Runtastic acquired by Adidas, hopes to rebound in the fitness tracking market
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Runtastic is a name many of you might be pretty familiar with. The various fitness tracking apps have been on and off sale for a number of years on the Play Store and Amazon App store. They offer apps to help you track your heart rate, sleep, biking, running, push-ups, abs and butt. Most of their apps have well over 1 million downloads and sit well-respected in the 4 to 4.5 star ratings. The company has recently been acquired by a well-known brand of sporting goods, Adidas.
The purchase gives Adidas access to a community of 70 million active users around the world and will help jump-start their wearable field by leaps and bounds. I don’t know if you remember the miCoach Fit Smart
Let’s hope those that are active and appreciate the tracking and record keeping abilities of our fitness gear will be getting some new options from Adidas and Runtastic in the not to distant future.
Source: Re/Code
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Leaks point to a new TiVo ‘Bolt’ DVR on the way
So what’s next for TiVo? After the company successfully kicked off the DVR era with its boxes, the world is now changing into one where cable TV isn’t quite as important. Purchasing the remnant of Aereo is one way to get cord-cutters attention, but fusing what’s left of traditional TV with the internet is going to be an interesting problem to solve over the next few years. Dave Zatz has tracked down a mess of filings and even mentions on TiVo’s own website pointing to a new “Bolt.” Based on the recent CableLabs certification of two new boxes July 1st and a trademark application, the Bolt definitely seems like a new DVR, possibly a replacement for the current Roamio.
According to Zatz, sources indicate the new box will have a curved design, as you can see a bit of in the screenshots from a (now-pulled) TiVo webpage. That curvy box also matches the refreshed logo TiVo started using this year, so it could be time for a refresh just to make sure everything looks the same. The page also mentioned a Unified Entertainment System, as well as an “Aereo Edition” but doesn’t hint at potential features. In lieu of concrete details, we can only speculate on what the company is planing, but hopefully it includes an even smoother integration of streaming + TV than what we’ve seen so far from OnePass. Until we know more, why don’t you tell us what you want to see in a new TiVo: HD menus everywhere? Cloud DVR? A new BYO hard-drive setup?
Filed under:
Home Entertainment, HD
Source:
Zatz Not Funny (1), (2), (3)
Tags: bolt, cablecard, cablelabs, dvr, hdpostcross, leak, streaming, tivo, trademark, tv
GE’s Neuro VR experience takes you inside a musician’s brain
“Welcome to the complex universe inside Reuben’s head.” A mysterious voice boomed through the headphones. With an Oculus headset strapped on my face for GE’s Neuro VR experience, I found myself moving through British musician Reuben Wu’s mind. Bright pink globes and interlinked pipelines flashed before me. What was meant to be anatomical, felt more industrial. It was underwhelming. But soon, the globes made way for a dark abyss and I watched as the neurons inside his brain came to life. They gently sparked and burst into little bolts of neon lightning, replicating the magical, interconnected workings of the complex organ.
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There’s more to virtual reality than immersive entertainment. A team of neuroscientists at GE have used the technology to traverse the anatomy of the human brain. “[It’s] a very interactive and intuitive way of visualizing complex, multi-dimensional neuro imaging data,” Sandeep Gupta from GE Global Research told Engadget. “A neurosurgeon could use tools like these to get a complete view of lesions and possible impact of surgery on brain networks and function. The most immediate benefit of the Neuro VR system is perhaps in training for neuroscientists.”
Even with all the scientific breakthroughs, the human brain continues to be an exploration-in-progress. “It’s estimated that our knowledge [of the brain] is about 50 years behind that of every other organ in our body,” says Cory Strassburger, co-founder of Kite & Lightning, the VR content studio that created the experience. But he believes that’s going to change. “The beauty is this big mystery inside our brain is just beginning to unfold and I think VR will play an important roll on both the scientific and educational sides.”
To ensure that the flashes of neurons matched Wu’s brain activity, the team turned to data sets from his MRI. It took about 45 minutes for the imaging technique to map his brain for visual, auditory and motor functions. “Typically, physicians will view MRI brain scan data one layer at a time on a traditional 2D computer monitor, but VR opens up the possibility of seeing into this dimensional data in 3D space,” says Strassburger. “It’s like the holodeck in Star Trek, you can literally move your head forward and see into Reuben’s brain. If you wanted to, you could scale his brain up to the size of a car and walk around inside.” The result is a brief yet powerful moment inside a stranger’s mind, an experience that will be made available on Oculus Share and Samsung Milk VR.
The final imagery in my voyage through Wu’s brain left me in awe. But, every time I recall the neurons that fired up before me, I wonder how this might play out in a practical hospital setting, where the stakes are high. “[It] will come as more clinically proven methods become available for interrogating and assessing the function of the living brain,” says Gupta. “The availability of these methods is very limited today.” In time, he believes, as neuroscience makes strides, VR and science could collide for a virtual tour of a patient’s brain.
[Images: Kite & Lightning]
Tags: BrainMapping, GE, KiteLightning, mri, neuroscience, NeuroVR, vr, VRbrain, VrStudio
Deal: [Qualcomm Certified] Aukey Quick Charge 2.0 18W Wall Charger for just $8.99 from Amazon
It’s not difficult to find a reliable Quick Charge 2.0-compatible wall charger for your mobile device nowadays, but picking one up at an affordable price can still prove to be quite the challenge. If you’ve been searching for a Quick Charge wall charger at a cheap price point from a trusted brand, look no further. Right now, you can pick up a brand new Qualcomm Certified Aukey Quick Charge 2.0 18W Wall Charger from Amazon for just $8.99.
The product page on Amazon lists the wall charger at $15.99, though if you use coupon code DJPX97DU at checkout, your price will drop down to just $8.99. Considering the price of other turbo chargers on the market, this is quite the steal.
Don’t miss: Qualcomm’s Quick Charge 2.0 technology explained
Before you purchase this wall charger, though, keep in mind that the included Micro USB cable only measures 3.3 feet long, so you likely won’t be able to use your device very easily when it’s plugged in. If you can get past this caveat, however, you should definitely take advantage of this promotion while it lasts. If you’re interested, head to the link below to grab one for yourself.
Audi’s A3 e-tron starts at $37,900 in the US, rolls out in October
If you live in the States and have been itchin’ to get behind the wheel of Audi’s new plug-in hybrid, you’ll soon be in luck. The A3 e-tron “Sportback” (read: hatchback) will arrive at dealers in the US in October, with prices starting at $37,900 before any incentives or tax credits. It’s the auto maker’s first plug-in model to be sold Stateside and carries a 1.4-liter four-cylinder engine alongside an electric motor for 204 horsepower. Unfortunately, the EPA’s fuel economy stats haven’t been announced, but you can expect around eight hours of charging time via a standard 120-volt outlet. You can reduce the wait to just over two hours if you’re willing to to splurge for a Bosch 240-volt charger. Looking for more add-ons than the base model offers? The Plus model throws in LED headlamps, heated seats and plays nice with your iOS device for $42,000. There’s also a Prestige option that starts out at $46,800 with features like an MMI infotainment system, Bang & Olufsen audio and active lane assistance can take the total up near $50,000.
[Image credit: Cem Ozdel/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images]
Filed under:
Transportation
Source:
CNET
Tags: a3, a3e-tron, a3etron, audio, car, e-tron, etron, hybrid, pludinhybrid, plug-inhybrid
OnePlus 2 reservations surpasses the two million milestone
The reservation list is a new addition for the OnePlus 2 and is a way for prospective owners of the device to put their name down on a list in an attempt to ‘reserve’ any leftover invites. This list just surpassed the two million mark!
If your name is on the list, invites will begin to be sent out, according to OnePlus, on August 11 for the United States and Europe. Just because your name is on the list, doesn’t mean you’ll get an invite and it’s unclear just what being close to the top of the list will mean or how two million reservations will convert into sales.
Many have already decided to boycott the 2016 flagship killer given the controversy surrounding OnePlus and also the feature omissions the device many feel have already compromised the OnePlus 2 even before it’s released.
The 64GB version of the OnePlus 2 will cost $389, however, the 16GB model will not be available right away, but it will cost consumers $329. Where are you on the reservation list?
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Using Glovebox with the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge is a perfect match
The Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge is one of the best smart phones ever made and features two curved edges that set it apart from anything else on the market. Unfortunately, Samsung hasn’t fully utilized these curves to their full extent. Only a few small features for time, contacts, and notifications are present.
Just because Samsung hasn’t fully embraced the edges doesn’t mean you can’t use them to their true potential. There are a few pretty cool apps out there that maximize the edges’ effectiveness. One that I have been using is called Glovebox.
Glovebox is available to anyone with an Android device but the app is especially useful if you have the Galaxy S6 Edge. It allows you to swipe over from the edge of your device and launch any app, folder, or quick action. All you have to do is add whatever apps you want and start sliding from the edge to launch them.
I have been using it ever since I purchased the Galaxy S III years ago and it’s one of favorite apps today. Now, using the with the Galaxy S6 Edge, Glovebox is even better. The edges make it seem so natural to slide out from. Unlike Samsung’s People Edge feature, you are not limited to sliding out from one side or the other. You can set it to slide out from the left, right, top, or bottom to suit your needs.
Recently, many manufacturers and secondary launchers are including a higher level of customization. The great part about Glovebox is you can customize the way it looks to match your favorite theme. You can even use any icons you download from the Play Store to match it even better.
There are so many features to Glovebox, but it is quite easy to setup and start using today.
How it actually works
Basically you swipe out and slide your thumb around towards what app you want to launch. Once you stop on the app you want to launch take your thumb off and the app will launch. This will work from any screen including the camera app.
How to add apps
The first thing to do, once you have downloaded and installed Glovebox, is add your most used apps.
Make sure you are on the hand icon at the top left. Here you can add or remove whatever apps you want. The free version offers a maximum of 8 apps while the pro version offers many more as well as a few other features. Select the plus button at the top right and a list of all the apps on your phone will appear. Just choose the check box next to the ones you want and they will be added to the list.
Once you have selected the apps you want, press the back button to head back to the screen before. It looks like the picture above. The far right icon on the apps if held allows you to drag the apps around to re-order them. Say you want your most important apps at the top, just slide them there and it’s done. Making changes is easy and quick.
If you would like to add folders, widgets, actions, or shortcuts, you can do so by following the same steps above only after you select the plus button swipe over when the applications screen pops up. More on folders later on.
How to remove apps
Removing apps is easy but was a little tricky to figure out on my own. All you have to do is literally swipe them away just like you would a notification in the notification drawer. There was no obvious way to figure this out until you actually do it and realize it is the most obvious way.
Customize names and icons
Changing the app name is done by selecting the app and manually renaming it. To change the icon, select it and choose a new icon from an icon pack or reset it to the default icon.
As you can see from the picture, I am using the Iron Man theme on my Galaxy S6 Edge. It has dark circular icons as the default and Glovebox automatically changes the icons to match my theme.
Choose which side you want
With Glovebox, you can slide from the left, right, top, or bottom. Perfect for people that are lefty, righty, or even ambidextrous. Go to the gear icon at the top and select “Trigger.” From here you select “enable sides”, and select which side or sides you want the bar to appear on. You can select just one or multiple. I will be sticking to just the right side for this guide.
Change the sensitivity
The sensitivity is a lot more important than you may think. If it’s too strong you may accidentally swipe it out when you don’t want to and if it’s too weak it won’t swipe out when you do want it. Also, many apps have slide out menus themselves and Glovebox may interfere with it. Finding the correct balance for you will take some trial and error.
Still in the “Trigger” section select “Trigger area editor”. From here you can adjust the start, end, and sensitivity level. The blue bar shows exactly where the bar is and how it will look based on your changes. Depending on which side you have Glovebox set to will determine which trigger you need to change. For example, if it’s the right side, the first screen will be changed, but if it’s the left side swipe over and change the left side. The same applies to the top or bottom triggers.
Of course there are haptic feedback and pause in landscape too, but those are pretty self-explanatory on what they do and remain optional.
Change the actions with Sidebar
Do you want to show notifications, override the status bar, or something else? One area I do want to talk about is the Full swipe action. When you swipe your thumb and Glovebox slides out you, can slide it around to select which app you’d like. However, if you slide it all the way to the opposite side of the screen, a new action can take place. You can have nothing happen, return to the home screen, cancel, launch recent apps, or set it as a back button if you are rooted. I have mine set to return to the home screen.
Under that we have the Quick swipe action. When you swipe Glovebox out really fast, what happens? Do you just want the bar to close or keep the bar in an open position? If it’s selected to open you can slide really fast and have the bar stay open allowing you to look at the apps in the bar. This is helpful when you just want to glance at how many notifications you have or forgot the placement of an app. Now you don’t have to hold your thumb on the screen to see the bar.
Under the “App Info” section it says “show app info popup”. I suggest you have this checked as it will pop out the name of the app in the side bar making it a lot easier to tell what app you are currently selecting and about to open. The picture above shows the name pop out.
Changing the icons/bar look in Personalization
The personalization menu is where you can change the look of the bar, the icons, the transitions, as well as much more. It works by using Themes. You can select just the icon, just the sidebar, or both. Select the picture to see a pop up of what the bar will look like if applied. If you scroll over, it will show you what the icons will look like. They have some very unique looks from Ubuntu to grass themes.
Sidebar density is basically how close everything is together. This is all a matter of preference based on how well you can see and if you want more space when using Glovebox.
Fade effect is pretty cool, too. When you swipe the bar out the screen will go dimmer allowing you to focus more on the apps in the bar. If you have it unchecked the bar will slide out, but the app you are in won’t change.
Folders
You have two different ways to add folders. One is the same as adding apps only after you hit the “plus” button swipe over one to “Folder”. From there, hit the gear icon and the plus button to name the folder. Check off the ones you want added to that folder and hit the back button.
The second way is be under the gear menu at the top and select “Folder”. After that it’s the same way to add apps to the folders. If you would like to delete or rename a folder press the little red trash icon in the bottom right corner of the folder.
That is just to add apps to a folder; however, adding a folder to the Glovebox bar is another step. Be under the hand icon at the top, hit the plus, and swipe over to “Folder” and you should see all the folders you have created for you to add.
Blacklist
Certain apps can pause Glovebox and this section gives you some control over that. You can have your phone vibrate when it’s being paused, show messages when it’s paused, or add apps to the blacklist to not pause Glovebox.
Conclusion
I have been using Glovebox for years now and it truly is a must have. The app is there, ready to be called upon even when not seen. The little swipe actions always impress people as they have no idea how you did that and wish their phones could do it too. As I mentioned from the start: it’s already a great app on any phone, but basically mandatory if you own the Galaxy S6 Edge. Samsung should of actually partnered with Glovebox and had the app pre-installed. Unlike most of the other pre-installed apps, this one would remain enabled.
Come comment on this article: Using Glovebox with the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge is a perfect match
iOS 9 Beta 5 Tidbits: New Wallpapers, WIFi Calling for AT&T Users, and More
Apple today released the fifth beta of iOS 9, and as with the previous iOS 9 betas, there are a few new features and tweaks bundled into the release. WiFi calling for AT&T users has been introduced and is coming soon, Apple’s debuted several new wallpapers, and there are tweaks to CarPlay and the iPhone 6 keyboard.
Several bugs have been fixed in iOS 9 beta 5, and features like News and Siri Suggestions are working more smoothly than ever. With approximately a month and a half to go until release, iOS 9 is feeling faster, more polished, and more full featured. For those eager to know all about what’s coming in iOS 9 ahead of its release, we’ve rounded up a complete list of the changes introduced with iOS 9 beta 5 below.
You can also check out all of the changes, large and small, that have been made in previous betas: iOS 9 beta 1, iOS 9 beta 2, iOS 9 beta 3, iOS 9 beta 4.
Wallpapers – Today’s update includes a wide selection of new wallpapers, introducing images featuring close ups of feathers, flowers, plants, and more. Many older wallpapers have been removed, so people running iOS 8.4 should save their favorites now before they’re deleted with the launch of iOS 9.
WiFi Calling for AT&T – Beta 5 adds WiFi calling options for AT&T subscribers, but attempting to turn the option on results in a message saying WiFi calling is not yet available. The addition of the setting heralds the imminent release of the feature for AT&T users. Previously, WiFi calling was limited to T-Mobile. There’s also a new WiFi Assist feature that will “automatically use cellular data when Wi-Fi connectivity is poor.”
Apple Music – There’s a new “Shuffle All” option at the top of My Music when in Song, Album, or Genre view. It’ll play all songs in a music library on shuffle mode.
Keyboard tweaks – On the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, the keyboard has been tweaked and simplified with new shift and backspace keys.
Handoff – Handoff functionality has been changed in iOS 9 beta 5. Previously, Handoff had an option that would allow users to see lock screen suggestions for Apps in the App Store for a relevant location, but now only installed apps will be displayed. In the Settings app, Handoff options under General -> Handoff & Suggested Apps, the option to display App Store apps has been removed.
Regulatory info – The General portion of the Settings app has a new “Regulatory” section that displays regulatory information for iOS devices. This was information was previously hidden (and is still located) in General –> About –> Legal.
CarPlay – The CarPlay interface has been updated, changing the way images are displayed behind music controls and adding the ability to heart songs that are playing through Beats 1 radio or Apple Music.
Siri Suggestions – The Siri Suggestions interface has been tweaked slightly, removing the labels for calling and messaging a contact. Only icons are displayed now.
Text Replacements – In the Settings app, the section where you can create shortcuts for keys has been renamed “Text Replacements.”
WiFi animation – There’s a new animation that’s used when WiFi is turned off. Instead of the bars disappearing one by one, the WiFi symbol now fades to gray before disappearing.
Additional feature updates in iOS 9 beta 5 will be added here as they are discovered. Apple is expected to release at least one or two more update to iOS 9 before the operating system’s official launch. iOS 9 is expected to be released to the public in the fall alongside new iPhones.
Dungeon Hunter 5 Northern Storm update coming with crafting, an endless dungeon and more
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Those of you wrapped up in the lore of Dungeon Hunter from Gameloft are in for a treat as the company has announced a new update, The Northern Storm, for Dungeon Hunter 5 is on the horizon for Android. The update will bring in a number of new things that are sure to please players across the world.
Gameloft has added a number of new things to keep you busy. First up you have a new Endless Dungeon that is sure to test your skills and your player. The longer you survive the better chance you have at collecting some powerful ingredients to help you craft new trinkets. With the new trinkets you are able to carry up to 3 that will help you along your quest.
On the single player story mode side of things there is a new environment called Valen Outpost. They also added in another special dungeon that was created by the wicked Kenashi builders that holds a new final boss, Dendrik the Marauder. If you successfully defeat him you pick up Kenashi tickets that can be use to open special chests that hold 4 new Kenashi-themed armors, 4 new weapons, 3 new skills and 4 new minions.
The Northern Storm update is already out for iOS users, but will be rolling out soon to Android and Windows users. Be sure to keep an eye out for it.
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Samsung commits to new Android security update process to fast track patching vulnerabilities
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The mini super computers in our pockets have become more than our life line of communication to our friends, families, work and social media. They have become our way to control our house, keep tabs on our kids, express ourselves in photo and video, pay bills and so much more. With Android devices being many people’s primary means of computing, it also means that they are a target for hackers to hijack your device, steal your information and run a muck. The most recent ‘scare’ was a called Android Stagefright. To the best of my understanding, Stagefright was a bug that would give control of your device over to a would be criminal by way of a simple MMS. While Google immediately got to work fixing the bug and sent out security updates to its manufacturing partners, we all know how long it can take from them, and the carriers, to get around to pushing the patch out.
Seems security updates and patches are things that us end users need more frequently than every couple of months, or when ever the next bit software update is finally available. Samsung is jumping on the threats much quicker than before and are looking to fast track those important security patches.
“With the recent security issues, we have been rethinking the approach to getting security updates to our devices in a more timely manner. Since software is constantly exploited in new ways, developing a fast response process to deliver security patches to our devices is critical to keep them protected. We believe that this new process will vastly improve the security of our devices and will aim to provide the best mobile experience possible for our users.” said Dong Jin Koh, Executive Vice President and Head of Mobile Research and Development Office, IT & Mobile Communications at Samsung Electronics.
Samsung is already in talks with its carrier partners around the globe to make sure their devices get the security updates as quickly as possible. We should hear about which devices on which carrier are pushing the updates and when relatively soon.
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AIVAnet 