Olympus TG-Tracker 4K camera tracks your location, speed and much more
Olympus has announced its latest action camera in the Olympus Tough range and it records all-manner of extra data to go along with the footage.
As well as film in 4K, the Olympus TG-Tracker measures altitude, depth, air and water temperature, geo-location, direction and speed of movement. Olympus Image Track v2.0 enables you to display information with footage to see the exact circumstances as well as the images.
The camera has an ultra-wide angle lens with 204-degrees field of view. There’s also a built-in spotlight for illuminating dark scenes.
It is shockproof to 2.1 metres, crushproof to a weight of 100kg, dustproof, freezeproof to -10-degrees Celsius, and waterproof down to 30 metres.
When underwater it automatically switches to optimal settings.
READ: The best action cam photos in the world: Jaw, meet floor
The Olympus TG-Tracker has five-axis image stabilisation and can also record in Full HD at up to 60fps as well as 4K Ultra HD at up to 30fps. There’s a timelapse mode and slow motion footage can be captured in 720p, which is capable of recording at up to 240fps.
A rear 1.5-inch monitor can be used to view footage, or a smartphone can be hooked up via wi-fi.
A grip extension is supplied in the box.
The TG-Tracker will be available from June. Pricing is yet to be revealed.
Vizio’s cheaper tablet-controlled 4K TVs start rolling out
If you want Vizio’s 4K TV with SmartCast 6-inch Android remote, Ultra HD with Dolby Vision HDR and Google Cast receiving but you’re not ready to pony up for a high-end P-Series set, a cheaper version is now available. Vizio announced the refreshed-for-2016 M-Series line in April and now they’re going on sale, first via Vizio.com and eventually through other retailers. CTO and head of marketing Matthew McRae says that larger 70- and 80-inch versions are still on the way, but currently the $850 50-inch is the easiest one to get.
Vizio:
- VIZIO SmartCast™ 50″ M-Series™ Ultra HD HDR Home Theater Display™ (M50-D1) MSRP $849.99
- VIZIO SmartCast™ 55″ M-Series™ Ultra HD HDR Home Theater Display™ (M55-D0) MSRP $999.99
- VIZIO SmartCast™ 60″ M-Series™ Ultra HD HDR Home Theater Display™ (M60-D1) MSRP $1,249.99
- VIZIO SmartCast™ 65″ M-Series™ Ultra HD HDR Home Theater Display™ (M65-D0) MSRP $1,499.99
- VIZIO SmartCast™ 70″ M-Series™ Ultra HD HDR Home Theater Display™ (M70-D3) MSRP $1,999.99
- VIZIO SmartCast™ 80″ M-Series™ Ultra HD HDR Home Theater Display™ (M80-D3) MSRP $3,999.99
Source: Vizio Blog
Olympus joins the action camera race with its Stylus TG-Tracker
Until today, the closest thing to an action camera that Olympus has had is its ruggedized line of point-and-shoots. But that’s about to change. Today, the company introduced the Stylus TG-Tracker, a member of the Tough series, which comes with a 204-degree (f/2.0) wide-angle lens and a Truepic TM VII processor that can handle 4K video at 30 fps. The TG-Tracker also features a 8-megapixel CMOS (1/2.3) sensor for stills, 5-axis image stabilization and a tilt-out 1.5-inch LCD. It’s rare for these type of shooters to have a screen built in, so that’s nice touch by Olympus.
Naturally, since this is an action camera, you don’t have to treat it with care during your adventures. It’s waterproof (100 ft), shockproof (7 ft), freezeproof (14°F), crushproof (220-lb force) and dustproof. And that’s all without the housing accessory, which Olympus will sell separately. In addition to that, you’ll get GPS capabilities for geotagging, plus WiFi to help you send media remotely to iOS or Android devices.
At $350/£280, the Stylus TG-Tracker costs less than competitors like Sony’s X1000V Action Cam or GoPro’s Hero4. Let’s just hope it’s as good as either of these. We’ll find out when we test around its scheduled June release.
UE’s updated Roll speaker brings a volume and range boost
Ultimate Ears overhauled its entry-level speaker around this time last year, reintroducing it as the UE Roll. This leveled the playing field for its trio of Bluetooth speakers, giving them all improved internals, Bluetooth 4.0 and app compatibility. Today, the company has announced a new successor, the UE Roll 2. This updated model boasts internal tweaks, including improved Bluetooth range and a 15 percent volume boost. On the outside, nothing has changed, which is fine by me: Last year’s slim, saucer-shaped design made for easy stowage, while the stretchable bungie cord allowed for some versatile mounting options. Thanks to its portability and sound quality, the original Roll was already a worthwhile option, and with the price staying the same at $100/£79, we expect we’ll enjoy the Roll 2 as well. I was curious, though, to find out if the audio and range boosts would be noticeable in real-world use.
The updates aren’t much of a surprise, considering UE already made some of these same tweaks on the Boom 2, which was introduced back in September. Since the Roll 2 is the runt of the UE litter, there aren’t any accelerometer-based controls on hand this time, and as before there’s no NFC sensor inside. You get just the one-two punch of sound and range upgrades — unless you count the addition of a funky new color option.
I did some casual testing to see if there really was an obvious improvement in the audio quality this time around. The original Roll is rated at a maximum output of 85dBc, while the Roll 2 maxes out at 87. In a side-by-side test, there is indeed an audible difference in the loudness on the new model. The change is hard to pin down using a simple sound metering app, but after flipping back and forth a few times it’s obvious the output is punched up a bit. Ultimate Ears further optimized the digital signal processing, so that the drivers wouldn’t clip at higher volumes. I’m not talking a night-and-day difference here, but still: I’ll take it.
As before, don’t expect to get much bass out of this speaker — that’s were the Megaboom shines — but for the money, it’s certainly loud enough to keep the vibe going for several friends. Plus you can still pair the speaker with any of its UE siblings through the built-in Double Up feature.
As for the expanded Bluetooth range, the new Roll 2 has a rated max of 100 feet, besting the original model by 35 feet and putting it on par with the UE Boom 2. After placing both speakers one flight down and at the opposite end of my apartment, the original model’s signal began to break up, while the Roll 2 maintained a solid connection. That’s only about 65 feet, but muddled with competing Bluetooth and WiFi signals, as well as plenty of walls and doors. You’re definitely gaining some freedom of movement, but since there are always various factors at work, I’ve rarely achieved the maximum listed distance in real-world situations.
Overall, it’s a great little speaker for when you’re on the go or even just singing in the shower. The slim, easily-hangable design and IPX7-rated water proofing make it one tough little customer. It’s one of the best speaker options in its price range and these improvements — albeit slight — just make it that much better.
Facebook finds ‘no evidence’ of political bias in Trending Topics
Earlier this month, the Senate Commerce Committee launched an official inquiry into the methods and policies of Facebook’s Trending Topics team. After meeting with conservative leaders and conducting their own internal investigation, Facebook is ready to conclude there is “no evidence of systematic political bias in the selection or prominence of stories” that appear in the Trending Topics section.
In his open letter and report to Republican Senator and Commerce Committee chairman John Thune, Facebook’s General Counsel Colin Stretch went straight for the numbers, which it pulled from 90 days of data:
Our data analysis indicated that conservative and liberal topics are approved as trending topics at virtually identical rates. We were also unable to substantiate any of the specific allegations of politically-motivated suppression of particular subjects or sources. In fact, we confirmed that most of the subjects mentioned in media reports were included as trending topics on multiple occasions.
Although Facebook believes it acted appropriately in the past, Stretch’s statement does mention that the company can’t rule out “the possibility of isolated improper actions or unintentional bias” in the way its Trending Topics policies were carried out. Facebook also noted that, prior to July 2015, certain topics may have been excluded from the section if none of the 10 major news outlets had written stories on the about them. In order to prevent unintentional bias (or just more accusations of it) in the future, the social network behemoth has updated and clarified its internal policies as well as mandated additional refresher training for topic reviewers.
For his part, Senator Thune responded, saying his committee found the report acceptable and that Facebook’s openness in the face of a congressional inquiry was refreshing. “While the committee remains open to new information on this matter,” Thune wrote, “transparency – not regulation – remains the goal.” So, to keep up the appearance of transparency for now, Facebook has helpfully updated the relevant Help Center section.
Story of NASA’s black female mathematicians gets made into a movie
Katherine Johnson received a Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2015 for her contribution to America’s Space Race, and soon more people will know what she did to deserve it. An upcoming book and movie both entitled Hidden Figures tell the story of NASA’s female African-American mathematicians back in the 1960’s. Johnson was one of those women who served as the space agency’s living computers — rocket scientist Annie Easley was also one — before NASA started using actual machines. The book is scheduled to come out in September, while the movie will follow in January 2017.
Johnson was a key figure in many historic missions in the 60’s and the 70’s. She was the one who calculated the trajectory of Alan Shepard’s flight, making it possible for him to become the first American in space. The mathematician also calculated the trajectory for Apollo 11, which took Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins to the moon.
Margot Lee Shetterly, the book’s author, said that one of her first thoughts upon hearing about Johnson’s work is why haven’t we heard more about it — and about NASA’s “colored computers,” as they were called — before. According to The New York Times, Hidden Figures will tackle how Johnson got her male coworkers to listen during a time when men and women were separated and white women were segregated from black women.
The book’s movie adaptation stars Taraji P. Henson as Johnson, Octavia Spencer as her supervisor Dorothy Vaughan and Janelle Monáe as NASA engineer Mary Jackson.
Source: The New York Times, bitchmedia
Review: Ultimate Ears’ UE Roll 2 Features Louder Sound and Longer Range
Ultimate Ears today added to its speaker lineup with the launch of the UE Roll 2, a successor to the original UE Roll. The UE Roll 2 looks like the current version of the UE Roll, but it has been upgraded with a longer Bluetooth range and louder sound.
I own an original UE Roll, so Ultimate Ears sent me a UE Roll 2 for a comparison review ahead of the new speaker’s rollout. When it comes to design, the palm-sized UE Roll 2 is physically identical to the original UE Roll. It features the same flat, circular design with a bungee cord in the back and a flap to cover both a microUSB port used for charging and a 3.5mm audio-in jack.
Original UE Roll on left, UE Roll 2 on right
The UE Roll 2 isn’t the most portable speaker out there due to its size (it’s not going to go in a pocket), but because it’s flat, it fits well in a purse or a backpack. It weighs about a half pound, so it’s not going to add a lot of weight if you need to travel with it, and with the stretchy bungee cord, you can attach it just about anywhere.
Original UE Roll on left, UE Roll 2 on right
The UE Roll 2, like the original UE Roll, comes in a range of bright colors and it features a “life-resistant” shell that’s waterproof and dust proof. It has an IPX7 rating, so it’s waterproof for up to 30 minutes at a depth of one meter. The UE Roll 2 successfully survived being submerged for an extended period of time and it also made it through several shower trips. Since the UE Roll 2 is essentially weatherproof and impact resistant, it’s ideal for backpacking, hiking trips, the beach, and other outdoor activities.
The UE Roll 2’s build quality is the same as the first UE Roll, and I can vouch for its durability. I’ve had my original UE Roll for about six months and it’s been in the shower most of those days with no ill effect. The UE Roll 2 even ships with a little floatie device in the package, which can be used to float the UE Roll 2 in a pool or a bathtub.
According to Ultimate Ears, the round shape of the UE Roll 2 offers 360-degree sound with deep bass, and it’s definitely loud enough to fill a room or entertain a group of people at a pool or beach party. The UE Roll 2 is supposed to be 15 percent louder than the original UE Roll and I can confirm that there’s a definite difference in loudness. I don’t have a way to measure decibels, but the max volume of the UE Roll 2 far exceeds the max volume of the UE Roll.
As for sound quality, I prefer the UE Roll 2 (and the original UE Roll) to all of the other similarly priced (and similarly sized) speakers I’ve owned like the Jawbone Jambox and mini Jambox, the Boombot Rex, and the Oontz Angle. The sound projection is better, it sounds clear and crisp, and there’s little distortion even at max volume.
The UE Roll 2 has a longer Bluetooth range than the UE Roll, so it doesn’t need to be as close to an iPhone or iPad. While the original UE Roll had a range of 65 feet, the new one has a range of 100 feet. The battery life in the UE Roll 2 is unchanged — it’ll last for nine hours on a full charge which is long enough for a full day’s use or multiple days with occasional use.
Connecting the UE Roll 2 to an iPhone is a simple process that takes just a few seconds, done through the Bluetooth menu in the iPhone’s settings app. Once connected, it’ll play whatever’s playing through the iPhone, and there’s also a UE Roll app that goes along with it.
The UE Roll app is nifty because it allows you to link two UE Roll 2 speakers together with both streaming from the same source (Double Up) or set it up so it’ll play songs from multiple iPhones, so everyone at a party can choose the music (Block Party).
There’s also an option to adjust the equalizer and a feature for using the UE Roll 2 as an alarm clock to play music from an iPhone. The UE Roll app is also used for firmware updates, monitoring battery life, controlling volume, and turning the speaker on and off.
There are few negatives to the UE Roll 2, but it’s worth noting that it doesn’t include speakerphone functionality, and unlike the UE Boom 2, there are no built-in features for pausing music or skipping to the next song.
Bottom Line
As someone who uses a UE Roll on a daily basis, I can recommend the UE Roll 2 to anyone looking for a colorful waterproof speaker that also puts out a lot of sound. I’ve used mine in the shower for several months now and it’s still as good as new.
The UE Roll 2 is ideal for the shower, the pool, or the beach, but it puts out good sound even if you don’t want to take advantage of its water resistance, and in my opinion, it’s a good looking little speaker.
The UE Roll 2 is noticeably louder than the UE Roll, but given that it’s identical to the first version, anyone happy with the original UE Roll probably won’t need to upgrade. For new buyers looking for a waterproof speaker or original UE Roll owners looking for a second speaker to take advantage of the linking function in the app, the UE Roll 2 is worth the price tag.
How to Buy
The UE Roll 2 can be purchased from the Ultimate Ears website for $99.99 starting today.
Note: Ultimate Ears provided a UE Roll 2 to MacRumors free of charge for the purposes of this review. The original UE Roll was purchased by the author. No other compensation was received.
Tag: Ultimate Ears
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Multi-Angle Movie Maker GroupClip Launches on iOS
Collaborative video creation app GroupClip launched on iOS yesterday, allowing users to record the same event on multiple devices and combine clips in the cloud to produce multi-angle movies.
The app enables users to invite up to four friends in any location into the same movie project and start recording clips straight away. As video is synced to the cloud, each user has access to everyone else’s footage, and can combine and edit them to create individual multi-angle videos.
Users can select clip segments to feature prominently in their final projects, and drag and drop clips into position. Multiple layout templates are on offer within the app (including a picture-in-picture option) for users to create their collage, and photos can also be imported into film projects.
GroupClip Animation Appstore groupclip.com from Burner on Vimeo.
Users can also add music to videos using songs on their devices, but the app will reject songs protected by copyright restrictions. Finally, completed movies can be shared over social media or saved to devices.
GroupClip is a free download for iPhone and iPad on the App Store. [Direct Link]
Tag: GroupClip
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iPhones Too Expensive in India, Says Apple CEO Tim Cook
Apple CEO Tim Cook admitted that iPhones are too expensive in India, during an interview with Indian news channel NDTV on Monday, the last day of his weeklong visit to the country (via TechCrunch).
According to a recent report from Deutsche Bank, India is among the most expensive places in the world to buy an iPhone. Prices there average 31 percent higher than the U.S., with only iPhones in Sweden, Indonesia, and Brazil proving more costly.
NDTV’s Vikram Chandra broached the subject with Cook on air. “You’ve got an iPhone here which is more expensive than it is in the U.S., with less functionality than it would have in the U.S., and in a country where purchasing power is a fraction of what it is in the U.S.,” Chandra said.
Cook acknowledged the disproportionate cost by suggesting that the iPhone was overpriced rather than too expensive. “The duties and the taxes and the compounding of those takes the price and it makes it very high. Our profitability is less in India, it’s materially less — but still I recognize that prices are high,” he said.
“We want to do things that lower that over time, to the degree that we can,” Cook continued. “I want the consumer in India to be able to buy at a price that looks like the U.S. price.”
Chandra’s interview covered a few more topics, including how Apple saw itself investing in its Indian presence. “What we see here is talent,” said Cook. “That means getting the development community moving on iOS. We’re also using a lot of skills in India for maps – the maps facility will be several hundred million dollars worth of work.”
Cook also said the company wants to bring all its existing services to India, including Apple Pay, and that if the need arose to offer something unique in the country, Apple would look at that too, although he acknowledged the possible cultural limitations: “I don’t believe personally in trying to be something you’re not. We are what we are. We’re a California company.”
The interview rounded off Tim Cook’s weeklong trip to India, during which he met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, mingled with Bollywood stars, watched a cricket game, visited temples, and attended business meetings in Mumbai.
Tag: India
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Roundup: LG G5 cases from MobileFun
It’s great that as soon as a new smartphone drops, there’s already a sea of cases to choose from. But with that said, narrowing down the perfect case can take some effort. There are so many styles, colors, and sizes (depending on the extent of protection).
Sometimes promo pics don’t tell the whole story, so hopefully we can help. MobileFun is an online accessory retailer that reached out to us to let us try a few LG G5 cases on for size. If you’re shopping for a way to keep your G5 safe, let’s see if one of these cases tickle your fancy.
Official Mesh Folio Quick Cover Case (Silver)
In case you didn’t know, LG has its own “official” case for the LG G5. It’s called the Mesh Folio Quick Cover Case, and as implied, has a flap/cover that goes over the G5’s display. If you’re not a fan of this style of case, hold up. The flap has a window cutout that allows the G5’s Always-On information to be displayed. Certainly nifty.
All the aesthetics of around the case are nice. The cover is made from this metallic mesh material, while the back tray mimics the G5’s metal shell. The two pieces are connected by a shimmery silver fabric that wraps around the phone’s side. LG put a “+” and “-” where the volume are located.
I loved the feel of the case, and that the screen turns on/off as you open/close the cover. The fit is immaculate. However, I was hugely bugged that the cover doesn’t get secured somehow. It’s just left to flap around. It’s an oversight, in my eyes, and I’m sure the screen unintentionally turning on and off will impact battery life somewhat.
LG Folio Mesh Quick Cover Case
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LG G5 Official Mesh Folio Quick Cover Case link
Obliq Flex Pro Case (Black)
The Obliq Flex Pro case is more tuned for those who care about protection. It adds sizable thickness to the G5 (but not like an Otterbox). I really like the material. It’s not hard plastic; the entire case is rubbery. It wraps around nicely to engulf the phone with protection.
The Flex Pro case is also super grippy. There’s texturing all over, which not only looks classy, but should help out the most buttery of hands. There’s a good amount of lip around the front of the phone, for additional peace of mind that you’re well protected.
LG G5 Obliq Flex Pro Case
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LG G5 Obliq Flex Pro Case link
Caseology Skyfall Series Case (Black/Clear)
Caseology is another long-standing case manufacturer. The Skyfall series also provides ample protection, and the clear case model that we have allows the G5’s chassis to shine. Sure, there are tons of clear cases out there, but Caseology tries to one-up them with a trick.
The Skyfall Series is dual-layered, and the top layer can be removed if you wish to change it up. The “layer” is really a black frame that clips onto the core, TPU-like material. It surrounds the perimeter of the case, which means that it doubles up the protection if the phone ever meets the ground.
The primary case material feels robust on its own. It’s more slim than thick, but covers the phone from every corner (and makes an ease-of-mind lip around the entire front of the phone).
LG G5 Caseology Skyfall Series Case
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LG G5 Caseology Skyfall Series Case link
MobileFun has a ton of other compelling cases for the LG G5, check them out!
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