ICYMI: Robots, disappearing medical skin and more

Today on In Case You Missed It: We are rounding up a few interesting robot and car stories at the top of the show because simply too much happened since last week to just chose one. The University of North Texas drug-sniffing car needs a mention, and so does the US Army’s new bomb bot. Also, researchers from MIT developed a gel that dries as a totally clear second skin. It could be used to do something as simple as smooth out wrinkles (see ya, botox!) or deliver topical medicine, covertly. And Harvard’s Wyss Institute came up with a cheap way to test for the Zika virus; hopefully at-risk states take notice.

If you like Rube Goldberg devices, this one with magnets and marbles might blow your mind. As always, please share any great tech or science videos you find by using the #ICYMI hashtag on Twitter for @mskerryd.

Tim Cook and Jony Ive Named Among Top 10 Automotive Tech Influencers

Although the Apple Car is only a rumor at this point, Apple CEO Tim Cook and Chief Design Officer Jony Ive have landed spots on The Drive’s list of The 10 Most Influential People in Automotive Technology (via Patently Apple). The Apple executives join well-known automotive industry individuals like Elon Musk, co-founder and CEO of Tesla Motors, and Uri Levine, founder of popular crowd-sourced driving app Waze.

The main reason behind Ive and Cook’s appearance on the spot seems to be the Apple Watch’s ability to communicate with vehicles, similar to the recently launched Bentley app, with tentative references to the company’s rumored ongoing work on the ultra-secret Apple Car. Jony Ive ranks sixth on the list, with The Drive referencing his influence on Apple’s “cleanliness and iconoclasm” as a leader of the tech industry, and a potentially disruptive force in the car industry.

With smartphones having displaced wristwatches for many, a late-model iPhone is the best-designed thing they own. Ive’s work—via Apple’s blockbuster conferences, whose videos he narrates—introduced words like “chamfered,” “beveled,“ and “anodized” to a general American lexicon. Moreover, its cleanliness and iconoclasm—well illustrated in this scene from Legally Blonde—leads the tech pack. The best car interiors reflect that aesthetic beautifully.

Three spots up, Tim Cook came in third on the The Drive’s ranking, which calls out the Apple CEO for guiding the company into support of various automotive-related software and, potentially, hardware, including Apple CarPlay, various Apple Watch compatible car apps and the rumored electric vehicle collaborations. Because of this, the site believes Apple’s reach now “extends even deeper into the car world.”

Steve Jobs was more than a whip-cracking captain—his turtleneck, New Balances and enthusiastic presentations were the face of the company. No one envied his replacement. Still, Tim Cook has become a competent, if quieter hand at the helm of the world’s largest company, one whose reach—with Apple Carplay, Apple Watch-based car apps, and rumors of EV collaborations—extends ever deeper into the car world.

There has been a steady stream of rumors surrounding the Apple Car for a few months now, the most recent of which point to Apple’s plan to purchase “large expanses of real estate” for the project. A couple hundred Apple employees are suggested to be working on “Project Titan,” which is believed to be electric-powered, potentially self-driving, and launch in 2020 at the earliest.

Read More: Apple Hires Former Tesla Engineer With Expertise in Prototyping Car Parts

Related Roundup: Apple Car
Discuss this article in our forums

FileMaker 15 Debuts With Focus on Mobility, Ease of Use, and Security

Apple’s FileMaker subsidiary today announced the launch of FileMaker 15, the latest version of the company’s database platform for easily building customized apps. FileMaker’s emphasis is on bridging the gap between generic apps and custom coding to allow teams with limited IT resources to efficiently build custom apps for a variety of platforms.

Mobility is a key focus of FileMaker 15, with the FileMaker Go iOS app gaining support for Touch ID and 3D Touch Quick Actions, improving security and ease of access for custom apps within FileMaker Go. New support for app extensions in FileMaker Go also makes it easy to move files within projects to other apps for editing.

Support for iBeacons also allows proximity-based data to be collected and displayed within apps built using FileMaker. And finally, FileMaker’s WebDirect technology with new support for mobile phone browsers makes it easy to access web-based apps automatically optimized for a variety of screen resolutions and sizes.

FileMaker has also focused on automation and integration in FileMaker 15, with new highlighting of script errors and undo scripting functionality, as well as a new ESS Adapter feature to allow external SQL sources to be embedded like native databases.

Ease of use is another focus area, with a refreshed user interface offering a more modern look for toolbars, and new starter solutions offering more relevant examples such as contacts management and asset/inventory management that can be easily tailored for a specific project.

FileMaker 14 toolbar on top, FileMaker 15 toolbar on bottom
Finally, security and performance are also addressed in FileMaker 15, with new concealed edit boxes to hide sensitive information, and a number of security upgrades including proactive security warnings and support for new SSL certificate types. On the performance side, new stats logging and an in-line progress bar make it easier to diagnose and address slowdowns.

With the debut of FileMaker 15, there is a new subscription licensing structure for teams, which includes FileMaker Server and the ability for teams of five or more users to access systems via desktop, mobile, or web. Annual subscription pricing comes in at $108 per user for FileMaker Pro, $180 per user for FileMaker Pro Advanced, and $348 for FileMaker Server. For those who prefer perpetual licenses, one-time pricing comes in at $329, $549, and $1044 for the respective versions. FileMaker Go 15 is a free download from the App Store that allows users to remotely access solutions created using FileMaker Pro. [Direct Link]

Tag: FileMaker
Discuss this article in our forums

Samsung launches special edition Galaxy S7 in South Korea

Samsung has teamed up with SK Telecom and Asiana Airlines to launch a special edition Galaxy S7 in South Korea. Whilst being almost identical to the international Galaxy S7 up for sale this particular variant of the flagship smartphone features an Asiana user interface, as well as some neat boot and shutdown sequences.

Knox is onboard and, as SamMobile notes, Samsung has reportedly tweaked the Galaxy S7 to perform better during flights. Should you be a frequent flier with Asiana Airlines, you’ll be able to use 50,000 miles to discount the price of the handset from the official Asiana website, where those who purchase through the airline will bag a free wireless charger and 32GB microSD card.

You can now invite your friends to Miitomo using SMS and email

Nintendo has updated the company’s first smartphone app, Miitomo. This latest version bumps the app up to 1.2 and adds some interesting new features. In a bid to get even more people using the service, Nintendo now wants you to invite your friends via email and SMS. You can now also edit existing Miifotos before publishing them as comments.

As spotted by Nintendo Life, here’s what you’ll find new in version 1.2:

• Added feature for inviting friends via e-mail, SMS, etc.
• Friend requests and blocking can now be done within comment and heart lists.
• When posting Miifotos in the comment list, existing Miifotos can now be edited and posted.
• An “Answer” option has been added to “All answers.”
• Implemented bug fixes and speed optimizations.

You can download Miitomo from the Play Store, and don’t forget to check out our user guide over on iMore!

Google’s free Wi-Fi service rolls out to five more train stations in India

Google is continuing its push to offer free Wi-Fi access at railway stations across India. Today, the search giant in collaboration with RailWire has rolled out access in Ujjain, Jaipur, Patna, Guwahati and Allahabad railway stations. Free Wi-Fi is now live in 15 stations, with over 2.5 lakh users connecting to the service every week. The goal is to connect 100 stations by the end of the year, eventually covering 400 stations in the country.

From Google India’s Head of Access Programs Gulzar Azad:

We’re seeing incredible usage of the Wi-Fi service across the stations and over 2.5 lakhs users are using the service every week, demonstrating more than 2x growth in less than a month. Backed by this response, Railtel and the Ministry of Railways has decided to extend the project to cover key suburban stations in Mumbai as well.

The service is now live across 15 stations covering key corners of the country from Pune to Guwahati, and from Ernakulam to Jaipur. Our roll out schedule is on track and we are confident of providing the service across 100 stations in India by end of this year.

The stations where the service is currently live include Mumbai Central, Pune, Bhubaneshwar, Bhopal, Ranchi, Raipur, Vijayawada, Kacheguda, Ernakulum Junction, Vishakhapatnam, Jaipur, Patna, Guwahati, Ujjain, and Allahabad. Here’s how you can access the free Wi-Fi from the aforementioned stations:

Locally-assembled phones account for 67% of all shipments in India in Q1 2016

Of the 52.8 million phones that were shipped in India in Q1 2016, 67% were locally assembled, according to CyberMedia Research. YoY sales saw a 4.7% decline, and a more drastic 12.8% decrease compared to Q4 2015. On the bright side, the government’s “Make in India” efforts are bearing fruit, as more and more international vendors are starting to set up manufacturing facilities in the country.

The smartphone segment saw 23.6 million shipments, with Samsung leading the way followed by Micromax and Intex. The average selling price of phones has seen an increase to ₹12,983, up from ₹10,364 in Q1 2015. Commenting on the change, CMR’s lead analyst Faisal Kawoosa said:

We saw for the first time, price band of Rs 10,000 – 15,000 contributing the maximum (22%) towards the Smartphone shipments. Usually, the prime contributor used to be the price bracket of Rs 6,000 – 8,000.

This increase has been primarily due to introduction of shipments by LeEco and launch of new handsets / significant increase in shipments from Lenovo, Oppo, LG, Panasonic, Micromax, Intex, LYF (RJio) and Vivo in Rs 10,000 – 15,000 price bands.

Some of the Smartphones that have done exceptionally well in this price band include Lenovo’s K4 Note, LeEco’s Le 1S, Micromax’s Canvas Mega 4G, Huawei’s Honor 5X and Intex’s Aqua Freedom.

With 4G set to become mainstream following the imminent launch of Reliance Jio’s network, 4G-enabled phones will see an uptick in sales in the following quarters.

Unlocked HTC 10 update is currently rolling out in the U.S.

The HTC 10 in the U.S. is currently being updated. We’ve received an alert on our unlocked unit, which is being bumped up to software version 1.53.617.5. It’s noted in the update alert that this release includes improvements for the camera, Wi-Fi and overall system stability.

The update clocks in at 394.48MB and also includes the May security patch. Have you received the update too? Let us know in the comments and be sure to join in the discussion over on our forum!

• Discuss this HTC 10 update on our forum

HTC 10

• HTC 10 review
• HTC 10 specs
• These are the HTC 10 colors
• Our first photo and video samples
• Meet the Ice View case
• Join our HTC 10 forums

HTC
Verizon

Xiaomi Mi Max takes its name seriously with 6.44-inch mega display

Xiaomi has unveiled its latest and largest smartphone in the Xiaomi Mi Max. The 6.44-inch smartphone is even bigger than the company’s Mi Note and Mi Note Pro phablet phones.

While there are three spec variants for the device we’ll focus on the top end initially, since even that is only 1,999 RMB which is about £213 or $307. For that you get a metal build with fingerprint reader, dual SIM and silver, gold or dark grey options.

The 6.44-inch IPS LCD display is 1080p with Gorilla Glass 4 while processing is done by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 652. There’s 4GB of RAM and Andreno 510 GPU, 128GB storage plus microSD expansion.

In the rear is a 16-megapixel camera with dual-tone LED flash while the front has a 5-megapixel selfie snapper. Everything is powered by a hefty 4850mAh battery and runs on Android 6.0 Marshmallow.

The handset also has Xiaomi’s latest MIUI 8 skin. This allows for split phone accounts making it possible for more than one person to use it with their own locked areas. Another cool extra is app cloning allowing you to sign in to multiple accounts and jump between apps to change logins easily.

The Xiaomi Mi Max will also come in 1,499 RMB, £160 or $230, Snapdragon 650, 3GB RAM, 32GB storage and a 1,699 RMB, £180 or $260, Snapdragon 652, 3GB RAM, 64GB storage options.

The Xiaomi Mi Max goes on sale in China next week.

READ: Huawei P9 review: The flagship and the folly

Impossible Project I-1 camera prints instant photos and saves them digitally to your phone

Impossible Project wants to redesign the instant camera for the digital age and the result is the I-1.

After rescuing the original Polaroid factory and all its cameras, the Impossible Project company has unveiled what it’s created. The I-1 camera aims to blend the analogue and digital. But how?

The I-1 is primarily an instant camera, that looks like a Polaroid but is finished in a modern matte black. It now features an LED ring flash for diffused light plus a magnetic collapsible viewfinder. The LED ring also doubles as a way of determining how many shots are left on the film. While the camera will snap shots that print out on the Impossible Project film, it also saves them digitally to a connected phone.

The connected smartphone can be used to test out effects and adjust camera settings before you commit to pressing the shutter button. That means adjusting aperture and shutter speed or trying out double exposure, remote triggering and light painting can all be done digitally.

Once you snap a shot it’s printed out to keep and available on the phone to share digitally.

The I-1 camera costs £229, $299 and €299 and is available at various retailers or directly from Impossible Project.

READ: Impossible Project Instant Lab Universal review: Make Polaroid-style prints from your phone snaps