Buildings that breathe: Italian architect’s ‘Vertical Forest’ to sprout in China

Why it matters to you

Green architecture can combat pollution and make city living more pleasant in the future.

Italian architect Stefano Boeri has a penchant for designing living, breathing buildings. It began in Milan with the Bosco Verticale (Italian for “Vertical Forest”), two looming skyscrapers covered in thousands of trees, shrubs, and flowering plants.

The environmental idea was simple: grow the number of plants on the building that would otherwise grow on the ground it will occupy. Offset the structure’s physical footprint by using the building as a growing space. In the case of the original Vertical Forest, that included nearly 12,000 square yards of forest.

More: Beijing’s silver-plated ‘Smog Free Tower’ turns pollution into carbon cubes

But Boeri was also concerned with aesthetics. “The idea of the Vertical Forest was born several years ago, as a way to contrast what had become a stylistic trend in the architecture of skyscrapers,” Boeri told Digital Trends via email, “[That is,] the excessive amount of glass on facades and the thermal effects that it has in our cities.” Boeri set biodiversity as the end goal. “From this reflection came the idea to include not only green surfaces but also trees that could … reduce the amount of CO2 and dust particles in the atmosphere,” he said.

Following the success of Milan’s vertical forests, Boeri and his studio were commissioned for another pair of towers in Lausanne, Switzerland. Now, Stefano Boeri Architects will oversee a third pair of buildings in Nanjing, China.

Stefano Boeri Architects

Some 600 tall trees, 500 smaller trees, and 2,500 plants and shrubs will call the Nanjing’s Vertical Forest home, grown from concrete pots built into the balconies. With that many plants, the buildings have the capacity to suck some 25 tons of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere every year while pumping around 130 pounds of oxygen back in each day, according to the studio. Still, as New Atlas notes, the amount of extra concrete needed to support these plants may undermine the studio’s aim for sustainability.

Boeri acknowledges his effort is just one of many that are needed. I believe the Vertical Forest prototype is a kind of approach, but not the only one, ” he said. “It allows the possibilities to be evolved into multiple shapes or even to include variations; we hope that this project will positively influence the architectural trend. Nevertheless the relevance of our prototype relies not only on its stylistic value but also on its potential to improve urban environments. It is not a possibility but rather a responsibility.”

The two towers will occupy over 6,550 square yards of land, with one building reaching over 350 feet and the other over 650 feet. The shorter of the two will contain a Hyatt hotel with a swimming pool on the roof. The taller will include a museum, a sustainable architecture school, and a private club on top.

The Nanjing buildings are planned for completion next year.

Big day for Android 7.0: Nougat finally cracks 1 percent of Android devices

The latest distribution numbers are in — it has taken Android 7.0 Nougat five months to hit a little more than 1 percent of Android devices.

According to the Android Developer Dashboard, Nougat devices seem to have jumped 0.5 percent from last month’s numbers. On the plus side, Android Marshmallow is now the most common API level at 30.7 percent. Going by Android versions, however, the reigning king is still Android Lollipop with 32.9 percent — though Marshmallow is close behind.

In contrast, Apple’s iOS 10 was released in the middle of September and is already on 76 percent of devices.

More: Get the most out of Android 7.0 Nougat with these tips and tricks

Even though 30.7 percent — the amount of devices running Android Marshmallow — sounds like a small number, it accounts for a lot of phones, especially considering there have been well over 1.4 billion Android devices activated since September 2015. It’s an improvement, but the numbers continue to highlight one of Android’s biggest problems: fragmentation. Google issues monthly security updates and rolls out version updates to all of its supported Pixel, Nexus, and Android One devices, but these are not always released in a timely manner by manufacturers and carriers for other devices.

Version

Code Name

API

Distribution

2.3.3 – 2.3.7
Gingerbread
10
1.0%
4.0.3 – 4.0.4
Ice Cream Sandwich
15
1.0%
4.1.x
Jelly Bean
16
4.0%
4.2.x
17
5.7%
4.3
18
1.6%
4.4
KitKat
19
21.9%
5.0
Lollipop
21
9.8%
5.1
22
23.1%
6.0
Marshmallow
23
30.7%
7.0
Nougat
24
0.9%
7.1
Nougat
25
0.3%

*The data above is from Google. It was collected during a seven-day period ending on February 6, 2017. Any versions with less than 0.1 percent distribution are not shown.

Marshmallow and Nougat were the only devices to see some gains this month — all other Android versions went down. During the last data collection period, Google added an entry for Nougat 7.1 as it saw wide rollout in December 2016. That has fragmented Nougat’s numbers, but at least more than 1 percent of Android devices have Nougat. There are finally more devices running Nougat than those running Android 2.3.3 Gingerbread, which came out in 2011.

Nougat’s numbers will continue to increase as manufacturers and carriers begin to push updates and as more devices are released in 2017, but it will be a slow and arduous process. Google’s Pixel smartphones are reportedly “very popular” according to Verizon, if it becomes a household name as Samsung has managed to achieve with its Galaxy lineup — then Google’s dream of having a large user base with the latest version of Android will come true.

More: When is your phone getting Android 7.0 Nougat? We asked every major manufacturer

The huge number of people using older versions of Android is not a good thing, as software vulnerabilities and bugs may never be fixed. As such, the Federal Trade Commission and Federal Communications Commission sent letters to software giants like Apple and Google, as well as manufacturers and carriers, inquiring about the security process and how they push updates to consumers.

We’ll continue to update this post as Google updates its Android distribution figures.

Article originally published in August. Updated on 02-08-2017 by Julian Chokkattu: Added February figures. 

Hayo is a new connected device that wants to truly make you the master of your domain

Why it matters to you

Controlling your home with augmented reality is no longer a dream — it has become reality with Hayo.

Who needs a universal remote when you can turn the universe into a remote instead? That’s the approach being taken by Hayo, a new Internet of Things (IoT) device launching on Indiegogo today. Together with its accompanying app, Hayo turns everyday objects, surfaces, and spaces into virtual remote controls for your smart home. Being the master of your domain just took on a whole new meeting.

The ambitious device claims to scan the objects and spaces in your vicinity, turning them into a set of “magical buttons” that can be set and toggled to control various appliances. Turn on your lights or turn off your speakers, set the temperature or reset your security cameras, all with gestures or simple taps.

More: Upcoming Snapchat feature will add augmented reality animations to scenes

“At Hayo we are all about bringing the unconventional to life,” says CEO Gisele Belliot, “We are committed to improving lives through spatial analysis technology, giving users the ability to create useful remote controls. Four core values that we want our community to experience are empowerment, adaptability, magic and collaboration, and Hayo is just the beginning.”

So how does it work? Broadly speaking, Hayo creates a 3D image map of a room, which you can view in the companion app. From here, you can create virtual remote controls on top of objects or in the air. Then, simply connect these controls to connected home platforms and products. And because Hayo is always sensing your movements and gestures, you can start moving, grooving, and controlling right away. The IoT device claims that you’ll be able to raise your arm to turn on your speakers, tap the corner of your coffee table to adjust the volume, or even point at your lights to turn them on or off.

The Hayo is available now for pre-order from Indiegogo for $199, with an estimated delivery date of August.

Logitech’s M720 Triathlon is my new favorite mouse

The Logitech M720 Triathlon Mouse is the best wireless mouse I’ve ever used.

I don’t think it’s weird to have a favorite mouse. It’s a tool but it’s also an extension of your hand and eyes. I think most people who make a living sitting in front of a computer have a favorite mouse, and even people who don’t stare at a screen all day appreciate a mouse that works just right for them.

I’m also one of those people who would rather not use the trackpad on their laptop. Even a very good trackpad doesn’t work for me the way a mouse works, and whenever I’m using my Chromebook or even my MacBook Pro I’ll use a mouse if I can get away with it. I just prefer it. A lot of people do.

More: The best wireless mice for Chromebooks

For the longest time, I used a Logitech M705 Marathon mouse. I originally bought it because I was tired of changing batteries every few weeks and it was advertised up to three-year battery life. And you could enable a free-scrolling mouse wheel by clicking a button. My needs were not extreme. Amazon tells me I bought that mouse back in 2011, and again in 2015. I tend to stick with a thing when I like it. While a three-year battery life goal was something I never thought I would be able to reach, the two AA batteries really did last a lot longer than I thought they would. Like months longer.

My needs are specific but not extreme — long battery life and a great mouse wheel.

When you add in the ergonomic shape and great tracking, it was a winner and one of the things I used with both my desktop and my laptop.

Logitech recently sent me their M720 Triathlon Mouse to check out. I like to be clear when I’m talking about a thing I didn’t have to pay for. You can still buy the M705, but the M720 looks and feels like a successor to my favorite mouse. I’ve been using it for a week or two, and I’m not going back.

The sculpted design and button layout

Everything I liked about my old mouse is better on the M720. It’s a little bit larger but not too large like Logitech’s popular MX Master mouse. I want a mouse that fills my palm without going past the boundary of my hand. Desk real estate can be a thing when you have a pile of phones and assorted junk to tend with. Anything bigger than my hand will bump into the edges of the hole I created for mousing.

I can absolutely swallow this mouse with my hand, which is exactly what I want and why I don’t use a bigger mouse. The area designed to rest a thumb feels a little more shallow and places my thumb a little higher so it feels like I’m holding the mouse instead of resting my hand on it. Even the extra buttons — there are navigation buttons above the thumb and a programmable button in the thumb rest — have been redesigned and made easier to click without being so different I need to re-learn anything.

But there are two very specific things that make the M720 so much better — the wheel, and the connectivity.

We’ll start with the wheel. All mice have a wheel and it’s been that way for a long time. It’s a third button and a way to scroll up and down or back and forth. But there is a big difference between a mouse wheel and a good mouse wheel. This is a good one. When the “clicker thing” (because I have no idea the proper term for this mechanism) is engaged and you scroll by the click it’s solid and every click is the same. Granted, it’s still new but even new some mice have a bit of wiggle here. When I tell the software how many lines to move per click, it moves the correct number of lines. There are no spots where the wheel hangs or rolls past because the click isn’t tight enough. The click is good.

The buttons and wheel movement on the M720 are better than my fancy “gaming” mouse.

When you press the button behind the wheel, you go into freewheel mode. The wheel on the M720 is nicely weighted and it will spin for ages with just a flick of the finger. This is how you get to the end of a long web page or multi-page document because scrolling one click at a time is for barbarians. On a side note, I use a very expensive Logitech G900 corded mouse on my gaming PC and the freewheel mode on the M720 is better. So are the top buttons when I’m at the top of the leader board trying to run away and avoid getting pwned. If it were heavier, I would probably replace my gaming mouse because the buttons on the M720 work better for the way I play. Which is usually poorly.

Connectivity options galore

The biggest thing that sets the M720 apart from the M705 is that it can connect with multiple devices, just like the larger MX Master. Included is a standard Logitech Unifying receiver. You can plug it into a computer — Windows, Mac, Linux, it doesn’t care — and pair like a million (actually six) Logitech USB devices. You can hook up your wireless mouse and wireless keyboard and only use one USB port. This is old news and it works just as well today as it always has. The M720 is also a Bluetooth mouse that can be paired with more than one device at a time. Between the two, you can connect the mouse to three different devices and change between them by clicking a button with your thumb.

I plugged the receiver into my desktop, which runs multiple operating systems. The Logitech Options software (Windows and macOS) lets you change the button assignments and gives slightly better control over the pointing speed and accuracy, but you can plug it in and go if you’re not worried about “programming” what clicks what or how. While running Linux, the three top buttons work as intended (M1/M2/M3) as does the wheel and side navigation buttons without fussing around in any X server configuration files. It also works on most any Android or Windows phone if you’re looking for an ultra-inclusive option.

The Logitech M720 works on most anything you can connect it to without any fiddling around. Logitech’s Options software lets you fiddle around a little bit on Windows and macOS.

I also have it paired to my Acer Chromebook R13, and the three top buttons and wheel work flawlessly. The unifying receiver will work on my Chromebook, too, but with USB ports at a premium, I went with Bluetooth here. Finally, it’s paired with my MacBook Pro as well. I really like the way the Logitech Options software for macOS will integrate the battery into the notifications like an Apple Magic Mouse when the time comes to change it out, which Logitech says can be up to two years.

Switching between them is easy. I click the button on the side until the correct LED (they are numbered 1, 2 and 3) lights up and a few seconds later I’m pointing and clicking all over the place.

Having a mouse that fits my hand and is precise both with and without a mousepad is awesome. The M720 does both a little better than my old mouse. Having one mouse that can do it on three different computers is awesome,

See at Amazon

Google Pixel’s speaker problems have been fixed — probably

The Pixel’s audio problems are mostly over. What a sweet sound.

The Google Pixel has issues. It’s still the best phone out there, but it’s not perfect, and one such issue consistently been reported is the phone’s single downward-facing speaker tending to distort at high volumes. What was initially thought of as a hardware malfunction appears to have been resolved (or is resolvable) using software.

According to a number of people who downloaded the February 2017 security update onto their Google Pixel this week, the sound issues appear to have been fixed — at least for some. Two commits to AOSP in January — one from Google and the other from HTC — tell the story of a company looking to both its internal software team and its manufacturing partner to figure out exactly what has been happening.

What does this mean? Well, as Russell Holly pointed out, it’s very difficult to make speakers act identically inside a phone, since there are always going to be variances in temperature, humidity and slight alterations to the size and shape of the cavity itself. What Google can do is resolve the issue for the largest number of people through a software calibration, which it appears to be doing here.

Common Google Pixel problems and how to fix them

If you’re using a Google Pixel with the latest security update, has it resolved your audio problems? Or did you not have one in the first place? Or have you still been unable to buy one?

Google Pixel + Pixel XL

• Google Pixel and Pixel XL review
• Google Pixel XL review: A U.S. perspective
• Google Pixel FAQ: Should you upgrade?
• Pixel + Pixel XL specs
• Understanding Android 7.1 Nougat
• Join the discussion in the forums!

Google Store
Verizon

How to deal with a green haze in your PlayStation VR

You aren’t imagining it, there’s a green haze in your PlayStation VR.

Nothing pulls you out of an immersive experience quite like being reminded you’re wearing a headset. For some VR owners, that reminder happens when light comes into the headset and reflects off the lenses. PlayStation VR owners don’t have that problem, but some have noticed a green smear out of the corner of their eye when playing particularly dark games. It’s a distracting, temporary effect every PlayStation VR owners needs to deal with, but if you know how there’s a way to avoid it most of the time. Here’s what you need to know!

Read more at VR Heads!

Here’s how you can become an ethical hacker

As the cyber world grows, so does the requirement for security personnel. One of the best ways to test security is to breach it — it’s often hard to find a hole until something passes through it. The people who do this type of work are known as ethical hackers, and they are in high demand. Companies would rather have someone on their side breaching their security, rather than someone unknown or hostile. Maybe you’ve always fancied yourself a tech guru, or maybe you’re just starting out. Either way, you’re probably wondering how to get started down the path of cyber security.

Save big on this new skill Learn More

Right now, Android Central Offers has a fantastic deal on lifetime access to nearly 90 courses and 16 hours of information to get you ready. This package ultimately delivers training you’ll need to fast track your career. The best part? It’s going to set you back only $49 rather than the regular $700. No, that’s not a typo; that’s a 92% discount.

Being at the cutting edge of progress is never a bad idea, especially when it comes to your career. As job availability decreases and automation ramps up, individuals with specialized careers will be patting themselves on the back. One thing that doesn’t seem to be going away anytime soon is the need for tech security, so why not get started on this course today? Some of the highlights include:

• Access 89 lectures & 16 hours of content 24/7
• Understand how to bypass different security layers after getting proper approval
• Learn how to compromise computers, crack passwords, crash systems & compromise applications
• Run a buffer overflow from scratch
• Stride towards a career in this fast-growing IT profession

Become an ethical hacker now! Learn More

Sick of your dead-end job? Want to make a ton of money and help a lot of people stay safe? Get in at the ground level and make the tech industry work for you, not against you. This is a lot of education for a very low price — check it out today before the offer ends.

The latest version of Android is now on 1.2% of devices

One percent of a billion isn’t nothing, but Nougat is still frustratingly hard to come by.

Android 7.x Nougat is now on 1.2% of active Android phones, according to the latest numbers from Google. That’s up 0.5% from last month, which may not seem like a lot but it’s the biggest one-month jump since the platform was made official last August. That’s thanks to big-name updates from companies like Huawei, Samsung, LG and more.

But older versions like Marshmallow, at 30.7%, are still far more ubiquitous — it even increased 1.1% over last month! Other versions, like Lollipop, KitKat and most flavors of Jelly Bean, are all down from January, but not enough to make any significant difference. The reality is that fragmentation is still very much a thing on Android, and that 35.2% of devices are still running software from 2013 or earlier.

With the Galaxy S7 expected to receive Nougat in volume this quarter, that number of Android 7.x-based phones should shoot up again in March, but it will be a long time before it approaches anything close to what we’re seeing from holdouts like Jelly Bean and KitKat.

Android Nougat

• Android 7.0 Nougat: Everything you need to know
• Will my phone get Android Nougat?
• Google Pixel + Pixel XL review
• All Android Nougat news
• How to manually update your Nexus or Pixel
• Join the Discussion

Facebook makes it easier to help your neighbors during a crisis

Facebook wants you to reach out, or be easier to find, in times of a crisis.

Facebook is rolling out an update to its Safety Check platform that leverages the huge numbers of people and data in its database to make it easier to actual give people help.

Called Community Help, the feature is “available for natural and accidental incidents, such as an earthquake or building fire,” and is “starting in the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India and Saudi Arabia for the first couple of weeks.”

The idea is that after checking in to let your followers know you’re OK during a difficult time or state of emergency, you can now “find and give help, and message others directly to connect after a crisis.”

The goal is a noble one, built out of necessity given Facebook’s reach and daily activity numbers. The company says it will expand into more countries and categories in the coming weeks.

When to enable smooth turning on your PlayStation VR

Should I enable smooth turning in my VR games?

Full body motion in VR is hard. When your eyes see the world moving around you, but your body can’t feel a matching sensation for movement, the end result is frequently called Cue Correction or Sim Sickness. Your brain tries to compensate for not being able to feel the things the eyes are seeing, maybe by leaning in one direction or crouching, and it quickly makes some people nauseated. This is why many VR games put you inside of a vehicle or let you walk around with your body instead of using a button to move.

Some games, usually faster-paced action games, rely on thumb sticks for movement in VR. To compensate for the potential of Cue Correction, most of these games don’t let you turn around very quickly. Some games limit you to a 30-degree turn at a time, or make the turns slow enough to decrease the potential for sickness. In most cases, these games also have a comfort setting you can adjust in order to turn faster. Here’s how to use that feature without getting sick.

Read more at VR Heads