Asteroid making surprise flyby at an ‘unusually high’ velocity
A newly discovered asteroid (not pictured) will make Halloween more thrilling by passing within 1.3 lunar distances (310,000 miles) of Earth. The object, which measures between 300 and 600 meters (1,000 and 2,000 feet) across, was discovered last week by the asteroid-hunting Pan-STARRS observatory in Hawaii, according to NASA. It’ll streak by on October 31st at an “unusually” high encounter velocity of 35 km/s, or around 78,000 mph. By contrast, the Russian meteorite caught by vehicle cameras in 2013 was 17 meters (55 feet) across and traveled at a top speed of 19 km/s, while the one that flattened a Russian forest in 1908 measured 40 meters (130 feet).
There’s no danger of a collision, but the asteroid would pack an enormous punch if it did hit the Earth, given its size and especially its velocity. It’s also a bit alarming that astronomers only found it nine days ago, considering how close it already is to our planet. However, NASA said that it was on an extremely eccentric orbit, and “may be cometary in nature,” according to its measurements. While it likely gave some telescope-jockey a shock, the close flyby will give scientists a chance to image it with a resolution “as high as 2 meters (6 feet) per pixel,” according to NASA. The next time an object passes this close (we hope) will be in 2027, when the mile-wide AN10 asteroid swings by at a closer distance than our moon.
Via: Gizmag
Source: NASA
China accused of hacking US firms even after cyber-peace treaty
A security firm is accusing China of attempting to hack American businesses and steal trade secrets, just weeks after signing a treaty not to. The claims come from researchers at CrowdStrike, which claims to monitor and prevent attacks on US businesses from foreign nations looking to swipe sensitive information. According to Dimitri Alperovitch, seven companies that operate in the technology and pharmaceuticals industries have come under attack in the last three weeks alone.
It’s a little embarrassing for China, considering that President Xi Jinping signed a treaty with the US to limit the scope of cyberattacks. For the benefit of the doubt, Alperovitch points out that this could just be the last remnants of the nation’s cyber-excursions as various divisions are told to stand down. Reuters spoke to a Chinese spokesperson, Hua Chunying, who said that their government was opposed to all forms of hacking and industrial espionage. Meanwhile, a White House source told the news service that it was aware of CrowdStrike’s claims, but wouldn’t say if it agreed with them — presumably to help preserve this burgeoning diplomacy.
[Image Credit: Xinhua News Agency/Getty Images]
Via: Reuters
Source: CrowdStrike
E-bike company blames Apple poaching for its demise
When promising EV company Mission Motorcycles went bankrupt last month, it said that “we have not earned any cash (or) revenue of any kind.” However, it’s now putting part of the blame on Apple, claiming that it poached several of its top engineers at a critical time. Mission told Reuters that an investor withdrew crucial funding after two of its key engineers left for Apple, and the company ran out of cash shortly afterwards. “Mission had a great group of of engineers… Apple knew that — they wanted it, and they went and got it,” said CEO Derek Kaufman.
Apple has never acknowledged that it’s even working on an electric car, though it reportedly hired engineers away from established automakers. Tesla CEO Elon Musk recently chided the company for the practice, saying that “they have hired people we’ve fired.” That said, Mission admitted that it failed to find stable investors like rival Zero Motorcycles, despite developing a pair of good-looking, high-performance E-bikes. And it was clearly having troubles well before it went bankrupt, as it sued one of its co-founders and delayed production numerous times.
Via: 9to5 Mac
Source: Reuters
BBC iPlayer now offers personalised suggestions after each programme
Across its TV, radio and online operations, the BBC produces a ton of new content every day. Making sense of it all on iPlayer and ultimately finding something to watch can, therefore, be a little daunting if you have specific tastes and interests. Thankfully, the BBC seems to have noticed and is now rolling out recommendations on iPlayer. So if you’re signed in with a BBC ID, you’ll see a carousel at the end of each programme filled with suggestions based on your iPlayer history. It’s a small change, but one that should increase the amount of time people spend on iPlayer — always handy for the BBC as it defends the licence fee — and also help some of its niche content to find a larger audience.
The broadcaster is also announcing a revamped BBC Sport app today, which is rolling out “over the coming days” and lets you personalise the navigation menu and a new My Sport home page. So if you love Formula 1, tennis and Arsenal football club, but couldn’t care less about golf or athletics, you can now update the app to reflect those preferences. The feature requires a BBC ID, but in return the BBC promises to sync your changes automatically across all of your devices. Similarly, if you use the BBC News app, the broadcaster will soon sync any adjustments you make to the My News section. On their own, these changes might seem a little minor, but together they make a pretty compelling case for BBC ID — if you haven’t set one up yet, now might be the time to do so.
Source: BBC
Best Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P deals in the UK
The new Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P handsets are beginning to launch in the UK and while we’ve already looked at the SIM free price for Google’s new smartphones, the UK is one of a few countries where they are also available to buy on postpaid plans.
With four networks and a major retailer, there should be a lot of deals to choose from so which are the best deals for Google’s new smartphones? Here’s a roundup, designed to save you money if you want either the Nexus 5X or the Nexus 6P on a postpaid plan.
Nexus 6P unboxing and impressions after first 48 hours
Carphone Warehouse
We’ll start with the major retailer Carphone Warehouse, who are the only one to have the Nexus 5X in stock at the moment (with the Nexus 6P available later this week). The retailer is offering the Nexus 5X in Black, White or exclusively in Ice while the 6P is available in either Graphite or Silver, with the latter exclusive to Carphone Warehouse in the UK.
The best deal is on O2 at £27.50 per month, offering unlimited minutes and texts with 1GB 4G data each month on a 24-month commitment. For those want more data, the Vodafone deal at £30 per month offers 2GB 4G data while a plan on EE with 5GB 4G data costs just £31.99 per month.
Buy Nexus 5X from Carphone Warehouse
If you want the bigger Nexus 6P, it’s free on plans from £34.99 per month and the best deal is with EE, offering 1000 minutes, unlimited texts and 2GB 4G data for £34.99 per month. For those who want more data, an O2 deal at £36 per month offers 3GB data while another deal on EE offers 5GB data for £36.99 per month, with a £9.99 upfront charge.
Buy Nexus 6P from Carphone Warehouse
EE
EE was the first network in the UK to confirm it plans to stock both of Google’s new devices and it has listed them as pre-order, with deliveries expected to start within the next few weeks.
EE is offering the Nexus 5X in Carbon and an expected delivery date of “within 21 days”. The best plan offers 1000 minutes, unlimited texts and 2GB 4G data (with inclusive EU roaming) for £34.99 per month with a £59.99 upfront charge. There’s also a range of other plans available, with data allowances up to 20GB double-speed 4G each month.
If you’re after the Nexus 6P from EE, the network is offering it with a minimum up-front cost of £9.99 and then a monthly charge from £41.99 per month. This gets you unlimited minutes and texts with 2GB data each month but just £3 per month more, gets you 4G double-speed data along with inclusive EU calls and texts. There’s also a range of plans available, offering up to 20GB data.
Vodafone
Vodafone hasn’t listed the Nexus 5X on its website and when we asked the network whether it planned to stock the LG-made handset, it confirmed there were no plans at the moment. However, Nexus lovers don’t despair as Vodafone is offering the Nexus 6P with a free Huawei MediaPad tablet (for the first 1000 pre-orders), with orders despatching from November 2nd.
If you’re after the Nexus 6P on Vodafone, it’ll cost you £35 per month with a £9 upfront charge, which gives you 1000 minutes, unlimited texts and 1GB 4G data per month. Other notable plans include 2GB data with inclusive European calls for £40 per month and 4GB data along with inclusive EU calls and a choice of free content bundle for £45 per month.
For more information and all the available plans, head over to Vodafone at the link below.
O2
O2 has listed both, the Nexus 6P and the Nexus 5X as coming soon but is yet to reveal just how much it’ll charge for each handset. Given the other handsets listed, it’s almost certain that the handsets will be available on O2 Refresh, which splits your monthly bill into two payments (device and airtime) and lets you upgrade at any time just by paying off the remainder of your device.
Three
Three has not confirmed if it is planning to stock either of the two new handsets but we’ve reached out to the network and will update when we receive any additional information.
Nexus 5X unboxing and impressions after first 48 hours
Wrap up
There you have it, a quick wrap up of the best deals for the Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P in the UK. Of course, if you’d rather, you can always buy the handset SIM free, with a range of places to buy the handset including Carphone Warehouse, Clove or even Google itself.
New Nexus in video:
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Have you spotted a deal that you think we should have featured? Is there one of these deals that takes your fancy? Have you ordered either the Nexus 5X or the Nexus 6P? Let us know your views in the comments below guys and check out our Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P videos above!
Cortex-A72 powered Samsung Exynos 7650 and 7880 spotted
Samsung is preparing a couple of new chips for its Exynos line-up of mobile SoCs, if reports from China are to be believed. The new processors, named the Exynos 7650 and 7800, will apparently be built from high-end ARM parts, including the latest Cortex-A72 CPU core and Mali-T860 GPU.
Judging from the expected use of a 28nm manufacturing process, the Exynos 7650 and 7800 aren’t going to be top tier chips but could form the basis of Samsung’s next midrange line-up. Samsung has already used its more expensive 14nm FinFET process in this year’s Exynos 7420 for its flagship Galaxy S6 and Note 5 smartphones..
The Exynos 7650 appears to be the lower end of the two chips. It will feature a big.LITTLE paring of a Cortex-A72, ARM’s more power efficient high performance successor to the Cortex-A57, and its efficient Cortex-A53 for less demanding tasks. There’s also 993MHz LPDDR3 RAM with 14.9GB/s bandwidth and a three core Mali-T860 GPU, which ARM states is its best performing GPU for the lowest energy consumption.
The Exynos 7880 looks to be a slightly more high performance design, featuring a slight clock speed increase on the Cortex-A72, up to 1.8GHz from 1.7GHz, and faster 1066MHz LPDDR3 memory with a bandwidth of 17GB/s. Furthermore, the same ARM Mali-T860 GPU received an additional core for more graphics grunt.
See also: A closer look at the ARM Cortex-A72
We don’t know how many CPU cores will be included in either the two new SoCs, but we are quite likely looking at quad or hexa-core configurations due to the use of a 28nm process. Perhaps the 7880 will pack in additional cores to further separate itself from the 7650.
Most likely, these two reported chips are heading to mid-range Samsung Galaxy phones in 2016.
Sony Xperia Z5 Compact review
It is no secret that Sony is struggling in the smartphone market. In fact the company has publicly declared that it is now make-or-break time for its Android handset division, if the board doesn’t see progress in sales and profitability then the whole unit could be for the chop. With that in mind we turn to the release of the Sony Xperia Z5 line, a series of three phones, the smallest of which is the 4.6 inch Z5 Compact.
I got my hands on the Z5 Compact a few days ago and following my unboxing on Periscope I have been testing it to see if it will help Sony lift its mobile division out of the doldrums. Let’s see what I found out.
Design
The design of the Z5 Compact will be instantly familiar to anyone who is acquainted with Sony’s other Z devices, particularly the Z3 Compact. As you can guess from the Compact moniker, this handset shares the same design language as its bigger non-compact namesake, the Sony Z5, but in a much smaller body. The signature button layout returns including the the dedicated camera shutter button and a new large power button, which now houses a fingerprint reader.
The new power button doesn’t look as iconic as the round button from before, but still retains a unique look. However, the downside of Sony’s button layout is that the volume rocker is towards the bottom of the right side, between the centrally placed power button and the camera shutter button. This makes the volume rocker hard to reach, regardless of which hand you are using to hold the device.
Going around the device, there is the 3.5mm headphone jack on the top, and the micro USB port on the bottom. Both the top and bottom have microphone holes as well. On the left is the flap which protects the SIM card and the SD card, along with a strange roll out piece of plastic film which holds the CE and FTC information. On the front you will find the 4.6 inch 720p display, the front facing camera and the front facing speakers. On the rear is the main camera and various logos.
Like the Z3 Compact, the Z5 Compact feels nice in the hand and is easy to handle, mainly due to its size. It has a symmetrical design making it easy to grip and although this design has been updated with this iteration, the Z5 Compact remains quintessentially Sony.
Display
Since this is the Compact version of the Z5 you get a 4.6-inch display with a 720p resolution, resulting in a pixel density of 323 ppi. This resolution and pixel density works perfectly for a smaller display, with all text looking crisp and sharp. You get the same color reproduction that you’d expect from the Triluminos display with the X-REALITY Engine enhancements, along with the great viewing angles from this IPS screen. The Z5 Compact also includes Sony’s Dynamic Contrast Enhancer, which the company says makes the bright parts of the screen brighter and the dark parts a truer, deeper black.
Of course, the real question is do you want a 4.6 inch display? When it comes to watching videos, playing games, or reading text, the smaller display size may take some getting used to, especially if you are used to using a bigger screen. The trade off is easier handling, which is something that a lot of consumers do want, but if you are looking for a higher experience in terms of the display, the Xperia Z5 Compact is probably not for you.
Performance and hardware
Although the Z5 Compact has a smaller screen, Sony has not compromised on the internals. Like its bigger siblings, the Z5 Compact uses an octa-core Snapdragon 810 backed by the Adreno 430 GPU and 2GB of RAM. There is 32GB of internal storage and the option to add more via a microSD card. You also get all of the normal connectivity options including NFC, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, GPS, Bluetooth 4.1, and 4G LTE. The only difference, in terms of the specs, is that the Z5 and the Z5 Premium boast 3GB of RAM.
The Z5 Compact is significantly cheaper than the similarly sized iPhone 6S.
In terms of waterproofing, the Z5 Compact is IP65 and IP68 rated, which according to Sony means you don’t worry if you get caught in the rain or want to wash off dirt under a tap. However Sony recommends that you don’t put the device completely underwater, expose it to seawater or pour hot drinks on it.
As for sound, the Z5 Compact features dual front facing speakers meaning that the sound is unobstructed when you place the phone on a flat surface and that the sound is projected directly upwards and outwards. The speakers can get quite loud (for a 4.6 inch phone) however at the highest volumes the sound loses depth and can be a bit “squeaky”.
There are a number of Audio settings which can be used to improve the sound quality including DSEE HX, ClearAudio+ and a Dynamic normalizer. There is also a manual mode which allows you to enable the equalizer or activate various surround sound options. Using the Bass Boost mode of the equalizer I found I could improve the speaker reproduction, however your tastes may differ.
When it comes to the battery, the Sony Xperia Z5 Compact packs a 2,700 mAh unit, which is more than enough for a smaller phone like this. The lower screen resolution display helps and in general Sony devices have always been known to feature great standby times and useful power saving modes.
With moderately heavy usage, I was able to get a full day of battery life and this could be improved by turning on some power saving features once the capacity goes down to 25 percent. You maybe be able to get more. A screen on time of between 4 to 6 hours is quite possible, as my tests show that you can stream YouTube videos for around 6 hours on one charge or play 3D games for around 4.5 hours.
The first time I fully charged the device I got was 44 hours of standby with 3 hours and 49 minutes of screen on time, however these number were influenced by my Snapdragon 810 thermal tests (see below), which drain the battery faster than normal. On the next charge I got 5 hours of screen on time over a period of 42 hours.
The Z5 Compact supports Quick Charge 2.0 which means that the phone can be charged up to 80% relatively quickly. My tests show that you can charge it from 10% to 80% in about an hour, or to just 50% in about 40 minutes. A full charge from 10% to 100% takes about 1 hour and 40 minutes.
The Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 got a lot of bad press when it first appeared because it was said to overheat resulting in the CPU speed being throttled and the performance dropping. In an effort to rebuild confidence in the Snapdragon 810, Qualcomm released a newer version of the SoC with the V2.1 moniker. And it looks like Qualcomm’s plan worked as Sony picked the chip for its Z5 line, as did Huawei for the Nexus 6P.
But the question remains, does the 810 V2.1 overheat? Unfortunately the answer is a little more complicated than the question. During normal usage like web browsing, email, gaming, and when using the camera for photos then the device does not overheat. According to my testing, using a handheld infra red thermometer gun, you can expect the temperature of the back of the phone to raise by a maximum of 9 degrees Celsius during normal usage. To put that into context, the temperature of the top left hand corner of the back of the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 goes up by 10 degrees while playing Epic Citadel for 20 minutes.
However, when recording 4K video the device can become very hot, and Sony knows it. When you enter into the 4K mode you are greeted by a nice dialog which warns you, “If the device temperature rises, the app may close during use. You recording will be saved automatically.” And the warning dialog is right, once you start recording 4K the device temperature does rise and indeed if it gets too hot the app close. This isn’t an immediate thing, we aren’t talking about 1 minute of use, but if you record 4K for around 20 minutes the device heats up significantly and the app will close. According to my measurements the temperature of the back of the Z5 Compact can raise by as much as 20 degrees C. It is also worth pointing out that 4K recording eats into your battery life significantly. This excessive heating isn’t just limited to 4K video recordings. If you record HD video (again for 20 minutes) the Z5 Compact also heats up, not as much, but still by a significant 17C.
In terms of general performance the Snapdragon 810 provides a snappy user experience. The UI is smooth and there aren’t any lags, you won’t find yourself wishing there was a different CPU in the phone. The gaming experience is also very good, in fact the Z5 Compact manages an impressive 58.5 fps for Epic Citadel in Ultra High Quality Mode. As for AnTuTu, the device managed a top score of 62,130. A re-run of the benchmark straight after recording 4K video yields a score of 50,955, which is an 18 percent decrease.
Camera
With a 23 MP Sony Exmor RS sensor, a wide angle 24mm G Lens, and 4K video recording, I was really looking forward to seeing what the Z5 Compact’s camera could do. However, I must confess that I am a little disappointed. Part of my disappointment might be because my expectations where high: this is a Sony device, Sony make great digital cameras, Sony sells its mobile sensors to lots of other smartphone makers, the Z5 Compact has a 23MP sensor, and so on. Basically I was expecting great things.
All I can say is that the camera on the Z5 Compact did not meet my expectations. That doesn’t mean it is a bad camera, in fact it is quite good, but it isn’t the best. So let me justify my statements. Below are two galleries, one with pictures shot in 4:3 at 23MP, the second in 16:9 at 8MP, the latter should be using supersampling.
23MP
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8MP
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As you can see in good daylight the camera works well and there is little to choose between the 23MP and 8MP images (other than the resolution). However some pictures seem dull and washed out. In low light situations the camera tries very hard to produce a good shot, however the noise levels can be very high, even for indoor shots.
The camera in the Z5 Compact is the same as the camera in the bigger Z5, for a deeper comparison of how the camera compares with other smartphones check out our camera shootout – Xperia Z5 vs LG G4 vs Galaxy Note 5 vs iPhone 6S
Having said all that, my disappointment about the camera’s performance was slightly alleviated by the bundled camera app. It is truly a great app and offers much more than just HDR and Panorama. Along with a full manual mode, there are lots of additional modes including an AR mode, which can superimpose computer generated scenes like dinosaurs and fish onto your photos or videos; an AR mask mode, to mask your face with different generated masks; a timeshift video mode, which records at a high frame-rate and applies slow motion effects; and a multi camera mode, which allows you to record the same scene from multiple angles on a single screen.
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Software
The Z5 Compact comes with Android 5.1.1 Lollipop by default and it will receive an upgrade to Android 6.0 Marshmallow at some point in the future. Sony has added a light skin on top of stock Android and also included extra features and Sony related apps.
As well as the software for managing the fingerprint reader there is a myriad of device connection options including the ability to wirelessly play content on your Xperia on other devices (i.e. Sony TVs), screen mirroring, connecting to Playstation controllers, and MirrorLink.
There is also a theme library with some free color based themes (e.g. Dark, Blue, Grey, Light, etc.) and with some paid themes based on movies including Frozen, Cars, Donald Duck, Mad Max, etc. Some of the full themes are also free.
Under Power management there are several different power saving modes available including STAMINA mode, Ultra STAMINA mode, and Low-battery mode. At the top of the Power management setting page the estimated battery time is shown. With just 40% left in the battery the estimate showed that the phone could survive in standby for another 3 days, impressive!
In terms of extra apps, Sony has included Lifelog, for tracking calories, steps and sleep, etc.; Movie Creator, which makes movies from your photos, in a similar way to Google Photos; TrackID, Sony’s music recognition app; Wisepilot turn-by-turn navigation software; plus three PlayStation apps – PSN, PlayStation and PS Video.
One final thing worth mentioning on the software side is the inclusion of Sony’s small apps. When you tap the recent apps button there is a small toolbar with a selection of small apps like a calculator and a timer. If you tap the ^ symbol then you will see more apps including a mini browser, Gmail and a music app.
Specifications
| Display | 4.6-inch IPS LCD display, 720p resolution, 323ppi |
| Processor | 64-bit octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 |
| GPU | Adreno 430 |
| RAM | 2GB |
| Storage | 32GB of on-board storage, microSD expansion up to 200GB |
| Software | Android 5.1 Lollipop, Sony’s customized UI |
| SIM card | Nano SIM |
| Dual SIM | No |
| Water resistance | IP65 / IP68 certification, capless USB |
| Quick Charge 2.0 | Yes |
| Cameras | Sony Exmor RS 23MP rear-facing camera, Sony Exmor R 5MP front-facing camera |
| Battery | Non-removable 2,700mAh battery |
| Dimensions | 127 x 65 x 8.9mm, 138g |
Gallery
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Pricing and final thoughts
The Z5 Compact is available in the UK from a variety of carriers and outlets and costs around £429 without a contract. In Europe you can buy it off contract directly from Sony for €599. There is no news about when or if the Z5 series will officially reach the USA, however you can find it Amazon.com starting at $560, however the average price seems to be around $700.
To put the UK price into some context, the 16GB version of the iPhone 6S costs around £539.00 without a contract and the 32GB variant of the Samsung Galaxy S6 can bought for around £415. That means that the Z5 Compact is significantly cheaper than the similarly sized iPhone 6S, and in the same ball park as other Android flagship phones.
If you would buy the Z5 Compact really comes down to its compact size. On the plus side the design and size of the Z5 Compact is ideal for those looking for a sub five inch phone. It comes with flagship specifications, IP certification and a whole bunch of extra apps and features from Sony. However, the small screen and 720p display won’t be to everyone’s liking and although the camera is good, it doesn’t live up to its hype.
Xiaomi unveils the Ninebot Mini – a self-balancing scooter for just $315
Besides unveiling the Mi TV 3 earlier today, Xiaomi also took the wraps off its Ninebot Mini contraption, which is an evolved, cheaper imagining of the two-wheeled Segway electric vehicle. Which makes sense seeing as Ninebot acquired the Segway company back in April this year.
The Ninebot Mini has a price tag of just 1,999 Yuan (roughly $315) and is made of aerospace grade magnesium alloy.
Features:
- Self-balancing scooter
- Speeds of up to 16km/h
- Climbs 15°inclines easily
- Compact, lightweight, shoulder-width length
- Weighs 12.8kg fits easily in the trunk of a car
- High capacity battery pack, 22km in a single charge
- Smart phone controls
- Aerospace-grade magnesium alloy infrastructure
You can perform firmware updates for the Ninebot Mini via a smartphone, as well as checking for faults and accessing speedometer or traffic data.
For an extra 169 Yuan ($27), you can also buy a set of safety gear for the Ninebot Mini, which includes the following items:
What do you think of the Ninebot Mini? For $315 it would appear to be quite the bargain…I could imagine nipping to the corner shop and back on it if only it, and hoverboards, weren’t illegal in the UK. Anyway, we have more pictures in the gallery below.
Come comment on this article: Xiaomi unveils the Ninebot Mini – a self-balancing scooter for just $315
Xiaomi unveils the Ninebot Mini – a self-balancing scooter for just $315
Besides unveiling the Mi TV 3 earlier today, Xiaomi also took the wraps off its Ninebot Mini contraption, which is an evolved, cheaper imagining of the two-wheeled Segway electric vehicle. Which makes sense seeing as Ninebot acquired the Segway company back in April this year.
The Ninebot Mini has a price tag of just 1,999 Yuan (roughly $315) and is made of aerospace grade magnesium alloy.
Features:
- Self-balancing scooter
- Speeds of up to 16km/h
- Climbs 15°inclines easily
- Compact, lightweight, shoulder-width length
- Weighs 12.8kg fits easily in the trunk of a car
- High capacity battery pack, 22km in a single charge
- Smart phone controls
- Aerospace-grade magnesium alloy infrastructure
You can perform firmware updates for the Ninebot Mini via a smartphone, as well as checking for faults and accessing speedometer or traffic data.
For an extra 169 Yuan ($27), you can also buy a set of safety gear for the Ninebot Mini, which includes the following items:
What do you think of the Ninebot Mini? For $315 it would appear to be quite the bargain…I could imagine nipping to the corner shop and back on it if only it, and hoverboards, weren’t illegal in the UK. Anyway, we have more pictures in the gallery below.
Come comment on this article: Xiaomi unveils the Ninebot Mini – a self-balancing scooter for just $315
Electric Motorcycle Startup Mission Motors Ceases Operations After Losing Talent to Apple
Electric motorcycle startup Mission Motors has ceased operations after losing some of its key talent to competitors such as Apple, and failing to develop a viable business model, according to Reuters.
“Mission had a great group of engineers, specifically electric drive expertise,” [former CEO Derek] Kaufman said. “Apple knew that – they wanted it, and they went and got it.”
The report claims about six engineers from the San Francisco-based startup were recruited by Apple since last autumn, and the company’s assets are now controlled by its largest investor Infield Capital.
Mission Motorcycles, a related company created to sell the electric motorcycles, is reportedly in the process of filing for bankruptcy.
Apple never attempted to acquire Mission Motors outright, according to Kaufman, instead drawing from its pool of specialized engineers working on electric drive systems and battery algorithms for charging and cooling.
Mission Motors was founded in 2007 with ambitions to create a world-class electric motorcycle, and it launched an early prototype in 2013 to positive reviews. The company was reportedly often cash strapped, however, and some investors backed out as engineers left for competitors.
Mission Motors never released an electric motorcycle for sale to consumers.
Apple has been rumored to be working on an electric vehicle, codenamed “Project Titan,” for several months, with its secretive automotive team reportedly including former employees from Tesla, Ford, GM, A123 Systems, Samsung and other competitors. Earlier this year, it reached a settlement with A123 in a poaching lawsuit.
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