT? Let us know in the comments below!

Source: TechCrunch

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Screens Launches Two Apps at Once

 

If you use the split-screen feature in Android 7.0, there's probably a specific pair of apps that you use more than others. The app Screens – Multi Window Manager can create a single shortcut that launches two specified apps at once.

The app is as simple as it gets. Select the two apps you want paired and set a shortcut name.

If you consistently use the same two apps in split-screen, this can be a very useful tool. I have a shortcut for Maps and Play Music so when I start driving, I can instantly launch the only two apps I use when driving.

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ZTE Unveils Blade V8 Pro and Project CSX Winner ‘Hawkeye’ at CES 2017

ZTE took the stage at CES 2017 to unveil not one, but two smartphones. The Blade V8 Pro is an upgrade over the Blade V7, while ZTE Hawkeye is the smartphone winner from Project CSX, ZTE's attempt to crowdsource ideas for a smartphone.

ZTE Blade V8 Pro

ZTE's Blade lineup has seen popularity in Asian markets, and then expanding to Europe and other regions. With the V8 Pro, ZTE is bringing the Blade to the US market, aiming at users looking for an affordable smartphone.

The Blade V8 Pro features a 5.5″ FHD LCD display, which is standard fare on many price segments these days. On the inside, you get a Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 with 8x Cortex-A53 clocked at 2.0GHz; 3GB RAM and 32GB of internal storage. You can choose to expand the storage by another 256GB by making use of the hybrid dual-SIM slot with microSD support. There's a decently sized 3,140 mAh battery onboard, along with a USB Type-C port and Quick Charge 2.0 capabilities. The phone does sadly run Android 6.0 Marshmallow, and ZTE has not made known any upgrade plans, so a Nougat release remains up in the air at this stage.

The Blade V8 Pro fuels the dual-camera trend with its dual 13MP cameras on the back, supported with dual LED flash and PDAF. You can also record 4K videos at 30fps. The front camera is an 8MP shooter.

The ZTE Blade V8 Pro is available for pre-order through ZTE's website and other retailers for a price of $299.98.

ZTE Hawkeye

While ZTE had chosen the winner of Project CSX through community voting a few months ago, they have now chosen the name of the upcoming smartphone.

Named 'Hawkeye', the winner of Project CSX is a smartphone with a self-adhesive back with eye-tracking technology. ZTE Hawkeye is now live for funding on Kickstarter for a discounted price of $199. The device is expected to ship globally in Q3 2017.

For more information, you can visit the Kickstarter page for ZTE Hawkeye.

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What are your thoughts on ZTE Blade V8 Pro and ZTE Hawkeye? Let us know in the comments below!

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