Google hopes to launch its ‘build-it-yourself’ Project Ara smartphone next year and in preparation, the technology giant is accepting applications for its first development boards.
With these, developers can begin prototyping and constructing their own modules for the Ara platform. With the open-source MDK released during Google I/O, these could be cameras, antennas, batteries, processors – anything that can latch on to the Project Ara module shell.
As Eduardo Ruiz points out on Google+ , yesterday developers were told that Google is now accepting applications for its Project Ara test boards. A request form is available online and the first round of applications will close in two days’ time (July 17). Only one application per company is allowed and Cuba, Iran, North Korea, and Syria are currently excluded from the scheme.
If approved, Google says the dev boards will ship “starting in late July.” If you miss out on the current round – the deadline is fast-approaching – the second review period will run from July 18 to August 17.
For Project Ara to live up to its potential, Google needs third-party hardware developers to embrace the platform. If you weren’t convinced already, it seems the company is pretty serious about bringing its modular smartphone to market.
Read Next: Behind the scenes: How beehives inspired the design of Google’s innovative Project Ara smartphone | 10 things you need to know about Google’s Project Ara modular smartphones
➤ Google+ | Request Form [Via PocketNow | Engadget ]
Motorola’s Moto Stream is a Bluetooth accessory that adds wireless music control to any speaker
Motorola today unveiled some new hardware, but it’s not a smartphone or smartwatch. Called the Moto Stream , it’s a low-cost Bluetooth accessory that gives any external speaker wireless capabilities for social music streaming.
The hardware gives the speaker up to 300 feet of “roam range” and supports up to five Bluetooth-enabled devices, including smartphones, tablets, PCs and laptops. Any connected user can “drop a track” for the Moto Stream-connected speaker to blare out, transforming it into a jukebox for the modern age.
In a blog post , Motorola said the Moto Stream supports a number of apps including Google Play, Pandora and Spotify. The device will also come with a “Heist Mode” that allows listeners to overrule songs on the fly.
The setup sounds awfully similar to the DECK speaker which Motorola collaborated on with headphone specialist SOL Republic last summer. By breaking the technology out into a separate device though, it’s now cheaper and therefore more appealing to anyone that already owns an external speaker.
The Moto Stream is available today for $49.99 from Motorolaom and will be available from Radio Shack stores in the US on June 6.
➤ Blog Post [via 9to5Google ]
LG rolls out its flagship G Pro 2 Android smartphone in Asian markets
After taking the wraps off its latest flagship smartphone last month, LG announced today the start of sales of the G Pro 2 in Asian markets including Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, the Philippines, Vietnam and Indonesia.
Specific prices will be announced in individual markets, but in Singapore for example, the G Pro 2 is retailing at S$828 ($655) unlocked.
The G Pro 2 looks pretty much like its predecessor — the G Pro. With a 5.9-inch full HD display, it is slightly larger than the G Pro’s 5.5-inches. It comes with the latest Android 4.4 (KitKat) operating system, is powered by a 2.26 GHz quad-core processor from Qualcomm, and equipped with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage. It also features a 13-megapixel camera on the back, while the front-facing snapper comes in at 2.1 megapixels and has its own flash.
LG made its ‘Knock On’ tap-to-power-on feature standard across its devices, but the G Pro 2 takes that a step further with ‘Knock Code,’ a feature that lets users activate the display by tapping one of up to over 80,000 programmable combinations.
Images via LG