AliceX is a VR service offering the ‘girlfriend experience’

AliceX is a new service that seeks to offer companionship with real models through its virtual reality streaming service.

The new site, which opened today, aims to provide the “virtual girlfriend experience” to anyone with a computer or phone, the internet, and VR headset. Essentially, it’s a 24-hour cam site staffed by models acting as “girlfriends” for each patron who signs on.

From viewing the screenshots and conceptual images, it’s a mixture of customized porn and cam sites, except it seems as though it’d be a whole lot more intimate than simply watching from afar as you would with regular pay-to-view porn operations. Of course, the women are available for straight up companionship as well most likely, even if the official implication of the VR service is for fulfilling sexual fantasies.

Unfortunately, judging by the pack shots provided by AliceX’s PR team (seen above), it seems as though it may be marred by low-quality 3D backgrounds that hardly look appropriate for each model or their surroundings. Why not just let users interact with the models in their own environment such as a bedroom or literally anywhere instead of rendering it instead?

It’s an interesting mixture of real-time, accessible porn that and offering the illusion of having a real girlfriend, but one has to contemplate the implications of spending too much time with the girls and blurring the line between real love and pleasure.

If you decide to give the service a try, new users who sign up right now are being entered into a contest to win a “starter bundle” that comes with a Zeiss VR One headset and 30 free minutes with a girl of their choice. Additional winners will be drawn once a week going forward.

AliceX plans on implementing Oculus Rift support in the future, though right now you’ll need to use a smartphone running Android 5.0 or higher. If you use an iPhone you’ll have to opt for the browser experience instead, as AliceX states that “iOS technology” hasn’t yet been “updated” to support the service.

Source: AliceX

Trapped Florida mosquitoes found to contain Zika virus

After several mosquitoes were trapped and examined in Florida, it was determined that they had been carrying the Zika virus.

This discovery marks the first time the insects have been positively identified as carriers of the rapidly-spreading virus in the continental US, which is of course a reason to be even more cautious than before. The mosquitoes were trapped in a 1.5-square-mile area of Miami Beach that tourists typically frequent that had previously been marked as an “active zone” where the virus had been trasnmitted before.

The mosquitoes were actually part of a special Florida testing program meant to slow the spread of the Zika virus, which can actually be spread via mosquito bites or sexual contact with anyone infected with the disease. It’s just been confirmed via this test, in fact, that mosquitoes are officially carriers.

Florida first saw an outbreak of the Zika virus as early as July, giving way to a mass mosquito extermination campaign in an attempt to stamp out infected insects. The FDA recently called for all blood banks in the US to begin screening donated blood for the Zika virus as well, as transfusion could be another valid form of the virus’s transmission.

While there are several unknown factors floating around out there when it comes to Zika, your best bet while outside no matter where you are in the country is to ensure you’re wearing long sleeves when outside (if possible) and utilizing insect repellant spray. It’s best to take precautions while in its earliest stages now before things potentially get worse.

Via: Popular Science

Source: The New York Times

Satechi Debuts New Slim 4K Multi-Port USB-C Adapter

Satechi today announced an expansion of its Type-C accessory line, introducing the new Slim 4K Multi-Port USB-C Adapter. The Slim Multi-Port Adapter is designed to add multiple extra port connections to a laptop or desktop along with 4K support.

The adapter, which has a sleek aluminum design and comes in colors to match Apple’s MacBook line (Rose Gold, Gold, Silver, and Space Gray), features a 4K HDMI port able to output video from a computer to a 4K monitor.

The Slim 4K Multi-Port Adapter also includes two standard USB-A ports and it supports passthrough charging, so multiple devices can be connected to a 12-inch MacBook while it is also charging.

Satechi is selling the Slim 4K Multi-Port Adapter starting today. It can be purchased from the Satechi website for $59.99.

Tag: Satechi
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New Beats Products to Debut Alongside iPhone 7 on September 7

Apple plans to unveil new Beats by Dre products at its upcoming event set to be held on September 7, reports iGeneration. The news comes courtesy of an email that was mistakenly sent to the site from the Beats PR team, which iGeneration originally provided a screenshot for but was asked to remove.

The email announced the Apple event and specifically said “a selection of new Beats by Dre products will be unveiled.”

It isn’t known what new Beats products Apple has in the works, but it seems likely the company will debut both new wireless headphones and Beats headphones that adopt Lightning connectors, as the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus will not have a headphone jack. Apple was recently granted a number of product certifications from the Eurasian Economic Union, and three new Beats headphone models were among them.

Apple is also working on a set of wireless “AirPods” earbuds, which are not likely to be sold under the Beats brand. It is not clear if the AirPods are going to be announced at the September 7 event, but rumors suggest they are fully wireless with no connective cord between the earpieces, much like the Bragi Dash.

It appears Apple plans to offer a range of different jack-free headphone solutions for iPhone customers alongside the iPhone 7 and the iPhone 7 Plus. Along with new Beats and the rumored AirPods, Apple is also said to be planning to ship its two new smartphones with Lightning-equipped EarPods.

Tag: Beats by Dre
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Withings Steel HR brings heart rate monitoring to an analog tracker

A better fitness tracker from the design heroes at Withings!

Withings has announced its latest analog fitness tracker, the Steel HR. This is the first analog fitness tracker that adds heart rate monitoring to it, without taking away from the incredible design of the watch. At first glance, it is hard to tell that it is a fitness tracker, let alone that it can monitor your heart rate as well. It will be available in both 36mm and 40mm cases this time around, so depending on your wrist size you’ll be able to purchase the one that fits you best.

You won’t need to worry about charging the Steel HR every day as it is said to last for around 25 days per charge with heart rate monitoring. After 25 days of monitoring, it will transition to a power saving mode which gives you an additional 20 days of battery life. While in power saving mode, the Steel HR will continue to track your activity, just not your heart rate.

As for pricing, the 36mm will retail for $179.95 and the 40mm for $199.95 and both will be available beginning in October.

Press release:

Nokia Launches Withings Steel HR, the First Analog Activity-Tracking Watch with Heart Rate Monitoring

Steel HR brings a new level of health tracking: Heart rate monitoring with style, ease, and unsurpassed battery life

September 1, 2016

BERLIN, GERMANY–Withings, part of Nokia and a leader in the connected health revolution, today announced an extension to its activity tracker portfolio with the introduction of Withings Steel HR, a connected health watch with fully-featured activity tracking, heart rate monitoring and smartphone notifications. Continuing to spearhead the unique category of beautifully designed trackers within fashionable timepieces, Steel HR marries classic French design with advanced heart rate monitoring and a 25-day battery life. Steel HR can automatically measure continuous heart rate during workouts, average heart rate during the day, and resting heart rate while sleeping, while also offering a dynamic digital screen that displays your overall health data and smartphone notifications.

Seamless, Modern Design Steel HR has all the features of a stylish analog watch that users actually want to wear: French design, stainless steel casing, chrome hands, and modern silicone straps. In addition, Steel HR will be available in two sizes: 36mm and 40mm. The standard 36mm case with an 18mm strap will be available in black and white. The new 40mm case will be available in black and comes with a 20mm strap.

Like its predecessors, Steel HR features hand dials that show the time and a sub-dial that shows the percentage of personal daily activity goal achieved. The activity goal (e.g. 10,000 steps) is set within the free Withings Health Mate application (available on iOS and Android) and keeps users up to date on their progress. Steel HR also boasts a new dynamic digital screen at the top of the watch face, which displays health data and smartphone notifications. Users can choose the information they would like to be shown on this screen through a multifunctional button on the side of the watch. This button allows users to navigate through data options including calories burned, daily steps, distance, sleep duration and smart alarm, and to receive notifications forcalls, new emails, texts and event reminders.

Best-In-Class Battery Life

Steel HR is powered by a rechargeable battery that lasts up to 25 days, the best battery life for a heart monitoring activity tracker available. After approximately 25 days of heart rate monitoring, Steel HR will transition to power save mode, giving users an additional 20 days of battery life. In power save mode, Steel HR will continue to track basic activity, including steps and swims.

Holistic Approach to Heart Rate Monitoring

Steel HR goes beyond tracking steps by providing users with a more detailed look into their overall health and fitness performance. This is accomplished through a technology called photoplethysmography (PPG), which monitors heart rate using green LED lights to detect variation in the level of blood in the wrist.

During a workout session, users can launch a continuous heart rate session simply by pushing the multifunctional button on the watch. Moreover, Steel HR will automatically initiate continuous heart rate while running. During exercise, seeing real-time heart rate at a glance can help optimize workout intensity and can motivate the user to improve performance. Post-workout, user will then be able to view maximum heart rate, calories burned, and a “time in zone” graph directly within Withings’ free Health Mate App.

On a daily basis, users can visualize how much time was spent in each heart rate zone, providing a holistic picture of their activity output. At night, Steel HR also automatically monitors the user’s pulse while sleeping to provide resting heart rate – a key metric to assess overall health over time.

“Whether you’re an athlete or simply trying to lose a few pounds and get a better handle on your health, knowing your heart rate can help you better understand your overall health and reach your fitness goals,”said Cédric Hutchings, VP of Digital Health, Nokia Technologies. “With the wealth of insights it provides and the extended battery life for a health watch of its type, Steel HR truly is the first of its kind.”

Automatic Activity Tracking

Steel HR, like all activity trackers from Withings, has highly-advanced automatic activity recognition capabilities that detect a wide variety of movements and speeds associated with various activities. For walking and running, the device analyzes number of steps, distance covered, and calories burned as well as the duration of the running session. Steel HR is also water-resistant (5 ATM) and automatically recognizes when the user starts swimming, providing the time of the session and the calories burned. At night, Steel HR analyzes light and deep sleep cycles, as well as wake ups, to give users a full understanding of their sleep patterns.

Personal Health Coach

The new Steel HR connects to the free, award-winning Withings Health Mate iOS and Android application. Acting as a powerful resource to manage many aspects of everyday health, Health Mate provides detailed information about activity including heart rate summaries, a daily timeline, personalized advice, and advanced food logging capabilities. It even allows users to share their data and challenge
friends via “in app” interactive leaderboards and through social media channels. Health Mate also integrates with over 150 top health and fitness apps to further add to the 360° wellness experience.

Availability

At the beginning of October, both versions of Withings Steel HR will be available exclusively at http://www.withings.com. The 36mm will retail for $179.95 and the 40mm for $199.95. Retail availability for both versions will follow at the end of October.

Labor Day Sale: Save 20% on your favorite Android accessories

We’re slashing prices on Android accessories, so getcha some while they’re on the cheap.

Some of us will be enjoying our long Labor Day weekend by grilling up some BBQ with friends and family or getting our splash on at the beach. No matter how you spend your day off, starting today you can save 20% on everything from ShopAndroid through midnight, September 6. There’s plenty to choose from for the latest devices like the Samsung Galaxy Note 7, Galaxy S7, LG G5, HTC 10 and more.

Use coupon code: LD16 at checkout to apply the 20% discount to your entire order, and remember that we offer free shipping on orders over $50 within the continental US.

See at ShopAndroid

Google Play Early Access is now open to even more developers

Google rolled out the Early Access program on Google Play earlier this year, giving users the ability to try out beta apps before they made their debut. Google hand-picked the apps that were allowed into Early Access during the initial rollout, but the company is now letting developers nominate apps and games for inclusion in the category.

Google also shared statistics on Early Access since its debut, stating that over 1 million beta apps have been installed in just over a month. The goal with the program is to boost discoverability of apps and games, while providing developers a platform for feedback and suggestions from a global community of users.

If you’re a developer, you can get your app or game nominated to be included in Early Access by filling out this form. Interested in trying out beta apps? Head to the Early Access tab in the Play Store to explore upcoming apps.