I am home from the fourth annual Go Further with Ford Trend Conference where the automaker invited some 250 or so members involved in social media of one sort or another. I am going to break down the event into several segments and present them to you in portions that hopefully will be easier to digest.
E3 2014 games impressed all audiences as companies concentrated on boosting their next generation game consoles. Video game companies aimed to put everyone in the game realm at this year’s Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) at the Los Angeles Convention Center (June 10 through 12) featured several games coming before the end of the year and beyond.
Nintendo E3 2014 included a playful video presentation through Nintendo Direct where Mario games took a break while Yoshi, Zelda, and even the top Nintendo executives got in on the action. It was much less talking and more seeing and doing in this entertaining presentation, which packed an impressive array of enhancements, upcoming games, and fun entertainment.
At Sony E3 2014, the concentration was apparent from the beginning – games! “After all guys,” Shawn Layden, the new head of PlayStation America said near the end of the presentation, “it’s all about the games, isn’t it?” Some serious gear and service announcement where also made including a “glacial white” 500 GB PlayStation 4 bundle including the upcoming sci-fi space shooter Destiny from developer Bungie (HALO) and publisher Activision will release on September 9.
Microsoft E3 2014 brought some serious game to consumers! Microsoft devoted this year’s Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) presentation (a.k.a. global media briefing) to games, while taking pride in their recent Xbox One console price drop to $399 (without the Kinect sensor). Exclusive Xbox One games were plentiful while HALO fans can look forward to several games by year’s end.
Manchester Orchestra is currently on tour to support their fourth studio album, Cope, which lead singer Andy Hull describes as ‘brutal’, ‘pounding’, and ‘unapologetically heavy’. That was a fair summation of their April 22nd show at Emo’s, which started strong and wrapped up perfectly.
Judie spent some hands-on time with the Lenovo Yoga Tablet 10 HD+. The tablet offers a Full HD display, a quad core processor, an 8MP front camera, 2GB of storage and runs Android 4.3. I have the original Yoga tablet and love the design. Check out Judie’s pictures and see if this should be your next tablet.
One key new feature announced with the Samsung Galaxy S5 was the heartrate sensor. Located below the camera on back, the sensor grabs data from your fingertip and analyzes it to give heartrate feedback. The sensor – also in the Gear Fit, Gear 2, Gear 2 Neo – is powered by Heartbeat Analytics by Firstbeat, and they’ve provided more details!
Sony knows not every consumer is on the bleeding edge of technology, but they still want a great smartphone experience. The Sony Xperia M2 is a mid-range Android product with big-time specs, from a 4.8″ screen to an 8 megapixel camera with various Sony apps to perfect every shot. Check out the hands-on video below for all the details!
Sony is showing off the accessories for their new Sony Xperia Z2 Smartphone and Tablet. Among them are a quality XY microphone, a noise canceling headset that uses the smartphone as the brains of the cancellation, a waterproof SmartBand fitness band, and a totally cool tablet remote that doubles as a handset for making calls via tablet. Check the video for pricing. Here’s a closer look at some of the key accessories.
Nokia may be owned by Microsoft, but they’re looking at every possible angle to gather marketshare, even by trying Android! Their new Nokia X, X2 and XL phones run a modified version of Android with Nokia-specific proprietary software. Check out the video and gallery below for a hands-on of these Android-Nokia mashups!
I’ve tried the FitBit Flex, Nike Fuel, and Jawbone UP; while each fitness band had its positive points, there always seems to be something … lacking. At their event last night, Samsung introduced their Gear 2 and Gear Fit watches; one of these may be the all-in-one watch and fitness band combo I’ve been waiting for.
Sony’s new flagship, the Xperia Z2, promises to be even better than its predecessor. It’s waterproof in freshwater for up to 5 feet and 30 minutes, has 4K video capability, and a gorgeous 5.2″ screen. I’ve had some hands-on time with one, and I love the glass body and build quality. Click through for more pics and a video walk-through.
When was the last time you enjoyed reading on your mobile? I read more on iPad because sites are poorly scaled for phones – too few words, font too small, whatever. A new company called Spritz is partnering with Samsung to develop technology for the Galaxy S5 and Gear devices that helps speed up reading and make it more enjoyable.
Judie spent time with Plantronics during the second day of Mobile World Congress 2014 and got to see a next-generation concept headset. It tracks head movement in nine different directions. They see an assortment of great consumer applications as well as uses for first responders. Of course, the headset is also great for gaming. Check out the video!
Smartwatches are the hot gear of 2014, but they still have an aura of “geek” around them. If you’re craving something stylish AND smart, check out Creoir’s new Ibis watch. It features Bluetooth, touchscreen, iOS and Android integration and notifications, but also showcases a fashion-first design. Stay tuned for more from Judie on Ibis at Mobile World Congress!
At Mobile World Conference, The Eye Tribe, a Danish motion tracking firm has announced the beta release of the world’s first affordable eye motion tracking software development kit. With this technology, you could potentially control your smartphone just by looking at it. Affordable eye tracking brings with it a load of future possibilities. For more, check out the video below.
Sony has continued to struggle in many ways, yet at the same time keeps producing some amazing gear – and at MWC the trend continues. Today at MWC Sony launches new Xperia devices including the Xperia Z2, the Tablet Z2 and the mid-range M2. Each of these bring competitive prices, high-end features, slick designs and the legendary Sony build quality.
We brought word of the new Plantronics BackBeat FIT yesterday and posted a first look video. (See it.) Judie spent some time with both colors of the new stereo Bluetooth headset at MWC 2014. They look great, have nice specs and, most importantly, the sound terrific. The BackBeat FIT arrives in April but you can check out the gallery now.
We posted our first-look video of the new Plantronics Voyager Edge Bluetooth headset yesterday. At MWC 2014 Judie learned that, instead of plain white or black, Plantronics is considering a range of fashionable styles for the battery case. Would adding some bling to your headset charger make you more inclined to get one? View the gallery and let us know. Check them out here: Plantronics Headsets and Accessories.
Judie got some hands-on time with the new HP Pavilion x360 laptop. Thanks to a 360-degree hinge this 11.6″ hybrid is able to switch between clamshell and tablet mode. No, this isn’t deja vu but you have seen this before. Priced starting at $399 it has Beats Audio and surprisingly good specs for the price. Check out the image gallery.