Strava’s new Android Wear 2.0 app leaves the phone behind

Popular fitness-tracking app Strava hits the ground running with an Android Wear 2.0 update.

Strava has updated their app for watches with Android Wear 2.0 to support the new features that come with the new operating system.

After an initial setup through your phone, the Strava for Android Wear app becomes a complete standalone experience. Track your runs or your rides and share photos and highlights with the Strava community right from the app.

With millions of downloads and a 4.6-star rating in Google Play, Strava is a fan favorite. Grab it at the link below and check out the press release for more information.

Download Strava (free, in-app purchases)

Strava Available Now for Devices Powered by Android Wear 2.0

Athletes can record and upload activities on Strava via Wear 2.0 watches, untethered from their Android and iOS phones.

SAN FRANCISCO – February 9, 2017 – Strava, the social network for athletes, announces its Android Wear 2.0 app. Athletes can now take full advantage of an enhanced, untethered experience that includes built-in GPS and wireless connectivity, as well as the performance analysis Strava athletes desire such as time, distance, pace, laps and split times, and heart rate, all from their wrist.

“We welcome the highly anticipated release of Android Wear 2.0,” said Mateo A. Ortega, Head of Integration for Strava. “Wear 2.0’s standalone model is forward thinking and innovative, and pushes the limits of what we thought was possible. This platform introduces many features that benefit Strava athletes, such as the option to record and upload activities independent of their phone.”

Android Wear 2.0 smartwatches join more than 100 other GPS devices that work seamlessly with Strava. Athletes can install Strava for Android Wear 2.0 by visiting the Google Play store on their Wear device. The athlete only needs their iOS or Android phone for initial setup; they can then record and upload activities to Strava free of their mobile phone.

Strava makes it easy to connect and engage with other athletes. Download Strava for iOS or Android and upgrade to Strava Premium to access the latest features such as Beacon and Live Segments. To learn more about Strava, visit http://www.strava.com.

About Strava
Strava unlocks potential through the power of sport. Designed by athletes, for athletes, Strava’s mobile apps and website connect millions of runners and cyclists every day. For more information visit http://www.strava.com.

Android Wear 2.0 update for the Polar M600 is on the way

Get your fitness ya-yas on.

The Polar M600 is a great fitness watch that runs Android, and today they have announced that the Android Wear 2.0 update should be arriving soon. The Finnish company earned was recently named a CES 2017 Innovation Awards Honoree in the Fitness, Sports and Biotech product category and the sleek design of the M600 certainly sets it apart when it comes to looks.

Additionally, Polar says the M600 includes new ways to track data for indoor swimming activities, including distance, number of strokes and swimming style.

Look for the Android Wear update on your Polar M600 soon.

KEMPELE, FINLAND – Feb. 9, 2017 – Polar, the leader in wearable sports technology, introduces Android Wear™ 2.0 compatibility and indoor swimming metrics to their Polar M600 smartwatch. Available soon, the latest Android Wear update enables both Android and iOS users to access the Google Play store via the watch, download apps and operate them directly on the Polar M600.

A sports watch at its core, Polar M600 now offers new indoor swimming metrics such as distance and pace, as well as strokes per minute and strokes per pool length. Polar M600’s latest metrics will even determine whether a swimmer is swimming freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke or butterfly.

Recently named an International CES 2017 Innovation Awards Honoree in the Fitness, Sports and Biotech product category, Polar M600 is built for serious training while also boasting a sleek design for a connected lifestyle. Polar M600 features Polar’s proprietary 6-LED optical heart rate technology and industry-leading heart rate algorithms. These advanced technologies deliver incredible accuracy, stability and reliability that distinguish Polar from every alternative on the market. Polar M600 also offers integrated GPS, 24/7 activity tracking and Polar Smart Coaching features.

With Android Wear 2.0, Polar M600 has Google Assistant** built-in. Users can access also customize watch faces, receive calendar notifications, read and reply to texts, scroll through social media feeds and access even more apps via Google Play™. The latest update also includes an improved user interface, a newly designed watch face and additional languages including Vietnamese, Turkish, Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish and Danish.

The newest update will be available to all Polar M600 users this Spring. Polar M600 is available now in Charcoal Black and Powder White for $329.95. Interchangeable wristband accessories are available in Red, White, and Black for $29.95.

• Android, Android Wear, Google Play and other marks are trademarks of Google Inc.
  **Google Assistant is not available in all languages

About Polar:
Polar is the innovator in heart rate monitoring, activity trackers and training computers. With nearly 40 years of experience and a proud heritage in physiological and sports medical research, we cater to all levels of fitness by offering a comprehensive product range including cycling computers, wearable sports devices and activity trackers, training apps and online services. Our award-winning training computers are the number one choice among consumers worldwide, being sold through over 35,000 retailers globally. Headquartered in Finland, Polar is a privately held company that operates in more than 80 countries including U.S. headquarters in Lake Success, NY. For more information, please visit polar.com.

LG Watch Sport video review!

The newly launched LG Watch Sport is the new head of the Android Wear family, with version 2 of Google’s wearable platform and a loadout of features including LTE, GPS and NFC for Android Pay. It’s also a big, chunky watch that’s going to look out of place on smaller wrists. And, with all that technology ticking away under the hood, it’s a device which won’t last much beyond the one-day mark if you’re using LTE.

On top of that, Android Wear 2.0 (finally) brings a more mature software experience to the wrist, with improved notifications, a re-vamped app drawer, more options for replying to messages and the ability to install apps directly from the Play Store. And naturally for a “Sport” watch, this thing has a bunch of cool features for tracking your workouts through Google Fit.

Andrew has the lowdown on the LG Watch Sport in our video review of the new Android Wear flagship. Check it out above, and be sure to hit the comments and let us know if you’re picking one up!

• Android Central on YouTube
• LG Watch Sport full review
• LG Watch Style review
• Android Wear 2.0 review
• Where to buy the LG Watch Sport

How to enable sidetone volume for PlayStation VR

Hear yourself talk, just like in real life!

We don’t usually think about how isolating headphones are for VR experiences, because the overall goal is to be able to immerse yourself in the virtual world by only hearing that world. For exploring something new in VR, immersive audio can be a powerful way to really feel like you’re in the game, but there are plenty of PlayStation VR games where being able to hear yourself and other is also important.

Fortunately, your PlayStation 4 has a feature that allows you to tweak your microphone so you can enjoy audio immersion and the reality of your own voice. It’s called sidetone volume, and here’s what you need to know!

Read more at VRHeads.com

Android Nougat update for the Shield Tablet K1 is now live

The Shield Tablet is still great and the Android 7 update means you won’t have to buy a new tablet this year.

Android 7.0 is on the way for your Shield Tablet K1, extending the life of everyone’s favorite 8-incher and bringing all the new features of Google’s latest.

Besides the Android 7 enhancements — split screen, Doze 2.0, better notifications and those sweet, sweet emojis 🌮 🦄 — we see some extra awesome tossed into the mix with support for the new 2017 controller and an exclusive Shield Rewards loyalty program that we’re eager to check out.

The update is pushing out now, so grab your Shield and make sure it’s charged up. Now begin mashing that button! NVIDIA’s full changelog is below.

SHIELD Controller (2017) Support

• Updates to SHIELD controller support

New Multitasking Features

• Split-screen: Run two apps side by side* in Portrait or Landscape modes
• Quick switch: Double tap the Overview button to quickly switch back to the last opened app

Improved Notifications

• Multiple notifications from the same app are now bundled for a streamlined experience
• Reply to messages directly from within the notification*
• Tap and hold on a notification to quickly silence or block notifications from the app

Improved Power Consumption

• Doze on the Go: Doze is now smarter & kicks in even when the device is being carried around

Emoji

• Includes all-new Unicode 9 emojis

Usability Improvements

• Display & Font size can now separately adjustable to improve readability or screenspace
• Quick Settings can now be customized directly from the menu by tapping “Edit”
• The top Quick Setting tiles can now be accessed with a downward swipe from the lock screen
• Settings now includes a Navigation Menu & Suggestions to improve usability
• The “Clear all” option in Overview have been relocated to the top right

System wide improvements including:

• New Data Saver: when enabled, limits access to Cellular data for background apps
• New JIT compiler: improves the speed of App & System updates
• Update to Android Security Patch Level December 1, 2016

SHIELD Rewards Program

• Introducing SHIELD Rewards, the exclusive loyalty program for SHIELD owners

Here’s how Google Assistant works on Android Wear 2.0

The Pixel and Google Home are the best implementations of Google Assistant, while the Android Wear version still acts like it’s in its nascent stages.

It’s everyone’s vision for the future, right? Talking into an electronic wrist watch to command your every whim. Well, I hate to break it to you, but we’re still not there yet — especially not if we’re using Android Wear as the example.

Sure, Android Wear 2.0 is the best version of Android’s wearable operating system to come forth thus far. And yes, Google Assistant is totally the most coveted feature of the Pixel and Google Home because of its contextual usefulness. But that doesn’t change the fact that Google Assistant is still pretty sub-par on a smartwatch, especially if you’re sporting one of the more basic ones.

What works

It’s not all bad news bears. The Google Assistant you’re getting with Android Wear may only offer a fraction of the functionality, but it still works. On the LG Watch Style, which is what I used to test the latest version of Android Wear 2.0, you call up Google Assistant by holding down the exterior crown. Assistant will then ask you how it can help, and that’s when you can speak your query.

In many situations, Google Assistant on Android Wear is just as helpful as whipping out your phone and typing it in yourself. You can use it to do things like find out the time somewhere else on the planet, or do a quick conversion for foreign exchange rates. You can use it to send a message as you’re running through an airport, or start tracking your actual run through town.

Google Assistant on Android Wear is typically successful with very basic commands. The key to using it on the watches is to keep it simple — anything between the realm of “send a message” and “set a timer.” Queries that are more complicated involve specific app commands and you won’t always get a desired result if you go that route. For instance, when I ask Assistant to tell me about my next flight, it defaults to the Google Calendar app rather than launching TripIt. Conversely, shouting “launch TripIt” will launch the app, and you can quickly scroll down with the crown wheel to your itinerary. Of course, you can do neat tricks with Google Assistant, too. Ask your watch to tell you a story, for instance, and Assistant will regale you with a tale of most plots.

Assistant is also the binding thread that keeps your device connected to Android ecosystem, so if you’re watching Chromecast upstairs, for instance, you can use the device that’s already strapped on your wrist as a remote control of sorts. Assistant lets you control any compatible smart home devices, too, like Samsung Smart Things or a NEST Thermostat, but I’m still in a mere “dumb home” and wasn’t able to test that on my own.

If you require more context or more granular controls over what Google Assistant can do with on Android Wear, there’s a helpful settings panel available in the Android Wear app. Curiously, you can’t access this panel from the Home app. There’s also a Shopping list option for you to set up a Google Keep post-it so that you can easily dictate your shopping list when you think of it.

“Okay, Google. Add chocolate muffins to my shopping list.”

What doesn’t work

That chocolate muffin example doesn’t actually work so well on the Watch Style. I’ll ask Assistant to add the aforementioned to my master shopping list, which is pinned to the top in Google Keep. Once Assistant parses what I’m asking for, it replies, “Oops, I can’t do that right now.” It’s a simple example of why Google Assistant has been frustrating to use, particularly for an early adopter like me, who is trying hard to integrate the functionality into her daily life. When Assistant repeatedly doesn’t understand commands, I’m remiss to even try. It’s not a fun party trick if no one’s impressed.

It’s also unfortunate that the ability to command apps and services via Assistant on Android Wear hasn’t caught up to our future-facing fantasies. I can’t call an Uber through Assistant like I can through Google Home. (In fact, I can’t call an Uber, because the app still isn’t fully compatible with the Wear platform, even though Google teased the ability to do so at I/O a few years back.) I can’t even get Spotify to do something relatively simple, like play a specific playlist. That would be an amazing ability to have while squashed in between people on public transportation. Instead, I can only ask it to play music and then I get to pick from the last few albums I’ve fired up.

The other issue with Google Assistant on Android Wear is that it doesn’t always hear me. Sometimes, I’ll have to repeat my request once or twice over before the smartwatch is aware of what I’m asking. I have an inkling that this experience differs depending on the device you’re wearing, but the times I’ve attempted to speak to the Watch Style — in the middle of the grocery store, for example — has been mostly marred by all the failed attempts. It’s nice that the built-in keyboard functionality is there for when dictation isn’t an option.

Look ahead

In its infancy, most technology is finicky and ripe with hiccups as it susses itself out in various iterations. However, in the case of Google Assistant, which comes off as an effective re-branding of functionality that already existed for some time, it seems like it’s still awkwardly learning to walk.

Virtual assistants and artificial intelligence still have a journey to traverse before they’re the technology of our dreams, but I was hoping that Assistant would be slightly further along on the smartwatch. For now, think of Android Wear 2.0 and its Assistant functionality as an accessory to an already fulfilling Android life, especially if you’ve got a Google Home and a Pixel in your arsenal. And if you don’t, then it’s merely an entryway to the future of Android as one circular ecosystem.

Microsoft releases Project Rome SDK for Android

Easily control your Windows 10 devices with just your Android smartphone.

Ever wish you could control your PC from your Android device without having to finagle some third-party app you found in the Play Store? Microsoft’s Project Rome SDK aims to help with the multi-device life that many of us live on the daily.

Project Rome for Android is now available to let you connect to your Android devices. It’s limited at the moment, so you can only control Android and not the other way around. But it doesn’t enable you do things like control a media player on Windows 10 with the Android device you already have in your hand.

Project Rome was initially announced late last year to help take advantage of experiences beyond the device it’s happening on. For instance, if you’re listening to music on one device, you should be able to easily “toss it over” to another device without having to interupt the moment.

Curious to try it out for yourself? Read up about it on the official Windows blog.

The Cybathlon returns in 2020

The world’s first Cybathlon, a single-day sporting competition designed for people with severe disabilities, was a massive success in 2016. We documented the games, tech and cheering crowds that filled Zürich’s Swiss Arena in a five-part video series — and in 2020, we’ll have the chance to do it all again. The Cybathlon will officially return in May 2020 as a two-day event in Zürich.

The Cybathlon 2020 will include the six disciplines from 2016 — Brain-Computer Interface Race, FES Bike Race, Powered Arm Prosthesis Race, Powered Leg Prosthesis Race, Powered Exoskeleton Race and Powered Wheelchair Race — plus new challenges, including some for people with sensory disabilities such as deafness and blindness.

The games are a chance for participants to prove their strength and resolve, and they offer a stage for biomedical companies to demonstrate their recent advances in research. Plus, a secondary program allows audience members to try out the disciplines for themselves, to get a sense of the challenges facing folks with these disabilities.

The 2020 games won’t be confined to Zürich alone. ETH Zürich, the company organizing the event, also plans to host an additional “Cybathlon Series” at universities across the world. The series will comprise one race per discipline per year, and it will allow researchers to hold workshops about their latest gadgets, generating conversations about disabilities and assistive technology among students and faculty worldwide. The Cybathlon Series isn’t a qualification track for the actual Cybathlon 2020, but it’s a way for interested athletes to ensure their gear is competition-ready.

Additionally, the Cybathlon eXhibitions will bring assistive technologies to fairs, conventions and classrooms. The program will include show races and hands-on demos.

ETH Zürich will announce the location and dates for the May 2020 Cybathlon at a later time, so stay tuned.

Source: ETH Zurich

LG wins $168 million lawsuit against knockoff headphone makers

Last year LG filed a $200 million lawsuit against companies producing counterfeit versions of its wraparound Tone headsets. Now, the presiding judge has spoken. While the amount the company was awarded wasn’t as high as it asked for, $168 million for damages plus court costs and interest, isn’t anything to sneeze at.

“With this ruling, along with other judgments against various other defendants, LG has successfully slammed shut a sizable portion of counterfeits and knockoffs” sold in the US, it said in a statement.

In 2016 (PDF), LG claimed that shoppers were being “duped” by knockoff headsets and also said it was going after liquidators for selling damaged units as new. Litigation measures against the latter will be increased too, it says. What’s more, “those who choose to make and peddle counterfeits, knockoffs and look-alikes can expect aggressive legal action.”

Fugazi hucksters? LG has your number.

Source: PR Newswire, LG (PDF)

Apple’s Education Bundle With Final Cut Pro X and Logic Pro Now Available Around the World

Apple’s new Pro Apps Bundle for Education, which launched in the United States last week, is now available for purchase in several other countries, including but not limited to Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, New Zealand, Singapore, Spain, Taiwan, UAE, and the United Kingdom.

Other countries where the bundle is now available include Austria, Brazil, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Hungary, Japan, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, the Philippines, Russia, South Korea, Switzerland, Sweden, Thailand, and Turkey. If we spot any others, we’ll add them to this list.

The education bundle, available to qualifying students and faculty, includes permanent copies of Final Cut Pro X, Logic Pro X, Motion 5, Compressor 4, and MainStage 3 for a significant discount. In the United States, for example, the five apps usually cost $629.95, while the bundle is $199.99—a savings of over $425.

Elsewhere, pricing is set at £199.99 in the United Kingdom, $299.99 in Australia, $259.99 in Canada, and €229.99 in several European countries, such as Belgium, France, Germany, and Ireland. Prices in other countries vary.

Final Cut Pro X is Apple’s professional video editing software, while Logic Pro X is its professional audio workstation for advanced music production. Motion 5, Compressor 4, and MainStage 3 are companion tools for creating 3D animations and effects, customizing output settings, building set lists, and more.

After purchasing the bundle, education customers will receive an email with codes to redeem the apps on the Mac App Store.

Tags: Mac App Store, Apple retail, Pro Apps for Education
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