Bluetooth gadget to record your calls

Bluewire, a new Bluetooth device, promises to make recording every phone call a whole lot easier. The device can function as a standalone headset or as an add on to the one you’ve already got. This is awesome, because it means it’ll work with car handsfree systems, along with your computer as well.

When using with an existing headset, the device sits between your phone and existing bluetooth headset and quietly records your calls in the best quality possible.

It records up to 1,000 hours of audio, which can be accessed via a mobile application. In addition to storing recordings, the app logs the time and date of the call, along with caller ID information for easier retrieval later.

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Xiaomi Mi Box Mini is a fun-size Android streaming box

The Mi Box Mini is a miniscule set-top streaming box that runs on Android. Inside it features a 1.3GHz quad-core Cortex A7 processor, 1GB of RAM, 4GB storage, dual-band WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0, DTS 2.0 with Dolby Digital plus support and Android 4.4.2 KitKat. The Mi Box Mini features an HDMI 1.4 port and can plug directly into the wall courtesy of a built-in power supply. For navigation, it features a Bluetooth remote.

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First impressions of the new Garmin Vivoactive

Fitness trackers and smartwatches are everywhere at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show, but many brands are new to the space.

For $249 — $299 with a heart-rate strap — the health-focused watch looks nice. The 205 x 148 resolution color display is reportedly sunlight-readable and has touch capabilities. It’s not as crisp as you’d find on a new Android Wear watch — the display on my Sony Smartwatch 3 looks better — but it’s not too bad. Most impressive may be the battery life: Expect up to three weeks in standard usage mode or up to 10 hours of GPS usage.

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CES 2015 Seek Thermal Hands-on: turn your camera into a portable thermal imaging machine

CES is the place for innovation, and one of the cooler (or hotter) innovations that we’ve come across so far at CES 2015 is from Seek Thermal, who has developed a camera add-on for Android and iOS that can turn your device into a thermal imaging device for an affordable price. The camera itself might not look like much, but what it does is quite complex in that it is able to “see” thermal signatures, normally quite an expensive and complex exercise, but one that the Seek Thermal camera trivializes in conjunction with its companion app.

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Fitbit starts shipping the Surge and Charge HR wearables to customers

Fitbit has just started shipping two of its premier wearables, the Charge HR and the Surge to customers in North America. Along with the shipping of these new wearables, Fitbit has also issued an update to its wearable software bringing the ability to pair up to 5 devices with one Fitbit account.

The Surge is the company’s first smartwatch like offering which can offer notifications, music playback controls and heart rate/sleep monitoring right from your wrist. This device has been priced at $250 which is quite steep for a companion accessory, especially when compared to full blown smartwatches like the LG G Watch R and the Moto 360. The smartwatch can last up to 7 days on a full charge.

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Story continues on Android News, Rumours, and Updates

Razer launches entry-level Nabu X smartband wearable

he water resistant sensor module uses three colored LED indicators and vibrations to alert users of any notifications received on a paired iOS or Android smartphone. It also includes an accelerometer, which will let the band track user activity. The sensor module is detachable to allow users to mix and match between three planned strap colors: black, white, and green.
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Story continues on HardwareZone Singapore

Withings Activite Pop Smartwatch

Withings, the company behind some of the best looking health wearables on the market, just announced a new device called Activite Pop. It’s a more affordable version of their original Activite smartwatch, which looks like a traditional timekeeper, but in reality is a fully-featured activity tracker.

If it wasn’t for an additional smaller dial on its face, the Activite Pop could be taken for a regular analog watch. The dial measures how close you are to fulfilling your activity goal for the day. Goals can be set using the official companion apps for smartphones and tablets. Just like the original Activite, the Activite Pop can also track your sleep patterns during the night and wake you up with an optimally timed vibration.

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Story continues on UltraLinx » Technology

Livescribe 3 Smartpen Will Soon Have Android Support, Having Handwritten Notes On Your Device Could Get A Lot Easier

Ever wanted to take handwritten notes, but didn't want to write on a digital screen? Maybe you just don't want a Samsung device, the primary Android manufacturer to offer active digitizers (better known as the "S Pen" in their marketing materials). Livescribe's smartpens have, up to now, been just a nearly perfect solution for many. You can write on real paper* and have your notes rather effortlessly synced to select digital destinations.

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Story continues on Android Police - Android News, Apps, Games, Phones, Tablets

The Mad Catz L.Y.N.X. 9 Is An Insane $300 Controller/Clip/Stand/KB Combo That Looks Like The Lovechild Of MOGA And Megatron

Hey, look at this Mad Catz Android Bluetooth controller. It looks really compact, if a little odd. But then that's Mad Catz for you.

I wonder what happens if I pull this thing and - oh, a full-sized console controller. That's kinda neat, even if the extended handles do look a little too much like scissor blades. What happens if I put this little plastic bracket on...


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Story continues on Android Police - Android News, Apps, Games, Phones, Tablets

Floome, a smart breathalyzer, can share your drinking habits with the world

A new smart breathalyzer called Floome is on the market aiming to make blood alcohol content (BAC) measuring fun. The device gets inserted into a device’s audio jack and then the user blows into it. It shares the user’s BAC with the app that saves gender, age, and weight. With all of this information, Floome will inform the user when to take another test before being able to drive again. In the event that the test remains not so great, Floome can redirect the user to call a car service or friend for pickup.

The best thing about Floome, however, is its ability to share a user’s blood alcohol content with the world. The app will forward the measurement to Twitter, Facebook, and other social networks. Either your friends/followers will come to the rescue with a pickup or they will laugh all about it as you scratch your head the following morning.

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Story continues on Android News, Rumours, and Updates

Epson announces new Runsense GPS running watch and M-Tracer golf swing analyzer

Wearables are a key trend at this year's CES and Epson has just announced its new Runsense range of GPS running watches. There are three models - the SF-810, SF-710 and SF-510 - and they differ in features.

The flagship SF-810 model will have all the bells and whistles, which means an integrated optical heart-rate sensor and vibration alert. The SF-710 misses out on the heart-rate sensor, but has vibration alerts. The SF-510 misses out on both. However, the SF-710 and SF-510 can still receive information about your heart-rate via an optional heart-rate sensor strap. Runners can then review their performance online via the Runsense View portal or using the Run Connected app.

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Story continues on HardwareZone Singapore

New type of wearable introduced at CES 2015

Optinvent, a company that specializes in smart wearables (specifically eyewear), announced a new type of wearable technology today at CES that they are calling the ORA-X. This new device is a pair of high-end headphones running android, with a transparent display attached to the side. Describing it as “the smart glass that doesn’t make you look like a creep,” the company has decided that the world isn’t ready  to adopt smart eyewear as a trend quite yet, and has instead opted to go for an accesory that has already proven its relevance in today’s society.

The device will apparently support most android apps and will have enough power and RAM to support more complex apps. Somewhere on the device there will be a trackpad to interact with the screen. Though no specifics were given, the actual speakers are said to be high quality and will support active noise cancellation. The ORA-X will also include common android device features, such as a camera, a microphone, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and an accelerometer.
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Polaroid launches Polaroid Zip, Polaroid dashcams, and Polaroid Socialmatic

Polaroid has unveiled a few new products today at CES and they are pretty sweet. First up is the Polaroid Zip mobile printer. In an age where physical pictures are being seen less and less, this little printer is a welcome sight. It works with both Android and iOS, allowing you to print your favorite photos straight from your phone. The Polaroid Zip is something essentially Polaroid, allowing you to physically share your photos with those you love instead of mindlessly uploading them to every social media site imaginable. The Polaroid Zip will be available this Spring for $129.

Something a little less conventional is Polaroid’s new line of easy-to-use dashcams. Not only can these new cameras be used to record incidents on the road and document family vacations, they also come with some cool safety features depending on what model you purchase. The dashcams can record 1080p video and have Auto On/Off which allows the camera to start recording as soon as the vehicle turns on and stay on until the vehicle turns off. A G-sensor will automatically save the recording when a collision is detected as well as several factors such as speed and location. Other features include a lane departure warning system and speed limit alerts to keep you safe on the road. The Polaroid dashcams will be available this Spring and will range from $59.99 to $199.99.

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Lenovo gets into wearables with E Ink VIBE Band

2015 is going to be the year everyone throws their hats into the wearable ring and Lenovo doesn’t want to be left out of the party.

The company today announced it’s new VIBE Band that sports an E Ink display and a seven day battery life. The band can show notifications from your phone for calls, SMS, Facebook, Twitter, WeChat and more, but with no more than 150 characters.

The VIBE band also tracks fitness, but only monitors the basics like steps and sleep. It’ll work with iOS and Android devices running 4.3 and above out of the box.


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Alcatel OneTouch to reveal new smartwatch line at CES

Alcatel OneTouch may be poised to catch some people off guard at CES 2015 starting next week when they reveal a new line of smartwatches. As you can see from the image above, Alcatel OneTouch has decided to go with a round watch face for their devices along with several different straps. According to Alcatel OneTouch, they were aiming for a traditional watch look and feel for the hardware, which it appears they may have achieved that goal with their new line of Watch devices.

Judging by the image, it looks like the devices will be powered by Android Wear. No details about the specific hardware that is located within the device has been revealed yet, though the images and Alcatel OneTouch’s statement that the devices will “allow users to monitor daily activity” suggest at least some items like pedometers and heartbeat monitors may be present.

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Story continues on Android News, Rumours, and Updates

Goondu Review: Xiaomi Mi Band

Xiaomi has propelled itself to become the world’s third-largest smartphone maker in four short years, and its march towards conquering the wearables market begins with the recently released S$19.99 Mi Band.

Its design is deceptively simple. The actual device is a pill-shaped module with a brushed metal front and rubberised rear that has Xiaomi’s logo engraved on it.

Attach the module onto the provided silicone strap and wear it on your wrist, and the Mi Band will start counting the number of steps you take and track your sleep patterns.

With an IP67 water- and dust-resistance rating, the Mi Band can join you for a jog in the drizzle and easily survive the subsequent wash-up. Weighing just 13g with the strap, it will not interfere with even the toughest of workouts.

For first-time fitness and users, the Mi Band will surely appeal.

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Story continues on Techgoondu