Inhabitat’s Week in Green: hoverboards and a 3D-printed car
Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week’s most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us — it’s the Week in Green.
A working hoverboard has been the elusive dream of Back to the Future fans and transportation nerds for decades. Now, Lexus claims that it has built a prototype. The company’s SLIDE hoverboard uses magnetic levitation technology, similar to high-speed bullet trains, and it is cooled by liquid nitrogen. In other transportation news, the US Department of Defense is working with Malloy Aeronautics to develop a hoverbike for the Army. Getting stuck behind a big truck isn’t just annoying — it can be very dangerous. So tech giant Samsung has designed “see-through” trucks with rear-mounted video panels that display the road ahead.
Elon Musk’s high-speed Hyperloop could completely revolutionize transportation, but what will it be like to actually ride in it? Argo Design recently released detailed renderings showing its vision for a Hyperloop pod. Tesla’s electric vehicles are obviously better for the environment than traditional internal-combustion cars, but how do they actually perform? A new video shows the Tesla Model S P85D squaring off against some of the world’s fastest drag racers, and it more than holds its own. Tesla also celebrated the fact that Model S drivers racked up 1 billion all-electric miles, which translates to 570,000 tons of CO2 saved. Fans of classic sports cars can now go electric, too: British car company Morgan just announced plans to produce an all-electric version of its classic, sporty 3-Wheeler. And startup Divergent Microfactories unveiled the world’s first 3D-printed supercar.
Evaporation moves vast quantities of water through the air every day. But could that process be harnessed to produce renewable energy? Researchers at Columbia University believe it can, and they’ve created two devices that generate renewable energy from evaporation. In other clean energy news, the Indian government recently announced plans to boost the country’s solar production from 4.5 gigawatts to 100 gigawatts by 2022. Tesla’s Powerwall home battery could be a game changer that disrupts the existing energy grid. Last week, Inhabitat rounded up the many ways the Powerwall will change the energy landscape. C.F. Møller Architects just unveiled plans to build a massive 25,000-square-meter school in Copenhagen that will be entirely solar-powered. As attached as we’ve all become to our smartphones, they all need a recharge sooner or later. Soofa, a woman-owned company, is currently in talks with the city of New York to launch a line of innovative solar-powered benches that double as charging stations.
Bionic hand technology has taken some major steps forward in recent years. A 26-year-old woman from London recently received the world’s most advanced bionic hand, which can make precise movements and is anatomically accurate. In other tech news, the Japanese company Aldebaran has created a robot named Pepper that’s designed to understand your feelings. The robot sold out online in less than 60 seconds. London’s Design Museum has selected an unusual new technology as the winner of its Design of the Year contest: microchips covered in human cells that are designed to imitate the complexity of human organ tissue. The designers hope the microchips will eventually replace animals for drug and cosmetic testing. Rhinos are critically endangered, largely because of horn poaching. In hopes of curbing poaching, a San Francisco-based biotech company is planning to flood the market with 3D-printed synthetic rhino horns that are genetically identical to the real thing. Lego recently announced plans to invest $150 million to develop sustainable manufacturing materials that could one day replace the plastic used in Lego bricks. The bindi is a common ornamental mark that Indian women wear on their foreheads, and now one NGO is producing bindis that deliver essential nutrients directly to the skin. And in other wearable tech news, researchers in Australia have created a new type of stretchy sensor that could be worn on clothing or even skin to alert people about exposure to toxic gases.
Filed under: Cellphones, Misc, Household, Robots, Transportation, Wearables, Science
iOS 8.4 Launching at 8 AM Pacific Tuesday, Beats 1 Goes Live at 9 AM
Former Beats Music CEO and current Apple Music senior director Ian Rogers made a brief blog post yesterday summarizing some of his background in music leading up to this week’s debut of Apple Music while also revealing Apple’s launch schedule for iOS 8.4 and the new Beats 1 radio station.
According to Rogers, iOS 8.4 will go live at 8 AM Pacific this Tuesday, two hours earlier than Apple’s usual iOS update release window. Beats 1 will kick off programming an hour later, offering users around the world a 24/7 streaming music station led by former BBC DJ Zane Lowe and featuring a mixture of interviews and music sets from DJs interspersed with programming blocks from celebrities such as Elton John, Dr. Dre, Pharrell, and Drake.
Tuesday morning we’ll be unveiling the next chapter. Please make a note to upgrade to iOS 8.4 at 8am PT Tuesday, June 30th and listen to the first Beats 1 broadcast at 9am PT. Here’s a Facebook invite to make it easy for you to say yes, you’ll be there, and invite all your friends. See you there.
Aside from Beats 1, which is free to all users signed in with an Apple ID, Apple Music also includes a paid streaming component priced at $9.99 per month for a single user or $14.99 for a family of up to six people. Subscribers will have streaming access to the full Apple Music catalog of over 30 million tracks, with Apple offering a three-month free trial to give users an extended opportunity to test out the new service.
Top 10 accessories for Samsung Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge
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With the launch of every new flagship smartphone from Apple, Samsung, and HTC, a bunch of accessory manufacturers come out with brand new products that people generally tend to buy, be it something as simple as screen protectors or as niche as battery cases. Some of such popular flagship smartphones form current generation are the Samsung Galaxy S6/S6 edge, LG G4, HTC One M9, and the Apple iPhone 6/6 Plus. I’ve been using the Galaxy S6 edge as my primary smartphone since the past couple of months, and since I bought it, I’ve been regularly searching for the best accessories for my device.
I’ve put down a list of top 10 accessories for Samsung Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge, and if you are planning to buy the device, or have done that already, have a look at these accessories for your day-to-day needs. This list contains essentials such as a screen protector, a battery pack, a car charger, and some protective cases for the Galaxy S6 edge. Generally, people are not choosy when it comes to things like car chargers and screen protectors, but everyone likes to choose a case that reflects their needs and their fashion preferences, so I’ve selected some of the best cases for each use case.
1. Official Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge Wireless Charging Pad
The Galaxy S6 comes with wireless charging, and it supports two biggest wireless charging standards; Qi and PMA. Samsung has released its official wireless charging pad, that is very easy to set up and use. It comes in circular shape, and in two colours; black and white. It displays blue light when the device is charging, and a green light when it is completely charged. If you don’t place the device properly, the built-in LED light notifies you, and it even comes with over charge protection. I’ve been using it personally, and it takes around 3 hours to charge the device fully, almost double the time when compared to charging with the provided wired wall charger.
Buy Official Samsung Galaxy S6 edge Wireless Charging Pad – $52.99
2. Official Samsung Galaxy S6 edge Charging Desktop Dock
If you want something that not only charges faster, but is also stylish and functional, have a look at the official desktop charging dock for the Galaxy S6 and the Galaxy S6 edge. You can dock your Galaxy S6/S6 edge at an optimum angle on this charger. It not only fast charges the device, there’s even a line-out port, so you can hook up a speaker system to it and enjoy music or videos in better sound quality. This charging dock looks really nice, and will definitely up the charm of your otherwise boring desk.
Buy Official Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge Charging Desktop Dock – $33.49
3. Samsung Portable Battery Charging Pack – 9000 mAh
The Galaxy S6 and the S6 edge lack removable backs, so there’s no chance for you to swap batteries, but you can always carry a portable power bank to charge up the device when the battery is low. The official portable battery charging pack from has a capacity of 9,000 mAh, a microUSB port for charging the battery pack, a USB port for charging the smartphone, four LED lights to indicate the charge level, and an on/off button. It has output current of 1.8A and output voltage of 5.2V, making it to nearly 10W of power, making it faster than usual run-of-the-mill wall chargers with 1A current output. This will not charge your Galaxy S6/S6 edge as fast as the supplied wall charger, but definitely faster than normal chargers. A fully charged portable battery charger is enough to juice up your Galaxy S6/S6 edge at least three times, good enough for a weekend trip away from the wall socket.
Buy Samsung Portable Battery Charging Pack 9000 mAh – $79.49
4. Olixar Dual USB Samsung Galaxy S6 / S6 Edge Fast Car Charger
If you use your smartphone as your GPS device, you must have experienced that the battery drains pretty quickly while doing so. To help you with that, I’ve selected this car charger that supports Quick Charge 2.0, which is compatible with the Samsung’s Fast Charge technology. This means that the Olixar Dual USB Fast Car Charger outputs 15W of power, charging your Galaxy S6/S6 edge within an hour and a half. As it comes with two USB outputs, you can charge two devices at once, but make note that fast charging won’t be available when charging two devices at the same time.
Buy Olixar Dual USB Samsung Galaxy S6 / S6 edge Fast Car Charger – $26.49
5. Official Samsung Galaxy S6 edge Protective Cover Case
If you want body coloured protective case for your Galaxy S6 or S6 edge, do check out the official protective cases from Samsung. They come in almost all the colours that the S6 and S6 edge are being sold in – blue, black, gold, green. Priced at $33.49, these cases are perfect if you want no non-sense protection for your Galaxy S6 and S6 edge. I’ve been using the gold coloured variant, and I am pretty happy with it. It gives me that extra amount of grip to the otherwise thin and slippery Galaxy S6, and its sturdy.
Buy Official Samsung Galaxy S6 edge Protective Cover Case – $33.49
6. Spigen Neo Hybrid Samsung Galaxy S6 edge Case
Spigen is one of the best smartphone case makers out there, because it has been consistently churning out high-quality and well-designed smartphone cases since its launch in 2004. The Neo Hybrid case is one of its best as it provides good design and quality protection at a decent price. It’s a two-piece protective case, and the first protection layer is a soft TPU back cover, while the second polycarbonate frame adds rigidity and strength to the device. Unlike other cases that might scratch the device itself over the extended period of usage, the soft inner cover makes sure that the device stays free from such scratches. This two tone case comes in three colour variants – Champagne gold, Gunmetal, and Satin Silver –, and has a slim build that helps keeping the device light and easy to carry.
Buy Spigen Neo Hybrid Samsung Galaxy S6 edge Case – $26.49
7. Spigen Ultra Hybrid Samsung Galaxy S6 edge Case
One more case for Spigen, the Ultra Hybrid Case for Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 edge, it comes with a clear back and coloured bumper. If you want to show off the sexy glass back of your smartphone without exposing it to damages, this is the case to go with. It comes in five colour variants – Crystal Clear, Gunmetal, Metal Slate, Mint, and Space Crystal –, so you can pick up the one that looks better with your device. I personally used this case on my Galaxy S6 edge, and was quite satisfied with it, but don’t forget to apply a protector film on the back to save the glass back from scratches.
Buy Spigen Ultra Hybrid Samsung Galaxy S6 edge Case – $18.99
8. OtterBox Symmetry Samsung Galaxy S6 edge Case
The OtterBox Symmetry case for the Galaxy S6 and the S6 edge is one of the most rugged cases, and competes with the likes of UAG Protective Case, Spigen Tough Armor, Ballistic Urbanite, Verus Thor, and ArmourDillo. I liked this better than all the other competitors due to its sensible and easy to use design as well as non-weird looks. A tough protective case doesn’t need to look like a suitcase or a bomb defusing kit, and that’s what the OtterBox Symmetry case offers. It comes in three colours – Aqua Sky, Black, and Glacier –, and has a one-piece design, making it hassle free experience to use. It has two layers, a hard polycarbonate outer shell, and a soft synthetic rubber skin on the inside. The raised edges protects the display from bumps and drops, and all the ports can be accessed without removing the case.
Buy OtterBox Symmetry Samsung Galaxy S6 edge Case – $31.99
9. Mophie Juice Pack Samsung Galaxy S6 edge Battery Case
Mophie is the most well-known charging case manufacturer, and has earned its right to be listed here. The Mophie Juice Pack Battery Case for the Galaxy S6 and S6 edge not only protects from drops, bumps, and scratches, it also provides one full charge when in need, thanks to a 3,300 mAh battery inside it. Mophie has managed to keep the whole package slim and manageable. There are opening for all the ports as well as the camera, LED flash, and the heart-rate sensor. When your battery is about to die, you just need to press a button at the back to use the inbuilt battery to recharge the Galaxy S6/S6 edge.
Buy Mophie Juice Pack Samsung Galaxy S6 edge Battery Case – $119.49
10. Amzer Kristal Tempered Glass HD Edge2Edge Clear Screen Protector For Samsung Galaxy S6 edge
Screen protector is one of the most important accessories for a smartphone or a tablet. Even with the toughest glass protectors, be it the Corning Gorilla Glass 4 or the DragonTrail glass, can’t protect the display from minute scratches and scuffs that are bound to appear with day-to-day usage. You can either buy the Spigen Steinheil dry screen protector for the Galaxy S6 edge, or pick up the Amzer Kristal Tempered Glass HD Edge2Edge Clear Screen Protector (quite a mouthful, isn’t it?) that will give you a feeling that you a smooth touch feeling. It covers the whole front area of the device, including the part below the home button as well as the dual-edge curved part of the display. It is not out for sale yet, but you can pre-order it from Amazon or Amzer’s official website right away and get it delivered sometime after July 17.
So here were my picks for the best accessories for the Galaxy S6 and the Galaxy S6 edge, and chances are that most of you will be happy with the accessories listed here. If you’ve come across some better options, don’t forget to share them here with us and other readers. If you already own the accessories listed here, do let us know your thoughts about them and how they performed over time.
The post Top 10 accessories for Samsung Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
Fitbit tracking data comes up in another court case
When you wear Fitbit or any other fitness tracker and smartwatch, you not only monitor your physical activities, you also collect data about yourself — data that can apparently be used against you in investigations. In Lancaster, Pennsylvania cops responded to a 911 call by a woman who claimed she was raped by a home invader. The woman told the police she woke up around midnight with the stranger on top of her, and that she lost her tracker while struggling against her assailant. Unfortunately authorities found her Fitbit, and the device recorded her as active, awake and walking around all night. Combined with the evidence that was missing (tracks outside in the snow from boots she said the attacker was wearing, or any sign of them inside), an investigation led to her facing misdemeanor charges.
This isn’t the first time authorities used Fitbit data as evidence: last year, a Canadian law firm presented the plaintiff’s tracker info in court to show reduced physical activity for an injury lawsuit.As we know however, wearable data isn’t always 100 percent accurate, so we hope it isn’t used as a sole source of evidence. In this case, the evidence of a staged scene and testimony from the owner of the home are also reasons why the wearer is being charged with three misdemeanor counts. The case is headed to trial, but we already have enough evidence to suggest making sure the stories we tell match up with the ever-ubiquitous tracking devices on our wrists and in our pockets.
Filed under: Wearables
Via: Trusted Reviews
Source: Lancaster Online
Android Authority this week – June 28, 2015
Hello Android fans! This week brought us a look at the technology powering the next generation of cars –Android Auto and more; we checked out the new stock-like theme and the new RAW mode of the Galaxy S6; OnePlus continued to reveal key specs of the OnePlus 2; Google launched an ad-supported version of Play Music; BlackBerry’s CEO hinted at a possible Android release in the future; we got a look at the third-gen Moto G; Amazon opened up its Alexa platform to all; and Samsung claimed a major breakthrough in battery technology.
News of the week video
Inside AA HQ
We’re experimenting and branching out in new areas all the time, and this week’s new avenues are Twitch and Periscope.
Game streaming is exploding and Twitch is the biggest channel, even if Google is mounting a strong offensive with its YouTube Gaming initiative. And now we’re a part of it! Join our Joe Hindy on the Android Authority Twitch channel for a dose of mobile gaming and witty commentary.
Periscope seems to be the hot new trend in social media and it’s easy to see why. A simple smartphone and a wireless connection lets you stream anything, in real time, to thousands of followers. We’re applying this powerful concept to the world of Android: follow us on Periscope for live impressions of new devices, Q&A sessions, event impressions, and much more!
Our special Opera Max giveaway is still open: enter for your chance to win three hot Android phones: Galaxy S6 Edge, Galaxy S6 and LG G4. The sweepstakes end June 30 11:59PM EST. Good luck!
The stuff you shouldn’t miss
- Tech talk: Curious how a modern octa-core processor works? Gary takes a close look
- Feature: Google needs to break inside mobile apps – Simon explains how and why
- Feature: Rob goes through the trends and companies driving the close future of Android
- Feature: The debate rages on: metal, plastic, or glass?
- Hands-on: What is like to use a Note 4 without Google services? Matt goes hands-on
- Review: Josh reviews the sleek Oppo R7? Worth it’s price tag?
Top news of the week
Android Auto event
- Android Auto coming to select 2016 GMC and Buick models
- Interview with Chevrolet: Android Auto plans
- Chevrolet Spark running Android Auto: hands-on first look
- Beyond Android: A look at the Chevrolet Bolt prototype
Galaxy S6 news
- Android 5.1 update brings RAW and lower ISO to Galaxy S6
- Hands-on: Galaxy S6 Edge gets stock Android-like theme
- Galaxy S6 ranks first in a “real world” speed test
OnePlus unveiling
- OnePlus confirms next flagship will come with a USB Type-C port
- OnePlus is loud and unashamed of it
- The OnePlus 2 will be officially unveiled on July 27th in virtual reality
Play Music goes free
BlackBerry and Android
- BlackBerry is not against building a secure Android phone, says CEO
- 4 ways BlackBerry can be unique on Android
Moto G 2015
Echo & Alexa
- Amazon Echo now available for everyone, without an invite
- Amazon making its voice technology available for all, announces $100M in funding for devs
Samsung’s battery breakthrough
Sound off
We always want to hear your feedback. Whether it’s criticism or praise, feel free to tell us what you think about Android Authority’s content, design, and community. Comment here or get in touch with us on our social channels:
Happy Sunday!
Google will improve the quality of mobile ads by blocking accidental clicks
According to a new report, over 50% of advertisement clicks on all devices are accidental. In order to reduce this number, Google has announced that it will improve the click quality of mobile ads by automatically blocking accidental clicks on several occasions.
The search engine giant also stated that it will enforce a delay between the time a user clicks an ad and when it actually opens to detect if the click was intentional or accidental. Developers will no longer have the ability to force advertisements upon users.
These new changes will allow users to fully enjoy the applications they are using without being catapulted to another page or to the Play Store. Advertisers will see improved conversion rates and reduced overall costs as a result of these changes.
What do you think of thee changes? Be sure to let us know your thoughts in the comments section down below.
Source: Google
Come comment on this article: Google will improve the quality of mobile ads by blocking accidental clicks
Uber’s latest service takes you across continents in a speed boat
Never mind using ridesharing services to get across cities — Uber wants to take you across continents. The company has launched a permanent version of its UberBoat service in Istanbul that shuttles you between Asia and Europe (that is, both sides of the city) in a speed boat. It’ll cost you at least 50 lira (about $19) versus the 2 lira (81 cents) for a public ferry, but you won’t be waiting long to get moving… and you won’t have to fight Istanbul’s notoriously bad traffic, either. Each craft also carries up to 8 people, so it’ll be more affordable if you’re traveling as part of a pack. You probably won’t use this often unless you’re regularly hurrying across the Bosphorus strait, but it should be more scenic than an overcrowded bridge or tunnel.
Filed under: Transportation, Internet
Via: Bloomberg
Source: Uber Newsroom
Robotic vines illustrate chaos theory and the Butterfly Effect
We’ve seen capacitive-touch-enabled plants before, but the robotic vines and leaves of Branching Systems are something altogether different. And, perhaps craziest of all, they respond to your presence. The leaves react to your inputs, and then nearby leaves react to those reactions and so on. Creator’s Project writes that your movements are the “catalysts that trigger the swift-paced and divergent” motions from artist Robert Wolfe’s installation. You see, the idea is to illustrate chaos theory and the Butterfly Effect: small changes that can have massive impacts on others. Want to peep it for yourself and inspect the vines for any robotic insects? The exhibit is on display in Santa Fe, New Mexico as part of this year’s Currents New Media Festival and you can check out a video tour just below.
https://player.vimeo.com/video/130923075
Filed under: Robots
Source: Peters Project
Tougher encryption guidelines close a back door for NSA spies
The US’ National Institute of Standards and Technology is more than a little worried that its encryption guideilnes have been creating back doors for spies, and it’s changing its tune in order to plug those security holes. The agency is no longer recommending an NSA-backed number randomization technique that made it relatively easy to crack and monitor encrypted data. In theory, software developers who heed the new advice won’t have to worry that they’re laying down a welcome mat for government surveillance agents. NIST’s revision won’t do much to help privacy-conscious companies (they’ve already moved on to tougher safeguards), and it certainly isn’t an iron-clad defense against hacks. However, it could still make a big difference if it prevents less-informed organizations from repeating some big mistakes.
[Image credit: Sam Dal Monte, Flickr]
Filed under: Internet
Via: Martijn Grooten (Twitter)
Source: NIST
Google killing support for Eclipse Android Developer Tools
Google’s Android Studio is all the hype in the app development community. This streamlined set of tools offers everything you need for developing Android apps, and it has been an amazing integrated development environment (IDE) since it was released last December.
Google has stabilized the IDE they announced all the way back in 2013, and now they feel ready to put all their efforts into Android Studio. Some eggs will be broken for this tasty omelette to be made, though. The Search Giant just announced they will be ending support for a couple other developing tools – the Eclipse Android Development Tools plugin and Android Ant build system.
The changes will take effect at the end of 2015. Google will be migrating the rest of the standalone tools to Android Studio over the next few months, so the process shouldn’t take too long. Meanwhile, Google urges developers to download Android Studio and import their projects to the more sophisticated IDE.
“We are focused on Android Studio so that our team can deliver a great experience on a unified development environment. Android tools inside Eclipse will continue to live on in the open source community via the Eclipse Foundation.”
You can learn more about Android Studio by reading our first impressions. For now, just take your time and make the switch as soon as possible. Do we have any developers around? What do you guys think about Android Studio? Hit the comments below and share your thoughts!
AIVAnet 