Polar’s latest wearable is a GPS watch and activity tracker all in one
We’re big fans of Nike’s Sportwatch GPS, but we do wish that the wearable would double as an activity tracker when we’re not sprinting ’round the block. Polar seems to feel our pain, and has welded together an activity tracker and a GPS watch for its latest CES gadget. The Polar V800 has integrated GPS with multi-sport profiles that’ll record your performance no matter what you’re doing, will record your heart rate and even your altitude. The rechargeable battery offers 14 hours for training, 50 hours in low-power GPS mode and 30 days if you’re using it as a watch. It’ll be available in April for $450, or $500 if you want one with a heart-rate monitor, too.
Filed under: GPS
Toshiba enters 2014 with extra-bright 4K TVs, simpler streaming media hubs
Toshiba knows how to shine in the 4K TV space when there’s a sea of competitors — by making brighter 4K TVs, of course. Its 2014 Ultra HD TV lineup (not yet pictured) centers on 58- and 65-inch Premier L9400U models that both have extra-bright “Radiance” LED panels. They similarly share a third-generation 4K video-scaling engine, a 240Hz refresh rate, DirecTV RVU support and voice control. If brightness isn’t what you’re looking for, there are more conventional alternatives. The 84-inch L9450U relies on more conventional local-dimming LEDs while preserving the rest of the L9400U’s features, and the 50- and 58-inch L8400U sets cut costs through both their smaller sizes and 120Hz panels. All three TV lines are poised to ship this summer, although Toshiba isn’t ready to commit to pricing.
The electronics giant is also launching a pair of next-generation Symbio set-top boxes, both of which combine Blu-ray with streaming media using a newly simplified, one-page interface that brings Smart TV Alliance app support. The BDX5500 leads the group with 4K upscaling and 3D playback, while the BDX3500 saves some cash by sticking to 2D. Toshiba doesn’t yet have pricing for the new Symbio line, but it should grace store shelves in the first quarter of the year.
Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD
Source: Toshiba
Audience’s new voice processors offer always-on listening without sacrificing battery life
We’ll admit, the touchless controls on the Moto X have spoiled us. It’s far too enjoyable to jolt the smartphone out of a deep slumber by speaking a keyword-based trigger phrase (for the X, it’s “OK Google Now”) and commanding it to do our bidding. And while Motorola managed to integrate this feature into its flagship smartphone without taking a huge hit on battery life, there’s always room for improvement. Audience, a manufacturer of digital voice and audio processors that are commonly found in a large number of smartphones, is introducing its next-gen chip with VoiceQ, an always-listening feature the company claims is even more efficient and powerful than Moto’s X8 chipset.
VoiceQ, much like its Moto X rival, will be continually ready and waiting for your trigger phrase (it’s “OK Audience” by default) and verbal commands. Your mileage may vary here, since it’ll be up to each handset maker to program those phrases and commands to their own satisfaction. The difference between the two devices, Audience tells us, is that VoiceQ not only uses a lot less power (less than 1.5mA) as it listens for you, it also doesn’t require you to pause between the trigger and the commands; you won’t find yourself speaking the same command twice just to ensure the phone heard the whole thing.
VoiceQ isn’t the only enhancement to the next-gen chips, known as the eS700 series. It also comes with noise suppression for windy conditions, a type of speech-restoration tech that filters out extremely noisy situations and 48kHz voice processing. In other words, if touchless controls aren’t really your thing yet, at least your smartphone will be much clearer on the other end for whoever you call. Device manufacturers are already testing samples of Audience’s new chips, and company reps tell us that we can expect to see it show up in the second half of this year.
Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile
LG spills price, release details on its Ultra HD, OLED (flat or curved) and webOS TVs
As usual, LG has encouraged our speculation by slowly revealing details about many of the new TVs it’s bringing to CES and today during its press conference we’re finding out the rest, including price and release windows. First up is its impossibly large 105-inch curved LCD, an ultrawide screen that may actually deliver on its promise of a cinema experience in the home. While this doesn’t have a specific release period, LG is anticipating an MSRP of about $70K so it won’t come cheap, but its unique 5,120 x 2,160 resolution is impressive enough to merit consideration — if you’re not convinced don’t worry, there are a number of other options. If you’re looking for a new OLED TV instead, LG is also setting high water marks there with its Ultra HD 77-inch curved model. It combines ultra high resolution with the company’s best display technology and high dynamic range algorithm for a picture that should be stunning. Of course, that comes with a similarly eye popping price of $29,999 when it starts rolling out during the second quarter of this year, but delivering on the promise of one of our favorite displays from last year isn’t cheap.
For those that want the latest in TV technology but prefer a flat viewing surface, LG is also almost ready to deliver its conventionally-shaped Gallery OLED TV in the US. The 55-inch EA8800 doesn’t have the all the pixels of its predecessors above, but with an MSRP of $8,999, it’s a bit closer to our price range and hopefully, new production plants will make the price fall even faster. Of course, there’s a possibility that our favorite part of the announcement is the most easily obtained, as LG has revealed that webOS is coming to most of its new Smart TVs this year.
Purchased from HP and adapted to work on TV, the experience begins with a user-friendly tutorial and setup process, and moves on to a connected TV system that could surpass the others in the field right out of the box. The webOS Launcher is built for multitasking with apps and live TV, all built around the concept of past, present and future. This platform is LG’s first compatible with apps built on HTML standards (Netflix, Hulu Plus, Facebook, GetGlue and others are already lined up), which should hopefully attract more developers to the platform. We’ll have to get our hands on it to verify the company’s pledge that it’s “Making TV Simple Again,” but so far it appears to have a good start — check after the break for a few more screenshots.
Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD, LG
CES 2014: Parrot Unveils ‘MiniDrone’ and ‘Jumping Sumo’ iOS Controlled Vehicles [iOS Blog]
Parrot, the company behind the iPhone-controlled AR.Drone Wi-Fi quadricopter, revealed two new products at CES 2014 including the MiniDrone, a smaller version of the AR.Drone, and the Jumping Sumo, a robotic car with individually controlled wheels.
Like Parrot’s other products, the MiniDrone is controlled using an iOS app, allowing a user to adjust the pitch, yaw, altitude and rotation with ease. Parrot’s MiniDrone also comes with large wheels that act as a protective barrier around the rotors, allowing for the device to be durable when bouncing off of objects. The Verge also explained the device’s internal features:
On the tech side of things, Parrot’s using an accelerometer, ultrasonic sensor, gyroscope, and downwards-facing camera to give the drone all it needs to stay aloft. Unlike the AR.Drone, there’s no usable camera on board and no video output — you’ll have to make do with watching the MiniDrone buzz around the room. Bluetooth 4.0 is used to communicate with the drone, and the company says that offers a maximum range in clear air of about 160 feet.
Meanwhile, Parrot’s Jumping Sumo is controlled by a system that uses swipe gestures, accelerometer detection, and gyroscope movement to navigate and turn. The device itself includes an onboard QVGA camera and dual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi to communicate with the included iPad app, as users can view the perspective from the robot in real-time.
Both drones are expected to be released later this year, with pricing info to be determined. 
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Apple Updates Corporate Bylaws on Diversity Following Criticism Over Lack of Female Leaders
Apple has come under criticism from major shareholders Trillium Asset Management LLC and the Sustainability Group over the absence of women on its board and throughout its top-level rankings, reports Bloomberg.
“There is a general problem with diversity at the highest echelon of Apple,” said Jonas Kron, director of shareholder advocacy at Boston-based Trillium, which manages $1.3 billion. “It’s all white men.”
According to the report, the shareholders met with Apple representatives several times over the past few months to address the company’s lack of female executives. The shareholders intended to bring the issue to a vote at Apple’s shareholder meeting on February 28, but backed off once Apple agreed to address the issue through new language in the company’s corporate charter [PDF link].
Apple is now adding the following language to the charter of the board’s nominating and governance committee: “The nominating committee is committed to actively seeking out highly qualified women and individuals from minority groups to include in the pool from which board nominees are chosen.”
While the statement was included in the company’s proxy for the past several years, it hadn’t been part of the company charter, a governing document. Apple also vowed to continue discussions with shareholders about ways to improve diversity, Ruoff said.
Currently, the only woman serving on Apple’s board is former Avon CEO Andrea Jung, who was elected to the position in 2008. The company is also set to add Burberry CEO Angela Ahrendts to its executive team in the spring, as she will become Apple’s Senior Vice President of Retail and Online Stores.
Apple’s 2014 Annual Meeting of Shareholders will take place at the company’s 1 Infinite Loop headquarters on February 28, 2014 at 9:00 AM Pacific Time, where votes on eleven proposals related to director reelection, compensation, and more will be held.
Note: Due to the nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.
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EyeCandis SoundBot SB1000 Bluetooth Qi NFC Alarm Clock Station review
The SoundBot SB1000 also known as the PowerBot SB1000 are both the same item with slightly different branding by parent company EyeCandis.
This feature packed alarm clock is a multimedia power station; available in both “Natural Wood” and “Dark Wood” color shades.
The alarm clock is packed with:
- Built-In NFC Tag
- Qi Wireless Charging for Qi Compatible Devices
- Awesome Bluetooth Speakers
- Temperature Sensor
- Built-In Microphone
- Built-In 3.5mm Audio Input
Bluetooth Wireless Speakers w/ Built-In Microphone
The Bluetooth stereo speakers (found on both sides) of the clock are great and provide great trebles and bass. I’ve been able to play audio, make and receive phone calls, parties can hear each other without a problem when in range of the microphone. Audio distortion is barely perceptible except when all devices on are their respective maximum volumes.
The volume range for the SoundBot SB1000 is decent for average household usage, but it’s not overwhelmingly magnificent. I have tested the speakers out with many genres of music, and they perform very well.
Pairing is simple but it can be a bit of a hassle the first time you connect to your device. On the top of the alarm clock you will find touch sensitive keys that allow uses to make and answer a call, pause/play music, change the speaker’s volume and more.
Alarm Clock
The main function of this device is to work as an alarm clock; the unit provides time with a large LED Display accurately once set. The alarm volume can be too low at times, however you can use your smartphone through the device’s speakers for a louder sound. But, without using a smartphone or tablet, I’m not quite sure this will always wake you up on its own.
Temperature Sensor
This alarm clock has a really neat temperature sensor. Set to Celsius by default, it can be switched to display in Fahrenheit. While the temperature sensor is very accurate, I had an extremely difficult time switching temperature formats due to a manufacturing issue with the unit during my testing.
Qi Wireless Charging
This device has a built in wireless charging pad built in to the top to charge your Qi compatible devices when placed in the proper position, the Qi Feature has functioned very well once activated. The positioning of your device and the qi charging pad is extremely sensitive, even without a case on your device, so make sure it’s in the right position before charging. Unfortunately, the Qi pad isn’t quite drop and go because of it’s sensitivity.
NFC
On the top left-side corner of the clock, there is a built-in empty NFC Tag so you can setup your own NFC commands with NFC capable smartphones and tablets.
Overall
This is a great Bluetooth speaker that shows the time, has NFC connectivity, excellent sound, and Qi charging. It might not, however, replace your alarm clock just yet. Due to a few quality control issues (temperature sensor, converting temperature, LED, and Bluetooth Pairing broadcast) When it all works properly, it’s an amazing device. Just note that some users have reported faulty products.
Pricing:
You can find the SoundBot Bluetooth Speaker Alarm Clock in Natural Wood and or Dark Wood at Amazon for $79.99.
The post EyeCandis SoundBot SB1000 Bluetooth Qi NFC Alarm Clock Station review appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Android comes to the open road with Open Automotive Alliance
Android connected cars coming from a variety of industry players
Android is coming to your cars, and in a big way. Today sees the official announcement of Google’s latest initiative, the Open Automotive Alliance.
Partnering other players in the space such as Audi, GM, Honda, Hyundai and Nvidia, the goal is to accelerate “auto innovation with an approach that offers openness, customization and scale”. Just like Google did with the Open Handset Alliance and smartphones, the Open Automotive Alliance should do for vehicles.
While we’ve seen some companies take a crack at integrating smartphones or tablets in the automobile, there are no standards yet. What’s more, it’s a wonky experience when it’s done. To say there’s room for improvement would be an understatement.
…Your favorite apps and music…safely with your car’s built-in controls and in-dash display…Working to enable new forms of integration with Android devices, and adapting Android for the car to make driving safer, easier and more enjoyable for everyone. …Enabling automakers to more easily deliver cutting-edge technology to their customers.
Let’s hope that other industry names join the fray and that innovation accelerates for the auto space as quickly as it has for smartphones. According to the OAA, we can expect to see the first cars with Android integration by the end of this year.
To learn more check out the official website of the Open Automotive Alliance.
The post Android comes to the open road with Open Automotive Alliance appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Netgear’s new 802.11ac WiFi range extenders laugh at walls, distances
The 802.11ac WiFi standard is a spring chicken no longer, making us curious as to why there’s a lack of range extenders supporting it — barring Amped Wireless’ efforts, of course. Looking to capitalize on the situation, Netgear’s launching a pair of such extenders at CES, starting with the AC750 (aka the EX6100). This wall-plug model bounces up to 750 Mbps of dual-band WiFi to underserved areas, as well as playing host to one Ethernet port. The beefier AC1200 (aka EX6200) looks more like a router, packs five Ethernet ports, one USB 3.0 port, beamforming capabilities, and can deliver up to 1200 Mbps. Both are available now for $90 and $130 respectively, putting Amped Wireless’ $200 option into fairly uncompetitive territory.
Filed under: Wireless, Internet
Source: Netgear (AC750), (AC1200)
AIVAnet 