KB-Technologies

Microsoft's Build 2016 developer conference is now less than a week away and, as usual, the March 30 San Francisco event promises intriguing insights into the Microsoft realm that are just as important for and-users as they are for the developer community. A quick look at this year's schedule reveals that the US giant has some interesting new developments withing its signature Live Tiles interface to show off and discuss. And although, Microsoft intends to keep the announcements a surprise up until the April 1 event in question, everything seems to hints in one direction - Interactive Live Tiles in Windows 10. The session is entitled "What's New for Tiles and Toast Notifications " and has the following description: Notifications are an essential tool for engaging with your customers on Windows. We are building on the foundation of Action Center to give developers greatly increased flexibility in Adaptive Toasts. We will introduce a powerfu...

In line with the previously shared Q1 2016 release time frame, Microsoft has announced that it has started shipping its Surface Hub touchscreen PC. The Windows 10-powered device was first showcased back in January last year, but has since been the subject of multiple delays. We are "proud to announce that Surface Hub has begun shipping to business customers," the Redmond, Washington-based company said in a blog post. For those who aren't already aware, the Surface Hub - which comes in 55-inch and 84-inch variants - is primarily aimed at businesses. Designed for conference rooms and teams, it promises to streamline meetings. As for the price, the smaller-sized model carries a tag of $8,999, while the bigger one costs $21,999. Source

Google is holding its annual conference this upcoming May and registration has already closed for this year’s event. If you are a fan of Google and love developing applications, you are in luck. Google is holding a contest for developers to come up with really cool and interesting ways to incorporate any of Android’s new or unique features into an application or project involving your app. Google gives some vague guidelines of what it would like to see: “It’s a project that utilizes the unique capabilities of the Android platform in an innovative way. Here are a few suggestions:” “Creative uses of Android’s new or distinctive features” “Projects that explore how we interact with our devices, in small and big ways” “Unique visual aesthetics” “Open source projects that can inspire other developers” “Surprise us - we want to see the amazing things you’re cooking up." Entries are being accepted until April 13, so if you are a creative developer with a...

Unveiled in January at this year's Consumer Electronics Show (CES), the WSD-F10 Smart Outdoor Watch from Casio is now available for purchase in the US. You can purchase the $500 device from the Google Store, Amazon, REI, as well from Casio's own online store. Specifically aimed at those involved in outdoor activities, the device is water resistant up to 50 meters and also offers military-grade endurance. It packs in a range of sensors and comes with several fitness and outdoor activity apps. The Smart Outdoor Watch is claimed to offer a battery life of over a day on normal use. It can also be used in a Timepiece Mode, with a claimed battery life of over a month. Google Store | Amazon | REI | Casio

Mophie, the leading seller of battery cases in North America has shown some love to the Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 edge. The new juice packs actually offer quite a bit of improvement over the old models, like the ones meant for the Galaxy S6. The cases still offer edge protection all around, but are now a lot more convenient thanks to wireless charging technology. The company has added support for Qi, as well as other popular technologies and promises maximum versatility. Placing the phone on a charger can top off both batteries. Of course, there is still a pass-through micro USB port so you can charge via cable and also sync with a PC. The latter is actually quite cleverly designed with a priority mode that charges your phone first and then moves on to the battery inside the case. The Galaxy S7 Mophie case with a 2,950mAh battery is available for purchase now at $99.95 (€109.95 in the EU) and can be bundled with an additional memory-flex microUSB cable and a fas...

According to an analysis done by IHS Technology, AMOLED screen production cost is now lower than that of LCD screens. Production costs in the first quarter of the year for a 5" 1080p display amount to $14.30 for an AMOLED panel compared to $14.60 for an LCD one. However, it's yet to see if this trend will keep on. In Q4 2015, an AMOLED panel cost $17.10 to make, while an LCD one was cheaper at $15.70. IHS notes that the numbers apply for the production cost of a LTPS LCD (Low Temperature Poly-Silicon Liquid Crystal Display), which is the most efficient type of TFT LCD. Provided this trend keeps up, we could very well see a surge in smartphone makers choosing AMOLED screens for their mid-range models. We can't help but remind you of this excellent video done by Samsung, in which the company explains the technology behind AMOLED screens. Source | Via

Three months after it went up for pre-order, the Oculus Rift has started shipping, with deliveries beginning March 28. This was announced by Oculus CEO Brendan Iribe in a tweet. As you might already know, the Facebook-owned company has priced the Oculus Rift at $599. Paying that much gets you the VR headset itself (complete with built-in headphones and microphone), as well as the sensor, an Xbox One controller, and the Oculus Remote. Recently, the company also announced a list of 30 VR games that it said will be launched alongside the headset on March 28. In case you missed out on pre-orders, you can buy the device from Oculus' website, although shipments for orders placed now is expected to begin in June. Source 1 2