LG’s next robots include an Echo-like assistant
When LG said it was pouring a ton of effort into robots, it wasn’t kidding. The electronics firm is teasing a whole lineup of robots for CES, including one that could theoretically replace your Echo speaker. The flagship, the Hub Robot (not shown here), will serve as both a personal assistant and a smart home platform. This doesn’t mean that it’ll be the robotic butler of your dreams, but you might not have to walk into a specific room to turn on the lights using your voice.
LG is also interested in taking robots outdoors. One model getting a preview at CES will have “new capabilities” for taking care of your yard, including your garden.
The company isn’t diving deep into features (that’s what its January 4th event is for), but you should expect some common trends. At least some of the bots can steer themselves through “complex environments,” and there will be some Pepper-like robots built to help you at airports and hotels. All told, LG is bent on making robots as much a part of its roster as TVs and washing machines. There’s no guarantee that it’ll succeed, but it’s clearly not content with making the occasional robotic vacuum.
Source: LG Newsroom
New year: Seven tech resolutions to put on your list for 2017
The clock has struck and another year has begun. You have probably made all sorts of resolutions – quit smoking, drink less, go out more, spend less, etc.
While some of those are more manageable than others, we have rounded up seven tech resolutions that should be nice and easy to stick to. These resolutions don’t involve resisting the chocolate or going to the gym five times a week. Instead they should help you get organised and on top of everything right from the beginning of 2017.
Get rid of your unused gadgets
If you have gadgets lying around your office or house, then now is the time to start clearing them out.
Whether it is a stereo system you received a replacement for over Christmas, or an old handset, then get it on eBay, take it to a charity shop or see if a recycling site such as Mazuma Mobile will offer you anything, because chances are your gadget collection is likely to keep growing this year.
Update all your apps
App updates, whether Android, iOS, Blackberry or Windows Phone don’t just appear for the fun of it.
An update will normally bring a fix for a bug, or make the app itself faster, sometimes it will even introduce new features so they are worth doing, and staying on top of – don’t ignore them.
Change your passwords
It’s better to be safe than sorry, and while some accounts require you to change your password regularly, others do not.
To make sure all your details, emails and accounts are safe, it is worth changing your passwords, even it is only adding a different number at the end of your original at the beginning of every year.
Back up computer to an external hard drive
Backing up your laptop or desktop is something you don’t always think to do until you lose everything. Therefore if you have a bit of spare cash, it’s worth buying an external hard drive like Western Digital’s My Passport or one of LaCie’s devices.
Try not to just back it up on New Years day and then leave it for the next 12 months, but that is at least better than not at all.
Sign up to Dropbox
Dropbox is a great way to keep all your files with you so you can access them from whichever device you are working on, whether that be your phone, tablet, laptop or desktop.
It is free to join and you get a little bit of free storage before you have to pay for more, plus you can access your account through the Dropbox website on your browser or the app itself as long as you have an internet connection.
Streamline your social media networks
If you have a number of social media accounts, but only really use one or two, it might be worth deleting the ones you don’t bother with anymore and pay more attention to the ones you do.
You could also go through your friends on Facebook, or the people you follow on Twitter and decide if there are any you can get rid of so you only updates from the people you really want to in 2016.
Manage your phone contacts
The contacts in your phone are another thing that need a tidy up every now and then. A year is a long time, and people change jobs and numbers so it’s worth going through, checking for duplicates, and making sure you have everyone you need saved.
You might as well get rid of the people you haven’t spoken to in the last year too, and make sure you back up your phone so you have the contacts saved on your computer, as well as your photos in case you lose your phone.
Run-DMC sues Amazon, Walmart over online counterfeits
It’s not just tech giants like Apple that are taking online stores to task for allowing counterfeit goods on their virtual shelves. Run-DMC is suing Amazon, Walmart (including Jet.com) and partners for selling bogus shirts, hats and other goods that violate the legendary group’s trademark. The internet retailers are allegedly “trading on the goodwill” of Run-DMC by either allowing third parties to sell counterfeits or, in Amazon’s case, supposedly selling the fakes directly.
We’ve asked Amazon and Walmart for comment and will let you know if they can respond. With that said, there’s no question that stores like Amazon have taken at least some steps to crack down on counterfeits. The concern isn’t really that they’re knowingly profiting from knockoffs — it’s that they might not be doing enough to prevent these frauds from slipping through the cracks. These sorts of lawsuits may become more commonplace if artists and companies feel that their brands aren’t getting adequate protection.
Source: CNET
All New York City underground subway stations now have WiFi
Officials vowed that all of New York City’s underground subway stations would have WiFi by the end of 2016, and they’re meeting that goal… if only at the very last minute. As of New Year’s Eve, every one of the 279 stations now has internet access thanks to Transit Wireless. WiFi is a long time in coming (the first stations went online in 2011), but it’s important if you either have spotty phone reception or a WiFi-only device that would otherwise go dark.
Full cellular coverage will have to wait a while longer — it won’t be ready until sometime in early 2017. And this won’t help you much in the tunnels themselves, where there’s still a real chance that you’ll go offline in between stops. Between this and gigabit WiFi kiosks, though, it’ll be almost trivially easy to get online in NYC.
Source: NY1
Samsung FlexWash + FlexDry Laundry System Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET
This Samsung washer and dryer pair has a secret — small top-load compartments to tackle delicate items.
Samsung
Let’s face it, laundry day just isn’t fun. Fortunately, large appliance manufacturers have been hard at work in 2016 dreaming up new ways to to simplify this otherwise arduous task.
We’ve seen sinks built-into top-load washing machines, front-load trap doors that open midcycle so you can add the lone sock you missed earlier (see video below), and smaller, secondary washers hidden in what looks like a lowly storage pedestal.
But Samsung’s FlexWash + FlexDry Laundry System, announced today, might be the wackiest innovation we’ve seen yet. It’s a side-by-side front-load washer and dryer pair, but both units have a smaller washer or dryer incorporated into the top of the machine, top-load-style.
Here’s an overview:
FlexWash
- 5-cubic-foot front-loader
- 1-cubic-foot top-loader
While this concept is somewhat similar to LG’s Twin Wash system, there are a couple of key distinctions. FlexWash is one unit — the main front-load unit and the supplemental top-load unit are integrated into the same appliance body.
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Samsung also claims its FlexWash unit doesn’t require two separate water lines. So instead of having to install a secondary water line (as with Twin Wash), FlexWash has an internal separator that sends the front-load water one direction and the top-load water another direction. That’s huge.
But like LG’s Twin Wash, you can run wash cycles simultaneously and the water isn’t supposed to mix. That way, you don’t combine water that’s washing bright red beach towels with water that’s washing your white undershirts. The general ideal is that you’ll tackle larger, normal loads of laundry in the 5-cubic-foot washer and smaller, delicate items in the 1-cubic-foot washer above.
FlexDry
- Main dryer has MultiSteam technology
- Smaller dryer has customizable temperature zones
We’ve never seen a two-in-one dryer unit like FlexDry before. Beside the obvious convenience of being able to dry two loads at one time, it also allows for different types of fabrics to get custom care. The main dryer would likely continue to handle normal loads, as it has a tumble-dry function. The smaller dryer would take on delicate items via a drying-rack-style design and custom temp zones ranging from room temperature to 95 degrees Fahrenheit.
In addition to its four-in-one design, the FlexWash + FlexDry Laundry System can be controlled by your phone via the Samsung Smart Home app for Android or iPhone. According to Samsung, you’ll be able to start and stop cycles remotely with the app, as well as monitor the progress of a cycle.
Samsung hasn’t shared pricing or availability for its FlexWash + FlexDry Laundry System just yet, or whether it plans to integrate this new washer and dryer with its own smart home platform, SmartThings. I’ve reached out to Samsung for more details, so check back soon for updates.
Click here to find out what else is happening at CES 2017.
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Trading card maker Topps hit by security breach in 2016
Topps, the iconic maker of Star Wars, Frozen and various sports-related trading cards, has just notified its customers of security breaches that happened earlier this year. In it, the company has admitted that one or more intruders infiltrated its system and “may have gained access to [customers’] names, addresses, email addresses, phone numbers, debit or credit card numbers, card expiration days and card verification numbers.” Topps said it didn’t find out about the intruders until October 12th, but anyone who bought items through its website from June 30th to that date could be affected. Upon discovering the breaches, it worked with a security firm to fix the vulnerability the hackers exploited and to fortify its system.
Back in June, Chris Vickery from the MacKeeper Security Research Center talked about stumbling across databases containing user data from Bunt, Huddle and Kick, three of Topps’ mobile apps. He said he sent multiple emails to the company, but they were all ignored. It’s unclear if he was talking about the same breaches, but it’s best to take precautions all the same. Topps is offering a year’s worth of identity theft protection to anyone whose data might be compromised. If you purchased anything from the company within the timeframe it mentioned, check out Topps’ email for full details before December 31st next year.
Via: BBC
Source: Sports Collectors Daily, MacKeeper
Welcome to leak season
Welcome to leak season. Enjoy the ride.
It’s the end of the year, which means cold weather in North America, hangovers for the festivity-goers, and beginning of what we inside the baseball diamond refer to as “leak season.” It’s slippery during leak season, so bring some salt.
There’s a cycle in tech media that resolves in an arc: the early inklings of a story that, initially vapor, builds and eventually coalesces into something tangible. We hear rumors that begin in an ephemeral state, eventually casting themselves in prescient rays of light that you can see but not touch. Over the months, the light hardens and becomes more coherent — photos, videos, specs — as the thing’s release date approaches.
The early inklings of a story that, initially vapor, builds and eventually coalesces into something tangible.
Given that CES begins in just a few days, it’s the perfect time to remind you that leak season is in full swing and, like snowfalls in the northern hemisphere, the severity ebbs and flows as we approach spring. Over the past few days, we’ve seen (and reported on) various aspects of phones that will likely be released in 2017: the Galaxy S8, the LG G6, the HTC whatever. We take leaks seriously, and, internally, debate the credulity of each one before reporting. We also judge the reliability of the source, too, the past success of which also dictates whether we follow the story down the proverbial rabbit hole.
At the same time, we also receive leaks, and have to decide whether or not, in the interest of protecting our sources, we publish the information. Of course, there’s a business benefit to posting leaks, since the intensity of public interest in pre-release hardware often outweighs (at times dramatically) the equivalent once it has been announced. This is doubly true of devices from manufacturers like Motorola, HTC, Sony and others that have small, loyal followings: the discourse is often hopeful and the communities disproportionately loud, which tends to die down in the weeks and months following availability.
The main issue I see around leaks today is that there are no consequences for getting it wrong. Many publications weave snippets or glances of an outer casing or a spec sheet into a cohesive narrative, large swaths of which is incorrect. But once the product is announced, and gets into people’s hands, all is forgiven and forgotten, and we move onto the next cycle. This is nothing new, but it’s worth keeping these points in mind as we move into leak season in earnest.
Be skeptical of what you see. Much of what you see out there is either partially or entirely incorrect, and while we’re not going to point at individual leaks or sources, I’d encourage you to maintain a healthy amount of skepticism while you enjoy what should be, for all intents and purposes, a piece of entertainment.
Have a happy and healthy new year, and we’ll see you in 2017!
Tesla’s big Autopilot update reaches a handful of cars
Tesla didn’t roll out its Enhanced Autopilot in mid-December as initially reported, but it is giving drivers something right before 2016 comes to a close. Elon Musk has revealed that the new Autopilot software is reaching about 1,000 HW2-era (that is, October and beyond) cars, with the rest of the HW2 fleet getting it the following week if there are no problems. The P100D performance update should hit on January 5th, too, so you’ll have an extra treat if you splurged on a recent Model S or X.
Be prepared to wait if you’re part of the majority that isn’t using HW2, though. Musk expects that Autopilot update to arrive in late January. While the delay is somewhat understandable when newer vehicles have upgraded sensor hardware, it also suggests that you may need to get used to gaps between updates for different models — especially as Tesla rolls out hardware-specific features.
HW2 Autopilot software uploading to 1000 cars this eve. Will then hold to verify no field issues and upload to rest of fleet next week.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 31, 2016
Source: Elon Musk (Twitter 1), (2), (3)
Six drones that do good for people and the planet
When the general public first learned about drones, the context was largely related to military applications and spy tactics, so the unmanned aircraft were cast with a bad rap. Years later, a number of creative technologists have found ways to use drones to help people, animals, and the environment. Drones are being used to protect endangered animals from poachers in Africa, to beam internet access to parts of the world never before served, and even as remote flying builders. Drones are helping humans work on projects – from the curious to the comical – that wouldn’t have been possible without the small autonomous aircraft. Read on to learn about some of the most amazing ways drones are helping people and the planet.
Fighting drought with cloud-seeding drones
While humans may never figure out a way to control the weather, there have been many attempts to influence it. Cloud seeding, the practice of sprinkling silver iodide into clouds to promote rainfall, has traditionally been done by small airplanes, but the job can be made a lot easier thanks to drones. In Nevada, one such experiment took place earlier this year, funded in part by the state government. Cloud-seeding drones were flown at altitudes up to 400 feet and equipped with silver iodide flares to shoot into the clouds. While it’s unlikely the team was able to make it rain, using drones to deliver potentially rain-inducing measures could catch on in places like Nevada and California, where widespread droughts have been destroying agriculture for years.
Protecting animals with poacher-defense drones
In Africa, poachers have caused populations of many species to shrink and wildlife authorities have struggled to protect the animals. Elephants and rhinos are among the most threatened, and one group of conservationists in Zimbabwe is using drones to monitor poaching activities and add an extra layer of defense for the highly sought after animals. The drones monitor Hwange National Park, covering much larger swaths of land from the air than rangers could do on foot. In addition to providing broader coverage, drones can fly and record at night – a time when many poachers sneak into protected areas to poison wildlife water supplies.
Delivering emergency medicine with ambulance drones
A Japanese toy company is an unlikely source for a life-saving medical aid, but that’s exactly what happened when RC helicopter maker Hirobo unveiled its HX-1 in 2013. The tiny, unmanned electric rescue helicopter was designed to withstand severe weather conditions while traveling to hard-to-reach locations. With a steep price tag starting around $80,000 each, the HX-1 could be outfitted to transport donor blood or organs, deliver medical supplies, and collect site data. Any of those tasks could save lives, and an ambulance drone can be a lot faster and more efficient than a human team.
Connecting the world with internet-beaming drones
Facebook promised an internet-beaming drone for a long time before the social media company’s Aquila aircraft finally soared in the Arizona sky this past June. On its first test flight, the large solar-powered drone flew for a whopping 96 minutes before touching down safely. Aquila is unique because of its size: its wingspan rivals that of a Boeing 737. Despite its span, the Aquila drone soared with ease and the Facebook Connectivity Lab is improving the design now. In the future, internet-beaming equipment will be added so the drone can provide connectivity in off-grid areas.
Responding to remote Africa with drone airport
Earlier this year world-renowned architecture firm Foster + Partners unveiled plans for a Droneport that will deliver emergency supplies to remote areas in East Africa. The project is essentially an airport for unmanned flying vehicles, and it can serve drones of various sizes while doubling as a community hub for everything from medical supplies to electronic equipment and spare parts. This isn’t just a design, though. The first three buildings of the project are expected to be completed by 2020.
Remote building with drone robots
Drones are, essentially, flying robots. They can be programmed with specific navigation and flight patterns, and depending on their equipment, can perform any number of tasks – all with very little human interaction. In one of the most elaborate applications for the technology we’ve seen, a team of autonomous drones built a 24-foot-long rope bridge that is strong enough for humans to walk on. The project proves that flying robots may have a strong future career in a number of industries.
Keep your phone safe in the car with this $10 magnetic car mount!
One of your resolutions for 2017 should definitely be to keep your phone out of your hands when you are driving, and this awesome magnetic car mount makes that so much easier. Anker’s magnetic car mount is a simple way to keep your phone out of your hands but still in view so you can use it for navigation, music streaming and more. The strong magnet allows it to work universally with just about any phone, so it won’t matter how often you switch you can use it with any device you have with you that day.
This $20 discount isn’t likely to last very long, so you’re going to want to pick one up sooner than later. Something like this makes for a great investment for each car you own, so be sure to grab a couple to keep your loved ones safe on the road.
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