32015 No.3 Bimonthly

HANDS-ON

DESIGN & ART

FOCUS

Cover Product

ZTE Spro 2

ZTE Blade S6: Sleek and ChicZTE Blade A460: A Great-Value Phone

The Haptic Approach to DesignTwo Views of Reality: AR vs. VRSpro 2: A Different Trail

of Voice ControlHarnessing the Power

2

Apple’s intelligent assistant Siri sparked a whole new trend in voice recognition. Now more and more people are interacting with their mobile phones or wearable devices through the use of voice. p12

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FOCUS

Harnessing the Power of Voice Control

12

20 The Haptic Approach to Design

22 Two Views of Reality: AR vs. VR

24 Spro 2: A Different Trail

DESIGN & ART20

8 HANDS-ON

8 ZTE Blade S6: Sleek and Chic

10 ZTE Blade A460: A Great-Value Phone

4 INFORMATION ROUNDUP

6 SHOWCASE

Chairman: Zeng Xuezhong Vice Chairman: Sun Zhenge Consultants: Dai Wenhong, Guo Qing, Ji Zhongwei, Sun Zhenge, Xie Wei, Zhang Lei Members: Chen Duolei, Gao Dakun, Gao Feng, Huang Xinming, Ji Qin, Jiang Tao, Li Bo, Lv Qianhao, Mao Qian, Qian Peng, Tu Yaming, Zhang Tai, Zhang Zhenyu

Sponsor: ZTE Corporation Edited by Shenzhen Editorial Office, Strategy Planning Department Editor-in-Chief: Huang XinmingExecutive Editor: Liu YangEditor: He XiCirculation Manager: Wang Pingping

Address: NO. 55, Hi-tech Road South, Shenzhen, P.R.ChinaPostcode: 518057Tel: +86-755-26776663Fax: +86-755-26775217Email: he.xi50@zte.com.cnPublishing Date: June 30, 2015Volume 8 No. 3 (Issue 37)First Issue Published in 2008

Mobile World Editorial Board

All rights reserved. The content of this magazine may not be reproduced either in whole or in part without the written consent of ZTE. Every effort has been made to ensure the information included is both accurate and complete; however, ZTE cannot accept misuse or misinterpretation of the information published or implied from the content. In the case of ZTE mobile devices, the reviews are based on the products we could find at the time of printing. The product availability and descriptions may vary in different countries. Please take the actual product as the standard.

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NO.3 2015http://wwwen.zte.com.cn/en/about/publications

26 MOBILE MASTERY

Mobile Photography with a Lens-Style Cam-era

34 ZTE WORLD

ZTE Blade S6: Taking the Smartphone Market by Storm

28 SMART GADGETS

28 Towards a Smart and Connected Life

30 Home Appliances for Geeks

32 Living on the Cloud

33 Motion Sensing in Daily Life

Mobile World for Android

INFORMATION ROUNDUP

4

ZTE Launches nubia Z9 Mini in India On May 19, ZTE announced its entry into the Indian market with the launch of nubia Z9 mini. The nubia Z9 mini is an Android smartphone featuring a 5-inch full HD display. It is powered by 64-bit Snapdragon 615 octa-core processor clocked at 1.5 GHz.The phone is priced at Rs 16,999 ($267) and joins the online-only model as it is available exclusively on Amazon India. India is the first market to have launched Z9 mini outside China. (Business Standard)

ZTE Spro 2 Smart Projector Hits AT T On April 20, ZTE USA announced alongside AT&T the first commercial availability of ZTE Spro 2 smart projector. Customers can purchase the ZTE Spro 2 beginning April 24 online at www.att.com/spro2 and in select AT&T retail stores nationwide. Avail-able for $400 with a two-year agreement or $500 with no annual com-mitment, the portable projector can be added to a new or existing AT&T Mobile Share Value plan for $10 per month.The ZTE Spro 2 includes mobile hotspot features and a built-in 5-inch Android touchscreen.

FiT Technology Ushers in a New Era of Smart-phone InteractionWhile Samsung dabbles in the curved screen tech of tomor-row with today’s Galaxy S6 Edge, ZTE’s nubia sub-brand is showing great success with a new way of interacting with both the screen and smartphone itself. The nubia Z9 is a flagship device released earlier this month. The phone is opening up a new era of smartphone interaction with its patented Frame interactive Technology (FiT). Harnessed with FiT, nubia Z9 offers a convenient and hu-manized interactive style, giving users a new and intriguing experience. By merely swiping up or down on either edge of the screen, users can quickly activate a specific app or switch to the background program; by repeatedly swiping the edges, they can complete rapid memory task cleanup and by simply touching the edges, users gain access to brightness and volume adjustment. (AskSender, May 22)

Actress Mandira Bedi at the launch of nubia Z9 mini smartphone in New Delhi

INFORMATION ROUNDUP

5

ZTE to Seek More NBA Partner-ships to Boost US SaleZTE is planning to sponsor more NBA teams to boost its brand in the United States where the company aims to become the No. 3 smartphone vendor in three years. The Shenzhen-based company currently sponsors three US NBA teams and tripled its US marketing expenses last year. Its smartphone shipments to the world’s second-biggest market jumped more than 50 percent in 2014 and it is targeting a further 20 percent rise this year.“We see good return on investment so we are going to expand (sponsorship) to more teams,” ZTE’s US CEO Lixin Cheng told Reuters in an interview. (Reuters, May 21)

Haile Gebrselassie to Promote ZTE Smartphones in EthiopiaIn April, ZTE announced that it has signed double Olympic gold medalist and five-time world champion over 10,000m, Haile Gebrselassie, as its official smartphone brand ambassador for Ethiopia. Alongside this announcement, ZTE also confirmed the Ethiopia availability of two of its best-selling 4G LTE devices – the ZTE Grand S2 and ZTE Blade S6. “I’m very thrilled to become ZTE’s first ever brand ambassador in Africa and represent the brand here in Ethiopia,” said Haile Gebrselassie. On a global level, ZTE is committed to transforming its consumer image, having changed its logo and branding earlier this year.

SoftBank Mobile announced on May 19 that ZTE’s iF product design award-winning Android smart projector Spro 2 is available in Japan.

On May 29, Cricket Wireless announced the ZTE Overture 2, an entry-level Android smartphone that it is selling for $49.99. The Overture 2 from ZTE runs Android 5.0 Lollipop and is compatible with Cricket’s LTE 4G network. (Source: phonescoop.com)

Mobile World has launched its Android app, available in Google Play, allowing its readers to comment on articles and share contents via SNS platforms.

At a Glance

ZTE’s US CEO Lixin Cheng at the Oracle Arena. The Warriors and the Rockets, both spon-sored by ZTE, competed with each other at the NBA Western Conference Finals.

SHOWCASE

6

Two New Phones in the nubia Line

nubia Z9 Max

nubia Z9 mini

A Works of Art

nubia Z9 MaxIn the past, the most prominent feature of a flag-ship smartphone was high-end configurations. As

users become increasingly demanding, a new trend in flagship phones has emerged. In addition to

high-end configurations, the design and materials of the body must also stand out. This philosophy is fully embodied in the newly launched nubia Z9 Max. The device is made of premium materials, including a titanium frame with a thin aluminum

alloy casing covered with reinforced patterned glass at the back. Both the back and front of the phone is covered with third-generation Corning Gorilla

Glass. Z9 Max also has top-end specs. It is powered by Qualcomm’s 64-bit Snapdragon 810 octa-core processor coupled with 3 GB of LPDDR4 RAM and

Adreno 430 GPU.

· Camera: 16-megapixel (rear); 8-megapixel (front)· Display: 5.5-inch full HD IPS CGS

· Processor: Snapdragon 810· Memory: 3 GB RAM + 16 GB ROM

· Battery: 2900 mAh

Small Size, Great Wisdom

nubia Z9 miniNubia Z9 mini is miniature version of Z9 Max. It comes with a 5-inch display and is intended for users who prefer one-handed operation.

The back cover of the phone comes in a range of different textures and patterns. In terms of performance, nubia Z9 mini stands out from the competition. It has a Sony IMX234 Exmor RS sensor. The 1/2.6-inch sensor size is larger than that of iPhone 6. Moreover, the display gives up to 95% ultra-high color saturation, higher than that of iPhone 6 at 72 percent.

· Camera: 16-megapixel (rear); 8-megapixel (front)

· Display: 5-inch full HD CGS· Processor: Snapdragon 615

· Memory: 2 GB RAM+16 GB ROM · Battery: 2900 mAh

SHOWCASE

7

Practical and Elegant

ZTE Blade C340For people who do not play graphic inten-sive 3D games or install a lot of new apps, Blade C340 is the right choice. It has a low-

key but delicate appearance. The middle frame is silver and has a curved design. The back cover has a leather-like texture, so the

phone looks elegant and feels better. The configuration may not be high but is good enough. It can be used for social network-ing, photo sharing, sending and receiving

e-mails and playing casual games.

· Camera: 5-megapixel · Display: 4-inch WVGA

· Processor: SC7715 · Memory: 512 MB RAM + 4 GB ROM

· Battery: 1400 mAh

Great Enjoyment

ZTE Blade V6Blade V6 has a premium design. The rear panel

curves around the edge of the chassis. The 5-inch display is covered by 2.5D curved glass to provide

a smooth sleek look and a comfortable feel. Its unique style is also embodied in the 6.8 mm thin body made of aluminum alloy and in the elegant

silver trim. As for configuration, it runs Android 5.0 and packs a 13-megapixel camera with dual-color flash. Meanwhile, it has dual SIM support with its

patented compact SIM card slot design.

· Camera: 13-megapixel (rear); 5-megapixel (front)

· Display: 5 inches · Processor: Quad core 1.3 GHz

· Memory: 2 GB RAM + 16 GB ROM · Battery: 2200 mAh

HANDS-ON HANDS-ON

8

Sleek and Chic ZTE Blade S6

Blade S6 24-Hour Experi-ence Test

1. Exquisite designA 2.5D glass display needs to be supple-mented by a good phone body design. The tapered display of Blade S6 blends seam-lessly into the body that features curved edges and rounded corners. The phone has a metallic look, matte texture through the application of coating technology. The blue circle home key glows when the phone is in use, decorating and reviving the entire phone.

2. Superior configurationsBlade S6 uses a 64-bit Snapdragon 615 octa-core processor and Android 5.0 Lollipop system with 2 GB RAM. It packs powerful capabilities in a thin and light body. The processor comes with Adreno 405 graphics card, which allows the phone to handle 3D games with ease. Mean-while, the phone’s good heat dissipation control allows it to run a 3D game without obvious heat generation.

Although 2.5D glass is already on the market, it has not been widely used in smartphones mainly because of the increased difficulties in design and increased manufacturing costs. Blade S6, however, has apparently outper-formed competing products, not only in terms of the stylish design but also in software optimization. The perfect combination of hardware and software empowers this device to provide a superb user experience.

ZTE Blade S6 is attractive at first sight. A 2.5D glass screen gracefully curves down to meet the phone’s frame, presenting a unique kind of beauty. The 2.5D glass profile protrudes slightly and makes the screen appear like it is floating when viewed from the top.

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1 min 2 mins 3 mins 6 mins 60 mins 2 hrs 3 hrs 5 hrs 6 hrs 7 hrs 8 hrs 9 hrs 16 hrs 20 hrs 24 hrs

3. Excellent display People tend to spend more time on their smartphones and the importance of a smartphone screen has grown. Blade S6 uses a JDI 5-inch in-cell touch display covered by 2.5D glass for an incomparable display experience. The screen features wide viewing angle, vibrant colors, high contrast, and brightness. It makes videos and pictures come alive, meeting the entertainment needs of young people.

1

4

5

HANDS-ON HANDS-ON

9

Specifications

Shooting ExperienceHi-Fi Sound Blade S6 packs a punch in the audio department thanks to its Hi-Fi sound capability. This option can be found in the lower-right corner of the music player. It improves the accuracy of decoding and increases the output power to provide high-quality sound effects. We found it particularly useful when used with headphones.

AliveShare AppBlade S6 comes with the AliveShare app, which allows you to connect to other app users and partake in all sorts of mutual activities. You can share files with each other, chat, and even play supported multiplayer games without network requirements or even Wi-Fi.

OS: Android 5.0Screen: 5 inches, 1280×720CPU: MSM8939 1.5 GHz 64-bit octa-core Memory: 2 GB RAM + 16 GB ROMCamera: 13-megapixel (rear) and 5-megapixel (front)Battery: 2400 mAhNetwork: GSM/UMTS/LTE

Mobile World Says:The use of 2.5D glass gives Blade S6 better visual effect and touch feel. Features such as Smart Sense gesture motion control, Hi-Fi sound and AliveShare app also contribute to an enhanced user experience.

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1 min 2 mins 3 mins 6 mins 60 mins 2 hrs 3 hrs 5 hrs 6 hrs 7 hrs 8 hrs 9 hrs 16 hrs 20 hrs 24 hrs

4. Powerful cameraBlade S6 has a brilliant camera with a Sony Exmor IMX214 sensor and a 5-ele-ment lens. The stacked CMOS image sensor has an aperture of f/2.0, which means it is a decent camera for taking pictures in low light. The camera also offers simple and professional shooting modes. In the pro mode, users can manually adjust the light metering and focus just as they do with a DSLR.

5. Unique Smart Sense Blade S6 boasts Smart Sense, which includes an intuitive and practical set of gesture and motion controls. For example, an incoming call can be answered automatically just by picking up the phone and putting it to your ear. The camera can be started automatically when you hold the phone horizontally. The ringtone volume is automatically turned up when you put the phone in a handbag. You may feel unaccustomed to this at first, but after you get used to it, you will find it very helpful.

2

3

Shooting ExperienceBlade S6 has a professional mode that can be enabled by tapping the red circle on the side of the screen. The phone prompts you if the camera is not aimed properly to ensure your pictures are straight. Advanced options such as light metering, ISO, exposure compensation, and white balance are also available for users to get what they want.

HANDS-ON HANDS-ON

10

A Great-Value Phone ZTE Blade A460

Blade A460 24-Hour Experi-ence Test

1. Industrial designBlade A460 has metallic power and volume buttons, making the phone look textured and slimmer. The capacitive blue ring home button on the front is a signature of ZTE’s products. It also acts as a backlit notification light and adds decoration to the phone. The same theme continues at the back with a blue ring around the camera lens, adding vitality to the black panel.

2. Configuration and performance Android Lollipop is built for 64-bit processors and Blade A460 is a 64-bit device. It uses the Qualcomm MSM8909 quad-core 1.1 GHz CPU with 1 GB RAM and 8 GB ROM (expandable), allowing most apps to run smoothly on it. In addition, it has LTE Cat 4 providing download speeds of up to 150 Mbps so you are guaranteed a high-quality user experience.

The phone looks ordinary at the first glance with an all-black front face. However, once it is lit, you can find some elements that make the overall design dynamic. It runs on Android 5.1 and is powered by a 64-bit Snapdragon processor (MSM8909). More importantly, it meets young people’s require-ments for performance and func-tionality at an affordable price.

ZTE Blade A460 is a mid-range smartphone that targets young people. With a 5-inch screen, it strikes the right balance between large screen and com-pactness so you can carry it with you all the time.

3. Camera Blade A460 has a 5-megapixel rear-facing camera with flash and a 2-megapixel front-facing camera. The cameras start within one second to meet the needs of young people who are ready to take pictures. Is this 5-megapixel rear-facing camera sufficient to use? Actually, the images uploaded to social media have a much lower resolution than 5 megapixels, so 5 megapixels are good enough if you don’t need to print photos.

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1 min 2 mins 3 mins 6 mins 50 mins 60 mins 2 hrs 3 hrs 5 hrs 7 hrs 11 hrs 13 hrs 20 hrs 24 hrs

1

45

HANDS-ON HANDS-ON

11

Specifications

Special Experience

Photo EffectsAlthough Blade A460 does not have a high resolution screen, the 5-megapixel camera performs surprisingly well in suppressing noise at night. During the daytime, this camera focuses quickly, and you can manually ad-just various camera settings to take good photos even under complicated conditions such as against the light.

OS: Android 5.1Screen: 5 inchesProcessor: Qualcomm MSM8909 1.1 GHz quad-core Memory: 1 GB RAM + 8 GB ROM Camera: 5-megapixel (rear); 2-megapixel (front)Network: GSM/UMTS/LTE Other Features: GPS/FM/BT 4.0/Wi-Fi/NFC (optional)/HD Voice (optional) Battery: 2200 mAhDimensions: 145.5 × 72.8 × 9.4 mm

Mobile World Says:Blade A460 demonstrates a pragmatic ap-proach. Its hardware specs are sufficient, making it simple and easy to use.

4. Screen Statistics show that 5 inches is one of the most popular smartphone screen sizes in 2015 because it is almost the largest size for one-handed operations. This screen size is the sweet spot between one-handed operation and portability. The screen offers wide viewing angle to ensure a clear picture wherever you are sitting. It also provides impressive brightness, accurate contrast and good color saturation, making it suitable for viewing photos and watching videos.

5. Peculiar designsBlade A460 greatly improves user experience through some peculiar designs. For example, you can set the back and menu buttons on either side of the home button as needed. This phone has two SIM card slots. In addition, the curves over and the grooves on the edges make the phone feel better in the hand.

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o use.

1 min 2 mins 3 mins 6 mins 50 mins 60 mins 2 hrs 3 hrs 5 hrs 7 hrs 11 hrs 13 hrs 20 hrs 24 hrs

Camera FunctionsBlade A460 camera provides a wealth of auxiliary camera functions. As well as face detection, burst mode, panorama mode, and other common functions, it also allows for manual adjustment of white balance, ISO, and focus mode. A “magic wand” with a variety of built-in filters is available on the camera screen. You can choose any filter to preview the effects immediately on the screen.

2

3

of Voice ControlHarnessing the Power

History of Development

Siri was ridiculed during its early days for performance problems that make it unavailable when people wanted to use it. However, voice control is the next big tech trend if we take a look at the history of the man-machine interaction.

Prior to the smartphone era, operations were performed on a keyboard of nine square buttons. The efficiency was low and users were prone to mistakes. In the smartphone era, touchscreens enable people to interact with their mobile phones by using only a few simple gestures, such as tap, drag, and swipe. However, the first-generation voice control, which emerged almost in the same period as touchscreens, didn’t get widespread use due to poor speech recognition rate and few application scenarios, and turned out to be only a gimmick from manufacturers. With the arrival of the wearable tech, gestures will be no longer useful on the tiny screens of wearable devices such as Google Glass and smart watches. Voice will become the most promising means of interaction in the future.

Mobile Internet, A Key Driver

To popularize voice control, apps that are more convenient and life scenarios where people mainly use voice are two key conditions. The booming mobile internet meets these two requirements:

First, both input accuracy and speed on a smart terminal are not as good as those on a PC. The mobile internet was born with these physical restrictions.

FOCUS

12

● By Xie Zhihua and Wang Jian

The Trend of Voice ControlThe development of voice technology, especially the launch of Siri, heralds the era of voice control.

Harnessing the Power

FOCUS

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Excellent PerformanceThe projection of the portable smart projector Spro 2 will surprise you. It has brightness of 200 lumens and enhanced contrast in day light and can project bright images even when powered by its battery. Thus, users do not need to dim the light in the meeting room or at home to achieve better projection effect. In addition, it has a native resolution of 1280 × 720 which is rare for a portable projector.

ZTE Spro 2

FOCUS

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Versatile FunctionsWith excellent projection and powerful hardware, Spro 2 makes almost everything possible. Powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 2.1 GHz processor with 2 GB RAM and 16 GB ROM, Spro 2 can handle videos easily. It streams media content via micro SD card, USB stick or via HDMI cable or Wi-Fi connections for devices such as game consoles or laptops. It is also a mobile hotspot that supports 10 devices via 4G LTE networks.

ZTE Spro 2

FOCUS

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Second, mobile internet terminals have many built-in sensors, providing a sound basis for human-machine interaction and practical apps in daily life.

Third, with help of mobile internet, voice recognition technology companies can collect massive amounts of voice data, which can lead to accelerated machine learning and improved user experience.

Therefore, Siri created quite a buzz at its launch even though voice control was hardly a new concept.

The Booming Market

Voice recognition’s time has come after a long dormant period. There has been an explosive growth of voice recognition apps with the rise of smartphones.

While walking on the road, you can now find more people speak to their mobile phones.

You can use voice search. For example, you can say “I’d like to listen to a song by singer A”. The system can recognize and understand your command, find this song on your mobile phone or from the internet, and then play it for you. Or you can just hum a piece of music and your mobile phone will find the corresponding song.

You can use voice to input information. For example, to send a short message or even a lengthy email, you only need to say the content to your mobile phone. The speech is then converted to text automatically.

At present, man-machine interaction by smart voice has been mainly applied to customer services and smart terminals including smartphones, tablet PCs, smart TVs and smart car mounts.

Android, Windows Phone, and tablet PCs running different OS all want to get a Siri-like personal assistant. It can be predicted that the global market for voice recognition in mobile devices will increase exponentially. In addition to Apple, Samsung, LG and other big mobile phone manufacturers all incorporate Nuance’s voice recognition technology into their products.

The Challenges

Voice-controlled services such as Siri and Google Now have received widespread attention. However, statistics show that most users put aside these services after trying them.

Speaking is the most intuitive means of interaction for people, but, without the internet, man-machine interactions cannot work because voice-controlled services require massive semantic analysis and online database support. On the other hand, speech recognition has requirements on the environment. In a relatively noisy environment, recognition rate is greatly reduced. For these two reasons, these services have limited application scenarios.

ZTE faces a huge challenge in avoiding adverse factors, reducing dependence on environments, and providing natural and smooth man-machine interaction.

The Solution

ZTE has introduced voice technology into ZTE smartphones because it has noticed that voice can reach any position in a UI hierarchy and provide users with an extremely efficient experience.

Speedy activation Speed is the first problem to be solved for a voice-controlled smartphone. The voice-controlled service should be started directly and rapidly. To achieve this goal, ZTE uses a system-level integrated design combining voice control and traditional operation methods. ZTE associates voice control activation with hardware. After long pressing the home button, users can directly start the voice-controlled service. When

using an accessory such as a wired headset or bluetooth headset, users can also long press a key on the headset to start the service.

Using hardware to start the service is not new. Is there an even more direct way? Voice interaction is mainly used to free hands and eyes. If pressing buttons or keys is the only way to start the service, still neither your hands nor eyes are freed. Therefore, it is necessary that the service can be started using voice alone. After many tests, ZTE proposed a new solution that allows users to customize their own words used for starting the service. This solution differentiated ZTE’s voice-controlled service from other similar services.

Voice independent from GUI Next, it is crucial to work out smooth and natural voice interaction, and help users do what they want to do as fast as possible. When voice and GUI are parallel and do not interfere each other, users can take full advantage of voice. For example, if you want to listen to music, you only need to say “turn on the music”. The music is then played directly. You do not need to change the screen, or interrupt the current operation. Then, ZTE developed a brand new way of integrating the voice panel with the screen: after the voice service is started, the voice panel is temporarily displayed in the system status bar. The voice panel includes information such as voice interaction dialog, feedback, and processing progress. After voice interaction is complete, the voice panel will automatically exit the status bar and the user can still check the system status.

Voice independent from internetThe voice-controlled services should be practical and

ZTE’s Awesome Voice Control The recently-launched ZTE STAR 2 has brought voice control back to people’s sight again when previous voice assistants have almost been forgotten.

convenient. ZTE gives full consideration to when and where users need voice interaction, and how to help users complete tasks in a fast and accurate manner. A typical example is the local smartphone voice assistant that allows users to use voice to dial a number, turn on commonly-used switchs and play music when the phone is offline.

System-wide voice control To ensure that the voice-controlled services will not become another white elephant, offline use by itself is not enough. The essential difference between ZTE’s voice products and other voice-related products lies in its system-level voice control and hands-free capability.

ZTE hopes that its voice control is not only supplementary but is implemented system-wide. For example, if you want to use the voice assistant to make the screen lighter, you normally need to follow three steps: suspend the current program, long press the home button to start the voice assistant, and then say the command.

Now with ZTE’s voice control, you only need two steps: long press the home button to start the voice assistant, and then say the command to adjust the brightness when you are either watching a video, playing a game, or chatting with someone. Although only saving one step, you will find it easier to use over time.

Hands-free capability Hands-free capability is designed especially for those who drive often and rely heavily on smartphones. When the phone operates in this mode, the screen automatically shifts from portrait to landscape mode.

Practical Voice Control Features on ZTE STAR 2

ZTE STAR 2 has 158 patents related to voice control. It offers a wide array of voice control functions including screen wakeup, voiceprint unlock, motion-sensing calling, driving mode, music search, photo taking, real-time voice-to-text input, translation, third-party app activation, and Wi-Fi activation and deactivation. Supported by multiple application scenarios and a unique acoustics design, ZTE STAR 2 creates a brand new operation experience.

A seamless experience Most first-generation voice-controlled services were third-party apps, and thus cannot integrate with the system function and other third party apps.

Voice control on ZTE STAR 2 is rooted in the underlying hardware platform. Broadly speaking, the phone would allow you to trigger built-in apps when you are on another interface and switch between different apps. With a unified technical

interface, the voice-controlled service can be compatible with third-party apps if the interface is open to the developers.

For example, you can start a camera app when you are on another interface by saying “camera”. You can then turn on the front camera by saying “take a selfie”. You can also turn on a social networking app and if your system happens to have no such app, it will notify you to download it in an app store.

The system-level voice control service also allows you to turn on or off Wi-Fi and other commonly used shortcuts, greatly simplifying the operation flows.

Motion-sensing calling Using voice to set up a call and send a message is the first-generation voice technology product. With motion-sensing technologies, ZTE STAR 2 provides a completely different voice control experience. Supported by the built-in proximity sensor and light sensor, you can simply hold the device by your ear and say the name of a contact to call them, without having to activate the touchscreen or unlock the device. Customer feedbacks for this function are great.

Driving mode Based on a long-term user experience study, ZTE has developed a driving mode on STAR 2 that offers a safe and convenient driving experience. The driving mode includes a range of voice control functions, such as automatic GPS navigation, message replying, call answering, and music control.

Voice translation Besides system-level voice control, ZTE STAR 2 also provides app-level voice control. The phone has a built-in speech translation app that allows for mutual translation between English and Chinese. The recognition rate and translation accuracy is great.

The Future

ZTE STAR 2’s system-level voice control brings a completely seamless experience, and its excellent

voice recognition technology provides good support for third-party apps. The unified system-level third-party interface also provides more room for speech recognition development in the future.

The revolutionary changes of voice technology can be attributed to rise of the mobile internet, and more importantly, the booming big data industry. Pushed by big data technology, voice technologies cannot only understand what you say but also think like a human being.

Someday, maybe man and machines could talk with each other freely, and with the help of machines, people speaking different languages could communicate with one another in real time. Voice technology is progressing day by day to make this come true.

It is expected that voice recognition will become mainstream in the next two or three years. Voice-controlled interface will show up on a large scale not only in mobile phones, but also in TVs and automobiles. Users can use their voice to control TV, and there’ll be no need for a remote control. However, voice is not the only way for man-machine interaction. It can be complemented by mouse, keyboard, gestures and touch. Different modes of interaction can be integrated seamlessly and users could choose their preferred way of interaction. In addition, voice technology will play a role in security. Voiceprint is a form of biometric for identification as fingerprint. It can be used in applications such as financial services and forensics. At ZTE STAR 2 release conference, ZTE CEO Shi Lirong said, “Voice technology is the focus of future human-machine interaction. Hands-free and eyes-free will be the trends in consumer electronics. Voice will be the third interaction method following keypads and touchscreens, and will bring a new wave of information industry revolution.” In his opinion, people “press” a mobile phone in the 2G era, “touch” a mobile phone in the 3G era, and “talk” to a mobile phone in the 4G era.

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Specially-Designed UIFor convenience, Spro 2 uses a simple and intuitive UI especially designed and optimized for smart projectors instead of the stock Android interface. When you get it, it takes almost no time to get used to it, just like using another smartphone. Together with a 5-inch touchscreen, it is really easy to navigate.

ZTE Spro 2

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Easy to UseYou need to spend some time to use a traditional projector— connect it to another device, wait for the lamp to warm up, adjust the picture. However, Spro 2 is smarter with auto focus and auto keystone correction features. It also comes with an array of connectivity options, a touchscreen with easy-to-operate UI, allowing users to use it effectively. Spro 2 also uses patented anti-glare technology to protect your eyes.

ZTE Spro 2

Research Background

In Her, a 2013 American sci-fi movie, a letter writer named Theodore, who has just ended his marriage, falls for “Samantha”, an intelligent computer operating system personified through a female voice. She has a warm voice, and is considerate and funny. Although this is a futuristic movie, it indicates the future of voice interaction.

With the maturity of voice recognition technology, it has become possible for human beings to talk to a computer system.

Currently, the voice recognition technology has already been commercialized. But what are people’ attitudes towards voice interaction?

ZTE’s user research team has conducted a series of researches on voice through questionnaire, interview, focus group and user log.

What can Voice do in the Eyes of Users?

Reminder and broadcastingEvery morning a user can wake up to the ringtone of an alarm clock. The ringtone can be light music or a soft voice, reminding the user of the time, date, and weather.

A mobile phone can read messages aloud for the older users who have poor eyesight.

A useful toolWhen you have difficulty communicating with

The Opportunities for Voice In the era of voice control, how should manufacturers deal with the opportunities in the booming voice recognition market?

It may be stressful to live in a modern city. People have the desire to speak freely somewhere. There are already some anonymous social apps that allow you to blurt out what’s on your mind.

Where are the Opportunities for Voice?

In the above six scenarios, voice can play a role. However, this does not mean that they are all growth markets. In most situations, users are more willing to operate mobile phones manually. Therefore, voice can play a role only in situations where it is irreplaceable. We’ll analyze the above scenarios to find out where the opportunities for voice lie.

Using the voice function of a mobile phone for reminding and broadcasting gives a user more interesting experience. However, voice reminder on mobile phones doesn’t show any evident value. Users will not use it any more after giving it a try, because it is not irreplaceable, and the traditional ways still work.

Where a mobile phone is being used as a business tool, the user focuses on some basic functions that can improve work efficiency. This is an aspect that manufacturers try to improve continuously. However, it is unlikely that there will be a revolutionary change.

Similarly, in terms of entertainment, it certainly seems interesting to play music and video with voice commands. However, users will likely revert back to the more familiar manual way after the initial novelty period ends.

Voice is an easy way of man-machine interaction. When a mobile phone is being used to enhance family bonding, both adults and children are more likely to use voice as the way of interaction. This is a natural advantage that the first three types of scenarios don’t have.

In a driving scenario, voice is recognized as the best mode of interaction, because safety is the most basic need for users. When the hands and eyes are occupied, a user can operate a mobile phone only by voice.

When it comes to emotional catharsis, users want the mobile phone to understand and respond to what users say, and even offer suggestions.

Conclusion

Taking voice as the strategic direction for mobile phones, ZTE has made many attempts in the past two years and accumulated rich experience. To make continuous breakthrough, ZTE will focus on the most valuable scenarios, solve users’ problems, and help users develop the habits. It will also pay attention to users’ emotional needs to make the technology more interesting.

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others on a business trip in other countries, it is very helpful if a mobile phone allows you to speak in and get a spoken translation.

In the fast-paced life, for those who have limited time but are not very familiar with mobile phone functions, voice can help them improve work efficiency in dialing, messaging and searching.

EntertainmentYou might ask a mobile phone to tell you jokes when you feel bored.

Voice interaction function can be introduced in pet-raising game.

There are also other voice-based entertainment activities, such as controlling games and playing music and videos using voice commands.

Family bondingTalking Tom Cat was a popular game several years ago that repeats everything you say with a funny voice. It is entertaining for kids and adults alike. Supported by the maturing voice recognition technology and the powerful cloud database, users really can talk to their mobile phones.

DrivingDriving is a scenario that all users can identify with. While driving, voice interaction improves driver safety by enabling hands-free cell phone use.

Emotional catharsis

Haptic is related to the sense of touch. It is a key word in the research of the Japanese designer Kenya Hara, which indicates an attitude that takes in consid-eration how we perceive things with our senses. For him, design is not only about form, material and color, it is also how to make someone sense something. All the creative awakening of the human senses is what he describes as “the design of the senses”. To design is to build a structure with an image inside the mind of the recipient and, more importantly, is to awaken intangible memories and associations.

The emphasis on senses allows the designer to create on a whole new level. Kenya Hara designed the programs for the opening and closing ceremonies of the Nagano Winter Olympic Games. He developed a special paper with fluffy texture and used a technique to emulate the feel and appearance of small foot-steps on a field of white snow. You will be moved when you touch it.

Kenya Hara’s Tactile Approach to Design

The Haptic Approach to Design

In Kenya Hara’s design works, paper, natural fibers and stones are frequently used. These familiar things are what Kenya Hara calls “sensewares.” They stimulate the senses and bring about past experience and memories.

In the information explosion era, many people are beginning to replace traditional books with electronic ones that are convenient. However, the feeling of holding paper in the hands and the smell of ink are something that the elec-tronic world cannot replicate.

Kenya Hara

The opening ceremony program of the Nagano Winter Olympic Games

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● By Chen Yan

According to neuroscientist David J. Linden, on the web, we lack the experience of human touch, which is a crucial type of social glue and can affect our social inter-actions. For example, shopkeepers sell more merchandise when they briefly and lightly touch their customers on the arm.

The internet brings convenience at the expense of missing face-to-face human communication and physical contact that goes along with it. Smartphone users use mobile phones for information, but tend to spend a lot of time on the phone. Information is more accessible but also fragmented.

Mobile phones now are only a carrier of information. As we come to rely on the internet, will the way we acquire information change? In the future, our mobile phones may allow us to feel a virtual object with fidelity.

In 2013, Apple was awarded patent for a more accurate haptic feedback system. The proposed design included a grid of piezoelectronic actuators that allow users to “feel” different surfaces as they move a finger across the smooth touchscreen. Besides Apple, companies such as Microsoft and TeslaTouch are also developing the haptic technology. Some prototype haptic feedback devices

The Haptic Approach to Design

Haptic Feedback on Phones

have already been created.

It is not by a whim that these companies are working on the haptic technology. The development of haptic feedback will change the online experience. Take online shopping for example. You can choose colors and sizes of clothes on many websites, but it's im-possible to touch the material. In the future, your smartphone may allow you to feel the leather texture of shoes or “put on” clothes before you purchase them.

Haptic feedback is also a promising area of research in medicine. Al-lison Okamura, a leading researcher of human-machine interaction, and her team have developed a haptic system that helps doctors view how much pressure their robotic instruments are applying to a given area, which will enable surgeons to better perform minimally invasive surgeries.

Haptic interfaces that simulate touch experience are not widely used yet, but it is expected that this technology will greatly improve in the near future.

Taptalk is a fast way to exchange photo and video messages with your family and friends. Just tap someone's face to send them a photo or tap and hold their face to send a video. Every photo or video you send cannot be pre-taken and is thus unique. Tapping to send a photo is similar to the body language that people use in real life — saying hello to an old friend by patting them on the shoulder. It is this kind of interaction that makes up for the body language and eye contact lacking in the online world. Haptic technology is poised to change electronic interactions and many aspects of life. When chatting with friends, you can not only express themselves with text and expressions but also feel your friends’ mood and pat your friends on the shoulder. When consult-ing with a doctor, you can get the doctor’s comfort as well as your medical data.

The web has engaged the human senses of vision and hearing. As a special sense among the five human senses, sense of touch will enrich our experience in the web-based world.

Feel the Future

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AR is a live direct or indirect view of a physical, real-world environment whose elements are augmented (or supplemented) by computer-generated sensory input. It adds information and meaning to a real object or place. A typical example of an AR application is Microsoft HoloLens.

VR creates a simulated 3D world to provide you with an immersive experience. With VR, you feel like you’re in an artificial environment. A typical example of VR application is the famous Oculus Rift.

AR works by enhancing one’s current perception of reality, in which a view of reality is modified (possibly even diminished rather than augmented) by a computer. By contrast, VR replaces the real world with a simulated one.

Holographic technology enables multiple users to see hologram of a virtual entity in a glass box at the same time and from different sides. AR technology is like holographic technology working for an individual: only the user who wears the AR device can see, touch and even interact with the virtual entities in the real world view.

However, VR is even more impressive. Its ultimate goal is to turn VR into a reality. VR can recreate sensory experiences such as virtual taste, sight, smell, sound and touch and respond to a user's actions in the virtual world.

AR and VR are becoming similar in terms of visualization. The main differences lie in the proportion of the real elements to virtual elements in the user's field of view and the application scenarios. Current VR blocks out the actual world and limits users' activities in the real world. Maybe in the future, the virtual world can gather information from the real world in real time, and AR will be completely replaced.

Status Quo and Future What are AR and VR?

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Two Views of Reality

AR vs. VRYou may want to have a Saiyan scouter which reads battle powers and other information in Dragon Ball Z or being able to wander in the Matrix-style virtual world. Now, these seemingly impossible things have come true. Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) are two emerging trends in human-computer interaction.

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Oculus Rift DK2Oculus Rift is a VR headset that allows you to step inside your favorite games and completely immerse yourself in a virtual world. The Developer Kit 2 (DK2) has several improvements compared to the first development kit. It uses a higher-resolution (960 × 1080 per eye) low-persistence pentile AMOLED display to reduce the screen-door effect, improve clarity, color and contrast and eliminate motion blur and jitter. It also better tracks the headset’s orientation as users move their heads by using an outside, motion-sensing camera in addition to the accelerometer and gyroscope built into the Rift headgear.

However, it goes beyond gaming. It is effective in treating specific phobias such as acrophobia and claustrophobia. It can be used in automobile design and thus a life-size clay model can be omitted. Test driving of new car models can also be accomplished through it. With Oculus Rift, VR can revolutionize many more industries like tourism and movie production.

Sony’s Project Morpheus Unlike Oculus, which has great ambitions to apply VR to all aspects of life, Sony pays more attention to its application in the gaming industry. Project Morpheus is Sony's VR headset for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita game systems. The prototype revealed uses a full HD 1080p LCD display, with a resolution of 960 x 1080 for each eye, and will be capable of displaying content at 120fps. Further head tracking happens by using the PlayStation Camera which looks for Morpheus 1000 times every second and enables full 360 degree movement without losing track of the headset. The goal is to deliver a truly immersive experience.

Microsoft HoloLensHoloLens resembles a pair of ski goggles and is described by Microsoft as “the world's most advanced holographic computer”. It has a CPU, GPU, holographic processor, and a variety of sensors. It supports spatial sound. HoloLens can create a detailed 3D mesh map of a room and embeds virtual 3D objects and texture into the real environment. Holograms mixed with your real world will unlock all-new ways to create, communicate, work, and play.

HoloLens provides a natural way to interact— you can use movements, vision, and voice to interact with content and information. Your head movements can be reproduced as the mouse pointer. You can use gestures to click and double click a mouse and also issue voice commands. For example, when you turn your head to the wall and open the contact list by voice, HoloLens can project the contact list onto the wall. If you flick your finger up and down, the HoloLens can scroll the page for you.

Google’s Project Tango Google announced Project Tango last year, based on a smartphone equipped with 3D sensors. The goal of this project is to give mobile devices a human-like understanding of space and motion through advanced sensor fusion and computer vision. The prototype tablet Google later unveiled uses a combination of two cameras, including one with motion-tracking capabilities, and a depth sensor to capture the surrounding environment and create an image. Should Tango succeed, the phone in your pocket will be able to map out a 3D mockup of your office building or home and measure the distance between objects within them. Google sees potential applications in 3D scanning, indoor navigation, and immersive gaming.

AR VRAR and VR Devices

It still seems incredible that the Spro 2 smart projector concept has come to fruition. Just imagine that someone standing on a piece of deserted land, hoping to turn it into a garden, and with time and work, a beautiful gar-den has appeared. At this moment, I would like to share with you the story of how this amazing garden was cultivated.

What This Innova-tive Thing is About?

We embarked on the project in May 2014. With no similar products available, it was like carving a jade that no one has ever seen. We wanted to develop the fourth screen for a computer, TV or smartphone that allows you to have immersive video experience anytime and anywhere.

The product would integrate a profes-sional projection module, the latest Android operating system, a 5-inch HD touchscreen, advanced water cooling system, and 4G LTE hotspot. The integration seemed so interesting that I had been wondering every day how to appropriately place all these things inside a 13 × 13 cm box.

The ventilation design is essential for a portable smart projector. Current solutions use a large area for the air outlet; thus, the internal cooling system could be easily seen and it is also more prone to gather dust. After multiple attempts with the R&D team, we finally settled with the louver de-sign for ventilation, ensuring effective cooling and edgy appearance for Spro 2. Such endless pursuit of perfection for every imaginable detail during

● By Zhou You

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Spro 2: A Different Trail

the design process is what craftsman-ship means, and it is also what every designer of Spro 2 believes in.

Where It is Unique in Design Language?

Products designed to cater for the market tend to follow the example of successful predecessors, just like most people usually spend time following the fashion rather than creating new fashion. Spro 2 was not expected to be a product that comes and goes. Unlike fast-moving consumer electronic prod-ucts, Spro 2 had to have a distinctive design so that it could catch users’ eye the moment it appears and stay with users as time goes. This was the design concept I always uphold, and also the guideline for the R&D team.

The face of the iPhone and iPad has an infinity pool look as Jonathan Ive, Apple’s design chief, understood the

different way. It is like a resting spot in the infinity pool.

Spro 2 is squarish, expressing the pow-erful features and advanced technol-ogy it possesses. People have a close affinity with this squarish product. A phenomenon similar to the uncanny valley theory also exists in product design. The concept of uncanny valley describes our strange revulsion toward things that appear nearly human but not quite right. If the product affin-ity has been enhanced to a certain level, people will feel uncomfortable instead. Considering product changes in our lives, we can find that products are becoming more abstract or even intangible with the development of information technologies. However, it is more important for a product to have its own physical attributes than lose them. The square shape of Spro 2 certainly grabs your attention. Inter-actions with it are clear; however, you will be put into an infinite world when it produces projected images.

When you look at Spro 2, what attracts you is not only the specifications but also the “character” of the product, which originates from the designers’ endless pursuit to craft every detail that users could perceive.

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screen was all-important and that nothing should detract from it. The infinity pool look was definitely a trend in the industry. However, instead of following such a trend, we decided to set a new trend with Spro 2. That’s the exact reason why there is a home button next to the 5-inch touchscreen on the top. We were not thinking like others, asking the market “what is

Tips ZTE Spro is the world’s first all-in-one smart portable projector. Spro attracted a lot of attention when it was unveiled at CES 2014. At the beginning of this year, ZTE showcased its new and improved Spro 2 at CES 2015, where it won the BGR CES 2015 Seal of Approval and was one of Android Authority’s top picks from CES 2015. The device also won the prestigious iF Design Award 2015 and Best Mobile Enabled Consumer Electronics Device Award at Mobile World Congress 2015.

currently popular” or building a bigger screen. We focused on the product itself, making decisions based on its overall functions and requirements. Moreover, the physical anodized aluminum button may reduce your tiredness as both the touchscreen interface and projected images require intensive visual attention while the button interacts with people in a

The home button on Spro 2

A selfie stick was originally used by a small group of people such as extreme sports enthusiasts or travelers before it grabbed headlines and became a social fad. It is popular because it creates a longer distance between the camera and user and has wider angle coverage. The wider angle means that fitting more people or scenery into your pictures and a better perspective for faces. However, a selfie stick is getting outdated. What is getting popular in 2015 is a lens-style camera.

Mobile Photography with a Lens-Style Camera

A lens-style camera can be regarded as a digital camera without any screen or grip, or a lens with a sensor, Wi-Fi function and built-in battery.

It gets rid of the restrictions of slim handset design and uses a larger sensor to give you more pixels and depth of field and greater latitude. Some lens-style cameras support optical zoom, making it possible to shoot distant objects in greater detail. All photos can be sent to your mobile phone wirelessly for sharing, providing almost the same user experience of photographing with a mobile phone. Compared with photographing by holding a mobile phone in the hand or using a selfie stick, you can put a lens-style camera further away from you. You can connect the lens-style camera to a mobile phone via Wi-Fi, frame the view on the phone’s screen, and take photos remotely. It can also be attached to a mobile phone to take photos like a digital camera. Some lens-style cameras have a built-in sucker that helps the lens attach to any surface, so a tripod is not necessary.

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Off-Camera Flash

Interchangeable Lens

Portable Lens for Sports

Lens with Complete Functions

Mobile Photography with a Lens-Style Camera

Podo Wireless CameraThe length of a selfie stick decides the coverage of a photo. If the shooting background is grand, or the number of people to be shot is large, a tripod is far better than a selfie stick. However, Podo, a wireless 8-megapixel camera, integrates the advantages of both a selfie stick and a tripod.

Due to the sticky surface on the back side, Podo can be stuck to almost any surface. Once your camera is secured to the spot you want it, you can control it through Bluetooth using a special app on your phone. The photos can be stored in the 4 GB internal memory or transferred to your phone’s gallery.

ZTE Kaka Sports Action CameraThis camera is as cute as a Lego toy, but it is equipped with a 16-megapixel sensor with a wide angle lens with 158.6 degrees of vision and an independent image processing chip. It can be submerged in up to 40 meters of water. Its bright yellow color definitely thrusts the user into the limelight. It can be connected to a mobile phone wirelessly and with various accessories it allows the user to take unexpected photos. With the help of an LTE dock, the camera supports LTE and can instantly transfer the recorded videos to the cloud.

Sony QX30 Smartphone Attachable Lens-Style CameraIn order to make up for the shortage of fixed-focus lens on a smartphone, people may attach a mobile phone to a selfie stick in an opposite manner. However, after using a lens-style camera with optical zoom, you will never want to use a selfie stick any more. Sony QX30 packs 20.4 megapixels and has up to 30x optical zoom to capture distant objects with clarity. Moreover, you will never need to worry about trembling hands while taking a photo. The QX30 uses optical steady shot image stabilization, which, when complemented by Exmor R image sensor, produces high-quality images.

Kodak SL25 Smart Lens CameraIn addition to Sony, Kodak, once a giant in the imaging industry, has also launched lens camera. Although the parameters of Kodak SL25 including a 25x optical zoom and 16-megapixel BSI CMOS sensor are slightly lower than those of Sony QX30, its functions are complete, including optical image stabilizer, NFC and Wi-Fi connectivity, and wireless connect/control with smart devices, and its price is much lower than that of QX30, making it more cost-effective.

Nova LED Bluetooth FlashPhotography enthusiasts rarely use the flash on a mobile phone. They prefer to increase the brightness of a dark photo with image editing software rather than turn on flash on their smartphone because the angle of light cannot be adjusted and the results are not good.

Nova is a wireless flash for iPhone that uses Bluetooth to connect to your phone from up to six meters away and sync its flash with your shutter. It is shaped like a bank card and has 40 built-in lights. Using the wireless flash requires that you use the Nova Camera app. You can also control brightness and color temperature through the Nova app. Together with a lens camera, it can be used to create the lighting effects often seen in professional photos.

Sony ILCE-QX1L Lens-Style Camera KitIf you think the lens-style cameras are at an amateur level, you are wrong. The Sony ILCE-QX1L is a quasi-professional digital camera with a 20.1 million pixel APS-C sized sensor. It has a built-in flashlight and is rechargeable via the micro USB port. Most importantly, it has an E mount. If the SELP 1650 lens cannot meet your photography needs, it can accept interchangeable lenses from Sony’s range including telephoto lenses, macro lenses, and wide-angle lenses.

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1. ZTE Grand BandZTE’s fitness band has a sleep monitor and pedometer. It has a dot-matrix LED screen that displays the time, mode, battery capacity, and power-on/off, so you can glance at this information on your wrist. It also allows you to share your activity data on SNS by using an accompanying app. The device can be fully charged in 1.5 hours and lasts for a week.

2. LG Watch Urbane LTEA smart watch can access the internet through an accompanying app on a smartphone or by using Bluetooth. However, LG Watch Urbane LTE is more than this. With a built-in SIM card slot, it allows you to access the internet and make voice calls. It includes all the common features of a wearable device, such as NFC and heart rate sensor. In addition, it runs on a 700 mAh battery.

3. Pebble Time SteelPebble Time Steel uses an ePaper display that can display up to 64 colors. ePaper is used because it consumes less power. It can last up to 10 days, which meets people’s expectation for a smart watch. Its self-developed operating system supports third-party apps.

4. Fitbit SurgeFitbit Surge can track walking, running and cycling. It has built-in GPS, a heart-rate monitor and real-time workout data. Fitbit recently acquired fitness coaching app developer FitStar and is expected to achieve better performance by integrating exercise planning and data analysis.

Towards a Smart and Connected Life

Our lives will become smarter when smartphones hit a bottleneck in their development, when wearable devices are independent of a smartphone, and when smart devices proliferate.

MWC 2015 as the industry vane has made it clear that wearable tech was taking over. Wearable products such as smart bracelets, smart watches, and fitness bands were showcased. Wearables are no longer second fiddle to smartphones. Meanwhile, computer vision products that integrate the virtual and real worlds represent great opportunities.

The Big Wearable Wave

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The advances in smartphones and wearable products have substantially boosted the performance of integrated circuits. Ambient intelligence is an emerging trend. Sensors and smart chips will be embedded into traditional products, bringing vitality to them.

Ambient Intelligence

6. Sony SmartEyeglass AttachIt is called a “single-lens display module” by Sony, and it can be attached to the frame of any eyewear to transform it into a pair of smart glasses. It shows information via a color OLED micro display. It can be used to view maps, navigate, shoot images remotely, and track the performance during workouts.

5. Nevo SmartwatchThis smart watch combines activity tracking, phone notifications and highly precise Swiss timekeeping all into one. This connected watch tracks steps, distance, calories and swimming strokes and uses a ring of 11 integrated bright white LED lights to show your progression.

Ford MoDe:ProFord has unveiled an e-bike concept called MoDe:Pro. It is designed for commercial use, such as couriers. It connects to your smartphone and offers navigation feedback via the handlebar grips, which vibrates when you need to turn left or right. The bike can also alert you to any hazards and communicate with other vehicles. The electric pedal assistance can be adjusted according to your heart rate.

Volvo Concept HelmetThe IoT allows vehicles to automatically avoid collisions with each other. However, how can a cyclist avoid a collision with cars? The Volvo concept helmet warns a cyclist of potential accidents. Cycle helmets are connected to cars. The Volvo driver is alerted to a nearby cyclist through a heads-up display alert. The cyclist will be warned via a helmet-mounted alert light.

Using a smartphone app for cyclists, their position can be shared through the Volvo cloud to the car, and vice versa.

Intel Edison cannot be only used in helmets but also in dresses.

LG Magic MirrorLG has created an interactive mirror. LG Magic Mirror runs on Android and can analyze a user’s complexion. There is a semi-transparent touch display at the bottom right corner of the mirror and once the user requests an analysis, the mirror gives you feedback about the complexion of your skin and cosmetics you need to use and information about your skin.

Intel Edison Intel Edison is a tiny computer in a form factor the size of a postage stamp and is used for wearables. Intel has unveiled a smart motorcycle helmet capable of reading map directions and making indicator signals to drivers behind the rider. The helmet uses Intel’s Edison Platform. Its built-in brake and indicator lights on the back work in time with a connected BMW motorbike while a microphone inside the helmet allows you to search the internet and Google Maps using voice commands.

7. HTC Vive Virtual Reality HeadsetHTC Vive has a pair of 1200 x 1080 displays that refresh at 90 frames per second. More than 70 sensors provide 360-degree room tracking. Now you can use more space to enjoy the VR experience.

8. Samsung Gear VR for Galaxy S6A smartphone has had sensors, large display, and a highly scalable operating system for a long time. It could become a VR device with an accessory. Samsung Gear VR, designed specifically to work with the new Galaxy S6 and S6 edge smartphones, gives game players a great VR experience.

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Coway Air Purifier Tuba AP-3008FHTuba AP-3008FH features excellent filter technology and an exquisite design. It is quiet, energy efficient, and easy to use. It is a large-volume air purifier that cleans air in a 65 m2 room. It can automatically adjust airflow based on the level of detected indoor air pollution. You can also choose custom filters to eliminate residual ozone, bacteria and viruses.

August Smart LockAugust allows you to enter your home with your smartphone. It can sense when the phone is approaching your house and automatically unlock the door. It can also automatically lock your door when you leave. You can control when people have access to your home, issuing a key that works 24/7 for family members or one that works a couple of hours a week only for the cleaner or nanny. You can also see a log of who’s entered and exited and exactly when they did from your phone.

Belkin WeMo Insight SwitchWeMo Insight Switch connects your home appliances and electronic devices to your Wi-Fi network and works with the WeMo app, allowing you to turn devices on or off, program customized notifications, and change device status from anywhere. It can also work with If This Then That (IFTTT), which connects home appliances to a whole world of online apps to perform custom tasks such as receiving a text or email when the front door opens or turning the lights on when the sun sets.

Dyson DC52 Cylinder Vacuum CleanerFor a geek, cleaning should be as cool and convenient as possible. This is what Dyson DC52 cylinder vacuum cleaner could provide. It uses smaller, more powerful cyclones for suction in order to generate higher

centrifugal forces that more effectively capture smaller dust particles. With such

an advanced technique, there’s no need to replace a bag or wash a filter.

Moreover, its turbine head has stiff nylon bristles to remove ground-

in dirt from carpet, and soft carbon fiber filaments to

gently remove dust from hard floors.

Home Appliancesfor Geeks

Geeks may stay behind their computers all day long, seemingly having no interest in the world outside the internet. In fact, they can keep their house clean and cook good food by using some geeky stuff in their home.

Living Room

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Paragon Induction CooktopIngredients, seasoning, and the duration and degree of heating are key for cooking tasty food. FirstBuild, GE Appliances’ new global co-creation community, has developed a new cooktop. Paragon helps you achieve restaurant quality results for a variety of cooking techniques using a Bluetooth-connected temperature sensor and associated app. You can also monitor the progress of your cooking on your phone while playing video games in the living room.

illy Francis Francis X7.1 iperEspresso Illy iperEspresso helps you enjoy Italian espresso and cappuccino with a touch of button. The beautifully designed Francis Francis X7.1 iperEspresso machine features advanced technology including steel internal thermoblock, and a Pannarello steam wand that froths milk for creamy cappuccino and latte. Its capsule system uses an innovative, patented two-stage process to create intensely aromatic, full-bodied espresso with rich, long-lasting crema. Because extraction takes place entirely inside the capsule, the coffee and machine never come in contact, making for quick and easy clean up. It makes a striking statement in any kitchen.

Panasonic MC-DF100C Futon CleanerFor a geek, the place where they spend more time than in front of their computers is their bed. Therefore it is important to clean their bedding. Panasonic MC-DF100C has an infrared sensor that can detect mites. If a mite is detected, the notification light stays on until the mite is eliminated. It has a brush roll. You only need to gently knock the brush head on a quilt. The brush will spring out and trap the fine particles (such as pollen and dust mites) in fabrics.

Sharp IG-GTA20 LED LightSharp IG-GTA20 is a ceiling-mounted ion generator with built-in LED light for washroom. Using Sharp’s original sterilization technology called Plasmacluster, the ion generator eliminates bacteria that cause bad smells and deodorizes the room. The built-in motion sensor automatically turns off the LED light and starts the strong sterilization mode. It then shifts to usual operation mode when someone comes into the bathroom. Because it has the same attachment part as a regular bulb, it can be installed easily in the washroom at your house.

Kitchen

Bathroom

Bedroom

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Fitbit Aria Wi-Fi Smart ScaleA smart scale is an easy and direct way to keep tabs on weight-related health stats. Fitbit Aria tracks weight, body mass index (BMI) and body fat percentage. The scale sends your stats straight to your Fitbit account using your home Wi-Fi network, so you can monitor your progress on the Fitbit dashboard. The Fitbit app displays your weight stats and progress trends in easy-to-read charts and graphs. Progress has never looked as good as it does on this high quality scale. It has a sleek design with a polished glass surface.

Living on theCloud

People now pay much more attention to their identity in the online virtual world. An account corresponds to a real person. With the development of smart devices, a virtual identity will become increasingly real, containing more information other than photos and status updates.

The Virtual SelfYou can create a virtual self on the cloud with personal identifiers including your name, current location, time that you left a place, tracks, and even your most frequently searched keywords and purchased goods.

The cloud knows when you fall asleep and get up, your heartbeat, and your weight change curve. In the future, it may know more details such as your health status changes and DNA.

As a matter of fact, you are already living on the cloud either actively or passively. It won’t be long before you are surprised by how specific the contents of your virtual identity could be.

With the explosion of smart watches, smart glasses and other wearable devices, more of your personal data will be synchronized to the cloud to build up your virtual identity.

Imagine a day in the near future, every behavior of yours can be observed from a computer in the cloud backend. After getting up in the morning with a smart wristband still around your wrist, you put on your smart glasses with GPS and internet connection. On the computer screen, your virtual self goes from the bedroom to bathroom. While exercising at night, your heartbeat, stride, and speeds are also displayed. Even your sleeping status is displayed. Your

virtual self created by your online data is a more accurate reflection of your real-life self than that presented by a camera following you all day long.

Convergence of the Virtual and the Real The virtual world is not a simple record of the real world. The virtual world can also impact the real world. Your virtual self will be more converged with your real-life self. Convergence implies that the peripheral devices are not isolated any more but are connected. There are already some applications of this on the market. Take iCloud for example. Your data is continuously synchronized between your Apple devices and iCloud so that you can start your reading or editing on one device and finish it on another. The NFC smart ring is another example. You can unlock your smartphone with your smart ring by sliding your hand on the back of the phone. A smart wristband can even turn your heart rate into an electronic key to unlock your device.

With the convergence of your virtual and real

self, in the future, the banking system could identify your virtual self once you step into the bank and inform the bank account manager of your identity on an interface. Furthermore, you might not need to manually pay a bill. Your identity could be automatically identified when you pick up goods and the cost could be directly debited from your bank account.

Surrounded by the Cloud in FutureIn the future, you will no longer need to back up your contacts or photos, copy a presentation onto a USB flash drive, or worry about losing a mobile phone. Devices such as mobile phones, watches, tablets and computers are just terminals to obtain the data rather than places that store the data. Data transfers between these terminals.

When you want to communicate with your friends, you can use any terminal nearby to make a call rather than dial a mobile phone. If your friends are exercising, the terminals they are wearing such as watches or glasses will notify them of the requests.

When you want to relax, you no longer need to download music or movies. They are accessible at any time through any terminal.

If you want to pick up your work where you left off on one device, you can do so on another device. You don’t need to remember where you stopped or think about where to save the files when they are finished.

There is no need to manually backup a document. The cloud will store the data for you. A document is unique the moment it is created. If a sentence is modified, the modification process is also saved. It can be restored to any previous status.

All in all, you will be surrounded by the cloud all the time. All your data is unique and ubiquitous.

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● By Liang Zhen

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Motion sensing is increasingly import-ant in daily life in terms of gaming, entertainment, virtual dressing, pro-viding you with fresh experience and convenience. A motion-sensing device captures a person’s body movements and gestures and analyzes the motion data to achieve direct man-machine interaction. In a video game, you can control and interact with their console or computer without a game controller.

Virtual Fitting RoomMotion-sensing technology can be used with other technologies to create a virtual fitting room. You can stand in front of the screen and interact with the virtual fitting room even without touching the screen. You just wave your hand to put one outfit on your body on the screen. You can switch to the previous or next page to choose different outfits also by waving your hand, enjoying a fantastic shopping experience you never had before.

The system can detect how you are moving, when you turn around, the screen can automatically display how you look in the back. If you are satisfied with the outfit, you can snap a photo and share it with your friends through SNS.

SportingMotion-sensing technology can also be used for online sports. You can enjoy tennis, table tennis, or boxing just at home without the extra cost of equipment or facilities. Whenever you feel like working out, just turn on a motion-sensing device and sweat it out. The motion sensing sports device can be connected with a PC or STB. It uses computer-based visual recognition technology, accurately acquires human body movements, and thrusts the player into a virtual sports environment.

SMART GADGETS

then creates an animated wire-frame model of the moving subject. All creat-ed 3D models can be exported into 3D modeling software for the production of 3D games, animations and films, and even for 3D printing.

Musical Instrument PlayingWe often see people tapping the table with their fingers when they listen to music, as if they were beating a real drum or playing a piano or an air guitar. Now you can create real sound with the movements of your fingers with Mac Funamizu’s digital music player concept called “Frostie.” Frostie lets you tap your fingers on a surface and every tap, movement or shake will result in a piano playing preset chords or drums. It’s just a matter of time before we will see people rock an air guitar around the living room, imagining they are a new member of the Rolling Stones.

Motion Sensing in Daily Life ● By Pang Ning

3D CameraAn even bigger surprise is the Ki-nect-like 3D camera. It is capable of 3D modeling. Just take it and scan surface around you and the 3D model is painted in the viewfinder in a minute or two. It is also capable of motion capture. Hold the camera towards a person doing a dance and the camera separates the moving aspects of the shot from the static background. It

Since its official launch in January 2015, ZTE’s Blade S6 has journeyed across markets in the Asia-Pacific and Europe, quietly taking the afford-able smartphone market by storm and showing consumers that a premium device doesn’t have to cost a fortune.

Competition in the smartphone arena is hyper-competitive and consumers are responding by becoming more price savvy. In light of this trend, device manufacturers are constantly stepping up their game, which ultimately involves raising the standard of what’s on offer in premium devices and how much you have to pay to get one.

For ZTE, “affordable premium” is a term often closely associated with its Blade series smart-phones. Devices in this series have highly com-petitive specs and features and are sold within the $150 to $250 price range in more than 60 markets worldwide. The series came into exist-ence in 2011 with the ZTE Blade V880, a device that was highly attractive at the time of release because of its optimum screen resolution and modern specs.

Who said premium smartphones have to cost a fortune? ZTE believes they shouldn’t. And this is exactly what the device manufacturer has been prov-ing in markets across the globe with its recent star device – Blade S6.

HKFast-forward to 2015, and ZTE launches the latest addition to the Blade family – ZTE Blade S6. In a glitzy, chandeliered ballroom on the 18th floor of a hotel in central Hong Kong, ZTE Mobile Device CEO, Adam Zeng, took to the stage to unveil the highly anticipated Blade S6. With the tagline “Fun Never Waits”, the carnival-themed launch was attended by local celebrity guest, Fiona Fit, who stylishly demoed the device. Not long after the official launch, ZTE Blade S6 commenced its journey across the Asia-Pacific, making its way into the hands of new and excited customers across the region.

JapanWith plans to sell devices directly to consumers in Japan, ZTE was keen to increase its competitive product offering and knew that Blade S6 would

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Asia-Pacific

● By Kevin, Eva and Violaine Published on ZTE device website, June 2

Taking the Smartphone Market by StormZTE Blade S6:

The official Blade S6 launch with Hong Kong celebrity Fiona Fit (middle)

In Europe, Blade S6 is now available in the UK, Spain and France. For custom-ers in the UK, ZTE Blade S6 can be purchased from a wide range of outlets, including Micro-P (Exertis), Shop Direct Group shops, Argos, Amazon, Techify, Ebuyer and Lazook. In Germany, ZTE is working with the country’s biggest consumer electronics retailer, Media Saturn, to sell the device at a breath-taking 249 euros. While in Spain, ZTE has been rolling out Blade S6 advertise-ments with the theme ‘El Que No Corre, Vuela!’, promoting the device’s speedy octa-core chipset.

Over the next few months ZTE Blade S6 will continue its journey across Asia-Pacific and Europe, with availability on the cards for markets such as India and Thailand. Currently, Blade S6 also comes in a phablet ‘Plus’ version and a lower priced ‘Lite’ version, which are also being launched across the two regions.

Blade S6 and S6 Lite users will be able to download an Eyeprint ID and up-grade their devices via FOTA at the end of June. EyePrint ID – a pioneering eye-based biometric solution from EyeVerify – works by imaging unique vein patterns in the human eye using a device’s front-facing camera to enable users to unlock their smartphone hands free. It was first made available on a smartphone by ZTE with the Grand S3 in March this year.

Software upgrades aside, Blade S6 is also set to undergo a makeover with a new array of color options on the horizon. From aurora purple to Tahiti brown, Venice gold, and baroque red, Blade fans will soon be spoilt for choice when it comes to case colors with these four new options.

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Europe

be the perfect device to do this.

In Japan, both consumers and carriers have strict standards when it comes to quality, which often means that only first-rate devices can make their way into the hands of consumers. Before launching a smart-phone in Japan, manufacturers really need to get it right, and this is exactly what ZTE did.

Before launching Blade S6 in Japan, ZTE conducted market research into the smartphone features that local young consumers cared most about. Findings from the research later revealed that the Blade S6 was a per-fect match for Japanese consumers, and half a year later, ZTE launched the device through local partners NTT Resonant and eiYAAA.

TipsThe key features of ZTE Blade S6 include ZTE’s Smart Sense gesture motion control, Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 octa-core chipset running on Android 5.0, a SLR like camera, Hi-Fi Sound, ZTE’s MiFavor 3.0 user interface and ZTE’s s AliveShare app for network-less communication.

AustraliaIn Australia, ZTE worked with JB Hi-Fi to make Blade S6 available both online and offline through stores nationwide. The Australian version of Blade S6 had several changes to its hardware and software to meet local market requirements. Changes included RF band support and alteration of the devices partitioning as well as Android Lollipop 5.0.2 build with-out any additional skin or modification to the UI.

For those with a big imagination

See things differently with the big screen ZTE Blade S6 plusNever miss a thing on the ultra-affordable, super-size ZTE Blade S6 Plus. With a 5.5-inch screen and powerful front and rear cameras you can snap and share your best images in an instant. Plus, with more room for your favourite apps and extra-long battery life, you get six hours of continuous surfing and up to eight hours of video.

All rights reserved by ZTE Corporation. All other Corporate names and trademarks are the property of their respective companies. E&OE. Images are for illustrative purposes only. Copyright © ZTE Corporation 2015.

ZTEDEVICES.CO.UK PLUS

The launch event in Indonesia

Ads for ZTE Blade S6 in Spain

ZTE partners with NTT Resonant to bring Blade S6 to Japan

Indonesia and MalaysiaBlade S6 also entered Indonesia and Malaysia through online retailer Lazada and is also available through offline dealer channels in Malaysia. From the end of March to early May, Blade S6 road shows were held in Kedah, Kelantan, Johor, Klang Valley and Perak in Malaysia.