NASA and Verizon are working to monitor drones with cell towers
While NASA works with the FAA to build a network for monitoring drones in the US, NASA is enlisting help from a cellphone carrier. The Guardian reports that Verizon joined the effort too, helping NASA develop the system that will make use of cellphone towers to keep tabs on both commercial and civilian UAVs. The pair reached an agreement last year to explore the potential uses cell towers, including communication and surveillance of low-altitude drones. The project is said to be in-progress at NASA’s Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley with the first tests to take place this summer. In 2017, Verizon is scheduled to present a concept for using cellular connectivity for flight data, navigation and tracking before finalizing the system two years later.
Since the drones will need an internet connection to relay weather, traffic and zone restrictions, using cellphone towers makes sense. It’s also worth noting that Verizon is the largest carrier in the US, so it has plenty of ’em scattered around the country. The FAA is doing its part to keep up with drone popularity too, as it plans to name an adviser to work with companies looking to leverage UAVs for commercial use while new regulations are in the works.
[Image credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images]
Filed under: Misc, Transportation
Via: Fast Company
Source: The Guardian, Reuters
How to watch the DARPA Robotics Challenge finals online for free
DARPA’s Robotics Challenge is finally coming to a close. The finals will be held on June 5th to 6th, almost three years after the contest was launched, in Pomona, California — but you thankfully can watch it live, even if you can’t make it there in person. CuriosityStream, a new website the serves up documentaries, will live stream all 25 contenders as they go through a series of tasks in a simulated disaster-response course during the event. It will also show a few specials explaining the idea behind the challenge, a couple of finalist profiles and documentaries tackling the 2011 nuclear plant catastrophe in Japan. This contest is part of DARPA’s efforts to find an effective first-response and search-and-rescue humanoid robot, prompted by the Fukushima nuclear power plant disaster.
DARPA put the contenders through several trials throughout the years. Those were once dominated by the erstwhile top contender, S-One, created by a Japanese team called SCHAFT. S-One ultimately had to drop from the contest, however, since Google snapped up the startup for its own robotic ambitions. To make the finals more exciting, Pentagon’s mad science division issued a set of more stringent rules for the contenders back in January. DARPA wants all the finalists to be able to move without a tether, get up on their own without assistance and continue functioning for brief periods of communication blackout, wherein they won’t have any contact with their operators.
To watch the event, simply go to live.curiositystream.com on June 5th from 10AM to 7PM ET and on June 6th from 11AM to 9:30PM ET. The website typically charges a monthly fee to access its documentaries, but you can access the livestream and all videos and content about the DARPA challenge for free.
https://player.vimeo.com/video/128925046?color=d39d61&title=0&byline=0&portrait=0
Filed under: Misc
Source: CuriosityStream
Slack 2.0 redesign released with Material Design interface
Today, the popular team communication service, Slack, was updated to 2.0. The new update brings the Material Design UI to the masses, and also improves upon a whole boat-load of other smaller details that were frustrating when using the previous versions. For those who aren’t familiar with Slack, you should be. Well, if you do any online team work, that is.
Slack is THE go-to team communication service available today, and has been making quite a splash since it hit the scene last year. Being a part of a few different websites, we all use the Slack, which makes it nice for a one-stop shop for communications between the different teams. Slack also allows for many different integrations such as IFTTT and you can set up something of an in-app RSS feed thanks to the powers that Slack seems to hold within.
The Slack application was in dire need of a solid redesign. Not to say the previous version wasn’t a joy to use, but after poking around the 2.0 update, there was clearly a lot of differences that were found other than just UI changes. Of course, as I mentioned above, the biggest change is the redesign to follow the Material Design UI guidelines.
If you’re looking for the “official” change-log for Slack 2.0, here ya go:
- The left and right drawers have been dropped in favor a simpler tabbed navigation. Tabs provide quick access to all your channels, direct messages, starred items, and mentions.
- Know exactly where you want to go? Quickly “Jump to…” any channel, group, or direct message.
- Constantly switching between teams? Simply select your team from the top dropdown and off you go.
- A much refined notification experience, with notifications grouped by team.
- A shine new button floats attractively in the bottom right corner of the channels list for quickly locating or creating channels, DMs or groups.
- Search functionality has been greatly improved with the ability to open search results in a new “archive viewer” so you can see the full context of a message result.
Previously, Slack’s UI was based off of the slide-out drawers found on either the right hand, or left hand sides. This has been removed, and instead, you have a tabbed navigation layout. Once you’ve started Slack up, you will see a drop-down menu that allows you to switch between teams, or add a new team if need be. There is also a search button that you can use to search either specific messages or for specific files, which can come in really handy.
The ever-familiar overflow menu lets you access the remaining settings for the application. From this Settings panel, you have the ability to change your profile image, status, and general account info, specific to yourself. Also, you can set up which notifications you want to be pushed to your device, as well as toggle whether you want your device to Vibrate if a notification comes through.
As a side note, it must be mentioned about how much Slack lets you customize the notifications that come to your device. Especially if one of the teams that you are logged into, has a million different channels for different reasons. You don’t want your phone going off every, single, time something gets posted to a channel. Or you could just be like me, and have all the notifications and get irritated but don’t do anything to change it.
Now back to the Slack update. I stated that the new version features a tabbed design, compared to the slide-out drawers. As for those four tabs, you have your “Home”, “Messages”, “Mentions”, and “Starred”. The Home tab allows you to view both the read and unread channels, private and public, that can be found within whatever team you are a part of. Messages allows you to browse through your team-mates, find the person you need to send a PM to, and get typing away.
At the top of the Home and Messages tabs, there is a “Jump To” bar that allows you to quickly select between contacts or channels without having to scroll. Pretty much like a search function for those two tabbed sections.
Mentions shows you every time you were mentioned so that you can pin-point and catch up, if you’re part of a large group. Finally, the Starred section shows every message that you have every starred, which can help if you need to remember something, or if you just want to have quick-access to a gif.
When you’re on the main page of Slack, there is a Floating Action Button which when pressed, opens more options for you to act upon. You can quickly view all the channels within the team you are in and switch between with ease. There is also a Private groups option, as well as DMs. You can imagine what happens when you select one of those.
All I can really say is that if you are part of a team, and haven’t tried out Slack, you really need to get the person in charge to test it out. Slack is one of the best applications I have ever used, and it is really convenient to keep in touch with your team-mates. Plus, with the update to Slack 2.0, everything just got better, well at least for someone who loves a good design.
The post Slack 2.0 redesign released with Material Design interface appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Stephen Colbert introduces ‘The Late Show’ to social media
Stephen Colbert’s no stranger to the internet or technology, but you can’t exactly say the same for the show he starts hosting in December. Well ahead of his first night behind the The Late Show desk, CBS has launched an iOS app, new website and a rash of social media accounts bearing Colbert’s moniker. Sure, Conan and The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon have their fingers in this pond already, but this move showcases a pretty big generational change when you compare this to the environment David Letterman debuted to in 1993. No disrespect to Letterman, but it’s rather refreshing. Oh, and there’s a teaser video below in case you’re curious about what the former Daily Show correspondent has been up to for the past few months. Spoiler: he has a beard.
http://canstatic.cbs.com/chrome/canplayer.swf?pid=vhz9F_fuQkTh&partner=cbs&gen=1
[Image credit: Dan Steinberg/Invision/AP]
Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD, Mobile
Source: iTunes, Colbert Late Show
What happened with Google Wallet?
My initial reaction when I heard about Android Pay in Google I/O last week was, what about Google Wallet!? Like a lot of Android fans, I was pretty giddy back in 2011 when I heard about the feature to make purchases using my phone. I remember trying it for the first time on my HTC Evo LTE, with a smile on my face (partly because the teller looked so confused when I put my phone up to the scanner to pay).
But anyone who has kept up with Google Wallet throughout the years knows that it has had quite a struggle for adoption. Carriers were even blocking the capability, although the phone had NFC. It was a mess and something drastic had to be done for the Android phone payment system move towards success. Google presented Android Pay as the solution.
But is Android Pay a different animal than Google Wallet? Not really, you’re still tapping your phone on a scanner to make a payment via NFC (with some worthy refinements, which we’ve discussed here). So why the name change then? My opinion is that its too late for Google Wallet, the name has been tainted. We’ve seen in the past when a label is unsuccessful and the company erases and replaces it with the new. I believe this is what Google has done here, and dare I mention the similarity of the name to the more recognized Apple Pay?
So does this mean that Google Wallet will go the way of the dodo? Not yet at least. On Google Wallet’s Google+ page, they’ve stated that the new focus of Google Wallet will be to improve the sending/receiving money experience, “The new app will allow anyone with a US debit card to send and receive money for free within minutes – even if the other person doesn’t have the app. The money you receive can either be directly sent to your bank account or it can be spent in stores using the Google Wallet card.”
Well, at least it’s not dead, because I think a part of me would be too.
The post What happened with Google Wallet? appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Tag Heuer Carrera Wearable 01 named as first luxury smartwatch
Earlier this year, Tag Heuer and Intel announced that the two would collaborate on an Android Wear powered Swiss Smartwatch to be sold later this year. In an interview with Wearable, Jean-Claude Biver, CEO of Tag Heuer, has revealed the name of the company’s inbound Android Wear luxury smartwatch the Tag Heuer Carrera Wearable 01.
TAG Heuer Carrera Heuer 01
Although, Tag Heuer’s luxury smartwatch isn’t scheduled to be launched until October or November 2015, it is expected to follow a design similar to the company’s recently launched Carrera Heuer 01.
Quoting on the difference between an Intel Inside and a Swiss Made made watch, the CEO explained:
“There is no other choice for Tag Heuer than to have all its DNA, all its watchmaking emotion and flair into the connected watch. Somehow, one should not see from a certain distance the difference between a Carrera Heuer 01 and a Carrera Wearable 01.”
UK communications manager Alexandra King, also hinted that the smartwatch will be the first upgradeable Android Wear device.
The watch will change the technology as it develops, Jean-Claude Biver was clear about that. We want to be able to change the technology but keep the watch elements.Talking about the potential life span of the smartwatch, she said:
If your child completed their Masters degree, you might want to give them a watch. We want to create something that will stay on your watch for a lifetime, that’s what Tag Heuer does. And as the technology changes, it will change.
The Tag Heuer Carrera Wearable 01 is anticipated to be launched at $1400 with a 40 hour potential battery life.
The post Tag Heuer Carrera Wearable 01 named as first luxury smartwatch appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Soen Audio Transit XS – One of the best portable speakers you can buy
If you are a follower of Androidguys, you know we review a lot of bluetooth speakers. It is one of the most popular accessories for mobile devices that you can buy, and therein lies the problem. There are hundreds of speakers to choose from and the freedom to choose can be time intensive if you want to spend your money wisely.
I’ve used at least 10 different bluetooth speakers over the past couple of years, and I can say, if portability is your most important factor when buying a speaker, then this speaker is the one to buy. In general, many speakers are relatively small, but are simply too big to carry around on a regular basis. If it can’t fit in your pocket, then it just isn’t that portable unless you want to throw the speaker in a backpack or purse wherever you go. That’s where the Soen Audio Transit XS Ultra Slim speaker fits in. When you think of “ultra slim” you tend to think of devices like the Macbook Air, Samsung Galaxy S6, or the Samsung Tab S. Those devices are really thin. If you think the Soen Audio Transit XS is going to be that thin, then think again. Its thickness measures at 1 inch, which is not thin for a phone or a tablet, but it is really thin for a bluetooth speaker. It isn’t quite the slimmest bluetooth speaker on the market, but it is thin enough to throw into a back pocket, and that is definitely portable if it can fit into pocket at a meager weight of only .6lb. Compare that to the Bose Soundlink Mini at a hefty 1.5 pounds, and you’ll realize the Bose speaker needs to go on a diet.
Drivers(speakers) require space to drive sound and that is why it is hard to shrink bluetooth speakers. For as small as the Soen Audio Transit speaker is, it doesn’t sacrifice on loudness or sound quality. It isn’t as loud and it doesn’t have the detail of some of the larger speakers, but that is to be expected as this is a small device. Surprisingly, the bass response is actually quite nice, and that is due to the patented Momentum Port on the side of the speaker that allows for that chamber to let the bass flow. Soen takes pride in their revolutionary acoustic technologies and I see no fault in that as the speaker truly does deliver rich sound.
Given the small size, the Transit doesn’t have a ton of room for a large battery but it does support up to 8 hours of playback. In my tests(not at all scientific) I averaged about 6-7 hours of use, but that is probably due to the fact that I play my music loud. The battery life is respectable, but nothing to write home about. Four mini LED lights show the battery level on the side of the speaker which is nice so you know when to recharge. As with most portable speakers, Soen sticks with the micro-usb standard for charging so you won’t need to lug a proprietary charger around with you.
Another simple feature, yet highly important, is the easy-mount connector. The Transit comes with a standard mount that attaches to 1/4″ camera mounts, which means you can use any standard mount that is used for photography. There are tons of mounts that would allow you to strap this speaker to a bike, motorcycle, or even a tree for when you are outdoors.
Being that the Transit is designed for true portability, they coated the speaker with a protective rubber armor. The feel of the rubber is very nice and provides plenty of grip. The Transit comes in five colors, red, black, white, blue and purple, and can be had for $129.95. I have no doubts this speaker will stand up to being dragged around with me due to the superior and thoughtful build quality.
Overall, for a speaker of this size, the Soen Transit XS is an incredible device if you are looking in the portable speaker category. By portable, I mean it can be thrown into a pocket. I have not heard a better performing speaker of this size, most in this size range sound tinny and distorted at higher volumes. The Transit XS has full sound, including incredible bass response. On top of great sound quality you get a well thought out build with the rubber coating and ability to mount this speaker to standard mounts. The Transit comes in five colors, red, black, white, blue and purple, and can be had for $129.95. I have no doubts that this speaker will stand up to being dragged around with me, due to the superior and thoughtful build quality.
I used the speaker for 6 weeks before writing this review.
You can purchase the Soen Transit-XS on Amazon.com or directly through Soen Audio.
The post Soen Audio Transit XS – One of the best portable speakers you can buy appeared first on AndroidGuys.
LG’s G Watch R is unofficially discontinued in favor of the Watch Urbane
Bad news if you were trying to hunt down an LG G Watch R instead of a Watch Urbane; it looks like production of LG’s first rounded smartwatch is coming to an end.
The G Watch R is showing unavailable in Google’s store, which typically only happens at the end of a device’s lifespan, and while LG’s US site doesn’t say anything about it, Best Buy doesn’t show any available inventory. The key there is that it’s “unavailable,” not “out of stock.”
Discontinued products aren’t uncommon, especially in the fast moving world of electronics. But if you see a G Watch R in a store somewhere and you’ve been thinking about buying one, you may want to pick it up. It probably won’t be there the next time you go back.
source: Android Police
Come comment on this article: LG’s G Watch R is unofficially discontinued in favor of the Watch Urbane
Intel’s wireless Rezence charging should begin shipping in devices next year
Intel’s Rezence wireless charging standard has been in the works for a while now, but the company says it’s ready to be shipped in consumer devices starting in 2016. Fortunately for us, that’s only a year off.
Rezence uses magnetic resonance for transferring power, and it should theoretically have a bit more range than what we’re currently working with. Intel’s SVP, Kirk Saugen, claims that everything from keyboards and mice to laptops should start being integrated with Rezence tech. For all of the other devices (and our older stuff) there should hopefully be some add-ons that will allow everything to take advantage of wireless freedom.
After personally using a Galaxy S6 for a couple months with a few wireless charging pads, I can confidently say that I’m excited for other technology to embrace doing things completely wire-free, especially if they can take advantage of better range and energy transfer.
source: Engadget
Come comment on this article: Intel’s wireless Rezence charging should begin shipping in devices next year
I tried to identify high-quality audio samples and failed miserably
High-resolution audio is getting a lot buzz as of late thanks to the efforts of Tidal, Neil Young and others. While Tidal had a test of its own, NPR set up another quiz to see if you can tell the difference between MP3s and uncompressed WAVs. I couldn’t, and I listened to the samples through a pair of B&O H6s routed through an Apogee Groove DAC/headphone amp. In fact, the only track out of the six in which I was able to accurately identify the uncompressed audio was Katy Perry’s “Dark Horse” (oddly enough, I’m a big KP fan). For reference, 320kbps MP3s, which are the mid-grade option here, are what streaming services like Spotify, Rdio and others use for their catalogs.
In addition to the most streamed song of 2014, NPR serves up Jay Z’s “Tom Ford,” Suzanne Vega’s “Tom’s Diner,” Neil Young’s “There’s a World,” Coldplay’s “Speed of Sound” and a Mozart piano concerto from The English Chamber Orchestra. For each selection, you’re given three samples — 192kbps MP3, 320kbps MP3 and the uncompressed WAV — to choose from. Of course, your selection of headphones could hinder those listening skills, or if your ears aren’t used to the clear sounds of HiFi. Unsure about all the chatter surrounding audio quality? Here’s your chance to see if you’ll be able to notice a difference.
Filed under: Portable Audio/Video
Source: NPR
AIVAnet 