THE TECH-LICIOUS

Cardiac pacemaker powered by body's own muscles developed

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<img alt="A group of researchers has developed a pacemaker powered by an implantable flexible piezoe..." height="358" src="http://images.gizmag.com/hero/piezoelectric-pacemaker.png" width="640" /><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Over the past few decades, cardiac pacemaker technology has improved to the point that pacemakers have become a commonplace medical implant that have helped improve or save the lives of many millions of people around the world. Unfortunately, the battery technology used to power these devices has not kept pace and the batteries need to be replaced on average every seven years, which requires further surgery. To address this problem, a group of researchers from Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) has developed a cardiac pacemaker that is powered semi-permanently by harnessing energy from the body's own muscles.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The research team, headed by Professor Keon Jae Lee of KAIST and Professor Boyoung Joung, M.D. at Severance Hospital of Yonsei University, has created a flexible piezoelectric nanogenerator that has been used to directly stimulate the heart of a live rat using electrical energy produced from small body movements of the animal.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Based on <a href="http://www.gizmag.com/low-cost-large-area-piezoelectric-nanogenerator/22468/" style="background-color: transparent; color: #1e8dd7; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">earlier experiments with this technology</a> used by KAIST to produce a low-cost, large area version, the team created their new high-performance flexible nanogenerator from a thin film semiconductor material. In this case, lead magnesium niobate-lead titanate (PMN-PT) was used rather than the graphene oxide and carbon nanotubes of previous versions. As a result, the new device was able to harvest up to 8.2 V and 0.22 mA of electrical energy as a result of small flexing motions of the nanogenerator. The resultant voltage and current generated in this way were of sufficient levels to stimulate the rat's heart directly.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The direct benefit of this experimental technology could be in the production and use of self-powered flexible energy generators that could increase the life of cardiac pacemakers, reduce the risks associated with repeated surgeries to replace pacemaker batteries, and even provide a way to power other implanted medical monitoring devices.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">"For clinical purposes, the current achievement will benefit the development of self-powered cardiac pacemakers as well as prevent heart attacks via the real-time diagnosis of heart arrhythmia," said Professor Keon Jae Lee. "In addition, the flexible piezoelectric nanogenerator could also be utilized as an electrical source for various implantable medical devices."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Other self-powering experimental technologies for cardiac pacemakers have sought to <a href="http://www.gizmag.com/self-powered-cardiac-pacemaker-piezoelectric-nanogenerator/32685/Other%20self-powering%20experimental%20technologies%20for%20cardiac%20pacemakers%20have%20sought%20to%20provide%20energy%20from%20the%20beating%20of%20the%20heart%20itself,%20or%20even%20from%20external%20sources,%20such%20as%20in%20light-controlled%20non-viral%20optogenetics" style="background-color: transparent; color: #036eb5; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">provide energy from the beating of the heart itself</a>, or from external sources, such as in <a href="http://www.gizmag.com/light-controlled-pacemakers/19615/" style="background-color: transparent; color: #1e8dd7; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">light-controlled non-viral optogenetics</a>. But the KAIST pacemaker appears to be the first practical version to demonstrate real promise in living laboratory animals and, with any luck, offer a significant improvement to cardiac pacemaker technology for human patients in the not-too-distant future.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">This team's research was published in the journal <em><a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/adma.201400562/abstract)." style="background-color: transparent; color: #1e8dd7; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Advanced Materials</a></em>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The video below shows the flexible piezoelectric nanogenerator in action.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Source: <a href="http://www.gizmag.com/self-powered-cardiac-pacemaker-piezoelectric-nanogenerator/32685/" target="_blank">GIZMAG</a></span></div>
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Cardiac pacemaker powered by body's own muscles developed

Over the past few decades, cardiac pacemaker technology has improved to the point that pacemakers have become a commonplace medical implant that have helped improve or save the lives of many millions…

27 Jun 2014

Dolby Atmos sound is coming to your living room

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<img alt="Dolby is bringing its Atmos sound technology that is used in cinemas into home living room..." height="358" src="http://images.gizmag.com/hero/dolby-atmos-home-1.jpg" width="640" /><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Dolby is a name that will be familiar to many people. Its sound technologies are pretty much ubiquitous and Dolby Surround has been entrancing people since the early 80s. Now, the company has announced that its Atmos surround sound technology is coming out of the cinema and into the home.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Dolby Atmos was launched in 2012 and has been installed, or committed for installation, in over 600 cinema screens worldwide. It has been used for a number of major film releases, such as <em>Life of Pi</em>, <em>The Hobbit</em>, <em>Elysium</em>,<em>Gravity</em> and <em>Frozen</em>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The technology <a href="http://www.gizmag.com/dolby-atmos-3d-movie-sound-expert-analysis/30947/" style="background-color: transparent; color: #1e8dd7; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">aims to create a "3D sound experience"</a> and allows filmmakers to target sounds anywhere in a room as dictated by the requirements of a scene. The main improvements that it promises for the audience over 5.1 and 7.1 surround sound systems are the ability to make sounds appear to originate from overhead without the need for overhead speakers (although they can be used), improved audio quality and timbre matching, and greater spatial control and resolution.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Support is provided for up to 128 simultaneous and lossless audio elements in a mix and, with cinema output in mind, up to 64 speakers. Sound positioning is delivered using object-oriented mixing to "layer independent sound elements over channel-based audio content."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">For home viewers, all this should add up to a more impressive and immersive experience. Dialogue will follow characters around the screen better, with sound directionally projected into the room. Likewise, sound effects will track the camera better as it pans around. Ambient sounds should be clearer and more "enveloping" with specific details (or objects) jumping out more.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Dolby says that its hardware partners will be rolling out new Atmos devices over the coming months, though some products have been announced to tie in with the announcement itself. Pioneer, Denon, Marantz, Integra and Onkyo have all put their names to upcoming Atmos devices. In a blog post on the Dolby website, the company's director of sound research Brett Crockett says that Dolby Atmos Blu-Ray titles are expected from 2015.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The video below provides a short introduction to Dolby Atmos.</span></div>
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Source: <a href="http://www.gizmag.com/dolby-atmos-home/32671/" target="_blank">gizmag</a></div>
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Dolby Atmos sound is coming to your living room

Dolby is a name that will be familiar to many people. Its sound technologies are pretty much ubiquitous and Dolby Surround has been entrancing people since the early 80s. Now, the company has announc…

25 Jun 2014

Meet the multilingual robot newscaster with a very human face

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<img height="416" src="http://o.aolcdn.com/hss/storage/midas/a9125499b7f79ca266bfcf3be03c56af/200317267/androids.jpg" width="640" /><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.engadget.com/2014/06/12/home-robot-pepper/" style="background-color: white; color: #3399cc; line-height: 25.600000381469727px; text-decoration: none;">Pepper the robot</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 25.600000381469727px;"> looks like a robot, thanks to an almost-anime design. What then, of Kodomoroid (above, center) and Otonaroid (right)? Both androids have found employment at Japan's National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation, as part of its new "Android: What is human?" exhibit. Kodomodroid ("child android") can recite news (and weather) reports from around the world in a variety of voices and languages. Meanwhile, Otonaroid ("adult android") is steered by a human nearby and will work as a guide for the exhibition. Museum visitors will be able to talk with the adult robot (as well as take control themselves), but will they be able to look either android in the eye?</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">This exhibit is right in the center of the <a href="http://www.engadget.com/tag/uncannyvalley/" style="color: #3399cc; text-decoration: none;">Uncanny Valley</a>: the dip in comfort we feel when robot (or anything) becomes something <em>almost</em> human. These androids look human, but they're certainly not and it's an odd feeling when you're stood right in front of you. When your eyes meet, it's weird and probably why I got flustered trying to talk to the robots. But it's that very sensation and the bigger questions that robots pose which form the backbone of this exhibition. What is human? How far do androids have to go to become indistinguishable from humans? Do we even want that? To help frame the question, the museum's collaborated with ATR Hiroshi Ishiguro Laboratories -- you might recall Ishiguro's <a href="http://www.engadget.com/tag/geminoid/" style="color: #3399cc; text-decoration: none;">Geminoids</a> series, and there's a similar attention to detail, if not more, on these animated mannequins.</span></div>
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<img alt="" data-credit="Mat Smith" data-mep="317872" src="http://o.aolcdn.com/hss/storage/midas/4f06316de3d4dcc04a1c2b88799774c1/200320584/uncanny.jpg" style="border: 0px; display: block; height: auto !important; margin: 0px auto !important; max-width: 100%; width: auto;" /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Each one is made down to the detail, with plaster casts of their muse as well as special kind of silicone to better replicate the appearance of human skin and muscle. We managed to get up close to the adult model and touched her hand in what we hoped was the least creepy way. The surface is understandably cold, but it really does feel like skin: there's a texture and a give to it... and that feels odd too. We talk a little in English, more in Japanese and lip sync isn't exact, more of an estimate, although the Otonadroid will mimic its human controller's head and even eye movement. The arms can also move, but this is more for the overall effect than any particular function: these androids are getting closer to the human aesthetic, even if there's still a few tells -- they're not meant for mechanical tasks.</span></div>
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<img alt="" data-credit="Mat Smith" data-mep="317873" src="http://o.aolcdn.com/hss/storage/midas/6f2c33f4bc99e634071f7833d44a8eb0/200320586/news.jpg" style="border: 0px; display: block; height: auto !important; margin: 0px auto !important; max-width: 100%; width: auto;" /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The child robot remains half-hidden behind its desk, but the adult one is on full show: her hands fidget, she blinks, looks around, even bows when she needs too. Both robots are utilizing information from outside their own remit. With the newscaster, she's parsing existing news, even if the pronunciation is pretty spot-on, and we're told that in the near-future she'll do it in multiple voices -- and languages. She's setting up her broadcast residence within the Miraikan, and will give visitors news reports and weather forecasts throughout the day. Between the two humanoid robots, the Miraikan has added Ishiguro's Telenoid to the exhibition.</span></div>
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<img alt="" data-credit="Mat Smith" data-mep="317874" src="http://o.aolcdn.com/hss/storage/midas/5bf5186bd3fe4a78624936fd22d5f139/200320582/tele.jpg" style="border: 0px; display: block; height: auto !important; margin: 0px auto !important; max-width: 100%; width: auto;" /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Admittedly, Telenoid is a veteran android. It's been around <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/hiroshi-ishiguro-creates-his-creepiest-robot-yet-the-telenoid-r/" style="color: #3399cc; text-decoration: none;">for a few years</a> and is another remotely-controlled robot, coated in a similarly silicone skin, although this one's certainly less humanoid. Then again, that face probably gave it away. The face is intentionally minimal, however: the robot was designed so that whoever 'steers' it will project their personality to it. It's meant to be gender- and age-neutral. When we got to talk to it, the oddest part was lifting it up to our lap, as suggested by the museum staff. When you pick up a kid or a baby, there's typically a degree of squirming, but Telenoid is more passive -- only its neck and facial features move. The controller is positioned only a few meters away, and visitors will be able to talk and control Telenoid, which is monitored through an overhead camera and mics hidden behind the robot.</span></div>
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<img alt="" data-credit="Mat Smith" data-mep="318395" src="http://o.aolcdn.com/hss/storage/midas/9be5a36ab5ba1e52c5e5bb9d45fd0036/200320938/telenoidscontrol.jpg" style="border: 0px; display: block; height: auto !important; margin: 0px auto !important; max-width: 100%; width: auto;" /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The exhibition is a rare chance to get up close with these high-end (and presumably expensive) robots and includes several other bots -- even the world-famous <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/08/hondas-asimo-robot-sheds-a-few-pounds-gets-all-autonomous-on-u/" style="color: #3399cc; text-decoration: none;">Asimo</a>. But what's next? For Kodomoroid, it's her (pre-programmed) dream to have her own TV show. She also wants to branch out into gourmet reporting -- even though she doesn't eat.</span></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The exhibition opens today at the <a href="http://www.miraikan.jst.go.jp/en/" style="color: #3399cc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Miraikan</a>, Tokyo.</span></em></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">source-<a href="http://www.engadget.com/2014/06/25/androids-humanoid-robots-newscaster/" target="_blank">engadget</a></span></em></div>
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Meet the multilingual robot newscaster with a very human face

Pepper the robot looks like a robot, thanks to an almost-anime design. What then, of Kodomoroid (above, center) and Otonaroid (right)? Both androids have found employment at Japan's National Museum o…

25 Jun 2014

Harley Davidson Announce Project LiveWire: Their First Electric Bike

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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">One of my work colleagues Tim, owns a Harley and it is the love of his life.  In fact, (probably to his wife’s dismay) he calls it ‘the other woman.’  If you happen to ride a <a href="http://www.harley-davidson.com/" style="color: #0092dd;" target="_blank" title="H-D">Harley Davidson</a> motorcycle, then no doubt you will be in a similar situation to Tim.  The trouble with a Harley is that they are renowned for having faults.  Just little irksome things that would annoy any biker, but on a Harley the cost is obviously way more to fix than other motorcycles.</span></div>
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<a href="http://technews.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/autos.yahoo_.com_.jpg" style="color: #0092dd;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="project livewire" class="lazy alignnone size-full wp-image-16594 data-lazy-ready" data-lazy-src="http://technews.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/autos.yahoo_.com_.jpg" data-lazy-type="image" height="459" src="http://technews.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/autos.yahoo_.com_.jpg" style="background: rgb(236, 240, 244); border: 0px; display: inline; float: none; max-width: 708px; padding: 10px;" width="708" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">But I suppose one of the main appeals of owning a Harley Davidson bike is the noise.  They are one of the loudest vehicles that you can get your hands on.  There is no mistaking that growl.  So it begs the question, why on earth have Harley Davidson created an electric motorcycle?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The Harley-Davidson team have teased people with a recent YouTube clip. In the clip, the motorcycle zooms down a section of Route 66 in a blur, without giving anyone a clear look at the new bike. But if you want a closer look, just head over to the main website and check it out.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The electric bike is called <a href="http://project.harley-davidson.com/en_GB" style="color: #0092dd;" target="_blank" title="Project LiveWire">Project LiveWire</a> and you can only experience the bike if you attend one of the road shows that Harley Davidson are putting on throughout the US. The Project LiveWire Experience begins a 30-city tour across America starting June 24th in New York City, where riders will be invited to take a historic ride. The full 2014 US tour schedule will be announced in the next week on their website.</span></div>
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<a href="http://technews.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/www.looles.com_.jpg" style="color: #0092dd;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="Project LiveWire" class="lazy alignnone size-full wp-image-16595 data-lazy-ready" data-lazy-src="http://technews.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/www.looles.com_.jpg" data-lazy-type="image" height="398" src="http://technews.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/www.looles.com_.jpg" style="background: rgb(236, 240, 244); border: 0px; display: inline; float: none; max-width: 708px; padding: 10px;" width="708" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Matt Levatich, President and Chief Operating Officer said, “America at its best has always been about reinvention…And, like America, Harley-Davidson has reinvented itself many times in our history, with customers leading us every step of the way. Project LiveWire is another exciting, customer-led moment in our history.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">It does make you think about the cost though.  I mean if it costs a large amount of cash to fix a ‘standard’ Harley, how much is it going to cost to fix a state of the art electric bike?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">As always, if you would like to leave a sensible comment, then please do so in the comments section below.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">source-<a href="http://news.filehippo.com/2014/06/harley-davidson-announce-project-livewire-first-electric-bike/" target="_blank">tech beat</a></span></div>
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Harley Davidson Announce Project LiveWire: Their First Electric Bike

One of my work colleagues Tim, owns a Harley and it is the love of his life. In fact, (probably to his wife’s dismay) he calls it ‘the other woman.’ If you happen to ride a Harley Davidson motorcyc…

23 Jun 2014

Want to try Sailfish OS without buying a new phone? You can get it on your Android device, but act fast

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<a href="http://i-cdn.phonearena.com/images/article/57376-image/Want-to-try-Sailfish-OS-without-buying-a-new-phone--You-can-get-it-on-your-Android-device-but-act-fast.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Want to try Sailfish OS without buying a new phone?  You can get it on your Android device, but act fast" border="0" src="http://i-cdn.phonearena.com/images/article/57376-image/Want-to-try-Sailfish-OS-without-buying-a-new-phone--You-can-get-it-on-your-Android-device-but-act-fast.jpg" /></a><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 21px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Jolla’s Sailfish operating system has not had much time in the spotlight lately. It is not because there is nothing newsworthy about it, but in the hyper-competitive landscape of smartphones, the established players are not slowing down for anyone.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 21px;">Sailfish made its official debut last year, and the reception was generally warm. The media took it for what Sailfish was, a new operating system. The market focus for hardware and the OS in general has been centered on the European markets since then.</span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 21px;">Sailfish OS is distinct in that, similar to webOS, it is navigated completely by gestures, there are no navigation buttons.  For some that will mean a learning curve from a device like an iPhone, Windows Phone, or event an Android device, as the "home" button is a bit of a refuge (when in doubt, just push the button).  </span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 21px;">If you have been wanting to take a look at how the Sailfish experience might work for you, but are not in Europe or did not want to spend €349 ($475) on a new mid-range-spec device like the </span><a class="previewtooltip" data-id="8153" data-type="phone" href="http://www.phonearena.com/phones/Jolla-Smartphone_id8153" style="background-color: white; color: #218cc3; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_self">Jolla Smartphone</a><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 21px;">, there is good news. Jolla announced that it is going to make available a Community Alpha test of a Sailfish launcher for Android devices, provided they are running Android 4.3 or later.</span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 21px;">The process to get an installation link for your device is simple, but available only for a limited time:</span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /></span><br />
<ol style="background-color: white; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px 0px 15px 40px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 10px; position: relative;">
<li style="list-style: decimal; margin: 0px 0px 3px 20px; padding: 0px; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Send an email to jolla-launcher@jolla.com from your Google account <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">by June 27, 2014</span></span></span></li>
<li style="list-style: decimal; margin: 0px 0px 3px 20px; padding: 0px; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Include your name and which device you are using</span></li>
<li style="list-style: decimal; margin: 0px 0px 3px 20px; padding: 0px; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Await a Google Play installation link with instructions</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 21px;">Jolla states that your email will be used solely for purposes of registering users for the Community Alpha and keep you up to speed with progress during testing. Once the Alpha test period is over, your email will be purged.</span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 21px;">To participate, the following is required:</span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /></span><br />
<ul style="background-color: white; line-height: 21px; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 15px 40px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 10px; position: relative;">
<li style="list-style: disc; margin: 0px 0px 3px 15px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 5px; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">You must have a Nexus 4 or Nexus 5, or a device running Android 4.3 or higher</span></li>
<li style="list-style: disc; margin: 0px 0px 3px 15px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 5px; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">You must have a Google account (presumably with unfettered access to Google Play)</span></li>
<li style="list-style: disc; margin: 0px 0px 3px 15px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 5px; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">You must be willing to provide feedback and report issues during the test period to together.jolla.com</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 21px;">After this phase of testing, there will be another test period that will be available to more people. The Jolla Launcher is designed to provide an experience of Sailfish OS, and it will work like a skin on the Android device. Jolla is calling it “risk free,” and it certainly looks like a great way to generate interest. Are you going to give it a try?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 21px;">source-<a href="http://www.phonearena.com/" target="_blank">phone arena</a></span></span></div>

Want to try Sailfish OS without buying a new phone? You can get it on your Android device, but act fast

Jolla’s Sailfish operating system has not had much time in the spotlight lately. It is not because there is nothing newsworthy about it, but in the hyper-competitive landscape of smartphones, the es…

22 Jun 2014

WSJ: Apple's Smartwatch Will Come In Different Sizes, Pack 10 Sensors

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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Hot on the heels of a Reuters report yesterday<inset id="1593352240"></inset>, the<i style="border: 0px; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </i><a href="http://online.wsj.com/articles/apple-plans-multiple-designs-for-smartwatch-1403245062" style="color: #4296b5; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" x-inset="1"><i style="border: 0px; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Wall Street Journal </i>is reporting</a> that Apple is planning to launch a smart watch that will be available in multiple screen sizes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The new report is at odds with yesterday's from Reuters<inset id="1593352240"></inset>, which claimed that the new wearable would be available only with a 2.5-inch screen. A person "familiar with the matter" <a href="http://online.wsj.com/articles/apple-plans-multiple-designs-for-smartwatch-1403245062" style="color: #4296b5; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">explained to the<i style="border: 0px; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> Journal</i></a><i style="border: 0px; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </i>that "the smartwatch will likely come in multiple screen sizes." That may or may not be true, but it certainly could make sense-because 2.5 inches is a very large screen to strap to your wrist.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Elsewhere, <a href="http://online.wsj.com/articles/apple-plans-multiple-designs-for-smartwatch-1403245062" style="color: #4296b5; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">the <i style="border: 0px; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Journal</i> reports</a> that the new device will include "more than 10 sensors" including ones to track health and fitness. Incidentally, that <i style="border: 0px; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">does </i>align with what <i style="border: 0px; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Reuters</i> said yesterday, with one of its sources noting that the watch would be able to measure the wearer's pulse. The glut of sensors is, according to a <i style="border: 0px; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Journal</i> source, Apple's attempt to "address an overarching criticism of existing smartwatches that they fail to provide functions significantly different from that of a smartphone."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">While <a href="http://online.wsj.com/articles/apple-plans-multiple-designs-for-smartwatch-1403245062" style="color: #4296b5; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">the <i style="border: 0px; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Journal</i> claims</a> that the exact specifications of the smartwatch are "still being finalized," it also claims that Quanta Computer will put the watch into production in the next two to three months. That could-and it's a very big could that relies on all of this being trye-see the smartwatch launch as early as this October. Possibly. At this point, with contradictory reports over size from the <i style="border: 0px; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Journal </i>and <i style="border: 0px; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Reuters</i>, it remains unclear quite what that might bring, though</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">soure-<a href="http://www.gizmodo.in/Gizmodo/WSJ-Apples-Smartwatch-Will-Come-in-Different-Sizes-Pack-10-Sensors/articleshow/36880544.cms" target="_blank">gizmodo</a></span></div>
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WSJ: Apple's Smartwatch Will Come In Different Sizes, Pack 10 Sensors

Hot on the heels of a Reuters report yesterday, the Wall Street Journal is reporting that Apple is planning to launch a smart watch that will be available in multiple screen sizes. The new report is …

22 Jun 2014

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