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Game of Thrones Birthday: The Throne Is Hers By Right
5 Revolutionary Projects We’d Like Apple to Work On Next
Moto X Gets Updates to Hardware, Software, and New Promotion
Ringly Smart Ring Buzzes when You and Your Phone Are Apart
Honeywell Lyric Smart Thermostat Puts Nest to the Test

Game of Thrones Birthday: The Throne Is Hers By Right

Posted: 11 Jun 2014 07:00 AM PDT

Move aside, Stannis and Tommen, for here’s a proper claimant to the throne who has just hit 1 year of life. Look at her, how can you say she’s not the best candidate?

The parents of little Emma, a 1 year old girl, decided to throw a themed birthday party for her. And being that she’s just too young to say “no”, they chose HBO’s epic Game of Thrones, which is nearing its season 4 finale this weekend. Regardless of the fact that Emma might no have ever watched the show, she sat on it like the true queen of Westeros, and seems to have had a great time. Doesn’t it warm your heart? And that is necessary, now that winter is coming.

Source: Mashable

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5 Revolutionary Projects We’d Like Apple to Work On Next

Posted: 11 Jun 2014 06:00 AM PDT

After Apple's annual WWDC 2014 event left some people feeling disappointed we look at which exciting new projects we'd like the electronics company to work on.

You don't get to Apple's level of meteoric success by doing things willy nilly. There are probably more spreadsheets than you can shake a Microsoft Excel backlog at and more charts than the Billboard website spread across Apple executives' offices and for good reason too: the things they work on are calculated and frankly, Apple's strategy of simply releasing what they've already released except slightly better has yet to fail for them. But it's not exciting for you is it? It's not particularly enthralling for me either. We can't really show off iOS 8 to our friends and no one but the nuttiest of fitness nuts are impressed by HealthKit and the other health-focused software offerings that the operating system brings. Instead what we do like are new projects and devices that really wow and captivate us so here is our top five list of what we'd like to see from Apple next.

1. A Real Budget iPhone

The iPhone 5C anyone? No, me either. It's not worth the hundreds of dollars to shell out for the iPhone 5C when the full price iPhone 5S is a much flashier, trendier and frankly more worthy option. It seemed as though Apple initially released the iPhone 5C to compete with Android and the plethora of cheaper, really budget handsets that Google's open source operating system has offered, but to say that their plan has monumentally backfired would be an understatement.

Plenty of people have called the iPhone 5C 'a disaster' pointing towards it poor sales (Apple were even quick to omit the iPhone 5C's sales from recent keynotes) which is why I think that Apple's next move – before they even think about their next big budget, flagship iPhone – should be to release an actual budget iPhone. Most people who want iPhones don't really want them for the very best specs and a simple offering with half decent graphics and access to all of the latest apps would go down a treat. And for a low price? It would go down like treats at a savoury buffet; that is to say, people would eat it up.

2. iPhone 6 With NFC

NFC or near field communication; it doesn't sound very attractive does it? Ok, I'll give you that but think about its uses, its real, actual, practical uses. NFC capabilities have made themselves into quite a few Android handsets already (the Samsung Galaxy S5 is a good example of this) and so the next iPhone 6 would probably need to keep up in terms of its technological offerings.

For us consumers though, an iPhone 6 with NFC would make our lives just that much easier. Got no pockets in your trousers? Just carry your phone into the store and swipe that instead! Or maybe carrying a whole chunk of change isn't something that you'd like to do to do your grocery shopping and really, that's ok too. But NFC makes that so much easier as you're able to pay for things using just your phone and its NFC capabilities, without a card, coin or cash bill in sight and I think that's pretty revolutionary indeed.

3. The iWatch

It's talked about so much that it's hard to ignore. So unavoidable is the talk of an Apple iWatch that it's a surprise that it hasn't been announced already, especially when Samsung and LG have already worked quite a bit on their own smartwatch offerings. No one is suggesting that Apple and Samsung and LG turn this into a playground style affair (though if you don't think the electronics game is like that already then you probably haven’t been paying attention) and that Apple just reveals the iWatch to show off, but in reality, an Apple branded smartwatch could actually be very good.

For one, that aforementioned iOS 8 release suggests that Apple are very much looking to go in the health device direction, which is something that the iWatch could do. Want to check your calories on the go? Or maybe use a hi-tech pedometer? The iWatch could offer both of those things and create some real market competition, which is important for good gadgets.

4. iCamera

Do you know how many times I saw the iPhone camera advert on TV last week? 752 times. An over exaggeration? (Probably not, I watch a lot of TV, sue me). But really, iPhones are in many ways known for their cameras. From the snap and delete it photos of Snapchat to the many filters of Instagram, iPhones' photography uses are incredibly high profile.

So popular are they that there are plenty of Instagram accounts that pride themselves on uploading high quality photos that have been taken with iPhones. It makes perfect sense then for Apple to release a specific iPhone with boosted camera capabilities under the iPhone umbrella, akin to the Samsung Galaxy Zoom line which has photo snapping and connectivity features by the bucketload.

5. Multiplayer Gaming

The typical way to play a multiplayer mobile game is the following: I record a score, you attempt to beat it and the game crowns a winner. Or, I record a score, you attempt to beat it and we both laugh (in person) at how God awful my mobile gaming skills are. That's a complete 180 degree spin away from the gaming days of old though and it's something that I think Apple should address.

Instead what I'd like Apple to do is to use some sort of username (perhaps even their Apple IDs) to allow four or more people to play a game simultaneously. No waiting or loading times, just four or so people connected via the Internet and playing the game in the same arena. For example, a racing game in which you all race in real time on the same track, You could have Mario Kart style antics as you stick your opponent with a banana skin and three out of our of you will laugh at it or you can lament your own poor gaming skills as you get hit with a wayward green shell. Perhaps this last one isn't particularly revolutionary but Apple absolutely needs to do something new for Apple in order to get ahead (despite their popularity they are actually second to Android in terms of market share) and most importantly for us consumers, we need something to tell us that our support of Apple's gadgets isn't misplaced like we've put the wrong piece of fruit in the fruit bowl.

Be social! Follow Walyou on Facebook and Twitter, and read more related stories, New iOS 8 Features Announced by Apple, Apple's WWDC 2014: What You Need To Know

Moto X Gets Updates to Hardware, Software, and New Promotion

Posted: 11 Jun 2014 05:00 AM PDT

In a year when it seems like all the smartphones are offering more of the same, Motorola stands out as the minimalist and shows that often, less is more.

Motorola has been a roller coaster story to follow the past few years. It seemed like Motorola was on the ropes prior to being acquired by Google for $12.5 billion. After the acquisition, the now-Google-owned Motorola went on to produce one of its most loved devices yet, the Moto X.

Wheras most other devices at the time were in an all out race to have the highest specifications and most features, the Moto X toned it all day into a “good enough” device the managed to please most owners.

The Moto X has not been a stagnant device, either. Despite Motorola’s (not yet executed) acquisition by Lenovo, the device has still recieved phenomenal support, often being amoung the first Android devices to receive updates from Google.

To reinforce that reality, there are 3 new enhancements to the Moto X program, which have all arrived at the same time. First, the Moto X is now available in 64GB, double the storage of the current model. This may be a big deal for anyone demanding more storage, since the Moto X doesn’t support removable SD cards.

Second, the Moto X has started to recieve the update to Android 4.4.3 KitKat. It isn’t available for all carrier’s yet (Sprint and Verizon are still waiting in the US). The update is mostly under the hood stuff, other than a new app, but who doesn’t like updates?

Third, Motorola started a promotion to allos customers to custom design a new Moto X (including the wood back options) and try it out for 2 weeks for a $0.01, no strings attached. If you don’t like it you can send it back for no charge (other than the penny). Unfortunately, the promotion filled its quota within a few hours of launc and is no longer available, http://mdsupport.custhelp.com/ci/documents/detail/2/trythenbuy but keep your eyes on Motorola, they have a tendency to bring back temporary promotions for longer stints.

Some prople assumed the sale was merely done for the sake of eliminating excess inventory after the closure of Motorola’s texas plant. This theory makes sense, especially considering an announcement for the Moto X+ (or the X2, or whatever it will be called) is incoming in the next few months.

Whatever the reason, the Moto X has been a very satisfying phone to many users who aren’t trying to push the bleeding edge on all fronts and merely want a reliable and affordable Android phone. If Motorola finds significant success with this sale (read: not all the devices are returned after the trial period), then this is definitely a hot deal to keep your eyes peeled for.

Source: Engadget

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Ringly Smart Ring Buzzes when You and Your Phone Are Apart

Posted: 10 Jun 2014 01:45 PM PDT

Smart rings are not exactly a novelty, but not many pieces of jewelry equipped with electronics were built for women. After all, they should represent the main audience of such products.

Christina Mercando, Ringly's co-founder and CEO explained the reasons why she thought of making such a smart ring: “I’m always missing calls and texts, and it started to get really frustrating to have to keep my phone out on the table at restaurants and in meetings. I thought there just has to be a better way. What if my ring told me what’s going on?”

The team that built Ringly crammed quite a lot of electronics into the ring, fact that made Mercando notice that “A ring is the smallest form factor, so if you can fit the electronics into that, you can fit them into many different things, like a watch or bracelet.” She also noticed that the fashion and the technology worlds, while having a few elements in common, look at Ringly with different eyes: “The fashion world is blown away; they can’t believe something like this exists. And the technology world is like, is that all it does?”

Logan Munro, Ringly‘s mechanical engineer and co-founder, pointed out that the wearer of the one ring has the power to decide which notifications go through: “A lot of moms will say, if the babysitter calls, that’s the only person getting through on date night.”

Mercando noticed that smart rings should be less distracting than smartphones, if they are to serve a close purpose: “The angle of this is totally something that helps you disconnect is misleading because it does notify you when things are happening and then you want to go and check. It’s helping people not worry so much about their technology and not have so much anxiety around it.”

Ringly is already available for pre-order on the company’s website for $145-180, depending on the precious or semi-precious stone it is equipped with. As far as the size is concerned, this smart ring will come in typical sizes. More over, the manufacturer claims that the first 1,000 rings sold will sport a real diamond, besides the main stone preferred by the wearer.

All in all, Ringly seems to combine fashion and technology in a unique way.

Be social! Follow Walyou on Facebook and Twitter, and read more related stories about the Fin smart ring that makes a touch interface out of your palm and the Hexoskin shirt fitness tracker.

Honeywell Lyric Smart Thermostat Puts Nest to the Test

Posted: 10 Jun 2014 01:10 PM PDT

Nest made big news at the beginning of this year, when Google bought it, and for a second there, it seemed that this is the only smart thermostat on the market. Honeywell Lyric wants to remind people otherwise.

As of today, Honeywell Lyric is available from HVAC contractors, and sometime in August, Lowe’s stores will start carrying it, as well. The minimalistic design is not the only similar aspect between Nest and Lyric, as the two smart thermostats also share quite a few features. Still, Honeywell’s product takes a slightly different approach, as it actually represents a complete platform designed from the ground up around the idea of smart homes.

Honeywell means to manufacturer much more than a simple smart thermostat. In this company’s vision, smart homes should be equipped with multiple appliances that automate various functions. The manufacturer started with small steps, the first of them being the Lyric smart thermostat. This small device can be easily controlled via a smartphone or tablet, to which it connects via Wi-Fi. Companion apps for both iOS and Android are currently available.

Since there are so many similarities between Nest and Lyric, some might wonder what are the aspects that differentiate these two smart thermostats. Most notably, Lyric features geofencing, something that is said to be the next step in the evolution of these devices.

Simply put, geofencing means that Lyric has a working regimen that depends on whether a specific person is at home or not. Users can choose between a 7-mile or a 500-foot radius, and whenever they go out of that area, the thermostat sets the temperature to an energy-saving preset.

Another interesting feature is represented by Fine Tune, a feature that increases Lyric’s accuracy by checking the temperature both indoors and outdoors, and correlating it with humidity and upcoming weather conditions. Using all these variables, Lyric manages to find the best options for your ambient temperature, so that you are as comfortable as possible.

Lyric is carrying a price tag of $279, so even pricewise this product is very close to its competition. People’s preferences regarding the best smart thermostat for their homes depend quite a lot on their needs. One will have to compare the two and figure out which suits his needs best.

Be social! Follow Walyou on Facebook and Twitter, and read more related stories about Google’s acquisition of Nest Labs, and the way Google sold Nest smart thermostats on Play Store on Earth Day.