Vespa’s creators just unveiled a personal cargo robot

The Vespa brand’s owner, the Piaggio Group, doesn’t have a reputation for cutting edge tech (it only just started making an electric scooter). However, it’s making up for that in style. It’s establishing a robot-focused company, Piaggio Fast Forward, and has unveiled that company’s first product: meet Gita, a personal cargo robot. The machine can haul up to 40 pounds of supplies either autonomously (if there are maps) or by following a human operator. It’s fast enough to keep up with you on a bike (22MPH), and its zero turning radius promises the “human agility” needed to navigate sidewalks. If you don’t like the idea of driving a car or pushing a dolly just to get your groceries home, this might be just what you were looking for.

Gita will first show up in business-to-business test programs, but Piaggio intends to release something you can buy for individual use.

A grander announcement is expected on February 2nd, and it might address some lingering questions about Gita. Will it be inexpensive enough that you can realistically buy the eventual consumer version? And is the range good enough that the robot can accompany you across town, or will it be limited to neighborhood jaunts? Those kinds of questions are important — while Gita looks good at first blush, it has to be both affordable and practical to be more than a novelty.

Source: Piaggio Fast Forward, BusinessWire

Netflix project lets you mind-control its interface

Netflix’s developers are at it again, using the company’s annual Hack Day to come up with clever, if sometimes wild, ideas on how to improve the streaming service. This year’s crop of hacks mostly focus on intriguing Stranger Things integrations, but the most interesting result is one named MindFlix, that lets you navigate and control Netflix with your mind.

In a video demonstrating MindFlix, the team showed how you can, with a Muse EEG-detecting headband strapped on, move your head up and down or side to side to scroll vertically and horizontally through Netflix’s interface. Then, when you’ve landed on a title you like, just think of the word or action “Play.” This worked in the clip, with the test subject happily proclaiming that he never had to move again. Of course, whether it works as well in real life can’t be determined, but if it does, it could make Netflix binging far more enjoyable.

Other Hack Day Winter 2017 projects run the gamut from noble to somewhat sinister. Netflix For Good lets viewers donate to related or well-known charity organizations after watching a socially conscious video, while Picture-in-Picture lets you monitor what other profiles in your account are watching at the same time.

There doesn’t appear to be plans to make these implementations widely available. In fact, Netflix states in a blog post that “they may never become part of the Netflix product, internal infrastructure, or otherwise be used beyond Hack Day.” Still, though, we can always hope that Netflix puts out the instructions on how to make these real, as it did for the sleep-detecting socks that pause your videos for you.

Via: Variety

Source: Netflix

Lyft now books rides based on your calendar

Uber isn’t the only ridesharing company to integrate your calendar and simplify booking trips. Lyft has added its own calendar syncing feature, making it easy to pick the address of your next meeting as the destination. It works on both Android and iOS — the only stipulation is that you use your native calendar app. It’s a simple addition, but important if you regularly hail rides around town.

Lyft is also teasing an upcoming feature that will let you save all your favorite places as shortcuts, not just the obvious “home” and “work” locations. If you have a favorite pub, you won’t have to type its name (or pull it out of your ride history) to pay a visit. There’s no mention of when favorites are coming, but it should be ready “soon.”

Source: Lyft Blog

SpaceX’s Hyperloop competition finally puts pods in the tube

“I almost cried the first time it went 50 kilometers per hour.”

Marleen van de Kerkhof is part of the Delft Hyperloop team from the Netherlands. It’s been an eventful 12 months for the crew. After qualifying as finalists at the Hyperloop Pod Competition Design weekend in Texas along with 26 other teams, they had to actually build a working pod. Those sketches, models and 3D renders filled the Texas A&M Kyle Field’s Hall of Champions this weekend, where they sped down the 1.25-kilometer tube SpaceX built next to its headquarters in Southern California.

The grand finale of of the event was the speed-run down the vacuum-sealed track. Each pod was carefully placed into the tube in front of a SpaceX-built “pusher” that helps get the vehicles up to speed. Then the door was closed and sealed, with the air pumped out to reduce friction. While the Hyperloop itself is supposed to be quick — Los Angeles to San Francisco in 30 minutes! — this process is not. The depressurization takes anywhere from 30 to 45 minutes.

But not all 27 teams got a chance to put their pod into the tube. Each vehicle had to pass a series of tests to determine if it was safe to launch down the tube. After structural, functional, mechanical, navigation and vacuum checks, plus an open-air run (riding down the track without it being sealed) only three teams qualified for a chance to do something they’ve been working toward for over a year.

It’s not surprising that MIT made the cut. The group was the overall winner of the design competition in Texas. The teams from Delft University of Technology and Warr (pronounced “Varr”) from the Technical University of Munich also got to test their pods in the vacuum-sealed track. And while Elon Musk’s original post about the Hyperloop envisioned cars floating on air, each of the finalists used magnets.

Because this event was originally supposed to be held in the late summer of 2016, each team had their pod ready to go months ago. The additional time gave them the opportunity to test and tweak their vehicles. Indeed, they continued to make adjustments right up until their runs. Marianna Avezum from team Warr told Engadget that her group decided to disable the magnets on their prototype and just use the wheels to reduce friction.

That gamble paid off when the team was awarded the prize Sunday for the fastest run.

Delft, on the other, hand focused on the overall design with a eye toward safety and efficiency. Their run ended with the pod not quite making it to the end of the track, but that didn’t matter: The team’s vehicle, which housed miniature passengers (including one named Elon), notched the highest overall score.

When each winner was announced, there was excitement, laughter and even a few tears. Other awards recognized innovation, construction and performance. The MIT team walked away with one for safety and reliability. And while it’s fun to watch what could be the future of transportation unfold before your eyes, frankly, walking around looking at the pods and watching the teams behind them was more inspiring. Despite being a competition, teams talked shop with one another about their prototypes and technology.

Rocket scientists were inspired as well. SpaceX director Steve Davis, who spearheaded the event, told the audience during the awards ceremony, “to build something that gets released, is levitating and doesn’t doesn’t go side-to-side and crash and maintains control is an absolute feat. When we first did this we didn’t know if anyone would get in this tube.”

That says a lot about what all these teams have accomplished. But it’s not ending here: SpaceX is putting on another competition weekend this summer. If the teams are anything like the ones I saw this past weekend, Hyperloop might become the next big thing in high-speed ground transportation.

Apple Highlights Ways Siri Can Get Involved in Super Bowl Sunday

Apple today announced that Siri has been updated with some new Super Bowl-specific features ahead of Sunday’s game, making Apple’s virtual assistant more useful for sports fans.

With Live Tune-In support, Apple TV users can ask Siri to play the Super Bowl live by saying “Watch the Super Bowl.” Introduced last year, Live Tune-In is designed to make it easier for Apple TV users to find live television content more quickly, and for the first time, it can be used for one of the biggest sports games of the year.

Apple also highlights other ways Siri can be used on Super Bowl Sunday, for everything from team and player statistics to reminders to purchase snacks.

Whether you’re at home, at a local sports bar or at a friend’s party, Siri is available everywhere you are and provides even more football insights including team rosters, player comparisons, historical stats, season records and more. Siri can also help with game day planning by telling fans where to watch the game, who’s performing during the halftime show and reminding them to pick up snacks as they head out the door.

A long list of example questions Siri can answer are included in Apple’s announcement, such as “What is the Patriots record?” or “Who has more rushing yards this season, Tom Brady or Matt Ryan?” Super Bowl fans may want to check it out to find new ways to engage with Siri.

The Super Bowl will take place on Sunday, February 5 at 3:30 p.m. Pacific Time. The New England Patriots will be facing off against the Atlanta Falcons at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas.

Tag: Siri
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How drones are being used in public safety

From entertainment to surveillance, drones boast a multitude of applications. But one of the most useful is in the public safety sector. Manned at a distance, drones can go where people can’t to survey an unfolding emergency or disaster scene. They can make drops of valuable devices, food, or medicine, and can monitor the movements of dangerous criminals. Here’s a closer look at some of the latest uses of drones in public safety.

Benefits of drones in public safety

Drones are a cost-effective alternative to costly helicopters. Powered by batteries, lightweight drones can access remote areas quickly to survey a situation and report back to its monitor. Today’s drones are equipped with sensors and infrared cameras to provide both visual feedback as well as other valuable data. They can construct emergency equipment or create detailed maps of terrain. These devices can be built to withstand extreme temperatures, and go where humans cannot such as the thick of a forest fire to survey the damage. Drones may not be able to physically rescue stranded people, but they can drop supplies. In recent floods in Texas, drones were used in such a way, to help supply flotation devices to stranded citizens.

Technology’s place in search and rescue

It’s not just drones that are used in emergency situations. If a natural disaster or other emergency situation is unfolding, technology can now be used to fill in the gaps. Most first responders now use apps and alert systems to communicate with one another and gain real-time information in swiftly unfolding situations. From the Red Cross to FEMA, most agencies now have their own mobile apps.

There’s no time to lose in a true emergency, so any data gleaned from sensor-equipped drones can be vital. When networks are down and responders need to communicate, Nokia Networks public safety equipment is another example of technology’s uses. They offer a portable network-in-a-box that can power safety apps and bolster communication if the usual networks are down. Drones are an important part of this puzzle as well.

Overcoming regulation concerns

Because drones can be used for so many different types of applications, many people still have an aversion to them. Often used for surveillance, there is the concern that a drone hovering overhead could be manned by an unsavoury organization. Many law enforcement agencies wish to use drones in their rescue organizations, whether it’s searching for missing persons or surveying traffic accidents, but there is still public mistrust to overcome. There’s the idea of “big brother” watching the public that many are concerned about.

Yet these attitudes seem to be changing, slowly but surely. In a 2013 poll by the Institute for Homeland Security Solutions, 88% of responders supported using drones in search and rescue operations, while 63% supported using drones to help fight crime. In the USA, the Federal Aviation Administration is working on new drone regulations, including a potential registration system for all drone operators. In the meantime these devices are a top tool for emergency responders to help keep the public safe.

The Lenovo Yoga Book Review – Too cool or too unconventional?

The Lenovo Yoga Book is one of the most unique and attractive devices I’ve ever seen. I put it up with the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 and the Apple iPhone 5 as devices that I lusted after and had to have in my hands as soon as they were announced. The slim, sleek, and well-built Yoga Book is trying to reinvent… something. I don’t know if Lenovo is trying to reinvent laptops, tablets, or make them both obsolete with the Yoga Book but what we’re left with is a great product without a real category.

Let’s get the internals out of the way. The Lenovo Yoga Book is powered by a 2.4GHz quad-core Intel Atom processor. Atom processors aren’t great for tasks like RAW photo editing, video editing, or intense gaming but generally do a good job with web browsing, word processing, and media consumption and that shows in the Yoga Book. I had no stutters or slowdowns while using YouTube and browsing Reddit or Facebook using apps or in Chrome with several tabs open.

One of the reasons for that might be the 4GB of RAM. It almost seems customary at this point in 2017 to have 4GB of RAM in a device. Any less would probably cost Lenovo in sales, any more would be wasted on a device like this. In addition to the healthy amount of RAM, Lenovo put 64GB of storage into the Yoga Book. You can expand that with the microSD card slot on the left side of the device. I doubled up my storage fairly cheap with a microSD card like this one from SanDisk for $20 that I had laying around and had zero issues playing the movies I had already loaded onto it.

If you’re into taking pictures and for some reason you want to torture yourself, there is an 8MP camera on the rear device (in tablet mode) that will give you passable pictures to post on social media, but you’ll have to be seen taking pictures with a tablet, so that’s on you. The front of the device features a 2MP camera for video conferencing and selfies (I guess) that will get the job done.

Just below that front-facing camera is the 10.1″ 1920 x 1200 display that features decent color accuracy and brightness. Nothing to write home about, but nothing that should dissuade you from buying the tablet/laptop hybrid, either. It’s perfect for sitting in a Starbucks and browsing around the web, but if you decide to pick the park bench on a sunny day, you’ll have issues.

Traveling to the south of the screen brings us to the biggest selling point of the entire device. The Wacom tablet connects to the screen with a watchband-like hinge. It doubles as a drawing tablet with the included stylus or a virtual keyboard. It’s one of the most interesting designs I’ve seen in a while and even after a month of use, I’m still not sure what to make of it.

Typing on this thing is really interesting. I wouldn’t necessarily call it bad by any means. The experience sits somewhere between using a crappy third-party iPad Bluetooth keyboard and peck-typing on your phone. I find it really nice to have a full-sized keyboard but since you cannot feel the keys, you obviously need to keep your eyes trained on the virtual keyboard as you type. I thought I would type up this review on the Yoga Book and I quickly decided that was a terrible idea.

The software does learn your typing over time and offers better and better text correction as you go, but this is still not anything you’d want to type more than a moderately long email on. One of the biggest issues I have with the software is that if you backspace in the middle of a word and begin to type again the software will see this as an entirely new word and try to autocorrect for only the new part of the word. This leads to many words just being completely deleted and retyped instead of fixing a mistyped letter like on a regular keyboard.

You do, however, get some feedback when you type on the virtual keyboard. A slight vibration and clicking noise go off for every keypress. Yes, these are needed so you can keep track of when you actually hit a button and when you miss, but the execution is a bit poor. The vibration can be felt all over the device, not just in the general area of where the button is pressed. However, if you type fast enough you can cause the noise generated by the device to lag. The next iteration of the device should fix these issues to make typing a much more pleasurable experience.

When in typing mode you get a mousepad just below the keyboard. Android has decent built-in mouse support (even though not many apps take advantage of it) but the experience here isn’t great. There is some friction and drag when using the mouse and the virtual trackpad is small and squished.

This is a Wacom tablet and as such lets you use a stylus to either take notes or draw. Pressing a little button at the top of the keyboard quickly transitions it into stylus mode for the included stylus. The stylus is pretty big and bulky but does a great job with the Yoga Book. There is hardly any if any at all, lag or accuracy issues to be noticed here. There are also a ton of apps on the Play Store that will let you take advantage of the stylus, but Lenovo included a few for good measure.

The stylus has replaceable tips and can function not only as a stylus, but also an ink pen. Removing the stylus tip with the cap and inserting one of the three ink pen tips turns the stylus into a regular pen in under ten seconds. You can use this pen with the included pad of paper on top of the Wacom tablet to transfer whatever writing from the paper onto the Yoga Book. This is excellent for students or business professionals that prefer to take notes by hand but also need digital versions. That is a limited audience but I believe that audience will absolutely fall in love with this feature. It works flawlessly and reliably.

The left of the device houses most of the ports on the device, the microUSB, microSD, and micro HDMI ports. I’m a bit disappointed to see a microUSB port on a device this new, especially when a USB Type-C port could expand the functionality of the Yoga Book, but maybe Lenovo held off so customers would have a reason to upgrade next year or some manufacturing issue. The microSD card reader is pretty standard as we touched on early and you’ll need to pick up your own micro HDMI to full HDMI dongle as Lenovo hasn’t included one in the box. The right side of the device houses the 3.5mm headphone jack and the clicky, but short-traveling power button and volume rocker.

Both sides of the device have speaker grills, but if you’re using these you’ll be disappointed in all but the most quiet situations. YouTuber Dave2D reported that his pre-production model had issues with volume levels out of the speakers, but the retail model was better. I’m hoping that I have a pre-production model because I’m nothing but disappointed with not only how loud the speakers get but the quality of audio exiting them.

The physical package here is really wonderful. The body is small and tight with the feeling of little wasted space. You can normally feel hollow spots in a device, but the Yoga Book has zero hollow spots and the body has almost no flex to it when in use. The watchband-style hinge is one of my favorites on the market today and does an excellent job keeping the display in place even when you’re applying moderate pressure on the display. My only real gripe is just how gigantic the bezels are. I’d love to see smaller bezels on the same size device. Making the keyboard smaller would be a bad idea but ideally I’d like some more real estate on the display.

So far this review has focused on the device in a standard laptop-style setup but the bottom of the device can fold all the way back too. If you’re looking for a great Android tablet, the list starts with this and probably the Nvidia Sheild K1 which is outmatched by the Yoga Book’s specs, but costs only $200 vs. the $500 price tag of the Yoga Book.

While you won’t be getting the newest version of Android 7.0 Nougat, the Yoga Book does come with Android 6.0 Marshmallow with minimal additions atop of stock Android. Lenovo added some of its own applications like Note Saver and ArtRage that play to the strengths of the Yoga Book, but didn’t fill it up with too much bloat.

You get true multitasking on the Yoga Book with the ability to have multiple windows open next to each other or on top of each other without the functionality being frozen. This was excellent when taking notes for another project and provides enough value that I would consider buying the Yoga Book just for that over using my rather large phone and switching back and forth between apps like I normally do.

The software here is going to be what you make of it. Samsung is the biggest Android tablet producer right now and it focuses on proving a software experience to match the hardware it’s selling you. This can be a blessing and a curse as it loads down the device with a lot of apps you can’t delete even if you don’t want them, but also puts a lot of functionality at your fingertips right out of the box. Lenovo, on the other hand, adds a few apps for you to use, but is relying on you to go into the Play Store to find more and make the most out of the Yoga Book.

The Lenovo Yoga Book feels like a first generation product, but a really good one. I’ve had my fair share of issues with it like lag in initial typing when you start your note taking, but nothing game-breaking. I love how slim (less than an inch thick) and light (1.5 lbs) it is, too. I feel comfortable carrying it around in my hands unmolested by a case or tucked away in my bag. This thing is so small it makes my Dell XPS feel gigantic by comparison.

I feel like Lenovo is attacking the segment of iPad customers that buy iPads because there are no other alternatives on the market. The Android version of the Yoga Book comes in at the same base $500 price that the iPad does and much cheaper than the iPad Pro, but offers far more functionality out of the box than both. The software experience is more polished on the iPad, but the Lenovo Yoga Book has that cool factor that makes me want to take it everywhere I go.

You can pick up a Lenovo Yoga Book from Amazon or Lenovo’s website

The Abandoned Review

It’s rare to find a full-fledged 3D action adventure game on the Google Play store that’s worth any investment. Gaijin Distribution hopes to change that with The Abandoned–a game where you need to survive in a land full of danger and mystery. The player must survive by finding supplies, crafting tools, clothes and equipment and by building storage and living spaces.

Upon starting the game you’ll be introduced to the world by a rudimentary story that starts you off in a desolate world, gone awry. The basic premise sets the player with very little direction–walk forward to begin your discoveries of the post-apocalyptic world that harbors a plethora of collectible tools and items. Your main objective isn’t always clear, but in the process you will come across a variety of secondary objectives that allow you build up skills and tools that will complement your survival.

ANOMALIES, ARTIFACTS, MONSTERS, OH MY!

Start by finding a stick. Easy enough. Once found you’ll be able to create a simple axe that will allow you access to new, unfound areas. The ease of objectives early on will allow you to advance at a rate that should hold your interest from the get-go. Any items that lie on the ground before you are automatically picked up when you walk near them. This is generally a good thing, but can become tricky later as you reach your maximum carry weight and are forced to manage your inventory.

So you found a stick? Congratulations. Now you need a sharp rock to craft a real useful tool. Recipes are used to combine different materials which create the tools needed for survival. This has become all too common in the post-Minecraft gaming world that we live in. It’s not a knock against the game outside of the fact that we’re so used to this idea that it has become slightly stale. Other games have drilled this same idea to the point of complacency. It’s like the first time you started to see the multitude of action games on NES that followed Super Mario Bros.

The Abandoned has a solid game engine with semi-realistic graphics that should run fine on most mobile devices. As you traverse the 3D world, you’ll notice many little details that help portray this post-apocalyptic world. Enemies and objects are sharp enough to discern from the rest of the environment. The graphics in general aren’t super memorable, but do a good job of immersing the player into the strange, desolate world.

As you progress through the game, more crafting options will become available. Each new ability and item is usually described by on-screen text that will help the player understand how to craft and why each item needs to be crafted. Descriptions are well-written and provide the player with just enough information that still allows some self-discovery. The amount of recipes within the game is plentiful. You’ll quickly learn that fire is essential to surviving as well as finding some forms of food.

While traversing the landscape, you will find “anomalies”, which are strange area effects that should generally be avoided, but occasionally provide positive boosts to the player. This is unique take on the survival genre that hasn’t been seen in a lot of other games. Fortunately, it’s easy to see where anomalies lie, as there is a graphical effect to go along with the affected area.

Luckily the game tells you about certain unique features of the game as you encounter them

Fighting is simple and straight forward. If a weapon is equipped, simply press the on-screen action button to attack an enemy that is within range. Your player will slash and swipe ahead to vanquish any threats. You can also attack animals that scurry about the land for additional resources. Upgrading your weapons will provide for more damage to any creeps that may be thirsting for your blood.

A knife will do the job, but an axe is much more effective

The on screen interface shows a lot of detail. As you play through the game it’s easy to understand which icons represent crucial information and how it’s easy enough to access crafting and equipment. The amount of items that can be picked up is overwhelming at first but as you learn to manage your inventory, you can quickly discard unwanted or unneeded items.

The Abandoned is quirky. The opening comic-book styled cinematic is poorly written but gives a good basis from where you’ll start. Survival is key and it doesn’t take long to understand your objectives. As you build up through crafting, the rewards amplify and you become more of a efficient, killing machine. It’s easy to recommend this game to anyone looking for a survival experience similar to Rust, The Forest or even Minecraft. Although basic in design, there’s a lot of fun to be had playing The Abandoned.

Fitbit slashes 110 jobs, but new wearables are on the way

Why it matters to you

Fitbit’s slowing sales could motivate the company to innovate with new products like smartwatches.

Fitbit is cutting 110 jobs — roughly 6 percent of its workforce — after a fourth quarter which fell short of expectations, according to a news release from the company. In 2017, Fitbit will update its current lineup and introduce new products in hopes of regaining position in the wearable market.

The wearables leader reported Monday that preliminary data suggests it sold 6.5 million devices between October and the end of 2016, earning somewhere between $572 million and $580 million in revenue. This is well below the target of $725 million to $750 million, which Fitbit attributes to “softer-than-expected holiday demand” in the company’s most mature markets.

More: Fitbit upgrades its software with new social features and personalized workouts

The shortfall translates to 17 percent in annual growth, compared to the 25 percent estimated last year. James Park, Fitbit co-founder and CEO, says that despite the stagnation over the holidays, the wearables industry continues to evolve, and new product segments provide venues for expansion.

“We believe the evolving wearables market continues to present growth opportunities for us that we will capitalize on by investing in our core product offerings,” Park said in a statement, “while expanding into the smartwatch category to diversify revenue and capture share of the over $10 billion global smartwatch market.”

Fitbit hopes leveraging its recent acquisitions will help claw back some ground. Since December, the company has snapped up Kickstarter smartwatch darling Pebble and smartwatch startup Vector. In the spring, it purchased universal credit card maker Coin to assist in its plans to add mobile payment support to new devices later this year.

News of the sales slump and downsizing caused Fitbit’s shares to plunge as the stock market opened Monday morning. At the time of this writing, the company’s shares are down roughly 11 percent to $6.41, after closing at $7.21 on Friday.

Still, there is at least one positive takeaway. In spite of Fitbit’s struggles to make headway globally, the company reported it has “continued to grow rapidly in select markets” such as Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, where revenue rose 58 percent in the fourth quarter.