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[tweet https://twitter.com/ASUS/status/501668895074181120/]

ASUS has officially confirmed that it will be unveiling its Android Wear smartwatch at the IFA next month, with a teaser tweet showing a smartwatch face displaying the quote “Time has been transformed and we have changed” … 
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This is what the Moto 360 wireless charging dock looks like, according to Italian site Gadget.net – and it certainly looks persuasively real. Assuming you can choose to show the time as well as the charge state, the dock effectively turns the smartwatch into a bedside clock while it’s charging overnight.

The blue circle around the outside of the watch face shows the charge level. Looking at the rear of the dock, we can’t see any detail, but it’s likely that it’s some kind of USB connector … 
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BGR.in today received some interesting information about the rumored smartwatch by OnePlus. In case you haven’t heard of them, OnePlus is a company that sells the OnePlus One smartphone (our review here), which boasts a 5.5″ 1080P display, 2.5GHz SnapDragon 801, 3GB of RAM, 64GB of on-board storage, and other top-tier features for the low-range price of $349 off contract. Their “invite only” system spawned a polarizing response from their most dedicated fans, as OnePlus required anyone who wanted the phone to be “invited” to purchase it. 

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Citing “industry sources,” a super sketchy report from Korean publication iNews24 was posted at the end of May claiming that the upcoming LG G Watch could be shipping with a built-in, unremovable SIM Card. Other publications ran with this rumor, saying that it was truly possible despite the obvious skepticism that an Android Wear watch would have cellular capabilities. But we’ve unearthed some more information, potentially bringing a bit of credence to this wild rumor.

After said report started spreading across the Internet, we searched for the truth and uncovered FCC documents providing some evidence that the device will not be shipping with any cellular capabilities — at least not in the US, and not yet. These FCC filings were for a device labeled as ZNF-W100 (which likely just stands for  “watch” 100, with ZNF being the manufacturer’s code: LG).

But what we didn’t consider is that there might be more than one model. The FCC filing in the US shows no evidence of the W100 model touting a cellular radio, but what if there’s another model?

Enter the LG G Watch W105.
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French site Les Numeriques is reporting that LG France has said that its G Watch will launch in the country in June, priced at €199. While a straight currency conversion would mean a U.S. price of $276, gadgets are typically priced higher in Europe than in the USA (partly due to taxes), so it’s likely that LG would match the $199 price of the Galaxy Gear 2.

If the watch does indeed launch in June, it’s likely to be the first Android Wear smartwatch on the market, ahead of Motorola’s Moto 360 expected sometime in the summer. Samsung’s Galaxy Gear 2 uses instead Tizen OS. Google announced the Android Wear platform and SDK last month. As we exclusively revealed last October, the platform puts Google Now functionality at the heart of the offering … 
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LG is sharing photos of its upcoming Android Wear-powered smartwatch in champagne gold, proving that the gold device fad extends beyond smartphones. Shown in photos published to both LG’s official website and their Facebook page, the images depict a device that hasn’t gone overboard with the color. The band is a tasteful white, while the gold acts more as a highlighting accent on the smartwatch itself.

Android Wear is expected to be a major part of Google I/O 2014. The OS already available to to developers, so it’s a good bet that we’ll see release dates for various devices announced. Besides the LG G Watch, Motorola has already announced the Moto360. Rumors also continue to swirl about a “Nexus” smartwatch, which would likely be the developer device given to attendees of the Google I/O conference and sold on the Google Play Store.
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Samsung’s new Gear 2, Gear 2 Neo, and Gear Fit wearables unveiled back in February recently went up for preorder through carrier partners and today have finally hit Amazon. The Tizen-based Samsung Gear 2 ($299) and Gear 2 Neo ($199), as well as the less expensive Gear Fit wearable ($199) recently went up for preorder through AT&T and other carrier partners alongside the Galaxy S5 with shipments expected sometime this month, but Amazon is currently listing a specific release date of April 11.

Both of the new Gear 2 devices take cues from Samsung’s previous Galaxy Gear smartwatch, with the big difference a switch to a Tizen-based OS rather than Android. Both of the new watches include a 1.63-inch touchscreen, 4Gb of internal storage, a 1GHz dual-core processor, a 300mAh battery and 512MB of RAM. The Gear 2 also features a 2MP camera with 720p video capabilities, while the Neo doesn’t include a camera at all. Gear Fit is a less expensive fitness tracker that doesn’t run Tizen or Android and offers limited functionality compared to the other smart watches.

Samsung Gear 2 ($299) and Gear 2 Neo ($199), and Gear Fit ($199) on Amazon. 
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In case you’ve missed the countless rumors and leaks on tech blogs in recent weeks, HTC is about to unveil its second generation HTC One that has up until now mostly been referred to as its codename “M8”. If you want to watch the live event taking place in New York in just over an hour from now at 11am ET, it looks like you’ll be able to do so through what appears to be a live stream on HTC’s website here.

It looks like there won’t be many surprises at the event— there’s already a full video walkthrough of the device online— but we’ll at the very least get confirmation of specs, a look at new software features, and hopefully details on pricing and availability. If the rumors are right, HTC might stick with the One branding and simply call the device The New HTC One. In addition to the livestream, we’ll be on hand at the event to bring you updates as they happen on 9to5Google.com.

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Left: Pebble Steel. right: original plastic Pebble

If you like the functionality of the Pebble smartwatch but are less keen on the plastic finish, it looks like you won’t have long to wait for a metal version. We’ve seen a couple of leaks of the Pebble Steel, seemingly the exact same innards as the existing Pebble watch but with a stainless steel casing and Gorilla Glass.

There are said to be two versions, one in brushed stainless steel (shown alongside the original plastic version above) and a matte black one (shown below the fold) … 
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3qeJKax2CU

Despite the device’s universally-abysmal reviews, Samsung is continuing to market its Galaxy Gear smartwatch as the wave of the future—and the past—with two new TV ads. The first, titled “A Long Time Coming,” Samsung uses clips from some of the most popular TV shows of decades past to set the Galaxy Gear up as the long-awaited wrist-mounted computer from Dick Tracey, The Jetsons, Knight Rider, and more.

The ad has a similar feel to Apple’s “Hello” TV spot, which it launched with the iPhone 5c last month, but rather than featuring customers using the advertised product, Samsung’s ad shows fictional characters using Hollywood’s various conceptions of the smartwatch.

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Update: The Korea Times reports that LG too is developing a smart watch and even testing products similar to Google Glass:

A source familiar with the matter told The Korea Times Friday that the Yeouido-based firm’s development of the next-generation watch, along with an innovative smart product similar to Internet giant Google’s Glass, was part of its long-term strategy to keep its competitiveness in the volatile information technology (IT) industry

While Apple and even Samsung have been at the heart of the rumors that new smart watch devices could be the products to keep an eye out for in 2013, Google too might try its hand at bringing a wearable computer in wristwatch form. According to a new report from The Financial Times, citing “a person briefed on the project,” Google’s Android unit is working on a smart watch platform of its own:

Google’s latest venture into wearable technology was more an attention-seeking gimmick than a serious new venture. But with the search giant ploughing significant resources into Google Glass, which embeds a screen, camera, microphone and other sensors into a pair of futuristic spectacles, it’s another indication that Google is serious about moving from the digital to the physical.

While Glass is being created in its X Lab, home to experimental “moonshot” projects such as the self-driving car, Google’s smart watch is being developed by its Android unit, according to a person briefed on the project

The fact that the device is reportedly being developed by Google’s Android unit, and not its experimental X Labs like Google Glass, could be an indication that Google plans to bring its watch product to the masses sooner rather than later. FT’s source also confirmed that the project is separate from the recently announced smart watch project from Samsung that is rumored to run a new operating system called AltiusOS and not Android.

Bloomberg reported in February that Apple had around 100 product designers working on its smart watch, and many analysts expected the product to be released by Apple as early as this year. Today’s report from FT doesn’t provide many details on what exactly Google has planned, but it’s a sign that Google isn’t betting on Glass as the be-all and end-all of wearable platforms. The report did note that Google is developing its smart watch “to act as an extension to the smartphones using” Android.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eeTj5qMGTAI&feature=channel_video_title]

We told you last week that President Obama would be joining Google+ users for a live Hangout tonight at 5:30 p.m. ET from the White House. You can tune in to the live stream of the interview and Q&A session above.

Yesterday Google’s Vic Gundotra posted on Google+ about the unusual circumstances of hosting a live hangout from the White House:

“Team is nervous tonight. A lot of unusual circumstances that make this broadcast even more challenging. (You just don’t walk into the West Wing of the +The White House and set up computer equipment!)”

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The MotoACTV was announced in the fall and is flaunted as the ultimate sports watch for those who are active. It ships with Android 2.3 and a custom skin on top, and one would not think the wristwatch could ever be rooted. However, like every other Android device out on the market, the MotoACTV was rooted with Revolutionary’s zergRush exploit. The root enables full Android 2.3 on the wristwatch. As you can see above with the Angry Birds start screen, users can even access the Android Market with the help of CyanogenMod. (via The Verge)

While we do not know if this is exactly useful, it is cool -nonetheless- seeing a tablet user interface run on a 1.6-inch display. The MotoACTV 8GB version is available for $209 on Amazon, and the 16GB version is available for $299. Check it out in action after the break:

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When we told you about the 1-inch x 1-inch Android-powered WIMM Module back in October, the company had plans on launching the device to developers within weeks. Now officially known as the WIMM One Module, WIMM Labs informed developers today the Developer Preview Kit is now available for $299. While it’s mostly pictured in wristwatch form, the company urges developers to come up with micro apps for unique implementations of the device.

“Throughout the day, Micro Apps help keep people focused on the task at hand. From a pedometer that encourages a healthier lifestyle to cross-training sports companions that push athletes past their performance goals. From coffee payments on the wrist to call alerts that keep eyes on the road. We’re also working with Micro Apps for presentation control, home security settings, instant messaging and pill reminders. Our vision extends far beyond a single purpose device.”

The Developer Preview Kit will include one WIMM One Module, a black wrist strap, and a charging kit (paddle charger, USB cable and power adapter). The device itself will offer a number of preloaded micro apps including weather, calendar, clock, alarm, and stopwatch. In addition to the preview kit, WIMM Labs’ commitment to devs includes access to an SDK, emulators, as well as new forums allowing registered developers to upload and share their ideas and apps. Head over to WIMM’s developer portal to learn more. Below is a video of an early Facebook micro app from a third-party developer running on the WIMM One.

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