Microsoft dumped in favour of BlackBerry for Ford Sync

The Ford Sync in-car infotainment system was proudly powered by Microsoft but that's changing as Ford has opted to go with BlackBerry to power Ford Sync moving forward.

The up and coming Sync 3 will make use of QNX which has a reputation for rock solid performance and embedded applications. QNX is no stranger to car infotainment systems, it partnered with Apple for CarPlay functionality that seamlessly runs iPhone functionality on vehicles that allow it. While Microsoft and Ford collaborated on Sync for seven years, it seems what the carmaker and many users found it too sluggish so going to QNX made sense in the long term. We hope to get a demo of Ford Sync 3 at CES 2015.

Source: Engadget

ZTE Grand X Plus now available on Fido for $50 on 2 year plans

The ZTE Grand X Plus, a new smartphone offering advanced performance for a great price, is the first handset designed in Canada at the company’s recently opened Ottawa-based R&D Centre and is now available with Fido. 

“The Grand X Plus represents a big achievement for ZTE, our first smartphone designed by Canadians for Canadians,” said Denson Xu, CEO of ZTE Canada. “We’re very proud of its performance and exceptional value. Customers can enjoy all the benefits of a high-end smartphone at a fraction of the price.”

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Hands On: Jawbone UP24

By Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla

After around a week with the Jawbone UP24, which is available through Future Shop,  I feel it is the health tracker that’s best suited to my needs and lifestyle. It’s the lease obtrusive device I have tried, looks like a bracelet, the medium-sized model fits me perfectly and I enjoy what it has to offer.

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Android Wear brings new watch faces to its devices

The thing with smartwatches is it offers an opportunity for customization over analog watches. And that is what Google is offering with the latest update for Android Wear. This will offer developers and designers the ability to create and sell their own designs on Google Play. Right now, there are over two dozen downloadable faces from Google, with a lot of them free. You can change your Android Wear device’s cover art with faces inspired by the likes of Pac-Man, Plants vs. Zombies, Bearbrick, Porsche, etc. It’s rolling out in waves so expect it to come to your device sooner or later.

Source: Stuff.tv