Adidas acquires fitness application Runtastic
The popular Runtastic fitness app that helps people keep track of their fitness has been acquired by Adidas. A member from Runtastic’s team mentioned that no changes will be made to the application for some time. Runtastic believes Adidas is the perfect match to expand their business and hopes the acquisition will bring endless new opportunities and possibilities for users. The deal seems to have gone for around $250 million and will give Adidas control of nearly 70 million users that are currently active on Runtastic.
Runtastic’s staff will continue to work from Vienna and San Francisco. Adidas, on the other hand, is striving to keep up with competitors like Nike and Under Armour. Nike has its own fitness service associated with its Fuelband and it’s already used by many people around the world. Under Armour recently acquired the app MyFitnessPal and is looking to expand on its own fitness platform, Record.
The mobile world has become a great place for users to keep track of their health and activities throughout the day. Fitness apps can help users stay hydrated, stay fit, give training tips and allow people to look back at their history of a run, bike ride or jog. These are becoming more and more popular as we near the second half of 2015, and Adidas wants to make sure it stays competitive.
Source: Runtastic
adidas Group acquires Runtastic
August 5, 2015 – Herzogenaurach, Germany / Linz, Austria – The adidas Group and runtastic GmbH today announced that adidas AG has acquired all outstanding shares of runtastic GmbH. The transaction values Runtastic at an enterprise value of € 220 million.
In line with the Group’s strategic business plan ‘Creating the New’, this acquisition reinforces the adidas Group’s commitment to inspire and enable athletes of all levels to harness the power of sport in their lives. Runtastic’s vision for 2020 that every individual lives a more aware and active lifestyle leading to a longer, happier life means the adidas Group has found a perfect partner that fully understands the potential of the convergence of sport, digital and data in an always connected and always on-demand world.
The adidas brand was the first in the industry to comprehensively bring data analytics to the athlete. With decades of continuous investment in sports science, sensor technology, wearables and digital communication platforms, there is no other sports company that has done more to innovate sports and change the game through technology. adidas’ variety of digitally enabled products such as balls, wrist devices, apparel, shoes, web and phone apps goes unmatched. No other sports company has the diversity of sports and fitness activity coverage and understanding of data related to athletes’ physiology and motion in play – from pro athletes, world record holders, professional sports and college teams to athletes of all levels right down to kids in gym class.
Combining Runtastic’s and the adidas Group’s capabilities brings the adidas Group in a prime position to unleash its knowledge of sport. Runtastic’s fast pace, dynamism and high energy will speed up the adidas Group’s ability to reach both partners’ combined vision to make sport inspiring and part of everyone’s lives – creating unexpected sports experiences that will resonate and clearly stand out in a crowded and constantly changing landscape.
Founded in 2009 and headquartered in Pasching near Linz, Austria, Runtastic has shown tremendous growth in a short period of time. With more than 140 million downloads and around 70 million registered users, Runtastic has a strong and unique industry position. Available in 18 languages, Runtastic is already one of the most diverse global players in the health and fitness app market, operating a multi-app strategy with over 20 apps covering a wide variety of endurance, health and fitness activities. Through a highly engaged and active user base, the company has already established solid revenue and earnings streams. With high user satisfaction, an impressive pipeline of innovative concepts and relentless speed to market, momentum is expected to remain robust in the coming years.
With 50.1% ownership, Axel Springer SE through its subsidiary Axel Springer Digital Ventures GmbH was the major shareholder of runtastic GmbH. Other main shareholders were Austrian business angel Dr. Johann Hansmann and company founders Florian Gschwandtner, Alfred Luger, René Giretzlehner and Christian Kaar who will continue to run Runtastic within the adidas Group.
“Digital technologies are providing new capabilities and insights to help athletes of all levels take control of their sporting destiny – whether improving their performance, sharing their experiences, or creating their own great social moments of sport,” commented Herbert Hainer, CEO of the adidas Group. “This investment will add considerable value on our journey to deliver new world-class sports experiences. In addition, it offers the opportunity to grow a highly engaged athlete user base and leverage the power of our broad product portfolio. Therefore, I am very happy to welcome Runtastic’s passionate employees and their 70 million active athletes and sports lovers to the adidas Group family.”
“adidas is the perfect strategic partner for Runtastic and we are very eager to leverage our business in new and unique ways in the future,” said Florian Gschwandtner, Runtastic CEO and Co-Founder. “By bringing cutting-edge input from our leading position in the digital space to one of the great world leaders in the sports and fitness industry, I am personally looking forward to pleasing and surprising new and loyal users with the best products in the world. Together, we will make exceptional and unexpected things happen.”
Signing and closing of the transaction have both taken place simultaneously, today. In connection with the transaction, Deutsche Bank is acting as financial advisor to the adidas Group, and Ashurst LLP and Schoenherr are serving as legal counsel. Allen & Company LLC is acting as financial advisor to Runtastic and Milbank Tweed Hadley & McCloy LLP and 42law are serving as legal counsel.
Come comment on this article: Adidas acquires fitness application Runtastic
The Wirecutter’s best deals: an iPad case, 2TB hard drive, and more
This post was created in partnership with The Wirecutter, a list of the best technology to buy. Read their continuously updated list of deals at TheWirecutter.com.
You may have already seen Engadget posting reviews from our friends at The Wirecutter. Now, from time to time, we’ll also be publishing their recommended deals on some of their top picks. Read on, and strike while the iron is hot — some of these sales could expire mighty soon.
Belkin QODE Ultimate Pro iPad Air 2 Keyboard Case White
Street Price: $120; MSRP: $150; Deal Price: $100
This is a great deal on one of our upcoming top picks. It regularly sells around $120, and this is the lowest price we’ve seen on the case. The price matches one we saw very briefly during a Lightning Deal on Amazon’s Prime Day, but unlike that sale this deal price is only available on the white version of the case.
The Belkin QODE Ultimate Pro is our upcoming pick for the best iPad Air 2 keyboard case. Dan Frakes writes, “It’s not cheap, but it’s the most versatile and complete keyboard case on the market thanks to a good keyboard with all the keys in the right places, backlit keys, multi-device pairing, multiple angles, landscape and portrait orientation, and a detachable top case for when you don’t need the keyboard.”
Seagate Backup Plus Slim 2TB Portable Hard Drive
Street Price: $90; MSRP: $130; Deal Price: $80 with code EMCAWAS23
To get this deal price, use the code EMCAWAS23 when checking out (you’ll also need a Newegg login). This matches the best price we’ve ever seen on this drive. It dropped to this price a couple of times during last year’s holiday season, but since then the deals have been rare.
The 2TB Seagate Backup Plus Slim is our top pick for best portable hard drive. Kimber Streams called it “the best portable hard drive for most people because it’s reliable and sturdily built. It’s also more compact, lighter, and faster than our previous recommendation.”
Beyerdynamic MMX 102iE In-Ear Headphones
Street Price: $98; MSRP: $139; Deal Price: $79
Over the last couple of months these headphones have settled around a $100 street price while occasionally dropping to $90. While only about $10 better than those drops, this deal is the lowest price we’ve ever seen.
These are our pick for the best $100 in-ear headphones. Lauren Dragan said they “are small, comfortable, fit everyone well and have a pleasing sound profile.”
She added that they have very light earbuds with nothing pulling them down so that “Once you have these in place, they don’t move around much. In fact, they were so comfortable that I could see myself forgetting that they were in my ears.”
UE MEGABOOM Wireless Bluetooth Speaker
Street Price: $300; MSRP: $300; Deal Price: $270
While we’ve seen a much better price through T-Mobile way back in May, where it was available for $216 with a promo code, this speaker rarely goes on sale. This $30 off deal can be found at both Amazon and Best Buy and all colors are available.
The UE Megaboom is our pick for the best water-resistent Bluetooth speaker. Brent Butterworth said, “The Megaboom is an upscale outdoor Bluetooth speaker in every way. It features a rugged design that’s IPX7-rated (more on this rating in a moment), so it’s truly waterproof down to 1 meter. It plays loud enough to fill a patio with sound, and it has enough bass to get you dancing (if you’re so inclined). It’s small enough to pack in a suitcase or beach bag. It works with a free iOS/Android app that accesses several special sound modes plus some cool, useful features. It’s expensive at $300, but you get a lot for those three bills.”
Deals change all the time, and some of these may have expired. To see an updated list of current deals, please go to The Wirecutter.com.
Tags: Backup Plus Slim, belkin, Beyerdynamic, deals, Megaboom, MMX 102iE, partner, QODE Ultimate Pro, seagate, syndicated, thewirecutter, UE, UE Megaboom, wirecutter
Tell us how you really feel about Windows 10
Windows 10 became available for download last week, and in our review we hailed it as the “most refined desktop experience ever from Microsoft.” We were able to recommend it “without any hesitation,” and with free upgrades for Windows 7 and 8 users, there are plenty of reasons to give it a shot. Sure, a few other outlets have reported running into some bugs, which might be a good reason to hold back. But that didn’t stop over 14 million people from making the leap within the first 24 hours. So, we’d like to know what our intrepid readers think. Write us a user review on Engadget’s Windows 10 database page to tell us all about the highs and lows of what Microsoft is calling “the last version of Windows ever,” and we’ll feature the most interesting or insightful ones in an upcoming post.
Comments have been turned off for this post; please go to the Windows 10 page to write a review. If you don’t have a database account, sign up here!
Filed under:
Software, Microsoft
Tags: microsoft, userreviewroundup, userreviews, Windows, Windows 10, Windows10
Google’s Nexus devices are getting monthly security updates
Samsung isn’t the only Android device maker promising monthly security updates in light of huge exploits like the Stagefright flaw. Google itself is vowing that Nexus devices will get monthly over-the-air patches, starting with software arriving today. If you own a Nexus 4 or any newer model, you won’t have to wait ages for these fixes to come as part of a point release. The duration of update coverage remains the same. You’ll get major OS updates for at least 2 years, and security fixes for either 3 years after launch or 18 months after your device leaves the Google Store.
This is an easier move for Google to make than Samsung, since it’s patching stock Android and doesn’t usually have to deal with the complications of carrier- or region-specific models. However, it’s also an important step that could set an example for Android partners that haven’t adopted the monthly schedule. Google clearly knows that the platform’s overall security suffers when neglectful hardware makers leave reasonably modern devices vulnerable for months (or forever, in some cases) — this tells companies that they no longer have an excuse.
Photo by Will Lipman.
Filed under:
Cellphones, Tablets, Mobile, Google
Source:
Android Official Blog
Tags: android, google, mobilepostcross, nexus, security, smartphone, stagefright, tablet, update
Expect Nexus devices to receive monthly security updates from now on
Amid the concerns of Android’s Stagefright vulnerability, Google has commented on the protection of its own devices. Nexus devices ranging from the Nexus 7 to the Nexus 6 will now be covered by monthly security updates. The company pointed out that Android being open source means that potential security risks can be identified and addressed by anyone to strengthen the platform.
Nexus devices have always been among the first Android devices to receive platform and security updates. From this week on, Nexus devices will receive regular OTA updates each month focused on security, in addition to the usual platform updates.
Starting today, at least seven Nexus devices are receiving the first monthly security update. The Nexus 4, Nexus 5, Nexus 6, Nexus 7, Nexus 9, Nexus 10, and Nexus Player are all protected from the Stagefright vulnerability in addition to receiving other smaller fixes. Any changes made will be added to the Android Open Source Project (AOSP).
Google reminds everyone that Nexus devices will receive major software updates for at least years years while security patches continue for as long as three years.
People have long bashed Google and Android for not being secure, but the company notes that its decisions are responsible for there being less than 0.15% of devices with a potentially harmful app installed.
Source: Google
Come comment on this article: Expect Nexus devices to receive monthly security updates from now on
YouTube defaulting to ‘301+’ views is no more
When a video quickly earns hundreds or thousands of views on YouTube, the view count defaults to displaying ‘301+’ views. There are, of course, many more views than that. Thankfully, YouTube has finally decided to put an end to the ambiguity of ‘301+’ while getting rid of it entirely.
YouTube explained that the view count would automatically stop when surpassing 300 views to check for spam. A few hours later, when all views became validated, the view count would update to reflect how many people (and not robots) watched a video.
Views will now be counted from “real people as they’re recorded” to keep things moving along. Basically, YouTube is implementing a filter that makes decisions quicker than before. The diagram above, which YouTube created to show how the processor has changed, compares storing views in a basket to redirecting them in a pipe.
@MoonlightByAG WE SALUTE YOUR AWESOMENESS
— YouTube Creators (@YTCreators) August 5, 2015
And we salute you too, YouTube.
Source: YouTube Creators (Twitter)
Come comment on this article: YouTube defaulting to ‘301+’ views is no more
Square Enix discounts Dragon Quest VIII, Secret of Mana and some Final Fantasy titles in the Play Store
If you’d like to download just about any Square Enix title from the Google Play Store, odds are you’ll have to shell out a few bucks. But if you’ve been waiting for the price to drop on a particular game from the developer, now is your chance to save. Right now in the Google Play Store, you can grab a number of great games for cheap, including some Final Fantasy titles, Secret of Mana and even Dragon Quest VIII.
These discounts aren’t anything groundbreaking, but each one will save you a few bucks. Here’s the full list of Square Enix titles on sale:
- Final Fantasy Tactics: War of the Lions – $9.70 (normally $13.99)
- Final Fantasy III – $7.99 (normally $15.99)
- Final Fantasy IV – $7.99 (normally $15.99)
- Final Fantasy V – $7.99 (normally $15.99)
- Final Fantasy VI – $7.99 (normally $15.99)
- Secret of Mana – $3.99 (normally $8.99)
- Dragon Quest VIII – $12.99 (normally $19.99)
We’ll let you know if Square Enix discounts any more games in the future, but we have to admit this is a pretty decent list so far. The majority of these games state that they’re on sale for a limited time, so you’ll need to head to the Play Store sometime soon in order to get the discount.
If you find any other Square Enix games on sale, be sure to let us know in the comments.
Apple Seeds Third OS X 10.10.5 Yosemite Beta to Developers
Apple today seeded the third beta of OS X 10.10.5 to developers, nearly one week after seeding the second 10.10.5 beta and more than a month after releasing OS X 10.10.4 to the public.
Today’s beta, build 14F25a, can be downloaded through the Software Update mechanism in the Mac App Store or through the Apple Developer Center.
The first OS X 10.10.5 beta did not appear to include any consumer-facing changes, so it’s likely that this update focuses on behind-the-scenes bug fixes and performance enhancements.
Because we’re just a couple of months away from the public release of OS X 10.11 El Capitan, OS X 10.10.5 will likely be one of the last updates to Yosemite, designed to prepare the operating system for its imminent retirement. It will, of course, continue to get bug fixes and minor repairs even after El Capitan’s release to patch security flaws and fix other issues.
Over the course of its lifespan, OS X Yosemite has received four updates. The first two brought bug fixes and security improvements, while OS X 10.10.3, the most significant update to Yosemite, introduced the new Photos app, Force Touch APIs, new emoji features, and more.
OS X 10.10.4, the current version of OS X Yosemite, introduced multiple bug fixes and under-the-hood performance improvements, including the removal of the problematic Discoveryd process.
Samsung kills Boxee’s secret tablet remote project, lays off staff
If you were hoping for Boxee’s glorious return as part of Samsung, brace yourself for crushing disappointment ahead. Samsung has reportedly cancelled the group’s next-generation remote project and laid off much of the Boxee team, according to Variety. The team’s project, dubbed internally as Perfect Experience, or “PX,” was apparently focused on developing a tablet-like remote that would sit on your coffee table and let anyone in your household search and control programming. It was supposed to include a guide that brought together both TV listings and content from streaming services. That’s something Boxee has been working towards over the course of its last two set-top boxes, the cube-like Boxee Box and the disastrous Boxee TV, whose main selling point was an (incredibly buggy) cloud DVR feature for over-the-air TV shows.
Samsung paid around $30 million for the Boxee team and its technology two years ago after the company ran out of money and the Boxee TV fell flat. Naturally, Samsung wouldn’t comment directly on the report, but a rep noted that “in order to continuously innovate, we constantly invest in areas of our business that enhance the Samsung experience for our consumers.”
As Variety tells it, Samsung initially gave the the Boxee team plenty of resources and helped them reach around 100 employees. But a combination of delays (it was supposed to debut at CES and be bundled with this year’s TVs), a lack of cooperation from content owners, who didn’t want to make their wares available directly within Samsung’s app, and general distrust from Samsung’s Korean home team led to the PX project falling apart. The idea of a tablet living room centerpiece actually makes sense today — I’ve ever warmed up to the Wii U’s gamepad — so hopefully Samsung finds some way to keep the spirit of this project alive.
Filed under:
Home Entertainment, HD, Samsung
Source:
Variety
Tags: Boxee, hdpostcross, PX, samsung
Here’s what our readers think of the Fitbit Surge
Even as other companies plow ahead with their plans to put a smartwatch on every wrist, Fitbit is staying focused on fitness tracking via simpler wearables like the Flex and the Charge/Charge HR. But that doesn’t mean the company is content with being outshone. With the Surge, Fitbit upped its game not just by including standard activity and sleep tracking, but also by packing in a GPS radio for more serious runners. However, despite those ambitions, we found it mildly cumbersome and lacking compared to more robust options from Polar, Garmin and TomTom. Indeed, we recommended it mostly for users “willing to sacrifice some style and comfort in the name of best-in-class step counting and sleep tracking.” But judging from the reviews on the Surge’s product page, it hasn’t quite mastered the latter either.
“Feels good to the touch and is very comfortable.” — metric152
Readers were pretty frank with their complaints about the Surge’s look and size, with andyaddict calling it “bulky and obtuse” while Yogibara found it downright ugly thanks to its wedge-shaped form factor. Still, despite describing it as “a big, fat watch,” falleninsea says it “looks good on the wrist,” while metric152 finds the strap is “the best Fitbit has to offer” and the body may be “quite a bit larger, but not uncomfortable.”
Of course, given the recall of the Fitbit Force early last year, the big elephant in the room is how well the Surge gets along with your skin. And although most users seem to have had no problem with it, Yogibara claims the Surge gave him “a terrible rash on my wrist,” even after he followed the company’s care instructions. Meanwhile, andyaddict had an entirely different sort of issue, complaining of a “funk” emanating from the three buttons on the face, thanks to water getting caught in them.
“I ran the same route every time and the Fitbit spat out different numbers every run.” — andyaddict
Get past its look and feel, though, and the Fitbit Surge has plenty to offer the casual fitness fan, with metric152 liking its “simple and straightforward” menus and battery life “ahead of Android Wear.” Falleninsea was happy with its four to five days of battery, which didn’t quite match that of the Fitbit One, but at least blew his Moto 360 out of the water. But more advanced users might find the Surge’s limitations a bit frustrating, with Yogibara noting its “GPS acquisition is slow” and ARbatman doesn’t even use the GPS because “it really sucks the battery.” Those who value accuracy are likely to be even more disappointed, with andyaddict noting the step and distance tracking didn’t match up to his treadmill, and metric152 finds it “isn’t as precise as the H7 Polar chest band” in a direct comparison. In fact, while using an elliptical, he noticed “the reading was 5-15 bpm off from the chest band,” although the calorie count was “not perfect, but very close” with only a 10-calorie difference between the two devices.
Overall, users seem to feel that the Surge isn’t the best Fitbit has to offer right now, with falleninsea recommending that users go with the Charge “if they are looking for a Fitbit with a display that you want on your wrist.” He doesn’t think the Surge is worth the $120 premium, and andyaddict ultimately finds it “has a lot of issues for something that runs $250.”
Was the $250 purchase worth it for you, or a dud? Let us know by writing a review here. Or let your feelings be known on other products like the Pebble Time or the LG Watch Urbane, and your user review may be featured in a future post.
Tags: Fitbit, Fitbit Charge, Fitbit Surge, fitness, GPS watch, reviewroundup, Surge, userreviewroundup, wearable
AIVAnet 