ConnectSense Review: The Smart Outlet Offers Two HomeKit-Enabled Sockets and a USB Port
Now that HomeKit’s been available for several months, more and more HomeKit-enabled products are popping up. When HomeKit first launched in June, there was only one smart plug available (the Elgato Eve), but now there are a handful to choose from. ConnectSense is the latest company to develop a HomeKit-enabled plug, debuting its Smart Outlet in October.
I went hands-on with the new ConnectSense Smart Outlet to see how it measures up to similar HomeKit products that are available for purchase.
Design
Unlike the other intelligent HomeKit-compatible plugs on the market, the Smart Outlet from ConnectSense combines two outlets in one simple device, with an additional USB charging port for charging an iPhone or iPad. To connect to the iPhone and other HomeKit devices, the Smart Outlet uses Wi-Fi and connects to a home Wi-Fi network.
The Smart Outlet plugs into any traditional outlet in the home, fitting into either the bottom or the top socket. Plugged into the top socket, it fits neatly over an in-the-wall outlet, and while it sticks out about an inch, it’s largely unobtrusive thanks to a simple design. It can also be plugged into the bottom socket of a standard wall socket, but its shape does not allow it to leave the top socket free for use, so there’s no real reason to use it that way.
Made of a smooth white plastic with curved edges, the Smart Outlet has an attractive no-frills design and a decent build quality, but I’m not entirely sure it feels like an $80 product.
Each socket in the Smart Outlet is treated as an individual HomeKit product, so devices plugged into the Outlet can be controlled separately. On the left side, there’s also a USB port for charging iPads and iPhones, but this port can’t be controlled via Siri or through the app.
Google Now on Tap gets new features, now supports French, Spanish and four other languages
Google Now on Tap hasn’t taken the world by storm the way some of us had anticipated, but new features may make it more compelling over time.
Just in time for the holiday rush, Google is adding functionality to Now on Tap and support for six new languages.
If you receive a text message with a flight number, you can now long press the home button to get flight information, like arrival time or any delays. The same works for parcel numbers, potentially saving you some time and a few clicks.
See also: Google Now on Tap quick look
Now on Tap also gained the ability to show news articles for certain terms. Google offered as an example Canada’s PM Justin Trudeau and fighter Ronda Rousey. Simply hold down the button and Now on Tap will give you a few related news and the option to do a full news search.
Google launched Now on Tap for English users only, but that changes today. Users that set their devices to French, Spanish, German, Italian, Russian or Korean can now enjoy Google Now on Tap.
Google’s blog post on the new feature also mentions the addition of the handy screen share button on the Now on Tap bar that we’ve first seen last week.
Deal: Striiv Fusion can track your activity and display notifications for only $53.99
There’s plenty of wearables and activity trackers out there, but very few of them can strike a balance between functionality, build quality and price. If they are not too basic, they are expensive, or they are ugly. Looking for the right activity tracker? Lucky for you, the AA Deals Store currently has an offer on a great wearable.
The Striiv Fusion is usually priced at $100, but right now you can grab it for only $53.99. And you are not getting some cheap product here; this is actually a rather cool activity tracker.
Aside from offering 3 extra bands in multiple colors, the Striiv Fusion happens to look great with its minimalist design. But don’t mistake its simplicity for incompetence. This thing can track your steps, calories burned, distance traveled and active minutes. It even continues working while you replenish that energy by measuring your quality and amount of sleep. And when it’s time to wake up it will alert you with vibrations.
But the best part is that the Striiv Fusion also has a smart touch to it. The display can showcase notifications, including text messages, emails, incoming calls, weather and more.
Gold Nexus 6P Special Edition selling on eBay for $2000
When the Gold colored Nexus 6P Special Edition finally landed in Japan on the 12th, it immediately sold out. Within 24 hours however, it was back in stock and has been readily available for anyone interested here to purchase at their leisure. In our piece, it was suggested, in an almost comedic fashion, that keen sellers on eBay might seek to charge $2000 for the elusive product. It seems that amusing musing has actually become a right reality:
Hong Kong based seller, bq_store is offering the Nexus 6P Special Edition for $1999.99 with free international shipping. Curiously the actual wording “Special Edition” is nowhere to be seen on the listing itself, thus it’s unclear as to if it is in fact, the Japanese variant, or if the Gold color is also being released in Hong Kong. More than likely, it is the former of the two possibilities.
Gold colored devices, for reference, are often highly sought after in Asia, especially China. While the West often views the color option as tacky or superfluous, clearly customers in other parts of the world have a very different opinion. There are two separate auctions currently running by the seller, each with 2 devices in stock bringing the cumulative total to just 4.
It is unclear just why $2000 was selected as the purchase price, however a quick perusal through bq_shop’s other listings reveal that other hard to find items are of similar list prices, including the Samsung Galaxy NotePRO 12.2 LTE listed at $1,963.99. Indeed in the past the seller has also set this ball-park figure when listing other items that have not been widely released and thus he has an almost “exclusive” offering.
The question is, are you willing to pay that much? Chances are that within the next few days or weeks, sellers in Japan will begin to offer the phone as well, presumably for a somewhat more “reasonable” price. But perhaps it doesn’t even matter anymore, as Google now lists the Nexus 6P in Gold on its American store front, which has prompted speculation that the color will soon become a fourth option and thus not “special” in the slightest.
On that final note, it’s worth pointing out that just because the color is now listed does not necessarily indicate it will be released. Japan to this day has never received the Sand colored Nexus 9 yet the color option has been listed on the Google Store Japan product page from very early on. With the 6P however, it was added later thus there might indeed be something to hope for.
So, what do you think? Would you be willing to part with a giant wad of cash for the ability to purchase the Nexus 6P in Gold?
Galaxy Tab 3 Lite Kids Edition on sale at Amazon: $59.99
While those focused on specs are always in search of the next big thing, those looking for sweet deals are often more interested in the cost-saving nature of a prospective purchase. This approach works wonders when it comes to “casual” users or small children, many of whom are happy with whatever they might be given.
Amazon has a fantastic new Gold Box deal for such customers: For roughly the next 16 hours, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 Lite Kids Edition (7.0″ Cream White with Green Bumper) can be purchased for the unbeatable price of $59.99. This is a savings of $90, or 60%; the tablet normally retails for $149.99.
The Galaxy Tab Lite released back in 2014 as a more “bare bones” tablet, forgoing staples such as a front camera. The Kids Edition comes with a special soft, colorful bumper as well as pre-installed applications perfect for young ones. According to Amazon’s product page, the Tab 3 Lite Kids Edition has the following:
With a bright, easy-to-use interface, kid-friendly app store, and durable case, the Samsung Kids powered by Galaxy Tab 3 Lite 7.0″ is ideal for digital playing and learning. Preloaded with over 20 popular apps for kids, this Galaxy Tab 3 Lite makes it easy and fun for your child to explore and interact with content that aligns with STEM and Common Core curriculum.
The lightweight, easy-to-hold Galaxy Tab 3 Lite features parental controls for access and time limits, and it includes a complementary three-month subscription to the full Samsung Kids service library.
Specific details for the tablet include the following:
- Watch imagination come to life with Samsung Kids. With engaging educational apps for every age, Samsung Kids inspires a love for learning.
- Bring your kids the educational content you trust from Dreamworks Animation, Sesame Street, National Geographic and more.
- Apps that automatically adapt and grow with your kids so they’ll stay engaged at every age.
- It’s all on the durable Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 Lite featuring parental controls.
- Converts to standard Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 Lite when the time is right to graduate from Samsung Kids Mode.
- 7″ touch screen, Android 4.2 Jelly Bean OS, 1.2 GHz dual-core processor, 8 GB Flash Memory, 1 GB RAM Memory.
Given the age of the Galaxy Tab 3 Lite Kids Edition, it is almost a given that OS updates will not be part of the product’s progressive picture. With that said, as a Wi-Fi only device designed to be used by young children, it seems sufficient enough to meet their needs.
Buy the Galaxy Tab 3 Lite Kids Edition here from Amazon:
Clear HTC One X9 images leak online
These renders give us a good look at all sides of the smartphone and some of them stack the 9X up next to the A9 for comparison.
HTC looks to have overhauled its home button layout once again, suggesting that there won’t be a fingerprint scanner included in this model. The rear camera has also shifted over to the top left on the phones back, rather than being centred in the middle, as is the case with the One A9 and M9.
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A previous TENAA listing has given us some idea about the specifications too. The handset is said to ship with a 2.2GHz octa-core processor, 2GB of RAM, a 5.5-inch 1080p display, 16GB of internal memory and a 3,000mAh battery. The rear camera is said to sport a 13 megapixel resolution, while the front camera features a 5 megapixel sensor. We’re not quite sure about this price yet.
See also: HTC One X9 specs and shots revealed by China’s TENAA
The HTC One X9 looks to be nearing release and is expected to be unveiled next year. Of course, things could turn out a little differently to these renders, but what do you think about the One X9?
11 Samsung phones to receive Android 6.0 in Q1 2016
We’ve known for a while that Samsung is preparing Android 6.0 Marshmallow for a selection of its existing devices, but just how many devices will see it, and when? According to the latest reports, eleven Samsung devices will be set to see the update in the first quarter of 2016.
The report suggests that current and last generation flagship smartphones will both see the update in the first quarter, along with a selection of Galaxy S5 and Note 4 variants. We have already seen snippets of Android 6.0 Marshmallow running on a Samsung Galaxy S6 and a Note 4, and there are a few other current and last gen models included on the list. Here’s the full list stated for a Q1 release:
• Galaxy Note 5
• Galaxy Note Edge
• Galaxy Note 4
• Galaxy Note 4 Duos
• Galaxy S6 Edge+
• Galaxy S6 Edge
• Galaxy S6
• Galaxy S6 Duos
• Galaxy S5
• Galaxy S5 NEO
• Galaxy S5 LTE-A
There are also a couple of releases scheduled for the second quarter of the year, including some Samsung tablets:
• Galaxy ALPHA
• Galaxy Tab A
• Galaxy Tab S2 9.7
• Galaxy Tab S2 8.0
Of course, there’s no way to verify this list or how up to date it is, and these dates could well slip back. Even the note says these are “estimated”.
See also: Android 6.0 Marshmallow updates roundup – December 11, 2015
According to a separate source, Samsung is currently in the testing phases for some of its Marshmallow releases. A Galaxy S6 handset running Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow was recently spotted passing through a GeekBench test as well. This means that Samsung’s handsets might jump straight to the latest emoji filled update, which also re-introduces the handy “do not disturb until” function for silencing notifications while you sleep.
Let’s just hope that Samsung’s updates are all on track.
Today only: HTC Re for $80, accessories for 40% off
Back in October of 2014 HTC decided to branch outside of the Android devices market by introducing an action camera with a unique periscope-like design, dubbed the HTC Re. Despite the Re’s intriguing design and capabilities, the device arguably failed to make the impact that HTC had probably hoped for, though the camera wasn’t without its fans.
Since its original release for $199, the HTC Re has seen a number of price cuts, including a temporary slash down to just $50. Since that time, the price has risen back up to around $99. For those that are interested in the Re but looking for a great deal, you can now get it for $80 from HTC in your choice of silver, orange, blue, or green. This might not be quite the steal that $50 was, but it’s still a solid price and could make the Re a great last minute Christmas gift.
See also: 5 last minute tech gifts for under $50
In addition to slashing down the Re, HTC is also offering up all its accessories for 40% off, for a limited time. All these purchases come complete with free 2-day shipping.
The catch? This is a very limited time offer, ending today (December 15th) at midnight PST. Keep in mind this promotion is only for US customers, however.
Buy HTC Re for $80
Get HTC accessories for 40% off!
Next – Holiday gifts under $100
Microscope can scan chemical processes in real-time
Atomic force microscopes are the tool of choice to see the tiniest atomic structures, right down to hydrogen bonds. The drawback with current models is that they’re too slow to create anything but static images, making them useless for processes like chemical reactions. However, MIT researchers have created a prototype model that’s 2,000 times faster than any commercial product, making it feasible for video (below). “People can see, for example, condensation, nucleation, dissolution or deposition of material in real-time — things [they’ve] never seen before,” says MIT professor Kamal Youcef-Toumi.
In a demonstration, the team dissolved a 70-by-70 micron calcite sample with acid, showing the layer-by-layer stripping of crystals over several seconds. By contrast, current commercial atomic force microscopes simply drag a tiny needle over a structure to trace its topography, meaning it takes up to 10 minutes to scan an entire image. Smaller scanners have been tried, but “it’s like if you were landing somewhere in the United States and have no clue where you’re landing, [but] you’re only allowed to look a few blocks around,” says inventor Soltani Bozchalooi.
Bozchalooi’s new model incorporates two scanners: a smaller, rapid scanner and a larger one, which together can trace a relatively wide 3D area in seconds. “Our controller can move the little scanner in a way that it doesn’t excite the big scanner, because we know what sort of motion triggers this scanner, and vice versa,” he says. “In the end, they’re working [together], so from the perspective of the scientist, it looks like a single, high-speed, large-range scanner.” As a result, the instrument can scan at 4,000 lines per second, yielding about an 8-10 fps frame rate.
The device could help researchers visualize chemical reactions and trigger breakthroughs in fields like battery research, medicine and material science. For now, the team is just working on speeding it up a bit, though. “We want to go to real video, which is at least 30 frames per second, Youcef-Toumi says.
Source: MIT
Jaguar returns to racing with its first all-electric car
Jaguar hasn’t been involved with motorsports since it offloaded its Formula 1 team to Red Bull, but it’s about to come back in a big, big way. The automaker has announced that it’s working on an all-electric car (its first) that will compete in Formula E’s third season, which kicks off in fall 2016. Jaguar is saying precious little about what that racer will be capable of, but the entry is possible because the beleaguered Trulli team is backing out of the league, leaving room for a new entrant.
This isn’t the sum total of the company’s EV efforts, either. Although it’s not mentioning any plans, Jaguar is swearing that electric cars will “absolutely play a role” in its lineup. The Formula E racer is really a precursor that will help Jag refine its technology under “extreme conditions” before it hits regular roads. If you end up driving an F-Type EV a few years from now, you’ll know something about its roots.
Via: The Verge
Source: Jaguar, FIA Formula E
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