Fitbit unveils a stylish Alta band with heart-rate tracking

It’s been around a year since Fitbit unveiled the Alta, its first stab at a wearable that’s both thin and attractive. Now Fitbit is introducing a new model that delivers one of its most requested features: heart-rate tracking. The $150 Alta HR looks a lot like its predecessor, but turn it over and you’ll see the telltale signs of a new sensor. As with other Fitbit devices, the Fitbit HR can give you real-time heart-rate measurements throughout the day, and the new feature will also help you more efficiently measure the calories you burn.

Additionally, Fitbit is also improving sleep tracking on several of its devices, along with the Alta HR. Its new “Sleep Stages” feature is exactly as it sounds, tracking as you move between light, deep, REM sleep throughout the night. And building on the data it collects from you and other Fitbit users, the new “Sleep Insights” feature will give you helpful tips to improve your shut-eye. Yes, this is pretty much what we saw on Jawbone’s wearables years ago, but it’s nice to see Fitbit catching up.

You won’t find many surprises with the Alta HR. It looks and feels practically the same as the original version, though in my brief testing the heart-rate tracking worked well. The company said it had to develop an entirely new chip to fit the feature into such a slim device. The Alta HR should last for around seven days on a single charge, which is a slight bump over the original. And it’ll also bring over all of the Alta’s existing features, including automatic activity tracking.

The Alta HR will be available in early April, and the new sleep features will hit the new band, Charge 2 and Blaze bands in spring.

WHO: Pollution is killing millions of children each year

The World Health Organization (WHO) released its first report on children’s health and the environment, showing that the effects of pollution are felt most strongly by the very young. Of the deaths of children under five, a quarter are caused by smog, second-hand smoke, inadequate hygiene, unsafe water and other environmental risks. “[Young children’s] developing organs and immune systems, and smaller bodies and airways, make them especially vulnerable to dirty air and water,” said WHO Director-General Margaret Chan.

Much of this is sadly preventable. WHO said that 570,000 children were killed by respiratory infections like pneumonia that are attributable to second-hand smoke and indoor and outdoor air pollution, for instance. 361,000 were killed by diarrhea caused by a lack of access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene. 270,000 infants died in their first month from conditions like prematurity, caused by unclear water and air.

WHO said many deaths are caused by environmental hazards like electronic waste that exposes kids to mercury, lead and other toxins. Air pollution is another obvious problem, especially in large cities like Beijing and Paris (above). Climate change is also a leading issue, since it causes pollen growth that is “associated with increased rates of asthma in children,” the organization says. Between 11 and 14 percent of children under five currently report asthma issues, and around 44 percent are related to environmental exposure.

Climate change is an ongoing problem that won’t be fixed quickly. The Paris Accord was merely a first step, but even that might be undone in the US by a Trump administration that’s hostile to the idea of human-caused global warming. However, some things could be changed simply by better regulatory oversight — for instance, the Flint, Michigan water crisis never would have happened if there were better checks and balances by city, state and federal officials.

WHO wants to end preventable deaths of newborns and children under five by the year 2030. It’s encouraging governments to develop safe housing free of mold, pests, hazardous materials and unclean fuels. It also hopes to see safety at schools and health facilities improved and is encouraging better urban planning in the form of emissions-free transportation, safe walking and cycling paths, and more green spaces.

Unfortunately, the Republican-controlled congress and Donald Trump have rolled back environmental protections, and the White House plans to cut the EPA’s budget up to 40 percent. That’s a major setback for environmentalists and other activists, but the WHO report is a timely reminder of exactly for whom we need to clean things up.

Source: WHO

IBM plans to build a universal quantum computer

Companies can technically buy a quantum computer right now, but it’s not really the same as a general-purpose computer. Even if you don’t question whether or not it is quantum computing, it really amounts to specialized hardware. However, IBM hopes to change all that: it’s planning to build the first commercially-oriented universal quantum computer. The plan is to build a system with roughly 50 quantum bits (the Quantum Experience started with 5 and now simulates 20) within the next few years. That may not sound like much, but 50 qubits could be more powerful than the best supercomputers when handling some calculations — tasks that were impractical before would suddenly be within reach.

Not surprisingly, you probably won’t get to use this quantum machine yourself. Much as in the old mainframe days, this computer is aimed at “business and science” customers that need to solve specific problems. To that end, IBM is helping research partners Canon, Hitachi Metals, Honda, JSR, Nagase and Samsung explore potential uses for quantum tech.

The exciting part, IBM argues, isn’t so much the known performance as the possibilities. No one knows the full extent of what a universal quantum computer can do — it’s entirely feasible that the device will solve problems that aren’t even on the table right now. The biggest challenges are creating a tangible roadmap for production, and developing something affordable enough that it’s genuinely practical to use outside of a handful of cases.

Source: IBM Think Blog, IBM News Room

Smart meters might not be so smart

A study from the University of Twente and Amsterdam’s University of Applied Sciences believes that smart meters need extra schooling. Researchers have published a report claiming that the meters are greatly exaggerating the amount of energy that’s being used. That’s a problem, since 750,000 homes have recently installed them, and the Netherlands government wants one in every property by 2020.

Professor Frank Leferink began investigating the issue after hearing rumors that the devices were wildly overestimating power use. The grumblings seem to have merit, since some of the meters that were tested claimed that energy use was 582 times higher than the reality. It’s bad hardware, rather than fraud, that’s the cause of the issue — since the meters don’t understand how modern, energy-efficient devices like LED bulbs work.

As UT News explains, Netherlanders who want to resolve this issue don’t have much hope, at least not right now. You can only ask your energy company to check a meter if it’s not functioning properly, not object to its results. Since the hardware functions, you’ll be slapped with a bill for the inspection cost, even though the underlying principles are faulty. Which is nice.

Via: University of Twente

Source: IEEE

Fitbit announces Alta HR for heart rate tracking in slim, stylish package

Fitbit has announced the Alta HR, bringing heart rate monitoring to last year’s slim and stylish Alta fitness tracker.

The new device introduces a slimmer and more compact version of the PurePulse technology found on the company’s larger devices, such as the Charge 2, in order to retain the same design as its predecessor. 

The Alta HR is therefore still only 15mm wide, making it one of the slimmest fitness trackers on the market with heart rate monitoring. It has interchangeable straps, like the original Alta, and the older straps are still compatible with the new model.

• Fitbit Alta HR preview

Aside from the addition of heart rate monitoring, Fitbit is also bringing improved sleep tracking to the Alta HR, with some of its other devices following. The Alta HR will offer light sleep, deep sleep and REM data, along with tips on how to reach goals and explanations as to what each category means and how they correspond to activity goals.

Fitbit

In terms of other features, the Alta HR will offer the same as the original Alta. This means it will continue to track steps counted, distance travelled, calories burned and active minutes, while also offering SmartTrack for automatic exercise recognition and Reminders to Move. It will also deliver call, text and calendar alerts on its 1.4-inch OLED display.

Unlike the Charge 2, the Alta HR won’t however feature Cardio Fitness Level, Guided Breathing Sessions, Multi-Sport tracking or Connected GPS, but it is said to have a seven-day battery life.

The Fitbit Alta HR will be available from April for £129.99.

• Which Fitbit is right for me?

Fitbit Alta HR vs Charge 2: What’s the difference?

Fitbit has no fewer than nine activity trackers in its portfolio, following the recent addition of the Alta HR. As you might guess from its name, the new device adds heart rate monitoring to last year’s slim and stylish Alta tracker, meaning it starts to step into Charge 2 territory. 

Starts being the keyword there though. There are still a few features the Charge 2 has over the Alta HR. Here is how the two compare.

Fitbit Alta HR vs Charge 2: Design

• Alta HR is slimmer and sleeker
• Larger display on Charge 2
• Both have interchangeable straps 

The Fitbit Alta HR has a very similar design as the Fitbit Alta, offering a slim build with a metal chamfered body measuring 15mm wide, a textured elastomer band and a 1.4-inch OLED tap display.

There are no physical buttons on the device, interchangeable straps that are swapped over by pushing back the clips on the underside of the device and the Alta HR is secured via a cooler-matched buckle. The PurePulse heart rate monitor sits beneath the device, alongside the charging pins and it is splash and rain proof, but not swim proof. 

The Fitbit Charge 2 on the other hand is 25 per cent larger than the Alta HR, though they share a similar look. The Charge 2 also offers a metal chamfered body with a textured elastomer band as standard, but it has a larger OLED display and it measures 21.45mm wide. It also has a button to the left of the display.

Like the Alta HR however, the Charge 2 also has interchangeable straps that share the same mechanism and it too is fastened via a buckle but a metal one rather than a coloured one. The PurePulse heart rate monitor sits in the same position, as do the charging pins, and the Charge 2 is also only splash and rain proof. 

The Alta HR and Charge 2 both come in four colour options, though not the same, and they also both come in special edition options. There are a number of straps available for both, including leather, but the Alta HR also has a bangle for those who want to make it look like jewellery.

• Fitbit Alta HR preview

Fitbit Alta HR vs Charge 2: Features

• Alta HR has a better battery life
• Charge 2 offers extra functions, like VO2 Max and Connected GPS
• Charge 2 has real-time stats on display during workouts

The Fitbit Alta HR and the Fitbit Charge 2 will both measure steps taken, distance travelled, calories burned, active minutes and continuous heart rate. Automatic sleep tracking, silent alarms, Reminders to Move and hourly activity are all also on board, along with smartphone notifications in the form of calls, texts and calendar alerts.

Additionally, both models also have Fitbit’s SmartTrack, which is a feature that allows both trackers to recognise certain activities and record them in the exercise section of the Fitbit app in order for users to categorise them and see a more detailed account of what they have done.

The Alta HR’s feature stop there, while the Charge 2 adds a couple more, marking the biggest differences between these two trackers aside from their size. The Charge 2 also offers Connected GPS, meaning it will use your phone to record a map of your route, Guided Breathing, which is designed to offer personalised breathing sessions based on your heart rate and Cardio Fitness Level, which is a VO2 Max measurement. 

Alongside these three additional features, the Charge 2 also has Fitbit’s Multi-Sport Mode, which enables the user to track workouts and see stats in real-time on the display, such as heart rate, as well as offering post-workout statistics in the app and on the device itself.

The Alta HR is claimed to have a seven day battery life however, while the Charge 2 offers five.

• Fitbit Charge 2 review

Fitbit Alta HR vs Charge 2: Price

• Alta HR is cheaper
• Both have special edition models

The Fitbit Alta HR will start from £129.99, with special editions costing more and specialist bands also costing extra.

The Fitbit Charge 2 starts from £139.99, and again, special editions and bands cost extra.

• Fitbit Alta HR vs Alta vs Flex 2: What’s the difference?

Fitbit Alta HR vs Charge 2: Conclusion

The Fitbit Alta HR is the smaller, slimmer and more subtle of these two Fitbit devices, while still offering a number of great features, including heart rate monitoring and detailed sleep data.

The Fitbit Charge 2 on the other hand is the more feature-rich device, with some great additional functions, including VO2 Max, Connected GPS and the Multi-Sport mode.

There isn’t a great deal of difference when it comes to price, meaning the decision between these two really comes down to the features that are important to you and whether you’d rather have a slim stylish tracker that does many of the necessities when it comes to tracking, or whether you’re happy to have something a little larger for the extra functions.

• Which Fitbit is right for me?

Fitbit Alta HR vs Alta vs Flex 2: What’s the difference?

Fitbit has announced the Alta HR, adding to its already strong line-up of activity trackers. The new device sits into the company’s “Everyday” category, alongside the original Alta and the Flex 2.

If you want to know which Fitbit is right for you, our separate feature helps explain them all, while this feature concentrates on the Alta HR, Alta and the Flex 2. Here are the differences and similarities between the three main everyday Fitbit devices.

• Which Fitbit is right for me?

Fitbit Alta HR vs Alta vs Flex 2: Design

• Alta HR and Alta have interchangeable straps
• Flex 2 is waterproof
• Alta HR has more secure fastening

The Fitbit Alta HR and the Alta have very similar designs with a couple of differences that can only be seen from the underside of the device and when they aren’t being worn. Both have a 1.4-inch OLED tap display at the top, a textured elastomer band as standard and a metal chamfered body. The straps are interchangeable and will work across both devices.

The Alta HR has a PurePulse heart rate monitor underneath the body and it switches the two-pin clasp found on the Fitbit Alta for a colour-matched buckle fastening that is a little more secure. Neither the Alta or Alta HR have waterproofing but they are both splash proof.

The Flex 2 is a removable tracker placed within a textured elastomer band that is also chamfered for a slightly more exciting look. The two-pin fastening is present again but rather than a display like the Alta, the Flex 2 opts for five LED lights that will each light up to display 20 per cent of a user’s goal progress. The Flex 2 is also swim proof.

The Fitbit Alta HR, Alta and Flex 2 each come in four colours as standard, though not the same four. They can also all be customised. The Alta and Alta HR are customised with different straps, like leather, and there is also a solid bangle available for a smarter look, while the Flex 2’s removable tracker can be placed within a range of accessories, including a pendant and bracelet.

• Fitbit Alta HR preview: Bringing function to form

Fitbit Alta HR vs Alta vs Flex 2: Features

• Alta HR offers heart rate monitoring 
• Alta HR offers more advanced sleep tracking thanks to HR racking
• Flex 2 has swim tracking

The Fitbit Alta HR, Alta and Flex 2 all track steps taken, distance travelled, active minutes and calories burned. They also all track sleep, though the data collected will be more advanced on the Alta HR, with Fitbit introducing light sleep, deep sleep and REM sleep tracking on the new device.

The three devices also have Reminders to Move, Silent Alarms and Fitbit’s SmartTrack feature, which will automatically recognise and track activities such as running, sports and aerobic activities, showing a summary in the app.

On top of these features, the Alta HR will also track heart rate monitoring, as we mentioned. This will mean the Alta HR will present more data for exercise, as well as offer more accurate calories burned data as it will more aware of how hard you are working. The Flex 2 however, offers swim tracking which neither the Alta or Alta HR can.

All three devices also offer smartphone notifications, in the form of text, calls and calendar alerts. The Alta and Alta HR both show the name of the caller, or the name and a scrolling message on their displays, while the Flex 2 alerts the user in the form of different coloured LEDs and a vibration as it has no display. Different colours signify a different alert, for example, a purple LED is a text message, while blue is a call.

The Alta and Flex 2 are both claimed to have a five-day battery life, while the Alta HR is claimed to bump this up to seven.

• Fitbit Flex 2: Simple, stylish tracking

Fitbit Alta HR vs Alta vs Flex 2: Price

• Alta HR is most expensive
• Flex 2 is cheapest
• Accessories and straps all cost extra

The Fitbit Alta HR is the most expensive, starting at £129.99. The Fitbit Alta sits in the middle, starting at £99.99, while the Flex 2 is the cheapest, starting at £69.99.

There are special edition Alta and Alta HR models that feature different coloured metal bodies and cost a little more, and all the accessories and straps for all the devices are also sold separately.

• Fitbit Alta review: High praise for low-level fitness tracking

Fitbit Alta HR vs Alta vs Flex 2: Conclusion

All three of the devices being compared here are slim, subtle and they all have the option of being customised for a smarter look.

The choice between them will come down to what you want from your activity tracker. The Fitbit Alta HR is the most advanced in terms of features thanks to the addition of heart rate tracking, but swimmers will want the Flex 2 as it is the only Fitbit device to offer waterproofing, for example.

We would certainly choose the Alta HR over the Alta given it offers more features in the same sized device, but the Flex 2 is only just over half the price and for some, the basic tracking it offers will be plenty.

Fitbit Alta HR preview: Heart rate brings an alter ego

Fitbit has announced the Alta HR, bringing heart rate tracking to its slim and stylish fitness tracker. The Alta was a fabulous device for basic tracking but it missed out on a couple of features that stopped it being excellent.

Does the Fitbit Alta HR have what it takes to become the king of the fitness trackers? Here are our first impressions.

• Best fitness trackers: The best activity bands to buy today

Fitbit Alta HR: Design

The Fitbit Alta HR features an almost identical design to the original Alta, meaning it retains its lovely slim and stylish build. The main difference in the new device is the addition of the PurePulse optical heart rate monitor on the underside of the device, as the name suggests, along with a change in clasp to make the new model more secure for the heart rate tracking.

Pocket-lint

Fitbit has managed to make the PurePulse monitor smaller compared to the Charge 2, Surge and Blaze trackers, which in turn has meant it could deliver the Alta HR in the same sized body as the original model. The Alta HR therefore measures just 15mm wide, which Fitbit claims is the slimmest heart rate tracker on the market.

Like the original, the Alta HR has a lovely chamfered metal frame which has a 1.4-inch OLED tap display on top, featuring a 128 x 36 pixel resolution. The display is sharp in appearance, like the original and it is responsive to touch-based controls, allowing for easy progress checking without opening the Fitbit app.

Pocket-lint

On the underside of the Alta HR on either side of the PurePulse monitor, there are the clips that enable you to remove and change the straps easily. The Alta HR comes in four standard colours, all of which have a textured elastomer band, but there are special addition models available too, including leather bands for a smarter look. All the bands for the Alta are also compatible with the Alta HR. 

The charging port is positioned on the underside of the Alta too, offering the same mechanism as the Alta with a bull-dog-style clip that locks into the pins. The original device offered a five day battery life, but Fitbit has said the new device will deliver seven days.

• Fitbit Alta review: High praise for low-level fitness tracking

Fitbit Alta HR: Features

The Fitbit Alta HR tracks steps, distance travelled, calories burned, active minutes, heart rate and sleep data. Fitbit is making improvements in its sleep tracking functionality, adding heart rate tracking to sleep, REM data and breaking sleep down into more useful data.

Pocket-lint

Fitbit trackers that are capable of sleep tracking currently show time asleep as a total figure, with sleep quality detailed as times awake, times restless and number of minutes awake or restless. The Alta HR will introduce light sleep, deep sleep and REM, like the Withings Aura sleep system, but it will also offer information on each category and tips on how to achieve goals and how sleep could be related.

The Alta HR will also offer Fitbit’s SmartTrack feature, which means it will automatically recognise certain activities, such as running, walking and elliptical, recording them in the exercise section of the app for the user to then categorise them. The Reminders to Move feature will also be present, as well as call, text and calendar alerts.

Pocket-lint

As there is no physical button on the Alta HR and it is aimed at the everyday consumer, rather than the active one, it misses out on a couple of the Charge 2’s features, including Multi-Sport Tracking, Connected GPS, Guided Breathing and Cardio Fitness Level, the latter of which translates to VO2 Max.

Fitbit Alta HR: Performance

We weren’t able to test out the Fitbit Alta HR’s performance during our brief amount of time with it but we’d expect a very similar experience to the original Alta, with the addition of hopefully accurate heart rate tracking and better sleep data.

The Fitbit Alta ever so slightly over-estimated on steps counted compared to the Charge HR and its distance tracking wasn’t the best, though it seemed capable of counting calories burned as well as the Charge HR without heart rate data so good things are expected from the Alta with heart rate data.

Pocket-lint

Sleep tracking was also mediocre when we tested the original Alta, but the changes Fitbit is bringing to this area will hopefully make quite a big difference to the Alta HR, and the other devices it will be coming to, such as the Charge 2. We will of course put the Alta HR through its paces as soon as we have it in for review. 

Fitbit Alta HR: App

The Fitbit app will look the same for the Alta HR as it does for other Fitbit devices, meaning the experience will be familiar and simple. It’s a clean, consistent and concise app that is easy to navigate and one of our favourite features about Fitbit devices.

The Alta HR will bring changes to the sleep section as we mentioned, though these changes will also appear on other Fitbit trackers too, and there will also be the addition of the heart rate data on the new Alta, which wasn’t of course available with the original.

Pocket-lint

Other than that though, you can expect the same experience if you already have a Fitbit device, or an easy and pleasant experience if you are new to Fitbit.

• Fitbit tips and tricks: Get more from your fitness tracker

First Impressions

The Alta is by far the most stylish Fitbit thanks to its slim body and interchangeable straps, but the Alta HR brings function to the already great form.

We loved the original Alta for its ability to offer simple and stylish tracking in a slim body but it missed out on some key features, heart rating tracking being one of them. Although Fitbit hasn’t added waterproofing or elevation data to the new device, the addition of the PurePulse heart rate monitor is a big win for such a slim device.

Does the Fitbit Alta HR do enough for us to give up our Charge 2 now? We will let you know.

• Which Fitbit is right for you?

A naked barbarian simulator saved FunCom from bankruptcy

It’s easy to disassociate game developers from the success or failure of their titles. The average gamer might not notice if a company’s most recent releases aren’t selling well, and would be none the wiser if one of their favorite companies was teetering on the edge of bankruptcy. That’s where FunCom was before it decided to make Conan Exiles.

Despite the popularity of its previous Conan games, critical acclaim for titles like The Park and being the developer behind the LEGO Minifigures Online MMO, the company was hemorrhaging money. “We were basically loaning money from our investors for wages,” FunCom creative director Joe Bylos told Engadget at GDC. “We were pretty close to bankruptcy.” If its next game wasn’t a hit, the company was done for.

Eventually, Conan Exiles would prove to be that game, but the company didn’t choose to develop it lightly. First, it took to SteamSpy to see what kind of games reached the numbers it would need for FunCom to survive. The team discovered that if they made a survival game that was only moderately successful, the company would be able to climb out of debt. “These games sell a lot, but they’re not that high quality.” Bylos explained. “We could definitely hit that bar.” The goal, Bylos says, was to build a survival game that felt a little more like The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. The company spent 13 months building the base game, releasing it on Steam Early Access in January. This early version of the game recouped the title’s four-and-a-half-million-dollar development cost in less than a week.

FunCom vice president of digital products Lawrence Poe expected the game to make back its investment, but not right away. “We had no idea about how quickly it would happen,” he said. It was streamers that helped make the game a success. On some servers, both male and female character enter the game world stark naked and anatomically correct — with body parts that flopped and bounced in the game’s physics engine equally. Poe says he knew the company was going to be okay when he saw streamers “going bananas for the game.” Who would have thought juvenile snickering could save a game company?

Click here to catch up on the latest news from GDC 2017!

Microsoft and Steelcase envision the perfect Surface office

With the Surface Book, Surface Studio and other products, Microsoft has managed to attract graphics pros, designers and engineers, many used to working with Apple products. It’s now taking the next logical step by expanding into workspace lifestyle concepts via a partnership with Steelcase. The two companies have unveiled “Creative Spaces,” which are office furniture layout concepts optimized to work with Surface products.

There are five sets of new products. The “Focus Studio,” designed with Microsoft’s Surface Book and Surface Pro 4 in mind, gives workers “alone time to focus and get into flow, while also allowing quick shifts to two-person collaboration.” Meanwhile, the “Duo Studio” lets designers work in pairs or individually via a Surface Studio all-in-one. It also includes a lounge area for creative review with others on the giant-screened Surface Hub, an interactive white board.

The “Ideation Hub” is also a conference-style space that lets colleagues work on ideas in person or remotely on the Surface Hub. “Maker Commons” is aimed a rapid prototyping “hackathon”-style teams to “encourage quick switching between conversation, experimentation and concentration,” using a mix of devices like the Surface Hub and Surface Pro laptops. Finally, the “Respite Room” is a fully private space that lets you relax and think.

The companies see the new products as more than just desks, chairs and computers. “The problems people face at work today are much more complex than they used to be,” says Steelcase VP of Strategy Sara Armbruster. “[We] will help organizations thoughtfully integrate place and technology to encourage creative behaviors at work.”

While that sounds a bit high-minded, Microsoft and Steelcase have studies to back it up. For instance, Microsoft found that most workers feel career advancement “depends on their ability to be creative,” but few think their workplace fosters that creativity. “Most employees are still working with outdated technology and in places that are rooted in the past, which makes it difficult for them to work in new, creative ways,” said one analyst in the press release.

The various Creative Spaces include Steelcase Products like the $1,000 Gesture Chair, Brody Worklounge and $1,500 AirTouch Table. The concepts (shown in the gallery above) have descriptions that sound like Silicon Valley satire, but they should allow businesses to create employee-friendly creative spaces without Google-sized interior design budgets.

It’s not exactly clear if Microsoft’s products are being offered in a package with Steelcase products as part of Creative Spaces. At any rate, you can now see them at ten Steelcase WorkLife Centers in cities like New York, San Francisco, Munich and London. The companies haven’t revealed any pricing, probably since it varies according to the desired configuration. Select Steelcase dealers will also start selling the pen-enabled Surface Hub, which costs $9,000 in the 55-inch version and $22,000 for the 84-inch model.