Connected Smart Home Device ‘Wink Hub 2’ Brings Better Connectivity and Security
Smart home platform Wink today announced the introduction of the Wink Hub 2, which the company says is “better, faster, more reliable, and more secure” than the original Wink Hub. In communication with a connected app, the device acts as a central location for users to connect a variety of smart home electronics in one place.
The 25 percent slimmer Wink Hub 2 now supports both 2.4 and 5GHz networks, and comes with an Ethernet port for smoother network connections. Wink also improved the Hub 2’s wireless capabilities, so it now supports Kidde, Lutron Clear Connect, Wi-Fi, Z-Wave, ZigBee, and has an improved Bluetooth Low Energy connection. Cryptographic verification, and other hardware security features, have been added as safeguards against tampering, “and ensure Wink Hub 2 only runs trusted software.”
“Wink’s mission is to make the smart home accessible, and empower users to harness the real world benefits it provides in everyday life,” said Nathan Smith, Wink founder and CTO. “Wink Hub 2 enables users regardless of their technical know-how to buy the products they love from the brands they trust, and know with confidence they’ll work together seamlessly through Wink.”
A faster processor and 8x more memory than the original Hub helps Wink Hub 2 run “advanced automations” including daily “Schedules,” so specific devices turn on or off at set times, and “Robots,” so the activation of one product triggers actions in other products. Wink Hub 2 includes support for products from brands like Amazon, Philips, Nest, Kwikset, GE, and more. The company said that since these processes are running locally on Wink Hub 2 they gain “increased speed and reliability.”
The company is also updating its iOS and Android Wink app to version 5.0, introducing a streamlined setup system for new users, and a no-hassle hub-to-hub transfer process for existing Wink Hub owners.
Wink Hub 2 will be available in late October for $99 at The Home Depot, Walmart, Amazon, and Wink’s own website. The company will also continue to sell the original Wink Hub for $69 at the same retail and online locations “while supplies last.” Users can download the free Wink app from the iOS App Store [Direct Link] now, and the update is said to be launching sometime soon.
Tag: Wink Hub 2
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Apple Edges Samsung to Top U.S. PC Customer Satisfaction Survey for 13th Consecutive Year
The American Customer Satisfaction Index (ASCI) today released its latest results [PDF] on U.S. consumer satisfaction in the personal computer industry, including tablets, with Apple narrowly topping the charts for the thirteenth consecutive year.
Apple maintained its year-ago score of 84 out of 100 in the survey, consisting of interviews with 3,500 customers chosen at random and contacted via email in June to share their experiences with recently purchased products like Macs and iPads.
Samsung, in its second year of ASCI tracking, trailed just one point behind Apple with a score of 83 out of 100, a 6.4% rise compared to its 2015 score.
Much like the smartphone category, the personal computer industry has become a race between Apple and Samsung for both market share and customer satisfaction. Apple and Samsung dominate market share in the tablet category, but the two companies take divergent views on the future of tablets. Apple continues to add laptop-like functionality to iPads, while Samsung sees tablets as additional devices for entertainment and browsing that complement—but not replace—laptops.
Amazon, which manufactures affordable Kindle tablets but not traditional PCs, finished third in customer satisfaction with an 80 out of 100 score, while PC makers Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP, Lenovo, and Toshiba rounded off the list with scores between 73 and 78. ACSI’s scores are calculated using its so-called cause-and-effect econometric model, which it says is based upon survey-measured inputs of customer expectations, perceptions of quality, and perceptions of value.
While Apple’s customer satisfaction remains characteristically strong, many customers are getting impatient with the current state of the Mac lineup. Beyond the 12-inch MacBook, our own Buyer’s Guide lists all Mac models as Don’t Buy due to the lack of updates in several hundreds of days. iMac: 350 days. MacBook Pro: 497 days. MacBook Air: 568 days. Mac mini: 712 days. Mac Pro: 1,013 days. The latest word is that new MacBook Pro and MacBook Air models with USB-C could launch as soon as October.
Tags: Samsung, ASCI
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DJI Launches New Mavic Pro Drone, Coming to Apple Stores in November
DJI today announced the launch of the Mavic Pro, its latest and smallest drone. The DJI Mavic Pro is designed to be compact, folding down to be put in a bag so it can be used anywhere.
When its four arms are folded and the propellers tucked away against its body, the Mavic Pro is “practically the size of a water bottle,” making it more portable than most drones. Despite its small size, the Mavic Pro is equipped with a stabilized 12-megapixel camera capable of capturing 4K video at 30fps and FlightAutonomy visual navigation system, plus it features a 4.3 mile range and can be flown for 27 minutes before needing to be recharged.
DJI has spent a decade making it easier for anyone to fly, and by rethinking everything about how a drones look, we have created an entirely new type of aerial platform for anyone to explore their creativity,” said Frank Wang, DJI’s CEO and founder.
“Mavic Pro is a technological triumph filled with features that once again show how DJI leads the industry. Most importantly, Mavic Pro allows you to reach the skies easily, see the world with new eyes and tell your stories like never before.”
FlightAutonomy, new in the Mavic Pro, consists of five cameras, GPS and GLONASS navigation systems, ultrasonic range finders, and 24 computing cores to navigate and plan routes for the drone. It can avoid obstacles while flying at 22 miles per hour, but it’s also able to reach speeds up to 40 miles per hour.
Mavic Pro can be controlled via an included compact remote controller with a built-in LCD screen or through an iPhone or iPad with an accompanying app. When used with a smartphone, DJI says the Mavic Pro can be set up and made airborne in less than a minute.
DJI has priced the Mavic Pro at $999 with the remote controller and $749 without it. DJI is also offering additional batteries for $89 and a bundle with a Mavic Pro, two extra batteries, additional propellers, a charging hub, an adapter, a car charger, and a bag for $1,299.
The Mavic Pro is available for pre-order from the DJI website starting today, and will soon be able to be ordered from Apple.com. Apple is already promoting the Mavic Pro on the iPad accessory section of its website, though there is not yet a store listing for it. Apple retail stores will begin selling the DJI Mavic Pro in early November.
Tag: DJI
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Apple Seeds Second macOS Sierra 10.12.1 Beta to Developers
Apple today seeded the second beta of an upcoming macOS Sierra update to developers for testing purposes, nearly a week after seeding the first beta and a week after releasing the new operating system to the public.
macOS Sierra 10.12.1 beta 2, build 16B2333a, can be downloaded from the Apple Developer Center and through the Software update mechanism in the Mac App Store.
macOS Sierra 10.12.1 appears to focus on bug fixes and under-the-hood performance improvements to address issues that have been found since the operating system’s release. Few outward-facing changes were discovered in the first beta, but it does include Photos support for the new iPhone 7 Plus Portrait feature introduced with the iOS 10.1 beta.
Any new features that are discovered in the second 10.12.1 beta will be listed below.
macOS Sierra is a significant update that brings features like Siri support, a new storage optimization option, cross device copy paste, auto unlocking with the Apple Watch, and more.
Related Roundup: macOS Sierra
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Best battery-saving practices every drone owner should know – CNET
Drone 101: How to extend your battery life
Seven basic tips to get a longer flight time out of every charge.
by Vanessa Hand Orellana
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Consumer and prosumer drones have come a long way in the last few years, but battery life continues to be an issue for most drone owners. Despite more powerful cameras, collision detectors and better navigation systems, and even in optimal flying conditions most drones today will not fly past the 25 minute mark.
And while there’s no way to keep it in the air any longer, there are a few things you can do to make sure you’re getting the most out of each charge.
Take good care of your battery
The lithium polymer or LiPo batteries found in most drones are sensitive to overheating; charging your battery at high temperatures can wear them down and reduce the charge over time. Avoid charging them right after use when they’re still hot, and make sure to charge them at room temperature once they’ve had some time to cool down. When not in use make sure to store them in a dry, cool place and never in the back seat of your car.
Click here for more tips on how to properly care for your LiPo batteries.
Charge right before you fly
Most drone batteries have an auto discharge feature that feature that drains them a few days after charging, so timing is important. The longer you wait to fly your drone, the greater the drain. For best results, fly with a fresh battery that has been charged a few hours before your flight.
Avoid overcharging
Never leave a battery charging unattended, and remove it from the charger as soon as it reaches full capacity. Some smart batteries do this automatically, but regardless of what type of battery you own, never leave it plugged into the wall for longer that it has to be.
Check the weather
Flying a drone while battling the elements is challenging for even the most experienced drone pilot. Never fly in a rain or snow storm, and avoid the wind as much as possible. The stronger the wind, the more battery power the drone uses to stabilize flight, and your battery life may end up cut in half. Humidity can also weigh down your drone and affect its battery life, so aim for a clear, dry day if you’re looking to get the most out of your charge.
Remove excess weight
If you don’t need it, take it off. Every extra ounce you add to your drone will make it work harder to stay aloft and use up more of the battery. Get rid of any accessories that you don’t absolutely need, such as propeller guards and lens filters, or even the camera when you’re not recording.
Don’t fly aggressively
If you’re concerned about the battery life, forgo the double flips and sharp turns. To extend your charge –and your now propeller-guard-free drone– aim for a smoother flight path.
Never fully drain your battery
It may be tempting to use up every last bit of juice when you’re out flying, but the extra five minutes of flight time is not worth the damage you may be causing to the battery. It’s best to be play it safe and land before you get the low-battery alert, but at the very least do not ignore the signal and land immediately after it appears on your controller.
Let’s talk about the Pixel’s crazy new on-screen keys
Android’s on-screen buttons get a big overhaul as part of the new Google UI on the Pixel phones. So let’s take a look at what’s new, and revisit what’s come before.
So the first proper render of one of the new Google Pixel phones has leaked out, and with it we’re getting a look at some new UI tweaks in that device’s software. The Pixel phones put the Google brand front and center, and so we’re seeing some significant UI tweaks — not least of which is in Android’s soft keys.
The new key layout uses a solid triangle, circle and square for the three main Android keys, with the home key having a white border around it. It’s not a huge departure from the outlined icons of old, but it is a significant change to a part of the Android UI you’ll be looking at an awful lot.
The new-style home button is a big visual differentiator from other Android phones.
There’s no suggestion that these new-style buttons will come to other Android devices, Nexus or otherwise, with the arrival of the first Nougat maintenance release (Android 7.1). Indeed, our money would be on this style of button being unique to Google’s Pixel devices. We’ll have to wait and see on that, though.
We’ll also have to hold out on whether there’ll be any animation changes accompanying the new button style. Right now on Android 7.0, there’s a familiar glowing effect when you tap the on-screen buttons, and Screen Search (formerly Google Now) expands to form a border around the screen when you long-press the home key. With Google (and its services) taking a more central role in the software, it’ll be interesting to see whether the visuals of Screen Search — or simple button taps, for that matter — are also changed.
The new keys also raise a few concerns over possible image burn-in on phones with AMOLED screens, as the Pixel and Pixel XL are rumored to have. Since you’re you’re lighting up more pixels more often compared to the old hollowed-out icons, any burn-in could be more noticeable. (That’s almost certainly something Google’s factored into its design process, though.)
Android’s on-screen keys: A brief history
Android 3.x Honeycomb — Tron-style
Honeycomb was weird — a tablet-only release of Android in 2011 that never really took off, with an oddball sci-fi UI. And that extended to glowing blue soft keys — a first for Android at the time — with sharp edges and bold outlines.
Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich – 4.4 KitKat — Holo-style
In late 2011, Ice Cream Sandwich toned down the overtly futuristic visual style of Android, bringing a cleaner button layout with more consistent lines and a curvy back arrow. This button style would stick around through to KitKat in 2013.
Android 5.0 Lollipop – 7.0 Nougat — Material-style
Lollipop introduced Material Design, a major design overhaul for the whole of Android, and other Google properties. And with it, Android’s on-screen keys became simpler and more geometric, with small outlined shapes for each key.
Pixel phones (Android 7.1 Nougat) — Google-style
The new Pixel phones are more Google-focused than ever before. So it’s only natural to see this reflected in the devices’ new button layout, with solid shapes extra prominence given to the home key, which is used to activate Screen Search (formerly Google Now).
Love ’em? Hate ’em? Share your thoughts on the Pixel’s new-style soft keys in the comments below!
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LG V20 cameras: What you need to know about the manual shooter’s dream phone
Here’s a peek at what the LG V20’s cameras can do.
The LG V20 still isn’t on sale just yet, but it’s coming. And when it officially launches, it will arrive chock full of camera features that your current smartphone probably can’t do — at least not without some serious trickery.
If you’re looking to upgrade to a better camera phone, but you’re not sure if the V20 will have much to offer, here’s a quick glance at some of the camera features LG stuffed into its new smartphone.
It’s got two cameras
The LG V20 is equipped with a 16MP f/1.8 OIS-supported primary camera and an 8MP f/2.4 super-wide 135-degree camera. The latter allows you to capture more of the scene at hand with the literal touch of a button. However, while the wide-angle camera modes are pretty useful in certain shooting situations, be forewarned that you can’t use them inside third-party camera apps like Snapchat and Instagram.
Its front-facing camera is wide-angle, too
The 5-megapixel rear-facing camera features an ultra-wide 120-degree lens, so you can fit in more than a few people into your selfie.
It’s got two manual modes
Whether you’re shooting a video or snapping a scene, the V20 lets you adjust the exposure, ISO, and white balance with easy-to-use toggles. You can also adjust the shutter speed—up to 30 seconds for both video and stills. What’s more: the manual video mode offers a helpful sound gauge and frame-rate readout, while the manual camera mode offers a histogram and f-stop indicator.
Keep in mind that if you’re shooting with the wide-angle lens, you’ll have to manually focus.
It’s got filters
The truth is, we’re still a society that dresses our memories in overly-contrasted, color-tinged filters. The V20 has eight of them built in. You can use them to record video and snap photos, and you can adjust them in manual mode.
You can make a video collage
Video collages are a fun way to share yourself on social media. I certainly had fun making my own musical concoction on Instagram when I was testing out the phone.
The LG V20 lets you make a multi-view masterpiece. It uses all three cameras at the same time. You can create an entire video collage, a still collage, or a “mixed media” collage, where you combine both video and stills. The only bummer is that it doesn’t crop entirely well to social networks like Instagram.
You can shoot your own personal Story
Forget Snapchat. The V20 lets you shoot up to a minute of your own personal Snap story. A Snap a comprised of three-second vignettes that you don’t have to shoot in one sitting. You can come back to the Snap throughout the day and then render it when you’re finished. The Snap can be as long or as short as you like. You can also choose between multi-view layouts to add even more variation to your story.
You can edit from inside the camera app
The V20 is a smartphone for content creation, so naturally, LG made it possible for you to quickly edit videos. You can snip away at the length, or speed up and slow down bits of your timeline. But if you’re looking for more granular camera controls, you’ll want to invest in a capable third-party app.
Zooming is hard
If you’re recording a video, the camera app will offer a virtual zoom slider at the top of the viewfinder. It’s finicky and requires a bit of a learning curve before you can properly use it. There’s a second slider option you can expand that’s easier to use, but that’s only offered when you’re recording video. But it’s really nice to have!
Steady recording is available
The V20 is equipped with Qualcomm’s electronic video stabilization feature, which helps reduce the latency in the interface between the phone’s gyroscope and the video image. It’s like a souped-up version of optical image stabilization.
Pop-out mode is still useless
Smartphone makers tend to ham fist a bunch of extra camera features without actually verifying their worth. The V20’s optional Pop-out mode seems like it fits the bill. It seems that the only point for this limited camera mode is to offer up a picture-in-picture experience. All it really does is devote the background to emulating what the secondary rear-facing camera sees. It’s a cool effect, though I don’t see its worth.
Your turn
Curious about what else the V20 can do? Sound off in the comments!
Grab two of these keychain USB-C adapters for just $6
Right now you can pick up this awesome little USB-C adapter for just $6 with coupon code FHWTY97R, a savings of $2 on the two-pack. Why would you need something like this? Well, ever been out and about and everyone has either a Lightning cable or a Micro-USB, and no USB-C cables? Now you can take that Micro-USB cable and turn it into a USB-C cable with this adapter that you can fit right on your keyring.
It has a built-in 56KΩ resistor to for safety and reliability, and even better is that two come in the pack. For the cost of what many spend on a cup of coffee or some afternoon snacks, you’ll be able to ensure that your phone is able to be charged while on the go. Remember, you need coupon code FHWTY97R for the full savings here.
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Go Time! Episode 11: A different kind of hunting
Episode 11 of Go Time has arrived!
Jen, Russell and Erin return for another week of representing their respective teams.
This week, we’re all in the middle of a different kind of hunt. That’s because we’re looking for the new Pokémon Go Plus accessory, with very little luck so far. Team Mystic also takes us down the rabbit hole to talk about Pokémon Go and rooting your phone. There’s also a spirited discussion about how complex Pokémon Go is becoming, and whether this alienates new players.
Join us as we explore the big world of Pokemon Go!
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New Galaxy Note 7 sales begin October 28 in Europe
New release is almost two months after the original street date, as Samsung announces 57% of old Note 7s have been returned.
Samsung has today announced that new Galaxy Note 7 sales will recommence from October 28, after battery safety problems scuppered the original launch date of September 2. The company says the new date is “subject to a full completion of the exchange program” — so all (or at least the overwhelming majority) of old, potentially dangerous Notes need to be returned before new sales can begin.
In a press release, Samsung also revealed that in Europe, 57% of Note 7 customers have exchanged their phone in the week since the exchange program began. Of those people exchanging, 90% chose a new Note 7 and 3% chose an alternative Samsung phone, the company says. (That leaves 7% taking the refund option.) Samsung predicts that the recall will be completed in Europe by early October, allowing a good buffer before the new street date.
The relatively high rate of returns in the first week isn’t surprising, given that Samsung last week rolled out a software update with warning messages to owners of the old Note 7, while also capping the battery charge at 60 percent. Samsung today confirmed that “strong co-operation with retail partners, daily direct communications with customers and software updates” has had a positive impact on the number of Europeans returning their Notes, adding that every Note 7 owner had now received a “safety message,” either as a “push notification, email, social media message or carrier communication.”
New Note 7s, like the ones that’ll go on sale from October 28, can be identified by their green battery icon.
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