ZTE Says They’re Releasing an Android Wear Smartwatch in 2017

There's been a number of companies going back and forth with Android Wear lately, and it has had many people worried about the future of the platform… Especially since Google has been very slow to release the highly anticipated Android Wear 2.0 update.

This led to people assuming OEMs would be preparing to release a new smartwatch to coincide with the new update, but it seemed like Google will be the only company doing that.

The Android Wear platform is still being used by a number of companies though. Motorola and Huawei are saying they might not be releasing new devices every year, but still say that they will refresh their hardware when they feel the time is right. Swarovski says they'll be releasing an Android Wear smartwatch in March, Casio just announced a new WSD-F series watch, and New Balance just revealed some details about the device they've been working with Intel on too.

Then at CES this week, ZTE has confirmed they are working on an Android Wear smartwatch as well, and says it should be released sometime in 2017. ZTE's chief executive officer, Lixin Cheng, spoke with CNET this week and told them the company has already partnered with a wireless carrier in the United States, and that the wearable will have its own LTE connectivity so it doesn't have to be paired with a phone all the time.

Cheng didn't reveal any additional details about the device though, other than saying they appreciate the work previous Android Wear OEMs have done for the market. Cheng feels that they've done the experimenting for them, and that this will help them not make the same mistakes others made. ZTE is known for manufacturing budget-friendly smartphones, so it will be interesting to see if they follow in the footsteps of companies like ASUS, and produce a device that offers a lot of value for the consumer.

Source: CNET

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How to Convert the Chinese Xiaomi Amazfit into the English Xiaomi Amazfit PACE

In the middle of last year, Xiaomi launched the affordable Amazfit GPS smartwatch for the Chinese market under its Huami sub-brand. The smartwatch was later made available in the U.S. as the Amazfit PACE starting November 22nd, 2016, but for those early adopters of the Amazfit, they were still left with the Chinese branded version. However, it is now possible to effectively convert the Chinese model into the English one by flashing the appropriate images. Be sure to read the instructions and disclaimer in their entirety before you start, though!

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Google Releases Separate ADB and Fastboot Binary Downloads

It's about time. After years of bundling ADB and Fastboot binaries with the Android SDK, Google is finally allowing users to download the binaries without having to download the entirety of Android Studio. Previously, users would have to download several hundred megabytes worth of data if they simply wanted access to ADB and Fastboot. Now, you will only have to stomach a few megabytes to acquire these binaries.

If you're an Android developer, you would have no problem downloading Android Studio or the Android SDK as these are requisite for Android application development. However, there are plenty of valid reasons for Android enthusiasts to download ADB and Fastboot. Unlocking the bootloader or flashing factory images are some of the more common uses, for instance.

While there were third-party sources you could use to grab just the ADB and Fastboot binaries, such as the popular Minimal ADB and Fastboot tool from our forums, some users would prefer downloading executables only from official sources. Furthermore, these third-parties could be hosting out of date packages, since they rely on individuals downloading and extracting the binaries from the official source. Now you can cut out the middle man and grab them straight from Google.

You can download the latest ADB and Fastboot binaries using these links. These download links will remain static, but Google will periodically update the referenced file with the latest binaries as they go live.

• Windows
• Mac
• Linux

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Source: +ElliottHughes

Via: AndroidPolice

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Google Nexus 6 finally receives official Android 7.1.1 Nougat

Last month, Google promised to release an official build of Android 7.1 Nougat for all supported devices, save for one: the Nexus 6. We learned that Android 7.1 would be delayed for this phone due to some unspecified bugs the company needed to hammer out at the last minute, but we should expect to see the Nexus 6 receive the update during early January.

True to their word, Google has finally released Android 7.1.1 Nougat to Nexus 6 owners. This update comes with the latest January security patches and can be grabbed as a full factory image or as an OTA update from the Google Developer webpage.

• Factory Image: N4F26I (7.1.1 with Jan. 2017 security patches)
• OTA Update: N6F26Q (7.1.1 with Jan. 2017 security patches)

Remember, in order to install these updates, you will need to have the appropriate USB drivers for your device. Then, you will need to also grab the ADB and Fastboot binaries, depending on which installation method you chose. Once you're acquired all of that, then simply follow the instructions provided on the Factory Image page or OTA page to apply the update.

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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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