Garmin’s fitness trackers now help you master your calorie balance
There are plenty of apps and gadgets that track the calories you burn during exercise. But comparing those figures with the calories you’re taking in? That’s harder, which is why Garmin has teamed up with MyFitnessPal to provide a clearer picture of your energy balance. The collaboration melds the calorie consumption data from Garmin devices with MyFitnessPal’s activity and nutrition info to create a Calorie In/Out section on Garmin’s Connect page. You’ll quickly find out if a long run was enough to offset that big dessert, or if you need to eat more to keep up with your workouts. The MyFitnessPal integration is currently limited to the Forerunner 15 GPS watch and the Vivofit tracker, but all Forerunners and Edge bike computers should support the feature this summer.
Filed under: Wearables, Internet
Source: Garmin
US Marshals accidentally leak list of Silk Road Bitcoin bidders
Next week, the US Marshals will auction-off the $18 million or-so worth of Bitcoin that the FBI gained when it seized the online black market Silk Road. It turns out, however, that it’s not just the usual coterie of geeks and libertarians who are interested in a piece of Russ Ulbricht’s action. A list of “interested parties” was inadvertently leaked by a careless Marshal, revealing that major financial institutions could be battling Bitcoin exchanges like Coinbase and SecondMarket in the fight for a portion of the hoard.
The US law enforcement agency took great pains to point out that the list of prospective bidders, which are required to drop $200,000 into escrow before June 27th, but merely people who had asked questions about the auction. That said, the recipients list included senior figures at French bank BNP Paribas, as well as investment funds like Matrix Capital and DRW Trading Group. Of course, it’s not the first time investors have gambled with Bitcoin — the Winklevoss twins own a significant stake in the cryptocurrency — but perhaps this is a step on Bitcoin’s road into polite society. Hell, it might even attend the same email etiquette classes that at least one US Marshal will be sent on in the next few weeks.
Filed under: Internet
Source: Coindesk
3D-printed material can carry 160,000 times its own weight
Researchers from MIT and Lawrence Livermore have created a new class of materials with the same density as aerogels (aka frozen smoke) but 10,000 times stiffer. Called micro-architected metamaterials, they can withstand 160,000 times their own weight, making them ideal for load-bearing, weight-sensitive applications. To do it, the team created microscopic lattice molds using a 3D printer and photosensitive feedstock, then coated them with a metal 200 to 500 nanometers thick. Once the lattice material was removed, it left an ultralight metal material with a very high strength-to-weight ratio. The process also works with polymers and ceramics — with the latter, they created a material as light as aerogel, but four orders of magnitude stiffer. In fact, it was 100 times stronger than any known aerogel, making it ideal for use in the aerospace industry. Given that it was funded by DARPA, it could also end up on robots, drones or soldiers.
Netflix and Chelsea Handler will ‘revolutionize the talk show’ — two years from now
Netflix is adding a new category to its rapidly expanding stable of original content: the talk show. The subscription video service confirmed long-running rumors today, announcing it’s signed a deal with comedian and host Chelsea Handler for a show it will begin distributing in early 2016. The “world’s leading Internet TV Network” plans to create a show for all of its territories that viewers can enjoy however and whenever they like. Before that happens, Netflix and Handler will team up for a stand-up special Uganda Be Kidding Me that will tape tomorrow in Chicago and come to the service on October 10th. She’s also going to wrap up the seventh season of her current show Chelsea Lately (not familiar? A sample from its YouTube channel is included after the break.) for the E! network on August 26th and in 2015, create four “docu-comedy” specials for Netflix. The specials will show Chelsea trying to learn about subjects including NASCAR, politics, Silicon Valley and the NBA Draft and of course, lead in to the “First-Ever Talk Show for the Global On-Demand Generation.”
[Image credit: Scott Roth/Invision/AP]
Handler and Netflix’s Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos weren’t specific about their plans to disrupt late night — including whether the show will release episodes daily, weekly, or on any other schedule — but given the success found in drama (House of Cards, Orange is the New Black), documentaries (The Square) and even stand-up, it’s ready to be a serious contender in the late night wars. One of the main questions will be how the traditional show format transitions to the service’s “anytime” viewing model, but Handler called the Netflix team “the most forward thinking, alert group I’ve sat down with in ages. No offense to the Shahs Of Sunset.” Original Content VP Cindy Holland told The Hollywood Reporter in a recent interview that “we don’t have any preconceived notions about what will or won’t work on the service”
Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD
Source: Netflix
iOS 8 to Expand Manual Controls for iPhone Photographers
Apple is working to open up camera controls in iOS 8, giving photographers granular control over settings such as ISO, shutter speed, and more, reports AnandTech. While only a few manual controls will make it into the stock camera app, almost full manual control will be made available for third-party app developers to implement as of iOS 8.
According to AnandTech, iOS 8′s AVCaptureDevice APIs will let developers tap into advanced controls such as ISO, shutter speed, focus, white balance, exposure bias, EV bracketing, and shutter speed/ISO bracketing. The ability to manipulate these controls will provide photographers with new ways to creatively compose a shot or a video clip. Developers also can use these controls to offer a variety of camera presets and other behind-the-scenes algorithms that manipulate images during the capture process.
While only the exposure bias controls will make it into the stock camera application, all of these new controls exposed through the AVCaptureDevice APIs will enable camera applications similar to Nokia’s Pro Camera or HTC’s Sense 6 camera application. It’s been said that Apple is one of the few OEMs that take camera seriously, and these new controls can only cement that position.
Apple has steadily boosted camera performance in its iPhone models by improving both the hardware and software that powers this feature. As a result, the iPhone is known for its exceptional camera performance and has been among the most popular cameras on Yahoo’s image hosting service Flickr.
The next-generation iPhone 6 is expected to continue this trend with iOS 8 camera improvements such as time-lapse mode as well as new iPhone camera hardware that may include optical or electronic image stabilization, a wider aperture, as well as an ARTON filter to minimize CMOS color shifts.
Retina iPad Mini as Low as $300 With Best Buy EDU Discounts [iOS Blog]
Best Buy is currently offering a $50 discount Apple’s Retina iPad mini as part of a Grad sale, dropping the price of the entry-level tablet to $349. Combined with a student deal that offers an additional $50 off, it’s possible to get a Retina iPad mini for as little as $300.
The combined $100 discount is good on any Retina iPad mini, cellular and WiFi and with all storage capacities. To take advantage of the full deal, a valid .EDU email address is required, but prospective buyers without an .EDU email address can still get a $50 discount on any Retina iPad mini.
The $50 grad sale will last from June 19 to June 21, while the $50 student discount will last until July 12.
Best Buy’s deep student discounts on 2014 MacBook Air models are still ongoing as well, dropping the price of the entry-level MacBook Air down to $649 with an .EDU email address. Students can also get $150 off any Mac by taking advantage of Best Buy’s student deals.
MacRumors is an affiliate partner of Best Buy.
Access your important stuff quicker with Nokia’s new Z Launcher [App of the Day]
Introducing Z Launcher from Nokia Z Launcher on Vimeo.
Samsung is not the only hardware maker to debut a new launcher for Android this week. Indeed, Nokia has thrown their best effort at us, introducing its new Z Launcher app. Designed with the premises of helping users more quickly get to the important apps and “stuff”. How does it work? From the moment you install it and start moving about your device, it’s learning what you do. Toss in some gestures on the home screen and you’ve got instant, simple access to your apps.
Throughout the day, Z Launcher is learning how you use your phone and promoting your favorite apps so you can get to them faster.
Whether you’re texting a certain someone, trying not to search for apps in the car, or multi-tasking at the office, your screen changes based on your everyday life. The more you use it, the better it gets.
This one’s not yet available in the Google Play Store; interested parties can sign up for the limited beta directly through the website.
The post Access your important stuff quicker with Nokia’s new Z Launcher [App of the Day] appeared first on AndroidGuys.
‘Bleeding’ pants can show paralympians that they’re injured
One of the biggest worries paralympians have is sustaining injuries in areas where they won’t be able to feel it. After all, if they don’t even know they’re injured, they might end up bleeding to death. That’s why a group of students from London’s Imperial College and The Royal College of Art have teamed up to create Bruise pants, which show paralympians where they’re injured and how severe it is. The designers sewed pressure-sensitive films made by Fuji onto a pair of Lycra leggings, marking vital points where injuries would be most damaging. In the event that any of those areas sustain impact damage, the film develops a red stain similar to blood seeping through cloth. If the color’s showing up as a deep, dark magenta, that means it’s time to stop and find the medics.
In order to provide users a guide on how to distinguish minor scrapes from major injuries, the students tested the film out by draping some over animal bones and subjecting them to repeated blows. Their efforts resulted in the current prototype, which is especially useful for athletes who play wheelchair basketball, sit skiing and motor racing (in fact, it just debuted at the Silverstone Circuit). In the future, the developers hope to make a full suit that will be more useful for other sports — even ones played by able-bodied athletes. As Paralympian Talan Skeels-Piggins (who’ve worked closely with the students to develop the Bruise pants) told Wired UK:
It could be used by any able-bodied athlete that is involved in activity where blunt force trauma could cause injury. Athletes are renowned for going through the pain barrier, and that also includes training with fractured bones that could either fail catastrophically or cause long term damage to the athlete.
Filed under: Misc
Source: Imperial College London
Teenager builds browser plugin to show you where politicians get their funding
The murky world of lobby groups bankrolling politicians is garnering more attention, but is there a way to find out which representatives are in the pocket without a lot of tedious research? A 16-year-old programmer has developed a browser plugin that, when you mouse-over the name of a US lawmaker, will serve up a list of which parties have donated to their campaign funds, and the quantities. Greenhouse (geddit?) is currently available for Chrome and Safari, with Firefox coming at some point in the future — although our lawyers have (probably) asked us to point out that the data is from the 2012 elections, so they may not be entirely up to date.
Filed under: Internet
Via: Represent.Us
Source: Greenhouse
Bill Nye ‘The Science Guy’ wants to reboot his classic show, but isn’t sure it makes sense
Bill Nye co-hosting The 2014 White House Science Fair livestream
Bill Nye — known to most as “The Science Guy” — doesn’t get paid for his regular appearances at The White House. “I have to pay my own way here!” he says. “I just support it. Generally, the kids are happy to see me and that’s good!” Nye was one of the hundreds of guests attending the first White House Maker Faire yesterday morning; he’s appeared previously at the annual White House Science Fair and other STEM (Science/Technology/Engineering/Mathematics) events. When we caught up with him, he was carefully framing a selfie with a young maker so that George Healy’s portrait of Abraham Lincoln ended up in the shot.
Having grown up with Nye’s excellent show Bill Nye The Science Guy, we immediately asked what happened to the planned reboot he once teased:
“People talk about it all the time; I’m going to a meeting tomorrow. We’ll see if that works out.”
That is not what we expected to hear. Back in 2012, Nye said on Reddit that he would consider new episodes, but “it would have to be with the right producers, and it would have to be a less unfavorable contract.” When asked if he might do it on YouTube or some such, he was coy. “Stay tuned” he wrote, with a wink symbol.
We put similar questions to him yesterday: How about a Reading Rainbow approach, with Kickstarter? The Levar Burton-hosted show is coming back after tremendous support from fans on Kickstarter last month.
“I can make a new show. I own the rights to ‘Bill Nye the Science Guy’,” Nye told us. But does it make sense now, in the age of ASAP Science, CGP Grey and other YouTube greats? “It’s hard to… that was a special time,” he said. “Now there are millions, just literally millions of competitors. Certainly tens of thousands.” Nye’s even appeared on those internet shows — “I love IFLS [I Fucking Love Science]! IFLS! I’ve got t-shirts!” he said — so he’s not against changing up the formula. “It’s just a different time.”
As for his battle with creationists, he told us the debates are off. At least for now. “I’m not gonna debate that guy again. He’s zero for one as far as I’m concerned,” Nye said, in reference to his debate with author Ken Ham. His next step is a book being published this fall: Bill Nye’s Evolution: The Science of Creation. Unlike his classic show, the book is aimed squarely at adults, though he said it’s not as complex as a Richard Dawkins book on evolution.
Characteristic of Nye’s charm, he put it this way: “This book is for grown-ups, not kids. Grown-ups don’t know much about evolution.”
AIVAnet 