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A good book can make the long commute home on the train or a cross-country plane flight go by so much quicker. The DROID RAZR HD by Motorola offers an amazing reading experience with a 4.7” HD display featuring a higher resoultion that makes every page easier on the eyes. Looking at images from content on Google Play Books means you get richer colors and more true-to-life visuals.
With Android™ 4.1, Google Play Books offers multiple new features to enhance your reading experience:
Embedded audio tracks and videos can now be easily streamed directly within the book you’re reading.
You can now add bookmarks to remember important information for later or pick up where you left off reading.
Play Books now offers fixed layout books, optimized for tablet-reading of books with beautifully designed graphics and layouts, like children’s books and comic books.
For visually impaired users, automatic text-to-speech settings have been enabled.
So whether you’re reading a guidebook for building your new piece of furniture or cozying up to a thrilling mystery during a rainy day, DROID RAZR HD and Google Play Books have you covered. Let us know what your favorite book is in the comments below.
Touch and other new capabilities in Windows 8 are powering the latest hardware innovations coming from our OEM partners. Together we are delivering interactive new experiences through devices and services that deliver on customers’ need for constant connectivity, mobility and flexibility.
This new world of computing is on display this week at the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, from chipsets, to materials, hinges, touch panels, rotating displays, beautiful new designs and new capabilities in Windows 8.
The PCs and devices we’re seeing come to market are increasingly mobile and much more powerful. When Windows 8 launched in October, we talked about 1,000 PCs and devices that had been certified for Windows 8. There are now more than 1,500 with more expected in the weeks and months to come. The breadth of innovation continues as our hardware partners deliver new Windows 8 devices and experiences that are tuned for play and work.
With that, let’s take a look at some of the incredible new Windows 8 PCs that are being announced and garnering attention on the show floor this week.
This is the Transformer Book TX300CA from ASUS, a lightweight ultraportable with a 13” full HD (1920×1080) IPS display and multi-touch capabilities. Imagine the portability of a tablet but will have access to a more familiar Ultrabook design for productivity. The Transformer Book TX300CA delivers performance and an excellent user experience thanks to the latest Intel Core i7 processor with HD4000 graphics and Windows 8.
Another brilliant touch laptop: Sony’s VAIOT Series 15. This is the 15-inch version of the popular T13 that features built-in HD web cam, which if you haven’t seen it in action is really impressive. The built-in web camera features image sensor that not only provides crisp, bright pictures, but you can use the camera and hand gestures to skip a song, adjust volume, and navigate webpages with VAIO Gesture Control.
For more on Sony, see this video featuring Sony’s VAIO Tap 20 and LL Cool J:
New to the PC market this year, TV-leader Vizio has come on strong with a beautiful line of notebooks and all-in-ones. Now they’ve enabled their Thin + Light series with touch, making them even more attractive for the Windows 8 world.
Samsung will be refreshing its Series 7 Ultrabooks this spring with the Series 7 Chronos and Series 7 Ultra Touch. Both models will feature a full HD (1920 x 1080) display, longer battery life and Samsung’s trademark sleek aesthetics. Slightly thinner, the Series 7 Ultra Touch boasts a JBL sound system and is a great multimedia PC, while the Chronos offers premium performance and is still less than one-inch thick.
Here’s creative take on an all-in-one PC: Lenovo’s IdeaCentre Horizon table PC. This device from Lenovo combines an all-in-one desktop and table PC into one design. It can be used as an HD display or laid flat for a fun new gaming experience. It’s as thin as two DVD cases, and can be outfitted with an Intel Core i7 processor and, of course, Windows 8. We think this kind of design is a game changer for family computing.
Another innovative design from Lenovo, the ThinkPad Helixis a premium convertible that features the company’s groundbreaking “rip and flip” design, giving people absolute mobile freedom and versatility. Use it as a tablet, a laptop, a table-based tablet PC or even a mini movie theater with this flexible new design. Furthering the Helix’s “groundbreaking” label, the new model features optional 4G high-speed wireless and Near Field Communications (NFC) technology that makes sharing files with other devices a easy as tapping them together.
Take a look at both the Lenovo ThinkPad Helix and IdeaCentre Horizon Table PC:
For fans of traditional notebook designs there are plenty to choose from this year. Dell’s Inspiron 14R, 15R and 17R are getting a refresh with a sleek new design that is not only easy on the eyes, but easy to keep at your side. Nearly 5 mm thinner than the previous generation, the laptops include a built-in optical drive, stunning graphics options and fast processors.
LG’s impressive monitor selection comprises of the UltraWide, ColorPrime and Touch 10, all matched for entertainment, professional applications and touch-based interaction, respectively. All three models employ IPS technology for exceptional next generation picture quality.
HP’s Sleekbook line – featuring the latest technologies from AMD – is a great mix of functionality and affordability. Sporting a 15.6-inch diagonal HD display, 1 terabyte of storage and exclusive innovations including HP Connected Photo powered by Snapfish, this is a great Windows 8 PC for photographers.
For gaming and movie enthusiasts, Toshiba’s new Qosimo X875features all the horsepower you’ll need plus a new 1 terabyte hard drive – all in a laptop!
Panasonic has announced its “fearless business tablet” the Toughpad FZ-G1with Windows 8 Pro. The toughness, thinness and light weight are optimized for field operations and the high brightness screen is tuned for outdoor use. It’s an enterprise level tablet equipped with Windows 8 Pro and a high-performance processor.
Check out Jenn Brown from ESPN putting thePanasonic Toughpad FZ-G1 to the test:
Microsoft and our OEM partners are working closely together to delight customers with hardware, software and services that create immersive new experiences and computing scenarios. The hardware innovation from our partners continues with amazing new PCs and devices coming into the Windows 8 ecosystem. Momentum for the platform is also strong with consumers, commercial customers and developers: we’ve crossed the 40 million mark for Windows 8 licenses , crossed the 60 million mark for Windows 8 licenses there are more apps coming online every day, and cloud services to unify media and content across devices.
Polaroid Tuesday unveiled the world’s first Android-powered mirrorless interchangeable lens camera with a 18-megapixel censor at CES 2013 in Las Vegas. The iM1836 camera will be manufactured by Sakar International, an authorised Polaroid licensee.
The Android 4.1 Jelly Bean-running camera comes standard with a 10-30mm optical zoom lens, and is capable of recording full-HD video. It features 3.5-inch display will hit store shelves in the first quarter of 2013 for a price of $399.
“Throughout our 75 year history, Polaroid has been synonymous with innovation, creativity, and ease of use,” commented Scott W. Hardy, President and CEO of Polaroid. “We are continuing that proud tradition at CES this year with the launch of the iM1836. This compact, connected camera is the ideal pocket-sized device to capture and share all of your most precious moments.”
The iM1836 aims to combine the image quality of mirrorless interchangeable-lens cameras like the Nikon V1, J1, Nikon J2, Canon EOS M, Fujifilm X-Pro 1, Samsung NX300 and the convenience of Android-based cameras like Nikon Coolpix S800c and Samsung Galaxy Camera. Before this, Sony had come the closest to combining the two worlds, with the Wi-Fi enabled mirrorless NEX-5R, minus the Android.
Polaroid also announced the launch of two iM1836 cousins. First, the non-Android, Wi-Fi only iM1232W for $349 and the non-Android, non-Wi-Fi iM1030 for $299. It also unveiled the iS2433 with a 16-megapixel sensor and 24x optical zoom for $199.
Sony kicked off its CES activities by lifting the wraps of its latest flagship smartphone, the Xperia Z, and Xperia ZL.
If you’ve been keeping tracking of the rumours, there are no surprises in the specs. The Sony Xperia Z comes with a 5-inch full-HD (1080×1920) display alongside and is powered a by 1.5 GHzSnapdragon S4 Pro quad-core processor. Other highlights include a 13-megapixel rear camera and 2GB RAM. The Xperia Z is IP55 and IP57 certified, which means it is dust and water resistant.
“With Xperia Z, we are bringing over half a century of innovation in TV, imaging, music, film and gaming to create a super-phone experience that truly stands out,” said Kuni Suzuki, President and CEO, at Sony Mobile Communications.
Xperia Z includes a technology called Battery STAMINA Mode that Sony claims can improve the standby time of the phone by four times or more by automatically shutting down battery-draining apps whenever the screen is off and starting them up again when the screen is back on.
Other specifications of the Xperia Z include 16GB internal storage (expandable by 32GB via microSD card), 2230mAh battery and NFC.
Sony Xperia Z will launch globally in Q1 2013 with Android 4.1 on-board with a Android 4.2 to be made available “shortly after launch”. In certain markets Sony also plans to launch a design variant of the Xperia Z – the Sony Xperia ZL – with a “smaller form factor”.
“With great specifications, Sony’s media applications, One-touch functions and outstanding battery life, Xperia Z is well positioned for leadership in the smartphone market,” Suzuki continued. “By putting smartphones at the heart of our strategy, Sony is enabling people to create, enjoy and share content and experiences like never before.”
“Ultra-HD” TVs are set to be the talk of International CES, the gadget show kicking off this week in Las Vegas. But the televisions aren’t likely to account for much of the market even four years down the road.
That is the conclusion of analysts of the show’s host, a day before TV makers such as Samsung, LG and Sony attempt to wow conference attendees with their latest models.
Ultra high-definition TVs, with four times as many pixels as HD TVs, are expected to account for only 1.4 million units sold in the U.S. in 2016, or about 5 percent of the entire market. Sales in the rest of the world are expected to be smaller.
The analysts blamed high prices and low availability for the slow start.
“It’s a very, very limited opportunity,” said Steve Koenig, director of industry analysis at the Consumer Electronics Association, which officially kicks off the show Tuesday. “The price points here are in the five digits (in U.S. dollars) and very few manufacturers, at least at this stage, have products ready.”
The consumer electronics industry is struggling to come back from a weak year in 2012, when an estimated $1.06 trillion worth of goods was sold around the world, down 1 percent from 2011, hurt by a weak European economy and flat TV sales in China.
The market is seen recovering this year, with global sales rising 4 percent to $1.11 trillion, pumped up due to renewed growth in the so-called BRIC countries, led by China, Brazil, Russia and India.
All the more reason for gadget makers to energetically tout their latest innovations. TV makers were somewhat chastened last year as enthusiasm for super-thin and vibrant organic light-emitting diode (OLED) TVs was hampered by production problems and delays. Now they have turned their focus to ultra-HD to drive consumer demand.
Steve Bambridge, business director for boutique research and consumer choices at GfK, said troubles making OLED sets are “not any secret.” He added that while some makers planned to sell models this year after introducing them a year ago, he said he “won’t be surprised if those go backwards.”
Although the show has often unveiled the biggest and best of TV sets, the biggest electronics show in the Americas has increasingly been dominated by computers, tablets and mobile devices.
For good reason
In 2013, CEA and GfK predicted that for the first time, three categories of devices mobile personal computers, tablets and smartphones will account for over half of all consumer electronics spending worldwide.
Shawn DuBravac, the CEA’s chief economist, said one trend at the show was the increasing number of exhibitors who display technology that uses a smartphone or tablet as their hub. He noted a 25 percent increase in exhibitors from health and fitness companies, including those that sell heart monitors and blood pressure applications.
He also said the clamshell design of laptop computers, which hasn’t changed much in two decades, will face a significant challenge. He expects 30 to 40 different hardware designs for the laptop to be presented on the show floor. Some intriguing computers on display will be giant touch-screen tablets meant for lying flat, and laptops whose screens can swivel around or detach from the keyboard easily.
“The clamshell design is still intact 20 years later. That’s starting to change,” he said.
More companies are also expected to do more with devices that respond better to a wider range of gestures and more natural speech.
At the world’s largest technology conference that kicks off on Monday, the most intriguing innovations showcased may be gadgets and technology that turn everyday items into connected, smarter machines.
This year’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas promises a new generation of “smart” gadgets, some controlled by voice and gestures, and technology advancements in cars, some of which already let you dictate emails or check real-time gas prices.
Pundits have long predicted that home appliances like refrigerators and stoves will be networked, creating an “Internet of things.” With advancements in chips and the ubiquity of smartphones and tablets, it’s now happening.
“We’ve been talking about this convergence of consumer electronics and computers and content for 20 years. It will actually be somewhat of a reality here, in that your phone, your tablet, your PC, your TV, your car, have a capability to all be connected,” said Patrick Moorhead, principal analyst at Moor Insights & Strategy.
Wireless chip maker Qualcomm Inc’s CEO, Paul Jacobs, opens the festivities with a keynote speech on Monday, taking a spot traditionally reserved for Microsoft, which decided last year to sever ties with the show.
Jacobs said in a recent interview on PBS that he will show how wireless technology will be pushed way beyond smartphones into homes, cars and healthcare.
Smarter smartphones
With venues spanning over 32 football fields across Las Vegas more than 1.9 million sq. ft. (176,516 sq. metres) CES is an annual rite for those keen to glimpse the newest gadgets before they hit store shelves. The show, which started in 1967 in New York, was the launch pad for the VCR, camcorder, DVD and HDTV.
While retailers prowl for products to fill their shelves, Wall Street investors look for products that are the next hit.
Intel and Qualcomm are expected to highlight improvements in “perceptual computing,” which involves using cameras, GPS, sensors and microphones to make devices detect and respond to user activity.
“The idea is that if your devices are so smart, they should be able to know you better and anticipate and react to your requirements,” said IDC analyst John Jackson.
This year, snazzier TVs will again dominate show space, with “ultra high-definition” screens that have resolutions some four times sharper than that of current displays. The best smartphones will likely be reserved for launch at Mobile World Congress in February.
There will also be a record number of auto makers showing the latest in-vehicle navigation, entertainment and safety systems, from Toyota’s Audi to Ford, General Motors and Hyundai. The Consumer Electronics Association has forecast the market for factory-installed tech features in cars growing 11 percent this year to $8.7 billion.
BMW, for one, already provides speech recognition that is processed instantly through datacenters, converted into text and emailed without drivers taking their hands off the wheel. The luxury carmaker also offers data about weather, fuel prices and other items.
“Automotive has been this backwater of technology for a long time. Suddenly, we’re seeing a lot of real innovation in automotive technology,” Scott McGregor, CEO of chipmaker Broadcom, told Reuters ahead of the show.
While the focus of last week’s agreement between the Federal Trade Commission and Google Inc was search, the deal’s restrictions on how Google uses its patents could have a broader impact on the technology industry.
Under the deal, which ended an antitrust investigation by the FTC and disappointed many critics, Google will make only minor changes to its search business.
But Google is also now limited in when it can seek injunctions against products from rival companies that use certain of its patents.
Throughout recent smartphone wars and other major patent litigation, holders of so-called standard essential patents have been accused of using them to bully competitors into paying high licensing rates or as leverage in patent disputes.
The FTC’s deal with Google clarifies the uncertainty over how standard essential patents can be used, said Colleen Chien, a professor specializing in patent law at Santa Clara University School of Law in California.
The deal set out a process by which technology makers can avoid injunctions and patent holders know they are going to get compensated, Chien said. “The FTC has deflated the power of the injunction and also the incentives to not pay that have existed.”
In its case against Google, the FTC claimed that Google and its subsidiary Motorola Mobility Inc had breached commitments to standard-setting bodies to license its patents on terms that are fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory. As part of the deal, Google agreed to drop claims for injunctive relief against competitors in certain patent disputes around the world. It also agreed to submit to the jurisdiction of a court or arbitrator when disputes over payment rates arise.
Throughout the FTC’s investigation, Google was represented by Susan Creighton of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati and John Harkrider of Axinn, Veltrop & Harkrider. The FTC retained Beth Wilkinson of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison.
‘Template’
The FTC said Thursday that the threat of injunction by a holder of an essential patent hurts competition. The agreement with Google could be used as a “template” for other patent disputes, it said.
Unlike a court decision, the FTC’s agreement with Google is not binding on other companies. But it could give leverage to defendants in disputes with essential patent holders that could be used in court.
“We know in today’s world, defendants are getting more aggressive,” said Matthew Woods, an antitrust and patent attorney at Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi. “Defendants will seize on this and tell courts that injunctions are something the court should not even countenance.”
But the agreement with Google may not be all good news for patent users, according to Jay Jurata, an antitrust partner at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, who said that it could have unintended consequences.
The elaborate agreement allows Google to seek injunctions against companies that are unwilling to pay for a license on fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory terms. But the question of when a company is considered an unwilling licensee is one that the FTC may have unwittingly allowed holders of essential patents to manipulate, said Jurata.
“They provided a road map for other standard essential patent holders to engage in opportunistic behavior to paint otherwise willing licensees as unwilling licensees,” he said.
Miller of Robins Kaplan also cautioned that the FTC’s deal with Google may be unique because of the company’s giant size and dominance, which can attract the attention of regulators.
“There are a lot litigants who aren’t going to see this agreement as restraining them, because they don’t have the same portfolio as Google,” Miller said.
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