Yuneec’s hexacopter drone is a lot lighter than it looks

It’s true that we had some misgivings about calling Yuneec’s 13.9 pound E-Go skateboard “light,” but that certainly doesn’t apply here. Enticed by a PR rep’s invitation to, “go ahead, pick it up,” we did just that, and were taken aback by exactly how light it was, thanks in large part to its carbon fiber body. The Flying Eyes HX3 weighs all of 3.1 pounds sans-battery and is capable of of carrying up to 4.4 pounds. With a payload attached, the coptercan fly between 45 and 90 minutes. It’ll run you $3,000 when it finally launches later this year.

Filed under: Transportation

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Fuhu’s DreamTab line pops up at CES sporting ‘Kung Fu Panda’ and other DreamWorks fare

These are all still early stages pieces of hardware, so let’s just get that right out of the way. Even the “most final” of the three DreamTab slates Fuhu was showing off at tonight’s Pepcom event in Las Vegashad a number of apps that just wouldn’t load. Instead, the company’s here to show off what are more or less final hardware designs and a handful of DreamWorks sanctioned apps like one that teaches kids how to draw Kung Fu Panda and the like and a Puss in Boots-branded version of Fruit Ninja, which will come loaded on the final units.

We’ve got to say, we really liked the hardware design on these bad boys. They’re a fair bit sleeker than a number of the kid-focused tablets we’ve seen around. On the front, you’ll find a speaker grille on either side of the display. On the top, is a a slot for a stylus, power button and volume rocker, while the sides have a unique concave design that make it nice to hold — as does the silicone sleeve that will ship with the systems. Here at CES, the company is showing off an 8-inch, 12-inch and a large desktop tablet, that’s a pretty solid way to play a game of the aforementioned fruit-slicing title.

Filed under: Tablets

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A closer look at Basis’ new, more comfortable fitness band (hands-on)

Basis’ new fitness band, dubbed the Carbon Steel Edition, is much more comfortable than the original. And that’s not just me parroting the company’s marketing materials: I’ve been testing the original B1 band for weeks now, so I should know better than anyone how much better this new one is. Though the press materials would make it seem like this is basically the old B1 with a new wristband, it’s now covered in chrome accents (can you really call a faceplate an “accent”?). So, while the overall shape remains the same, and though the screen still has a touch-sensitive pins in each corner, it has a more premium look than it did before. It’s no Pebble, to be sure, but it’s nonetheless a step in the right direction.

Even without that metal overcoat, though, this would have been a big improvement if only thanks to the wristband. In brief, it has a much softer finish than the rubbery plastic used in the B1. It rests more comfortably against the skin, and is stretchier too, allowing for a snugger fit. Even some retooled hinges allow the band to curl around your wrist a little more naturally. I can’t overstate how important that is: right now, I barely even take advantage of the B1′s sleep tracking capabilities because by the time bedtime rolls around, I’ve grown weary of having an uncomfortable band strapped to my wrist.

That posher design aside, the Carbon Steel Edition offers the same features as the original B1, which is to say it monitors sweat output, heat dissipation, blood flow and heart rate, and can automatically tell when you’re started walking or running. Now, the accompanying app is about to get updated so that it shows more detailed information about your sleeping habits, including how much time you spent in light and deep sleep, and how often you tossed and turned throughout the night.

We got a quick glimpse at the forthcoming app here at CES in Las Vegas, and appreciated the clean design, especially the color-coded graphs that make it easy to understand when you were in REM sleep versus light sleep. The graphs also let you scroll through to see even more detailed information about your sleep at different points during the night. Our only question? What will Basis do to reward users for consistent sleeping habits? As is, the app is simple and easy to use, but doesn’t offer much in the way of motivational support.

Filed under: Wearables

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Cyanogen will partner with OnePlus on its debut phone, the ‘OnePlus One’

Ex-Oppo exec Pete Lau has just announced that his new company OnePlus will partner with Cyanogen on its first smartphone, which will be called the “OnePlus One.” He and Cyanogen’s Steve Kondik announced that the upcoming handset would run on a custom version of CyanogenMod’s Android OS with “special features and tweaks.” OnePlus already said that its mission is to build the perfect smartphone, and plans to launch it during the first half of this year — with Oppo reportedly on tap to build it, no less. That means OnePlus may have a chance of meeting its ambitious goals, since Oppo has some experience with CyanogenMod, and apparently some pull with Google.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile

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Via: Android Beat

Source: OnePlus

Garmin’s Vivofit: hands-on with yet another fitness tracker (video)

We got details for Garmin’s Fitbit competitor, the Vivofit, earlier today and now we’ve had a chance to wrap the thing around our dainty wrists. Garmin tells us the fitness tracker/watch that tells you when you’ve been lazy has an always-on display with a battery that won’t require frequent recharging. With its rubber exterior and simple band design, it’s not going to stand out at a glance, but the curved display does offer a bit more screen real estate than most and makes for a comfortable fit. It’s relatively inconspicuous, but like just about every other fitness tracker, we wouldn’t be caught dead wearing this thing at the opera . While Garmin’s promising better battery life than other fitness trackers, a company rep tells us that it won’t be compatible with Android or iOS devices to start — instead allowing “one-touch” uploads of your stats to the online Garmin Community app.

Filed under: Wearables, Wireless

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Lumo Lift is an activity tracker that vibrates when it detects bad posture

Because everyone loves a gadget that vibrates when you’re doing something wrong. Following last year’s LUMOback, which vibrates when it detected bad posture, the folks at BodyTech are back with yet another activity tracker, this time with a more discreet design. Dubbed the Lumo Lift, it works essentially the same was as the original, which is to say it counts steps and calories burned, and can detect when you’re walking, running, sitting or lying down. And, of course, it knows when you’re slouching, and delivers some gentle vibrations as a way of nagging you into standing up straight.

But whereas the first edition looked like some sort of high-tech weight lifting belt, this one is about as small as any other fitness tracker, meaning you can clip it onto your clothing (or your underclothing, if that’s the way you roll). Like the original, it will work exclusively with an iOS app (at least to start), which you can use to review your posture stats over time, and also use a journal feature to record how you feel. It’s launching first as a crowdfunded project, with prices ranging from $59 to $79 depending on which backer level you buy into. If all goes according to plan, it will ship sometime this spring. Hopefully, though, we’ll get hands-on way before then — preferably here at CES, even.

Filed under: Wearables

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Source: Lumo BodyTech