The Casetop - EVERY Smartphone becomes a Laptop - Sony Xperia ZL

Hey All!
Long time XDAer here I've been here since my G1 all those days ago. Well, I couldn't find this accessory...so I made one.
I'm starting a Kickstarter Campaign tomorrow at 2pm and I think my fellow Xperia ZL fans should know...!
Casetop.ca
Livi-Design.ca
Xperia ZL in the prototype Casetop
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvqFvM7YIyk
1 Minute Render Intro
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j13HKK0HC5U
5 Minute Details Video (with me lol)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVFrD9_5fZ8
Here's the summary:
30+ Hours of Battery Life
Apple/ASUS/Sony Quality
$250!
720p with a stretch goal at 1080p!
Please let me know what you think guys.
John

I was very excited about the Casetop when I discovered your Kickstarter campaign. I have been hoping for a product like this for such a long time! When I noticed that you were using a ZL in your demo I nearly fell out of my chair
I'm wondering if positioning the phone in the area directly below the keyboard will make it difficult to rest one's palm while typing. Is it possible to rest your right hand on something without touching the phone's screen?
Sent from my C6506 using xda premium

great idea. details ?
Great idea!
What is the target weight for this accessory ?
andjohn said:
30+ Hours of Battery Life
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
While I see you list a 56 Watt-hour battery, the Kickstarter doesn't show a battery.
Is a battery already fitted into the mock-up used in the 5 min video ?
Will the battery be removable ?
andjohn said:
Xperia ZL in the prototype Casetop
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Will you provide software to render a cursor in response to user input via phone touchscreen ?
andjohn said:
1 Minute Render Intro
...
5 Minute Details Video (with me lol)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In a future video would you please show how the wrist rest would be used and how the hand will rest while the phone is placed between the keyboard and outer bar ?

bluechu7 - Thanks for the kind words! Ya, I love my ZL. Great phone, I am kind of missing CM; so I might have to bug them for MHL support...Check out the update #13 on Kickstarter for your Frontbar thoughts. I have used it, and it appears like the phone doesn't get in the way but there is some solutions on that update too. Also, there is a hole in the Frontbar on the left, so you can have your phone beside the Casetop, and have the Casetop closed.
HailMikhail - The target weight is about 2 iPads in weight. I know that's not exact, but it will vary with accessories and stretch goals, but it will be about as heavy as a laptop. Batteries are heavy lol.
The prototype is just that, a prototype. The battery has not been integrated and the controllerboard needs to have the extra parts removed as you can see in the pictures of the parts on the Kickstarter page. All of the hard stuff is complete on the prototype, but easy things like battery management and PCB modification aren't complete. They are further along in the production stage.
The battery will be removable, but it is not advised to be taken apart. It's internal to the Casetop, and doesn't have a quick release. There is only 4 screws holding the Casetop together, so it would be easy to replace for a normal XDAer. We're focussing on mods and hacks too.
Someone already has done the software for the cursor, the wonderful Screen Standby on the Google Play Store has that already! And any Android 4.0+ has bluetooth mouse capabilities.
I'll see what I can do to make a video that shows this. I have 2 videos coming up that will show some use examples and stuff.
Thanks!
John
hailmikhail said:
Great idea!
What is the target weight for this accessory ?
While I see you list a 56 Watt-hour battery, the Kickstarter doesn't show a battery.
Is a battery already fitted into the mock-up used in the 5 min video ?
Will the battery be removable ?
Will you provide software to render a cursor in response to user input via phone touchscreen ?
In a future video would you please show how the wrist rest would be used and how the hand will rest while the phone is placed between the keyboard and outer bar ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Oh, I was going to say, if you like the project; we need help pushing it into the higher goals, as we're bugging everyone we can. You can win a phone each Friday for 3 weeks on our facebook page just by liking stuff and talking about the Casetop. fb.com/techbylivi Thanks!

a question remaining
andjohn said:
... software for the cursor, the wonderful Screen Standby on the Google Play Store has that already
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks! I tried rev 2 Beta 2.
andjohn said:
have 2 videos coming up that will show some use examples and stuff.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Great! Thank you. I'll track your updates for this post.
andjohn said:
The prototype is just that, a prototype. The battery has not been integrated and the controller board needs ... parts removed
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
With which active components did you determine the 30+ hour session ( MHL adapter, LCD, backlight, LCD controller, Bluetooth keyboard controoler, other ) ?
andjohn said:
The target weight is about 2 iPads in weight.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OK.

Excellent, ya Screen Standby is awesome. I love that guy. We used all of what will be used in a Casetop. We even had the phone run down it's battery to 10%, so that includes one full charge of the phone and use for the 30 hours. You've listed them all but add in an HTC Sensation.
hailmikhail said:
Thanks! I tried rev 2 Beta 2.
Great! Thank you. I'll track your updates for this post.
With which active components did you determine the 30+ hour session ( MHL adapter, LCD, backlight, LCD controller, Bluetooth keyboard controoler, other ) ?
OK.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

is this available for now ?
i hope it can deliver to my country.

kickthefreak said:
is this available for now ?
i hope it can deliver to my country.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hey Kickthefreak,
The Casetop is available for Pre-Order and it is estimated to be shipping for February 2014. We're delivering worldwide, just go to casetop.ca and check out our pre-order site!
John

$400? it is very expensive imo.

Related

Hacking the Sony Liveview

Despite the bad reviews I picked up a Liveview yesterday. Was $50 brand new off Craigslist. And surprise surprise, it turned out to be a turd. Well, I don't like to waste money, so I set about modding it. Thought some people here might be interested to see what I did.
So far I've waterproofed the case. Next I'll be building a better strap, one that doesn't make it huge or block the USB port. http://www.jax184.com/projects/liveview/liveview.html has everything I've done so far on it.
Nice i got that thing and it "worked" but still with the having to restart it all the time was very annoying but i ended up sending mine back
So I've been using the Liveview for a couple days, or at least trying to. Even after doing a full reset of the device, reinstalling the software on my phone and removing all the plugins, it has a battery life of about 6-8 hours. In that time I turned the screen on twice, and it briefly lit up to tell me of an incoming call. No texts, no alerts, and I don't have farcebook/twatter/etc turned on. It sat 2 feet from my phone the entire time. If I actually try to use the damn thing to, say, control the media player, the battery goes dead in 2 to 3 hours.
Pathetic...
I've decided I'm going to build it into a custom case for a friend of mine with a much larger battery, since the stock one is completely and utterly useless. So much for my gasket job...
Not sure if the battery is just dying on yours or what but if I never touch the screen, mine lasts for a couple days at least (and that's with alerts!). Sad to hear yours has issues :\
Mine's brand new and running the latest firmware/software with the bare minimum of functionality enabled, so I'm as confused as you.
I have a liveview and i absolutely love it. I dont have any connection issues but i mostly just use it as a watch with out having it connected over bluetooth and the battery lasts for days when i do that. I do have an issue now where i dropped it and the select button on top doesnt work anymore
Can I connect multiple liveviews to my phone?
I just bought 4 of them for $15 a pop !! Sweet
I know I can use it with torque which is cool
what else can I do with them? Can I run album art to it from say player pro? or Pocket Casts?
is there a decent list somewhere of "interesting" things you can do with the little buggers?
Hi, do someone know the dimensions of the battery, because i have one with death batt. and need a replacement.
nice mod! Based on the pictures I can see the battery size in case I need to replace it, by the way using notifications my watch last 2.5 days, using a plugin last only 30minutes or less
nerys71 said:
Can I connect multiple liveviews to my phone?
I know I can use it with torque which is cool
what else can I do with them? Can I run album art to it from say player pro? or Pocket Casts?
is there a decent list somewhere of "interesting" things you can do with the little buggers?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1 I just got one for $15, I wanna find some cool things I can do with it. What have you done to set yours up?
its a pain in the freaking butt. cool potential poor execution.
it constantly gets disconnected when something goes wrong ON THE DROID SIDE. terminating the app and relaunching it solves the problem for X period of time (few hours ??)
the most convenient access is also the worst designed. the watch band. YOU CAN NOT CHARGE IT WHILE IN THE WATCH BAND.
what freaking moron though that was a good idea to force us to remove it (VERY difficult) to charge it.
if the software bugs get worked out I may look into modding the stinking socket so I can charge it while in watch mode (thinking of RIVETING the case to the band) then I won't need the little watch pin thingy that is keeping me from charging it while its in the watch band.
and there is just not that many "cool" apps to use for it yet or the few out their are poorly executed.
how hard can it be to reliably push the freaking album art to the watch ?
nerys71 said:
its a pain in the freaking butt. cool potential poor execution.
it constantly gets disconnected when something goes wrong ON THE DROID SIDE. terminating the app and relaunching it solves the problem for X period of time (few hours ??)
the most convenient access is also the worst designed. the watch band. YOU CAN NOT CHARGE IT WHILE IN THE WATCH BAND.
what freaking moron though that was a good idea to force us to remove it (VERY difficult) to charge it.
if the software bugs get worked out I may look into modding the stinking socket so I can charge it while in watch mode (thinking of RIVETING the case to the band) then I won't need the little watch pin thingy that is keeping me from charging it while its in the watch band.
and there is just not that many "cool" apps to use for it yet or the few out their are poorly executed.
how hard can it be to reliably push the freaking album art to the watch ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Brother....
For disconnect issue , install this app
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=ishii.app.liveviewcharm
Its really bad remove device all time from strap : (
Hope it help you
2 Generations of Liveviews
Just to be clear, there are 2 versions of this device floating about... The older one goes for around $20 and is not much more than a novelty... The newer model runs around $100 and seems to have fixed the battery life issue... One should look at the Pebble once it is available as a possible alternative...
openliveview
Drewmungus said:
+1 I just got one for $15, I wanna find some cool things I can do with it. What have you done to set yours up?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I started creating a usable gui for the openliveview project. Theo openliveview project is an open source reimplementation Of the liveview app.
You van follow the development in this thread: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1422106&page=26
Note: you have to uninstall the liveview app bevore you van install openliveview
probbiethe1 said:
I have a liveview and i absolutely love it. I dont have any connection issues but i mostly just use it as a watch with out having it connected over bluetooth and the battery lasts for days when i do that. I do have an issue now where i dropped it and the select button on top doesnt work anymore
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This might help you. It won't solve the issue of select button, but it'll help you read notifications.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=40041226
Where can you find one for 15 bucks? Even if it did nothing, I'd want it for 15 bucks, just to have as a key for my phone using tasker. I supposed I could get any old bluetooth headset, but I wanted something wearable.
jadenguy said:
Where can you find one for 15 bucks? Even if it did nothing, I'd want it for 15 bucks, just to have as a key for my phone using tasker. I supposed I could get any old bluetooth headset, but I wanted something wearable.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, $15 is AWESOME!
$18 with Free shipping on ebay buy it now is the best price I can find so far.
I bought four of them and donated 2 to the local hackerspace.
Would be wicked to control more than one at once. I'm trying to find some chick to wear two as earrings.
Perhaps one controlled with Sony app and one Open Liveview App each for one mac address.
Contrary to earlier post, I seem to be able to have both Sony and Openliveview apps installed at once (though haven't tried RUNNING both) yet.
My battery life across the two that I've evaluated and (a third I lost to the ocean) seems significantly better than the average reported above.
But a LOT of variables have changed since the OP. New firmware, new app, new phone, new bt stack, new android versions...
My impression IIRC is that this thing is ROCK SOLID on CyanogenMod7 or CM9 on evo 3d.

WIMM One vs I'm Watch

Hey everyone, I'm looking to buy a casual watch. (something less than 500 bucks) I'm really interested in both the WIMM One and I'm Watch. I have looked at the specs and reviews, but I'd like some opinions. both look like they have a lot of potential. I do like the I'm Watch's curved screen. but the WIMM One looks like its got a bit more tech on it. What do you think? I want the most bang for my buck
Personally, I'm looking at the WIMM. Both from a cost perspective and from a battery life one.
The I'm Watch can do speakerphone, which the WIMM can't, but, really, I don't see myself using a speakerphone on a watch very often.
The dual-mode screen on the WIMM is a huge plus, in my book, as is the open-ness of the developer platform (something that I haven't seen much of with the I'm Watch).
Apps / Dev Support will make or break these devices.
I think I like the WIMM too. I have to ask, do you feel its worth getting the developer preview? perhaps I should tough it out and wait for a consumer release?
Well, I finally broke down and ordered a dev preview. It should be here in the next week or so.
After I get it, I'll let you know.
Awesome, Thanks!
Checked on my order status...
I should get it Wednesday or Thursday.
Early Christmas for me!
I've had the WIMM for a little less than a day now, and so far, the experience has been pretty good.
The only complaint I have is that Bluetooth does not want to reconnect to my phone if I let it get out of range. I have to un-pair, then re-pair the two.
Other than that, everything works wonderfully.
The display is amazing. Full color mode looks great, and the B&W LCD is amazingly crisp.
I haven't had it long enough to comment on the battery life, but so far today, after taking it off the charger six hours ago, I'm at 60%(ish) battery. Granted, it has seen only light usage, but, honestly, as a watch, I'm impressed.
I'll try to answer any questions, but so far I can definitely recommend getting one.
I got my WIMM in yesterday, and let it charge for the suggested three hours first. It's been on my wrist for the past eight hours and I'm still at 90%.
I've gotten really good at the swipe controls now; it's second nature.
My young daughter keeps playing the tilt ball puzzle game I downloaded from the WIMM beta forum.
I keep using the News reader app from the same place. That one alone, even though it's using sync'd data and isn't pulling realtime, is going to keep me happy with the watch because it's great for passing time in bed, while waiting, etc. It works surprisingly well on the small screen.
I have it set to sync my Google Calendars every few hours. Fantastic, having my appointments right there. (One included watchface even shows the next item.)
Having weather and time on my wrist for my favorite work and pleasure locations around the world is handy.
I downloaded a Christmas watchface with falling snow, which is fun to show off.
Just now, my wife asked for a wakeup in a half hour, so I pulled up the alarm app and a few seconds later I had one set to remind me. So easy.
The only problem I'm having is getting ADB to recognize the darned thing. Once I get past that common new-Android-device problem, I'm going to be creating some apps myself for it. First, probably a family picture viewer.
By itself, the WIMM looks bulky. On my wrist, with the way they sloped the wrist band carrier, it looks fine. Love the magnetic charging cradle, btw.
Now I wish I'd bought a couple for Christmas presents to my stepsons who love gizmos.
Heading towards 24 hours now, and still at 50%.
However, I am not using the Bluetooth. Just a WiFi auto sync every 3 hours.
I really like that whenever the watch goes into standby mode after a few seconds, the screen turns into a transflective B&W LCD image that is updated once a minute. Saves battery and yet the watchface is always visible unless it's dark... and then just a slight tap brings up the backlight and full color.
kdarling said:
The only problem I'm having is getting ADB to recognize the darned thing.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
@kdarling, let us know if we can help you w/ your ADB connection, either in our forums or [email protected].
-Ted Ladd
WIMM Labs
P.S. Sorry to intrude on the discussion.
tedladd said:
@kdarling, let us know if we can help you w/ your ADB connection, either in our forums or [email protected].
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks Ted. I'm constantly adding on more Android devices for development, so I'm used to having a bit of trouble now and again. I thought at first it was because I only have the R3 usb drivers from Google. I also inserted a line in the usb inf file with the WIMM ID.
After reading comments by others, I finally found that I just had to hold the module down tight in the dock paddle while my laptop was talking to it. I've cleaned the contacts, but it just seems that they don't make good connections by themselves all the time. Overall, though, that's a relatively minor annoyance.
Hi kdarling, I wonder if you could help me by answering a couple of questions about the WIMM one as although there are a few reviews online I cant seem to find all the answers I was after
1) I assume this doesnt currently have GPS? It doesnt seem to mention it in any of the reviews so I assume not, and if so then thats a shame since there is real potential here for this to be the ideal "athlete" device which could log your training routes/speed etc especially in cases where you might not want to take your phone with you
2) How well does the Transflective screen work? Ive seen in reviews that it is updated every minuite but is that adjustable in the app? Again the reason I am asking is for sports being outside in the sun a "normal" LCD screen is unusable, but a transflective screen would be perfect for displaying stats like speed etc but only if it were updating more often then every minuite
3) how "easy" is it to develop apps for this? Again as mentioned I can see a real sporting potential for this device if you were able to launch apps that were specific for the sport you were doing (i.e. one for running, rowing, cyling etc) that displayed the data you wanted
If you could help with my questions would be great, have been looking/waiting for a dvice like this for a while really, just as shame that theres no GPS as thats an essential requirement really..
I'm not kdarling, but I have one of these as well, so let me take a stab at answering...
1) The device does have GPS, but, according to WIMM, that particular chip is disabled (via software) currently for power saving / performance reasons. I'm not positive, but I believe that the device could receive GPS information from a connected phone also.
2) The Transflective screen is absolutely amazing. The clarity is much better than I was expecting. Currently, there is no method to adjust the refresh rate for the apps that use that screen mode. From what I've been able to ascertain, the refresh rate can be specified within a given application. However, that seems to have a fairly negative effect on the battery life.
3) I'm not a "real" developer, so I honestly can't speak on this... However, having said that, I will state that it seems very marginally more difficult that developing for most other android devices, mostly due to the inherent with a device of this size/specs/interface.
I can say that this device, as it is right now, is absolutely fantastic. It has the potential to provide a tremendous impact in everyday life with a few minor tweaks, but even without any changes, it has made a significant impact so far for me.
carnagecjb said:
I'm not kdarling, but I have one of these as well, so let me take a stab at answering...
1) The device does have GPS, but, according to WIMM, that particular chip is disabled (via software) currently for power saving / performance reasons. I'm not positive, but I believe that the device could receive GPS information from a connected phone also.
2) The Transflective screen is absolutely amazing. The clarity is much better than I was expecting. Currently, there is no method to adjust the refresh rate for the apps that use that screen mode. From what I've been able to ascertain, the refresh rate can be specified within a given application. However, that seems to have a fairly negative effect on the battery life.
3) I'm not a "real" developer, so I honestly can't speak on this... However, having said that, I will state that it seems very marginally more difficult that developing for most other android devices, mostly due to the inherent with a device of this size/specs/interface.
I can say that this device, as it is right now, is absolutely fantastic. It has the potential to provide a tremendous impact in everyday life with a few minor tweaks, but even without any changes, it has made a significant impact so far for me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
AH thats brilliant thanks!Very interesting to hear that it does contain GPS then, even if it is disabled, since that suggests in future it may be able to activate it for those times when you would need it, and then disable it when you need battery life!
Will keep a close eye on this I think...
jerrygooch said:
Awesome, Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+ 10000000 Thanks
Sweet, so I should probably order soon then eh?
Has anybody had a stab at the I'm Watch yet? I'd really like to know before I buy one.
mastermikeywwt said:
Has anybody had a stab at the I'm Watch yet? I'd really like to know before I buy one.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
X2
As long as it has a 40 hour or so battery life it's not much differernt than using a manual wristwatch.
I'd have to say though compared to the I'm Watch the wimm one is really ugly.
@carnagecjb Great reply. I couldn't have said it better myself.
@stelph By your use of the word "brilliant", I surmise that you live outside of the U.S. Good and bad news. Bad: We don't ship the WIMM One outside of the US yet, since we're still waiting for CE certification.
Good news: We just started a contest where I will send you a free unit - anywhere in the world - once you have created and posted a good app to our forums. See the Announcements within dev.wimm.com
Ted Ladd
WIMM Labs
Daemos said:
X2
I'd have to say though compared to the I'm Watch the wimm one is really ugly.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Many of us at WIMM Labs have created our own straps. Because the module pops out of the strap, you can place it into whatever attachment you like. I use a wide leather strap (pict attached). Other says that its ugly, but Beauty is in the eye...
Ted Ladd
WIMM Labs

Mugen 3000 mAh battery case available for order

Pre-order, that is
Here it is
At 89.50$ plus shipping it's a little steep, though. And I would have liked to have some images of the product rather than the phone. I know what the phone looks like already.
maybe an Image
you can check http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mugen-Power-Xperia-Compact-3000mAh/dp/B00RWR6XJG/
for the Pictures
Lol. With this case you can probably last 4-5 days with the z3c
Ridiculous price...$89.50
You can BUY n°5 10.000mah rapid charge external battery.......and you can use your z3c for 2 months.
tonkemaskin said:
Pre-order, that is
At 89.50$ plus shipping it's a little steep, though. And I would have liked to have some images of the product rather than the phone. I know what the phone looks like already.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Does anyone have this for their Z3 compact? Does it fit snugly and clip on properly?
Thats actually a really awesome idea with using the mag charging ports! if it were 50 bucks i would get one right now
I'd love to see this case in a video, just to get a good look at its proportions etc. It is pricey....but I'd probably just spend the cash on car parts anyway.....
---------- Post added at 11:48 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:36 AM ----------
OK. I lasted a whole 10 minutes. No will power. Bought one. I'll post back when I've got it in my hand and will post any pictures/answer any questions you guys might have ?
Ok, I have the charging case. If anyone is interested I am happy to answer questions/post photos etc.
ajgftw said:
Ok, I have the charging case. If anyone is interested I am happy to answer questions/post photos etc.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You asked for it
1. I would like to see photos of the phone with and without the case lying on a flat surface, to get am idea of how thick it is.
2. When you use the case, does the phone think it's constantly being charged? What amount of days shows you ultrastamina mode?
3. How long does it take to charge fully?
4. Do you notice any overheating issues after using the case for some time?
Thanks, that's all I can think of at the moment
charliebigpot said:
You asked for it
1. I would like to see photos of the phone with and without the case lying on a flat surface, to get am idea of how thick it is.
2. When you use the case, does the phone think it's constantly being charged? What amount of days shows you ultrastamina mode?
3. How long does it take to charge fully?
4. Do you notice any overheating issues after using the case for some time?
Thanks, that's all I can think of at the moment
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No worries, should be able to answer all that over time.
I can answer question 2 part a) right now.
charliebigpot said:
When you use the case, does the phone think it's constantly being charged?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The case has a button on the rear of the case to enable the charging process. When the case is deactivated the phone behaves as it would without the case. With the case activated it behaves as it would when sitting in a charging dock or with a magnetic charging cable attached.
The only 'downside' so far to the use of magnetic charging port is that when the case is activated the phone believes it is in a 'dock' and automatically answers phone calls with the loud speaker on.
But I have found mention of an xposed module that may rectify this automation, I will report back with a link when I have tested to confirm its effect.
I am studying all this week so give me a little while to fully answer all your questions, but I will answer them
Photos
Here are some photos that hopefully show the case and it's proportions well enough.
I'm no photographer by any means though haha.
Oh and ignore the metal dome stuck onto the back of it, that's for my car mount.
That looks so bad!
While it is awesome to have 5 days battery life, this is for special occasions only in my opinion.
apis10 said:
That looks so bad!
While it is awesome to have 5 days battery life, this is for special occasions only in my opinion.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
oh I agree. I wanted it mainly as an alternative to carrying a separate power bank hanging off the phone via USB cable. At least this case attaches neatly to the phone and can still fit my pocket.
So yes, ugly, but highly practical.
I feel I should also mention the build quality is really very good, it feels very solid.
How many days and sot you've got with this battery ?
fabjazz said:
How many days and sot you've got with this battery ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, given the info on their homepage it should last at least twice as long as your phone does now.
built in battery is 2600mAH, the mugen brings an additional 3000mAh. So I guess in Ultra-Stamina mode it basically lasts like an old Nokia? I was actually about ordering one for my upcoming transatlantic flight, but I just saw that they'll ship again in mid-June only
Well, I will receive the mugen battery in 10 days, I don't use ultra stamina but stamina is on all the time so I will see exactly the difference. Now I have between 8 and 10 hours sot, if I have between 16 and 20 hours sot, it's just great so I wait to see ?.
ajgftw said:
Here are some photos that hopefully show the case and it's proportions well enough.
I'm no photographer by any means though haha.
Oh and ignore the metal dome stuck onto the back of it, that's for my car mount.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Any more impressions now that you've had it for a short while? I'm really temped to buy one too.. it's just one of those "good-to-have" things.
Also, do you charge it via micro usb, like the smartphone and how long does it take to charge the battery case completely?
Btw, do we already know the size of the Z4 Compact? it would be great if it worked on the upcoming model too..
charliebigpot said:
Any more impressions now that you've had it for a short while? I'm really temped to buy one too.. it's just one of those "good-to-have" things.
Also, do you charge it via micro usb, like the smartphone and how long does it take to charge the battery case completely?
Btw, do we already know the size of the Z4 Compact? it would be great if it worked on the upcoming model too..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So far so good! I do intend to put some more stats up from my usage I've just been flat out with university. Luckily that all wraps up next week!
Yep it just charges via the same cable as the phone.
The use of the magnetic charging port definitely makes the case much more useful. I had an epic ZeroLemon case for my note 3 with a built in extended battery and it such an ordeal to install and remove the phone from the case. This is a much better solution.
It's hard to measure the effect it has on predicted battery life because it charges via the magnetic charging port the phone recognises it as an AC charging source.
Once I have got some stats I might even make a little youtube review, maybe, don't want to get famous hahahaha.

[Q] Thinking of buying a Sony Smartwatch 3 and i need your feedback!

I am seriously debating getting myself a Sony Smartwatch 3, but my usage scenario is rather peculiar/complicated, therefore i really need your help.
First of all, let me tell you that i have had many smartwatches in the past, but never so far an Android Wear device.
My main phone is an iPhone 6 Plus and it shall remain my main phone. I also have an Android device handy at most times (right now it is a Galaxy K Zoom).
XDA member @MohammadAG has already demonstrated (but not yet released) his method for sending iOS notifications over to Android Wear and i have seen in some tech sites that an official Google solution might possibly come in the future.
Let me now tell you what my main usage case will be:
I have a BT 4.0 HR strap (from Wahoo) and i want to connect it to the watch and use it to monitor my HR while jogging. My health condition requires a rather careful monitoring of my HR so that it does not deviate from a certain comfort zone while exercising.
I have already seen there is a thread where people are discussing about this. However, i would be obliged if someone could certify that the Smartwatch 3 would work with a Wahoo HR strap while recording the route via GPS. Of course i need this to be happening while the Watch is offline - not connected to a phone. Can it also play music via BT at the same time?
I could instead purchase a dedicated sports watch, but:
a) I find them ugly
b) They are too big
c) They do nothing more
What do you think? Would the Smartwatch 3 work in this usage scenario?
Would you recommend the rubber one or the metal one?
Thank you very much in advance.
As long as your android device is 4.3 or later, you should be good to go. Someone in another thread said their wahoo tickr works fine. All btle HRMs seem to be working.
https://support.google.com/androidwear/answer/6056401?hl=en
Thank you sir. Any comments about the GPS accuracy?
Mine is accurate, im using runkeeper, I run without smartphone. ...booom what a feeling
@supac Are you also using a BLE HR strap at the same time? Does Runkeeper on the watch show the HR rate on screen ?
No iPhone and no HR device on Wear watch
I've seen a big deterioration on the GPS on mine, not in accuracy but in position lock. I only use mine for running nowadays so it's powered off mostly and I never get a GPS lock the first attempt. I have to first connect it to my phone, then go near a window, try to get GPS sync, then when I do I can disconnect the phone and go out running. Too much of a hassle IMO. I think the watch needs daily communication with a phone i.e. internet to have a properly working GPS. My guess is it needs to update the GPS data frequently.
gidi said:
Thank you sir. Any comments about the GPS accuracy?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Very accurate when it's connected to my Xperia Z3. I used it with my tablet before I got the phone and can say its a little lame without the portability of a phone, as well as data usage. I love Sony, and I'll say go support them, but if you're dum- very determined on using an iPhone then why not get Apple's shinanigans. I was debating between this and a Garmin 920xt and it was basically deciding between a milkshake and a smoothie.
I'm too consider this watch to replace my motoactv. But problem is I'm using iPhone even though I owned an android tablet. [emoji4]
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
My experience
I use the SW3 with a RHYTHM+ BT HRM and LG BT headphones and so run with no phone - GPS, music and heart rate tracking all through the watch. I use the Ghostracer app which has very customizable wear screens, and I have HR showing there. It also uploads seamlessly to Strava once I reconnect the phone.
The GPS accuracy is not as good as my old garmin, but it is better than my Samsung S5 in a waist strap (i.e., before I switched to just the watch)
Top tip, turn off the phone bluetooth before you start. The wear needs to be disconnected before it will work in standalone mode for the run.
Biggest downside? No audible feedback from the running apps yet. So no lap pace, time etc. But then again, the data is right on your wrist.
With my set up the watch battery dies at approx 30% an hour. So if you are running a marathon, better step it up!
Verizon has the watch for $199 - no need to use their cell service to order.
Oh - and in summary - YES, totally recommend it. Best thing since my MotoActv, and it means i can keep my phone in my pocket during the day where it belongs. Not to mention other cool apps, like one that will analyze your golf swing.
gidi said:
@supac Are you also using a BLE HR strap at the same time? Does Runkeeper on the watch show the HR rate on screen ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No hr strap...but I read that they do work. Planning to by one
---------- Post added at 08:54 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:52 AM ----------
mertzi said:
I've seen a big deterioration on the GPS on mine, not in accuracy but in position lock. I only use mine for running nowadays so it's powered off mostly and I never get a GPS lock the first attempt. I have to first connect it to my phone, then go near a window, try to get GPS sync, then when I do I can disconnect the phone and go out running. Too much of a hassle IMO. I think the watch needs daily communication with a phone i.e. internet to have a properly working GPS. My guess is it needs to update the GPS data frequently.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Tip: it takes about 40 seconds for a cold lock. Start your app outside, do stretches then start running.
supac said:
No hr strap...but I read that they do work. Planning to by one
---------- Post added at 08:54 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:52 AM ----------
Tip: it takes about 40 seconds for a cold lock. Start your app outside, do stretches then start running.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It used to but not any longer. The last time, before I started doing what I described, I waited for 5+ minutes without a lock. On that occasion the watch had been powered off for 2 weeks and not synced with my phone. So I went home, synced to my phone and then I got a lock within a minute. That's why I'm convinced the watch relies on some kind of A-GPS solution and needs access to the internet frequently to work properly.
I bought a Smartwatch 3 when they first came out; primarily because I wanted a simple heart rate monitor, but as I could get the Sony for not much more and perhaps get some additional functionality I thought it would be good to try. In the end though, I never did find a simple heart rate monitor application which I was satisfied with so 2 weeks ago I bought a Polar M400. This works superbly as a heart rate monitor and activity tracker, has a very good (albeit monochrome) display and also has a built-in GPS. In the 2 weeks I've has it, the battery indicator as gone down to a little over half, so I expect the battery to last 3 or 4 weeks.
Of course, the Polar doesn't give me notifications and I can't play flappy bird on it or talk to it, but Polar have announced that they will release an update which will enable it to show notifications and this is the only thing which I would in any way want anyway. Overall, this should be a good compromise for me as long as the battery life doesn't suffer too much. I'll probably sell my Sony and perhaps get another real smart watch when the battery life and apps have improved. In my opinion, Android Wear could have captured a good part of the sport watch market if it would have included a good fitness app right from the start.
-Mark.
guyoutred said:
Verizon has the watch for $199 - no need to use their cell service to order.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yup. I went in there on my lunch break with my T-Mobile clothes and name tag on and they sold it to me. (No, I don't have an account with VZW! [emoji13] )
I love mine. I had the Moto 360 and G Watch R beforehand, but I really like the square, TFT screen of the Smartwatch 3.
swbf2lord said:
Yup. I went in there on my lunch break with my T-Mobile clothes and name tag on and they sold it to me. (No, I don't have an account with VZW! [emoji13] )
I love mine. I had the Moto 360 and G Watch R beforehand, but I really like the square, TFT screen of the Smartwatch 3.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The TFT screen is amazing! So many sites would knock it for it, but it's very impressive tech. Yes, it doesn't have the best colors like other watches but the best part of it is that I can ALWAYS see the time even with having the screen off. So battery life is very good on this watch. That is perfect for a watch and why I chose the Sony SW 3.
So the current deal on the Google Store is $50 off and $50 Google play credit, so a net $150. I would rather have the metal version, bit I think this may be too good of a deal. Any clue why Google only sells the silicon version?
brizey said:
So the current deal on the Google Store is $50 off and $50 Google play credit, so a net $150. I would rather have the metal version, bit I think this may be too good of a deal. Any clue why Google only sells the silicon version?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Think its the main version available everywhere. I think the metal version is very limited.
Sent from my SM-N910V using XDA Free mobile app
tu3218 said:
Think its the main version available everywhere. I think the metal version is very limited.
Sent from my SM-N910V using XDA Free mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, like pretty much unavailable limited here in the US, lol. I can't find anywhere but Ebay mark up trolls that have it, and most are in the Russian Federation.
It looks amazing, you should definitely buy it.
My experience is the same as guyoutred. I use it with a Mio Link BTLE HRM and Motorola S11-HD BT heaphones while running. Ghostracer is the way to go, also wish it had audible updates and autolaps. GPS was dead-on today, but yesterday (cloudy, rainy) it tracked my run but had my position move south several miles then back again. Showed me with a 2min/mile pace.
I'm using the Walkman app for music, tried the Wear Music app but it was very cumbersome. This bad boy has now turned into the perfect replacement for my old MotoActv. Too bad it took this long for a company to satisfy this demand.

Question On display camera.

Can anyone explain how this is a feature? I mean it doesn't bother me. But the more I think about it . The less it feels like a feature. And more it feels like something fishy. I don't know enough about stuff to understand access to data under a proprietary feature. But at the bare minimum I've never thought you know what this phone needs is that small crappy front facing camera to be in the display . I think I prefer it not there at all since the phone opens the back camera is sufficient for both. End of the day I believe this will be my last samsung. I hate the front screen and inside screen is cool and impressive but still kinda annoying. In my mind these devices should come with all the quirks ironed out. I still enjoy my note 3 rooted as much if not more. And the note 20 ultra was a solid device but wasn't a big upgrade from my 10+. Bare minimum samsung not including accessories is just lame. I would have probably made the closed screen slightly larger for easier use on the go and then the use on the inside screen for less often use in casual settings.
Just my thoughts a month in and was curious to hear others thoughts. I know it's probably and amazing device for someone who doesn't upgrade frequently but as someone who does it was probably the device that has ended my desire for new and cool over tested and true. .
Anyone stumble across any lesser known features or functions that aren't well known?
Customization wise:
I use wavelet and my bose in car sounds amazing.
And have good lock/nice lock until hex is functional again.
Ad block
and system ui tuner that doesn't seem to be adding much
and I tried to see if I could use adb and 3c but it doesn't seem to improve much or increase any functional use but I just had it long ago and thought I'd see if it was useful
The latest update has improved my mobile service in rural areas near by sprint on tmobile experience
I haven't debloated because honestly the device probably wouldn't improve much with less and I'm kinda waiting to understand what all is needed until my account is fully tmobile. I assume nothing they have changes much but since it can't currently be unlocked on tmobile side I'm curious to how it's locked since it's not supposed to be sprint sim compatible. But still has the sprint unlock uicdd on device hidden with tmobile unlock visible. I also hope someone comes out with a case that has a tiny bluetooth keyboard , I think that would be kinda cool.
Ok
I know that for everyone, no device is perfect. As much as I LOVE this Fold 3, it's not perfect, but it's about as close as a mobile device has come for me. Then again, I know that I am also an edge-case as I use my Fold 3 in a way that most others do not. I use it as a Mobile Office. I call it my 3-pocket-laptop (look on YT for a video titled 4 pocket laptop to see what I am getting at).
I have a foldable BT KB with Trackpad, folding Tablet Stand and a 20kMah battery pack I take along and I can literally work from anywhere I have signal. I even made a portable, battery powered monitor (from an old Laptop and some parts I had to order (controller and the like)) I made that I can stuff in a backpack and have an even better experience when on the go. I no longer need to carry my work laptop with me with this setup.
So yeah, I get why it may not work for you, but for me, I love it.
Talderon said:
I have a foldable BT KB with Trackpad, folding Tablet Stand and a 20kMah battery pack I take along and I can literally work from anywhere I have signal. I even made a portable, battery powered monitor (from an old Laptop and some parts I had to order (controller and the like)) I made that I can stuff in a backpack and have an even better experience when on the go. I no longer need to carry my work laptop with me with this setup.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Pics please! I've seen the Mr Mobile video you're referring to, that was a fantastic idea!
Talderon said:
I know that for everyone, no device is perfect. As much as I LOVE this Fold 3, it's not perfect, but it's about as close as a mobile device has come for me. Then again, I know that I am also an edge-case as I use my Fold 3 in a way that most others do not. I use it as a Mobile Office. I call it my 3-pocket-laptop (look on YT for a video titled 4 pocket laptop to see what I am getting at).
I have a foldable BT KB with Trackpad, folding Tablet Stand and a 20kMah battery pack I take along and I can literally work from anywhere I have signal. I even made a portable, battery powered monitor (from an old Laptop and some parts I had to order (controller and the like)) I made that I can stuff in a backpack and have an even better experience when on the go. I no longer need to carry my work laptop with me with this setup.
So yeah, I get why it may not work for you, but for me, I love it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I saw that video and thought it was completely awesome what he did with the Z Fold3 and turning it into a complete desktop solution and even his Microsoft only co-worker was impressed with it.
vinokirk said:
Pics please! I've seen the Mr Mobile video you're referring to, that was a fantastic idea!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'll get some pics up soon. I am redesigning the "monitor" case now and want to have an all-in-one unit to show off.
truckerdewd said:
I saw that video and thought it was completely awesome what he did with the Z Fold3 and turning it into a complete desktop solution and even his Microsoft only co-worker was impressed with it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, I am former MSFT myself and several people there want me to try the same thing with a Duo 2 (which they are sending me) and do a comparison. This will be fun!

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