Google will launch a Project Ara modular phone for consumers in 2017
Google’s Project Ara modular smartphone venture is alive and well. In fact, it’ll get a consumer launch next year.
Blaise Bertrand, the head of Google’s Advanced Technology and Projects group, announced at Google I/O 2016 that a new developer phone will be available in the fourth quarter of this year. But that’s not all… A refined, consumer version will launch in 2017. That phone is being described as thin, light, and beautiful, while a new developer phone, which you can learn more about from here, is being touted as sleek.
The message is clear: ATAP has done a lot with Project Ara over the last year in terms of making an Ara phone look more unified and premium. The modules, for instance, are no longer separated by a chunky metal grid. Instead, they sit flush against each other. The current Ara frame can handle up to six modules (though frames will come in larger and smaller sizes). Simply plug a module into the frame, and voila.
Unlike the LG G5’s modules, you won’t need to reboot Ara every time you plug in a module. If you want to remove one, however, you need to go into Settings and eject it. The module will pop up and you can grab it. Easy peasy. You’ll even be able to eject them with a voice command such as “OK Google, eject the speaker” or “OK Google, eject the camera”. And that’s it. Speaking of modules, ATAP is working with partners.
These partners are now developing for the venture. So far, E Ink is making small, secondary displays. Google also has Toshiba, Gotenna, and strangely, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment on board. Who knows what those other companies are planning. Developers won’t know either, because the ones who get pre-release kits this year will receive theirs with only a few modules.
Still, these are definitely exciting times. Check out Google’s new video below to see what else is next for Project Ara.
Google and Levi’s smart jacket to go on sale next year – watch what it can do
Google just gave us an update on its partnership with Levi’s while at Google I/O 2016, confirming that a smart jacket is coming next year.
At last year’s developer conference, Google introduced a new technology called Project Jacquard and said it was working with Levi’s to make smart clothing. The project basically consists of conductive fabric that can be woven into a garment, enabling the garment to become a display of sorts. It’s interactive enough to detect touch, pressure, and your hand’s position.
Google’s Advanced Technology and Products group has now unveiled a Commuter jacket made with Levi’s. The jackets’ left arm features Jacquard interactive threading. There’s also a Bluetooth-enabled loop that connects to the cuff, allowing your phone to communicate with the jacket. In other words: you can touch or gesture on the jacket to control apps.
Imagine swiping on your left arm while wearing Levi’s jacket in order to turn up the sound in a music app, or gesturing to get information about your commute in a maps app. Because the Commuter jacket was designed as a biking jacket, you’ll be able to perform these gestures and still safely ride. The jacket is durable enough for riding, too.
You can wear it and wash it just like any other jacket. You only need to remove the Bluetooth cuff before chucking the garment in a washer. Google said Levi is working on other types of clothing with Jacquard tech, but you can expect this first garment to launch in spring of 2017. There will be a beta test as well. That’s supposed to kick off this autumn.
Watch the video below to learn more about the “Levi’s Commuter x Jacquard by Google Trucker Jacket”. There’s no word yet on pricing.
Xiaomi is getting into drones now, will launch first ‘Mi Drone’ next week
Xiaomi’s been a busy little bee lately, but that isn’t stopping the Chinese company from announcing yet another product in a whole new segment.
9to5Google noticed that Xiaomi has started teasing a launch event on its official forum. The company published a post called “Mi Drone is flying to town on 25th May” and included a photo of what appears to be a quadcopter. Despite “Mi Drone” being in the post’s title, Xiaomi has asked people to guess what its new product is called. Nevertheless, it’s easy to read between the lines and realise Xiaomi will launch its first drone next week.
Keep in mind May has been a big month for Xiaomi. It launched a mammoth 6.44-inch Mi Max smartphone, announced a Mi Box set-top box capable of piping 4K content, and revealed it will build a virtual-reality smartphone that supports Google’s Daydream platform. Not stopping there, it now seems to be going after the drone market, with a Mi Drone that might even wirelessly connect to its existing Mi Band.
Xiaomi had a patent document filed back in August that details a drone which can be control via the Mi Band. According to the patent, you’ll be able to wear the band and then control the drone by performing various gestures. Who knows if the technology in this patent has been included in Xiaomi’s upcoming drone, though the company confirmed in its forum that “something wonderful and cool is flying to us very soon”.
Xiaomi will livestream its 25 May event at 7 am EST on Mi.com.
Build a career in IT security with the Ethical Hacker Professional Certification Package
Imagine getting paid to hack into a company’s network and expose their security flaws.
The idea behind ethical hacking is brilliant, beating malicious data thieves to the digital punch by identifying and correcting structural weaknesses from within. And the demand for such preventative minds is at an all-time high.
For a limited time, the Ethical Hacker Professional Certification Package offers the necessary training and knowhow for IT success for just £47.91 ($69) on Pocket-lint Deals.
Stay ahead of the hacking game and sharpen your career prospects with 60+ hours of training in this bundle, giving you all the material and tutorials necessary to pass any of five professional hacker certifications including CISM, CISA, and more.
You’ll learn how to breach wireless network security before outsiders do, implementing an Info Risk Assessment Process and integrating enterprise business objectives. Build important network security skills as you use Access Data’s Forensic Toolkit, EnCase, and other techniques to review data while leaving all potential evidence intact–keeping you one crucial step ahead in the hacking game.
Speaking of evidence, you’ll learn the fine-tune points on how to handle digital evidence within legal standards, so attackers can be held accountable. With your Ethical Hacker Professional Certification Package you’ll also get technical support 24/5 via email, telephone or online chat – whichever is most convenient. Step into the world of IT security today for just £47.91 ($69) on Pocket-lint Deals.
The classic SNES Controller gets an upgrade: The Bluetooth SNES30 and smartphone holder
No matter how advanced entertainment technology may be, there’s little argument amongst gamers as to what controller still reigns supreme. The pre-millennial golden era of video games delivered one of the greatest gaming controllers ever made: the Super Nintendo classic grey controller.
Now 8Bitdo has brought it back with the SNES30 Bluetooth Game Controller and Smartphone Holder, a 1:1 original design that supports both Bluetooth and USB connections, with an exciting new component: an expandable clipping phone mount to hold your phone. For a limited time, you can pick one up for just £24.48 ($34.95) on Pocket-lint Deals.
If you remember the days of Super Mario and Mega Man X with fond nostalgia, you’ll love the Bluetooth SNES30 and Smartphone Holder, which is easily compatible with any gaming device ranging from your Mac to your PC to your XBOX, and more.
This controller is essentially identical to its predecessor from back in the day. Every single detail, from its construction and design, to its colors, is evocative of the classic SNES controller from way back when. The dimensions are identical to the millimeter, and the D-pad and buttons are fantastically responsive.
The Bluetooth SNES30 sports a slim, highly portable size with a dual-keyboard code system for iOS, while its Wiimote emulation supports up to four players at once. Ready for a return to the nostalgic thrills of being a kid again? Take 22 per cent off the Bluetooth SNES30 and Smartphone Holder today on Pocket-lint Deals.
The Public Access Weekly: Sumn quick
Hey hey there Public Access members, fans and readers! Last week, there was no Public Access Weekly post because I was taking a vacation and for the first time ever, I did not bring a computer along (which felt very strange). This week has gone by crazy fast, and today I have multiple meetings, and my parents are coming into town, and there’s a cat in our offices today so let’s just jump right in.
New greeter at work guys. @engadget pic.twitter.com/twdn4z2Z2J
— Kerry Davis (@mskerryd) May 20, 2016
I totally was not kidding about the cat.
So! For those of you keeping track of geek holidays, tomorrow is International Talk Like Yoda Day and if changing your sentence structure, you are, then find this Yoda-Speak Generator handy, you will.
In community news, we have some sizable projects and upgrades rolling out to comments over the next week or so which means A) You should expect to see an updated version of the renowned Dinosaurs-and-Lasers posts appearing soon and B) If you volunteered to become a moderator, we will be contacting you about accessing tools.
Likewise, there will be some new resources for Public Access members available soon so if you’ve had questions about Public Access, really wanted to see a particular feature or have thoughts about the CMS now is the time to speak up! Leave a note in the comments here, or send us an email with your ideas.
Looking for something to read? Check out:
Motorola is bringing back the RAZR and folks. Are. Super. Thrilled. (That’s not sarcasm. People are legitimately excited.)
NVIDIA’s GTX 1080 will be released May 27th. That sound you hear is the heavy breathing of thousands of eager builders.
Google I/O was this week leading Devindra Hardawar to ask just what the hell is Google Assistant?
Looking for something to write on? Mull over:
We asked if any of you were Android N beta testers and got some interesting comments from users. If you’re an N beta tester, write us a review on how you like it, what’s great and what’s lacking so far… and for funsies, title your review with what you think the “N” should stand for.
Google and Levi’s are working on releasing a smart jacket next year — Would you wear it? Tell us why or why not, if you think it’s ridiculous, if you think this type of wearable tech will ever catch on and if we’re the only ones bothered by the vaguely circuitous route that the gentleman in the commercial takes on his bike (Why are you riding through Chinatown to get to the Parkside from the Caltrain station?!)
First person shooters aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, and Nathan did a really good job in this article explaining why the violence in Battlefield 1 actually bothered him. Has a game ever made you feel uncomfortable? What was it and why?
This freaky electric motorbike was 3D printed with metal powder
The Light Rider is an electric motorbike that weighs just 77 pounds and has a frame like an alien skeleton. Its creator, Airbus subsidiary APWorks, crafted the bike with 3D printing — but it’s not plastic. The hollow frame is aircraft-grade aluminum (this is Airbus, after all) and it takes shape via thousands of thin metal layers produced in a bed of metal powder.
The frame itself weighs 13 pounds, roughly 30 percent less than many existing electric bikes, and its complex shape would be impossible to craft using traditional means such as welding or milling, the AP reports. The Light Rider gets 37 miles per charge.
Don’t expect to pick up one of these babies at your local dealership — Airbus is currently selling a (very) limited run of 50 Light Riders at a price of $56,095 each. Pre-orders are available now on the bike’s website.
Via: AP
Source: APWorks
With Kinect, I made a Grimes remix just by moving my hands
When it comes to electronic music, it’s easy to see the ties between art and technology. In fact, that’s pretty much the entire goal of Moogfest, a music festival that celebrates more than just its synthesizer roots. At this year’s event, Microsoft created an interactive installation that allows attendees to remix Grimes’ “Realiti” by pushing in on a mesh panel. Kinect cameras track a person’s hand gestures to control different parts of the song.
Microsoft’s Music X Technology project, a collaborative effort with creative agency Listen, has been teaming up with artists for quite some time. Those collaborations aren’t just one-off exhibitions either. The company worked with Big Grams and Neon Indian to develop on-stage visuals using Kinect for live tours. It has also partnered with KEXP and Matthew Dear for similar “Inside the Music” installations where the person passing through a space manipulates the music. Dear’s version was the first iteration, complete with original music and design help from an architecture firm for the structure. The system itself relies on lights, speakers and those Kinect cameras to make the audio remix process possible.
“In this installation we’re using Kinect to follow people’s interaction with a mesh surface,” Amy Serokas, director of Microsoft Brand Studios, explains. “They can then change the way the music is performing in the space through their interaction. It breaks down the barriers between the artist and the fans.”
For the Grimes version at Moogfest, the space is divided into four “zones,” with each one corresponding to a particular piece of the song. As you move through the exhibit, pressing into a fine mesh screen controls a variety of options for the track’s instrumentation. The only two parts of “Realiti” that are constant is Grimes’ vocal track and the driving bass beat. All of the other sounds are literally in the hands of the 20 users moving through the space at any given time.
“Each time we approach this with a new artist, it’s a completely new challenge,” Listen’s founding partner Steve Milton says. “In this case, Grimes vocal is really commanding in this song, so we wanted that to envelope the space. We also felt there’s a danciness to the track, so we wanted to maintain that. The rest is up to the audience to fill in.”
In one quadrant, hand movements control the volume of a certain piece of the song while another adds effects like delay or reverb. “As people interact with the mesh, they’re bringing to life different parts of the music,” Milton continued. “They’re not only affecting volume and pitch, they’re affecting a number of different parameters: different types of EQ or adding delays, reverbs and all sorts of effects to those tracks.”
So, how does this whole thing work? There’s one Kinect camera for each of the four sections of the installation. Those map the surface of the mesh netting, tracking hand movements into and out of the space. The motion is then translated to control the stems, or different parts of the song, with a combination of MaxMSP and Ableton Live. Think of it like a mini nightclub that lets you control the music as you move to the beat.
The remix that’s created when you’re inside the installation is one of a kind, but that’s the whole idea. Sure, we’re seeing what Microsoft’s Kinect is capable of, but those of us experiencing the setup in person are also creating a one-of-a-kind remix that will likely never be repeated.
“Every time anybody goes through the space, their movements and interactions change the song just a little bit,” Serokas said. “I’d guess that it would probably be really hard to have you go through and have the same thing happen.”
While the first version of the project was being produced with Matthew Dear, Microsoft was careful to document the process so that other creatives could tap into the resources afterwards. You can grab the code that’s used to drive the Kinect sensors on GitHub and play with it at home. “If you want to build a 20 by 40-foot structure and put the Kinects up, you can recreate this, or try some things for yourself on a smaller scale,” Serokas explained.
The “Inside the Music” project will continue to evolve; Both Microsoft and Listen say they learn new things each time they team up with another artist. And thankfully they’re sharing that knowledge with all the hackers and tinkerers who helped make the Kinect famous in the first place. Microsoft is taking notice of the ways musicians are using its tech as well, so this won’t be the last time we’ll see the company collaborate with an artist on an interactive installation.
All images courtesy of Listen/Drew Reynolds
Source: Microsoft
‘Woorld’ makes a strong argument for weird Project Tango apps
It’s not hard to see how Google’s Project Tango can be utilitarian. Need directions through a crowded mall? Easy. Want to learn more about art installations as you wander through a museum? Done. What’s easier to miss is just how weird things can get when you’re holding a device that can sense the very environment around you, but Funomena’s new Tango game Woorld serves as a pretty good reminder.
In case you hadn’t heard, Funomena is an indie game studio in San Francisco that counts Katamari Damacy creator Keita Takahashi among its ranks. Gamers probably know exactly what the means for Woorld: it’s equal parts adorable and strange. In a nutshell, you’ll use a Tango device to scan your surroundings — the floor, walls, and even ceiling if it isn’t too high. That initial sweep defines the realm of a tiny little world, where you place objects like plants, faucets, houses, moons and more. Why? Partially just because you can, but also to make the world — as viewed through a screen anyway — a little more beautiful.
See, unlike the Katamari Damacy series, or the more obtuse Noby Noby Boy, there doesn’t seem to be an overarching goal in Woorld. There’s an exploration mode (that we weren’t allowed to play with) that basically helps you wrap your head around the arithmetic of these objects — placing a cloud in the air and making it rain on a sprout causes the tiny plant to grow, and so on. Most of the time though, you’ll be hanging out in a sandbox mode, free to place objects where you like and see how your tiny virtual world comes together. There might be more to the game — Google didn’t have much information on how the final product would turn out — but at least we won’t have to wait too long to find out.
The first consumer Project Tango device is set to launch in just a few weeks, but developers — like Takahashi and Funomena — have had access to development devices for months. With any luck, that means people have been toiling on similarly off-the-wall stuff to give Project Tango hardware a more profound reason to exist. Navigating about learning more about the world around us is great and all, but I can’t wait to start seeing Tango apps that take the world around us and turn it on its ear.
World’s largest solar power plant experiences minor meltdown
A small fire temporarily shut down the generator at the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System near the California-Nevada border Thursday. According to the Associated Press, some wires at the power plant melted and caught fire after a misaligned mirror zapped them with concentrated sunbeams.
When it is operating correctly, the array of over 173,500 heliostats reflect and focus sunlight onto boiler towers that create supercritical steam to drive turbines and create electricity — enough to power some 140,000 homes in California. It’s an efficient system that also has the unfortunate side effect of incinerating birds in mid-flight, but now we can also add “solar meltdown” to the list of potential power plant disasters.
According to San Bernardino County fire Captain Mike McClintock, those misaligned mirrors were reflecting the sun’s rays onto electrical wires about 300 feet up one of the boiler towers. While images from the blaze show some damage to steam ducts and water pipes, no one was injured and workers at the plant reportedly had things under control in less than 20 minutes. One of the boilers was shut down for repairs, but the plant itself remained online.
AIVAnet 