macOS Sierra review: Mac users get a modest update this year
This is almost like part two of my macOS Sierra review. I had a chance to test Apple’s newest desktop operating system at the beginning of the summer, just before it was released in a public beta. The software hasn’t changed much since, but a few of the headline features were missing from that earlier build; Apple said they wouldn’t be available until the final version shipped in the fall. As it happens, Sierra arrives today as a free upgrade, so I’m picking up right where I left off. What follows is my full review of Sierra, though if you read my earlier preview, or have been using the software yourself, you won’t find many big surprises here.
Getting started
Sierra will work on Macs up to seven years old. (If your computer is older than that, it’s probably time to replace it anyway.) To be precise, it’ll run on MacBooks and iMacs from as far back as late 2009. If it’s any other kind of Mac — an Air, Pro, Mini or Pro desktop — your machine needs to be from 2010 or later. As you’ll see too, there are some features that simply won’t work without an iOS device. Think: an Apple Pay device for Apple Pay, a Touch ID–enabled device for Auto Unlock, and an iOS 10 device to use Universal Clipboard, Memories or the new Messages on the go.
As for setup times, downloading Sierra onto a recent iMac over my office’s usually fast WiFi network took about 20 minutes, while installing it took a little more than half an hour. As always, your mileage may vary. Suffice to say, though, if this is the only computer available to you, I suggest not upgrading in the middle of a workday — you’re going to be without a desktop for a while.
Features that are finally ready to use
Auto Unlock
Until now, iPhones and iPads have had Touch ID; Macs have had passwords. Which is fine, but certainly not as convenient. There’s still no fingerprint sensor on the MacBook or Magic Trackpad, but a new feature promises to be similarly convenient: using your Apple Watch to unlock your Mac when you’re in close proximity. To turn on Auto Unlock, as the feature is called, go into your Mac’s Security & Privacy settings and check off the box that says “Allow your Apple Watch to unlock your Mac.” It’d be pretty troubling if this feature were enabled by default.
So it’s easy to set up — or so you’d think. When I first tried to use this feature, I would wake my sleeping Mac and see the message “Unlocking with Apple Watch,” only to be forced to enter my password anyway. Apple says you need two-factor authorization enabled on your iCloud account in order for Auto Unlock to work. But I already had that in place. What could be the problem, then? I still am not sure. What I do know is that after I signed into appleid.apple.com and reset my iCloud password, I was able to log into my machine using Auto Unlock.
Apple Pay on the web
If you already use Apple Pay on your iPhone or Apple Watch, now you can do it from your Mac too. Starting today, some 300,000 websites are expected to add an Apple Pay button, according to a company spokesperson. To actually use it, you’ll need to have the site open in Safari specifically (because of course), and you’ll also need a mobile device that supports Apple Pay — either an Apple Watch or a recent iPhone. The reason for this is that although you’ll hit “pay” from the Safari page, you’ll need to either use Touch ID or a passcode on your iPhone or double-click your (authenticated) Apple Watch to complete the transaction.
Aside from being convenient, this has security benefits, according to Apple. For starters, not having to type in your address or credit card number could feel like a blessing should the retailer ever suffer a data breach. Additionally, all transactions are encrypted, and your credit or debit card number won’t be stored on your device or Apple’s servers, or be shared with retailers. Instead, you’re assigned a unique Device Account Number that’s stored on the so-called Secure Element of your device. Lastly, Apple Pay doesn’t keep a history of your transactions, though you can choose to keep your most recent purchase details in Wallet if you prefer.
During my pre-launch testing, five sites had already added the Apple Pay button: Indiegogo, Lululemon, Spring, Warby Parker and Instacart. To test it out, I found the least expensive thing in Lululemon’s (very expensive) lineup, added it to my cart, and then had my choice of two buttons: “Add to Bag” or “Apple Pay.” Because Apple Pay already had my credit card and address stored, clicking that button meant I jumped straight to a summary box, where all I would have had to do was click another button to confirm the purchase on my watch. It was super-easy, but it also scares me how quickly I could have purchased a $12 headband I didn’t need. In real life, you’d have but one chance to reconsider that impulse purchase before pulling the trigger.
All the stuff we covered earlier
Siri
Among all the new features in Sierra, this ranks as one of the most notable: Siri finally has a home on the desktop. And it’s hard to miss: There’s a Siri button both in the system tray in the upper-right corner and in the app dock at the bottom of the screen. Additionally, there’s a keyboard shortcut you can use: command-space-hold. As it happens, this is actually one of the few things that’s changed since I tested that pre-beta build. The command used to be Fn-spacebar. Now it’s command-spacebar and hold, which is similar to the existing Spotlight search shortcut (command-spacebar). That’s good, I think; may as well tap into Mac users’ muscle memory.
Just like on iOS, you can use Apple’s virtual assistant to search the web, draft emails and texts, create calendar events, set reminders, search the web and check things like the weather, stocks and sports scores. Siri has some Mac-specific tricks too, including searching your files, adjusting your system settings and giving you information about your computer, like how much local storage you have available. Throughout, you can pin Siri’s search results, as well as copy or drag and drop them into other parts of the OS.
Ultimately, Siri on the Mac is no smarter than it is on mobile. Which is to say, Siri can handle a diverse range of requests, and understands natural language, to a point (e.g., “Show me Snowden movie times”). Over time, though, Siri’s limitations become more obvious, and you learn not to bother asking it certain things. Siri might be able to show me local Snowden showtimes, for instance, but forget about narrowing the results to evening shows, or locations in a particular neighborhood.
Universal Clipboard
Apple already has a lot of so-called Continuity features that allow you to jump between apps on iOS and macOS, picking up on one platform where you left off on the other. Now, in addition to, say, having your notes and web history synced across devices, you can copy and paste between them too. So if you spot something on your Sierra Mac, you can copy and paste into iOS 10, and vice versa. (This also works from Mac to Mac, and from one iOS device to another.)
It’s really, really easy to use too. You just have to be signed into the same iCloud account on both devices, which need to be running Sierra and/or iOS 10 specifically. Then, just copy something and it’ll appear on the clipboard across all your connected devices. To use an oft-repeated Appleism: It just works.
So far I haven’t needed this feature often, but when I do, it’s handy. In one case, for instance, I had a lengthy App Store download code waiting for me in my email, which I had access to on my iPhone but not on my test machine. (I was logged out at the time.) Obviously, without Universal Clipboard I would have had other options, including logging into my email on the laptop or dropping the code into the Notes app, which I use on both platforms. But being able to copy and paste directly is far more efficient.
Picture in Picture
New to both iTunes and Safari is a Picture in Picture view that lets you pop out video into a floating stay-on-top window, which you can then resize and drag around the screen. Apple has a developer API for this, so over time you should see the little pop-out icon appear on more websites. For now, it works on iTunes and a select few sites, including Vimeo. (I successfully tried Picture in Picture on ESPN during my earlier round of testing, but didn’t see the pop-out button there while testing the final build.)
When the pop-out button is available, the feature works well, and I particularly like that the floating window closes automatically once the video is finished. Still, it’s a shame that when viewing in Picture in Picture mode, you can’t jump forward or a back to a different point in the video.
Apple Music makeover
Speaking of iTunes, Apple Music has received a major redesign on both mobile and desktop. In the case of desktop (that would be the iTunes app), you’ll see three major sections: “For You,” “Browse” and “Radio.” Those last two need no explanation, but in the case of “For You,” it includes a mix of personalized recommendations and playlists, as well as updates from whatever artists you might be following. Throughout, the look is much cleaner, with large headers and oversize album art. Make no mistake: iTunes itself still feels like a bloated mess, but at least Apple Music now feels streamlined.
iCloud Desktop and Documents
If you like, you can now have your entire Desktop and your Documents folder sync directly to iCloud so that you don’t have to cherry-pick specific files for upload. Basically, then, Sierra works a lot more like Dropbox (or OneDrive, Google Drive or any other cloud storage service that allows you to automatically back up folders wholesale). As ever, you’ll find Desktop and Documents in Finder’s left-hand pane; now, though, they’re listed under “iCloud.”
Obviously, it’s up to you whether you want to take advantage of this feature (it’s not turned on by default), but personally I’ve found it very useful. Because I have an iMac on my office desk and a MacBook that I take home and into conference rooms, it’s nice to be able to quickly retrieve things like TextEdit files and know my progress was saved across devices.
Optimized Storage
While we’re on the subject of iCloud, Sierra does a bunch of things to help you better manage your large iCloud library. If you head into iCloud settings, you’ll see an option for “Optimize Mac Storage” that enables not just one feature, but a whole series of background processes that help free up space on your local drive.
By default, your whole iCloud library will be available on your machine if you have the space, but if you don’t, older files will automatically be uploaded to the cloud. Optimized Storage also moves seldom-used files and already watched iTunes videos off your local disk. You can also store Mail attachments on the server until you choose to download them. Ditto for things like dictionaries, instructional videos and special fonts, which are now available on demand instead of on the system itself.
Other low-hanging fruit include items that have been in the trash 30 days — Sierra can automatically erase that, as well as clear your cache and logs. Additionally, it flags duplicate downloads in Safari and reminds you of used application installers. Lastly, the macOS installer itself is smaller than in years past, meaning you have slightly more free space after upgrading than you might have had otherwise.
Photos
If you’re an iPhone or iPad owner, you’ve presumably updated to iOS 10, which, among other things, brings a redesigned Photos app. The new Photos makes an appearance here on Sierra too, albeit with a more sprawling, desktop-friendly design. As on iOS, Photos now uses artificial intelligence to analyze your pictures, identifying places, faces and various objects, like dogs and beaches. The app then takes all that information and puts together so-called Memories — automatically generated albums showcasing what Apple’s AI thinks are the highlights.
Though you might not always agree with the particulars (surely there was a better version of a shot Apple could have chosen?), this is a convenient way to look back on good times without having to go take on the chore of sorting and curating your photos. Scroll down and you’ll see that Apple includes “Related Memories” below the Memory you’re looking at. Be warned: This can be addictive.
Aside from Memories, you’ll also find dedicated People and Places albums. When it comes to people, Apple’s AI gets smarter over time as you tag more and more faces. To make this easier, Photos surfaces faces with a prompt to fill in that person’s name. Once you get a good backlog, you’ll notice that the People album sorts faces in descending order according to how frequently they appear in photos. That said, if you add someone as a favorite, they’ll always float to the top regardless of their ranking.
There are some UI changes here as well. There’s a search bar that can bring up pictures based on keywords — say, “cats,” “snow” or whatever else might be in the shot. As mentioned, Siri can find your photos too (try asking for photos from a certain year, or with a certain person taken at a certain place). The Albums view looks a little different as well, with rounded tiles and a view counter on videos. Also, if you’re viewing one big photo on the screen, you’ll notice that the scrubber on the bottom looks a lot like the one on iOS. (Pick “Show Thumbnails” from the View menu to make the scrubber appear in the 1-up layout.)
Lastly, Photos on Sierra ushers in some new editing tools. Among them: “Brilliance,” which applies region-specific adjustments to brighten dark areas, and “Markup” for adding text, shapes and signatures to images. You can also edit Live Photos (both stills and video), and Apple has released an API allowing third-party developers to incorporate this feature into their own image-editing apps.
Messages
Messages is yet another app that received updates on both Sierra and iOS 10. New features include larger emoji (three times bigger than before), inline previews of videos and websites, and so-called Tapbacks, which let you respond to a message by adding a thumbs-up, heart or other pictorial reaction by tapping rather than hit ‘reply.’ The fact that your reaction appears on top of the message bubble means less clutter as you scroll through a message thread.
Unfortunately, some of the most addictive new features in Messages for iOS didn’t make it into the desktop version. On mobile, for instance, you can send messages with stickers, handwriting, flashy screen backgrounds and animated text effects (think: “slam” for emphasis). Not on Sierra, though. If it’s any comfort, you can at least view these effects on the desktop when your friends send wacky messages from their iOS 10 devices. You just won’t be able to respond in kind.
Tabs
It’s not just Safari anymore — many Mac apps, including Mail, TextEdit, Maps and the iWork suite also now support tabs. So if you open a new window in Maps, you’ll see not a new window, exactly, but a neat little tab. This will automatically work across many third-party document-based apps too, without any tweaks required on the part of developers. The only apps where this won’t work are ones that didn’t already have a multi-window option. That’s why you’ll see tabs in Maps, for instance, but not FaceTime.
If you really love this feature, you can choose to always turn new windows in these apps into tabs. (That’s what I opted to do.) There are other options, though. You can elect instead to have this happen in full-screen mode only.
Odds and ends
And finally, some other miscellaneous changes that might (or might not) be of interest:
- The ability to share notes from the Notes app.
- You can now find Safari browser extensions in the Mac App Store.
- Safari automatically plays HTML5 video if the website you’re looking at supports it. If a plug-in is required to view video, you can opt to enable it just once or on an ongoing basis.
- A filter button in Mail allows you to see just unread or flagged emails, messages that are addressed to you or ones you’re copied on, or messages sent with attachments. It’s also possible to apply more than one of these criteria at a time.
- Push email support and calendar updates for Exchange accounts.
- Send read receipts for individual conversations in Messages.
- “Coordinated alerts” mean that notifications make a sound only on the device you happen to be using.
- Spotlight Search now finds files you’ve created, printed, shared, emailed, messaged and sent via AirDrop, or posted to Twitter or Facebook.
- The keyboard settings menu now has an “auto-capitalization” option.
- A new keyboard shortcut (not enabled by default) allows you to add a period by hitting the spacebar twice.
- Apple says Sierra’s autocorrect algorithm is generally smarter than it was in last year’s OS.
- Sierra adds a few new dictionaries, including Traditional Chinese and Danish. There are also two new bilingual dictionaries: Italian-English and Dutch-English.
- Japanese users are getting transit directions in Apple Maps. This includes major train, subway, ferry and national and local bus lines in Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya.
- Right-to-left support for Arabic and Hebrew.
- Time Machine now supports the SMB protocol, making it compatible with third-party network-attached storage devices.
Wrap-up
There’s little reason to ever skip a macOS update (in fact, there are lots of reasons that’s a bad idea). But as far as annual releases go, Sierra is a fairly minor one. You probably won’t appreciate Siri on the desktop unless you already use it on mobile, and even then, Apple’s virtual assistant isn’t always as smart as we’d like. Auto Unlock is useful, but difficult to set up, and you need an Apple Watch, which many folks don’t have. Apple Pay is convenient but also conducive to impulse purchases, which is probably better news for retailers than shoppers.
Take all that away and some of the most useful features are actually the least showy. Think: Optimized Storage and the ability to automatically back up your Desktop and Documents folder to iCloud. Many people will use these features, myself included. Are these updates exciting, though? I think even the most loyal of Mac users would have to say no.
Graphene key to promising treatment for spinal cord injuries
Graphene seems to have almost limitless potential, from making better batteries to night-vision windshields and microscopic sensors. And now, a team at Rice University has shown the material could be key to a promising new treatment for severe spinal cord injuries.
Previous work has shown graphene can stimulate the growth of neurons, while polyethylene glycol (PEG) has been used with limited success to heal damaged spinal cords in animals. Building on this, researchers at the university used their chemistry knowhow to combine graphene nanoribbons (stripped from larger carbon nanotubes) with PEG to produce Texas-PEG. The amazing thing about this new material is that it acts as a much more potent “conductive scaffold,” promoting the two ends of a severed spinal cord to repair and reconnect. Importantly, this isn’t just theoretical.
In an animal study involving a rat with a severed spinal cord, treatment with Texas-PEG restored some function within just 24 hours. After two weeks, the same rat was well on its way to a full recovery, displaying “almost perfect motor control.” We’re still aways from translating this early research into an available treatment for spinal cord injuries in humans, but as the Rice release describes it, Texas-PEG’s potential “is too promising to be minimized.”
There is already a heap of incredible work being done by doctors, researchers and engineers to restore the function of paralyzed limbs and improve the quality of life of patients — implants, electrical stimulation, exoskeletons and virtual reality therapy being a few examples. And, if new treatments come along that can help repair spinal cord damage soon after injury, all the better.
Source: Rice University
Schlage Sense Smart Deadbolt Updated With Compatibility for iOS 10 Home App
Lock maker Schlage recently updated its iOS app to introduce compatibility between the company’s Schlage Sense Smart Deadbolt and Apple’s new Home app in iOS 10. Once users update the Schlage Sense app in the iOS App Store, the smart deadbolt can be added into Home, and subsequently controlled via Control Center and voice commands through Siri.
The update also brings push notifications whenever the deadbolt is locked or unlocked, and ultimately makes “it easier for users to keep an even closer eye when their lock is used,” according to Schlage. Within the Schlage Sense app, users can manage access codes, change lock settings, view the last 100 times the lock was used, receive installation help, and contact customer service.
An update to the Schlage Sense app is now available in the App Store which allows the Schlage Sense lock to work in tandem with iOS 10’s new Home app. This integration provides users with a centralized platform to access their favorite HomeKit-connected devices alongside their Schlage Sense deadbolt. Through this update, all iOS users (9.3 and above) will also receive push notifications when their deadbolt is locked and unlocked. These updates make it easier for users to keep an even closer eye when their lock is used.
The Schlage Sense Smart Deadbolt also has a touch keypad so anyone with an access code — with up to 30 storable codes available at a time — can gain entry into a home without the Schlage or Home app. The system is available on Schlage’s website for $229.00, and the Schlage Sense app can be downloaded for free from the App Store. [Direct Link]
Tags: Schlage, Schlage Sense Smart Deadbolt
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How to Easily Check iPhone 7 and 7 Plus Availability at Apple Stores Worldwide
While the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus launched last week, the usual trend of demand outstripping supply has resulted in limited availability of the smartphones around the world. Fortunately, prospective buyers can easily check stock at their local Apple Stores using the website iStockNow.
iStockNow uses Google Maps to visualize the real-time status of iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus availability at Apple Stores in the U.S., Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the U.K., likely based on Apple’s reservation system backend.
The website allows users to filter their search by iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus, storage capacity, color, location, and U.S. carrier. There is also a “no CDMA” filter that narrows the search to iPhone models built for GSM networks, but note that CDMA models support both CDMA and GSM networks.
Apple Store locations with availability based on the search criteria display a green marker, while stores that are out of stock display a red marker. Clicking on an individual marker opens a window with an expanded model-by-model breakdown of availability, and the time that stock was last updated at that location.
iPhone 7 Plus availability appears to be slowly improving in parts of the U.S., particularly in the New York and Los Angeles areas. In Manhattan, for example, select iPhone 7 Plus models are currently available at Apple’s Fifth Avenue, Grand Central, Upper East Side, Upper West Side, and World Trade Center locations.
Shoppers can still use Apple’s front-end reservation system, but iStockNow provides a more convenient way to view in-store stock at a glance.
Related Roundup: iPhone 7
Tag: Apple retail
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Apple Music Attracting New Streaming Subscribers to Aid in Music Industry’s ‘Fragile Recovery’
The music industry is facing a “fragile recovery” at the hands of popular streaming services like Apple Music and Spotify, according to new data collected by the Recording Industry Association of America (via Bloomberg). In total, the music industry in the United States is on track to grow for the second year in a row, which would mark “the first back-to-back growth since 1998-1999.”
RIAA’s data showed that streaming revenue in the U.S. grew 57 percent in the first half of 2016, reaching $1.6 billion, and accounted for almost half of industry sales, while subscriptions totaled $1.01 billion. Altogether, the industry grew 8.1 percent to $3.4 billion in the first half of 2016, which is on track to best the $7 billion yearly average of the last six years.
Apple Music and Spotify remain the biggest forces in the streaming market, and a few label executives noted that “most of the users for Apple Music are people new to paying music, not former Spotify customers.” At the last recorded subscriber count, Spotify had 40 million paid subscribers worldwide, while Apple music had 17 million.
Nor is this the first time new technology has come along to get people to pay online. Apple Inc. co-founder Steve Jobs convinced record labels that iTunes would save the industry from piracy, only to vaporize album sales by selling singles instead.
Yet Apple is no longer the only player in the market for digital music. Spotify operates a larger paid subscription service and has showed no signs of slowing down since Apple Music began competing in that market. Most of the users for Apple Music are people new to paying music, not former Spotify customers, according to label executives.
Understandably, retail spending on physical media isn’t accounting for any of the overall industry growth. Physical music sales dropped 14 percent in RIAA’s data of the first half of 2016, while paid downloads — like those offered in the traditional iTunes store — “also shrank by a double digit percentage.” Free streaming grew 24 percent in the same data, to $195 million, but “those services aren’t doing enough to convince people to pay for music,” nor are they making enough money off free users to continue staying afloat.
That could potentially be why popular free music platforms, like Pandora, are gearing up to introduce new paid listening tiers for users. Amazon is planning to do the same, and both services are predicted to match Apple Music’s $9.99 per month cost, while offering similar on-demand singles, albums, radio, and playlists for listeners.
Tag: Apple Music
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Apple Releases macOS Sierra With Siri, Apple Pay, Apple Watch Unlock, Universal Clipboard, and More
Apple today released macOS Sierra to the public, making the latest Mac operating system available for free to all Mac users around the world. Apple seeded eight betas of macOS Sierra and multiple versions of the golden master before its official launch.
macOS Sierra can be downloaded directly from the Mac App Store, and Apple should begin offering it through the Software Update function shortly. It’s compatible with the following Macs:
2009 and Later
– iMac
– MacBook
2010 and Later
– MacBook Air
– MacBook Pro
– Mac mini
– Mac Pro
macOS Sierra (10.12), which follows OS X Yosemite (10.10) and OS X El Capitan (10.11), features a new name that brings it in line with Apple’s other operating systems, iOS, watchOS, and tvOS. The update focuses heavily on introducing new features to better integrate with the iPhone and Apple Watch and improve user experience.
macOS Sierra brings Siri to the Mac, allowing users to conduct voice searches to find files, look up information, and more, with the ability to pin searches to the Notification Center for continual monitoring. There are new Continuity features including an “Auto Unlock” option for unlocking a Mac with an Apple Watch, and a “Universal Clipboard” option for copying text on one Apple device and pasting it on another.
Better iCloud integration allows files stored on the desktop and in the Documents folder of a Mac to be accessible on all of a user’s devices through iCloud Drive, and there are new deep learning algorithms in Photos for improved facial, object, and scene recognition that make searching for specific photos a whole lot easier.
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A “Memories” feature in Photos displays collections of pictures and resurfaces old events, while Messages features rich links, bigger emoji, and Tapback response options.
Apple Pay is coming to the web in macOS Sierra, with payments authenticated through an iPhone or Apple Watch, and new features like multiple tabs, Picture in Picture multitasking, optimized storage, and revamped emoji are also available.
More information on macOS Sierra can be found in our macOS Sierra roundup, which includes details on all major features and a list of more minor changes. Our forum members are also discussing Sierra’s new features in our macOS Sierra forum, and we encourage readers to join in with questions and new discoveries.
Related Roundup: macOS Sierra
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Use iOS Mail to quickly unsubscribe from mailing lists – CNET
I can’t say I’m a fan of everything about iOS 10. Apple seems to be following Microsoft down the path of change-for-the-sake-of-change, and not always for the better.
For example, the new threaded view for email conversations? Hate it. iOS Mail now joins Gmail (when viewed in a browser) in making it virtually impossible to discern the newest section of a conversation. Ugh.
On the other hand, there’s another change to Mail I fully applaud: super-easy unsubscribing. Because, let’s face it, we’re all inundated by way too much junk email, and getting off those mailing lists can be a hassle — especially if you’re trying to do it on your phone.
In iOS 10, Mail scans each message for any indication that it’s part of a mailing list. If so, here’s what you’ll see when you open that message:
Enlarge Image
Screenshot by Rick Broida/CNET
All you have to do now is tap Unsubscribe. That leads to this:
Enlarge Image
Screenshot by Rick Broida/CNET
And that’s it! Two taps and you’re done. Now for the bad news: Mail says it “sends a message to unsubscribe,” but not every mailing list operates that way; in some cases you may have to visit the source and unsubscribe manually.
Even so, this should help you cut down on junk email with a minimum of effort. This is the kind of time-saving convenience I want more of, Apple. (And while we’re at it, how about equipping the Messages app with an auto-responder that knows when you’re driving?)
What are your thoughts on this new feature?
LuDela Smart Candle Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET
The LuDela Smart Candle is a real candle with a real flame — none of that cheap-looking LED candle stuff — but you can light it with an app. You read that right: You can now literally light a flame with an app.
The app connectivity isn’t just a gimmick, though. It also features extra safety features to prevent house fires or injury to young children, as well as scheduling features. According to LuDela’s CEO, voice integration is even planned for the near future.
All these features come at a price. For $100, you get the base device, including a colored wax shell and a beeswax-and-soy 30-hour candle. Each additional shell you get (for seasonal decor, for instance) costs $20, and each additional candle is $8 (or $6, if you subscribe to LuDela’s service).
LuDela
The mechanics behind LuDela are simple, but creative. Essentially, the device comes in three layers: The outermost layer is a purely aesthetic shell; the second layer is the silicone device itself; and the third layer is the candle, which sits in a spring-loaded cradle to keep the wick at the top even as the wax burns away. The result is a pillar candle that’s only a few inches in diameter. Only when you look closely near the wick do you notice the differences between LuDela and a standard candle.
LuDela lights the flame by channeling heat between four electrical nodes that surround the wick. It extinguishes the flame with a small fan nestled right beside the wick. Other than these two mechanisms, the device consists of various sensors for safety purposes. If the candle tilts to the side, for example, it will automatically extinguish the flame. If anything passes over the top of the flame within a few feet, the flame will go out. Essentially, it seems like the LuDela’s Smart Candle will attempt to diminish the dangers of regular candles.
LuDela
I’m not thrilled about LuDela’s price; $100 for app control and extra safety features seems a bit pricey — especially when standard pillar candles or smart LED candles will only set you back between $10 and $40. That said, as someone who hates hunting around for a lighter or matches, I like the idea of starting fire with my phone.
LuDela is available for preorder beginning today, and the company plans to ship out units by the end of 2016.
Fizzics Waytap Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET
Fizzics
A year after surprising us with a sonic-powered beer enhancer, Fizzics is launching a crowdfunding campaign today for a new device called the Fizzics Waytap. Like the first Fizzics, you’ll put your bottled beer into Waytap, and it’ll use sound waves to give you a smooth pour topped by a creamy head — making your store bought beer taste like it came from the tap at your favorite bar.
The biggest difference between the original Fizzics and the new Waytap is the appearance — it’s smaller, thinner, and lighter than before. You’ll also put your beer into the device differently. You open the lid of the first Fizzics, place your bottle into the body of the device, then guide the tap’s hose into place while closing the lid. Waytap wants to make the process more simple and sanitary. The whole top of the cylinder comes off, you put your beer on the base, then as you put the top back, the hose should go into the bottle on its own.
A smooth pour
Fizzics on the left; Waytap on the right.
Fizzics
With both devices, once the container is sealed, pull the tap handle forward and the Fizzics Micro-Foam technology will steadily pour your beer out under pressure. Once your glass is almost full, push the handle in the opposite direction, and Fizzics will agitate the carbonation of the beer remaining in the bottle, and top off your glass with a frothy head of foam.
When I tested the first Fizzics, I thought the whole idea of using sound to make bottled beer taste better sounded like elaborate fiction, but it works. Fizzics genuinely made beer frothier and creamier. I didn’t always find that to be a positive thing, as it sometimes muted hoppier beers, but it made any chocolate or spicy notes pop and did make some bottled beers taste better and closer to their draft variety.
Outlook
Can Fizzics unlock your bottled beer’s true potential?
Fizzics claims it can make bottled beer taste like draft. We head to the corner bar to put that claim to the test.
by Andrew Gebhart
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Given that the Waytap will be using the same technology as Fizzics, I have every reason to suspect it will have similar success. I didn’t really find the original Fizzics too big or too difficult to use, though, so the Waytap doesn’t look to fix any of my issues with the original product. The smaller size actually eliminates one of the cool uses of the original Fizzics — pouring growlers. The Waytap can’t fit them.
Beer tech
- Synek Counter Top Beer Dispenser
- PicoBrew Pico
- Brewie
However, I’m sure the smaller size will appeal to some and it can still fit both bottles and cans. Plus, Waytap is cheaper than Fizzics — it’ll retail for $130 whereas Fizzics costs $170. Via the Kickstarter campaign, you can preorder Waytap now for discounts off of that price and it’ll ship anywhere in the world. The US price converts to roughly £100 and AU$170. The Fizzics price converts to £130 and AU$230 (plus tax).
The original Fizzics was a crowdfunding success too, so if you like the look of the new Waytap and like your beer frothy, I’d call preordering Waytap a pretty safe bet.
Forza Horizon 3 review – CNET
The Good Great open world and lots to explore. The cars are gorgeously detailed and feel great on (and off) the road.
Excellent options for driving against or with friends both virtually and online.
The Bad It’s amazing how weirdly they’ve mashed the real world into this map. Track racing fans might wish for something more serious.
The Bottom Line A great open-world racing festival that captures the Australian landscape beautifully and makes it a fun driving experience.
Visit manufacturer site for details.
Strewth mate! When I first caught wind Playground Games was making a dog’s breakfast of the Aussie map for Forza Horizon 3 I was bloody outraged! But now I’ve had a good gander ya gotta give ’em a fair shake because it turns out they’ve made a corker that really does get the Aussie vibe of the thing. Go ‘Straya!
Translation: If you know the reality, you’ll know Playground has done some very weird things with the Australian map for its Forza Horizon 3 setting. But what the game lacks in geography lessons it makes up for in sheer driving pleasure, while still capturing the spirit of what it means to make a racing game with an Australian backdrop.
The Holden Special Vehicles GTS Maloo. Please, play it like an Aussie and make this your starting car.
Microsoft
Driving games love their stats, so here’s a few: Over 350 cars, twice the map size of the previous Horizon game, 12-player online multiplayer, four-player online campaign co-op, new events and car types galore. If you want more, Forza Horizon 3 gives you more. Case closed.
The cars all feel wonderfully different too. It’s not just that they handle differently. The sounds they make are unique to each make and model. After performing upgrades the sounds change too. There’s no mistaking the difference between a BMW RLL Z4 GTE, a BMW M4 Coupe or a BMW Isetta 300 Export. Turbos pop violently, V8s thunder and race engines roar.
But there’s something else here. The game feels more open than ever. Forza Horizon games are about enjoy the open driving experience, this time around the game lets you really go wherever you want. Take shortcuts across fields, through forests or even off clifftops. Drive through the surf. There’s less of a sense of being hemmed in by invisible walls than ever before.
Fun on the open road
Your first mission in the game sets quite the tone. It’s you in a buggy versus a Jeep that spends most of the race being flown through the bush under a helicopter. It’s dumb, it’s crazy and it’s a lot of fun as you chase it through bush terrain on your way to your first Horizon Festival location.
The game is also notably not just fun, but funny. Beauty spot commentaries, radio announcers (my favourite is the classical community radio station — nothing like doing burnouts to some Beethoven) plus banter with your festival assistant (you’re now the boss, by the way). Little touches that make you laugh rather than cringe at the idea that real people with the kind of money to enjoy cars like these are sometimes jerks and, to use the Australian vernacular, wankers.
A buggy versus a jeep under a chopper? The crazy tone is set from the very start.
Microsoft
The race events are fun and a good mix of styles and locations, with environments like beaches, coastal roads, city streets, forests and the outback. But I’ll happily argue the best of the game is found out on the open road. Nothing is too gated either. Yes, you must unlock events by gaining fans to open up more festival upgrades and new venues, but the world itself is made to be explored.
It’s not all beaches, forests and outback. There’s a city on a beach too.
Microsoft
The game again features “Barn finds” as a way to discover 15 classic cars hidden out in the world. It really should have been renamed “Shed finds” for the Australian setting, but the fun of the hunt lets me overlook that faux pas. There’s danger sign jumps for doing particularly crazy stunts and bucket list objectives with races and events that are even more over the top than usual. But the best of the new additions has to be Convoy.
With Drivatars of friends still a big part of the game, you can now beep your horn while driving past Drivatars to form up in a convoy of racers heading wherever you want to go. Suddenly the basic act of driving through the open world feels like you are racing along with friends, without worrying about actually winning a race. If you go off-road your convoy will still follow along, making for some particularly fun times bouncing through the scrub in search of a hidden barn.
AIVAnet 