Elevate your selfie game with this pocket-sized drone
Selfie drones? Sigh. We’ve only ourselves to blame. That said, the gadget fan inside of me is shamelessly drawn to the meretriciousness of the idea. The general problem of the aerial selfie is a nut that’s been cracked already, but we’re all for more options — and Dobby (above) from ZeroTech is one of them. Pitched as a “pocket drone,” Dobby is (as you might have guessed) small, with arms that fold out when an emergency selfie opportunity presents itself. It’s not a truly hands-free experience, as you’ll need your phone to control it, but it’s crammed with an array of smart features and we tried most of them here in Berlin.
Some of you might have seen Dobbie before. It’s been on sale in China since summer, and even made a cameo in our very own ICYMI. This weekend, ZeroTech brought Dobby to Berlin to celebrate it’s US and European launch. We’ll say it right up top, at $399 (469€) — the sort of money that can get you a family-size 4K quadcopter — you’ll have to really want one, but there’s a lot going on, so get comfortable, and we’ll get right to it.
The first thing you’ll notice about Dobby is its petite design. It’s about the size of a PS Vita, maybe a little fatter, and looks somewhat like a giant bar of soap. Until you fold out the arms, at which point it starts looking more drone-like. Perched on the front is a 13-megapixel camera, and on the underside is where you’ll find the removable battery and sonar/downward camera for indoor positioning. Somewhere hidden inside of Dobby are GPS and GLONASS sensors for satellite positioning. Dobby maybe small, but it’s not lacking in gizmos.
The camera snaps photos, of course, with a burst mode to make sure you “trap” the perfect picture. Video is grabbed at 1080p/30fps. ZeroTech told me the camera is similar to that found in phones like the Xioami Mi 4. The idea being, a mobile-style shooter takes better personal photos — no fisheye, or wide angle weirdness. The similarities with a phone don’t end there, as there’s also a Snapdragon 801 processor running the show. Those brains aren’t powering apps, though, instead it’s put to use to drive the smart features, of which there are a few. Maybe too many?
In our time with Dobby, ZeroTech tried to show us everything it could do. This includes voice enabled control (call it’s name, it’ll take off). You can also set Dobby to take off from, and land onto your palm. It’s not exactly the throw launched promised (but as yet undelivered) by Lily, but moving your hand upwards will see the drone take flight. Be careful of your fingers though, as Dobby nipped a pinkie from our demonstrator at one point.
One feature we sadly didn’t get to test was target tracking. The idea is, you select a person/cat/whatever currently in the camera’s view (via the app), and the drone will follow it. DJI’s Phantom 4 and Osmo also do this, with mixed results, so it’ll be interesting to see how well Dobby can hold up. Video is stabilized digitally, which should smooth it out a little, but again, this isn’t as effective as a dedicated gimbal, or OIS. One final feature that probably could have been left out are flying tricks — in particular Dobby can barrel roll. You can’t film while it flips, so it’s just a novelty.
While we had fun flying Dobby outside the IFA grounds (and taking the awkward selfie above), the first thing my colleague asked was, what is this for? It’s a good question. I enjoy flying drones generally, and shooting smooth high quality video. Dobby can’t really match something like a DJI in that regard. Of course, you can’t shlep a DJI around with you everywhere, which is the key selling point here. But, the number of times I’ve been caught drone-less when I needed one are few. That said, no one needed selfie sticks at one point (and I’m still not sure they do). Still, at $400, like I said before, put this one firmly on the executive toy list.
Bang and Olufsen’s 360-degree speakers deliver sound in style
Earlier this week, Bang and Olufsen introduced its BeoSound 1 and BeoSound 2 multi-room speakers, and we just checked them out at IFA 2016. As expected, considering they both cost upward of $1,000 each, the new 360-degree speakers look stylish and unordinary. And while they do resemble Samsung’s R wireless speakers, B&O’s set is made with more premium materials — namely “rock solid” aluminum, according to the company. The biggest feature of the BeoSound 1 and BeoSound 2, however, is the fact they can project sound all around you. That, in theory, should make for a more immersive experience when you’re listening to any audio.
On top of that, they can pair to other devices through AirPlay, Google Cast and Bluetooth. In other words, you won’t have trouble streaming your music from a smartphone or tablet. One of the main differences between the BeoSound 1 and BeoSound 2, aside from size, is that the former comes with a rechargeable battery. The other, meanwhile, needs to always be plugged into an electric outlet. Bang and Olufsen says its main goal is for these to be unobtrusive in someone’s home or office, hence the rather minimalist, lamp-like design.
You’ll have to break the bank if you want them, though. The BeoSound 1 and BeoSound 2 arrive in October for $1,495 and $1,895, respectively. That’s a lot more than Sonos’ best multi-room speaker, the Play:5, which itself isn’t cheap at $500. It’s definitely something to think about.
We’re live all week from Berlin, Germany, for IFA 2016. Click here to catch up on all the news from the show.
Razer and Maingear partner on an all-out gaming PC
Maingear isn’t playing favorites when it comes to partners for over-the-top gaming rigs. The PC builder is teaming up with Razer for the R1 Razer Edition, a tower PC that’s as much about showing off as boosting your frame rates. Razer, as you might have noticed, handles the design — it’s monolithic, flashy and loaded with green lighting, including for the optional liquid cooling system. Even the wiring is kept super-tidy to both improve airflow and impress your friends.
Of course, there’s some steak to go with the sizzle. A base model starts at $999 with a 3.2GHz Core i5, 8GB of RAM, a GeForce GTX 1060 and a 1TB hard drive. If you can open your wallet wide enough, though, it’s possible to go wild. You can outfit the R1 with the aforementioned liquid cooling as well as up to a 10-core i7, dual GeForce Titan X video cards, 128GB of RAM and exotic storage options like a 1.2TB PCI Express solid-state drive. If you’re eager to see what Razer can bring to desktop gaming beyond its Lenovo collaboration, you can order the R1 today.
Source: Maingear, BusinessWire
OpenOffice could shutter due to lack of volunteer developers
OpenOffice, one of the most prominent free alternatives to Microsoft Office, is in big trouble. Dennis E. Hamilton, its volunteer vice president, has recently sent out a message to the project mailing list to inform members that its “retirement… is a serious possibility” due to lack of volunteer developers. According to Ars Technica, many of its contributors moved to LibreOffice after it launched, which you might know as that other free alternative that’s been publishing updates more frequently. This lack of manpower has been affecting the team’s ability to deal with security vulnerabilities. “In the case of Apache OpenOffice,” he wrote, “needing to disclose security vulnerabilities for which there is no mitigation in an update has become a serious issue.”
For instance, OpenOffice informed people about a vulnerability in July, but it never issued an updated version with a fix. Instead, the team suggested switching to either Microsoft Office or LibreOffice and issued a hotfix you have to install manually a month later. Hamilton detailed how a shutdown would go, including the termination of the project’s social media accounts. Not everyone has lost hope, however. One contributor named Phillip Rhodes replied to the email thread that he’d rather the team think of how to attract more contributors instead of planning for the project’s shutdown.
Here’s a longer version of Hamilton’s mail, but you can read the whole thing on the team’s mailing list archives:
“I have regularly observed that the Apache OpenOffice project has limited capacity for sustaining the project in an energetic manner. It is also my considered opinion that there is no ready supply of developers who have the capacity, capability, and will to supplement the roughly half-dozen volunteers holding the project together. It doesn’t matter what the reasons for that might be.
The Apache Project Maturity Model (PMM), identifies the characteristics for which an Apache project is expected to strive.
Recently, some elements have been brought into serious question:
QU20: The project puts a very high priority on producing secure software.
QU50: The project strives to respond to documented bug reports in a timely manner.There is also a litmus test which is kind of a red line. That is for the project to have a Project Management Committee (PMC) capable of producing releases. That means that there are at least three available PMC members capable of building a functioning binary from a release-candidate archive, and who do so in providing binding votes to approve the release of that code.
In the case of Apache OpenOffice, needing to disclose security vulnerabilities for which there is no mitigation in an update has become a serious issue.
In responses to concerns raised in June, the PMC is currently tasked by the ASF Board to account for this inability and to provide a remedy. An indicator of the seriousness of the Board’s concern is the PMC been requested to report to the Board every month, starting in August, rather than quarterly, the normal case. One option for remedy that must be considered is retirement of the project. The request is for the PMC’s consideration among other possible options. The Board has not ordered a solution.
I cannot prediction how this will all work out. It is remiss of me not to point out that retirement of the project is a serious possibility.
There are those who fear that discussing retirement can become a self-fulfilling prophecy. My concern is that the project could end with a bang or a whimper. My interest is in seeing any retirement happen gracefully. That means we need to consider it as a contingency. For contingency plans, no time is a good time, but earlier is always better than later.”
Via: Ars Technica
Source: OpenOffice Mailing List
Daimler will fight Tesla with ‘at least’ six electric cars
It looks like Daimler’s plans to fight Tesla are even more ambitious than first thought. Reuters sources understand that the German automaker is working on “at least” six electric cars, and might introduce as many as nine. The exact roster isn’t public, but Daimler’s central Mercedes-Benz brand had previously talked about making two sedans and two SUVs. Automobilwoche tipsters claim that the focus will be on crossovers and SUVs, although there would also be compact cars and sedans.
The Reuters scoop also hears that there will be a plug-in hybrid SUV that relies on a hydrogen fuel cell when its 30-mile electric range runs out. That would theoretically give you the added range of a fuel-based car without the environmental impact of gasoline.
You may have to wait a while to see many of these vehicles when the Automobilwoche leak suggests that these EVs might arrive between 2018 and 2024. Having said this, it appears that Daimler has already anticipated the next phase of Tesla’s strategy (as well as those of rivals like Audi). Like its American counterpart, it’s not content to rely on one or two niche models anymore — it knows that electric cars have to pervade its lineup if it wants to thrive.
Source: Reuters
IBM’s smart earphone team-up puts Watson to work
Smart earphones like Bragi’s Dash aren’t just for personal activities like music and running — they could also help you get some serious work done. Bragi and IBM are partnering on ways to combine “hearables” like the Dash with Watson’s Internet of Things platform to help you communicate and collaborate with your teammates. The Watson supercomputer could translate what you’re saying for a coworker, for instance, or give you instructions and smart notifications. Higher-ups could benefit, too — they could get a sense of your location and safety without relying so much on cameras, or have you authenticate with your voice.
There’s no firm roadmap for bringing the technology to market. You probably won’t get a company-issued Dash the next time you come to work, then. However, Bragi says the team-up’s current goals are “short and medium term.” It may not be too long before you’re regularly wearing earbuds in certain working conditions.
Source: Bragi (PDF), IBM
Juno sends back an unfamiliar view of Jupiter’s north pole
When someone mentions the planet Jupiter, you probably think of the image we’re all familiar with: that one with a view of its equator, bands and the Great Red Spot. That’s why the photos above and below the fold might look like an alien world, when in reality, they’re snapshots of the gas giant from a different angle. NASA’s Juno spacecraft captured the planet’s north polar region on cam two hours before its closest approach in late August. It was 120,000 miles away when the JunoCam took these pics, but it got as close as 2,600 miles above Jupiter’s surface. The last time we caught a glimpse of the gas giant’s polar region was back in 1974 when the Pioneer 11 probe passed by.
Besides sending back new images of the planet, Juno has also beamed back radio emissions associated with its dramatic auroras. NASA had to shift the emissions’ audio rendition to a lower register since they’re way above the range our ears can hear. The whole thing still sounds shrill, but if you want to hear Jupiter’s auroras sing, hit play on the video below.
Source: NASA (1), (2)
Play it safe and swap your Note 7 because of the recall
Unless you think you know better than the people who built your Note 7, not getting it replaced is stupid.
I’m seeing a disturbing trend in forums and social media — people are saying they aren’t going to return their recalled Note 7 and get a new one. Don’t be that person.
Some of the reasons I’m seeing for not returning a Note 7 for a new one do make sense on some level. Nobody wants to take the time to set up a new phone, or people are worried that the replacement might not be as “perfect” as the one they are using now. I feel ya. I hate setting up phones and I know getting the perfect piece from a giant mass-produced manufacturing pile can be tricky sometimes. But other things I’m reading have me a little concerned.
Samsung Galaxy Note 7 recall: Everything you need to know
“Only (insert you own made-up number here) phones have been found defective” or “I only use a (put the name of your favorite brand here) charger and everyone knows they are safe” and other assorted nonsense not only defies logic but shows how far people will reach to escape the obvious: You need to swap your phone under the recall.
Yes, only a small percentage of the phones that were boxed up and sent to stores or homes have burst. Odds say yours isn’t one of them. Odds also say that sex without birth control won’t necessarily lead to pregnancy, too. Both cases here, as well as countless others, like not wearing a seatbelt because I never had an accident or nobody needs to know Calculus are equally wrong. Some people do need to know Calculus, and some Note 7s are going to explode in a ball of dragon fire.
The same smart people who designed your Note 7 are now advising you to return it for replacement.
There are two things about this situation we know to be true. The only people who know all the details aren’t telling them to us, and that they never will. Put all the speculation and imaginary numbers away for a moment and consider that every Note 7 not made for China uses the same battery. Samsung is concerned enough to recall all of them without being forced to do so by any entity with the power to force companies to do things. If you toss out everything else and consider these two simple things, you’ll realize that you really should return your Note 7 and get a new one.
You have an opportunity to be 100% certain that you have a phone without the issue causing the batteries to blow up. The same smart people who designed the Note 7 are advising you to do just that. Samsung has done an excellent job working with all the businesses around the world selling the Note 7 to make it as painless as possible. Not taking advantage of that is, frankly, pretty damn stupid.
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!
Verizon
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Sprint
A VR massage chair made me both happy and sad
One of the delights on show here at IFA was Medisana’s VR massage chair, which pairs one of its high end devices with an Oculus Rift. Rather than sitting in a shopping mall and viewing your fellow patrons as a robot paws at your back, you can be transported somewhere more romantic. The VR headset is used to play 180-degree videos of beautiful foreign locations that correspond to a pre-programmed massage routine. The five-minute demo loop that I experienced was moderately relaxing, although I worry about its implications for the future.
As soon as I was seated and the headset strapped to my face, I was asked to pick a language and choose if I wanted to be massaged by a man or a woman. Once my choice was made the video begins, placing me on a beach in Normandy on France’s Atlantic Coast. I’m seated upright, watching and listening to the waves as they crash against the coast. Soon after, the “masseuse” walks into frame and begins to talk, telling me to relax and breathe deeply. Once they finished speaking, they moved behind the camera, waving their hands into frame as a warning that the program is about to kick in.
From there on in, it’s basically the sort of gentle massage that you normally receive if you’ve ever used one of these chairs. Motors kick into action, pushing and pulling your muscles in the hope of wringing out the tension. But instead of the hustle and bustle of IFA, I was watching noisy waves and trying to relax a little during this busy trade show. The system is just a demo for now, but Medisana is hoping to offer this as a product for various businesses and individuals that can afford such gear.
I did ask how much it’d cost to take this platform home right now, and the figure comes to around €4,000 ($4,350). The company is hoping that, should interest be there, to offer a wider variety of VR programs, all developed in-house. In addition, it’s considering building an API that would allow third-parties to produce their own movies and massage routines. That would enable people to bring a smartphone-based VR platform to a public massage chair and enjoy a more tailored routine.
But here’s the thing: as I watched people line up for a go in the VR massage chair, I suddenly felt oddly sad. I think it’s because, fundamentally, it’s another step on the road to a future that the movies told us would be dystopian. Take Total Recall, for instance, in which people too poor to travel on their holidays have artificial memories of vacations implanted into their brains. Rather than being able to enjoy real experiences, we could wind up in a world where the only thing available to us are artificial facsimiles.
But then, on the other hand, given how our precious planet’s resources are being squandered, it makes sense to discourage people to travel unnecessarily. Imagine the thousands of carbon-intensive journeys that future generations of this technology could spare. Even then, it just feels as if we could be led down a road towards a world where we’re encouraged never to travel, or even aspire to travel, in favor of this sort of creation. So long as everyone agrees that VR massage chairs aren’t a substitute for a real trip to Normandy, then I think we’re okay… aren’t we?
We’re live all week from Berlin, Germany, for IFA 2016. Click here to catch up on all the news from the show.
OurMine ‘hack’ bombards Variety readers with email
It’s already irritating when a group of self-proclaimed hackers (really, account takeover pranksters) hijack a website… it’s another when they flood your inbox. The OurMine collective managed to not only compromise Variety’s website through a post of their own on September 3rd, but blast the entertainment site’s email subscribers with messages steering them to a post bragging about the intrusion. As usual, the group doesn’t really explain its motivations. It claims it’s “just testing [Variety’s] security,” but that’s not exactly believable.
Variety has removed the post in question and, as I write this, is fixing the email assault. However, this is only going to increase the pressure to shut down OurMine. You can safely ignore a defaced website or out-of-character Twitter updates, but email is decidedly more intrusive.
Lovely. Looks like @Variety was hacked and now they are sending tons of emails over and over… pic.twitter.com/5dJ43Z2ZuV
— Gerry D (@GerryDales) September 3, 2016
Source: Variety (Twitter), Gerry Dales (Twitter)
AIVAnet 