This is how you make subaquatic music
Water is a pretty strange compound. Since it’s so dense, it drops the volume of sounds compared to what you’d hear on the surface. At the same time, it causes sound to travel much faster than it does through air, by roughly 400 percent. Neither of these really affect us on a day-to-day basis, but then again, we aren’t performing a concert from the confines of an aquarium. We’ll leave that up to AquaSonic, a band whose vocalist, according to New Scientist, devised her own singing technique to ensure that she could belt out her subaquatic notes without creating a bunch of bubbles in the process.
The reason? Those add popping sounds to the vocals. Instead, singer Laila Skovmand traps an air bubble in her mouth and sings through it. It’s kind of wild. The rest of the instruments are pretty crazy too, given how traditional music-making devices are designed to work (mostly) dry. In addition to a carbon fiber violin, the band is using custom-made instruments like a rotacorda (inspired by the hurdy-gurdy), a water organ (hydraulophone) and a crystallaphone (an aquatic take on Benjamin Franklin’s glass harmonica) that work with dihydrogen monoxide, rather than against it.
Beyond that, instrument maker Andy Cavorta wasn’t prepared for possibly electrocuting the musicians based on the materials he used to craft their noisemakers — metals from opposite ends of the electropotential series essentially create a wet-cell battery when submerged. That rules out a tank containing zinc and brass instruments, New Scientist writes.
If you can’t make it to Rotterdam in time for AquaSonic’s first show on May 27th there’s an eerie teaser video embedded above. Maybe instead of just performing in aquariums, the band will eventually record their album on the highest-resolution format ever — water — and write a song specifically for sea creatures. Wait, Dethklok already did both of those.
Via: New Scientist
Source: Aquasonic
Uber brings wheelchair-accessible rides to London
In its bid to provide more services for disabled passengers, Uber finally brought UberASSIST to the capital at the end of last year. The service provides passengers with a “top rated” Uber driver who has passed an equality course. Today, it’s expanding its platform with the launch of UberWAV (Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle), a new option in the Uber app that was developed with help from Scope, Whizz-Kidz and Transport for All that goes live at 4pm today.
UberWAV ensures that passengers are sent vehicles that have a rear-entry ramp, winch and restraints, allowing a wheelchair user and one passenger to travel “safely and comfortably.” Prices are comparable with UberX, its low-cost ride-sharing service, and the company says it will invest more than £1 million in the first 18 months to ensure its new e-hailing option is a success.
With a smaller number of UberWAV cars on the road, at least to begin with, Uber is warning customers that the average wait time in zones 1 and 2 will be around 25 minutes and 40 minutes in zones 3 and 4 for the first couple of weeks. In London, all black cabs are wheelchair accessible, giving traditional taxi drivers a window of opportunity while Uber expands its service.
Can Samsung make truly wireless earbuds go mainstream?
Images doing the rounds this week suggest Samsung could be the first of the big names to get into the “truly” wireless headphones game. Until now, the fast-growing category has been dominated by new players like Bragi and Earin. We’ve covered many of them, and much as we love the idea of cable-free listening, cutting the last wire comes at a cost. Usually, short battery life; but flaky connectivity and even sub-par audio can be challenges. Samsung’s not shy about having a go at something new, often with mixed results, so will the so called “Gear IconX” buds break that mould?
One thing’s for sure, if imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, it looks like Samsung is about to flatter the hell out of Bragi’s Dash. The new images appear to confirm an earlier leak of the Gear IconX, and the similarities with the Dash are many. There’s the basic aesthetic resemblance, similar optical heart rate sensors, a battery/charging case and a lack of buttons (so touch controls). According to VentureBeat’s source, they’ll also be a standalone media player with 4GB of storage, be water and dust resistant and include activity tracking — just like the Dash. Let’s hope that the Gear IconX has some software tricks, or a competitive price point to make them interesting. Existing products retail for between $250 and $300, this could be Samsung’s easiest way to stand out.
Remember when smartwatches suddenly got the industry’s interest? Various companies had been making them for years, but around 2013 something — possibly rumours of an “iWatch” — stirred the water and suddenly everyone was making one. The original Galaxy Gear was one of the first in this generation to launch, and it did so with some pretty big pain points. Battery life was poor, software was lacking, and useful apps were few. Incidentally, Apple is rumoured to be working on truly wireless headphones of its own.
Image via VentureBeat
Bragi CEO, Nikolaj Hviid, once told me that his team had to overcome many technological obstacles to make all the sensors in the Dash fit in such a small space. I asked Hviid if Samsung tried to tap Bragi’s expertise for their own product — similar to its arrangement with Oculus for Gear VR. Hviid will only confirm that Bragi wasn’t involved in the Gear IconX. The products’ similarities are, I guess the official term is… coincidental? Hviid isn’t worried though. He welcomes the competition, and casually reminds me all those solutions Bragi had to invent mean it has a robust patent portfolio. “The largest in the hearables space.”
Regardless of features, price (and let’s hope not IP) the biggest problems Samsung needs to fix are the basics. Every truly wireless headset so far seems to have at least one achilles heel. Often it’s simply connecting to your phone outside while it’s in your pocket. It seems such a trivial thing, but the physics of Bluetooth and small wireless headphones seem to be a bad match. A second problem is connecting the buds to each other. To do this over Bluetooth, they must stick out of the ears so the signal reaches. We can’t be sure, but the images suggest this could be the case with the Gear IconX. Bragi, on the other hand uses NFMI to connect the two buds, which allows a “shorter” design.
One industry expert suggested to me (based on VentureBeat’s photos) the placement of the optical heart rate sensors on the Gear IconX might be too far back in the ear, exposing them to light and rendering them ineffective. There’s also the question of software and compatibility. Might these be Samsung-only like the Gear-line of watches? We’ll have to wait and see. There’s every chance the design has changed since the first round of leaks, and of course, the company has yet to make them official. Either way, we’re interested to see/hear whether Samsung can finally untangle the world of truly wireless headphones.
Via: SlashGear
Source: VentureBeat
London Science Museum wants to rebuild the UK’s first robot
The Science Museum in London is on a mission to rebuild the UK’s first humanoid robot. “Eric” was invented by William Richards and Albert Herbert Reffell, two veterans of the First World War, in 1928. He was a large, burly machine covered in aluminium, and was able to stand up, move his arms and change the position of his head. Eric’s movements could be controlled remotely over a wireless connection, or directly using voice commands, much to the amusement of the public. He was built initially to open an Exhibition of the Society of Model Engineers in London, but later travelled the world, meeting politicians and celebrities.
Credit: Science Museum
But then Eric mysteriously vanished. No-one is sure what happened to the robot — he might have been lost, destroyed, or scrapped for parts. Now, the Science Museum wants to recreate Eric using photos and archived material supplied by his creators’ relatives. The organisation has commissioned roboticist Giles Walker to complete the project, and estimates that the new Eric can be built in just a few months. If all goes to plan, the reconstructed robot will be unveiled at the museum this October, free for anyone to see. He’ll disappear a month later and then featured in a larger, paid exhibit due to open in February, before touring the world like his predecessor.
There’s one caveat — the Science Museum needs some cash. It’s asking for £35,000 (roughly $50,551) on Kickstarter, with the usual slew of backer rewards including a behind-the-scenes short film, an Eric-themed t-shirt, a jazzy tote bag and a built-it-yourself model. All of that is secondary, however, to what the museum hopes will be an interest in rebuilding and, subsequently, preserving an important piece of history. Sure, it won’t be the real Eric, but a new version of the primitive android could help the public to understand and appreciate the origins of robotics.
Source: Rebuild Eric (Kickstarter)
Virgin Media will launch its own 4K set-top box this year
Virgin Media will unveil a new 4K set-top box for TV customers later this year. In its first-quarter financial report, the company said that as part of enhancements to its UK TV platform, it is currently “preparing to launch new set-top box platform,” which it turns out will feature Ultra HD broadcasts like Sky Q and BT’s YouView-powered box.
“There will be a new set-top box coming later this year, and it will support Ultra High Definition video,” a Virgin Media spokesperson told What HiFi. “Before that we will be updating the existing TiVO set-top box to make its menus slicker and more picture-based.” This mirrors comments made by David Bouchier, chief digital entertainment officer at Virgin Media, in a recent Telegraph interview.
With its TiVo boxes beginning to show their age, Virgin Media knows it needs to move fast. Sky and BT’s next-generation set-top boxes are making their way into UK homes with dedicated 4K content. Virgin Media has neither. However, the company is reported to be exploring a return to TV production — it recently bought Sky’s stake in ITV and may also bid for the BBC’s stake in UKTV.
Via: What HiFi
Source: Virgin Media
Apple: Steve Jobs’ Healthcare Prompted Apple Watch Development
TIME published an article yesterday that offers an interesting take on Apple’s long-term plans for the Apple Watch, noting that Steve Jobs’ desire to improve the healthcare system indirectly inspired its development.
The article is written by technology consultant Tim Bajarin, who recently spent time at the company’s headquarters and met with Apple executives involved with the Apple Watch. He asked them to explain their motivation for creating the wearable device, which was released just over a year ago.
According to Bajarin, the late Apple CEO Steve Jobs tasked his R&D teams with developing technology that would create a bridge between patients and healthcare providers, after his own experiences within the healthcare system in his battle with pancreatic cancer, which began in 2004. Jobs died from the disease in 2011.
During the intervening years, Jobs had become concerned with what he saw as a lack of connection between patients, their data, and healthcare providers, and sought to bring greater order to the system by developing a mobile platform and an ecosystem of devices that would make patient-doctor relationships more efficient and less frustrating.
During Bajarin’s time at Cupertino, he was invited into Apple’s dedicated health labs, where Apple has seven full-time nurses monitoring employee volunteers using advanced medical equipment as they perform various exercises in controlled conditions. Bajarin came away from his visit with the take-home message that while Apple has marketed the Watch as a fashionable timepiece, the company is committed to Jobs’ original vision for the device as an enhanced health monitoring system.
The last few years has seen the company increase its focus on health and medical technology that integrates with its mobile devices. HealthKit framework debuted in 2014, allowing developers to build health monitoring software that integrates with Apple’s Health app. Apple’s open source framework ResearchKit was made available to developers in April 2015, enabling them to create their own iPhone apps for medical research purposes.
Just last month, Apple released CareKit iOS, another health-related framework allowing app developers to create integrated software that helps patients and doctors to better track and manage medical conditions.
You can read the TIME article here.
Related Roundups: Apple Watch, watchOS 2
Tags: HealthKit, Steve Jobs, ResearchKit
Buyer’s Guide: Apple Watch (Caution)
Discuss this article in our forums
Canada’s ‘Big Five’ Banks Sign up to Apple Pay
Two major Canadian banks have signed up to Apple Pay, marking a significant expansion of the mobile payments service in the country (via The Financial Post).
As of today, debit and major credit cards issued by RBC and CIBC will support Apple Pay, with TD Canada Trust, Scotiabank, and BMO expected to follow in the coming months to complete the rollout across Canada’s “Big Five”.
ATB Financial and Canadian Tire Financial Services are two other financial institutions also to sign up to the payment service.
Owners of iPhone and iPad models with the Touch ID feature and Apple Watch users will now be able to add cards from issuers into their Apple Pay Wallet and use their devices to make payments in-store. Apple Pay’s in-app transaction functionality will be supported by the new issuers next month.
Previously, Apple Pay was limited to American Express cardholders in Canada, allowing newer iPhone and Apple Watch owners to make contactless payments at retail stores like Indigo, McDonald’s, Sport Chek, Tim Hortons, and others with NFC payment terminals that accept the card.
Apple Pay first launched in the U.S. in October 2014, while Canada saw its limited American Express launch in November 2015.
Related Roundup: Apple Pay
Discuss this article in our forums
Vizio P-Series 2016 review – CNET
The Good The Vizio P-Series has outstanding overall picture quality that competes well against the highest-end TVs. It can handle both high-dynamic-range formats. The remote is a fully functional Android tablet. The Google Cast system offers more apps and frequent updates than many dedicated smart-TV systems.
The Bad Using the tablet for settings and streaming apps is often more of a hassle than traditional onscreen menus. No built-in tuner, so you can’t watch over-the-air antenna broadcasts unless you attach a separate tuner. No HDR10 compatibility until a promised future software upgrade arrives.
The Bottom Line Forget the “free tablet,” the real story with Vizio’s excellent P-Series TV is top-notch picture quality and future-ready features at an affordable price.
Most of the time when I tell someone that a Vizio TV has a better picture than a Samsung, LG or Sony, they’re incredulous. “Really?” they ask. “But it’s so much cheaper. How is that possible?”
“I honestly don’t know,” I tell them. “But it’s the best TV for the money you can buy.”
For 2016, Vizio is delivering two bold changes to its TV line. The first is that these TVs aren’t technically TVs. The company has omitted the antenna and tuner, which is why Vizio calls them “Tuner-Free Displays.” So if you want free over-the-air broadcasts, you’ll need to invest in a third-party tuner box or an over-the-air DVR like the TiVo Roamio OTA or the Channel Master DVR+.
The second big change this year is the remote: In addition to a basic on/off/input/volume clicker, Vizio includes a 6-inch Android tablet. The idea is to use the tablet to control apps like Netflix and Hulu on the big screen, as well as access picture control and other settings. It seems like a cool concept, but in practice I found it kludgy and annoying in many cases. I ended up paying attention to the screen in my hand instead of the one across the room…and I can do that with my phone.
Vizio P-Series (pictures)
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If you’re as annoyed with the tablet remote as I was, you can get by with a good universal remote or even the included button-based clicker, ignoring the tablet altogether (or giving it to your kids). And as usual, an external device like a Roku or Apple TV works better for streaming, and has those key apps (Amazon, iTunes) that the Vizio lacks.
Thankfully, what’s good about this Vizio far outweighs the issues with the tablet remote. The Vizio P-Series is the first 2016 TV I’m reviewing, and — simply put — it once again sets a high bar for value. In image quality it beats most major-brand TVs, even those that cost significantly more. It supports all the latest 4K and high-dynamic-range wizardry — including both Dolby Vision and (soon) HDR10 — and even its styling is nicer than you probably expect.
A “free tablet” might get some people in the door, but a great picture for the price is what makes me like the P-Series so much. In fact, right now, the only real challenge to this P-Series on the value horizon is the company’s own less expensive, similarly equipped M series. Once again, the best TV for the money looks like it will be a Vizio.
Series information: I performed a hands-on evaluation of the 65-inch Vizio P65-C1, but this review also applies to the other screen sizes in the series. Here’s how the other sizes differ.
Vizio P-Series 2016 sizes
| Size | Price | Dimming zones | Refresh rate | Panel type |
| 50 inches | $999 | 126 | 60Hz | VA |
| 55 inches | $1,299 | 126 | 120Hz | IPS |
| 65 inches | $1,999 | 128 | 120Hz | VA |
| 75 inches | $3,799 | 128 | 120Hz | VA |
The most important difference in the table above is the IPS panel used on the 55-inch model. Because of that difference I expect it to perform worse than the other sizes. See the Features section for additional details.
Your remote control: An included Android tablet
The big headliner for 2016 Vizio TVs is that the company throws in a “free” Android tablet that doubles as a remote control. It’s a 6-inch slate, barely bigger than my trusty Galaxy Note 4 phone, but of course it doesn’t make calls (or have a camera).
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Sarah Tew/CNET
The Vizio branding is prominent, the controls are typical with a power/wake button on top, a side-mounted volume and headphone jack, and a Micro-USB port on the bottom. The perforated silver top and bottom hide stereo speakers that diffuse nicely when you watch video in landscape (sideways) mode. Although the tablet requires two hands to use, it feels easy to hold thanks mainly to the rubberized back.
Here are the specifications:
- 1080p resolution
- Octa-core processor
- 16GB storage
- Android Lollipop (5.1)
- Stereo speakers
- Headphone jack and microphone
- No camera or expandable storage
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Sarah Tew/CNET
In short, this is a (mostly) fully functional Android tablet on which you can play Angry Birds or watch Netflix streaming video. I also love the wireless charging cradle, because it provides a permanent home that helps keep the “remote” from getting lost, and provides a very convenient way to keep the battery topped off.
So what’s it like to use a tablet remote?
IMO, kind of annoying.
When it threw in the tablet, Vizio also removed all but the most basic onscreen menus from the TV. The included button-based “basic” remote can control volume/mute, input, aspect ratio, play/pause, picture mode, pairing and power. That’s it.
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Sarah Tew/CNET
To do anything else, you need to use the included tablet, or another tablet or a phone.
Want to watch Netflix or YouTube? You’ll need to “Google Cast” from a phone or tablet to the TV — just like using a $35 Chromecast. That’s because the P-Series lacks a traditional Smart TV menu system and apps. Want to tweak the Backlight setting or set the TV’s sleep timer? You’ll have to use Vizio’s SmartCast app for Android and iOS.
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Sarah Tew/CNET
Such an arrangement can have some advantages. They include more-frequent updates, access to more apps (again, with the exception of Amazon and iTunes), easier entry of text and search terms using a big touchscreen and Bluetooth connectivity so you don’t have to aim the clicker.
But personally I found the disadvantages, such as having to futz with the tablet to turn on the TV, shift focus between two screens and rely on the smaller-screen interface, annoying overall. I love being able to use a traditional button-and-TV combination mostly by feel, without taking my eyes off the big screen.
As I mentioned above, if I owned a P-Series I’d mostly ignore the tablet and rely on a good universal remote for basic functions, and an external device for streaming (unless I wanted to watch something in HDR, which isn’t yet available in an external streamer). Vizio says the P-Series can receive standard infrared commands from remotes like Harmony and cable box remotes, for example.
I’ll have a lot more details on what it’s like to use Vizio’s system, including more details on the SmartCast app itself, in a follow-up article.
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Sarah Tew/CNET
Design
The TV itself looks decidedly higher-end than most Vizios, with the same kind of actual metal frame used by recent Samsung TVs like the JU7100, albeit without the aggressive angled edge. A discreet Vizio logo on the lower right, textured sides and a relatively thick body slightly differentiate it from otherwise identical-looking TVs.
Features
Key TV features
| LED LCD |
| Full-array with local dimming (128 zones) |
| 4K |
| Dolby Vision (HDR10 “coming soon”) |
| Flat |
| Google Cast |
| Tablet and standard |
| No |
The P-Series hits all of the image quality high notes I expect from an LED LCD TV. Its full-array local dimming backlight has a prodigious number of zones — 126 for the 50 and 55-inch sizes, 128 for the 65- and 75-inch sets — and in general, more zones equal better picture quality.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 review – CNET
The Good The Redmi Note 3 features a premium metal body, fingerprint scanner and a brilliant 5.5-inch display all at a low, low, price.
The Bad The camera, while adequate for a budget phone, tends to overexpose shots and it’s a shame the phone drops the removable battery feature found on the previous model.
The Bottom Line With its comfortable design and low price, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 is a top choice for phone-buyers on a budget.
Visit manufacturer site for details.
I’ve always been a big fan of Xiaomi’s phones and the Redmi Note 3 is no exception, but also may now be my new favourite. That’s partly because of the phone’s classy metal body (upgraded from plastic on previous models) and partly because of its low price (around $220, £150 and AU$290, respectively). But it’s mostly because Xiaomi has turned out a quality product that fits well into my lifestyle. However, if you’re outside of Asia, you’ll have to work some online magic to get the phone, and it may not work as swiftly with your carrier if it doesn’t support your network’s bands, so you’ll need to check.
Xiaomi’s Redmi Note 3 packs premium metal…
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Budget phones usually skimp on storage space, but not the comfortable, 5.5-inch Redmi Note 3. This guy comes with 32GB, and if you need more, you can use one of the phone’s dual-SIM slots as a microSD card slot for up to an additional 32GB of storage. Gaming performance was great; I loved the smooth framerates on Asphalt 8 and when switching between apps and sending emails, I rarely experienced any noticeable delay. The Note 3’s non-removable battery lasted nearly-14 hours in our video looping battery test; a respectable number for the vast majority of phones.
Software wise, Xiaomi’s usual MIUI skin runs over the Android 5.1 Lollipop operating system. Since all the app icons spread out across multiple home screens, it looks like a mix of Android and iOS. But other cool features, such as the ability to quickly move all the apps on one screen to the next, and weekly security updates, help make up for the atypical layout. While it isn’t standard Android, MIUI does a great job making the phone easy to use, especially with a “Lite mode” which simplifies the interface for not so tech-savvy types.
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The phone still uses physical keys instead of onscreen menu buttons.
Aloysius Low/CNET
Now, if there’s one thing that I downright didn’t like, it’s the Redmi Note 3’s lackluster camera. It’s slow and lacks Auto HDR (high dynamic range), which meant I had to manually turn this mode on. It also had some exposure troubles, which resulted in slightly darker images unless you adjusted the exposure setting yourself before shooting. Neither is a deal-breaker, but they did knock down my experience a few pegs.
While it’s a bit heavier than your typical flagship phones, the Redmi Note 3 is still comfortable to hold, and after switching back to my daily phone, I missed having the Note 3’s rear-mounter fingerprint sensor. Truly, for the price, it’s an excellent budget phone at any size. If you can find it, get it.
Performance benchmarks
Xiaomi Redmi Note 3
18,002
1,532
3,651
ZTE ZMax 2
4,369
479
1,378
Huawei Honor 5X
7,719
702
3,130
Legend:
3DMark Ice Storm (unlimited)
Geekbench 3 (single-core)
Geekbench 3 (multi-core)
Note:
Longer bars indicate better performance
Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 vs ZTE ZMax 2 vs Huawei Honor 5X
| Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 | Huawei Honor 5X | ZTE ZMax 2 |
| 5.5-inch; 1,920×1,080 pixels | 5.5-inch; 1,920×1,080 pixels | 5.5-inch; 1,280×720 pixels |
| 401ppi | 401ppi | 267ppi |
| 5.91×2.99×0.34 in | 6x3x0.32 in | 6.06×2.99×0.37 in |
| 150x76x8.7 mm | 151x76x8.2 mm | N/A (US-only) |
| 5.78 oz; 164g | 5.6 oz; 158 g | 6 oz; N/A (US-only) |
| Android 5,1 Lollipop | Android 5.1 Lollipop | Android 5.1 Lollipop |
| 16-megapixel | 13-megapixel | 8-megapixel |
| 5-megapixel | 5-megapixel | 2-megapixel |
| 1080 HD | 1080p HD | 1080 HD |
| Quad-core 1.4GHz, dual-core 1.8GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 650 | 1.5GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 | 1.2GHz quad-core Snapdragon 400 |
| 32GB | 16GB | 16GB |
| 3GB | 3GB | 2GB |
| 32GB | Up to 128GB | Up to 32GB |
| 4,000mAh battery | 3,000mAh (nonremovable) | 3,000mAh (removable) |
| Back cover | Back cover | None |
| Micro-USB | Micro-USB | Micro-USB |
| Dual-SIM card slots | Dual-SIM card slots | N/A |
| $220 | $200 | $100 |
| Converts to £150 | Converts to £135 | N/A (US-only) |
| Converts to AU$290 | Converts to AU$275 | N/A (US-only) |
37 best Xbox One games every gamer should own
Have you just got an Xbox One, getting one soon or are you simply looking for something to play? Well, you’ve come to the right place.
It’s been a busy time for gaming since the Xbox One first launched in November 2013, with a stack of amazing titles being released throughout. And after a very busy Christmas last year, we’re also seeing a cracking summer unfold when it comes to triple-A games.
However, you don’t have to just wait for the latest titles, there are plenty in the back catalogue that fully deserve your attention too.
That’s why we’ve put together our favourite games for the console from the last two-and-a-half years of its life. And they are all available to buy through the Xbox Live store so you can download and play them immediately rather than having to trudge down the shops or wait for them to be delivered.
Of course, we don’t expect you to buy and download all 37, not at full price anyway – it’d cost you well over £1,000 to do so. Instead, we’ve ensured there’s something there for everyone so you can pick and choose based on your gaming tastes.
Just flick through the gallery above to see our 37 favourite Xbox One games and our reasons why we chose each one. They are presented in no particular order to prevent arguments.
READ: How Xbox One backwards compatibility works: The Xbox 360 games list and more
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