Epson and DJI team up for POV drone goggles
Phantom owners will soon be able to pilot their drones with a fresh perspective — that of the UAV itself. DJI and Epson announced on Thursday that they are teaming up. Together, they’ll expand DJI’s SDK to allow Epson’s Moverio BT-300 AR glasses to integrate with DJI’s Phantom, Matrice and Inspire lines of remote-controlled flyers.
DJI plans to optimize its DJI GO app to work with the Moverio glasses, which will simultaneously provide a first person view of what the drone’s camera sees as well as allow the pilot to maintain a direct line of sight with the UAV itself. That way, you’ll know exactly how close your Phantom 4 is to a tree without actually putting it into said tree. This partnership will also grant the Moverio BT-300’s DJI certification so you’ll be able to pick up a pair at the drone maker’s website throughout the holiday season.
Cricket Wireless matches Google with new $30 data plan
While the major American wireless providers have been changing up their price plans and generally shaking things up, low-cost carriers have been taking note. Cricket Wireless is joining the game by introducing a new data plan that gives you unlimited talk, text and 1GB of 4G data before dropping your speeds to 128 kbps.
The new plan will be available starting Sept 9, and goes head to head with Google’s Project Fi, which also offers an unlimited talk/text plan with 1GB. But Google’s service actually has a lot more features that make it even more valuable for the price, such as prioritizing WiFi connections to reduce data consumption and free data coverage in more than 120 countries.
The tech giant will also pay you back for unused bytes out of your monthly allowance so you only pay for what you use. For penny pinchers, this could mean plenty of savings. Those who prize network performance may also prefer Fi, which rides on T-Mobile, Sprint and US Cellular signals, while Cricket taps on AT&T’s network.
Cricket’s option, however, is available on far more phones that Fi is. While Google limits you to three Nexus phones for now, Cricket offers about two dozen handsets. Those who don’t want to be tied to a Nexus but still want to save money may really enjoy Cricket’s new plan.
Amazon’s new Fire HD 8 is its first tablet with Alexa
It’s September, and that means it’s time for fresh Amazon tablet hardware… only this year, software is the real star of the show. The internet retailer has introduced a new version of the Fire HD 8 that represents its first tablet (or really, mobile device) with Alexa voice control. You can use Amazon’s familiar assistant to play media, launch apps, deliver news and otherwise save you a load of screen taps. The feature will reach both the previous HD 8 and the HD 10 through an update in the “coming months,” so don’t feel pressure to toss out your old device if you’re only looking for Alexa support.
That’s not to downplay the hardware itself. The tweaked HD 8 is a considerably better value between 50 percent more RAM (1.5GB), double the built-in expandable storage (16GB with a 32GB option) and a longer 12-hour battery life. You’ll still have to put up with a modest 1,280 x 800 display and a so-so 1.3GHz quad-core processor. However, you might not mind those when you see the price. Amazon will sell the new tablet from September 21st starting at $90/£90, with pre-orders opening up today. That’s much less than the $150 outgoing model, and inexpensive enough that it might tempt you to skip the entry-level Fire.
Source: Amazon
Superhumans: Inside the world’s first cyborg games
Thousands of miles from the drama of the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, one man has been quietly plotting his own competition; a previously impossible event melding human and machine. His name is Robert Reiner, and next month, in Zurich, Switzerland, he’ll host the world’s first Cybathlon, aka the “Cyborg Olympics.”
The competition, while focused on individuals with disabilities, isn’t a me-too Paralympics. Instead, the Cybathlon will pit the world’s most advanced bionic assistive technologies against each other in an obstacle course of everyday tasks. The games’ contestants, or pilots, aren’t your average athletes, either. With the help of exoskeletons, state-of-the-art prosthetics and all-terrain wheel chairs, they have surpassed the realm of the strictly biological to become superhuman.
Superhumans: Inside the world’s first cyborg games is a five-part miniseries exploring the world of medical technology and the people making and using the devices that could change the way we look at disability. Our reporters and producers have spent the past two months traveling the globe to document the work of four teams as they gear up for the inaugural Cybathlon. We’ll chronicle their journeys and the lives of their “pilots” as they make their way to Zurich for a one-of-its-kind display of the current state of human-machine innovation.
But the exploration doesn’t end there. Superhumans is just the first of a series of documentaries from Engadget R+D, a new video project that examines the human impact of game-changing technologies past, present and future.
Superhumans debuts next Tuesday, September 13th, right here on Engadget.
Nest Debuts New Colors for Smart Thermostat, Launches Nest Cam Outdoor in U.S.
Smart thermostat company Nest today announced three new colors for its flagship product, the Nest Learning Thermostat, now coming in white, black, and copper, in addition to the traditional stainless steel variant. The new colors are said to be available for a limited time only, but Nest didn’t specify for how long they’d continue to go on sale. The purpose of introducing more colors and finishes was to help Nest “fit into every home.”
Additionally, Nest revealed that the Nest Cam Outdoor is now available for $199 for customers to purchase in the United States, with an expected launch date sometime in October for those in Europe. The company is bolstering all of its camera products — Nest Outdoor Cam, Nest Indoor Cam, and the company-owned Dropcam — with a new software feature called “Sightline,” coming to the Nest app.
Sightline is a new app feature that shows you what Nest Cam has seen and lets you speed through days of recorded video in seconds. It pulls out key moments automatically so you don’t waste time digging through footage. Looking for the moment someone opened the gate two days ago? No problem.
Person alerts are also changing the game. If you have Nest Aware, Nest Cam can now tell if the activity it’s seeing is a tree swaying or someone coming in your house. So if it sees a person, you get a special alert. Nest Cam can even tell you if it’s sure it’s a person, or just suspects it is.
With Sightline, Nest users will be able to quickly scrub through large amounts of footage in seconds, and the app is even able to decipher and showcase “key moments” in a recording so users don’t have to waste time digging through footage. The app also allows for free 3 hour video history for anyone, even those not on a Nest Aware subscription, and hassle-free “time travel” controls so you can jump to a recorded moment in the past with ease.
Those interested can purchase the new colors of the Nest Learning Thermostat, Nest Outdoor Cam, and update the Nest app [Direct Link] starting today.
Tag: Nest
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Facebook Celebrates 50th Anniversary of ‘Star Trek’ With Custom Reactions
Facebook marketing lead Lindsey Shepard recently posted a blog sharing new details of the company’s celebration of Star Trek’s 50th anniversary, taking place today. After updating the “Like” button to a set of emotional reactions earlier in the year, the social network is temporarily giving each reaction a Star Trek themed makeover to celebrate the franchise’s premiere on September 8, 1966.
In order to make this understood by all Star Trek fans, we chose the most iconic and recognizable characters and symbols from the original Star Trek series, as well as the Next Generation. We also wanted to honor the original design and spirit of Reactions, so we needed visual cues that were easy to identify at a glance, like Geordi’s visor. This led us to our final cast: Kirk, Spock, Geordi and a Klingon.
This project has truly been a labor of love. We hope that people find as much joy in using these different celebratory elements as we have in creating them. We may test experiences like this in the future, and will focus on community and moment-driven events like this one.
Live long and prosper.
Shepard said Facebook chose “the most iconic and recognizable characters and symbols from the original Star Trek series” as inspiration for the new reaction buttons, and paired them with what users expect from reactions. The new Star Trek reactions include a sparkly thumbs-up (Like), Vulcan salute (Love), Captain Kirk (Haha), Spock (Wow), Geordi (Sad), and a Klingon (Angry).
The update to reactions also comes with a customized greeting and profile frame that Facebook says only those “who’ve expressed interest in Star Trek or science fiction” might begin to see propagating on their Facebook page. For those lucky fans, the new Star Trek theme will be up in the United States and Canada — on both desktop and the mobile apps — “for a limited time.”
Tag: Facebook
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Samsung giving free Gear VR to Note 7 customers in India following global recall
Customers that have pre-ordered the Galaxy Note 7 in India will have to wait to get their hands on the phone.
Samsung was yet to commence deliveries of the Note 7 in India when the company issued a global recall of the phone over battery cell issues. The South Korean manufacturer has now clarified in a statement that all customers that have pre-ordered the device will receive a Gear VR for free as well as a ₹3,500 ($50) content voucher redeemable on the Oculus store.
Here’s the official statement from Samsung:
Thank you for Pre-booking the Galaxy Note7. We value your relationship with us and the trust you have placed in Samsung.
At Samsung, we are committed to producing the highest quality products and we take every incident reported by our valued customers very seriously. In response to recent cases globally of the new Galaxy Note7, we conducted a thorough investigation and found a battery cell issue. Since our customers’ safety is an absolute priority at Samsung, we have delayed the sales of Galaxy Note7 in India.
We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience this may have caused you. We are thankful for your patience and you can rest assured that we are working diligently to deliver your Galaxy Note7 as soon as possible.
As a gesture of goodwill, we would like to offer you the following benefits:
- We will ship the new Gear VR to you absolutely free of cost.
- INR 3300 approx. ($50) Oculus content voucher to deliver the best experience on your Gear VR.
We look forward to your continued patronage. Once again, we thank you for your continuous support and understanding.
If you’ve shelled out ₹59,900 ($900) to pre-book the Note 7 in the country, your best recourse is to wait for Samsung to restart sales of the phone. There’s no official word on when the company will do that, but if you’d rather not wait, you can get a refund by contacting Amazon India.
Samsung Galaxy Note 7
- Galaxy Note 7 recall: Everything you need to know
- Samsung Galaxy Note 7 review
- The latest Galaxy Note 7 news!
- Here are all four Note 7 colors
- Complete Galaxy Note 7 specs
- Join the Note 7 discussion in the forums!
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Thanks Abhijeet for the tip!
Australian airlines ban Galaxy Note 7 use as FAA considers options
Note 7 may not be used or charged onboard Qantas, Jetstar and Virgin Australia flights following battery fires.
The latest development in the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 recall saga: Three Australian airlines have banned the use of Note 7 handsets onboard their aircraft, citing safety concerns after at least 35 devices suffered battery fires or explosions. Meanwhile the U.S. Federal Aviation Authority says it’s considering its options.
According to Reuters, the airlines weren’t ordered to ban use of the phone by the authorities, but pro-actively put these measures in place following Samsung’s global Note 7 recall.
The Note 7’s battery issues recently made the news in Australia after one local model caught fire in a hotel room, causing a reported $1,870 worth of damage.
The ban doesn’t stop Note 7 owners bringing their phones onboard, but it will mean they’ll need to remain switched off (and not charging) throughout the duration of the flight. Note 7s may also not be plugged into the airlines’ in-flight entertainment systems, according to the report.
Even after the recall, how do you prove your Note 7 is safe?
The move puts both passengers and air crews in a difficult situation: For instance, it’s not necessarily easy to tell a Note 7 apart from an S7 edge at a distance. And while the recall takes place there’ll be both safe and unsafe Note 7s in the wild, meaning it’ll be almost impossible for passengers to prove their device isn’t a fire hazard. Even after the recall has been wrapped up, owners of new, safe Note 7s could face inconvenience when trying to use their phones in the air. (To put it another way: Even if your Note 7 is safe, the perception that it’s dangerous could be a stumbling block.)
Over in the U.S., the FAA has said it’s “working on guidance related to this issue,” in a statement given to Gizmodo. The authority added, “if the device is recalled by the manufacturer, airline crew and passengers will not be able to bring recalled batteries or electronics that contain recalled batteries in the cabin of an aircraft, or in carry-on and checked baggage.”
The consequences of an FAA ban would be far more serious for travelers.
Because of the vagaries of the way the Note 7 recall is being handled — without involvement from the Consumer Product Safety Commission — the latter point remains a grey area. But if an FAA ban did follow, it’d face the same logistical challenges as the current Aussie ban — identifying affected phones, and difficulty for passengers proving they have a “safe” unit. Naturally a ban on bringing Note 7s onto American airplanes in any capacity — even switched off in hand luggage — would have a far more serious impact on travelers.
However things unfold, it’s yet more negative publicity for Samsung right as major rival Apple launches its latest iPhones.
Samsung Galaxy Note 7
- Galaxy Note 7 recall: Everything you need to know
- Samsung Galaxy Note 7 review
- The latest Galaxy Note 7 news!
- Here are all four Note 7 colors
- Complete Galaxy Note 7 specs
- Join the Note 7 discussion in the forums!
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AT&T
T-Mobile
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Australian airlines ban use of Samsung’s Galaxy Note 7
Australian airlines Qantas, Jetstar and Virgin Australia have told passengers not to power up or charge their Samsung Galaxy Note 7 phones on its planes. “We are requesting that passengers who own them do not switch on or charge them in flight,” Qantas told Reuters in a statement. The companies weren’t ordered to do so by aviation authorities in the nation, but did so on their own accord in light of Samsung Australia’s recall.
The ban may get a lot wider, as the FAA is reportedly considering its options. A spokesman told Gizmodo by email that “if the device is recalled by the manufacturer, airline crew and passengers will not be able to bring recalled batteries or electronics that contain recalled batteries in the cabin of an aircraft, or in carry-on and checked baggage.”
@latikambourke Qantas made announcement on flight today…no charging Samsung Note 7 on plane
— Dean Cabena (@dcabena77) September 6, 2016
Samsung has, of course, already recalled the device, but it didn’t do it the usual way. Instead of arranging it officially through the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), it’s doing the recall itself. Consumer Reports specifically called out Samsung for that move, and the CPSC is considering making it more official, according to Recode.
With the recall and the fact that Galaxy Note 7 sales were stopped just two weeks after it shipped, the ban won’t affect too many folks. However, there are still reportedly between 1 million and 2.5 million devices in the wild, and many people may wait to do the exchange.
It’s nice that airlines have blocked the phones use of their own accord, given the obvious potential for catastrophe. However, Samsung has obviously created a lot of confusion by going around official channels, so it may be time for authorities in the US and elsewhere to step in.
Source: Reuters, SMH
Amazon’s grocery deliveries now cover 190 London postcodes
Amazon announced today that its Fresh grocery delivery service is now available in 190 Greater London postcodes. The online retailer is keen to highlight that the number of eligible postcodes has more than doubled since Fresh launched in early June; though, it almost achieved this milestone just a couple of weeks later when the service expanded past the 69 launch postcodes to cover a total of 128. Today’s update comes soon after Amazon brought its £35 Dash scanner to the UK. With the device, you can add products to your virtual basket by simply reciting your shopping list into its microphone, or by using the on-board barcode scanner on your dangerously light bag of frozen chips.
As a quick reminder, Amazon Fresh offers more than 130,000 items, including perishables like meat, seafood, fruit and veg, for scheduled delivery. You can book in a same-day slot if you get your order in before 1PM, but that level of convenience doesn’t come cheap. Not only do you have to be an Amazon Prime member, but also a Fresh subscriber paying £7 extra each month, and delivery is only free on orders of over £40.
The easiest way to check whether Fresh now covers the area of London you call home is to plug your postcode into the site. If the fridge is empty and you’re just after a more immediate feed, though, you can always try Amazon’s Prime Now restaurant delivery service, launched in London only yesterday (and likely to a chorus of sighs from Deliveroo, UberEats and other competitors).
Source: Amazon
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