Sleep Number’s smart bed adjusts to your nighttime fidgeting

There’s more to a good night’s sleep than turning in early. Alongside a decent diet, and avoiding the temptations of caffeine and smartphone screens at night, it’s important to have a comfortable bed. Sleep Number is taking this to the extreme with the 360 smart bed, a contraption that subtly adjusts to your movements in the night. If you roll onto your side, for instance, the bed will acknowledge this and alter one of two air chambers in the mattress, matching the shape of your body. Switch to your back and the bed will tilt your head upwards if you start snoring.

Other luxuries include a foot warmer and tiny lights to guide you to the bathroom at night. (Bonus: You can pretend your bed is a car from the original Fast and Furious movies.) Sleep Number says its new bed can also be personalized with custom sleep goals and bedtime routines. So if you want to nod off at 11pm, the bed’s companion app will remind you at 10:30pm to get ready. Ten minutes later the foot warmer will kick in so that everything is toasty when you clamber into bed. Then, in the morning, an alarm will go off when the system thinks you’re in the lightest part of your sleep cycle.

The bed uses SleepIQ, a somewhat ambiguous “biometric sensor technology” to track your heart rate, motion and breathing. (Sleep Number is hesitant to explain how it all works — this is the secret sauce, essentially.) The company says it takes “hundreds of readings per second,” which are then fed into an algorithm to produce a personalized SleepIQ score. The metric is then used to adjust the bed to your individual needs, and explain each morning the quality of your rest.

Sleep Number has offered mattresses with SleepIQ before, but they’ve never responded to your movements in real time. Users typically wake up, review their score in the app and then adjust the bed for next time. The problem, of course, is that they can only optimize for one sleeping position each night. The 360 smart bed, meanwhile, can compensate for multiple.

The company isn’t the first to offer a real-time adjustable bed, however. The ReST bed, which my colleague Devindra checked out at CES last year, offers a similar level of comfort and responsiveness. There’s also the Balluga bed, which was crowdfunded on Kickstarter and Indiegogo last Spring. (It was supposed to ship last October, but has since been delayed to March 2017.) Sleep Number is hoping to compete with superior smarts — you can link apps such as Nest and Fitbit, for instance, for further insights and automation. That’s useful if you’ve just had a workout, and need a softer mattress to support your back, or want to know the temperature that sends you to la-la land the fastest.

The 360 smart bed will roll out slowly both online and in stores during the first half of 2017. There’s no word on pricing, although Sleep Number has said it will be “similar” to its current range of Sleep IQ mattresses and adjustable bases.

Click here to catch up on the latest news from CES 2017.

Source: Sleep Number

Flow tracks air quality for crowdsourced pollution maps

You might not have heard of Plume Labs, but you can probably recall their pollution monitoring pigeons that flew over London earlier this year. The part research project, part publicity stunt was designed to drum up interest in a new air quality sensor the company has been working on for two years. Now, it’s ready to unveil the final version. The device is called Flow, and it looks like a small thumb drive from a few years back. Inside its grey, aluminium shell you’ll find a bunch of sensors for measuring dust, exhaust fumes and other harmful gases, as well as temperature and humidity.

Flow will beam its recordings to your phone over Bluetooth Low Energy. A companion app, available for iOS and Android, will then send this information back to Plume Labs. The company plans to use this data to improve its environmental AI platform, which already predicts pollution levels across “hundreds” of cities in 60 countries. The forecasts are city-wide, however, relying on a mixture of real-time air quality measurements, taken from 12,000 morning stations, and global atmospheric, urban and weather data. With Flow, the team believes it can build accurate, real-time street-level maps.

Think of it like Waze, but for pollution.

Flow has 12 multicolor LEDs that will summarize the local air quality. You can use the leather strap to attach it to your bag, which is useful both for visibility and to ensure it’s always collecting valuable data. If you want more information, however, you can dig our your smartphone and refer to the companion app, which will have in-depth, personalised exposure reports and actionable advice sourced from its AI platform.

Crowdsourced data collection relies on scale and consistent participation by its users. Soon, Plume Labs will send roughly 100 beta versions to people who helped with its initial crowdfunding campaign. The final product will be available “later in 2017,” with pre-orders opening in the spring. The company won’t confirm the price just yet, though to be competitive it’ll need to undercut pollution monitoring rivals such as CleanSpace.

Click here to catch up on the latest news from CES 2017.

Dish’s AirTV combines 4K streaming with an over-the-air antenna

Finding quality 4K content is still rather difficult, but that isn’t keeping hardware manufacturers from building devices to support the format. To that end, Dish is announcing a new set-top box called AirTV that has a few tricks up its sleeve. Just as last month’s leak showed, it’s based on Android TV and combines the SlingTV over-the-top video service with apps from Google Play. But it also works with an over-the-air antenna to pull in free live TV, as well.

With that combo, AirTV is trying to position itself as a one-stop shop for all your video watching needs — you can get networks over the air, premium cable channels with SlingTV and anything else you want using apps from Google Play. The company is highlighting Netflix and YouTube, but any other app built for Android TV should work here. And if that source is offering 4K videos, you’ll be able to watch them in their highest resolution with AirTV.

Netflix and YouTube are two of the main sources for 4K video right now, but the good news is that Android TV means you’ll have access to more content sources as they become available. Google Play Movies started offering 4K UHD movies recently, and Vudu has a limited selection of high-resolution titles for rent as well.

AirTV comes with a Bluetooth remote that also has voice control build in; that’s not a surprise given that voice control is a big part of the Android TV platform. The remote also has one-touch shortcuts to Sling, Netflix and YouTube, and can connect to your TV and audio systems using infrared. Overall, the package is a bit odd-looking, even childish, and the remote looks strangely unbalanced — but we can let this go if the package works well.

As for the over-the-air setup, you can plug an antenna into the AirTV box and then any channels you get will be integrated right into the Sling TV channel guide. What’s not clear here is whether or not you can use AirTV without using Sling TV. As Dish is the owner of Sling TV, the company is naturally putting it front and center in this product — but if it’s otherwise a straight Android TV box, you should be able to use it without signing up for a monthly Sling TV subscription.

Dish is selling AirTV in two different configurations. The $129.99 model includes the OTA adapter kit, while a cheaper $99.99 model only works with internet TV options. If you later decide you want to add an antenna, you can buy a $39.99 adapter. AirTV goes on sale today, and we’ll have a chance to check it out on the CES show floor later this week. It’s a bit of an odd duck product — most people interested in over-the-air TV aren’t necessarily the same people looking to cut the cord, but at the very least AirTV has a somewhat unique feature set and could be appealing to those who don’t want to pay for cable.

Polar’s next fitness wearable is a smart shirt

In the good old days, the best way to get accurate body readings was to strap on a chest-worn heart-rate monitor and go out for a run. But companies like OMSignal and Hexoskin, among others, changed this by developing monitors that could be embedded in fabrics. It was this trend that led to the first and second waves of “smart” running shirts that we’ve seen at several previous CES shows. Now Polar, a company that made its name building chest straps, is getting in on the action with the Polar Team Pro Shirt.

The Team Pro Shirt is a sleeveless base layer that’s designed to be worn under your traditional running top or sweats. On the inside you’ll find two fabric sensors that, with contact to your skin, will monitor your heart rate, removing the need for a chest strap. Underneath the collar there’s also a little pouch, into which you’ll tuck a “pod” that can track your motion and clock stats like your speed, distance run and acceleration.

Given the name, it’s no surprise to see the shirt is intended to integrate directly with Polar’s Team Pro coaching platform. It’s used by elite-level sports teams, including the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons and other groups within the NBA, NHL and MLB. But sufficiently committed amateurs can also dive in, since the shirt will also integrate with Polar Flow and any of the company’s other pro wearables, including the V800, M600 and M400.

The Polar Team Pro Shirt will be available at some point in March for an as-yet undisclosed price.

Click here to catch up on the latest news from CES 2017.

Audeze modified its in-ear planar magnetic headphones for VR

When Audeze announced it’s iSine in-ear planar magnetic headphones last summer, the company also touted the device’s ability to play nice with the Oculus Rift. Here at CES, Audeze is officially announcing a dedicated VR version of the TIE fighter-esque audio accessory. The iSine VR, as it’s called, will work with the HTC Vive, PlayStation VR and StarVR headsets, on top of the previously announced Rift compatibility.

If you’re unfamiliar with planar magnetic tech, it’s a configuration that’s typically reserved for bulky and expensive audiophile-grade headphones. Audeze revealed a much more affordable and compact option with its Sine headphones at CES last year. Planar magnetic headphones provide a wider soundstage, better frequency response and lower distortion with a thin diaphragm and magnets instead of the cone drivers most headphones employ. In other words, you get more natural and immersive sound to pair with those visuals from a VR headset.

The iSine VR headphones will be available later this month in variants that include connectors for each of those headsets. If you’re looking to upgrade the audio quality for your VR setup, be prepared to hand over $400 when these go on sale.

Click here to catch up on the latest news from CES 2017.

Symantec’s Norton Core router aims to protect the connected home

Symantec’s mostly known as the makers of Norton AntiVirus, which is probably one of the most popular antivirus software in the world despite the, uh, occasional slip-up. Now, the company is venturing into hardware, with the release of the Norton Core. It’s a mobile-enabled WiFi router that touts machine learning and Symantec’s threat intelligence smarts to defend your home network from getting those digital nasties in the first place.

The idea here is that while antivirus software can protect your PC, it’s not able to shield your other connected devices — like your Nest thermostat or Philip Hue lights — from getting infected. And, seeing as IoT gadgets are pretty vulnerable to malware attacks, that’s quite a big risk. Symantec wants the Norton Core to prevent that from happening while packaged inside an attractive geodesic dome (which admittedly does remind us of the Plume). This is so you’ll be encouraged to put it out in the open, thus giving an open, unobstructed signal.

Using a cocktail of data encryption, secure DNS, automatic security updates and more, the Norton Core hopes to ensure your web traffic is safe, and if it isn’t, it’ll warn you if anything is suspicious. It even practices proactive protection by quarantining compromised devices to make sure the bad stuff doesn’t spread.

What’s more, you can control the router with your phone via an app. It’ll show you what threats are blocked and what devices are currently connected to the network. The app gives you status updates so you can always make sure you know when something suspicious is going on. In addition, it generates a “Security Score” on your network (which Symantec describes as a credit score but for your security) and identifies vulnerabilities.

As on many other routers, there are also parental controls for you to limit the network use of your child’s devices. Either you can set a timer on their internet use or simply shut it down entirely so they’ll come downstairs for dinner.

Of course, a router is only as good as its speed and performance, and the Core is promising on both counts. It supports Wave 2 WiFi and is powered by a 1.7GHz dual-core processor, with a claimed coverage of 3,000 to 5,000 square feet. You can even set device priorities, so you can ramp up the speed of your Xbox in order to get the most of your Netflix streaming. It also supports simultaneous 2.4GHz and 5GHz transmission, as well as 2.5 Gbps3 for even faster speeds.

The Norton Core is up for pre-order for $200 (the regular price is $280), and comes bundled with a one-year subscription to Norton Core Security Plus. All told, you can add up to 20 devices — be they Macs, PCs or mobile phones and tablets — plus an unlimited number of connected-home gadgets. The Core comes in either Titanium Gold or Granite Gray and will ship this summer.

Click here to catch up on the latest news from CES 2017.

SpeedX’s Unicorn bike knows how much effort you’re putting in

SpeedX is back with another “smart” road bike that promises to track your rides with a sleek, blemish-free design. The Unicorn is a sequel to the Leopard, which I took for a spin last June, and comes with a new, detachable bike computer on the stem. It has a 2.2-inch touchscreen and runs a custom version of Android, clearly indicating your current, average and maximum speed, among other information. Despite its color display, SpeedX says the new “SpeedForce” computer will be visible in direct sunlight and last more than 20 hours on a single charge. There’s also a wireless button on the handlebars for convenient screen switching.

The other big addition is an integrated power meter. Cyclists use these sensors to measure their effort on each ride and develop better training regimes. (Speed and distance, while useful metrics, can be affected by external factors such as weather and traffic.) Unlike most bikes, which require you to buy a power meter separately, the Unicorn comes with all the necessary components built in. That should mean less time fussing in your garage and more time bombing down idyllic backcountry roads. Like the Leopard, the Unicorn also comes with some speed and cadence sensors, which measure pace and the rate at which you’re pedaling.

To aid your epic Tour de France recreations (or, more likely, your sleep-deprived morning commutes) the new bike comes with an 850 gram “Hyper Carbon” frame. The remaining parts will vary depending on your budget: the entry-level model, the Unicorn Di2, comes with a Fizik R3 saddle, a pair of Xero SpeedX Carbon wheels and a Shimano Ultegra Di2 groupset for $3,499. The $4,599 “Pro” model will net you a Fizik R5 saddle and a SRAM eTap Hydro groupset instread, while the $5,899 “X” edition ups the butt-rester to an R7 and the wheels to a set of Zipp 303 discs.

As before, SpeedX will be promoting its bikes on Kickstarter. Submitting a pledge early will net you a significant discount, although as with all crowdfunding campaigns, there’s no guarantee the final product will ever materialize. SpeedX has had some trouble with its original SpeedForce computer and Leopard bicycles, delaying deliveries because of numerous production and shipping problems. The company says “more than 80 percent” of all orders have now been fulfilled and hopes to ship the rest before its new Kickstarter campaign goes live. While its bikes are affordable, SpeedX needs to prove it can deliver them in a timely fashion, otherwise it will never win the trust or affection of cycling’s elite.

Click here to catch up on the latest news from CES 2017.

UK vinyl sales hit a 25-year high in 2016

We hardly need more convincing of vinyl’s resurgence over the past few years, but a report from the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) today details that more records were sold in the UK in 2016 than have been for the past 25 years. Based on Official Charts Company data, over 3.2 million vinyls were purchased in 2016 — a volume the BPI predicted early last year — representing a 53 percent increase over 2015 and the highest total since 1991. The death of several music icons no doubt helped (for lack of a better word), with David Bowie’s Blackstar being the best-selling vinyl of the year.

Prince’s Purple Rain features in the top 10, too, but new releases also enjoyed success. Somewhat surprisingly, Guardians of the Galaxy: Awesome Mix Vol. 1 was the third best-selling vinyl of the year. Other formats didn’t fare so well in 2016. CD sales declined by over 10 percent, and downloads slipped even further, by almost 30 percent.

More people than ever are streaming music, as you’d probably expect. In fact, 45 billion audio streams were served in 2016, which is a mammoth 68 percent increase over the previous year — and that doesn’t even include YouTube data. And in December, more than 1 billion audio streams were served in a single week for the first time.

Even though streaming is becoming ever more popular, 2016 marked the ninth consecutive year of growth in vinyl sales. It probably doesn’t hurt than you can now pick up a record on your emergency milk run. According to a study conducted last year by ICM Unlimited, though, 48 percent of vinyl buyers don’t play their purchases and 7 percent don’t even own a turntable — suggesting that many consumers buy the format for its aesthetic and collector value, rather than the analogue sound.

Via: BBC

Source: British Phonographic Industry

Synaptics Announces All-In-One Fingerprint and Facial Recognition System for Mobile Devices

Ahead of CES 2017, Synaptics today announced a new multi-factor biometric engine for use in smartphones, tablets, and notebook PCs. The new platform, made in partnership with facial recognition company KeyLemon, incorporates both fingerprint and facial recognition, allowing a mobile device to be unlocked in multiple ways depending on what’s most convenient for the user.

The system also provides additional security for financial transactions and the unlocking of other sensitive information, as two modes of authentication can be required.

The Synaptics multi-factor fusion engine combines authentication scores from multiple biometrics to determine verification. This increases overall system security as both fingerprint and facial factors have to meet minimum threshold requirements before authentication. In addition, the fusion engine improves usability as lower individual verification thresholds still result in greater security.

The multi-factor fusion engine features anti-spoof technology, using AI to distinguish between fake and actual fingers. The facial recognition feature in the platform also checks for eye blinking and head movement to prevent spoofing. While Synaptics is focusing on finger and facial recognition at the moment, Synaptics VP of marketing Anthony Gioeli says future iterations will include “additional biometric and security factors.”

Synaptics also recently introduced fingerprint sensors capable of scanning a fingerprint through glass, allowing for button-free display designs able to take advantage of fingerprint recognition functionality.

Apple is working on a similar technology for the iPhone 8, but while Synaptics is an Apple supplier, Apple likely has its own proprietary solution in the works.

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CES 2017: Linksys Reveals ‘Velop’ Router System With Lag-Free Wi-Fi Mesh Network

Linksys today announced a modular Wi-Fi system called “Velop,” which boosts internet coverage throughout any style of home thanks to its multi-unit set-up, similar to products like Google Wi-Fi and Eero (via The Verge). Linksys said that Velop can be set up in just minutes and delivers some of the fastest and most reliable Wi-Fi in the multi-unit router market.

Like similar products, Velop’s advantage lies in its ability to be placed situationally around a home to create a steady blanket of internet coverage with no dead spots, even in oddly shaped houses. The company said that Velop “outperforms traditional routers and range extenders” because it doesn’t degrade as users move farther away from the router.

Velop is also a tri-band system, meaning that one of its three Wi-Fi radios is constantly dedicated to communication between each router to ensure there’s no speed drop off at any point in the connection. The “100% Wi-Fi mesh network signal” means that users get constant, seamless Wi-Fi with no buffering or lag.

A Velop modular Wi‑Fi mesh system outperforms traditional routers and range extenders giving you 100% seamless Wi‑Fi without lag or buffering. With other Wi‑Fi, the signal degrades as you move farther away from the router, leaving you susceptible to dropped connections. Velop gives you full-strength Wi‑Fi everywhere.

Feel free to video stream while the kids are gaming online. Velop’s Tri-Band technology dynamically changes to ensure and deliver blazing fast, seamless Wi‑Fi to all devices for the ultimate in Wi‑Fi freedom.

A connected Linksys app also makes it easy for users to manage their Wi-Fi from afar, including parental control settings, device prioritization to ensure extra-solid internet for streaming to an Apple TV for example, speed tests, and various other settings. Velop works with Amazon Alexa as well, so users can interact with the router system with their voice.

Velop goes on sale today at a steeper price in comparison to other multi-unit routers: it runs for $499.99 for a 3-pack, $349.99 for a 2-pack, and $199.99 for one Velop router.

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