Oppo launches Neo 7 smartphone, priced at Rs 9990; begins trial for make in India phones
Intex launches Aqua Young, priced at Rs 5,090
Huawei launches Honor 5X smartphone with fingerprint sensor
LeTV launches 1S smartphone with 3GB RAM
OnePlus X with 5-inch screen launched, prices starting at Rs 16,999
Xolo launches Black 1X, priced at Rs 9,999
Oppo Neo 7 smartphone listed on global website
By Sophia Sanchez on Nov 01, 2015 with Comments 0
The company are planning to release a total of five smartphone games by March 2017, with fans anticipating that the later titles will include more familiar Nintendo brands, such as a mobile version ofSuper Mario.
Miitomo uses Miis to communicate with other users, and it will work with your new Nintendo Account. And people will want to buy these too, because their Mii avatars they will go out into the game world and communicate with other Miis on their own even when the player isn't logged into the game. Though the game was expected to be released before the end of the year, Nintendo today announced that Miitomo was scheduled for global release in March 2016.
The WSJ also noted that Nintendo's mobile gaming partner DeNA "will focus on operation of the games", and that the company is "saving its most famous character, Mario the plumber, and others for a later date".
According to the details shared by Nintendo at the investor briefing, the Miitomo' smartphone game will give gamers the ability to create avatars to facilitate social interactions with one another. Nintendo stock plummeted almost 10 percent on the Tokyo Stock Exchange in the minutes following the announcement of a delayed entry into the mobile market, before recovering slightly as of press time. Yet, it's weird that its first game isn't an instantly recognizable brand that could quickly make Nintendo tons of money and have instant recognition, like Donkey Kong or The Legend of Zelda. Before his death this summer, previous Nintendo president Satoru Iwata said that the company doesn't intend to port existing games onto mobile platforms for fear of an inferior play experience.
Kimishima also said that Nintendo's new online customer account system would be called Nintendo Account, and transfer data between mobile and home games. Another mobile game was Pokemon Shuffle, which was a free to play 3DS game, it is a puzzle game with micro-transactions and will feature weekly events.
Filed Under: Technology
Microsoft released its new mobile build to Windows Insiders this week, and it brought virtually no new features. I say virtually because I noticed one new feature, in quiet hours, the new build now defaults to Everyday for automatic rules as opposed to only once (logical improvement that improves the initial set up). As a result of all the bug-fixes and the removal of Astoria(automatically removed if you manually reinstall it), the latest builds now surpass Windows Phone 8.1 in speed and ease of use. I am 100% confident Microsoft can make it through to the finish line in a week or so. Also, in case any one was counting, we got 3 builds in 3 weeks this time as opposed to once a month. Kudos to Gabe and his team.
Android vs Windows Phone: Software battleOn a mental scale, I weigh up Windows Phone or Android, and the scale tips towards Windows Phone every time. Everyone makes this kind of compromise when choosing a smartphone OS to use, and the key for Microsoft here is I think, to look beyond apps and make something that users could point to as being superior to Android and iOS. It won't be continuum alone, it won't be live tiles on their own, not even the tighter integration with Windows. It'll have to be all those little things put together that combined, mark Windows out as a superior choice and make the breath of apps a sacrifice people are willing to make.
I used two Android Phones as my secondary device for a while, and I didn't come away impressed. The extended capability of the apps and app store was quite nice and it was great knowing that I could do nearly anything if I set my mind to it, but Windows 10 Mobile works out of the box, has all the apps I need and is nicer to look at. I should warn though that I was not assessing the app gap objectively, just from my subjective experience. People with different needs would have different perceptions of the app gap, which is what the article is playing with. Reviewers who use Android and iOS first would clearly review Windows from the POV of those other OSes, what I did was simply look at the other OSes through what some may call fanboy glasses and found them wanting.
Microsoft gives free Continuum Docks out to Lumia 950 XL buyersGood. Continuum is a powerful feature that Microsoft should push in everyway possible- but not at the exclusion of other smaller and less headline grabbing features.
Microsoft's new Lumia strategy analysed –
We've already analysed Microsoft's new and old Windows Phone strategies, the old one which required Windows Phone to be the red-headed stepchild, and the new one which elevates it to a more important cornerstone of the Windows experience with Windows 10. Now it seems that many others are agreeing with the initial analysis.
Jason from Windows Central calls these new Lumias Microsoft's new colourful iMacs, he writes the following:
Nadella, I believe, is expecting that the 1 to 3 year-long pent up demand Windows Phone fans have had for high-end Lumia's will result in a greater rush for these devices than that experienced when the 920 hit the shelves. As I shared in an earlier piece, this could likely generate the largest surge in Lumia sales to date. (With wider carrier support it could be epic.)
For Q4 2015, the quarter in which the devices will be released the data for Windows Phones (when released in the new year) is likely to look very positive. The surge above in Lumia's running Windows 10 Mobile will likely be accompanied by excited fans engaging the Windows Store in great numbers. Consequently, analytics will likely reveal a respectable number of app downloads to Windows 10 Mobile devices. There may also be increased revenue to developers during this quarter as a result.
Whether that pattern endures or not (which we hope it will), these will be powerful talking points to the industry, consumers, and developers for Microsoft's Universal Windows Platform. As Windows 10 on PC has yielded 6x more store visits and a 4x increase in developer's revenue, a similar ecosystem boost on mobile will validate Microsoft's strategy.
This positive messaging in Q1 2016 will likely be on the heels of the push for the Bridges. With a message of increased engagement across its ecosystem, Nadella is likely betting on developers being more inclined to invest in porting their apps to Windows 10.
Steve Litchfield of AAWP also adds in his own take:
Absolutely. We should all be past over-analysing recent Lumia sales now, proclaiming that 'Windows Phone is dead' – I've heard this numerous times now. Of course it's dead, in terms of sales and having a future – that's because it's evolving into something which is part of a much bigger ecosystem. Almost all current Windows Phones will get their free Windows 10 Mobile upgrade, plus new models will appear from Microsoft and others over the next few months, all running the same universal applications and with much the same interface as on the desktop/laptop/tablet
Let me be absolutely clear on my position here, Microsoft can see the numbers, they produce these Windows Phones, after seeing that their previous strategy was disastrous, they cut its legs off at the knees and moved on to a new strategy. If Microsoft wanted to kill Windows Phones, they have had plenty of opportunities to kill it. Partnering with other OEMs, universal apps for Windows 10 and all the work they put into porting all their apps to Windows Phone (Yes, UWP is mostly relevant for Windows Phone atm) is not how Microsoft slowly kills off Windows Phone. Instead, they are repositioning it as simply Windows-on-your-phone and hoping that universal apps, continuum plus the new flagship phones provide enough of a boost to bring Windows Mobile back to life. It's not as bold as "The Beta test is over", but it certainly is something worth thinking about.
Windows phones to gain new continuity like featuresMicrosoft is essentially planning to introduce the ability to roam apps across your Windows 10 PC and Windows 10 Mobile device. What I mean by this is simple, imagine working on an email on your phone in the Mail app, but you decide you want to continue working on your email on your desktop. Simply open the mail app on your desktop, and Windows will pick up exactly where you left off. Another example is with web browsing with Microsoft Edge on your desktop, opening the app on your phone will bring you to where you left off on your desktop. Pretty neat.
This sounds good in theory. Start something on one device, continue on another, a logical extension of the continuum feature of Windows and probably more potential for utility on UWP apps. If Microsoft can get all of its apps and select partners supporting this, then it should be a great selling feature. Let's see how long it takes the Skype team to implement this. "Cortana, remind me in 2017…"
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Like or not, the iPhone still sets the tone in the mobile business, even if there are tons of other smartphone makers out there that have the resources to come up with meaningful innovations in the mobile landscape. Yet it's Apple that sets the tone for the rest of the industry to follow, whether it's creating its own features or reinventing features that others have made.
DON'T MISS: The Nexus 6P can't really be this easy to bend… can it?
The smartphone revolution started with the iPhone in 2007 when Apple told everyone touchscreens are the new norm. Many people dissed the concept, but soon everybody was scrambling to adapt their operating systems (Google's Android was initially supposed to work on a BlackBerry-like device) and gadgets to fit the new trend. A year later, Apple introduced the App Store, another significant milestone in smartphone evolution that actually put the "smart" in smartphone.
Since then, with every iPhone iteration, Apple has improved software and hardware in an increasingly more competitive mobile landscape. Google emerged as the chief rival and has won a bigger chunk of the overall market – yet it's still the new iPhone that will tell us what to expect from mobile devices in the coming years.
Some people would point out that the iPhone never kept the pace with Android rivals when it comes to processor clock speed and cores, the amount of RAM, camera megapixels or size. That's the easiest thing to do when you're building computer hardware: just bump up the specs and hope that software will take care of everything else.
As for the software side of the business, I'm not arguing iOS invented everything that's good for the mobile ecosystem because it didn't. Neither did Android or Windows Phone. Instead, each company developed new features and adapted features the competition already used. But iPhone, as a whole, still sets the tone – let's look at its history.
iPhone 6s's 3D Touch
The iPhone 6s's signature feature is UI gesture for both its own apps and third-party apps. Many developers have already adopted the new gesture, which requires both dedicated software and hardware components to work, with some curious developers already highlighting the potential doors 3D Touch will open in the future. The feature is currently limited, offering shortcuts to iOS users both on the home screen and in apps.
You'll quickly point out that nobody else has it, so nobody is following Apple yet. Huawei incorporated it into a smartphone of its own that launched just before the iPhone 6s and showed it off in a way that makes fun of Apple. However, Android itself doesn't natively support the feature yet.
Since then, various reports have suggested the Galaxy S7 will come with 3D Touch support. Even newer rumors are saying that the supply chain is already foreseeing an increased adoption of force-sensitive display technology next year, with companies like Samsung and Xiaomi. Parts suppliers expect the technology to become a standard for premium smartphones next year, with at least three Taiwanese companies having entered the market.
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iPhone 6's Apple Pay
Yes, Apple was not first to bring payments to smartphones. We've had Google Wallet and other NFC-based payment initiatives for years, yet they never really took off. Apple included an NFC chip on its 2014 iPhones to work with Apple Pay, and it convinced all the major banks in the U.S. to support it. Mobile payments saw such an impressive growth in a short amount of time that it forced Samsung to create Samsung Pay and launch it in the months that followed the iPhone 6's announcement. Soon after that, Google decided to reinvent Google Wallet and launch Android Pay complete with native fingerprint-recognition support in Android M, some two years after the iPhone 5s first brought the fingerprint sensor.
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iPhone 5s's Touch ID
Launched in 2013, the fingerprint sensor on the iPhone 5s would initially only let you unlock the iPhone and make purchases from the App Store. Developers were not allowed to use the functionality, and Apple only let them in on the technology a year later. But smartphone makers including Samsung and HTC were quick to adopt fingerprint sensors. Each company had to create its own software for it, as Google did not support fingerprint sensors in Android until the release of Android 6.0 this year. The reason, Motorola later revealed, was that Google had to ditch plans to add a fingerprint sensor to the 2014 Nexus 6 as Apple simply snatched up the best sensor maker available at the time.
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iPhone 5s's 64-bit processor
Apple surprised the world by announcing the iPhone 5s would have a 64-bit A7 processor, as it was the first mobile device to deliver 64-bit support. Many deemed it as a marketing gimmick but were soon convinced that Apple's desktop performance claims were real. Competitors were shocked to see Apple pull this move, and some are still struggling to catch up. Just ask Qualcomm about the issues it had with the Snapdragon 810 earlier this year, a 64-bit eight-core CPU that was found to be overheating in its first iterations. Qualcomm reportedly lost Samsung's Galaxy S7 because of that. And now rumors are circulating that even the Snapdragon 820 is overheating – Qualcomm is denying those too, just as it did with the predecessor.
Samsung also had to reinvent its mobile processors to adapt to the change, and while the Exynos chips inside the Galaxy S6 and Note 5 deliver a stellar performance, the iPhone 6s will still come on top as a better performer in usage tests.
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iPhone 4s's Siri
Sure, Siri isn't necessarily better than Google Now or Cortana in real-life tests, though Apple has significantly improved it over the years. But when it came out in 2011 it was already ahead of what the competition could do. Google Now only launched a year later in a version of Jelly Bean, and Microsoft's Cortana took even longer to come to mobile devices.
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iPhone 4's Retina Display
Apple was late to increasing the size of the iPhone and launching its own phablets. And some will point out the iPhone 6s still has an HD display in a world where competitors are making 2K and 4K smartphone screens. But the iPhone 4, introduced in mid-2010, delivered a high pixel-per-inch display density that was unavailable on any of the competing devices. Admittedly, these devices (HTC EVO 4G and Galaxy S) had bigger screens but not better resolution. And it took competitors a few years to consistently beat Apple when it comes to this particular metric (PPI), but they made a priority of it, choosing not only to increase screen size but also screen quality in the years that followed. Not even the Galaxy S2 had a Retina-grade display when it launched a year later.
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iPhone's Cameras
Apple has never been interested in packing more megapixels than competitors in its iPhone cameras over the years. But the iPhone has consistently been the most praised camera phone in reviews, and the most popular on Flickr, a photo-sharing site where it even beat traditional camera makers. It's no surprise then to see competitors including Samsung and even Google say on stage during recent product announcements that their new devices (Galaxy S6 series and Nexus 6P) are ready to offer a better camera performance than the latest iPhones, which are seen as benchmarks for mobile camera performance.
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iPhone's build quality
Yes, the iPhone 6 Plus bends, the iPhone 4 had antenna problems, and there always are minor issues that affect some buyers, just like with any other phone.
But the overall build quality and design have, over the years, forced others to adapt and make devices people want to buy. Some of them are downright iPhone clones – just look at Xiaomi phones, at Samsung's iPhone or HTC's iPhone. Apple's insistence on premium materials including glass and metal and attention to detail trained buyers into expecting the same design consistency from competitors. That's how the HTC One M7 and Galaxy S6 emerged, with the latter seeing a huge response from the public and media, as it was Samsung's first flagship handset that didn't live inside a plastic shell. Even the OnePlus X looks like a strange mashup of both the iPhone 6 and iPhone 4.
Oh, and who could forget the HTC One A9:
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Final thoughts
2015 has been a solid year for mobile devices, and we've already shown you some cool inventions in the mobile landscape. These include the Galaxy S6's curved display, the USB Type-C of Android M, the iPhone 6s's 3D Touch, the Droid Turbo 2's shatterproof display and Fujitsu's Iris-scanning technology (also coming to Windows 10 flagships this year).
Microsoft's Windows 10 Continuum feature is also a rather sophisticated phone feature, turning a handset into an almost full-fledged Windows computer. That's something others don't yet have.
But it's likely that until Apple does it – the right way, as it would say on stage – some of these features won't become as relevant to regular consumers as they should be. And thus as long as Apple doesn't deem them to be cool enough, other manufacturers might not find them as must-have tricks for new devices.
Related storiesOver a million people installed the app that moves you from Android to iOSApple's clever plan to kill cheap Android phones$70 worth of paid Android apps are on sale for free right now on AmazonMore from BGR: The Nexus 6P can't really be this easy to bend… can it?
This article was originally published on BGR.com
If you are in the market for a new smartphone, then chances are that you are looking for a Samsung, an LG, a Motorola or maybe a new Nexus smartphone. In fact, the choices are endless at the moment. However, instead of opting for a smartphone based on the name or the greatest specs and features available, maybe it is wise to look for one based on its purpose. The CAT S40 is a prime example of such a smartphone. While you might not pick one up just because it is a CAT phone, what this one does offer is its purpose-built protection. This is not your average smartphone and by the same token, is not built for your average environment.
SpecsWhen it comes to the specs, there is not exactly much to write home about here. However, this is not really a device which is designed to be spec-heavy. In terms of the specs, the CAT S40 comes with a a Super bright 4.7-inch IPS display with a 900 x 540 resolution. Inside, the CAT S40 comes equipped with 1GB RAM and powered by a Snapdragon 210 Quad-core processor (clocking at 1.1 GHz). Internal storage is set at 16GB as standard, although there is the opportunity to expand when needed, thanks to the inclusion of a microSD card slot (up to 64GB). In terms of cameras, the CAT S40 comes equipped with an 8-megapixel rear camera which is coupled with a 2-megapixel front facing camera. While everything is powered by a non-removable 3,000 mAh battery and the device comes running on Android 4.4 (KitKat) out of the box. Of course, when it comes to the CAT S40, the big selling points is its rugged nature and on that note, the CAT S40 is IP68 certified for water-protection as well as being M ilitary Standard 810G approved for shock and drop resistance. So this is a dust proof, waterproof and shockproof device.
Design & HardwareThe design of the CAT S40 is not particularly an attractive design, as in contrast to many of the more modern smartphones, it does come with a dated look. It is a thick phone and is rather squarish in its presentation. However, these are purpose designed elements and when taking this into consideration, the device neither looks dated nor modern, but instead, it looks strong. When looking at the CAT S40 it is clear that this is a device built to be protected. The sides of the device come equipped with an aluminum frame held into place with lock nuts.
The top and bottom of the device makes use of reinforced rubber edges which are designed to take the bulk of impact when encountered and which again, are held in place with lock nuts. Moving to the back of the device and the rubberized approach continues with a full covering rubber backing (which is non-removable). However, unlike the edges, the back rubber comes with grooves to add to its tactile appeal and offering a much-improved level of grip when held.
In terms of the buttons, even these are designed to be more durable and consist of very firm and 'clicky' buttons The left-hand side is where you will find the volume up, down and power button. Along with the nano-SIM and micro-SIM slot.
While on the right-hand side you will find what is best described as the "CAT button". In stark contrast to the rest of the device, this button adopts the famous CAT yellow coloring which makes it easily distinguishable from the rest. Not to mention, this is also where you will find the USB charge slot too.
Software & User ExperienceWhen it comes to the software, how close to stock a device is out of the box, is always one of the big selling or turn-off points. To cut straight to the chase, the CAT S40 comes running a surprisingly close to stock Android experience. On first boot up, the CAT S40 is loaded with Android 5.1 (Lollipop) and as such, there are no major issues with the operating system version on offer. This is the latest version of Android (excluding the release of 6.0) which means that it does come with all the usual and typical Lollipop aspects and design in place.
Beyond the stock experience, the CAT S40's software is extremely light which is more than likely an element CAT purposely decided to help with what would be considered as a lower performing level of internal specs. This phone does not come bogged down with any necessary software, apps or otherwise. This is a very light version of Android and this is a very good thing on this occasion.
However, there are a few minor tweaks which have been included for a more CAT-experience. The first is what we have already briefly commented on in the design section and this is the use of the CAT button. This is a yellow button positioned on the right-hand side of the device and one which essentially acts as a shortcut to any feature that you assign. In short, a programmable button. So by heading through the menu to the button section, you can choose the function of the button from a select list of features, which includes the likes of the camera, flashlight, wake and recents, among other. Once assigned, by holding the button down (sometimes for a couple of seconds with features like flashlight) activates the feature.
Moving to the app sides of things and there is a CAT Phones app included. Although, in truth, this is not actually an app but just a shortcut to the CAT Phones website where you can find information about the range of services and support for your CAT S40.
There is also an App Toolbox app which essentially is a quick shortcut to a bunch of apps that the owner of a CAT phone might be more inclined to purchase or download. Besides a few promoted apps, categories on offer include Construction apps, Farming apps, Engineering News and so on. Which is a nice addition for those who might be using the CAT phone in the industrial or enterprise sector. Although, the apps won't be for everyone, it is not exactly an intrusive app to have at your fingertips.
Other than this, the only other add-on apps consist of a small selection of commercial apps which come pre-installed out of the box. Namely, CleanMaster, SwiftKey, OfficeSuite and AVG Antivirus. So although, there are some, they are rather minimal compared to what you might find on many other manufacturer offerings.
CameraPurely based on the level and type of smartphone the CAT S40 is designed to be, camera abilities are not going to be top of the agenda or a reason for you to specifically pick up this device. In terms of the numbers, the rear camera consists of an 8-megapixel camera while the front-facing camera is a 2-megapixel offering. So based on the MP-count alone, these are not anything too special. This goes for the general camera software on offer. While the device, overall, is quite close to stock, the camera settings are very basic. Although, you do have everything you need here and you can make use of the likes of HDR, the rest of the settings are quite basic. Although, there is a bunch of modes to try and account for different lighting conditions. Overall, the software experience is a rather basic, but sufficient one.
Moving away from the software and to the actual use of the cameras, in reality the photos taken with the S40 were not that bad. Yes, they are not going to compete with the many flagship devices that are currently available, but when you consider that this is more designed as a durable on-the-job sort of device, they will certainly be good enough to take work pictures and selfies for social media. In fact, there was nothing obviously wrong with the image quality when tested. They were certainly good enough for everyday capturing and especially during light conditions. During lower light times, the camera does definitely suffer and this will not be ideal for those conditions, but overall, certainly good enough and in line with the rest of the device's hardware and purpose.
You can see a few examples of the image quality in the gallery below.
Battery Life & PerformanceBattery life is quickly becoming the go-to problem for manufacturers and consumers alike. Both are fixated on battery life and for good reason, as it is an increasing issue as devices become more battery hungry. Thankfully, the CAT S40 is designed with battery life in mind and does provide a surprising good level of usage off the charge. Especially, if you are someone who does not use your phone that often. The standby battery usage of the CAT S40 is excellent and during testing could easily be left on for a seven-day period with minimal usage. In doing so, would only result in around a thirty percent battery drop. Using this as a rule of measurement, it does seem likely that you could easily use this is standby mode for anywhere up to a month. Although this might not sound feasible for 'normal' usage of a smartphone, when you consider that some of the markets this phone will be aimed towards, it is a good feature to have on board.
Moving to the more normal levels of usage and the CAT S40 does not offer amazing battery life, but does offer suitable battery life. The CAT S40 makes use of a 3,000 mAh battery and using in a very on and off manner would typically yield a return of about 3 hours of screen on time. This, of course, did vary on how much was used for video playback and brightness although, even when trying to drain the device with the brightness turned up and video playback on continuous, it still easy achieved two hours of screen on time.
In terms of charging, there are no advanced charging features on offer here, but that does not mean the S40 is slow at charging. In fact, during testing, the phone typically recharged in roughly two hours. Which by normal standards, is more than fine.
BenchmarksAgain, this is not something which should be expected to draw meaningful conclusions from. Benchmarks do provide a good indication of how a device is running and what it can do, however, this is not a device which is designed for blazing multitasking or great performance. So even before running the benchmarks, it would be expected that it would not score greatly and this was the case. Running AnTuTu, the CAT S40 scored 19,119 which placed it quite low down the list and certainly lower than most of the other 2015 devices. While on Geekbench, the CAT S40 scored a multi-core score of 1031 and a single-core score of 315. Again, these scores were lower than pretty much everything else currently available, with the multi-core score coming in at about the Nexus 7 (2013) level and the single-core score coming in at the Moto G level. We could not run 3D Mark as the hardware was not sufficient enough to run the tests.
You can check out the full benchmarks results in the gallery below.
Call QualityThis is a dual-SIM device which does seem to be a trend which has been increasing this year. However, with the CAT S40, the use of dual-SIM does make more sense. This is designed to be a device which can be used in the workplace and as such, making use of the dual-SIM with one SIM for work and one for personal use does offer an added benefit.
However, for testing, we only did use the one SIM and during that testing, there were no notable issues with call quality or functionality. Calls were clear and crisp and there was never any experiences of call dropping with a reliable use of service and quality wherever. Although, it is worth noting that we were using a European version of the device in the U.S. on T-Mobile and therefore, the best data connection we experienced was HSPA+. As such, testing the data reliability or speeds was not really noted on this occasion.
Wrap UpThe CAT S40 really is not your average smartphone. That is, in spite of it coming with some very average specs. This is a smartphone which is built for the elements and with the increasing number of premium smartphones arriving which all come made of glass, aluminium or liquidmorphium and yet cannot seem to withstand any sort of dropping or when put through their paces, the CAT S40 (and devices like this in general) are constantly carving out their sub-industry. And so far, the CAT S40 is certainly one of the clear winners here.
Should you buy the CAT S40?
Well, this is simple. It depends on if you see the value in such a phone. If you are looking for an extremely rugged device which won't let you down, regardless of the conditions, then you cannot do much better than the S40. This is not the fastest device in the world, it is not the most processing-capable device in the world, but it is a hard working and well-protected device. One that you can rely on.
Buy the CAT S40 on Amazon
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First game arriving in 2016. By Alex OsbornRespawn Entertainment and Nexon are partnering together to bring new, original Titanfall games to mobile devices.
Particle City, a new mobile-centric studio co-founded by Larry Pacey and Respawn CEO Vince Zampella, will be handling the development of these new smartphone and tablet games, with the first set to release across the globe for iOS and Android in 2016.
Got feedback on our player?
We want to hear it."Our partnership with Nexon is momentous for many reasons," Zampella said. "Nexon's unrivaled publishing network and free-to-play expertise will allow Titanfall to reach new global audiences. And with Particle City, we are closely collaborating to create all-new standalone games with original gameplay experiences that expand the Titanfall universe to players everywhere."
Nexon president and CEO Owen Mahoney also commented on the partnership, saying in a statement: "Working closely with our partners at Respawn and Particle City we intend to build on the original game's success and introduce millions of mobile gamers to the rich Titanfall universe."
Got feedback on our player?
We want to hear it.Interestingly enough, this isn't the first time Nexon has been involved with the Titanfall franchise. Back in August, the company announced a partnership with Electronic Arts to develop and publish a free-to-play PC version of Titanfall for the Asian market called Titanfall Online.
Respawn is currently working on a proper sequel to Titanfall, which the studio confirmed earlier this year will be coming to PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.
Alex Osborn is a freelance writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.
ZTE USA, the fourth largest smartphone supplier in the U.S. and second largest in the no-contract market*, announced today that it has become the Official Smartphone of the Chicago Bulls. Building upon the successful sponsorships of other franchise basketball teams including the New York Knicks, Houston Rockets and Golden State Warriors, ZTE will expand its localized approach to build its presence in the U.S. from the consumer up by connecting with fans.
This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20151027007163/en/
ZTE Becomes the Official Smartphone of the Chicago Bulls (Photo: Business Wire)
"Many consumer surveys are just that: surveys. The best feedback is not a one-way street, it's a conversation," said Lixin Cheng, chairman and CEO of ZTE USA. "To facilitate conversations, we will go straight to the source and improve our products and services from the ground up. To provide consumers with the best possible smartphone experience, we need to connect with them on a local level."
After seeing great success in building loyal consumers in Houston, New York, and Northern California, ZTE looks to continue that momentum and forge a new partnership with the Bulls. This addition provides yet another avenue for ZTE to listen and engage in a consistent dialogue with consumers in order to deliver improvements they want to see across all product lines. The prime example of how this dialogue has enhanced product development is through ZTE's flagship smartphone, Axon, which was designed based on consumers' feedback in what they want and need in a smartphone.
"The partnership between the Chicago Bulls and ZTE marks another significant step in the team's international business growth. ZTE is a leader in the smartphone industry and it is exciting to welcome a new partner in that category," said Michael Reinsdorf, Chicago Bulls president and COO. "We look forward to working with ZTE to engage our fans and support meaningful community events and initiatives."
Along with the love of basketball, the Chicago Bulls share a very important and core value with ZTE – giving back to the local communities. ZTE has committed to supporting large local community events such as the Chicago Bulls' Pacific Garden Mission Thanksgiving Dinner along with several others throughout the season. This is just one way ZTE will utilize the relationship with the team to engage and build relationships with consumers in the Chicago area.
As part of the three-year agreement, ZTE will be the presenting partner of "Bulls-Eye View," a series of exclusive, behind-the-scenes pieces of Bulls content that will appear on Bulls.com. ZTE and the Bulls will also hold a co-branded sweepstakes twice per season, where Chicago area fans will enter for a chance to win their own backstage Bulls-Eye View experience.
ZTE will also receive an array of marketing assets each season, including permanent logo placement on two basketball pole pads, scoreboard features, courtside signage, a promotional night, and hospitality.
For more information about any of ZTE's sponsorships with NBA teams, you can visit ZTE USA online at www.zteusa.com.
*Strategy Analytics, Q2 2015
About ZTE USA
ZTE USA (www.zteusa.com), headquartered in Richardson, Texas, is a subsidiary of ZTE Corporation, a global provider of mobile devices, telecommunication systems, and enterprise solutions. Operating since 1998, ZTE USA is dedicated to making cost-efficient, quality communication technology accessible to all. ZTE is ranked by independent industry analysts as the fourth-largest supplier of mobile devices in the U.S. overall, and second-largest supplier of prepaid devices.
Visit ZTE USA at www.zteusa.com on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/ZTEUSA, Twitter http://twitter.com/ZTE_USA, and on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/user/ZTEUSAInc.
View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20151027007163/en/MULTIMEDIA AVAILABLE :http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20151027007163/en/
First Published on October 29, 2015 8:49 am
Samsung reported a "significant increase" in smartphone sales compared with the previous quarter.
Sarah Tew/CNETSamsung appears to be putting its smartphone sales woes behind it.
The last two years have been rough on Samsung, which makes some of the most popular smartphones in the world but hasn't managed lately to scoop up the same profits as competitor Apple, whose iPhones remain the benchmark for the industry.
Part of Samsung's problem is that it faces tougher competition than just Apple. That's because Samsung devices run Google's Android mobile operating system, which is available on devices made by a host of hardware makers.
The prevalence of Android handsets means Samsung is fighting on two fronts. HTC and LG, as well as low-cost handset makers Huawei, Xiaomi and Micromax, battle for the Android customers. That means there's more competition for first-time buyers, who are drawn by lower price points.
Meanwhile, Apple is grabbing the high end of the market, as well as angling for customers who want the big-screen phones Samsung had used to differentiate itself. Last year, Apple introduced the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, which it recently updated. Those phones are powering Apple's profits.
Samsung is trying to address the problem. In April, It introduced the high-end and well-reviewed Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge, flagship handsets made of premium materials, something consumers have requested for years.
On Thursday, Samsung showed the process is ongoing. Samsung reported an 82 percent rise in operating profit, snapping a streak of seven consecutive quarterly profit declines, even though revenue from its mobile division was largely flat.
Samsung reported third-quarter operating profit of 7.39 trillion won, or $6.45 billion, on revenue of 51.68 trillion won. Samsung, which doesn't release smartphone shipment numbers, said it saw a "significant increase" in smartphone shipments but that revenue was hurt by price cuts for its Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge and shipments of low- to midrange smartphones.
The mobile division's profit increased by about 33 percent, providing about a third of total operating profit in the quarter but sharply lower than the two-thirds it's provided in the past. Meanwhile, profits doubled at the division housing Samsung's chip and display businesses.
Still, Samsung indicated the good times were unlikely to last. It forecast profits would fall in the fourth quarter and initiated a share buyback.
To get a leg up on its competition, Samsung has reportedly moved up the launch date of its next flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S7, to January. The move would break Samsung's tradition of introducing new flagship smartphones at major global tech conferences, such as Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. But it might also give it an opportunity to undercut sales of the iPhone 6S, which launched in August, by getting it into consumers' hands sooner.
Samsung is also hoping to get a boost from Samsung Pay, its mobile payments service that went liv e last month in the US. The service lets customers pay for goods and services using their smartphones or Gear 2 smartwatch. As with Apple Pay, the competing service launched last year by Apple, the goal of the feature is to build customer loyalty amid the fierce fight for smartphone customers.
How do you sell smartphones to India—a country with over one billion people, many of whom have never used the Internet before?
To get insights into the opportunities and challenges of the market, The Wall Street Journal's Joanna Stern spoke with Vikas Jain, co-founder of the Indian phone giant Micromax Informatics. Here are edited excerpts of their conversation.
Journal Report More in WSJ.D Live Huge numbersMS. STERN: How many smartphones do you sell in a month?
MR. JAIN: We do about 3.5 million mobile phones a month. That's more than 100,000 a day.
MS. STERN: You're making a lot of phones as well. The most successful smartphone company, Apple, makes about two new phones a year. You make 30 new phones a year. Are people interested in 30 different phones?
MR. JAIN: In India the operator revenues are so low that the operator can't subsidize the hardware. You buy the hardware at the actual cost of the hardware.
[So each different price level of phone ends up being targeted at different parts of the market. It's like different models of automobiles.] If you take any of the automobile brands, they have multiple models. The target group changes after a certain price segment.
MS. STERN: In the U.S., people are on their fifth or sixth smartphone. They're used to using the Internet. In India, you're opening the Internet to them for the first time. What does that look like on a smartphone?
MR. JAIN: As a brand, we don't sell technology. What we are proud of is an experience, things like the design of the phone and ease of use. That drives people toward our phones.
Inadvertently, they end up using the smartness of the smartphone, all of its capabilities. And then, as they come to use more of the features, they want more, and that then drives them toward the second or the third or the fourth smartphone.
MS. STERN: Let's talk about the competition. Xiaomi, how are you staying ahead of them?
MR. JAIN: It's a big economy. It's a big country. You don't need to see who's on your left and right in terms of competition if you just script your own growth story.
A population of 1.2 billion, with the life cycle of the mobile phone shortening to about 14 months. Just imagine the number of mobile phones to be sold.
So I don't think that it's an industry where we need to bother about the competition.
Moving abroadMS. STERN: Are you planning to head to other markets? The Chinese companies have come to you.
MR. JAIN: Besides India we are operational in Nepal, Bangladesh [and elsewhere]. We are in the markets of Russia and the U.A.E. Who knows, China might be next.
MS. STERN: Your phones are made mostly in China, or also in India?
MR. JAIN: So, close to about 50% of the sales that we do in India are actually manufactured in India. And for about 50%, we still use the China ecosystem.
MS. STERN: Smartphones are many people's first and pretty much only form of computer in India. Does that mean the upgrade cycles end up being slower or faster?
MR. JAIN: It's faster. In India, the life of the mobile phone is truncated to about 14 months. That's largely because when I buy my first phone, the idea is to get connected to the Internet. When I evolve on the Internet, I realize that this is not the device or the phone factor I need. And then I move to the next.
I think the expectation of the consumer is also evolving. As a company we were one of the first ones to bring in the 5, 5½-inch screen size. What we realized was that the consumers were using phones for video. And obviously you need big phone factors.
MS. STERN: We heard from Xiaomi, the Chinese phone company. You're focused on phones. They're focused on bringing in lots of other types of devices. Is that an interest for your company?
MR. JAIN: I would not say we're focused on phones. We are focused on display. It could be laptops, it could be televisions, it could be smartphones, it could be feature phones. As a company, as a brand, today we are present in feature phones, smartphones, laptops and televisions.
By Charmaine Montes , Christian Post Contributor
October 27, 2015|10:45 pm
Facebook/ HTC One M10 HTC One M10
HTC is gearing up once again to release another smartphone, the One M10, and reports about it are saying that it's a device worth checking out. Although the Taiwanese mobile manufacturing company has not announced official details yet, several rumors and speculations have already surfaced.
According to Yibada, One M10 is HTC's next flagship device that is expected to come with good specs and features. For starters, it is said to have a bigger display screen compared to its predecessor, the One M9. It is expected to come with a 2K or 4K pixel resolution which means that it is guaranteed that the device will give off sharper and more vivid images.
With regards to its hardware specifications, sources vary in information but it is said that the device will carry a Snapdragon 820 with 3.X GHz octa-core HMP cyclone technology. It will also have 4 GB of RAM giving it better performance and an internal memory of 64 or 128GB. It will run with the latest Android OS, the Marshmallow, and will have the Dual-SIM support.
A very notable feature is its camera capability. In a report by Alphr, it stated that the device will be equipped with a 27-megapixel camera which is perfect for those who are into photography. It will feature an aperture of f/2.0 together with optical image stabilization and auto focus.
Aside from that, a rumor noted in Latino Post said that the HTC One M10 is water resistant. It will be powered by a 3500mAh battery and will feature wireless charging. A USB Type C Connection can also be found for faster charging and data transfer.
It's not definite yet whether HTC's next flagship smartphone will have a name that follows through with its predecessors. A leak from Chinese site MyDrivers suggests that the HTC M10 may be called as the HTC O2.
Whatever its final name may be, the upcoming handset model is speculated to arrive either by December this year or by early 2016 around March or April.
If you're in the market to buy a new smartphone in India or following this space closely, you'll know how difficult it has become to keep a tab on the sheer number of smartphones landing here every week – across price segments and brands. A non-techie friend of mine was joking that there are more smartphone models in Indian market than bathing soaps, and he's probably right as well. As per our data, as many as 115 smartphones were launched in the period between July and September this year. That's how commoditized the smartphone market has become over the past year or two.
As tech bloggers, we love and hate this at the same time. Content discovery is no more a problem, but it has become increasingly difficult to suggest the right phone to the right person, specially when the prices keep fluctuating and new phones from Asia and elsewhere keep popping up to spoil your recommendation list. If this is the plight of someone whose primary work revolves around smartphones, imagine the plight of an unsuspecting consumer who wants to buy the best phone available at a price he is comfortable to pay. This is where a new app, Smartly.me comes to our rescue.
This is their official pitch:
Confused on which Android smartphone to buy?
Get personalized recommendations for your next phone or recommend the right phones to your near and dear ones.
And that's exactly what the app does. Although we have several resources like GSMArena, MySmartPrice, PriceBaba etc to dig deep into the specifications of a phone or to find all available options in a particular price range, they are still not smart enough to personalize their recommendations to you based on your existing smartphone and/or your usage. This is where Smartly.me strikes it rich.
Being an Android app, it has access to all the information about your existing smartphone and also the apps installed. Within a few seconds, the app scans for your usage pattern and intelligently builds your persona. I tested this from three different smartphones – the Xiaomi Mi 4 (which is currently my primary phone), the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 (my secondary phone) and the Oppo R7 Plus – and it built a different persona each time. And I found it pretty accurate on all the 3 counts!
There's some deep computation that goes on in the background to deduce your persona, which basically includes the current smartphone hardware, your device usage (like available RAM/storage) and your app usage. With this information, Smartly.me can magically evaluate what kind of an user you are and then suggest the best suitable Android smartphone for you. The process hardly takes 4 to 5 seconds before presenting you with the top 10 smartphone options. You can choose to dig more into the specifications of these phones or even compare between the options if you want to. The whole process is slick and logical. The app is based on Android material design, so the design is minimal and transitions are pretty.
The personalization is extremely handy for people who don't know whom to rely upon for smartphone recommendations. From our experience with the app on multiple phones and scenarios, the suggested results were fairly accurate, although it can be seen as overwhelming with so much data and jargons for people who aren't that tech savvy. In such cases, simply hit the chat button on the bottom right of the screen and their experts will help you out.
For those who actually know what they are looking for in their next smartphone and are simply trying to discover the right smartphones, they can go ahead and filter out the offerings by providing some general use cases like photography, gaming etc and get the top rated smartphones for their needs. Someone who's a lot more tech savvy can dig deep and look for options like number of cores, amount of RAM, SD card availability, battery capacity and hundred other options. Again the recommendations were fairly accurate, although there were some occasional surprises here and there. Thankfully, we didn't encounter any major bloopers in our random tests.
But it's not all hunky dory here. At times, we feel Smartly.me is trying to do too many things inside. It requires you to login with your Facebook account, which helps them build a mini social network inside of the app – getting recommendations from your friends directly – while also grasp information related to your likes and interests to build your persona (which we discussed above). Not just that, Smartly.me is trying to provide app and game recommendations as well, again personalized and based on your existing smartphone and usage. This is probably to ensure that the user has reasons to keep using the app instead of deleting it once he/she pins down the smartphone to buy. In an ideal world, this would have been a valid use case, but we hardly found the app recommendations accurate or useful enough, and thereby diluting the primary use case – which is helping you discover the right smartphone to buy.
Also, there're other sections like Latest news, reviews and best price to buy a smartphone. Thankfully, these are not in-your-eye things and neatly tucked inside and become visible only when you really want to. The biggest feature which isn't getting properly highlighted by the app developer is the information related to the nearest service centers. After sales service is a pain in country like India, and this alone is a reason enough for many to install the app. Go ahead and give Smartly.me a try. We are pretty sure it makes your adventure of smartphone discovery a lot easier.
Earlier this month LG announced a brand new high-end flagship smartphone to replace the relatively new LG G4. It's called the LG V10, and comes with a huge 5.7-inch display, a second display, three cameras, a fingerprint scanner and more. It's one impressive smartphone, and today we learned it will be available on AT&T and T-Mobile this week, along with some extremely impressive deals at the same time.
The LG V10 is basically a smartphone with a little of everything. The company packed so much technology into this phone it's actually pretty impressive, and it will be available starting tomorrow from AT&T for just $249 with a new contract. Below are a few more details, the release date from other carriers, an amazing free 200GB micro-SD card deal and more for those interested.
Read: LG V10 Release: What You Need to Know
With the new iPhone 6s, Google's two new Nexus smartphones and more, LG needed another smartphone that had more to offer than the LG G4 and its genuine leather back. The LG V10 is exactly that, and here's what you need to know about it, and when you can get one.
The LG V10 is an odd smartphone, but one that instantly caught the attention of many potential buyers due to all the features and options packed inside of it. The phone has two displays, three cameras, a fingerprint scanner, a micro-SD slot, and is just a very unique device. For those that already know all about it, here's when you can get one. If you've never heard of the stunning LG V10, read on for more details.
Starting tomorrow, October 27th, the LG V10 will be available from AT&T for $249 with a new 2-year contract. Wednesday the 28th it will hit T-Mobile's online store, and then be available in retail stores around the country by the end of the week.
AT&T will have the Black or Opal Blue color variants for $249 on a 2-year contract. Then of course monthly payments using AT&T Next plans, buyers can get this new phone for as low as $23.34 per month.
It's available from T-Mobile for $0 with $25 monthly payments through T-Mobile JUMP!, which makes the phone just $599 after you've made all the payments. LG is asking $699 for the phone outright, making the T-Mobile option a good route, as it's $100 less than retail after spending $25 a month for 24 months.
LG V10 Specs
As you can see above, the LG V10 has a lot to offer, which is why there's so much excitement around it. The phone sports a big 5.7-inch Quad-HD display, then a secondary display above it for quick notifications, favorite apps, and to multi-task and do certain things without leaving an app or closing what's already on your screen.
Then it has dual front 5mp cameras for excellent selfie photos, an excellent 16 megapixel rear camera, Android 5.1.1 Lollipop with a promise of Android 6.0 soon, and much more. Then as expected, it has a removable 3,000 mAh battery and a micro-SD slot for users to expand storage. This, is where the deals come in.
DealsJust like with the LG G4 earlier this year, LG is taking a direct shot at Samsung who removed micro-SD cards from its phones, by selling its new devices with free micro-SD cards for buyers.
Those who get the new LG V10 from AT&T or T-Mobile will get a free 200 GB micro-SD card, which as you all know, are not cheap. Essentially making this a pretty cheap phone, because 200 GB micro-SD cards are pretty expensive. That isn't all either. LG is giving buyers a free 200GB micro-SD card, a second spare 3,000 mAh battery, and a charging dock so that battery will always be full whenever users need to swap it out.
Then, as we mentioned above, those who buy it on T-Mobile Jump will save $100 off the MSRP by making monthly payments and are still eligible for the free 200 GB micro-SD card and battery promotion.
For now we know the LG V10 is coming to other carriers in the United States, but for now the only two that have made announcements is T-Mobile and AT&T. This same deal will be available for those who buy it on Verizon Wireless, whenever they release this stunning new smartphone.
Stay tuned for more details, and we'll be getting one in for review soon to test out that second screen, new design with the re-enforced steel frame, and much much more.
The festive season seems like just another reason to indulge in some gadget shopping. If you're looking to buy a new smartphone, especially in the mid-range segment, then now's the right time. We've seen some cool mid-rangers being launched lately in the sub-Rs 25k brackets, but going through multiple price cuts over the months. Here's a look at the top 5 smartphones under Rs 25,000.
OnePlus 2
OnePlus 2 tops the chart if you're looking for an option under Rs 25,000. The superior specs sheet at a comparatively lower price gives it an edge over flagships from other leading manufacturers. It is available in 16GB and 64GB variants priced at Rs 22,999 and Rs 24,999, respectively, and seems like a perfect blend of elegance and solid specs.
Design-wise, the metal-frame design makes it look premium. It sports a 5.5-inch 1080p display. As promised, the smartphone also comes with a fingerprint scanner and USB Type-C port. The fingerprint scanner is faster than the iPhone TouchID and lets you save up to five fingerprints, says OnePlus. On the camera front, it comes with a 13-megapixel snapper. It also gets a new camera and a new solution that allows you to take 50MP photos and there's also the slow motion mode. It comes powered by Snapdragon 810 coupled with 4GB of RAM and houses a 3,300mAh battery. You can read our full review of the OnePlus 2.
Moto X (2nd generation)
Moto X (2nd generation) is another great option that falls under Rs 25,000 bracket, especially for those looking at pure form of Android. Moto X second generation 16GB model starts at Rs 21,999 online, while the 32GB model starts at Rs 22,999. The prices vary depending upon your choice of black leather, bamboo or other type of backs for the device.
The Moto X (2nd generation) comes with upgrades not just in terms of build quality, but also the system-on-chip powering the device. In terms of performance, the Moto X (2nd generation) came at par with most of the flagship phones out there during its launch such as LG G3, Sony Xperia Z3 and so on. It comes with a good display and the call quality is impressive. Read our complete review, to know more.
Asus Zenfone 2 Deluxe ZE551ML
Next in line is the Asus Zenfone 2 Deluxe ZE551ML. This Asus phone is a steal at Rs 22,999, especially considering the 64GB storage and 4GB of RAM. Sporting a 5.5-inch display and a 13MP rear snapper, it comes powered by a 2.3GHz Intel Atom Z3580 quad-core processor. It also comes equipped with a 5MP front-facing camera. It features chameleon colour coating and the connectivity options include 4G LTE, 3G and Wi-Fi with support for 'ac' draft. Though we haven't reviewed the device, it seems pretty solid, at least on paper.
Samsung Galaxy A7
The Galaxy A7 with all the apps.
The Galaxy A7 launched for Rs 30,499, is now available online around Rs 23,990. The Samsung Galaxy A7 has a 5.5-inch Super AMOLED display with a full-HD 1080 x 1920 pixel resolution and a 64-bit octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 processor coupled with 2GB RAM.
Other specs include 13MP auto-focus rear camera, 5MP front facing camera, 16GB onboard storage. The features a slim form factor and the metal body gives it a stunning design. Add to that Samsung has given this one a great screen and a camera resolution that will appeal to the selfie-lovers. Read our first impressions of the device.
Huawei Honor 7
Huawei Honor 7 is another great option priced at Rs 22,999. It comes with a 5.2-inch full HD display and comes powered by a Kirin 935 SoC which has an octa-core processor along with 3GB of RAM. The phone runs on Android 5.0 Lollipop along with the Emotion UI 3.1 skin atop the Android OS. The phone features a unibody metal design. The phone is also expected to get the Android 6.0 Marshmallow update by February 2016.
One of the unique features of the Honor 7 is that it comes with a fingerprint scanner on the rear side just below the camera. It sports a 20MP rear camera along with an 8MP front-facing camera. While the rear camera has a dual-tone LED flash unit, Huawei has added a front-facing flash as well. Take a look at our first impressions of the device.When looking for options under Rs 25,000, you can also check out the Galaxy S5, an older Samsung flagship that is now available online for as low as Rs 21,999. Another good option to consider is the HTC 826 that is now available for Rs 24,500 after a price drop. The above mentioned prices are as we write this article, and could change in the future.
Tags: Huawei Honor 7, Moto X Second generation, OnePlus 2, Samsung Galaxy A7, Smartphones, Smartphones under Rs 25000
If you're LG, you'd generally expect that any devices you release will sell pretty well in your native country of South Korea – after all, they own the second or third largest population of smartphones there. Unfortunately, it would appear that this is quite far from the truth as the recently released LG V10 didn't even make it into the top 10 of smartphones sold domestically in its first week on the market. The LG V10 came in 15th, beaten out by the chart topping Samsung Galaxy Note 5, and Samsung's other various devices like the Galaxy A5 and Galaxy Grand Max making up the rest of the top 10.
That's got to be disappointing for LG who billed the LG V10 as a premium device to replace the LG G4 in the interim before the LG G5's release. And it's not all that bad a phone either – if anything, it offers one of the more unique experiences on any smartphone with its second display and wide-angle selfie technology. It's a stark reminder of how competitive the smartphone market is right now – even with companies putting everything they can into a smartphone, sometimes they can't even get decent sales out of it.
What do you think about the LG V10 sales in South Korea? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Source: Business Korea via Phone Arena
Washington: A system incorporating a smartphone app can help adolescents and young adults with spina bifida, a disabling congenital condition affecting the spine, and improve their daily self-management skills, scientists say.
The "iMHere" (interactive Mobile Health & Rehabilitation) system features mobile reminders and messaging with healthcare providers and is feasible for use by young patients with spina bifida.
The "iMHere" (interactive Mobile Health & Rehabilitation) system features mobile reminders and messaging with healthcare providers and is feasible for use by young patients with spina bifida.
"This system holds promise for use in many diverse chronic care models to support and increase self-management skills," said Dr Brad E Dicianno of University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
The randomised pilot study evaluated the iMHere system in 23 patients, aged 18 to 40, with spina bifida. The patients in the study had myelomeningocele - the most severe type of spina bifida.
One group of patients received the experimental iMHere system, which combined a suite of smartphone modules and a web-based portal for healthcare providers, linked by a two-way communication system.
The modules were tailored to the key issues of spina bifida self-management, including information on medications, reminders to perform important daily self-care activities, and monitoring of mood and depression symptoms.
The other group of patients received routine spina bifida care and follow-up. After one year, use of the iMHere system and self-management skills were compared between groups, along with other key outcomes.
Patients met or exceeded expected levels of use of the iMHere system.
They were most likely to use modules that reminded them to perform self-care steps that occurred less than every day; and to remind them to take medications, which changed frequently. iMHere users "were also more likely to communicate new information or symptoms to a wellness coordinator by secure message, survey, or photograph," according to the study.
Higher use of reminders did not decrease the rate of events requiring medical attention. However, patients who were high users of the iMHere system gained new independence in certain spina bifida self-management skills.
All types of medical events tended to be less common for patients using iMHere, although the differences were not significant.The preliminary results suggest that the iMHere system may enable young patients become more independent in managing their spina bifida - especially those who use the system frequently, Dicianno said.
The study is published in the American Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, the official journal of the Association of Academic Physiatrists.
Blackberry is certainly pulling out all the stops in its latest shot at relevancy with the introduction of the Blackberry Priv. It officially hits the market Monday in the United Kingdom with exclusive pre-order availability from the British retailer, Carphone Warehouse. However, since the company's decision to go with Android for the PRIV, BlackBerry has been plagued with questions on how it will maintain the security that its community once enjoyed. Those looking to say faithful to the phone for 24 months can opt for a £49 per month contract and in return get unlimited voice calls and messages and 2GB of monthly 4G data.
Those of you who have been waiting to pre-order the BlackBerry Priv, perhaps you should be getting your money ready. BlackBerry will continue to detail features of the Priv in the upcoming weeks.
Carphone Warehouse has also released a similar video that talks about the hardware specifications.
BlackBerry, we all know, is releasing an Android-based handset, and the Canadian firm has assured users of its security.
The past few days, BlackBerry has been sharing more information about how the Priv will be different.
Keeping things running is Qualcomm's Snapdragon 808, 3GB of ram and a storage capacity of 32GB.
Of course, the BlackBerry Priv is likely drawing all this attention, thanks to its concept of combining a fully functional touch screen together with a sliding keyboard that owners can also use.
Despite being an Android phone, this is still resolutely a BlackBerry. The possibility of its existence came to the fore when BlackBerry CEO John Chen stated he would consider building an Android device if it could be made as secure as BB10.
The Blackberry Priv release date is yet not available for the USA and Candian buyers. The privacy focussed Blackberry PRIV also brings in the exclusive DTEK warning system app. The company also published customisation procedures to optimise Android security in a blog post.
The phone's back camera is equipped with 18 megapixels and comes with double LED flash, but its front camera has a mere 2 megapixel resolution.
Rumored specs for the Blackberry Priv include a rear facing 21 MP camera using a Sony IMX230 sensor, the same sensor used in the Motorola Moto X Style phone.
