Students finally get their hands on the BBC’s Micro:bit computer

The BBC has begun delivering its tiny Micro:bit programmable computers to students today, with every Year 7 in the UK due to receive theirs over the next few weeks. The spiritual successor to the BBC Micro, which introduced a whole generation to computing back in the early eighties, was originally due to reach classrooms last October, just in time for the start of the new school year. Power supply problems and then “fine-tuning” issues manifested in significant delays, but after overcoming these setbacks to get the first batch to teachers in early February, it’s finally time for kids to get coding with Micro:bits of their own.

While a fair chunk of the school year is behind us at this point, it’s children and not schools that are being given these devices. That means they’ll be able to tinker with their Micro:bits outside of term time, and carry them through to subsequent years. Another consolation for the delay is the BBC will be shipping out more Micro:bits than originally planned, giving teachers additional devices to use with other year groups. Furthermore, the hardware and most accompanying software will soon be open-sourced, and Micro:bits will become available to purchase from retailers.

The Micro:bit might be the BBC’s baby, but it’s been developed with the help of 31 partners, including ARM, Microsoft and Samsung. Part of the BBC’s wider digital skills campaign, the Micro:bit is intended to help kids learn and experience the basics of computing and coding. The development board, which is compatible with several major programming languages, is kitted out with LEDs, buttons, an on-board accelerometer and magnetometer, Bluetooth connectivity and input/output rings to support all manner of accessories. There are several simple online editors and step-by-step projects for Year 7s to start out with, and there’s even a dedicated Android app (courtesy of Samsung) for coding on the Micro:bit from smartphones and tablets, with an iOS app due to be released soon.

Graphene-based patch can help monitor blood sugar levels

This see-through patch made of graphene and studded with gold isn’t just a fashion accessory or temporary tattoo. It has the capability to monitor your blood sugar levels and deliver diabetes medication. The prototype, designed by Seoul National University assistant professor Dae-Hyeong Kim and a team of researchers, has sensors that can detect your temperature and the pH/chemical composition of your sweat. It then beams the data it collects to an accompanying smartphone app. If the system infers that you need medicine based on the state of your sweat, the app computes for the amount of medication (metformin for type II diabetes) you need. The patch’s microneedle array then injects the right amount into your body.

While it could save someone’s life in the future, the current version is far from being a product people can rely on. At its current form, the microneedle array activates when the bracelet detects that the temperature’s 105 degrees Fahrenheit. That makes it ill-suited for use in the tropics and other generally warm locations. Also, it’s incapable of delivering enough metformin that adults need. The team still has to figure out how to fix that without having to create an enormous version filled to the brim with teensy needles.

Via: IEEE

Source: Nature

Nest’s third-gen Thermostat down to $199 at Woot

Discount online retailer Woot is offering the third-generation Nest Learning Thermostat for $199, a discount of $50 from the device’s list price of $249. The offer’s good for one day only, or until stocks last.

The third-generation Thermostat comes with Farsight, which wakes up the thermostat when you walk into a room. The Thermostat also has new sensors, alerting you to any changes in your heating setup as well. There’s auto-scheduling, the ability to change temperature through your phone or tablet, and integration with an ever-growing list of services.

See at Woot

Pre-order the $400 PlayStation VR ‘core’ bundle March 29th

Despite Sony saying last week that its $400 PlayStation Virtual Reality headset wouldn’t go up for pre-order, here we are hours before the $500 “Launch” bundle’s pre-orders go live with news of when the cheaper, headline-grabbing bundle will be available for reservation. Phew. Come Tuesday, March 29th at 10 AM Eastern Sony says you can put your name on the list for the PlayStation VR core bundle at “participating retailers.”

PS VR US pre-order update: https://t.co/xFWUEl6eZE

Pre-order Launch Bundle tomorrow at 7am PT, or core system 3/29 pic.twitter.com/BSqGzYwv3C

— PlayStation (@PlayStation) March 22, 2016

If you already have Move controllers and a PS Camera, this is the one you want as it contains the headset, cabling, a few other bits and bobs and nothing redundant. It’s just weird that Sony announced this SKU first, then the Launch bundle for pre-orders, said that the $400 core wouldn’t be available for pre-order and then reversed that stance. But the comments on the PS Blog post crying out for a core bundle pre-order probably have something to do with the weird timeline.

But hey, if this is the most confusion console players have to deal with for VR, that’s not too shabby compared to the PC-based-VR setup and configuration hoops Oculus Rift and HTC Vive users will have to endure.

Via: PlayStation (Twitter)

Source: PlayStation Blog

Apple March event: 9 headlines you probably missed

You’ve probably heard by now that Apple introduced a budget iPhone as well as a more portable iPad Pro during its March event, but beyond those two new devices, it also announced software updates, an Apple Watch price drop, new accessories and programmes, and so much more.

To help you sort through all the noise, we’ve singled out 9 headlines you probably missed following the event, though they’re tidbits you really should read up on, especially if you consider yourself an Apple fanboy/girl. The company has updated its entire product range with new software that brings a load of new features and functionality, and it’s even shown off an iPhone-eating robot named Liam. Yeah, we’re not kidding.

Browse the most interesting bits below and let us know in the comments what you think is the most under-appreciated Apple news of the day.

New software releases

Apple

During its main keynote, Apple covered a few new software features coming to its devices, and then after the entire event concluded, the company actually released minor software updates that bring the very same features it highlighted. Here’s what’s now available:

• tvOS 9.2: Apple TV (4) added Siri Remote dictation, app folders, iCloud Photo Library, Bluetooth keyboard support, and more. Apple TV will update its software automatically by default, but you can go to the Settings channel, then the System section, and look for Software Updates under Maintenance in order to force the update now.
• watchOS 2.2: Apple Watch got an enhanced Maps app, while iPhones running iOS 9.3+ can now pair with multiple Apple Watch models. This software update is available through the Watch app on iPhone. Open the app, then tap the My Watch tab, and tap General>Software Update.
• OS X 10.11.4: Mac added Live Photos for Messages, ability to secure individual notes with a single secure password, and iTunes 12.3.3. To update your OS X software, open the App Store app on your Mac, then click Updates and the toolbar, and install all available updates.
• iOS 9.3: iOS devices got Night Shift so they can shift the colour temp of the screen throughout the day as well as Touch ID protection for notes. To update your iOS device, tap Settings>Genera>Software Update. From there, tap Download and Install.

Multi Apple Watch support

Apple

We mentioned this briefly above, but the watchOS 2.2 update adds the ability to pair multiple Apple Watches to a single iPhone – so long as you instal the update along with iOS 9.3 on an iPhone. This functionality is made possible thanks to a new feature called Auto Switch, which automatically connects to any paired Apple Watch, once the user slides it on and raises their wrist.

In the Watch app, Apple has included an image of your exact Apple Watch (style, colour, and even the watch face) to make it easier for you to distinguish between connected watches. The ability to pair multiple watches with a single iPhone will enable you to purchase multiple watches and swap them when desired, meaning you can have a watch for dressing up and one for workouts.

Apple TV Bluetooth keyboard support

Apple

This is another one we briefly mentioned above. The new Apple TV finally got a feature the old one has had for years: the ability to connect a Bluetooth keyboard. With tvOS 9.2, you can use a Bluetooth keyboard for text entry and UI navigation (ie, arrows, volume keys). To set up a keyboard go to Settings>Remotes and Devices>Bluetooth, and follow the Bluetooth pairing process.

Smart keyboard and accessories

Apple

Alongside the 9.7-inch iPad Pro, Apple introduced new accessories.

It announced a $149 smaller version of the Smart Keyboard accessory for the device (Apple originally introduced the Smart Keyboard with the 12.9-inch iPad Pro last November). It looks just like its larger sibling but in a smaller form factor. It connects via the Smart Connector on the side of the iPad Pro, charges via the three-port connector, and will be available in charcoal grey.

Apple also announced two Lightning adapters: a $39 USB Camera Adapter, which allows users to connect things like microphones and supports USB 3.0, and a Lightning SD Card Reader adapter for $29. There’s even a new Polyurethane iPad Pro Smart Cover and new Silicone Cases, which will be available for $49 and $69, respectively.

Apple Watch price drop and new bands

Apple

Apple revealed it will now price the Apple Watch Sport edition at $299 and $349 for the 38mm and 42mm models, respectively. In addition to the $50 price drop for its year-old smartwatch, Apple showed off new watch bands, including vibrant colours for the Sport band, Classic Buckle, Modern Buckle, and Leather Loop. It also introduced a Space Black version of the MilaneseLoop and an entirely new category of bands called Woven Nylon.

The Woven Nylon bands are the same price as the Sport bands, which retail for $49 each, but the new bands offer a “durable nylon with a comfortable, fabric-like feel” and are made from over 500 threads. They’ll also fit wrist sizes from 145mm to 215mm.

Check out this gallery to see all the colours, which include everything from Royal Blue to Black and even combination colours.

New CareKit framework

Apple

It’s been just over a year since Apple introduced ResearchKit, so Apple introduced a new framework called CareKit.

Where ResearchKit is all about collecting data for medical studies, CareKit helps people actively manage their own medical conditions and share information with their doctors and medical practitioners if they wish. Just like with ResearchKit, this will happen in the form of apps created by CareKit developers. The first app to use this new framework will focus on Parkinson’s.

You can read all about ResearchKit and CareKit from here.

Apple Renew trade-in and recycling programme

Apple

Apple is going extra green, with Apple Renew – the company’s trade-in and recycling incentive programme. How does it work? Eligible devices (iPad, iPhone, Mac, even PC, or non-Apple smartphone) will be rewarded with instant store credit or a loaded Apple Store gift card, and you get peace of mind that any Apple device will be either responsibly recycled or completely dismantled by Liam (more on that later).

You can read all about Apple Renew from here.

Liam, the 29-arm robot

In an attempt to highlight how its going green, Apple unveiled a multi-armed robot called Liam. It destroys iPhones using 29 arms. It basically dismantles iPhones to bare parts so each section can be recycled and reused. This is part of the Apple Renew process that aims to help reduce the company’s carbon footprint by avoiding waste, bringing it closer to its goal of being sustainable.

You can read all about Liam from here.

New USB-C cables

Apple

Apple has introduced a new way to charge the iPad Pro faster as well as a way to siphon power from a MacBook to charge up an iOS device. A new 29W USB-C power adapter for iPad is available for $49 and will allow you to fast charge the iPad Pro. You can also buy a Lightning to USB-C cable that allows iPad and iPhone owners to charge their devices directly from a 12-inch MacBook. The 3-foot version is $25, while the 6-is $35.

You can read all about these new cables from here.

Mars ‘X-ray’ gravity maps reveal how its crust has changed

Our lust for Martian knowledge (and travel) isn’t showing any signs of stopping and now we’ve gotten a look inside the planet thanks to new X-ray-like gravity maps. NASA says that it now has a better idea of where to land its spacecraft thanks to the new data. The gravity map also rocks a resolution upgrade that works to explain some of the Red planet’s more peculiar surface features.

The trio of satellites orbiting Mars were able to estimate the thickness of its crust, how it’s changed over time and determined that the planet’s liquid outer core is made of molten rock, too. That bit of knowledge is the result of “analyzing the tides in the Martian crust and mantle caused by the gravitational pull of the sun and the two moons of Mars,” according to Phys Org.

How’d this new map come to be? The Mars Global Surveyor, Mars Odyssey and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter tracked the changes of gravity while they were in orbit (going over a mountain gives stronger gravitational pulls, valleys have a weaker one) over 16 years. Then, two years of analysis and computer models removed any variations in the imagery that weren’t caused by gravity. Sadly no Prothean artifacts have been discovered. Yet.

Source: NASA

Andy Grove, tech legend and former Intel CEO, passes away

Intel’s former CEO and Chairman Andrew S. Grove has passed away today, March 21st. He was 79 years old. The company owes much of its success to Grove, who was the company founders’ first hire. Back in the day, Intel used to manufacture memory chips (DRAMs), but it was forced to change directions when Japanese imports made them available at much lower prices. Grove was one of the company executives who steered Intel towards microprocessors and who convinced IBM to use their products exclusively.

The company made the 386 and Pentium processors, which Intel says “helped usher in the PC era,” under his auspices. It was also under his leadership when the corporation’s yearly revenues swelled from $1.9 billion to over $26 billion. That’s why he was once described as ”a guy who drove the growth phase of Silicon Valley.” Intel’s current Chairman Andy Bryant said his predecessor was an effective leader because he “combined the analytic approach of a scientist with an ability to engage others in honest and deep conversation.”

That said, it wasn’t always smooth sailing for Intel when Grove was at the helm. He once brushed off concerns regarding a flaw in the Pentium processor, and it cost Intel half a billion to fix the issue. The man was also criticized for being too intense and demanding as a leader. Still, his tremendous contributions to the industry and his role in the rise of personal computing are undeniable and will continue to inspire generations of entrepreneurs and tech bigwigs.

Source: Intel

Check out this new Live Photo feature on iOS 9.3 – CNET

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Jason Cipriani/CNET

With the release of iOS 9.3, your device is receiving an update that brings security improvements and new features.

There’s the addition of Night Shift, a feature that makes viewing your device at night easier on your eyes and brain. Then there’s the ability to password-protect private notes in Apple’s Notes app.

Another new feature unearthed in the upcoming update is the ability to create a high-resolution photo from a Live Photo.

Live Photos were introduced in September alongside the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus. Essentially, when a user takes a photo, the iPhone will record a small video clip both before and after the shutter button was pressed. The end result is a photo that comes to life, so to speak, when viewed.

Until now, in order to save just the still image from the photo, you had to disable the live photo portion. Meaning, you had to pick — either it’s a live photo or a still photo.

With iOS 9.3, you can have both! Here’s how:

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Screenshot by Jason Cipriani/CNET

• Tap the Share button when viewing a Live Photo in the Photos app.
• Scroll through the icons on the bottom row of the Share sheet until you find Duplicate, then select it.
• A prompt will come up, where you can then select Duplicate as Still Photo.

Your iPhone will then create a copy of the photo, which you can then edit or share without fear of losing the Live Photo.

Editors’ Note: This post was originally published on January 22, 2016. It has been updated to reflect iOS 9.3’s general availability.

How to secure the Notes app on iOS 9.3 – CNET

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Jason Cipriani/CNET

Apple on Monday released iOS 9.3. With the update, Apple is adding features such as Night Shift which it claims will help you fall asleep easier despite staring at your screen after sunset.

Additional features such as allowing multiple user accounts on a single iPad, CarPlay enhancements and (finally) the ability to password protect personal musings in the Notes app can also found in the update.

Adding the option to protect a note — perhaps containing a bank account number, health information or even a daily diary — feels like it should have been in the Notes app from day one. Alas, it wasn’t, but Apple is intent on fixing that.

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Screenshot by Jason Cipriani/CNET

For those already on iOS 9.3, or those about to take the plunge, here’s what you need to do to secure a note in the Notes app.

• First, start by selecting a note you’d like to lock down with a password or Touch ID.
• Tap on the share button in the upper-right hand corner.
• Select Lock Note from the list of options.

If this is the first time you’ve selected this option, you’ll have to enter a password and a password hint. Notice the warning just below the password section: You cannot access any secured notes on non-iOS 9.3 or Mac OS X 10.11.4 devices. If you’d like to use Touch ID in addition to a password, leave the switch in the On position.

Alternatively, you can set up or change your Notes password by launching the Settings app on your iOS device, then going to Notes > Password. This is also where you’d go if you want to change the password for your Notes.

With a password set, the next time you select Lock Note from the share menu, the note will be placed behind your password. You can identify which notes are protected when viewing the list of notes in your account thanks to a lock icon placed to the right of the title.

Editors’ note: This post was originally published January 19, 2016. It has since been updated to reflect changes in the official release of iOS 9.3.

LG’s X cam and X screen launch in South Korea this week, other markets to follow

LG has announced that its latest X series of smartphones will begin their global rollout starting this week. The new X cam and X screen from LG will begin their rollout starting with their home market of South Korea before moving on to launch in other markets through Europe, Latin America and Asia afterwards.

To recap, LG’s first two entries in its X series pack firmly middle-of-the-road specs. The X cam’s claim to fame is that is packs two rear cameras and boasts a number of unique photo-related features like Animated Photos and a “Panorama View” that automatically scrolls wide images. The smartphone also squeezes in a 5.2-inch HD display, carries 16GB of storage and 2GB of RAM and runs Android 6.0 Marshmallow.

The X screen comes in at just under 5 inches with a 720p display. However, where the X screen gets interesting is its secondary 1.76-inch display that looks to operate much like that of the LG V10. Otherwise, the X screen also packs 16GB of storage, 2GB of RAM and carries Android 6.0 Marshmallow.

LG is mum on pricing and exact launch dates for each market, but buyers will be able to snag the X cam in Titan Silver, White, Gold or Pink Gold. Likewise, the X screen will be available in Black, White and Pink Gold.

Press Release:

NEW LG X SERIES TO BEGIN GLOBAL ROLLOUT

X cam and X screen Offer Unique Features Unavailable on Competing Devices

SEOUL, Mar. 22, 2016 ― LG Electronics (LG) will launch its X series, a mass-tier smartphone lineup with premium features until now only available on LG’s flagship models, starting this week. The X screen and X cam will first be available in South Korea followed by key markets worldwide including Europe, Latin America and Asia.

The X series is designed to deliver exceptional value to those who want a smartphone with unique features such as Dual Cameras or the Second Screen. Like the LG G5, the X cam inherits a similar 120-degree wide angle lens to complement the standard lens. The 13MP standard angle lens and the 5MP wide angle camera on the rear of the X cam delivers as wide a field of view as the human eye.

The X cam offers Pop-out Picture feature which combines the two images taken with the standard and wide angle lenses to create a picture-in-a-frame effect. Available only on the X cam, Animated Photo delivers a hybrid video and still photo, one framed by the other (http://on.fb.me/1pPxEd5). And Panorama View automatically scrolls a wide image instead of a static image and the Signature feature allows users to add a caption or byline after taking a photo.

The X screen comes with LG’s Second Screen, a feature which was first introduced in the LG V10. The Always-on Display allows users to check basic information such as time, date and notifications without having to wake up the phone, the first mid-tier smartphone to offer this unique feature. The X screen’s look is complemented by the crystal-clear glass fiber material that covers the back. The curved edges on its sides create a simple yet elegant design.

“What’s appealing about the X screen and X cam is that each offers one great feature in a complete package that doesn’t break the bank,” said Juno Cho, president and CEO of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company. “Starting with the X series, we’re introducing the best in camera and display technology in a mass-tier device, something that has never been done before.”

X cam Key Specifications: *

• Display: 5.2-inch FHD In-cell Touch
• Chipset: 1.14GHz Octa-Core
• Camera: Rear) 13MP Standard Lens / 5MP Wide Angle Lens – Front) 8MP
• Memory: 2GB RAM / 16GB ROM
• Battery: 2,520mAh
• Operating System: Android 6.0 Marshmallow
• Size: 147.5 x 73.6 x 5.2mm~6.9mm
• Network: LTE
• Colors: Titan Silver / White / Gold / Pink Gold

X screen Key Specifications: *

• Display: Main) 4.93-inch HD In-cell Touch – Secondary) 1.76-inch LCD (520 x 80)
• Chipset: 1.2GHz Quad-Core
• Camera: Rear 13MP / Front 8MP
• Memory: 2GB RAM / 16GB ROM
• Battery: 2,300mAh
• Operating System: Android 6.0 Marshmallow
• Size: 142.6 x 71.8 x 7.1mm
• Network: LTE
• Colors: Black / White / Pink Gold

Specifications/Features may vary depending on the market.