Future Apple Watch Could Adjust iPhone Volume Based on Ambient Noise
The United States Patent and Trademark Office today published a patent filed by Apple in March 2014, which depicts an Apple Watch automatically adjusting an iPhone’s audio volume or other alert characteristics based on ambient sound samples (via AppleInsider).
The invention would be most useful in noisy environments where alerts might otherwise go unnoticed or unheard. The system could also serve to automatically lower iPhone ringtone or notification volume in quieter situations.
The patent details an Apple Watch using its microphone to listen to ambient sound at regular intervals or when triggered to do so by a host device. Using the data collected, the Watch analyses the difference between the background noise and the alert audio level, and makes a volume adjustment accordingly.
The system is also able to work out the iPhone’s orientation and location in relation to the user’s body, including whether the handset is tucked in a pocket or stowed away in a bag, in order to account for physical sound barriers.
In one example, an iPhone sends a notification audio signal to the Watch before playing an audible alert. The receiving timepiece analyses the wave signal and compares it against a stored reference signal based on ambient noise samples. Through a combination of sound threshold analyses, the Apple Watch then sends the appropriate command to raise or lower the iPhone’s output volume.
The invention could also be used to filter audio signals received by voice-activated control functions — for example, by increasing the physical distance that a user can successfully activate Siri using the “Hey, Siri” spoken command.
Apple has researched the use of sound sensors before as a possible accompaniment to existing light sensors in its devices. However, ambient sound monitoring is now an established technology in the consumer space, for instance in several auto-adaptive noise cancelling headphones, suggesting implementation of the feature in Apple products could happen sooner rather than later.
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Facebook’s master plan: attention-grabbing new video ads with captions
It’s no secret that Facebook makes truck loads of money from its video advertising. Truck loads upon trucks loads, actually: around $17 billion in 2015. So it stands to reason that the world’s largest social networking site wants to make sure that the more than one and a half billion monthly active users don’t simply scroll past ads as easily as we have become accustomed to doing. Facebook is now rolling out a new captioned video captioning tool for marketers that will make those embedded ads almost impossible to ignore.
See also: There is life after Facebook: these are the best Facebook app alternatives
The announcement came on the Facebook for Business portal, with a daunting headline of “capture attention with updated features for video ads”. While most of us are probably perfectly happy being relatively immune to advertising in our stream, this doesn’t suit Facebook’s real clientele so well: advertisers. When the advertisers aren’t happy, Facebook isn’t happy.
An example of a Facebook captioned video ad by Kleenex.
The post tells marketers: “With people’s growing control over what content they watch and for how long, the faster you communicate your message in a video ad and capture viewers’ attention, the better.” It goes on to outline the new tools being made available over the coming weeks including automated video captioning.
Our new automated captioning tool generates captions for video ads and delivers them to the advertiser within the ad creation tool to review, edit and save to their video ad.
As Facebook notes, captioned videos increases view time by an average of 12%, with a testimony from A&W reporting a 25% increase with a captioned video ad. It’s not clear if Facebook is providing the service to advertisers for free to help the platform make more advertising dollars or whether advertisers will have to pay to use the service. Either way, with 12-25% greater view time you know you’re going to start seeing more captioned videos ads in the near future.
Advertising on Facebook has exploded recently, with 57% ad revenue growth YoY in just Q4, 2015. In that quarter, ad revenue represented 96% of Facebook’s total revenue and of that astronomical ad revenue, 80% came from mobile.
You can see the split between mobile (blue) and desktop (red) in the graph below. The green and pink lines represent percentage growth. Whatever Facebook is doing is working well, and the introduction of captioned video ads is sure to see that figure continue to spike just as hard.
In case you’re curious, the Facebook post gives some advertising examples of successful video ads as well as providing some tips to advertisers, which actually makes for some interesting reading. I’m not saying it will make you any more able to ignore this new breed of super-ad, but knowing how the enemy thinks can’t hurt. Be warned though, there are video ads on the page…
How do you cope with video ads?
Sony launches a new Marshmallow beta program, as stable release nears
Sony was one of the first Android manufacturers to detail their Marshmallow update plans and the first to launch a beta program for Android 6.0, called Concept for Android.
Now Sony is launching a new beta for the Xperia Z2, Xperia Z3, and Xperia Z3 Compact. The initiative is called Xperia Beta Program (how creative) and is only available for users of the aforementioned phones in Italy, Spain, and the Netherlands.
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The difference between Concept for Android and Xperia Beta Program is that the latter is a “Quality beta test of official software,” while the former is “Experimental consumer driven software.” In other words, the builds in Xperia Beta Program should be very close to the final versions that will roll out to Sony devices in the close future. While the company did not specify when we should expect the official update rollouts, we think it’s a matter of weeks at most.
To sign up for Xperia Beta Program, head over to the Play Store and install this app. Sony promises that your feedback will reach its mobile development via an “open channel.” Regardless of what that means, you get a chance to make Xperia software a little better.
Openings are limited, according to the Play Store description, so if you live in one of the three countries we mentioned above, hurry up and sign up for your place.
Sony has confirmed the Marshmallow update for 14 devices released over the last couple of years, including the Xperia Z5, Z4, Z3, and Z2.
As for Concept for Android, which we reviewed here, users who signed up should expect a new update in the following weeks, bringing their devices to Android 6.0.1.
Deal: Get a free Galaxy S6 with any other Galaxy flagship purchase at AT&T
Dayum, this is a pretty sweet deal. AT&T is offering a free 32 GB Galaxy S6 to anyone that purchases a Galaxy S6, S6 Edge, S6 Edge+, S6 Active or Note 5 on an AT&T Next instalment plan. Both devices will need to be on a Next plan, but considering one of them is for free, it’s a pretty awesome offer.
If you’re not particularly keen on the Galaxy S6, AT&T is also offering the S6 Active as the free device, or up to $595 in monthly bill credits so you can choose any other eligible Galaxy device you like. The free S6 will need to be a new activation and you’ll have to pay the taxes on both devices upfront.
The offer isn’t available in Connecticut, Rhode Island or Miami-Dade and you need to keep both devices “in good standing” (that means pay your bill) for the first month before the monthly bill credits kick in after three bill cycles. The offer is available until March 31 (at least in Puerto Rico) and both handsets must be on Next plans of at least $70 per month. With the Galaxy S7 being unveiled in less than two weeks at MWC 2016, you know more deals like this are coming soon.
Samsung to launch Public Safety LTE in Korea
Samsung’s plans of using its strong LTE technology for emergency services are taking shape. The Korean company has revealed that it’s providing the infrastructure and devices for the country’s Public Safety LTE network. People will be able to use the connection during emergency situations, and first responders can connect to it to download videos and high-resolution images of the location they’re going to. They could, for instance, tap into the network to check if flooded areas can still be reached by land. Samsung claims that when it launches, it’ll be the “first live PS-LTE network in the world using the 3GPP telecommunications standard.”
As we mentioned in the past, 3GPP is an international group of telecommunications bodies that hash out network standards (GPRS, 3G and LTE). Samsung’s PS-LTE will initially be accessible in Seoul, since that’s where the main control center is. It will then expand in stages, starting with the Gangwon province after its initial rollout this year, until it becomes a nationwide presence in 2017.
Source: Samsung
LG pulls an LG, launches G5 smart cover ahead of the G5
![_LG Quick Cover Case 3[2]](https://i0.wp.com/cdn01.androidauthority.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/LG-Quick-Cover-Case-32-840x630.jpg?resize=640%2C480)
In an industry where secrecy is the norm, LG is something of a contrarian. The Korean company likes to trickle out details of its upcoming flagships days, sometimes even weeks, in advance, and the LG G5 is no exception.
The latest tidbit that LG is revealing about the G5 is a smart cover that’s “answering the age old question – what came first, the smartphone or the cover?”
Metaphor abuse aside, LG’s Quick Cover is “designed specifically” for the upcoming G5 and comes with features like touch functionality that allows the user to take calls or silence alarms without opening the cover.
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The LG G5 Quick Cover features a semitransparent mesh cover, resembling the concept of HTC’s Dot View cover for the M series. The cover “incorporates a unique film with a glossy metallic finish to enhance the smooth and luxurious look and feel of the cover.” This finish is said to match the design of the phone, a silent confirmation of the rumors putting a metallic unibody on the G5.
We are positive that LG will let go of more details about the G5 over the next days, but there are some aspects that will remained unconfirmed until the February 21 launch date. Worry not, your curiosity can be satiated in our comprehensive LG G5 rumor roundup.
‘Top Gear’ gets its cast as Clarkson begins filming for Amazon
At last, we know who will be standing alongside Chris Evans for the highly anticipated Top Gear reboot. Former Friends star Matt LeBlanc had already been confirmed, but now we’ve got another four faces to divulge. Motorsport pundit Eddie Jordan joins from the BBC’s Formula 1 team, while Rory Reid comes across from Recombu Cars — his career highlights include this impressive rap review for the Rolls-Royce Ghost Series II. Joining them are German racing driver Sabine Schmitz, best known for her white-knuckle lap of the Nurburgring in a van, and Chris Harris, a successful motoring journalist that now runs his own YouTube channel.
With six presenters, it’s safe to assume the Top Gear format will be changing a little bit. When Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond ran the show, they would often appear individually in pre-recorded segments before coming back together for the studio bits and larger “challenge” documentaries. A larger crop of faces should give the show better variety, and spread the risk associated with each new presenter. However, it’ll also mean giving them all less screen time.
Coincidentally, Jeremy Clarkson tweeted yesterday that his new motoring show for Amazon Prime begins filming today. The new-look Top Gear is already in production, so there’s a good chance both programmes will run at roughly the same time. If that happens, it should be an intriguing head-to-head — for many Top Gear fans, Clarkson and company were the core of the show, and that’s reason alone to check out their new series. The BBC has a bigger reach than Amazon Prime though, especially in the UK, and the Top Gear brand is sure to pull in some curious viewers this May.
Source: BBC (Press Release)
Chrome on Android communicates with smart devices around you
Folks running Chrome on iOS have had a chance to tap into the Physical Web devices around them since last July, but Google’s finally opened that functionality up to its own ecosystem. To that end, Chrome 49 on Android will support the objects (like parking meters, for instance). The first time you encounter one there will be a push notification alerting you one is nearby, and future run-ins will populate a list of the gadgets nearby. It’s starting in the beta channel, a post on the Chromium Blog notes, with wider support rolling out soon. In case you’re curious of how it all looks in action, the GIF below should give you a good idea.
Mountain View says that some 1,500 of these beacons were in place during CES this year as well, helping folks around the various exhibits on the floor. Fingers crossed that next year they’ll identify the closest hand sanitizer station too.
Source: Chromium Blog
Puxers – The fun brain game [Review]
Overview
At risk of sounding utterly cliche, Puxers is a game that’s easy to pick up, but hard to master. You flick numbered pucks around an arena, colliding like-numbered pucks with one another. When these pucks collide, they transform into the sum of those numbers. You may have no more than 12 pucks on the board at a time – any more, and you lose.
Developer: Rokitt Dynamix TM
Price: Free (Ad-Supported; Individual Undos: $0.99)
Highlights:
- Collide like-numbered pucks to increase your score.
- No more than 12 pucks on board at a time.
- Use multipliers to win big!
Main Menu.
Setup
Beyond the standard Google Play login, there’s not much to do as far as setup for this app goes. I’d highly recommend viewing the tutorial slides, which you access by tapping on the stylized ‘?’ on the right side of the screen.
Features
Puxers is relatively simple, but at the same time challenging and strategic. I fell in love with it very quickly. The graphics are cute and arcadey, with sounds to match, and the game itself runs very smoothly. Pucks range in scale by powers of 2, from 2 to 8192. By colliding like numbers, you create a numbered puck that equals the sum of the two you collided. For example, colliding two 8-pucks results in a 16-puck, two 16-pucks yields a 32-puck, etc. At some point – I believe it is when the number reaches 8192, the puck simply turns into a star and leaves the field. As you accumulate numbers, your score goes up.
Basic Gameplay.
The kicker, however, is that if you accumulate twelve pucks on the board and fail to clear one, you lose. Game over. This is where the game’s only in-app-purchase comes into play; if you lose, you are able to Undo your last move by paying $0.99. In between games you’ll often encounter long, video-based ads that can be skipped in a few seconds, which will then direct you to a Play Store download link. A small inconvenience, but inconvenient nonetheless.
Microtransactions!
What I like
- Simple, fun gameplay mechanics.
- Hard to master; strategy legitimately matters.
What I don’t
- Micro-transaction price is a little steep.
- Multipliers seem to appear at random.
Conclusion
If you like simple, challenging puzzlers, this game is for you. Great quality of product, a simple game mechanic, and a real sense of accomplishment when you beat your score should make this game a hit if it gains traction.
Google Play Store – Puxers – The fun brain game
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WhatsApp update brings flurry of new emojis
With over a billion monthly active users on board, it is no surprise WhatsApp is getting funner. But this is not only due to its rich user base, the app itself keeps getting improvements. Not to mention the fact that it is now completely free.
What’s next? Well, we know video calls may be in the works, but today the Facebook-owned application is also getting a new set of emojis for your entertainment.
See also: 10 best texting apps for Android
There’s plenty of new additions; my favorite is definitely the middle finger one (yes, there is one). You can also use an upside-down face, a popcorn box, an urn, religious icons and much, much more. Emojis are kind of important for communication, aren’t they? It’s definitely nice to see more options around.
Of course, the only feasible way to explore these new emojis is to get the update (version 2.12.441) and check them out yourself. The only problem is some of you may not have the update available yet. These tend to roll out in phases, but you can always check out the Google Play Store to see if your device is ready for some emoji goodness. If not, it should come in a few days… or so. Or you can download the APK from the link below!
But tell us – which is your favorite new emoji? Is it the “bird”, too?
AIVAnet 