Fitbit Charge 2 preview: Taking charge

Fitbit announced two new activity trackers in the run up to IFA 2016, one of which was the Charge 2, which succeeds both the Charge and Charge HR. 

The new device follows the design cues of the Fitbit Alta and brings with it a lovely big display, interchangeable straps and a few additional features compared to its predecessors. 

We got our hands on it at the consumer electronics show in Berlin to see what it was like and find out whether it could be the new activity tracker to beat.

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Fitbit Charge 2: Design

The Fitbit Charge 2 can still be recognised as a Charge device, though it has quite a few changes compared to the Charge and Charge HR. For starters, the display on board the Charge 2 is five times larger than that of the older devices and it sits on a solid, stainless steel body like the smaller Fitbit Alta. The result is a lovely looking device that is certainly more appealing than its popular predecessors.

On the underside of the display is where you’ll find the PurePulse heart rate monitor, along with the clips for changing the 21mm-wide textured elastomer strap to one of the other available options for a different look. The straps are fastened with a stainless steel buckle, as the Charge HR was, and it feels secure and comfortable on the wrist.

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The stainless steel body gives the Charge 2 an air of premium about it and the chamfered edges look great. There is a button on the left-hand side, as there was with the previous Charge devices. This allows you to flick through the various metrics on the display from steps counted to heart rate and everything in between. The larger display is nice and easy to read with crisp text and it makes the Charge 2 that little bit more exciting than the previous options, especially with the addition of smartphone notifications.

There are several colours available for the Charge 2 including plum and silver, which is shown, along with black and silver and blue and silver. These are the three standard options, but there is also a lavender and rose gold option, along with a black and gunmetal option. We loved the plum but if we had a choice, that lavender and rose gold option would certainly be the one we’d opt for – it’s lush.

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Fitbit Charge 2: Features

The Fitbit Charge 2 carries over all of the features found on the Charge HR, meaning it adds a few to the Charge before you even consider the extras. As we mentioned, heart rate monitoring is on board, and the Charge 2 will also measure steps counted, distance travelled, floors climbed, calories burned, active minutes and sleep.

In addition to these, the Charge 2 introduces Connected GPS, meaning it uses your phone to provide map and route data. It also offers Multi-Sport tracking and smartphone notifications, both of which can be found on the Fitbit Alta. The Multi-Sport tracking means the Charge 2 will automatically recognise certain sports, such as yoga, while smartphone notifications include calls, texts and calendar alerts but no third-party alerts sadly.

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It isn’t waterproof like the new Fitbit Flex 2 or Withings Activite Steel HR so you can’t take it swimming, but the Fitbit Charge 2 does introduce two new features comprising Cardio Fitness Level and Guided Breathing.

The Cardio Fitness Level feature will give you a personalised fitness score over time, while Guided Breathing will provide personalised breathing sessions based on your heart rate. Basically if your boss has annoyed you and your heart rate has increased dramatically, the Charge 2 will help calm you down. 

First Impressions

The new Fitbit Charge 2 is a lovely looking device that improves on its predecessors in a few areas, but especially in design.

We of course couldn’t test out the accuracy of the Charge 2 during our brief time with it, but we have high hopes if its predecessors are anything to go by.

Our biggest complaint with the Fitbit Alta was that it didn’t offer heart rate monitoring and it wasn’t waterproof. Well, the Charge 2 is pretty much a larger version of the Alta with the missing features, expect the waterproofing. Is the Charge 2 the activity tracker to beat? We don’t know that until we review it but no doubt it will be in the running.

• Fitbit Charge 2 and Fitbit Flex 2: Release date, specs and everything you need to know
• Fitbit Charge 2 vs Charge HR vs Charge: What’s the difference?

Apple Hikes Order Volumes for iPhone 7 Parts in Wake of Samsung Recall

Apple has reportedly increased upward orders for parts and components required for the production of the upcoming iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, according to sources from the supply chain in Taiwan (via DigiTimes).

Apple shipped 30 million iPhone 6s units a month on average in the second half of 2015, with the company originally predicting that shipments of the iPhone 7 this year would reach only 60 percent of that number over the same period. Supply chain sources are today reporting that Apple has boosted its original prediction by 10 percent.

Dummy mockups of iPhone 7 handsets
A 10 percent hike in order volumes suggests Apple is increasingly upbeat about demand for the new devices among existing iPhone owners seeking to upgrade, despite relatively subdued interest in the iPhone 7 models compared to the pre-launch buzz of previous years.

Another potential factor in Apple’s upward revision is Samsung’s global recall of its Galaxy Note 7 smartphone last week, following numerous complaints that the device caught on fire while charging. The news arguably couldn’t have come at a worse time for Apple’s biggest rival, which had pitched its Note 7 as a direct competitor to 5.5-inch iPhones.

Samsung has already voluntarily pulled its flagship device from 10 countries, including South Korea and the U.S. Target has stopped selling the phone, while Amazon and Best Buy have also said they are no longer selling the Note 7, and now Consumer Reports has called for an official recall which would make it illegal to sell the phones in the U.S.

Samsung has told customers it will take at least 14 days to replace their phones, and with several mobile operators including T-Mobile offering full refunds to Note buyers over the same week the new iPhones are expected to be announced, Apple’s offering could prove an all-too-tempting alternative.

A lot depends on how fast Apple can fulfill pre-orders for its new handsets. While the company typically releases an iPhone about two weeks after introducing it, scheduling information from AT&T indicates that the iPhone 7 might not launch until later in the month, on September 23.

Previous information from notable smartphone leaker Even Blass suggested that pre-orders for the iPhone 7 will take place this Friday, September 9, two days after the debut event, which is in line with the schedule from AT&T.

However, Blass also predicted an iPhone launch for September 16, so if the AT&T information is accurate and does relate to release preparations, that previous prediction could be incorrect. September 16 and September 23 are both likely candidates for an iPhone release date.

Despite Apple’s revised orders, some suppliers reportedly remain worried that the uplift could be short-lived as order volumes for new parts and components may start drifting down in Q4 “on seasonality”, said the sources.

Be sure to check out our “What to Expect” post for a recap on other announcements expected at Wednesday’s event and stay tuned to MacRumors for other last-minute news and rumors.

We’ll have full live coverage here on MacRumors.com on the event day, as well as through our MacRumorsLive Twitter account, starting at 10:00 AM Pacific Time.

Related Roundup: iPhone 7
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Insta360 Nano review: The 360-degree camera for iPhone

If you use Facebook, you’ll have slowly noticed a number of “360” videos appearing in your timeline – videos that encompass a full 360-degree view and put you in control of the playback navigation.

There are a number of ways to capture 360 videos and photos, ranging from handheld devices that cost a couple of hundred pounds, through to professional rigs that will set you back thousands of pounds.

The Insta360 Nano is, as the name suggests, a small 360-degree camera that connects to your iPhone 6 or 6S and uses the phone’s screen to allow you to frame the picture or video before sharing your 360 moments on social media.

But can the Insta360 Nano still produce good results given its size and price? We’ve been snapping and filming to find out.  

Insta360 Nano review: Using the iPhone as a viewfinder

The Insta360 Nano is well-built and tiny. The add-on device measures 110mm x 33mm x 21mm and clips onto your iPhone via the Lightning connector. That’s why it’s not compatible with earlier versions.

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Independently powered (it’s charged via a micro USB) the camera has been designed specifically for the iPhone 6, 6 Plus, 6s, and 6s Plus models and snuggly fits the phone’s curved edge. The smaller iPhone SE and iPhone 5 aren’t the right match. Because of that snug fit you’ll have to remove any protective case you’ve opted to use on your phone too; it simply won’t fit otherwise. 

As the Insta360 Nano connects to the bottom of the phone, you are forced to use your iPhone “upside down” while in the Insta360 Nano app. That can cause some disorientation at first, but it is easily learnt once you’ve used the device a couple of times.

The camera itself features two 210-degree f/2.0 fish-eye lenses which face forwards and backwards, allowing you to capture a full 360-degree view of your surrounding area.

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There is a microSD card slot that allows you to use the camera independently of the iPhone, although like many action cameras you are shooting blind if you opt for this. You can’t wirelessly connect the device to the app to still use the iPhone as a viewfinder – it has to be connected for this.

When used solo, the Insta360 Nano has a dedicated shutter button and a small notification light. It’s all very easy to use and certainly provides greater flexibility than having to ensure you’ve got the camera plugged into your iPhone all the time.

Insta360 Nano review: VR headset in the box

Normally a product box is either packed in the loft for another day or thrown in the bin. But understanding the virtual reality market, the company behind the Insta360 Nano has made the packaging a makeshift VR headset.

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Shoot your photos or videos on your phone and then slip it into the box to view. It’s as simple as it is clever and beats you having to buy a Google Cardboard VR headset (or something snazzier and pricier) to enjoy the VR element of your photos and videos.

Insta360 Nano review: Shooting in 360

The Insta360 Nano comes with its own dedicated app, used to shoot pictures or video and then playback and share your images and footage. It’s basic to say the least, but does get the job done.

Both still photographs and video, once caught, can be enjoyed as Fisheye, Perspective, or Planet – and you can opt to view them either by dragging your finger across the iPhone’s screen to explore the image further or by using the phone’s built-in gyro to physically move in order to navigate the image, like a window onto a virtual world. There is also a VR mode that allows you to use a VR headset (like the one handily included in/as the packaging).

On the video front the camera will shoot up to 3K (3040 x 1520px) at 30 frames per second and the image stitching seems flawless.

The quality does struggle somewhat in harsh lighting conditions, while, although the resolution is high, there is still quite a bit of blocking and distortion when it comes to video playback – especially when viewed on a bigger screen than your mobile phone.

Most people should be more than happy enough with the end results, though, and viewing in the app is better than viewing back on YouTube, for example.

Something to bear in mind is the speed of capture and the inability to zoom/crop after the fact. Taking pictures means you’ve got to be ready. Press the shutter button and then you are left waiting a few seconds for the image to be saved. It’s slow enough that you won’t be able to capture “blink and you’ll miss it moments” but if you are setting up a scene you’ll be fine. You’ll need to get as close to the action as possible too.

Video is a lot easier. You can just press the record button and then swipe up on the iPhone screen for longer recordings. But remember that you are in the frame too – so no picking your nose.

Insta360 Nano review: Sharing 360

As you would expect, the app focuses strongly on allowing you to share your new 360 footage with others. In the app there is support to share still images to Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger, while videos can also be shared directly with YouTube. Furthermore, you can also save footage to your iPhone photo album to share with other applications.

Sharing to the relevant platforms is easy. Depending on which social media platform you choose from will depend how your photo or video is displayed. Photos, for example, are uploaded to the Insta360.com website to be viewed via a dedicated web interface that works on both desktop and mobile. From here you can view the image, change the type of view to far more viewing options than you can in the app, and access the gyro or VR modes mentioned earlier.

Strangely you can’t just share straight to the company’s online sharing tool. You have to go through a social platform to get the direct link to the Insta360.com site. However, sharing video bypasses Insta360.com and saves the video to your photo album to be natively uploaded to YouTube or Facebook.

When it comes to live streaming, you can either stream to the company’s own live streaming service (which is not public at the time of writing), YouTube or Facebook. For the purpose of this review we opted for YouTube. It’s a bit of a faff, but once you have the right details (follow the instructions in this video) it’s easy. 

Once you’ve created a YouTube Live Streaming Event and made it live (you need to have a verified YouTube account too), you can then share 360-degree video directly from the camera to your adorning fans around the world. Great. 

Verdict

For £199 the Insta360 Nano is a dinky little bolt-on for the iPhone that gives you 360-degree photos and video quickly and easily without breaking the bank. We love the fact you can snap and share quickly, and although a bit cumbersome, share live YouTube videos too.

Where the Insta360 Nano falls down is its far-from-perfect accompanying app. A number of sloppy bugs and UX issues stops this product really shining. It’s silly things like the odd error message in Chinese, or an option being hidden by a keyboard, that can make the experience frustrating. If insta360 can resolve those issues then the Nano is a cool way to embrace the wonderful world of 360 photography and video.

iPhone 7 Plus benchmark appears online, A10 CPU is a monster

We only have a couple of days to wait until Apple officially launches its new phones, so we’ll find out everything on Wednesday 7 September. That doesn’t mean we won’t hear a few more, final rumours or even see a new leak or two in the remaining time.

The latest allegedly concerns the larger of the two expected handsets, the iPhone 7 Plus. A benchmark has appeared on Geekbench, which is purportedly of the new A10 processor that the phone and its smaller brother – the iPhone 7 – will sport.

And according to the benchmark score, if true, it is much more powerful than the CPU in the iPhone 6s Plus.

Phone Arena claims that the single-core score of 3379 listed on Geekbench is a major leap over the 2526 score achieved by the current generation equivalent device. Its multi-core score of 5495 is also much better than the 4404 of the 6s Plus.

• Apple iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus: Release date, rumours and everything you need to know
• Apple iPhone 7 vs iPhone 7 Plus vs iPhone 7 Pro: What’s the rumoured difference?
• Apple iPhone 7 vs iPhone 6S vs iPhone 6: What’s the rumoured difference?

Even rival handsets, such as the Exynos 8890 version of the Galaxy Note 7 and those running Snapdragon 820 are beaten or run up similar scores. Essentially, if this benchtest is valid, the iPhone 7 Plus will have the oomph to match its ambition.

Geekbench

Other details listed on the Geekbench test page, which lists the device used as the “iPhone9,3” which is reportedly the 7 Plus, state that the suspected A10 processor is dual-core and running alongside 2GB of RAM. It was also run on operating system iOS 10.1.

Of course, like with all rumours, you need to keep an open mind as there are leaks aplenty and some of them are contradictory. Not all, therefore, can be true. And this benchtest cannot be verified.

Sony FES Watch U: The e-paper connected watch improves

Sony-owned Fashion Entertainment presented its new e-paper watch at consumer electronics show IFA in the form of the FES Watch U.

A prototype of the new device was on the Sony stand at the show, sitting alongside its significantly less attractive predecessor – the FES Watch. The original didn’t make it further than Japan so there is a good chance the new model won’t either, but you never know.

The FES Watch U isn’t a smartwatch, just like the original FES wasn’t. It won’t show you who is calling, send you calendar alerts or allow you to read incoming messages. Instead, the FES Watch U connects to your iOS smartphone via an app and allows you customise the strap and watch face, like the original did. There is currently no Android compatibility, though it is apparently coming.

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The functionality of the new FES Watch U therefore remains the same as the original, but the design has changed quite significantly – it no longer looks like a toy for starters. There are two models, the premium black steel body option with sapphire glass and black detailing, and the cheaper option featuring white detailing and a silver case.

The second generation FES Watch looks much more like a watch thanks to its raised bezel around the e-paper display and the overall chunkier design.

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It also looks like it will much more comfortable to wear, adopting a more curved strap compared to the slightly square and awkward shape of the original FES Watch. In terms of the casing, the FES Watch U is thicker, which is a good thing and the button on the edge of the casing is much more substantial.

There are 12 extra deigns to choose from when it comes to the customisation of the watch face and straps compared to the first generation, all of which are of course monochrome. The new designs range from a plain black strap and simplistic white face, to patterns and even a face with a full calendar month.

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The FES Watch U is able to store 24 designs, any of which can then be selected by pushing the button on the device itself rather than having open the app to change. The FES Watch U is waterproof and it has a battery life of up to three weeks.

Overall the FES Watch U is an interesting idea and one that is now in a much more exciting and appealing design. We’d like to see it become a little smarter, rather than just offering the time and date, and the monochrome customisation but it’s now a pretty cool alternative to a standard watch, even if it is on the pricey side.

The FES Watch U premium black model will cost around €600 (ouch), while the cheaper version is said to sit around the €500 mark. As we said though, it is not clear whether the device will even make it out of Japan. We will keep you posted if we hear anymore.