Kia to Release CarPlay Software Update for Select 2014 to 2017 Models

Kia has announced that CarPlay and Android Auto will be available as free software updates for a wider range of select 2014 to 2017 model year vehicles equipped with UVO3 or a compatible navigation system.

The new U.S. models eligible for the CarPlay update specifically, in addition to the 2017 Sorento and Sportage, include the 2017 Forte, 2015-16 Optima, 2015-16 Optima Hybrid, 2015-16 Sedona, 2014-16 Soul, and 2015-16 Soul EV.

The CarPlay software update will be available for download by the end of July on the UVO Home website. Kia said it will notify customers signed up for email notifications via UVO Home when the software is available for download.

Kia’s other CarPlay vehicles include the 2017 Cadenza and 2017 Forte5. Its parent brand Hyundai offers CarPlay in the 2016 Sonata, 2017 Elantra, and 2017 IONIQ. Kia also sells select models with CarPlay in Canada and other regions around the world.

The software update is notable given that it involves a number of older 2014 and 2015 models, further proving that automakers are capable of offering CarPlay in properly equipped older vehicles if they choose to do so. Unsurprisingly, however, most brands have limited CarPlay to their newest models only.

BMW, Nissan, and Ford are among the newest CarPlay partners, leaving Toyota and Mazda as two of the largest automakers that have yet to adopt the software platform. Apple periodically updates a list of available CarPlay models on its website.

Related Roundup: CarPlay
Tag: Kia
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Netflix Faces ‘Unexpected’ Loss of Subscribers Due to Monthly Price Increase

Earlier this year, Netflix reminded its oldest users that the terms of its grandfathered pricing — which kept these subscribers at the $7.99 level for two years — would be coming to a close sometime in the second or third quarter of 2016.

In a recent letter to the company’s investors, CEO Reed Hastings remarked on the unfortunate churn of its subscriber base who reacted “unexpectedly” to the impending price increase.

The loss of grandfathered pricing places these older users at a new $9.99/month charge for the company’s popular streaming service, which Netflix sees as an agreeable compensation for its noticeable uptick in consistent, original programs like Orange is the New Black and House of Cards. These shows debuted in 2013, and the $9.99/month price for new subscribers began just the next year, in 2014. Users can choose to stay at $7.99/month if they wish, at the loss of HD video streaming.

Due to these abandoned users, the company’s stock fell 15 percent before its second quarter earnings report, shared yesterday. In the report, Netflix noted that it expected to add about 532,000 subscribers in the United States and 2.10 million internationally in Q2 2016 (just under a 2.5 million goal), but came up short on both goals. The company ultimately netted 160,000 new customers in the U.S. and 1.52 million overseas, landing under 1.7 million total in the quarter.

“Gross additions were on target, but churn ticked up slightly and unexpectedly, coincident with the press coverage in early April of our plan to un-­grandfather longer tenured members and remained elevated through the quarter,” said Netflix CEO Reed Hastings in a letter to investors. “We think some members perceived the news as an impending new price increase rather than the completion of two years of grandfathering.”

As the price hike began to near in the spring, Hastings admitted that users googling and researching the increase in their subscription cost appears to be consistent with the churn the company has seen this quarter. Despite Netflix’s increase in programming, “Whatever the price is for something, people don’t like for it to go up,” Hastings admitted, while still claiming that the new price tiers are “working great” for new members.

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Harvard’s battery tech takes cues from vitamin B2

A team of Harvard scientists on a quest to find an organic molecule that can be used to make non-toxic, low cost flow batteries found their answer in vitamin B2. By making just a couple of tweaks to riboflavin’s original molecule, which converts carbs to fuel in our bodies, they were able to design one that can be used to store energy harnessed by solar and wind sources. The same team previously worked on a battery that uses a type of organic molecule called quinones and ferrocyanide (a food additive) instead of typical electrolyte. They decided to find other molecules that could lead to a version with better capacity, however, and were inspired by B2’s capabilities.

Kaixiang Lin, a team member and one of the study’s authors, said they considered “about a million different quinones” but ended up developing a whole new class of electrolyte material. He also added that it’s simple to make and can be manufactured in large quantities for cheap. Flow batteries store energy in solutions kept in tanks, you see. The bigger the tank, the larger the amount of energy it can hold, so this molecule could lead to high-capacity batteries. Lin and his fellow researchers plan to study their creation more closely, but they’re also still on the lookout for other organic molecules that can outperform it.

Source: Harvard, Nature Energy

Withings Launches $100 ‘Thermo’ Contactless Thermometer for No-Hassle Readings

Announced earlier this year at CES, Withings today officially launched its latest connected health device, Thermo, a contactless thermometer approved by the FDA that “yields the most precise temperature possible” for parents looking to diagnose not only their children, but themselves.

With a connected app, which syncs to Thermo firstly through Wi-Fi but defaults to Bluetooth if Wi-Fi is unavailable, the company aims to track anyone’s rough patch of sickness with temperature logs, medicine reminders, and a symptoms tracker all available for each user.

Thermo claims its “clinical accuracy” comes from HotSpot Sensor technology, which uses 16 infrared sensors to take more than 4,000 measurements and readings in one swipe of the device on a sickly individual’s forehead. After finding the hottest point of contact, the Thermo detects changes in temperature and displays its highest reading on the digital screen of the product’s handle, with convenient LEDs for easy visual confirmation of a normal, elevated, or high temperature based on the user’s age.

Using revolutionary HotSpot Sensor™ Technology, Thermo uses 16 infrared sensors to take over 4,000 measurements to find the hottest point. Thermo sweeps over the forehead and measures from the temporal artery — considered the best way to detect temperature changes, as the blood that circulates there comes directly from the core of the body.

Thermo is a game changer. Now a fast, simple, no-contact gesture yields the most precise temperature possible, and automatic sync with the dedicated app also allows you to track temperature readings, get reminders, and input related symptoms/medications right on your smartphone.

The biggest advantage of the new connected thermometer is that it doesn’t require direct contact with skin to successfully read a person’s temperature, which means, unlike traditionally invasive designs, Thermo avoids contact with potentially unsanitary body fluids like saliva and ear wax. Withings said this advantage makes Thermo “the most sanitary way to take anyone’s temperature.”

All of these readings are subsequently wired into the connected Withings app (supporting up to 8 family members), which accounts for a patient’s age, fever history, and symptoms, guiding users to the best potential path for treatment. After temperature is determined on Thermo, a touch sensitive pad on the device’s LED readout lets users toggle through family members to assign each reading. Push notifications can also be set up, so the app will remind users to take consistent readings throughout the day.

Thanks to a partnership with Boston Children’s Hospital, parents can also get even more in-depth information on what kind of medication and dosage amounts they should look into if fevers run high enough to need a doctor visit. In order to keep track of everything happening during a period of illness, they can also mark down specific notes — like how the sick family member is feeling — to provide a more robust view of an individual’s sickness when talking to a doctor.

Thermo is available for $99.95 and can be purchased exclusively both in Apple Stores and on Withings.com. For those who invest in the company’s new thermometer, the Withings Thermo app is available for free on the App Store now. [Direct Link]

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Nintendo’s market value has doubled since Pokémon Go release

Nintendo’s shares soared another 14.4% on Tuesday, with its market cap more than doubling to $42.5 billion (4.5 trillion yen) since the launch of Pokémon Go on July 6. To put the numbers into perspective, Nintendo is now worth more than Sony, which has a market value of $40 billion.

Pokémon Go is now available in 35 countries, and has already overtaken Twitter and Tinder when it comes to daily active users. Speaking to Reuters, a fund manager at an asset management firm in Japan said that the game will further boost Nintendo’s stock:

Virtual reality and augmented reality have been a focus of the market but hardly anyone was expecting Nintendo in this area. Suddenly Nintendo has become an AR-related stock. Under my rough estimate, the sales from Pokemon GO and upcoming related gadgets will boost net profits by 50 billion yen. Based on that assumption, Nintendo is traded at 30 times profits, which is not unreasonable.

The Japanese gaming giant has also announced that it would be launching a NES Classic Edition, a mini replica of the NES that comes with 30 pre-loaded games. The console will debut in the U.S. in November for $59.99, which includes one NES Classic controller, an HDMI cable, and an AC adapter.

Are you playing Pokémon Go?

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• How to deal with GPS errors in-game
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• How to play without killing your battery
• The Ultimate Pokémon Go Game Guide!
• Listen to the Pokémon Go podcast!

Nearly 4,000 show up for Pokémon Go launch event in Toronto

Close to 4,000 people attended an event in Toronto on Monday to celebrate the Canadian launch of Pokémon Go, formalizing a practice that had been going on unofficially, and on a much smaller scale, since the game launched in the U.S. on July 6.

In the intervening two weeks, it’s believed that nearly 6% of Canadian Android owners downloaded the game, though that number has certainly spiked since its official launch on Sunday.

Great view showcasing the turnout for today’s meeting. Go Toronto! Pokemon GO a major success pic.twitter.com/b8BcspBMA5

— Logic Gate Studios (@LogicGateStudio) July 19, 2016

Monday’s launch event was organized over Facebook by eSports events company Legacy Gamers. Held at the CN Tower, a well-known Toronto landmark, players rushed to the venue after 8pm in search of friends, enemies, and rare Pokémon.

As we’ve told you in our many guides, Pokémon Go is at its most exciting and dynamic the more people congregate in a single area. That dynamism is heightened by the presence of Gyms and PokéStops, the reason for the CN Tower’s selection, since there are several of both nearby.

There was even a real Pikachu in the crowd.

Some companies were taking advantage of the hoards of people to promote their wares, like this gaming store offering free ice cream to those on Team Valor (go red!).

#TeamValor gets delicious Ice Cream in #toronto today! Just swing by the shop. #PokemonGoToronto pic.twitter.com/lccnmigJb0

— FaceToFaceGames TO (@F2FToronto) July 18, 2016

Despite the crowds there were no security-related issues (the area was cordoned off and protected by police) and everyone seemed to have a good time — the result we want to see after a fortnight of robberies, accidents and negative press.

Thanks to friend of the site @gilbertp23 for the on-site photos.

Pokémon Go

• Join our Pokémon Go forums!
• How to deal with GPS errors in-game
• Which team should you choose?
• How to play without killing your battery
• The Ultimate Pokémon Go Game Guide!
• Listen to the Pokémon Go podcast!

Watch Georgia Dow and Russell Holly discuss the Pokémon craze on Tech News Today

Our very own Georgia Dow and Russell Holly were on Tech News Today on TWiT to join host Megan Morrone in discussing the latest tech headlines, as well as some Pokémon for good measure. News stories covered in episode 1557 of the show include the purchase of ARM Holdings by Softbank, Microsoft’s Xbox One S and the CBS Star Trek series coming to Netflix.

Be sure to check out the episode by hitting the link below, or by searching for TWiT on supported platforms.

• Watch Tech News Today episode 1557

Apple iPhone 7 vs iPhone 6S vs iPhone 6: What’s the rumoured difference?

Apple’s next generation of iPhones are expected to launch some time in September. Assuming the company follows its traditional release cycle and naming, it is thought we can expect to see an iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus appear.

Plenty of rumours have been doing the rounds over the last few months, all claiming to know what the new iPhones will feature. In light of this, we have put them all up against the iPhone 6S and the iPhone 6 to see what the differences could be, based on the speculation.

Apple iPhone 7 vs iPhone 6S vs iPhone 6: Design

The Apple iPhone 7 has been rumoured to be coming with a similar design to the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6, despite it being a redesign year. It is thought the antenna strips on the rear will see a move to the top for a cleaner look, while other rumours suggest the headphone jack will be removed altogether in favour of Lightning only and an extra speaker.

Other rumours claim the iPhone 7 will offer waterproofing, while the home button will be switched to a capacitive button with Force Touch capabilities.

The iPhone 6S measures 138.3 x 67.1 x 7.1mm and weighs 143g, while the iPhone 6 measures 138.1 x 67 x 6.9mm and weighs slightly less at 129g.

Both look the same in terms of physical design but the iPhone 6S adds the rose gold colour option and it is made from a different aluminium. Neither are officially waterproof and they both have a physical Home button sporting Touch ID.

Apple iPhone 7 vs iPhone 6S vs iPhone 6: Display

The iPhone 7 is rumoured to be coming with a AMOLED display featuring a Quad HD resolution and 3D Touch.

If Apple does increase the resolution and stick with the same 4.7-inch size, the iPhone 7 could see a pixel density of 624ppi, which is pretty high for a device of this size. It might be more plausible to suggest the iPhone 7 could up its resolution to Full HD instead however, which would deliver a pixel density of 468ppi.

Both the iPhone 6S and the iPhone 6 offer a 4.7-inch LED-backlit display with a resolution of 1334 x 750 pixels. That puts both of their pixel densities at 326ppi, meaning the iPhone 7 would be significantly sharper if a higher resolution is adopted.

The iPhone 6S features 3D Touch, while the iPhone 6 doesn’t so more features are available on the iPhone 6S and will be on the iPhone 7 too, if it includes the force touch display technology.

Apple iPhone 7 vs iPhone 6S vs iPhone 6: Cameras

Rumours surrounding the iPhone 7’s camera are a little up in the air at the moment. There has been talk of a dual-lens setup, although some say this will only appear on the larger Plus device.

Other claims say the iPhone 7 will have a normal 12-megapixel sensor, but that it will sit flush with the phone and perform better in low-light conditions, perhaps suggesting a wider aperture.

The iPhone 6S features a 12-megapixel rear camera, coupled with a 5-megapixel front-facing camera, both offering an f/2.2 aperture. Apple introduced a Retina Flash to the front, along with a feature called Live Photos to the rear, both of which we wouldn’t be surprised to see on the iPhone 7. It is also capable of 4K video recording.

The iPhone 6 has an 8-megapixel rear camera, along with a 1.2-megapixel front facing camera, again both with an aperture of f/2.2. The older iPhone doesn’t feature a front flash, nor is it capable of Live Photos or 4K video recording.

Apple iPhone 7 vs iPhone 6S vs iPhone 6: Hardware

The Apple iPhone 7 will come with a new processor, which will more than likely be named the A10. Rumour has it the new chip will focus on improving battery life and it is said to feature six cores.

Other hardware rumours claim the iPhone 7 will offer 2GB or 3GB of RAM and start at 32GB of storage, which would see the 16GB model ditched. There have been no rumours relating to the battery capacity within the iPhone 7 but some claims have suggested wireless charging might appear – although how that works with a metal body, we can’t say.

The iPhone 6S features the A9 processor and an embedded M9 motion co-processor, along with 2GB of RAM. It is available in storage options of 16GB, 64GB and 128GB, and it has a 14-hour battery life.

The iPhone 6 has the A8 processor with a separate M8 motion co-processor, along with 1GB of RAM. Storage options available now are 16GB and 64GB, while the battery capacity sits at 14-hours again.

Apple iPhone 7 vs iPhone 6S vs iPhone 6: Software

The Apple iPhone 7 will debut with iOS 10, which was announced at WWDC in June. Apple presented a few of the new features that will come with the software, including a revamp of messages.

It has been suggested the iPhone 7 might also introduce a gesture-based passcode system too.

The iPhone 6S and the iPhone 6 will both see an update to iOS 10 when it launches with the new device so the bulk of the user experience will be the same. There will probably be a few things the iPhone 7 will be capable of that the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6 won’t, but most of the user experience between these three devices will be identical.

Apple iPhone 7 vs iPhone 6S vs iPhone 6: Conclusion

As with all succeeding smartphones, the iPhone 7 will no doubt improve on its predecessors in several areas.

Based on the rumours, it looks like the iPhone 7 will look similar to the iPhone 6S and the iPhone 6 with perhaps a couple of changes. Hardware will improve and we wouldn’t be surprised to see camera and battery enhancements too.

For now, this is all speculation, with no confirmed details expected for the next couple of months. We will update this feature, as well as our iPhone 7 rumour round up feature as more leaks appear over the coming weeks so keep your eyes peeled.

Huawei MateBook review: 5-hours of friendship

One glance at the Huawei MateBook and it’s clear the Chinese company is hankering for a slice of the laptop-replacement market. This slim-build Windows 10 tablet is really well made, not a cheap knock-off competitor to the likes of the Microsoft Surface Pro 4.

But a glance is one thing; actually living with the device is a whole other. And over the last couple of weeks using the MateBook we’ve come to conclude a couple of things: one, it’s more a Samsung TabPro S competitor than it is Surface Pro; two, it has some exemplary features, such as a fingerprint scanner and wide-viewing-angle LCD screen, but is let down by poor battery life and sloppy keyboard/cover implementation.

Can standout features such as that fingerprint scanner rebalance the scales and make it the slender Windows 10 device to go for?

Huawei MateBook review: Design

At just 6.9mm thick the MateBook is as thin as the slimmest of mainstream smartphones; it’s also the same thickness as the iPad Pro, and slimmer than the 8.4mm of the Samsung TabPro S. Add its keyboard-meets-cover wrap-around – which, just like the Surface Pro, is sold separately, but is a must buy really – and the Huawei becomes slightly chunkier, so between those three devices you’ll not notice a substantial difference.

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The main difference lies in how those keyboards sit. The MateBook’s looks a lot more like that paired with the Surface Pro 4 than the squat, tighter pads of the TabPro S or iPad Pro. As Huawei doesn’t include one the MateBook is essentially just a tablet straight out of the box, despite its name. We’d rather one was included to make the device more of a laptop-replacement prospect straight out of the box.

Well, it would be such a device if the keyboard and kickstand combination was anywhere nearly as good as that of the Surface Pro. Sadly, the Huawei implementation is fussy; it’s tricky to use on the lap, while its two-position fold-up stand (which is part of the keyboard) is impractical compared to that of the Surface Pro. Equally, however, the Samsung TabPro S is just as fussy, so manufacturers are clearly feeling around how to implement such designs.

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Get the MateBook on a flat, hard surface, however, and the typing experience is great. There’s enough give from the plastic keys, while the trackpad is an ample size and responsive. That’s more than we can say for some of the competition, especially in the trackpad department.

Huawei MateBook review: Performance

The MateBook’s slender frame is owed to the Intel Core M architecture inside, meaning no fan is required for cooling. Core M doesn’t have the hardened speeds of beefier chipsets – here it’s an m3-6Y30 CPU, at 0.9Ghz to 1.51Ghz, paired with 4GB RAM – so the MateBook can’t flex as much muscle as the Surface Pro in this department. It’s more than ample for on-the-go use, though: we’ve been word processing, browsing and doing all those day-to-day tasks quite happily.

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With Windows 10 on board – in full desktop and tablet modes, as auto-activated when pairing the tablet to the keyboard via its magnetic connector – there are effectively no limitations to application installs. This isn’t an Android tablet, so works a treat for both typing and touchscreen use.

There’s even an optional stylus called the MatePen which not only has a frickin’ laser beam pointer, but is just as good as you’ll find from the competition, including the Surface Pro 4. Why, however, it uses microUSB to charge when the rest of the MateBook system is USB Type-C we really don’t know though.

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One of the more exciting things about the MateBook is that it offers a fingerprint scanner, ideal for quick sign-ins. As we’ve said of Huawei phones or late, such as the P9, the sensitivity and response of this scanner is second to none. Register a fingerprint once signed up to Windows Hello and it’ll fire you from lock screen to desktop almost immediately. There’s the potential to use this for other secure features too, some of which might be implemented in the future – PayPal, for example (which is currently linked to some Samsung smartphones) is one such option.

Huawei MateBook review: Battery life

With Intel Core M on board we had anticipated its lighter-weight processing power would mean a solid battery performance. But that’s not the case and it’s here the MateBook falls flat – flatter than its slender build.

Pocket-lint

We’ve been achieving around 5-hours of use per charge, which is less than the not-so-great Surface Pro 4, and a long way behind the Samsung TabPro S and Apple iPad Pro. A real shame, as this one point is what will hold some customers back from buying into the Huawei.

Recharging utilises the USB Type-C port, positioned to the lower right-hand side of the device. From flat it takes around 2-hours and 20-minutes to fully recharge the device. Problem being that, given the Type-C port is the only active port the device offers (there’s also a 3.5mm headphone socket, but that’s it), you can’t do a great deal else with accessories during recharging. We would much rather have a secondary port, even if it was a dedicated charging connector (a la Surface Pro 4).

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There is a work-around, as with so many of these kinds of devices, in the form of the Huawei MateDock, a twin USB, Ethernet, HDMI and VGA output dock, which connects via a dedicated USB Type-C wire (charging with this dock attached is possible, thanks to a USB Type-C port dedicated to power).

Huawei MateBook review: Screen

With a 12-inch screen, the MateBook is a touch smaller than the 12.3-inch Surface Pro 4 in all dimensions, with a black bezel surrounding the screen in equal portions throughout. This scale is ideal for a portable laptop-replacement in our view – and notably smaller than the MacBook Air 13-inch we’re used to using for work.

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Now Huawei hasn’t opted for the hyper-colour AMOLED panel as found in the Samsung TabPro S, but the selected LCD panel does have an impressive 2,160 x 1,400 pixels for better-than HD resolution and, therefore, crisp visuals.

There’s ample colour, too, while the IPS designation assures that viewing angles are really wide-angle with little falloff in colour or contrast. There’s a subtle gloss finish, so catch light and you won’t get the best experience for outdoor use, yet there’s still enough brightness to cut through and compensate.

The choice for this resolution does have us wondering about the relationship to battery life, though, as a lower resolution might have meant the MateBook could hold out for longer periods of time per charge. And yet a lower resolution might not have helped to sell the device compared to its nearest rivals.

Verdict

At first glance the Huawei MateBook gets lots right as 2-in1s go: it’s slim, well made, has a decent size keyboard and trackpad (if you buy it anyway), plus a built-in fingerprint scanner that helps stand it out from the crowd. It’s not as powerful as the Surface Pro 4, but we never expected it to be – this is a different proposition.

Indeed the MateBook would be a winner if it wasn’t for the limited battery life and ill-conceived stand position offered by the keyboard. An enhanced battery capacity (we’d even be happy with a slightly thicker build for that sake) and integrated kickstand would, in our view, put Huawei in the runnings against the Samsung TabPro S. Well, if that keyboard was included in the box anyway.

So if you’re looking for a laptop-replacement to use around the house then the MateBook is a decent option. But as an on-the-go device it’s those fundamental battery and stand underpinnings that hold it back from greatness.

The glance will lure you in, but it’s the living with that will leave you wishing the MateBook gave just that bit more. Round two, anyone?