Sony SmartWatch 3 Review: Android Wear's First Generation Champion

Sony is both early to the smartwatch game, and late at the same time. The SmartWatch 3 puts aside some of the lessons of Sony’s previous wearables, but manages to learn some valuable lessons from the competition.
Two things stand out for me with the Sony SmartWatch 3. The first is Sony’s use of Android Wear. The two previous numerical efforts (and the Sony LiveView watch that came before those) all ran proprietary operating systems. They all tied in heavily to Sony’s Smart Connect software on Android, and gave Sony the ability to determine its own wearables strategy.
And back in May 2014, Sony implied that Android Wear would not be used in its next smartwatch, before the remark was rapidly clarified back to a ‘we’re not ruling it out’ stance.
Sony’s SmartWatch 3 uses Android Wear.
The Best Of The First
Secondly, while Sony is later to the game than Motorola, LG, and Samsung, the SmartWatch 3 still feels like a wearable that belongs in that first wave of Android Wear devices. It suffers from many of the flaws that you will find in the existing Android Wear devices, although it does address two concerns that (just about) lift the Sony SmartWatch 3 to the lofty heights of ‘best Android Wear smartwatch’.
Interestingly, both concerns are to do with power. The first is the battery. At 420 mAh, it’s the largest battery I’ve yet seen on an Android Wear device. This will comfortably get through a full day of use, and for normal use (a mix of alerts, notifications, and some voice commands and searches) you will reach the 48 hour mark before it starts asking to be charged.
This is where the second advantage of the SmartWatch 3 comes in to play. It charges directly from a microUSB cable. Other smartwatches have a proprietary cable or a charging dock to supply the power. Sony has went with a vertically mounted USB port on the back of the watch, covered by a tight-fitting rubber gurney flap. The flap is used to keep the watch integrity in place. With dustproofing and waterproofing (to IP68 standards), the SmartWatch 3 should be comfortable immersed in water for up to thirty minutes.
Otherwise, the Sony SmartWatch 3 feels much like every other Android Wear device out there. The screen resolution is 320×320 pixels, on a 1.6 inch transreflective screen. This is not going to win any awards for clarity, and the resulting images on the display do exhibit some pixelation under normal viewing conditions. Of course a smaller screen with fewer elements means better battery life, so the current technology has found the compromise. It’s a good one to make, if I’m honest because I would rather more information and more battery rather than fancy display, HD graphics, and less battery life on my wrist.
Sony has let the side down on styling. The SmartWatch 3 consists of a standalone square unit, encased in a rubber wrist strap. It’s incredibly function, and feels like it was designed by engineers to provide a solid strap, protection for the electronics, and would never be worn on the red carpet at a Hollywood awards ceremony.
You can be sure that’s not the approach that Apple will take, but more on that as the year progresses.

Test solutions from Tektronix for USB 3.1 Rx and MIPI M-PHY v3.1

Tektronix released USB 3.1 compliance test solutions to include new USB 3.1 receiver test solution supporting the 10 Gb/s data rate, a new USB Power Delivery test solution and a new USB Type-C cable test solution. Tektronix solutions also support debug and margin analysis.

Tektronix explains "The new BSAUSB31 solution for Tektronix BERTScope bit error rate testers significantly simplifies receiver testing. No longer must the end user be an expert in USB. Processes for defining test parameters, putting the device into the proper test mode, measuring errors, showing results after each frequency is executed, and printing/storing the test results are all fully automated, saving time and improving accuracy. The solution provides all of the required signal impairments for USB 3.1, including SJ, RJ, SSC, and signal attenuation with a compliance channel."

"The latest version of USB 3.1 is all about speed and better user experience – faster data rates and fast time to market," said Brian Reich, general manager, performance oscilloscopes, Tektronix. "With this latest release, Tektronix continues to demonstrate its market leadership in providing USB test solutions that enable our customers to confidently and quickly validate, characterize and troubleshoot designs and gain a competitive advantage."

"With the help of advanced Tektronix instrumentation and software, ASMedia's controllers, switches and other USB 3.1 I/O products have excellent electrical characteristics with minimal jitter and a very clear eye," said Weber Chuang, Senior Vice President Product Marketing Division for ASMedia. "We're confident it will provide a very stable and consistent link to the host controller and yield excellent throughput even with a cascaded three meter USB 3.1 cable. Tektronix tools were crucial in helping us achieve our design goals so quickly."

The new GRL-USB-PD software developed by Tektronix and its partner Granite River Labs supports critical PHY layer testing as detailed in chapter 5 of the Power Delivery specification. Tests include rise/fall time, transmitter and receiver eye mask and others. In addition, the software provides pattern decode of the Binary Mark Coded (BMC) signals for further debug and analysis.

"The updated USB Power Delivery specification is an exciting addition to the USB ecosystem and will open up a broad range of interesting applications for USB that simply haven't been possible until now," said Mike Engbretson, chief technology engineer for Granite River Labs. "Since USB Power Delivery is now more complex than it has been in the past, test solutions such as GRL-USB-PD will be critical to efficiently debugging and validating new USB Power Delivery ICs and system designs."

Tektronix is also offering a new USB Type-C cable test method of implementation (MOI) document, which can be downloaded from www.tektronix.com/USB.

"From faster data rates with USB 3.1 reaching up to 10 Gbps to an exciting new USB Type-C cable design and upgraded USB Power Delivery specification, USB is well-positioned for long-term growth and even broader market acceptance," said Jeff Ravencraft, USB-IF President and COO. "But this doesn't happen without a thriving ecosystem and the ability to ensure product compliance and reliability under a broad range of conditions. Tektronix continues to make major contributions to the success of USB specifications with comprehensive test solutions that have been broadly adopted across the industry."

The TekExpress USB 3.1 transmitter test solution (option USBSSP-TX) is available now worldwide for use with Tektronix DPO/MSO70000 Series oscilloscopes with 16 GHz bandwidth and above. The BSAUSB31 USB 3.1 receiver test software requires a BSA125C or higher BERTScope.

Tektronix has recently announced the first physical layer transmitter characterization and debug solution for the MIPI M-PHY v3.1 specification recently approved by the MIPI Alliance. The new Tektronix solution includes support for MIPI M-PHY High Speed Gears 1, 2 and 3, PWM Mode (G0-G7), and SYS Mode and offers the industry's lowest noise solution for MIPI M-PHY measurements when used with Tektronix MSO/DPO 70000DX oscilloscopes and P7600 series probes.

Testing MIPI M-PHY requires scope and probe system with rise time 3X faster than the signal rise time, sensitivity of 200 mVFS, minimal added noise (<1 or 2 mVrms), and high return loss as specified in the MIPI M-PHY standard, Tektronix says its latest solutions fulfills all this. The closest alternative has 10X worse sensitivity (Tektronix: 35 mVfs vs. Competition: 360mVfs) and adds 4X more noise (Tektronix: <1mVrms vs. Competition: 4 mVrms) to the signal, claims Tektronix.

Computer Cable Store Announces Addition of Networx USB 3.0 Cables

Computer Cable Store, a leading provider of computer cables on the internet, recently announced the addition of Networx™ USB 3.0 SuperSpeed cables to its online inventory. 

In an effort to meet the demands of various external devices, enhance communication, and better serve customers’ needs, Computer Cable Store’s team diversified their already extensive product offerings to include USB 3.0 cables guaranteed to boost speeds achieved by earlier models.
Ranging in length from 3ft to 10ft, Networx™ USB 3.0 cables have multiple uses and benefits when compared with USB 2.0 cables. "One of the most exciting features of USB 3.0 cables is the significant improvement in transfer rates," says Jeramie Cavanaugh of Computer Cable Store. As Jeramie Cavanaugh later noted, USB 3.0 cables efficiently transfer data at speeds of up to 3.2 Gbps (gigabits per second), which is five times faster than USB 2.0 cables.
When asked about ancillary benefits of using Networx™ USB 3.0 SuperSpeed cables, George McDowell replied, "An exciting aspect of USB 3.0 cables is they charge devices quickly while maintaining efficient power management." Further discussion revealed USB 3.0 cables bring devices to a full charge nearly twice as fast as USB 2.0 cables without negatively affecting the power supply of an idle device. For consumers, this equates to fast, worry-free charging power.
Networx™ USB 3.0 SuperSpeed cables are most commonly used with digital cameras, Blu-Ray devices, and cell phones, but their capabilities extend to printers, scanners, and other external hardware. Because Computer Cable Store is now offering an assortment of USB 3.0 cables, consumers are able to choose from A to A, A to B, or A to Micro B cables, depending on their needs and device. An added benefit, interference during data transfer is prevented due to USB 3.0 cables’ inclusion of a foil and braid shield.
Particularly useful for those with multiple devices, such as a laptop, smartphone, and tablet, Networx™ USB 3.0 SuperSpeed cables can be connected to USB hubs for increased efficiency. According to George McDowell from Computer Cable Store, "USB 3.0 cables work well with extension hubs, as transfer and charging speeds remain fast while extending the cable’s reach. This is ideal for many consumers who desire optimal performance and convenience."
Jeramie Cavanaugh predicts the demand for USB 3.0 cables will increase as devices become more powerful, feature more sophisticated processors, and require higher rates of interference-free data transfer. Compatible with both Windows and Mac operating systems, Networx™ USB 3.0 SuperSpeed cables can be connected to USB 3.0 or USB 2.0 ports for optimum flexibility.

HTC said to plan better camera phone first smartwatch in march

HTC will release the products around the time of the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, where the world’s biggest smartphone makers, including Samsung and Huawei, will showcase their models. Photo: Reuters

HTC Corp. plans to unveil a marquee phone in March with improved camera and audio features, and its first smartwatch, according to a person familiar with the matter, as the Taiwanese company tries to stem three years of falling sales.

Code-named M9, the phone features a 20-megapixel rear camera and an HTC UltraPixel front camera, the person said, asking not to be identified because the details aren’t public. The smartwatch will link with Under Armour Inc.’s fitness service, building on a partnership announced earlier this month, the person said.

HTC will release the products around the time of the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, where the world’s biggest smartphone makers, including Samsung Electronics Co. and Huawei Technologies Co., will showcase their models. The smartwatch represents HTC’s latest effort to move beyond the slowing smartphone market after last year’s introduction of the “Re” action camera.

HTC doesn’t comment on unreleased products, it said in an e-mail on Monday.

The new phone resembles last year’s M8 in size and design, with gold, gray and silver options, and features Qualcomm Inc.’s eight-core Snapdragon 810 processor, which has advanced video capabilities, the person said. The device includes Dolby Laboratories Inc.’s Dolby 5.1 audio technology and HTC’s latest Sense 7 user interface with improved location-based services.

The UltraPixel sensor developed by HTC features fewer, larger pixels designed to get clearer images in lower light.

HTC posted its first quarterly sales growth since 2011 in the final three months of last year, while full-year sales fell. Bloomberg

Is Future Proofing Obsolete? Apple Adopts New USB Port

From 3 megapixels to 10 megapixels to 50 megapixels, the world of photography has changed significantly over the last 10 years. With the changes in technology, we're always in battle to keep our work and data on the most current iteration. With the rumors of the next Apple MacBook Air, it seems that the USB port is under attack, making photographers everywhere questions how they can keep their work on the most recent format.
I remember back a few years ago when the first laptop was introduced without a CD optical drive. I was in a panic, because literally all of my work was put onto a DVD, and delivered to my client through the mail or in person. What happens when I get my enviable client that doesn't have a CD drive on their computer? What hoops will I need to jump through when that time comes? In my panic, I changed my business format to accommodate for the future. I bought branded USB drives.
At the time, I thought this was the solution. Everything runs on USB these days, and with the current pricing of thumbdrives, it's nearly as affordable as blank CDs or DVDs, and far easier to work with as well. While this meant that I'd have dozens of CD cases in a closet, gathering dust and never to be used again, it also prevented me for getting the inevitable call from a client years ago, asking if there was a way I could resend them the files in a new delivery format.

Apple Making a New USB Standard

All of this news comes out of Apple introducing a new USB standard for the 2015 iteration of the MacBook Air. The MacBook Air exchanges convenience and versatility for size and form, and is looking to change the computer industry to a new standard, called USB 3 Type-C. This is not a new plug designed by Apple, but is hoping to become the new standard for computers going forward. The perks on the new format are simple - for one, it's reversible, solving the problem we've all faced, that despite logic, it somehow always takes three 180 degree rotations before the standard USB cable will fit into the input. Perhaps the biggest benefit of it comes in the bi-directional power, allowing you to charge peripheral devices, as well as the host device. Pairing that with its power output up to 100W (20V), it should also allow you to charge laptops (which are typically around 60W), allowing for a universal power cable for future laptop designs. Alongside it being reversible and versatile, it's smaller, which is a necessity when it comes to MacBook Airs and their PC ultrabook counterparts.

Everything seems great, right? However, the stark downside to this new design change comes in it not being backwards compatible. Prior iterations allowed for backwards capability. With the original USB plug design dating back to the mid 90s, everything would work with the new designs. The new designed of USB 3.0 (and USB 2.0 in the early 2000s) changed only speed of the devices, while maintaining the same shape and form, allowing for all plugs to work with the faster speeds. The new design means one of two things, we're going to need adapters, or we're going to need to buy the new devices altogether to keep up.

Adapters are a simple solution for any hard drives or other systems devices you may use, but what about your clients? If you're delivering your work on a USB thumbdrive, we're only a few years removed from that plug design being obsolete. While it's not terribly important right now, it's something to certainly think about down the line. Clients who've gotten wedding photos from you on a thumbdrive, may not be able to see their beautiful photos in five or ten years, or at least not without scouring the Chinese adapter markets on Amazon.
And while Apple is an early adopter of this technology, it's important to remember it is likely the future standard for all computers to come. The design itself is actually USB 3.1, with a standard of 10Gps - twice the speed of the current USB 3.0. And Apple isn't the only company grabbing on to the new tech. Gaming laptop manufacturer MSI has also shown its interest in the Type-C port, applying it to their latest gaming laptop systems announced at CES this year.

Alternatives

For USB thumbdrives atleast, my solution occurred a year or so ago, and I adapted to using gallery services to deliver photos to my clients. My personal preference is Pixieset, but there are dozens of gallery systems available for people, with each of them racing to acquire the photographers abandoning their USB thumbdrives, and those who still used CD/DVDs. But one must ask, will that be a solution for the future?
For one, gallery systems take a lot of personality out of the process. No longer am I meeting with clients at coffee shops, to give them their branded CD, or their elegantly boxed USB drive containing their photos. My delivery experience has been exchanged for a somewhat impersonal email of their images being ready, but with the ability to share all the photos to friends and family with ease. So while the solution fixes some past problems, it comes with a treasure trove of new ones as well.
The other likely alternative is resistance. USB 3.1 is capable of sharing the same port design of past and present USB systems, and would allow for a slower transition into the new design. By maintaining the old design of ports on computers, and pushing the new design on the backsides of peripherals first, the transition into the new tech would be a bit more organic, all while incorporating its benefits.

But who knows, maybe this new USB design won't take off. Apple's once innovative Thunderbolt system is all but dead by the hands of USB 3.0, and the new design standard proposed by Apple has already been met with plenty of opposition. That said, one value that has come from it is that it's got us thinking. How are we going to make sure our work stays around for longer than a few years? What solutions can we find for problems we're bound to have in the future?

Smartphones A Quick Look at Keyssa: Contactless USB 3.0

While we often don’t discuss startups, at CES we found a company called Keyssa that claims to have the technology to do away with wired connectors entirely. Normally, these claims are rather misleading, but in the case of Keyssa it seems that this is quite possible as the company was formed as a spin-off from research at UCLA labs. Similar to 802.11ad, Keyssa uses the 60 GHz spectrum to deliver immense amounts of bandwidth (6 Gbps), but at much lower power levels. This lower power level does constrain the range of this technology to a few centimeters or so, similar to NFC.

n addition to the immense bandwidth, Keyssa’s connectors are relatively small and are around a millimeter thick, with a length and width similar to a microUSB 3.0 connector. It seems that this technology takes advantage of USB-IF’s media-agnostic USB standard, as in a demonstration of a prototype SSD with Keyssa’s connector the SSD appeared to be a USB drive on to a laptop with a pad for the SSD. Company representatives stated that there will be products shipping with this connector this year, and it should be interesting to see how this affects mobile devices if this technology gains traction.

USB 3.1 Type-C: The reversible, speedy USB cable

USB 3.1 Type C cables are reversible and carry transfer speeds of up to 10 Gigabits per second.

MANILA, Philippines – While you might be expecting more grandiose bits of technology to astound users in the tech industry, there's one demonstration at the 2015 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas that should make everyone that's ever used a Universal Serial Bus cable – USB cable for short – on their computer or device smile: a demonstration of the capabilities of the USB 3.1 Type-C cable.
One of the big draws of the USB 3.1 Type-C is its reversible nature. The micro usb cable will work work with either side up, lessening the hassles of using a cable that everyone sees every day.
The device also packs the USB 3.1 standard, which has a top speed of 10 Gigabits per second (Gbps). This lets its transfer around 1,250 megabytes per second (MBps), twice the transfer speed of USB 3.0. By comparison, a lot of people are more likely familiar with the aging USB 2.0 standard, which runs at about 480 megabits per second (mbps) – a transfer rate of 60 MBps.
The Verge notes that specifications for USB 3.1 Type C were completed back in August, with cables entering production soon.
Meanwhile, CNET's report adds that USB Type-C cables can carry much higher power than USB 3.0, meaning mobile devices may also see themselves being powered by the USB cable instead of a separate power adapter in the future.
There are also some companies that have gone ahead and blazed a trail with support of Type-C. Nokia's N1 tablet will support Type-C USB ports, while MSI also said its first gaming notebooks and its first motherboard that will support USB 3.1 Type-C ports are on the way.
In the future, we may expect to see people transferring their life's work onto an external drive in a second rather than a minute. That'll certainly be a time-saver, and the best part is, we won't ever have to worry about placing the future's USB cables in wrong.

Micro 5 Pin USB Data Charger Cable for Galaxy Blackberry LG

Generic 1M Nylon Braided Micro 5 Pin USB Data Charger Cable for Galaxy Blackberry LG Blue

pic show:

 shipping price: only $1.67 

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• Shipping Weight: 20G 
• Features:
  1. For mobile phone with 5 pin jacket, such as Samsung Blackberry HTC LG Nokia Motorola.
  2. Light weight, compact and portable.
  3. Charging and Data sync.
  4. Cable wears Nylon coat.
  Specification:
  1. Cable length: 3.3 inches approx.
  2. Color:blue.
  3. Material: Braided Nylon
  4. Light Weight: 20g
  Package Details:
  1 x USB data cable 
  
  
  tags: micro usb cable,  micro usb cable

 

Last low iphone 6 5s iPod Touch 6 USB cable

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Features:
1. USB A male connector
2. USB Micro B male connector
3. USB 2.0 "High Speed" transfer rate ,Sync data between your computer and your cell phone, PDA, or tablet
4. Transfer files, contact information, emails, and appointments from your phone Charge your device using the computer's USB port

Specification??
1.color:white
2.Weight:5 g
3.Length: 1m

Package details:
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Please Don't Buy A $13,500 HDMI Cable

It does feel redundant telling people not to spend $13,500 on an HDMI cable, but there seem to be plenty of places online where you can spend that. And as we’re coming out of the holiday season, a lot of people might have new TVs to connect up to new AV Receivers, and they won’t want to do so with a rubbish cable.

The cable in question that has made me quite cross is made by a company called AudioQuest. There are plenty of others that seem intent on overcharging for cables though, a quick search online and of Amazon’s “highest first” price sorting yields some amazing results. There’s a serious point here that goes beyond this one stupid example. There is no advantage to spending a lot of money on an HDMI cable. Look for the features you need and see if the cable supports them. Most HDMI cables that have been made since the standard existed support all of the key features of HDMI – look for “high speed” and you’re good to go for 4K video, Audio Return Channel (ARC) and 3D.

 

 This does get said quite a bit online, but there is absolutely no reason whatsoever to spend very much at all on an HDMI cable. I’d say that $10 is too much, but it does depend on the length. If you need a very long run, it’s also worth remembering that you’ll be better off using HDMI over CAT6 adaptors. These allow you to send 1080p over Ethernet cable, cost a modest amount and can give you 100m length runs. Just don’t buy AudioQuest’s 40ft Ethernet cable, it costs nearly $8000.

Is there any argument for expensive HDMI cables at all? No, there really isn’t. A big part of the claims here are that HDMI cables need to be “special” to do a good job of audio. This is something I’ve heard claimed time and time again, it’s related to something called jitter. As of yet, no one has managed to actually convince me it really makes any difference.

AudioQuest says that it has a patent that allows it to polarises the insulation on the five primary signal pairs. It does have a patent, you can see it on the patent office website. Does it do what the company says? Who knows, it doesn’t really matter as any signal problems on HDMI are incredibly easy to spot, and incredibly rare.

If you do buy a $5 HDMI cable and there is anything wrong with it you’ll be able to tell straight away. For the most part, an HDMI cable that isn’t up to the job won’t do anything at all. You’ll get no picture on your TV and you’ll hear no audio. Sometimes, and I’ve only seen this a small number of times, you can get some very obvious interference on the picture, it will look like HD snow, like you used to get on a de-tuned analogue set, but in high definition. Again, it’s really obvious.

Don’t get me wrong here, I’m all for capitalism, but I do also think it’s disingenuous to sell something which offers absolutely no advantage over any other cable at such a huge price. Is the AudioQuest cable well-made? I have no idea. It might be, but there is no amount of well-made that can come close to £13,500. A Ferarri costs more than a Ford Focus because it offers something different. It performs better, it looks better, it’s built from better materials. The $13,500 HDMI cable does the same job as a $5 cable, and there’s no reliable way to measure any advantage from using one.

What’s the best thing I can say about overpriced cables? Well they result in some truly hilarious reviews on the websites of Beelike and Best Buy BBY -0.49% that you should check out if you’re ever in possession of some extra time, and in need of a laugh.