Simplehuman Wide-View Sensor Mirror review – CNET

The Good The LEDs in the $400 Simplehuman Wide-View Sensor Mirror adjust to mimic the lighting from any location. It looks nice, too, and did a good job approximating a variety of different white-light color temperatures.

The Bad Not many people need (or want) to customize their makeup based on the lighting in one room. The mirror only magnifies one time, it doesn’t feel particularly durable and the auto-sensing LEDs occasionally shut off when we were using the mirror.

The Bottom Line You definitely don’t need Simplehuman’s pricey Wide-View Sensor Mirror to get ready in the morning, but makeup and tech enthusiasts alike will likely enjoy this quirky smart home product.

Visit manufacturer site for details.

Mirrors don’t typically fall under CNET’s review purview, but the $400 US-only Simplehuman Wide-View Sensor Mirror is special. It comes with Wi-Fi connectivity, a companion Android and iOS app, as well as built-in LEDs that you can customize to suit specific lighting conditions and improve your selfie makeup game (yes, we’re serious). In short, this smart mirror is a big step above a cheap Conair.

The goods news is that the Simplehuman mirror worked pretty well. The lighting from the mirror was pretty accurate in mimicking settings such as daylight and fluorescent light. The app was also simple to use with the mirror. And it doesn’t hurt that this pricey hunk of glass and stainless steel is lovely to look at and clearly well made thanks to its substantial heft.

Unfortunately, beauty comes at a cost. The Simplehuman is rather fragile despite is large size. The three mirrors that make up the trifold design only magnify one time, which makes crafting the perfect cat-eye and other types of up-close makeup applications a challenge. And the mirror’s face-sensing tech that’s supposed to keep the LEDs on while you put on makeup occasionally shut off while we were still using it. And we haven’t even talked about the Simplehuman’s high price: $400.

We can’t recommend the Simplehuman Wide-View Sensor Mirror to the average makeup wearer; it’s just too expensive and doesn’t have nearly enough magnification. But the mirror is still a neat and (mostly) functional product, so it would make a novel addition to your morning routine if you have the cash and a strong understanding of makeup and lighting.

Reflect on this $400 Wi-Fi mirror by Simplehuman…
See full gallery

1 – 5 of 6

Next
Prev

Cozying up to Simplehuman’s smart mirror

Why would anyone ever want a smart mirror? You can grab something significantly cheaper than the Simplehuman at pretty much any store that sells personal care products. And the Simplehuman’s basic concept — a lighted, trifold mirror that imitates common lighting environments — is something we’ve seen in lower-tech versions in the bedrooms of our mothers and grandmothers. But this $400 vanity centerpiece offers a lot more than your standard tabletop mirror.

Taking a selfie using the Simplehuman iOS app.

Screenshot by CNET

First, it has three mirror panels so you can see yourself at different angles. It’s also pretty big at 20.3 inches wide by 16.1 inches tall. And its flexible base is made of stainless steel. We’d almost go as far to say that this mirror is beautiful, but then we remember its price and the fact that it only magnifies by one time (making detail work, like applying eyeliner kind of tough).

Don’t just watch BBC’s Robot Wars, fight your own Hexbug Battlebots at home

Robot Wars is no longer confined the the sentimental memories of parents. A new generation of British youngsters will be able to enjoy enjoy the carnage of metal, flywheels and pistons doing battle in a relaunched BBC 2 Robot Wars series coming later this year.

With this in mind, we were more than a little excited to see a new line of Hexbug robots at New York Toy Fair that offered a miniature version of Robot Wars-style battles. The US has a similar show called Battlebots (there seems to be some debate over which came first) and that has spawn licensed toys for the first time.

Hexbugs have long offered innovative robotic toys. Its new Battlebots range applies the company’s savvy tech knowledge to recreating the robots that appeared in the show. Happily, many of these robotic stars crossed the Atlantic in some shape and form, so will be familiar to both UK and US viewers.

READ: Robot Wars returning to the BBC after 12-year absence

The line of toys offers a variety of prices and complexity. There are push-along robots for pocket-money change and pneumatic pump action ‘bots that cost a little more.

The real action is with the infra-red remote controlled robots. These can be driven around an arena with a tiny controller that also triggers their various attacks. Bronko, Tombstone and Witch Doctor featured in our Toy Fair demo but we suspect that other robots will be added to the line shortly. Hypno-Disc is still a favourite of ours from the original run of Robot Wars, so hopefully Hexbug is in touch with the Beeb’s licensing department too.

There is also added novelty with weapons that simulate damage to opponents. Each robot has a range of face-plates that can be knocked off by enemy attacks. Remove them all and you reveal the inner workings of the robot-toys and have effectively won the match.

Seeing them in action you get a feel for how competitive this gets. A testament to Hexbug’s robotic product smarts is that each robot feels balanced in terms of attacks and vulnerability. Children will each have their favourites but along with a killer attack comes a variety of ways to be disabled.

Perhaps the biggest question is how much the toys will cost in the UK and how soon they will make it over here. Surely rebranded Robot Wars versions of the Battlebots toys must be part of the Hexbug plan? Either way these will top Christmas lists for sure.

At internetmatters.org parents can find all the advice they will need to keep their children safe online. Designed specifically for parents, the site offers a wealth of up-to-date, unbiased information and advice about how to deal with online safety. Parents can learn about the latest issues and technologies, get great tips on how to talk about online safety with their children and get the best advice on dealing with issues and taking action. Created with experts, Internet Matters provides detailed information, but also signposts to best-in-class resources from individual expert organisations. Our goal is to ensure parents can always access the information that they need, in a format that is clear and concise.

HTC’s next flagship may simply be called HTC 10

HTC didn’t reveal a new flagship handset at Mobile World Congress, instead waiting until the closing days of the show before launching its teaser campaign using the moniker “power of 10”.

So far we have had little indication as to what the new handset might be called, but now Evan Blass has ominously tweeted the name HTC 10.

You heard it here first:”HTC 10″

— Evan Blass (@evleaks) March 4, 2016

That name might come as something of a surprise to people. It fits the “power of 10” campaign nicely so it’s easy to make that link and there has been plenty of discussion about HTC not calling the phone the One M10.

We’re pretty sure that the handset has been codenamed HTC Perfume through its development and many of us have fallen into calling it the HTC One M10 simply because it fits a progressive pattern over the past few years.

When HTC launched the HTC One name, then CEO Peter Chow took to the stage to outline that this was the future of HTC. That was back in 2012. The company then launched the One X, One S and One V confusing that message, and it wasn’t until 2013 that the company launched a phone simply called HTC One.

That phone was what we now refer to as the M7 which was never meant to be a go to market name. HTC capitulated slightly with its next flagship, putting M8 in brackets, until in 2015 it launched its phone with the name HTC One M9. There’s the feeling that naming has never really been clear, and shifting to 10 might be a move to correct that. 

Whether HTC is dropping the HTC One branding, or whether this is a move to drop the M naming isn’t yet clear. However, we do know this phone is coming and we’re expecting to hear a lot more over the next few weeks.

READ: HTC One M10/HTC Perfume: What’s the story so far?

US Chamber of Commerce suing Seattle over ridesharing unions

When Seattle approved Uber and Lyft drivers organizing in December, the city did it knowing that the practice was illegal. Independent contractors aren’t allowed to do so under federal law because it basically amounts to price fixing. And now the inevitable has happened: The United States Chamber of Commerce is suing Seattle because the city allowed the on-demand workers to unionize, Reuters reports. It doesn’t sound like Emerald City is going down without a fight, though. Councilman Mike O’Brien says that there are “millions of dollars” in place for what could be a lengthy legal battle.

On the other side of the case, the Chamber of Commerce is worried that if other cities took up Seattle’s mantle and started passing their own measures that subverted federal law, it’d “inhibit the free flow of commerce among private service providers” around the country.

Reuters notes that Seattle’s move toward recognizing employment status of contracted workers prior to the National Labor Relations Board is out of order as well. As of now, the labor body has a handful of cases and will make a comprehensive decision of its own regarding whether freelancers are considered employees or not. Until then? Well, lawyer up, Seattle.

Source: Reuters

Barnes and Noble to close its Nook ebook store in the UK

Barnes and Noble has decided to lay down its arms and stop competing with Amazon for ebook and e-reader sales in the UK. The bookstore operator has announced it will stop selling digital content, including fiction and non-fiction, magazines and videos, from March 15th, passing customers onto Sainsbury’s Entertainment on Demand service instead. Until then, Nook owners can purchase and download any remaining content they wish to keep on their device — either directly through one of Nook’s e-readers, or via the Nook Reading App for iOS and Android.

The option to download purchases and synchronise Nook libraries will disappear on May 31st. At that point, customers will be asked to use the Sainsbury’s app, where the “vast majority” of Nook books are available to download and read. Existing purchases, if they’re in stock, will be instantly redeemable — customers won’t need to purchase them again — and vouchers will be available for titles that aren’t transferable. Sainsbury’s has an Android app for ebooks, so customers with a Nook tablet should be fine. What isn’t clear, however, is how Nook e-readers will be supported.

Barnes and Noble hasn’t said why it’s leaving the UK ebook market. However, we think we can sum it up in a single word — Amazon. The online retailer is the dominant brand for ebooks, with a refined suite of Kindle e-readers and a ruthlessly priced Kindle Store. It’s difficult for anyone to compete now, even juggernaut companies like Sony and Tesco. Apart from Kobo, which is backed by Rakuten, how many Kindle competitors are left? We’re struggling to come up with many names.

Source: Nook (UK)

Shooter’s iPhone Could Harbor ‘Dormant Cyber Pathogen’, Claims San Bernardino DA

The iPhone at the center of the ongoing encryption dispute between Apple and the FBI may contain a “dormant cyber pathogen”, according to the San Bernardino county District Attorney.

The curious claim appears in an amicus brief filed by Michael Ramos with a California court on Thursday. In the document, Ramos speculates that the iPhone used by terror suspect Syed Rizwan Farook “may contain evidence that can only be found on the seized phone that it was used as a weapon to introduce a lying dormant cyber pathogen that endangers San Bernardino’s infrastructure.”

The apparent threat is cited as a violation of California Penal Code Section §502, covering protections against tampering, interference, damage and unauthorized access to computer systems. The reference suggests Ramos believes that some sort of malware may be contained on the iPhone, but offers no justification for the claim, nor the odd nature of its wording.

“It sounds like he’s making up these terms as he goes,” said iPhone forensics expert Jonathan Zdziarski, speaking to ArsTechnica about the filing. “We’ve never used these terms in computer science.” Zdziarski believes that the amicus is simply designed to mislead the courts and manipulate a decision in the FBI’s favor. “It offers no evidence whatsoever that the device has, or even might have, malware on it. It offers no evidence that their network was ever compromised.”

The claim in the court filing is the first time that a law enforcement agency has alluded to what may be contained on the iPhone at the center of the federal investigation. It also runs counter to the FBI’s main dispute with Apple that it requires assistance from the company precisely in order to ascertain its content.

Separately, a number amicus briefs were filed on Thursday in support of Apple’s stance in the dispute. The full list of submitted documents have been catalogued on Apple’s website. Additionally, five families of San Bernardino victims have filed in support of the FBI.

Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Tag: Apple-FBI
Discuss this article in our forums

Sony’s Future Lab will ask users for input on early prototypes

Sony has a new research initiative called Future Lab Program that’s more transparent than what you might be used to. Instead of treating the concepts that come out of the lab as closely guarded secrets, Sony plans to share the program’s prototypes with you. In fact, it aims to use your feedback to refine those prototypes and make sure the company’s heading in the right direction. Sony will show off Future Lab’s first prototype at the SXSW conference, which is scheduled to begin on March 12th in Texas.

This first concept is codenamed “N,” and all we know about it at the moment is that it’s a wearable device with a hands-free interface. It promises a new way of experiencing music and sound without having to insert anything in your ear. You can watch its teaser trailer below, but it doesn’t really shed light on what the device looks like — not that you’d have to wait too long to find out. Since Future Lab intends to solicit feedback, we’ll likely see and know more about “N” on the program’s website, Facebook and Twitter accounts after its SXSW debut.

Sony has other product development programs in place, launched in an effort to conjure up new hits for the company. One of those is the Business Creation department it introduced in 2014, which offers employees the chance to get their most innovative ideas realized. The company also opened up a crowdfunding and e-commerce platform last year that internal teams use to raise funds for their experimental devices.

Source: Sony, Future Lab Program, (Facebook), (Twitter)

Kendrick Lamar releases a new album in response to tweets

Twitter can apparently be used for more than just mischief making, activism and unexpected beefs, as it appears LeBron James managed to coax a new album out of rapper Kendrick Lamar. SBNation notes that the NBA star tweeted at TDE label head Anthony Tiffith after seeing the performance at this year’ s Grammy awards (pictured above), asking for the release of Lamar’s unreleased tracks . Fast forward a couple of weeks, and the eight-track album untitled unmastered. has just appeared on iTunes, Google Play, Tidal and Spotify.

Yo @dangerookipawaa after that @kendricklamar Grammy performance , you have to release those untitled tracks asap!!! What’s up? Talk to me

— LeBron James (@KingJames) February 23, 2016

Yea muthafuckas KING KENDRICK returns 2nite.. Thank @kingjames for this…. #TDE

A video posted by gwadpot (@dangerookipawaa) on Mar 3, 2016 at 7:30pm PST

untitled unmastered. https://t.co/YlAszcK4e4

— Kendrick Lamar (@kendricklamar) March 4, 2016

Just to make things clear, Tiffith told Instagram followers to thank LeBron for the album’s release. That’s great, but it could be bad for his mentions, since now people will ask him to use the power of 140 characters once more and coax a new season of Firefly out of Netflix or Amazon.

Source: SBNation, iTunes, Spotify, Tidal

How to add family members to your Windows 10 PC – CNET

Sarah Jacobsson Purewal/CNET

Sharing a PC doesn’t have to be a pain if you give each family member their own personal login. Personal logins allow for separate files, desktops, and browser favorites, and adult family members can monitor and restrict kids’ activity by blocking websites, limiting screen time, and keeping tabs on what sites kids are visiting and what they’re searching for.

To add a family member to your Windows 10 PC, you’ll need to sign them up for a Microsoft account — only the primary user can have a local login.

Here’s how to get started:

Add an adult

Sarah Jacobsson Purewal/CNET

1. To add an adult, open the Settings menu and go to Accounts > Family & other users. Under Your family, click Add a family member.

Sarah Jacobsson Purewal/CNET

2. Select Add an adult and type in the email address they use to sign into Microsoft accounts (Hotmail, OneDrive, Skype, or Xbox). Click Next to send an invitation to the person’s email account. They will be able to address to log into your Windows 10 PC immediately, but they will need to accept the invitation before they can start managing family settings.

Sarah Jacobsson Purewal/CNET

3. If the person you are adding does not use any Microsoft services and therefore doesn’t have a Microsoft account, click The person I want to add doesn’t have an email address. You will need to create a Microsoft account for them, either with a new Outlook.com email address or with their own non-Microsoft email address.

Add a child

Sarah Jacobsson Purewal/CNET

1. Open the Settings menu and go to Accounts > Family & other users. Under Your family, click Add a family member.

Sarah Jacobsson Purewal/CNET

2. Select Add a child and type in the email address your child uses to sign into Microsoft accounts. Click Next to send an invitation to your child’s email address.

Sarah Jacobsson Purewal/CNET

3. If the child you are adding does not have a Microsoft account, click The person I want to add doesn’t have an email address. You will need to create a Microsoft account for them, either with a new Outlook.com email address or with their own non-Microsoft email address.

Sarah Jacobsson Purewal/CNET

4. Children must have parental permission to create an online Microsoft account. You will need to verify that you are an adult by re-entering your password and consenting to the creation of the account. You will see a screen asking if you want to let your child use their Microsoft account online — you can say Yes or No to this.

Sarah Jacobsson Purewal/CNET

If you say No, your child will still have an account, but they won’t be able to use it without your permission (your password).

Sarah Jacobsson Purewal/CNET

If you say Yes, you will need to verify that you are an adult by allowing Microsoft to make a small $0.50 charge to your credit card.

Managing accounts

You can change a user’s account from Standard to Administrator by going to Settings > Accounts > Family & other users and selecting their account. Click Change account type to switch them from Standard to Administrator (and back again).

From this menu, you can also Block an account from signing in. Blocking a user from signing in is temporary and can be reversed from an Administrator account at any time.

To manage parental controls on children’s accounts, go to Settings > Accounts > Family & other users > Manage family settings online.

Here’s what’s new in Google Photos v1.5 – CNET

Google recently updated the Photos service on the Web with adjustments to the editing tools. Now the Android app for the service is getting improvements as well. Among these are big changes for the Assistant and Collections areas, as well as tweaks to in-app navigation.

Version 1.15 of Google Photos is still rolling out. If you want to skip the wait, grab a copy of the app from APKMirror. Make sure to download the version that matches the DPI (find the value with this app) of your device. The downloaded file will replace your current version. Once you’re on version 1.15, here’s what you need to know:

The Assistant tab is no longer the lonely white space that only offers automagic creations, photo reminders of yesteryear, or app news. After the update, buttons to create new albums, collages, animations and movies will be moving in to keep those features company.

Enlarge Image

Nicole Cozma/CNET

Over in the Collections area…wait, Albums? Yep, Google has finally renamed Collections to Albums, which should be less confusing for new and current users. There’s also a new carousel row at the top of the Albums tab, which lets you access shared albums, people, places, videos, movies, etc.

Enlarge Image

Nicole Cozma/CNET

You may also notice that these two options — Assistant and Albums — along with the primary shortcut to view all of your photos, have moved out of the slide-out menu on the left. Instead, they have a new home in the navigation bar the bottom of the screen. The latest version of the Google+ app uses the same bar, but it disappears once you start scrolling. This one doesn’t do that…yet.

In addition to the menu change, the ability to swipe between sections of the app has been removed. This might be good or bad news, depending on what navigation methods you’re most comfortable with.

What do you think of the changes? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

(Via Google Photos)