This week, the Technological observatory brings you the following news:

●       Best Buy reveals the prices and features of the Moto 360

●       MIUI 6 is official, all the innovations: much more than just a ROM

●       Telefonica will be adding videogames and alarms to its Fusion package

●       We want to see these frameless Sharp telephones in Europe

●       We now have news on YouTube Music Key, Google's upcoming music subscription service

●       HTC returns to Windows Phone with its best terminal, the One M8

●       Asus will be presenting its watch with Android Wear on September 3

●       It's official: We see texts on our Twitter from people who follow us

●       HTC schedules an event for September 4

●       Windows 9 and its version for developers will be present at an event on September 30

●       The nearables have arrived: information tags directly to your smartphone

 

Since it was announced a few months ago, the Moto 360, the first intelligent watch from Motorola equipped with Android Wear, has been surrounded by rumors, and all thanks to this design, with an aim to being different and changing the concept we have of the square smartwatch that we have seen so much of lately. Well, thanks to an error (or strategy) of the Best Buy website in the United States, we now know the features of the long-awaited Moto 360, as well as the price, which is due to be launched on September 4 in an event that will be held by the company in which they will also be presenting the update of their emblematic smartphones. The fight in the intelligent watch field is becoming more intense, and now we know about what seem to be the final specifications of the Moto 360, things are starting to get more interesting. Sunday afternoon in the United States, the Moto 360 was listed on the Best Buy website for a few minutes, where we could read the specifications, as well as its price of $249.99, which is $20 more than the LG G Watch. Included in the features, we could see that the Moto 360 will have a 1.5" projected LCD touch screen by Corning Gorilla Glass 3 with a 320 x 290 pixel resolution and a 205 pixel per inch density, and it will also be driven by a Texas Instruments processor. Furthermore, it will be waterproof for up to 30 minutes at a maximum depth of 1 meter. It will include a heart rate monitor and pedometer, and will be available in silver or gray, as well as having a wireless charging base, although it did not specify whether it will be included, or whether it will have to be purchased separately. The page is currently not available, although the URL is still listed with the name of the device and its product number. Now, if all this information is true, the only thing left to find out is the date it will be available from, and luckily we are only a few weeks away from the event that has been prepared by Motorola, where we hope to hear all the information about this Moto 360.

Xiaomi, like many other manufacturers, generally equip their devices with a modified version of Android, and in this case it's the well-known MIUI layer (which is also available in ROM format for many other terminals). As they announced when they presented the Xiaomi Mi4, version 6 of the MIUI was very close, and details have been given in the last few hours. MIUI 6 has been revealed with a huge visual overhaul, with the entire interface now having a flatter, more minimalist and above all, more colorful design. It aims to be more intuitive and user friendly. Everything is clear and the really import elements in each application or menu stand out. The changes will not only be aesthetic, MIUI 6 will also be introducing new functions and improvements on previous versions, meaning that it will not be just another customization layer. The Telephone application has been improved, incorporating unknown call and service number identification options. The home screen adds a multitude of actions using faces, improved icon organization, quick search, and the notifications area is totally new as well as the way in which the notices are displayed. Of course, the themes are still there, allowing anyone to have a totally different phone in just seconds, and the native Calendar, E-mail, Music and Video player applications (as well as a few more) are totally new. There are also new energy saving modes to increase the life of the telephone, a security suite that ensures the phone is free from malware and viruses, and a series of tools such as Master Clean to clean the system, a download manager and multiple options to control access to different wireless networks and data saving. This is a good MIUI 6 upgrade, it's a nice ROM that has won the hearts of many users over the last few years, being, without a doubt, one of the most loved and different Android layers. However, we can't deny that this sixth edition reminds us of something: it is very similar to iOS 7 in many sections and apps, although we know that this doesn't seem to worry the people at Xiaomi, as we have seen in other product and presentation similarities.

César Alierta's company has seen a goldmine in package deals. Maybe due to its customers' high monthly bills, which are around 70 Euros, or due to its low disconnection rate, Telefonica believes that the future comes in packages. Therefore, the operator will be doing everything possible to offer its customers new products: alarms and videogames. Telefonica's plans with regard to alarms is based around private automation and security services. It is assumed that the operator has developed an action plan created by its staff which is ready to be launched, although collaborations with a security company haven't been ruled out. We expect these services to be on the market before the end of the year. Then there are videogames, a sector that Telefonica is very interested in, although it admits that it is still rather new to that world. The best bet would be to develop a technology that lets players and multi-players play online in the different platforms the company currently operates in. Therefore, nothing is expected from them until the end of 2015. These two areas would increase the Spanish operator's range of products, turning it into one of the largest technology firms in the country. These two products need to be broken down into two areas: the first is making their huge investment in fiber infrastructure and 4G profitable and the second is reversing the poor figures that the company has had recently. It's worth remembering that other similar products aimed at another kind of public were not as successful as expected. Therefore, Telefonica must make sure that they offer their customers a product that they really want, especially in the world of electronic leisure, which could end up being very lucrative for them.

 

One of the biggest criticisms received by smartphone manufacturers is about the screen frames. They significantly increase the size of the device, and even though they become narrower every year, they are still larger than we would like them to be. Sharp has a solution. Its two new telephones from the Sharp Aquos Crystal family have tiny frames that are barely existent: practically the whole front is screen, other than the bottom, where the camera and microphone are located. Two models are going to be launched in Japan, named Aquos Crystal and Aquos Crystal X. The first will be a mid-range 5" phone (Snapdragon 400, 1.5 GB of RAM memory) and the second slightly larger and more powerful, with 5.5" (Snapdragon 801, 2 GB of RAM memory). Both have the same "borderless" design and come from the factory with Android 4.4.2. Unfortunately, the bad news is with regard to distribution. Sharp is not a dominant manufacturer in Europe, which is why the Aquos Crystal has been presented in Japan, where it will be initially sold. There are rumors that point to a launch in the United States tomorrow, under the operator Sprint, although nothing is known about its launch in the Old continent. Frameless phones, very attractive to many people, and which he hope to see soon in Spain.

For a long time now, people have been talking about a possible service for playing music under the YouTube platform. Last October there were already rumors about this premium option and it now seems to be closer than ever, we even know its name: YouTube Music Key. Android Police have released information and screenshots from YouTube Music Key, and the idea is very simple: create a subscription music service which provides songs with no advertising to get in the way, (for cell phones, tablets, PCs and TVs), with just audio, which can play in the background and with the screen turned off, even without Internet access, offline, all from the existing YouTube App.

YouTube Music Key + Google Play Music Key for $9.99 per month

The truth is that it sounds pretty good (never said better), but of course, it will come at a price: $9.99 per month, with a free 30 day trial. The first thing that came to mind when we heard this was: what about Google Play Music All Access? It seems that it will be renamed, with the same surname, to Google Play Music Key and for the same price as before, you'll be able to use both music services (maybe current All Access subscribers will be given a discount, we'll have to wait and see). We have also heard that Google has added more than 20 million high quality songs for YouTube Music Key, which will include full albums organized by discography, which will bring together the millions of hours of music that is already on YouTube, although the great G will have to negotiate this content first with the owners.

Music, concerts, covers... without advertising, offline and on any platform

As confirmation, if you check out the whois website for the YouTubeMusicKey.com domain, you can see that it has been registered by Google, although many variations of the name will be left out. The YouTube brand, much better known than All Access, could become a leader in on-demand music reproduction, as it will also provide access to concerts, mixes and more, linked to the suggestions system already implemented in the videos. Given the amount of information and screenshots that have emerged, YouTube Music Key could be closer than we thought. What do you think? Would you pay for a service like that? And what about the price?

HTC One M8 for Windows. They didn't spend too much time on it and their new Windows Phone is now a reality, as rumored over the last few days. After a couple of years waiting, HTC One M8 for Windows is launched with a very clear goal: give the Nokia Lumia some competition, which until now was the clear leader of the Windows Phone ecosystem. HTC will attempt this with a clone of the One M8. When we say a clone of the original One M8, it's because it has all the same features. All the same? All the same... other than the operating system, of course. The HTC One M8 for Windows has a 5" FullHD screen, 441 ppp and hardware based on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 801. Below is a table with all the details:

O.S.	Windows Phone 8.1
Screen	5.0 inches 1920 x 1080, 441 ppp
Processor	Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 MSM 8974AB (4x Krait 2,36 GHz.) GPU Adreno 330 @ 550 MHz.
RAM	2 GB LPDDR3
Internal memory	32 GB
External memory	Yes, microSD
Connectivity	2G / 3G / LTE
Back camera	4 Megapixels  (Ultrapixel)
Front camera	5 Megapixels
NFC	Yes
Battery	2.600 mAh
Size	146.3x70.6x9.35 mm
Weight	160 grams

We're coming up to the second anniversary of the launch of what, up until now, was the latest family of HTC Windows Phone devices. In their time, the HTC 8X and the more cautious HTC 8S provided an interesting experience. We analyzed the first with good conclusions: good design, performance, camera... but slightly pricey. Things have changed over the last two years, especially in the Windows ecosystem. Microsoft has radically changed aspects such as its CEO, and of course, they went shopping and came home with Nokia, no less. The panorama is much different now than it was back then. This includes Windows Phone being closely linked to Nokia, which has been the undeniable leader of the platform for a few months now. HTC is looking to make life hard for Microsoft and its Nokia with the new M8 for Windows, something they already tried to do with the 8X and 8S. You could look at it as a rematch two years later. Another way of looking at this launch is with a riddle: what has HTC lost with Windows Phone? According to IDC, Android has 84.7% of the market and Windows Phone has just 2.5%, and on top of that, a drop of close to 10% in the last year. Anyway, Windows Phone has a new quality terminal, the HTC One M8 for Windows. Its success, as always, is an enigma: for now, it will only be sold by Verizon in the United States, but we hope to see it with other operators within a few months, once the exclusivity period has ended. Two identical versions of hardware but with two systems: Android and Windows Phone, which leads to an interesting question: will HTC One M8 be the first smartphone with dual-boot on the market? Identical hardware and drivers and controllers that already exist and have been developed for both systems, and which we understand come from HTC. Dual-boot is a technically viable possibility in the One M8 for Windows, although the brand did not officially mention anything in today's presentation. It's one of those things that, if it happens, will be undergoing development by the community. A very interesting option that will be confirmed once the first phones are sent over the next few days.

The leaks from last week are true. ASUS has confirmed that it will present its intelligent watch based on Android Wear at the upcoming IFA 2014 in Berlin, or to be more specific, in two weeks, on Wednesday September 3. ASUS announced this by publishing a promotional image on social networks, which shows a glimpse of their next smartwatch, which Jerry Chen, CEO of the company, said would have a better design than most of their competitors' watches. At present there aren't many details about the next rival of the LG G Watch, Samsung Gear Live and the Moto 360. According to the latest leaks, ASUS wants to sell it for between $99 and $149 to revolutionize the Android Wear market as it did a couple of years back with the seven inch tablet.

What began as an experiment is now official: Twitter decided to display some popular texts on our Twitter that "may" be of interest to us. It's on the support page, stating in a new note:

You can see content from accounts that you don't follow, such as promoted Tweets, Retweets from accounts that you follow or content that may be relevant to you.

As with Facebook, there is now a top secret algorithm that will determine this new content. There is no simple equation to determine if a tweet is displayed on accounts of people who do not follow us, we do not know how many times it should be marked favorite or how many RTs it should get, we don't know if the popularity of the accounts that interact with a tweet affects its visibility ... we know nothing, we only know that from now on our Twitter can include surprises. We hope that the algorithm is intelligent, at least intelligent enough to prevent content from appearing that is of no interest to us, although we will only find out with time.

The first days of September, which are just around the corner, will be loaded with new news on Android, since the Berlin IFA is a perfect place for those who want to showcase their upcoming devices. HTC didn't want to be left in the shadows, and has invited us to see their new smartphones on the September 4 at 8am. A while back, in an article on HTC's future plans for the rest of 2014, there were rumors about several terminals, such as the HTC Eye, a terminal based around selfies, a smartwatch and even a competitor for the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Note 4, which could be the new HTC One M8 Max. Another runner in the mid-range will be the HTC Desire 510, which will be the first to use the 64 bit Snapdragon 410 processor. Curiously, the date for this event coincides with Motorola and Huawei's presentations of new devices. Maybe between now and September 4 we will have some clearer information on the devices that HTC will be showcasing at the next Berlin IFA.

Windows 9's official advert is just around the corner. Up until now, we've only heard rumors and no official word from Microsoft about this new version of Windows, but this could all change in just over a month. According to sources from The Verge, Redmond is planning to hold an event on September 30 to announce Windows 9 with bells and whistles. At the event, a trial version for developers will also be launched, which will enable the early adopters to try out some of the new features that Windows 9 will be incorporating, and which can be downloaded on the day of the event or a few days beforehand. Sources also say that at the same time, Microsoft will be compiling some build candidates to be the trial version for developers, and therefore, this version will only include the features that they have managed to work with until now, such as the new Home page and the charms replacement, leaving out other improvements that the Windows team have been working on for now. The inclusion of Cortana in this preliminary version is not guaranteed, but neither has it been ruled out. Another interesting detail that Microsoft may also discuss at the event is the new version of Windows RT combined with Windows Phone, which they are working on at the moment. Of course, you can count on the fact that on that day, we will be in Xataka Windows, giving full coverage with all the information and the analysis of the Microsoft announcements.

It's possible that the real kick-off of the Internet of things comes from Estimote and its stickers, which could be similar to nearables. These stickers can be stuck to practically any surface, and thanks to their Bluetooth connection, they can communicate with a nearby device to provide any kind of contextual information, such as location or movement. However, before running to the store to buy one of these amazing kits, we must take into account that this product is aimed at application developers, according to what we've read on Tech Crunch. In fact, despite its exceptional promotional video, the company has made it clear that its stickers are for people who work with them and can create original, and above all, useful applications. They just provide the means. Beacons are not a new technology. And there are companies, such as Apple, who use them in their stores. However, Estimote's proposal calls for a more specific and nuclear use, which could be a double-edged sword. It could be beneficial, as it provides micro-information to devices that wouldn't have it via other means, but if it becomes popular, it could saturate information, and worse, it could fill up with advertising. As you can see in the video, special emphasis is placed on its use in small businesses. If it is poorly applied, it could lead to a saturation of information and communication, which would divert away from the main use of the stickers. Nevertheless, we are still in the first stages or something that looks like it could turn into something