LG goes full-metal with new Urbane smartwatch

LG’s Android Wear smartwatch line just got classier with the new LG Watch Urbane. The smartwatch will be making its debut at Mobile World Congress 2015. It still has the same 1.3-inch full circle P-OLED display of the G Watch R but this time it has a narrower bezel and sleeker, full metal design. It brings the classic looks of a timepiece with technology from Google. The Urbane will be available in polished silver and gold and will be complemented by a stitched natural leather strap.

The Urbane also runs on 1.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor, 512MB RAM, 4GB internal storage, and 410mAh battery. It is also dust and water resistant (IP67 rating). No word yet on the price or availability. We should find out more about this at MWC.

Source: LG

Pebble adds support for Android Wear notifications

Smartwatch maker Pebble is hoping to increase its reach by adding support for Android Wear notifications. This means Android Wear-compatible apps are now also able to communicate with Pebble devices. Beta testers were first introduced to this feature in December but now Pebble has released it for general public.

Source: Pebble

View-Master makes a comeback

Here’s a nice blast from the past. The Google-Mattel event has brought the View-Master into the 21^st century. Using Google Cardboard, Mattel is giving the nostalgic toy an upgrade with the use of a smartphone, of course. If you don’t know what a View-Master is it was an ‘80s toy that lets kids peek into 3D worlds. All you needed were the 3D reels and a good light source and you had hours of fun ahead of you.

This time, the new View-Master will make use of the smartphone screen that will project some of the 3D images made specifically for this purpose in an app. The toy will be available for US$29 this fall but there aren’t too many specifics on what size phones it can accommodate or what graphics chip is needed to render the images. It will come with an experience reel sample but to get more you will need to buy them at $14.99 each.

Source: SlashGear

Microsoft updates Next Lock Screen app on Android

Microsoft just updated its Next Lock Screen app for Android. The app now lets you lock the smartphone with a PIN or pattern and it disables the home button press to prevent any accidental unlocks. This Android-exclusive app also now supports three languages (English, Spanish, and Chinese or Mandarin, to be specific). Of course, it comes with the usual bug fixes and performance optimization.

Source: Android Central | Download: Google Play Store (Free)