Sony's new smartwatch runs Android Wear, and has built-in GPS for runners, too. We take a quick look at one on-wrist in New York.
Transcription not available for Sony Smartwatch 3 coming to U.S. soon for $250, and it runs Android Wear.One could argue that the entire modern smartphone market has been largely built around aping Apple's revolutionary iPhone, which first appeared in 2007. Indeed, that phone still looks remarkably "current" in some ways: the minimalist rectangular design, the no-keyboard glass touchscreen, and tap and swipe interface are all mainstays of the marketplace now.
Apple, of course, is deadly serious when it comes to protecting its intellectual property -- just ask Samsung. But the iPhone maker has borrowed good ideas from competitors, too -- plenty of things in iOS 7 and the forthcoming iOS 8 first appeared in competing Android and Windows Phone models.
In my book, that's a good thing -- consumers are getting better features across the board, regardless of their OS. To that end, I'm hoping that the iPhone 6 has picked up a few of its rivals' other tricks as well.
Virtually guaranteedWe already know we're getting home screen widgets (of a sort) and swappable keyboards, courtesy of iOS 8. Beyond those, rumors of NFC (near-field communication that pairs devices in a tap) and a larger screen make that spec almost a given, not to mention the undeniable industry shift in these directions, supported by consumer demand.
Want, want, wantSmart lock screen tricks: Talk about intuitive. I love the simple way that the LG G2 and LG G3's lock screen turns on and off with a simple, elegant, and totally natural double-tap.Subscribe on YouTube
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Tags: CNET UK Podcast Tech Culture About the authorRival Android could be the cavalry coming to the rescue of Windows Phone, in Microsoft's latest maneuver to advance its smartphone operating system.
The underlying notion is this: Microsoft wants to make it easier to introduce devices that use the Windows Phone software. That was the message delivered this week's announcement of the HTC One M8 for Windows Phone.
Specifically, Microsoft has tweaked its Windows Phone 8.1 software so that hardware makers can lean on the hardware and reference designs they're already using to build devices for Android-based phones in order to build a Windows Phone device.
"We wanted handset makers like HTC to be able to leverage their engineering investment and provide them with a real choice," said Darren Laybourn, vice president of engineering for Microsoft in an interview following the launch of the HTC One M8 for Windows. "We feel the software should be the differentiator and not the hardware."
For four years Microsoft's Windows Phone smartphone operating system has limped along, trying to gain traction against the much more popular Apple iOS and Google Android devices. But Windows Phone handsets remain niche products. In fact, they only garnered about 2.5 percent of the worldwide smartphone market in the second quarter of 2014, according to IDC.
Microsoft has struggled to convince hardware partners to make phones running the Windows Phone operating system in what has turned into a chicken-and-egg scenario. Device makers don't want to dedicate resources to building a Windows Phone because there are so few customers. But without the devices -- especially iconic ones that offer cutting edge components and technology -- the operating system will never gain popularity among customers.
Management knows that Microsoft's mobile ambitions are doomed if it can't break that pattern. The solution depends on finding a way to get device makers other than Nokia, whose handset operations Microsoft acquired earlier this year for more than $7 billion, to build high-end smartphones using Windows Phone.
With the release of the latest software, Windows Phone 8.1, and now the launch of the HTC One M8 for Windows, Microsoft has come up with a new approach that could point the way past this dilemma.
"Ideally, I'm sure that Microsoft wants HTC, Samsung and others to produce exclusive designs for their software," said Ross Rubin, principal analyst at Reticle Research. "But I think they recognize the market reality now. And they're willing to let dedicated hardware go to get more high-end Windows Phone smartphones on the market."
HTC One M8 for Windows product photos See full gallery
How do you follow "the most full-featured smartwatch we've ever seen?" Last year's Omate TrueSmart, which makes phone calls and shoots video and chucks in the kitchen sink, is basically an Android phone on your wrist. It's sequel, the new Omate X, is a simpler and cheaper smartwatch that acts as a companion to your phone.
Omate TrueSmart Smartwatch 2.0 puts full Android phone on your wrist (pictures) See full gallery
Google's "Material" redesign isn't expected until later this year, but it's already getting people excited. The new user interface style is supposed to be based around how physical objects move and is "grounded in tactile reality, inspired by our study of paper and ink." Google is already encouraging third-party developers to redesign their apps to fit with the new style, but some people just can't wait for that to happen. Designer Emmanuel Pacamalan has created a concept video showing Instagram rebuilt using Material Design principles, and the results are gorgeous.
Instagram has traditionally been very slow to add visual features, but did a big redesign for iOS 7, so it would make sense that we could see a new look for the upcoming...
