Microsoft brings third-party desktop apps to the Windows Store
Finally making use of the Desktop Bridge announced during Build 2016, Microsoft will now allow third-party developers to bring existing desktop apps into the Windows Store. While the store was mostly an emporium for Microsoft’s own universal apps in the past, this week’s update makes a push towards one unified store for everything Windows.
In the first rollout, Microsoft worked with developers to bring apps like Evernote, Arduino IDE, doubleTwist, PhotoScape, MAGIX Movie Edit Pro, Virtual Robotics Kit and more into the store. As Microsoft’s VP of Windows Developer Kevin Gallo notes in his blog post, “these are the same apps that customers know and love,” only now they get the added security that comes with MSFT’s store management. Most importantly, by opening up the store, third-party developers now have the ability to easily port apps to all devices in the Windows ecosystem from PCs and phones to XBox One and HoloLens. Essentially, the Desktop Bridge gives all developers the ability to create Universal Windows Platform apps and make use of all the APIs that come with it, including Cortana and the Action Center.
Finally, to make things even easier for developers, Microsoft is announcing new Desktop Bridge support from three of the most popular installer technologies: InstallShield, WiX and Advanced Installer. The Desktop App Converter itself is currently available for download directly from the Windows Store.
Via: The Verge
Source: Microsoft Windows Developer Blog
Presenting the most comprehensive map of the human brain
Ask a neurologist — as far as brains go, humanity has one of the largest and most complex thinking muscles on the planet. That’s why researchers have never really had a good atlas of the human brain’s underlying structure. According to the Allen Institute, documentation on the model of the human brain is so outdated, that it’s still commonplace for scientists to reference mappings from almost a century ago. Well, at least it was: the Institute has just published what it says is the highest resolution atlas of the human brain, one it hopes will become a new standard resource for brain researchers.
Officially, the atlas has been published in a stand-alone issue of the Journal of Comparative Neurology, but the Allen Human Brain Reference Atlas is also available as a free resource on the institute’s website. It’s more than a handful of MRIs — the institute put a 34-year old donor brain through magnetic resonance and diffusion tensor imaging before methodically cutting it into slabs to perform histological staining specific regions. This data was all recorded, imaged, digitized and mapped to create an atlas with 862 annotated structures. That mouthful, in other words, means the group has put together a comprehensive, high-resolution map of the human brain that scientists can reference during research.
Perhaps as important as the work itself is the way in which it is presented. “The Allen Human Brain Reference Atlas represents a further departure from the classical atlases in its innovative publication format,” explained Patrick Hof, M.D. in the Atlas’ announcement. “It is the only brain atlas to date to combine the rigor of a peer-reviewed scientific research paper with a presentation as a book format that includes the full set of annotated plates, open-access online availability of the resource with the ability to navigate and explore the details of any given area, and have programmatic access to the underlying data.”
The project helps bring human brain atlas’ to a new standard — bringing it closer to the comprehensive brain maps scientists had for worms, mice and other smaller creatures. With any luck, the atlas will provide researchers with the tools needed to better understand our most important organ.
Source: Journal of Comparative Neurology, Allen Institute, Human Brain Atlas
23andMe health study needs 5,000 Nevada volunteers
A year after the FDA loosened limitations on what genetic analytics company 23andMe could offer consumers, the company is embarking on a groundbreaking study of 5,000 people across Nevada. In partnership with the not-for-profit healthcare provider Renown Health and the Desert Research Institute (DRI), the survey will combine health, population, genetic and environmental data for a comprehensive look at the various influences nature and nurture have on people’s wellness.
For their participation, folks will get a 23andMe report of their own genetic information on traits and ancestry for free. With that DNA data, plus Renown’s de-identified health and population info, DRI will model public health risks of disease and illness along with the health impact of conditions like air quality on a community.
They’re seeking 5,000 volunteers to follow Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval, who has already signed up to be part of the study. Hopefully, such a comprehensive data set can help researchers build predictive models to look for health factors across the state’s 2.8 million residents. But if anything proves how seriously they’re taking this collaborative project, it’s the dedicated YouTube video they made to promote it:
Source: DRI newsroom
Apple’s Augmented Reality Team Gains Hires From Oculus, Magic Leap
Just a day after Apple CEO Tim Cook shared his views on augmented reality in an interview with Good Morning America, Business Insider has unearthed two recent hires Apple poached from companies with expertise in augmented and virtual reality.
Zeyu Li, who served as a principal computer vision engineer at Magic Leap, is now working at Apple as a “Senior Computer Vision Algorithm Engineer.” Magic Leap, for those unfamiliar, is a startup developing a head-mounted display similar to the HoloLens from Microsoft, designed to project virtual objects into the real world.
Yury Petrov, a former research scientist at Facebook-owned Oculus, is now serving as a “research scientist” at Apple. According to his LinkedIn profile, Petrov studied virtual reality experiences, prototyped optics, and developed computer simulation software. Despite his vague title, given his expertise, it’s reasonable to imagine he’s working on similar projects at Apple.
Psychophysical and physiological studies of visual and multisensory experience of virtual reality (VR) including user experience factors in head-mounted displays (HMD). Determined perceptual constraints on HMD hardware parameters. Research and development of novel optical systems for HMD. Prototyped optics of superior quality. Developed a popular Matlab library for computer simulations in optics (Optometrika). Research and development of new types of VR controllers. Prototyped controllers significantly increasing user enjoyment of VR. Research and development of 3D audio stimulation for VR.
Rumors have suggested Apple has a dedicated team exploring augmented and virtual reality and how the emerging technologies could be used in future Apple products. Apple has been building up its team over the course of the last several months through new hires and acquisitions of companies like Metaio, Flyby Media, and Faceshift.
Apple is said to be working on developing several prototype VR/AR headsets, and Apple CEO Tim Cook has spoken about augmented reality several times over the course of the last few months.
In July, Cook said Apple is “high on AR in the long run” and said Apple continues to “invest a lot in this.” Earlier this week, he said that he believes augmented reality, rather than virtual reality, is “the larger of the two” because it allows people to “be very present” while using the technology.
In addition to the new hires, developer Steven Troughton-Smith recently discovered Apple has included references to a “HeadMountedDisplayRenderingTechnique” in SceneKit code since iOS 9, perhaps already laying the groundwork for future products.
Related Roundup: Apple VR Project
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LG DLEY 1701V dryer review – CNET
The Good Built from premium materials such as steel and glass, the LG DLEY 1701V dryer is stunningly attractive. The dryer is also powerful enough to run through cycles quickly and offers plenty of specialty drying modes including steam cycles.
The Bad While the LG DLEY 1701V’s front-mounted controls are within easy reach its buttons are small and harder to operate than a traditional cycle knob. The dryer’s 7.3 cubic foot capacity is smaller than what you’ll find on other machines. The dryer doesn’t support pedestal attachments and can’t be stacked in vertical arrangements.
The Bottom Line The LG DLEY 1701V dryer makes sense to those who value style and fast performance more than simple operation and drying lots of clothes at once.
Dryers built to match the look and shape of top loading washers have typically been budget models with blah designs, but the $1,000 LG DLEY 1701V dryer is part of fresh crop of home appliances bucking the trend. Sleek, stylish, and crafted from premium materials this new LG dryer cuts a striking profile. The machine also has plenty of specialty cycles to choose from and it dries loads with great speed.
Of course the dryer’s top-load style body rules out stacking it on top of or below other laundry units. Likewise you can’t drop it on top of a pedestal accessory, and the LG DLEY 1701V dryer’s 7.3 foot capacity is smaller than dryers with roomier drums such as the $1,099 Electrolux EFME617S and $1,400 Kenmore Elite 81072. Both are a better fit for large families and have controls that are easier to handle as well. Still, shoppers who desire beauty and power above all will find this LG dryer hard to pass up.
Premium materials, lovely design make this…
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Design and features
The LG DLEY 1701V is composed of gentle curves, and edges softly tapered in gleaming steel. To say it looks good is an understatement. Akin to the modern Kenmore 69133, the LG’s premium build quality is simply gorgeous and a far cry from basic top-load machines such as the old-fashioned GE GTD45EASJWS dryer.
This LG dryer has lots of lovely curves, metal, and glass.
Chris Monroe/CNET
Measuring 40.2 inches tall by 28.4 inches deep and spanning 27 inches wide, the LG DLEY 1701V dryer is relatively compact compared with veritable monsters such as the Kenmore Elite 81072. Even the Electrolux EFME617S Perfect Steam dryer takes up more room. A big contributor to the LG’s smaller stature though is its modest 7.3-cubic-foot drum capacity. Both the Electrolux EFME617S (8 cubic foot) and Kenmore Elite 81072 (9 cubic foot) boast more room for huge clothing loads.
On board the LG DLEY 1701V dryer are plenty of cycle options to choose from, 14 in all, designed to tackle numerous garment and fabric types. These include standard selections such as “normal,” “delicates,” “towels,” and “perm. press,” continuing to more exotic functions including “anti bacterial”. Rolled up into this list are modes to treat clothes with steam too, specifically “steam fresh” and “wrinkle free.”
To help you access all these features, LG has placed a control panel on the front top edge of the dryer. Clearly the company opted for sleekness here instead of usability. I found that while the panel’s buttons are responsive, the combination of their small size and tiny text labels made them tricky to hit without a little hunting. Frankly I prefer the physical cycle knobs that have existed on washers and dryers for decades. Many, including LG’s own DLEX 5000, even come with a contemporary twist.
The control panel is sleek but there’s no cycle dial and its buttons are small.
Chris Monroe/CNET
I do like the DLEY 1701V’s sturdy metal door. Unlike the DLEX 5000’s flimsy lid, you can slam it shut with authority. Another nice touch is the door’s recessed hand grip, which has finger-friendly scalloped ridges running along its interior surface. As with other top-load style laundry units though you can’t stack this machine or its companion washer, the LG WT1801HVA, in vertical arrangements nor mount them on pedestals since this would render their controls out of reach.
Performance
Aesthetic beauty aside, underneath the LG DLEY 1701V runs the engine of a clothes-drying hot rod. In fact the appliance notched the third best performance of any dryer we’ve tested to date.
Sony PlayStation 4 (slim) Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET
Sony is slimming down the PlayStation 4, following the company’s usual modus operandi of releasing an updated and redesigned version of a console part-way through its lifecycle.
Available for sale on September 15 for $299 (£259, no price for Australia yet), the new, slim PlayStation 4 is about 30 percent thinner and adds one notable new feature, support for HDR content, which allows for greater dynamic range in lighting, for brighter, bolder-looking visuals (although we’re still waiting for games with HDR modes, so it’s not the most useful new feature at the moment).
Hardware-wise, it’s pretty much the same, with either a 500GB or 1TB of storage, and plays the same library of downloadable or disc-based of games as the older PS4. If you want improved graphics, you’ll have to look at the upcoming PlayStation 4 Pro, which supports 4K output and content.
Side by side against the older PS4, the difference in size is readily apparent. While the footprint is mostly the same (the older PS4 is just a little bit wider), the slim version shows off its successful weight-loss program results by being about half an inch shorter.
The PS4 Slim, as we’ve taken to calling it, also looks a lot better. There’s a new matte sandpaper finish, which is a lot nicer to look at than the half glossy finish of the original, and Sony says it’s about 25 percent lighter as well. Holding both in my hands, the weight difference is obvious, though I’m guessing it wouldn’t really matter unless you’re lugging your console around all the time (which doesn’t happen a lot, for most people).
There’s no longer an optical audio jack, a space and component cost savings. On the plus side, this new PS4 is supposed to run cooler and quieter. I loaded up some test games (such as Call of Duty: Black Ops II and Rebel Galaxy) to test this, and found to my surprise I could hardly hear the fan at all. I usually get very annoyed at the PS4’s loud fan, so having a quieter console really made a difference.
Other improvements include a new tweaked DualShock 4 controller that features a lighted strip above the touchpad, as well as the ability to be plugged into the PS4 Slim’s USB port for better response times while gaming.
The new controller now sports a lighted strip above the touchpad, and features slightly lighter tones for the buttons.
Aloysius Low/CNET
Overall, the PS4 Slim makes a lot of sense to get if you haven’t already succumbed to the original, but for current PS4 owners, it’s not really worth upgrading just to get a slightly quieter, slightly slimmer version of hardware you already own.
HDR support exists on paper, but to test it, we’ll have to wait for new games that support HDR to come out, or for older games to be patched, both of which are expected in several big titles this fall. We’re hoping video apps such as Netflix and Amazon get updated to support the HDR capabilities as well.
Key specs
- Price: $299, £259 (UK) for 500GB model
- Updated DualShock 4 controller
- Quieter and 40 percent smaller
- Matte sandpaper finish
GE PGB911SEJSS review – CNET
The Good The $1,200 GE PGB911SEJSS is a good gas oven that does well with basic cooking tasks, such as boiling water and broiling burgers. It also has a useful reversible griddle on its cooktop.
The Bad The oven has trouble when it comes to evenly browning two racks of biscuits at the same time, even when you use the convection fan. The Bluetooth connectivity is limited at best.
The Bottom Line The GE PGB911SEJSS is a good pick if you’re in the market for a gas range.
Chris Monroe/CNET
GE Appliances has found its sweet spot in lower-priced ovens. In the $1,200-and-less category, the manufacturer has produced ovens with simple, thoughtful designs and consistent cooking performance. Take the GE JB750SJSS electric range, which cooked up a mean chicken and costs $1,000 (and you can probably find it cheaper), or the intuitive GE PB911SJSS electric range for $1,100.
We see much of the same reliability with the $1,200 GE PGB911SEJSS gas range. The appliance delivers decent cook times and comes with a reversible cooktop griddle that makes indoor grilling fun. The range includes a Bluetooth connection, but it only controls the light and vent system with GE’s corresponding over-the-range microwave. And the oven did have trouble evenly browning multiple racks of biscuits, and none of its cook times will set the world on fire.
The GE PGB911SEJSS gas range is $200 more than a similar gas range from GE, the JGB700SEJSS. That extra money gets you a few more cooking modes, along with the aforementioned Bluetooth feature and reversible griddle. If those things are important to you, you’d be safe bringing the GE PGB911SEJSS home. But you’d also be OK with the equally solid GE JGB700SEJSS and spending your $200 on the first few meals you’ll prepare on it.
GE’s got you covered with this gas range
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On this GE oven, two bonus features stand out
The GE PGB911SEJSS looks similar to the other lower-cost GE ranges that we’ve reviewed. This boxy, freestanding gas range is a standard 30 inches wide with stainless steel on the oven door and control panel. The GE PGB911SEJSS comes with a 5.6 cubic foot oven that has a convection fan built into the back wall for more even distribution of hot air during baking. Cast-iron grates cover four round burners on the cooktop and a fifth, oval burner lies in the center of the surface.
GE includes a reversible griddle for the center burner; you can grill items like hot dogs or burgers on the side with the raised edges and grilled cheese sandwiches, pancakes and the like on the flat side. We’ve seen a lot of ranges that include griddles for center, oblong burners, including the LG LRG4115ST and the Samsung NX58H9500WS, but I really enjoyed cooking with the reversible option that comes with this GE range. Though it’s not a high-tech feature, it’s a wise addition that gives home cooks a few more options.
One side of the griddle works well for grilling meats like hamburgers and hot dogs.
Chris Monroe/CNET
Another noteworthy feature on this GE range is the Chef Connect button, which activates the oven’s Bluetooth connectivity. The range syncs with GE’s Bluetooth-enabled over-the-range microwave ovens so that the light beneath the microwave and exhaust fan will automatically turn on if you turn on a burner. The connection is functional but useless if you don’t have the corresponding microwave, a drawback I noted on the Bluetooth-enabled GE PB911SJSS.
Performance is on par with competition
When it comes to cook tests, the GE PGB911SEJSS held its own against similar gas ranges. None of the cook times were extremely fast or slow, but the range proved that it can complete the basic functions of an oven.
Yale Look Video Doorbell Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET
Yale’s new doorbell cam lets you see who’s rinigng
Coming in October, the $170 Yale Look is a Wi-Fi doorbell cam with its own video monitor.
by Ry Crist
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Video doorbells have gotten a lot of attention over the past year. Now Yale, best known for its locks and deadbolt, wants in on the action.
Its product is called Yale Look, and it’s a $170 video doorbell that you’ll mount directly onto your front door. When someone walks up, a built-in motion detector will see them and start broadcasting the video feed to a touchscreen on the inside of your door. When they ring the chime, you’ll get a notification on your phone, along with the ability to view the feed or engage in two-way audio.
A dedicated video monitor sits on the inside of your door. You can also view the video feed on your smart phone when someone’s at the door.
Tyler Lizenby/CNET
That’s not too much different than what you’ll get with similar smart home doorbells from names like Skybell, August, and Ring, but Look sets itself apart with the addition of that dedicated video monitor on the inside of the door. It seems handy for people who don’t want their smart homes to tie them to their phone, but it looks a bit clunky, and also requires you to drill through the door to stay connected to the exterior camera. Good luck selling your spouse on that — let alone your landlord.
The video monitor includes a rechargeable battery that promises to last anywhere from six months to a year depending on usage. When it runs low, you can pop it off of the mount and recharge it via USB. It also comes with an 8GB SD card to store motion-activated video clips.
Yale tells us that the Wi-Fi version of Look will arrive at retail in October, with a second $240 version due out by the end of the year that’ll add in a Z-Wave radio to let it sync up with larger smart home control platforms like SmartThings or Control4. We’ll keep an eye out for both.
Kwikset Convert Smart Lock Conversion Kit Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET
The Kwikset Convert.
Ry Crist/CNET
Kwikset’s been making smart locks for years, but now, it wants to make smart locks out of the dumb locks most of us already use, thanks to a new smart lock adapter called Kwikset Convert.
We first heard about Convert back at CES — now, months later, we got a closer look at it at the CEDIA tech showcase in Dallas, Texas. It’s basically just the interior part of one of Kwikset’s smart locks — the part with the batteries and the brains. You’ll connect it to your existing deadbolt by way of a special set of adapters designed to fit a wide variety of locks, including ones from competitors like Baldwin and Schlage.
Once it’s installed, you’ll be able to connect your lock to a smart-home hub thanks to the built-in Z-Wave radio. From there, you’ll be able to lock and unlock your door from your phone, or automatically by way of preprogrammed automations.
You’ll be able to use Kwikset Convert with a wide range of deadbolts, including those not made by Kwikset.
Ry Crist/CNET
That’s a winning pitch for anyone who’s picky about the type of deadbolt they use, or for renters, who typically aren’t able to swap their deadbolts out for smart versions. It’ll also help Kwikset keep up with the August Smart Lock, which takes a similar approach with its clamp-on, app-enabled lock-turner.
Kwikset’s approach is a bit more hands-on than that, though. You’ll still need to break out the screwdriver to disassemble the interior half of your lock, then retrofit it to work with the Kwikset Convert controller.
Kwikset Convert is slated to arrive by February 2017. Pricing is yet to be finalized, but it sounds like it’ll almost certainly cost less than August, which retails for over $200. We’ll let you know as soon as we get a chance to test one out.
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