Feedback Loop: Online security, the Note Edge, fitness trackers and more!
Happy Saturday, and welcome to another edition of Feedback Loop! With all the talk of online data breaches this week, we’re discussing ways to better protect your data stored in the cloud. After you’re done auditing your passwords, let us know what you think of Samsung’s new curved Galaxy Note Edge and find out how much fitness trackers are helping your fellow readers. Make yourself comfy and join us after the break for some in-depth tech talk.
How are you keeping yourself safe online?
In light of the recent iCloud security issue, I’m curious to find out how you protect yourself online. Obviously, strong credentials are the way to go, but are you using password managers? Do you go the extra mile by also enabling two-factor authentication? Come join the discussion and share your tips for staying safe in the cloud.
Who is the Galaxy Note Edge for?
Samsung likes to get a little crazy with mobile devices, and at IFA this week, the Galaxy Note Edge captured everyone’s attention. The curved screen has TgD asking just who is the Note Edge made for? Check out Brad’s hands-on first, and then head to the forums to share your own theories.
Facebook Messenger: Give in, or say goodbye
Decoupling apps is all the rage right now. Foursquare kicked things off with Swarm and Facebook finally spun out Messenger for good. John isn’t thrilled with this move; he doesn’t understand why we need multiple apps for a single service. Is this the final straw for Facebook on your phone?
Are fitness trackers improving your health?
Even though fitness analytics are showing up in phones and smartwatches, the dedicated tracker market is still kicking. They’re coming in the form of bracelets, watches (the non-smart kind) and more. The age-old question still remains though: Do they actually work? A few of our readers have already shared their success stories, so come join the discussion and let us know if all that data-tracking is working for you.
Other discussions you may also like:
- Recommendations for headphones priced under $200
- What IFA announcements have you most excited?
- Operation Finish all the games!
That’s all this week. Want to talk about your favorite gadget or have a burning question about technology? Register for an Engadget account today, visit the Engadget forums and start a new discussion!
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Apple Inviting ‘Top Fashion Editors and Bloggers’ to September 9 Media Event
Apple has extended invites for its upcoming September 9 media event to “top fashion editors and bloggers”, reports Reuters. The news comes as the company is expected to unveil its first wearable device at the event, which has been frequently referred to as the iWatch.
Apple is forging closer ties to the fashion world as it plots its foray into the fertile field of wearable technology, trying to win over a critical crowd that may prove crucial to the success of consumer gadgets worn around the body.
Previous reports have suggested that the iWatch will be a “fashionable device“, coming in a number of different materials and having a variety of band and face options. Other rumors have suggested that the device may also come in a number of screen sizes , and feature a curved, flexible display along with biometric sensors to track health-related metrics.
The report also states that Apple held a private, “first-of-its-kind event” last month at an Apple Store in New York to show a variety of fashion and retail apps to a group of style editors. Multiple fashion editors also told Reuters that the company has held other separate events in New York City for members of the fashion industry to review new products and meet the team behind them.
Apple has also hired a number of fashion industry experts in the past year, which include former Yves Saint Laurent CEO Paul Deneve who works on “special projects” and directly reports to CEO Tim Cook. Last October, the company also hired former Burberry CEO Angela Ahrendts, who is currently Apple’s Senior Vice President of Retail and Online Stores.
While the iWatch is expected to be announced at the company’s media event next week, reports have suggested that the device will not begin shipping until early next year.
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Panasonic’s smart mirror turned me into a 1970s space princess
It was going to be either me or my male colleague. That’s a lie: It was absolutely going to be me. It was my last day at IFA, Europe’s biggest technology show, and Brad Molen and I were sitting inside a sparsely decorated smart home that Panasonic had built in the middle of the demo area. Panasonic needed a volunteer to sit in front of its prototypical smart mirror, which applies digital “makeup” so you can sample new looks. I exchanged a look with Brad, imagining his bearded cheeks with blush on them. Then I sat down and agreed to let a machine tell me everything that was wrong with my face.
Embarrassingly enough, this isn’t even the first time I’ve tested such a product for Engadget. Back at CES, if you recall, I got hands-on with a modded Windows PC that used a Kinect sensor to apply makeup and give people nose jobs. If that’s all Panasonic’s mirror did, I would have walked away, my dignity intact. But this thing is a little more sophisticated. With the help of sensors and facial recognition software (the same kind as Panasonic’s cameras), it creates an enlarged, hologram-like image of your face, and then diagnoses your weak areas — wrinkles, smile lines, blemishes, et cetera.
When it’s done, it makes custom recommendations based on your skin condition. In my case, the mirror zeroed in on the dark circles under my eyes, marking the area with a series of blue lines. I was jetlagged, exhausted and operating on very little sleep. “Get this girl some concealer!” it may as well have said. Then it offered to sell me anti-aging products and have me download a juice recipe. Well played, machine. Well played.
From there, you can do all sorts of things to your eyebrows, lips, cheeks and eyebrows, just as you’d expect. For the purposes of this demo, the presenter was using a remote, but it’s also capable of voice commands, including “Mirror off.” In addition, the mirror could in theory sync with your calendar, and recommend entire looks for different occasions. A first date after work? Meeting with clients? Spending the day at a trade show? (J/k: The answer there is “no makeup.”) Of course, I say “in theory” for a reason: Not only is this a prototype, but it isn’t necessarily destined for your home, either. Instead, a Panasonic rep told me, the mirror is really intended for places like salons and department stores. Which is just as well: Only a professional could tell me when a space-alien look is called for.
Brad Molen contributed to this report.
Filed under: Household
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