Apple Watch Set to Include Third-Party Glucose Tracking App at Launch
Medical device manufacturer DexCom over the weekend announced the company is developing an app for the upcoming Apple Watch that will display all of a user’s glucose and blood sugar-related health data on their wrist (via The Wall Street Journal).
The company, whose expertise lies in “continuous glucose monitoring systems for diabetes management,” says the app is expected to be ready when the Apple Watch launches in April. The app would sync to existing monitors manufactured by DexCom that use a “hair’s width sensor” located under the user’s skin to measure and report blood glucose levels every five minutes, a more seamless process than traditional skin-prick glucose monitors, according to the company.
Though most health-related apps have been closely scrutinized by the FDA in the past, The Wall Street Journal reports DexCom and a group of developers behind another diabetes-related application called NightScout have convinced the FDA to change course on health apps.
The group’s effort challenged the slow pace of innovation and regulatory approval in the field. It also highlighted the growing role that Silicon Valley companies and software developers hope to have in monitoring and maintaining people’s health.
Previously, the FDA considered glucose monitors and any associated software to be Class III medical devices, meaning they received the highest level of regulatory scrutiny. But the spread of NightScout, the system developed by the group of software engineers, and DexCom’s submission of a separate iPhone app for review prompted the FDA to change course last month.
Subsequently, DexCom’s monitors that require injection under a patient’s skin will understandably remain Class III devices but the software that displays the data – such as the Apple Watch app – now only needs to be registered with the FDA without prior marketing approval. Alberto Gutierrez, director of the FDA’s Office of In Vitro Diagnostics and Radiological Health, evoked the positive benefits of the app far outweigh any negatives, “We felt that the risks that the app imposed weren’t as high.”
Apple itself has been steadily moving towards a more health-concerned future, with the introduction of the Health app into iOS 8 as a preparation for the upcoming built-in fitness integration features of the Apple Watch. Major U.S. hospitals are rolling out their own trial programs with HealthKit, Apple’s tools that leverage the iPhone’s various motion-tracking sensors and peripheral accessories to track and log the history of a user’s health data.
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11 best AR apps and games for Android – Augmented Reality
Augmented Reality (AR) can be fun technology to play with. The basic premise of AR is to overlay digital content on top of real things using something like a map, a camera, or sometimes the sky. Aside from being awesome, AR is also one of the more polarizing categories of apps and games in Google Play. It seems like an app is either really good or really terrible. In this list, we’ll take a look at the best AR apps and games for Android.
Barcode Scanner
[Price: Free]
First up is the venerable Barcode Scanner. It has over 100 million downloads in the Google Play Store and is one of those very basic tools that most people should have. It allows phone and tablet cameras to read QR codes, barcodes, and similar content so that it can be opened on your device. It’s a simple app that works well and it’s even been pre-installed on devices in the past. Even if you don’t use it every day, keep it in mind in case you ever do.
CamGun
[Price: Free demo / $1.39]
CamGun is a fun little camera app that lets you superimpose various weapons on your camera and gun down your friends. It likens itself to call of duty but the graphics are more like something you’d see in an old Duke Nukem or Doom game. It’s a fun app that lets you goof around and uses some AR tech in the process. You can try it out for free but the full version costs $1.39.
Google Goggles
[Price: Free]
Google Goggles was among the first efforts by any developers to actually make use of AR tech on Android. You can use it to “scan” various objects and Google Search will try to identify what it is for you. This works for things like landmarks and artwork along with things like consumer products and other media. You can also use it as a barcode/QR code scanner if you want. Perhaps its most useful feature is the ability to translate foreign text which was later added directly into Google Translate.
IKEA Catalog
[Price: Free]
You’re about as shocked as I was when I saw that this was actually an AR app. For the most part it is the IKEA catalog so you can go searching and sifting through various items they have on sale. However, one feature in this app is the ability to superimpose the various furniture you want into a living room setting to see how it would look. You can also scan physical copies of the IKEA catalog to search for it in the app. We wish more large stores did stuff like that.
Ingress
[Price: Free]
Ingress is GPS-location based game where you must hack and build up portals. In the game you choose between two sides (The Resistance and The Enlightened) as you do battle. Instead of a game board, Ingress takes place over a map of the real world and you must travel to destinations and hack portals. The game is world renowned for its ability to get geeks off the couch and out meeting one another. The game also has things like Missions which are scavenger hunts that agents can complete.
Life is Crime
[Price: Free with in app purchases]
Life is Crime is another GPS-location based game but unlike Ingress, this one is a tad more risque. Life is Crime features gangs that you can join, a live chat so you can talk with fellow players, and you use these things to fight with other gangs for actual territory and complete missions. It’s a fairly entertaining game with a decent sized player base. Folks from smaller towns may have some issues finding people to play with but otherwise, it’s a good way to live a life of crime without being thrown in prison.
Parallel Kingdom
[Price: Free with in app purchases]
Parallel Kingdom is a location based MMORPG that has you running around slaying monsters and completing quests in the safety of your actual backyard. It features 40 levels, the ability to trade with other players, PvP, 30 different leaderboards, and chat rooms. It’s also available in six languages and boasts two million players in 100 countries with no ads. It’s definitely an interesting experience.
SpecTrek
[Price: Free / $2.49]
SpecTrek is a ghost hunting game that uses location and GPS to help you track and hunt down the paranormal. While it is a game designed for all ages, user reviews have raved about how much fun this game is to play with kids and that’s definitely a good demographic to be into. Along with the game, you’ll have access to stats, titles, records, and more. It’s a simple game but still fun.
Star Walk
[Price: $2.99]
Star Walk is similar to the old Google Sky Map in that it shows you the stars over your head. This is great for fans of star gazing, astronomers who don’t have it memorized yet, and those genuinely curious about what the sky looks like right above them. It can be used to find constellations and notable stars. If you’re running an older version of Android, Sky Map is a good option as well but beware because that one hasn’t been updated in many years.
Yelp!
[Price: Free]
Yes, much like IKEA, Yelp does have some AR features built in that many people don’t know about. Under the settings you can access a feature called Yelp Monocle. Using that, you can see where things are such as restaurants. It’s not a huge feature but definitely one of the more interesting uses of AR in an app and a great way to find stuff that is literally near you.
Zombie, Run!
[Price: Free]
Zombie, Run! is an older game and one of the first to utilize AR as a gaming platform. The premise is extremely simple. You are surrounded by virtual zombies and you must get away from them. Unfortunately, the developer has abandoned this project which means eventually it won’t work on modern Android devices. It won’t be on this list forever, but it had a good run.
Wrap up
If we missed any great AR apps and games for Android (and we likely did!), let us know in the comments!
To see our complete list of Android apps and games lists, click here!
How did the Grammy Awards miss this hit from HTC CEO Peter Chou and chairwoman Cher Wang?
HTC had their end of the year party as they usually do around the Chinese New Year (February 19). We usually get some interesting things out of it like the time they officially announced the “M7″ name of the original HTC One. However this year takes it up a notch.
CEO Peter Chou and chairwoman Cher Wang took the stage for a little diddy called “We Are One,” which is about HTC’s personality. Chou even strapped on a guitar. So while you were watching the Grammy Awards last night with all those amazing performances (from some you may have never heard of), you missed this very special “one” indeed.
Video is after the break and we definitely want to hear your comments!!
Click here to view the embedded video.
source: TheVerge
Come comment on this article: How did the Grammy Awards miss this hit from HTC CEO Peter Chou and chairwoman Cher Wang?
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Accessory of the Day: Otterbox Defender for Samsung Galaxy S5, $29
There’s nothing like a beautiful new phone in your hand… that is, until you drop it for the first time. Say goodybe to the worries of scuffs, scratches, and dings with the Otterbox Defender for your Samsung Galaxy S5. Designed to completely protect your device, at only $29 (Prime eligible) this is a must-buy for S5 owners looking to secure their investment.
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Also worth checking out:
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iPhone 6s Rear Camera Rumored to Retain 8-Megapixel Sensor
iPhone camera module supplier Largan Precision is expected to face limited earnings growth this year amid rumors that Apple’s next-generation smartphone will retain an 8-megapixel rear-facing camera sensor, according to Taipei Times (via GforGames).
The report cites Taipei-based analyst Jeff Pu, who claims the iPhone 6s will have the same camera hardware specifications as previous models. Apple first introduced an 8-megapixel rear camera on the iPhone 4s in 2011 and used similar modules for the iPhone 5, iPhone 5c and iPhone 5s.
Pu said that the camera specifications of the next-generation iPhone, dubbed iPhone 6S, will stay the same as the current iPhone 6 at 8-megapixels, limiting potential catalysts to push Largan’s stock price higher in the second half of the year. […] Pu said that although the migration to 8-megapixel and 13-megapixel lenses would remain strong among Chinese vendors of mid-tier and low-end phones, upgrades to 16-megapixel and 20-megapixel lenses for flagship phones would be slow given the limited supply of CMOS sensors — used to convert light into electrons.
While details surrounding the so-called “iPhone 6s” remain limited, this report is consistent with Largan Precision’s stock price dipping early last year amid rumors the iPhone 6 camera would retain an 8-megapixel sensor. Meanwhile, it was reported in November that the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus could have the “biggest camera jump ever” with a dual-lens, DSLR-quality system.
American Express Releases Nostalgic TV Ad For Apple Pay [iOS Blog]
American Express over the weekend released a new advertisement called “Retrospective” that promotes how its timeless safety and security are now available through Apple Pay. The 30-second spot takes a trip down memory lane as it recounts the brand’s historic past, starring a number of famous cardholders such as Jerry Seinfeld and Tina Fey in both the past and present.
The advertisement first aired during the mid-season premiere of The Walking Dead on Sunday night and will also be featured during the NBA All-Star Game later this week. American Express does not provide an exact number of Apple Pay signups, but Ad Age reports that the credit company has received “encouraging feedback” from early iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus adopters.
Apple Pay makes up two of every three contactless payments on Visa, MasterCard and American Express, while an additional 750 banks and credit unions have signed on to support the iPhone-based service. Apple Pay is currently limited to the United States, although an international rollout could start with Canada in March.
Amazon Valentine’s sale: Fire HD 6 for just $84, Kindles starting at $59, and more
As Valentine’s Day nears, you can expect plenty of awesome sales when it comes to mobile technology. Just last week, Motorola kicked off a sale of their own, and now it’s Amazon’s turn. Amazon is offering up its Kindle tablets and e-readers at pretty stiff discounts. For those just looking for an e-reader, the basic Kindle can be yours for only $59, down from $79. The Kindle Paperwhite is $99, down for $119.
On the tablet front, Amazon’s forked Android tablets continue to push down pricing, with the Fire HD 6 slashed down to just $84, over its already pretty impressive original price tag of $99. Buying with a kid in mind? The Fire HD 6 Kids Edition is pretty much the same as the standard Fire HD 6, though it has access to extra kid’s content, a bumper case, some changes to the UI and an impressive warranty that protects against accidental damage. Last but not least, the Kindle Fire HDX 8.9 is $299, down from its normal price tag of $479.
To grab any of the Fire tablets, you’ll want to head on over to Amazon’s Fire tablet sales page. You can find the on-sale e-readers from their Kindle E-Reader sales page.
Rescue drone that can search buildings wins $1 million prize
A clever, bizarre-looking drone may one day save your butt after winning a million bucks in the UAE’s Drones for Good competition. Flyability’s GimBall has the unusual ability to squeeze into tight indoor spaces and search for potential disaster victims, thanks to an unusual geodesic design. The entire UAV is effectively a two-prop, electronically stabilized gimball surrounded by a tough, lightweight carbon fiber cage. Instead of trying to avoid obstacles (which is a very difficult feat) the GimBall can just plow right into them, bounce off and then carry on to its destination. It can also roll along the ground or a ceiling.
The cage also protects potential rescue victims from the spinning propellors while making it relatively stress-free to operate indoors. The team sees it as a simple to operate, inexpensive and robust tool for rescuers or industrial inspectors, useful in, say, a nuclear accident or building collapse. With a $1 million in hand, the Flyability team will now develop the product specifically for first responders, adding features like infrared imaging for dark or smoky environments and better indoor localization. The GimBall drone beat out 39 other entries over the two-day event, and Flyability hopes to turn it into a product within a year.
Filed under: Robots
Source: Drones for Good
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