littleBits’ new kit teaches kids to build and code electronic games

Thanks to a bigger push toward computer science education, there’s been an influx of coding toys for kids in recent years. Even tech companies like Apple and Google have joined in with tools to get younger minds to embrace code. Now littleBits, the toy company behind magnetic build-your-own circuits, is getting in on the fun with a new product called littleBits Code Kit. The premise: build games, have fun and, hopefully, learn to code in the process. It will retail for $300 and hit store shelves by June.

Each littleBits Code Kit comes with 16 modular circuits, a codeBit, an LED matrix, a rechargeable battery and 30 different accessories. It ships with four game-based inventions: Tug-of-War, Ultimate Shootout, Hot Potato and Rockstar Guitar. As kids connect modular circuits to construct game, they also have to program certain actions to each building block with the littleBits Code Kit app. The block programming here is based on Google’s Blockly, a drag-and-drop visual code editor that’s suitably kid-friendly. And, as the kids become more proficient, they can come up with more creations beyond just the four that come in the box.

“It teaches the foundation of coding and engineering through physical hands-on games,” said Dave Sharp, littleBits’ product lead for the education market. “We’re expanding the space that kids can invent in […] For the past five years we’ve created this space of modular electronics and building blocks,” said Sharp. “By fusing code with it, we’re blowing it wide open.”

The entire Code Kit project took 18 months and involved a team of over 12 educators. The idea is that teachers could also take these Code Kits and bring them into the classroom. They could build a curriculum and lesson plan around them, not just in computer science, but also in math or music. Indeed, Code Kit has over a 100 different activities and lessons for children in grades three through eight, and there’ll even be a guide that lets educators import lessons into Google Docs.

“We have seen that the combination of games with the tactile experience of littleBits makes for an incredible experience,” said Ayah Bdeir, founder and CEO of littleBits in a statement. “Kids are hyper-engaged, and it’s because they are building something that they actually want to play with.”

Great keyboard design can be undermined by bad decisions

One problem with loving quirkily-designed mechanical keyboards is that there’s a risk of falling onto a hype train of your own making. At first blush, Lofree’s wireless mechanical keyboard looked like a dream product thanks to its Henrik Thor-Larsen-inspired looks. It showed plenty of promise, too, thanks to its Gateron Blue switches and Mac-first layout that works with both iOS and macOS devices (as well as Windows and Android). But despite its gorgeous looks, the Lofree keyboard is a very unpleasant device to use.

In many ways, Lofree’s keyboard is both the philosophical equal and opposite to 2015’s Qwerkywriter, another Bluetooth mechanical keyboard with a typewriter-inspired design. But the Qwerkywriter leaned in to that concept, looking like a 1940s Olivetti, a stark contrast to Lofree’s 60s-inspired retro-futurism. It’s entirely plausible to imagine the stars of 2001: A Space Odyssey hammering out HAL 9000s code using this device.

There are six rows of keys, with function occupying the uppermost and the Mac-standard Fn, Ctrl, Alt and Cloverleaf at the bottom. Each button has a white backlight that illuminates its label, as well as providing a nice glow on your desk. But you can’t deactivate the light, only dim it, and the keys look almost entirely blank when the device is off.

You know when you look at even the smallest wireless keyboard and its creators have sought to make each key distinct? Lofree’s creators went in the opposite direction, creating a keyboard with uniform round keycaps and regular 3mm spacing, barring the shift and return buttons. Those two are a little pair of keys with a little oxbow joining them together to making it easier for touch typists to find them. It does not work.

We then come to the sad state of the keyboard’s arrow keys, which are so well-designed that they’re almost unfit for purpose. Rather than isolating them in space (and making them slightly smaller to compensate), Up, Down, Left and Right are all a part of the regular rows. They’re misaligned, too, since the up key sits over the right key, rather than down, which looks good, but is entirely impractical.

The additional keys on both ends of the keyboard are sufficiently close to the shift and return that there is a persistent risk of mistyping. This isn’t about you needing a learning curve to adjust to a differently-designed input mechanism, either. It’s simply an indictment of how form was prioritized over function. One of the company’s representatives told me that they “chose design over the layout,” later adding that they thought that “design matters more.”

There are some good points, including the fact that you can pair the keyboard with three different devices at a time. Then there’s the fact that the hardware is beautifully solid, with a pair of chunky rubber feet giving you a nice typing angle. The Gateron Blue switches, too, are satisfyingly clicky and require effort to push down like a nice piano, with an excellent amount of travel. The company also promises that the gear will last 15 months at time, which deserves an award for those of us who hate recharging gadgets.

On the downside, and forgive me for nitpicking, but the port design, side switches and labels all have an air of the cheap about them. The micro-USB port, as well as the on/off and Windows/Mac sliders feel a little cheap and as if you could scratch them off pretty easily. It’s as if the company spent the bulk of its time making the device look good face-on, and forgot that you’ll be able to see it from the side.

Nobody needs a wireless mechanical keyboard; it’s a luxury, a statement of intent that you are serious about writing*. It’s the equivalent of buying a $21 pen because a biro won’t cut it for the great American novel you’re about to start creating. But here, you’re buying a $21 pen that only writes at a specific, wrist-breaking angle and only in certain conditions.

It’s an unwritten rule at Engadget that if you write a review, you should use the device that you test to, at least, produce the initial draft. I managed to finish the opening version of this piece on the Lofree before practicality forced me to revert back to my usual keyboard. The frustration of hunting-and-pecking and constantly having to tweak my amendmenbts was getting ridicoylous.

(Those two typos are intentional)

Lofree’s wireless mechanical keyboard is going to look great on the reception desk of a Manhattan art gallery. But, I assure you that the person who winds up being forced to use it regularly is going to loathe their job. The Lofree keyboard is now available on Indiegogo, with early adopters able to snag the device for $74, with delivery expected to take place in May.

* I don’t include gamers in this group purely because wireless introduces latency, and they’d much prefer a wired mechanical keyboard.

Photography by Kris Naudus.

Source: Indiegogo

Nest adds two-factor authentication to protect your data

Nest has finally launched two-factor authentication to prevent hackers from accessing your camera feeds or any other personal info. You can activate the feature under Account Security in the Nest app. If you do, you’ll start getting a verification code through text every time you log into your account. Just take note that you’ll get booted out and will need to sign in again right after you switch the feature on.

Back in early 2016, Princeton researchers discovered that Nest thermostats leaked customer zip codes on the internet, though the company quickly patched the flaw. Other security researchers also showed that attackers could use Nest as an entry point to gain control of your home. Text-based two-factor authentication isn’t exactly the best or the most secure option, since the most persistent attackers could hijack your SMS. However, it still adds an extra layer of protection on top of your (hopefully strong) password.

Source: Nest

Porsche and Honda Debut All-New CarPlay Compatible Sports Cars

Porsche and Honda today each announced new sports cars that will be compatible with Apple’s CarPlay infotainment system. In its unveiling, Porsche detailed the all-new 2018 911 GT3 street-legal sports car with a 4.0 liter flat-six engine that produces up to 500 horsepower — an engine based on the one used in all of Porsche’s 911 race cars.

Other than CarPlay, the Porsche 911 GT3 has a navigation system that can detail real-time traffic information, and the vehicle’s diagnostics can connect to the Porsche Track Precision App [Direct Link]. On a connected smartphone, drivers can analyze and record various pieces of data, like steering angle and braking pressure.

The 2017 Honda Civic Type R, which the company referred to as “one of the most anticipated models in its history,” has a similar sports car build and marks the first Type R Honda model to be sold in the United States. The new Type R shares the style of the automaker’s 5-door hatchback with a boost in performance, including a 4-cylinder engine with peak ratings of 306 horsepower.

“The fastest, most powerful Honda ever sold in America, the Type R caps off the incredible success story of our 10th generation Civic lineup,” said Jeff Conrad, senior vice president & general manager of the Honda Division, American Honda Motor Co., Inc. “We’re happy to inform our U.S. enthusiasts that the long wait for the forbidden fruit of Honda Type R performance is nearly over!”

The 2017 Civic Type R will come with a 7-inch Display Audio touchscreen that has Honda Navigation embedded in it, along with compatibility for both CarPlay and Android Auto. Honda also mentioned that the included 540-watt, 12-speaker audio system will be able to drown out the vehicle’s engine.

In terms of pricing and availability, the 2018 Porsche 911 GT3 is scheduled to debut at U.S. dealerships in fall 2017 at a base MSRP of $143,600. The Honda Civic Type R is launching sometime in late spring 2017 with an MSRP in the mid-$30,000 range. Both suggested retail prices exclude the usual $1,050 delivery, processing, and handling fee.

Related Roundup: CarPlay
Tags: Porsche, Honda
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Apple Reveals First Public Sign of macOS 10.13

While the next major version of macOS likely won’t be announced until the WWDC 2017 opening keynote on June 5, eagle-eyed blogger Pike’s Universum has discovered what appears to be Apple’s first public sign of macOS 10.13.

Specifically, the blog shared a portion of the App Store URL, otherwise known as a CatalogURL, for macOS 10.13. We were subsequently able to pinpoint the full URL by tweaking an older CatalogURL link, and it appears to be a secure HTTPS link originating from Apple’s servers, so the screenshot is legitimate.

The full URL: https://swscan.apple.com/content/catalogs/others/index-10.13seed.merged-1.sucatalog.gz

We don’t know much about what’s coming in macOS 10.13 at this point, but visits we’re receiving from Macs running pre-release versions of macOS 10.13 have been picking up steadily since the beginning of the year, presumably as Apple’s engineers work on the operating system update ahead of its unveiling.

Visits to MacRumors from Macs running macOS 10.13
We don’t know what the successor to macOS Sierra will be called, but in 2014, Apple trademarked a long list of names that could be used for future updates. Names range from popular beaches and well-known cities in California, where Apple is headquartered, to mountains, deserts, and animals.

A list of known trademarked names that have yet to be used: Redwood, Mammoth, California, Big Sur, Pacific, Diablo, Miramar, Rincon, Redtail, Condor, Grizzly, Farallon, Tiburon, Monterey, Skyline, Shasta, Mojave, Sequoia, Ventura, and Sonoma. An entirely different name is certainly possible too.

macOS 10.13 will likely be seeded to developers for testing purposes in early June ahead of a public release by the end of October. The beta will likely be available to public testers over the summer as well.

Related Roundup: macOS 10.13
Tag: Pike’s Universum
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MyZone’s new virtual fitness classes are about to make working out at home a lot less lonely

You’re peddling away on your stationary bike at home, getting the miles under your wheels until your reach your goal. Not the most exciting situation. Fitness app MyZone has a new feature to could change that. It’s called MyZone Movies, and it brings an entire library of virtual sports classes, events, and races into your living room. Add this to MyZone’s clever way of matching and challenging your friends, regardless of ability, and your at-home workout is about to get considerably more involving.

There are 500 movies in MyZone’s collection, covering everything from cycling events to yoga classes, and even martial arts. Each film is streamed through the app, and can be sent to the big screen using Apple TV, Google Chromecast, or another screen sharing system. The clever part is, each video comes with its own workout, with targets to meet and intensity levels to maintain. It makes you part of the action, while pushing you to work harder.

More: MyZone and Sensoria partner to produce wearable fitness gadgets

MyZone’s workout plans are simple to follow. Tiles displayed next to the video are color coded, based on how hard you need to work at a particular point in the workout. Your targets are personal, and created around your own ability, allowing you to compete against all your friends regardless of fitness level. The app also lets you send messages and share photos with friends, increasing the social aspect.

While MyZone Movies has huge potential for people who workout at home, it’ll be introduced in gyms first, where the videos will be played on a big screen, and the challenges become more social and interactive. This will launch on March 8, and the home version inside the MyZone app will arrive before summer. It’s going to require a subscription, and although the price hasn’t been finalised yet, we’re told it’ll be less than $10 per month. This will provide complete access to all the videos, workouts, and additional premium features inside the normal, free-to-download MyZone app.

Announcing the ‘Android Central Photo Contest: It’s Cold’ winners!

It’s cold outside, but we have some contest winners to warm you up!

In February we started up the Android Central Photo Contest again. In case you missed it, the theme was “It’s Cold!” and we asked for any sort of photo you wanted to share that represented that topic.

We ended up with lots of great entries for the contest, and though it was hard we narrowed it down to just two that are going to take home prizes this week. Keep reading to see the winning entries and find out which two AC readers are taking home an Honor 6x prize pack!

Our first winner, ZeronGX!

First snow walk with my dog after his posterior cruciate ligament rupture. Taken in Germany, Oldenburg with my Nexus 6P. No Filters … just Awesome!!! — ZeronGX

Our second winner, Ramsy!

The snow covered hoodoos of Bryce Canyon National Park. Before the sun rose that day, the temperature was a balmy -19F. When I took this picture, the temperature had risen to 0F. Photo was taken with an LG G5 and lightly edited with Snapseed. — Ramsy

If you’ve won this contest, keep an eye on your email inbox for information on how we’ll get the prize out to you. Thanks again to everyone else who entered! We always love looking through your submissions.

• Enter the current photo contest: Android Central Photo Contest: Events!

Galaxy Note 8 model number + codename rumored, Note 7 hardware may be recycled in Korea

After a fall from ‘Grace,’ Samsung pins hopes on ‘Great.’

Samsung has already confirmed that a Galaxy Note 8 will land this year, as it looks to move on from the Note 7 debacle, and now one usually-reliable source claims to have the model number and codename for the next Note.

SamMobile reports that the Note 8 is being developed under the codename “Great,” not the previously rumored “Baikal” (an enormous Siberian lake.) “Great” would seem like a fitting successor to “Grace,” which was the codename for the Note 7. (As well as the thing from which it ultimately fell.)

Codenames show us Note 8 development is in full swing, but reveal nothing about the actual phone.

The model numbers for the phone reportedly start SM-N950, with subsequent letters identifying each region’s model. That would see Samsung jumping from N930 to N950, passing over “940,” just as it appears to have done with the Galaxy S8 (SM-G950). The Korean company has skipped the number four in model numbers before, a number which is considered unlucky in many Asian cultures.

SamMobile also claims that claims of a long-rumored refurbished Note 7 release may be happening, at least in Samsung’s home market of Korea. The project carries the codename “Grace R” (for “refurbished”) according to the outlet, though it’s unclear how the end product might differ from the Note 7 we currently know — and it almost certainly wouldn’t carry the same brand.

The new device, which will apparently use some Note 7 components, but with a smaller battery, will allow Samsung to make use of parts in the millions of Note 7s it had to recall following last year’s unpleasantness. The fate of these recalled Note 7s was a point raised by Greenpeace protestors at Samsung’s recent MWC press conference in Barcelona, and obviously re-using some of these parts in a new device — even if it’s just the PCBs, cameras and other components — is more environmentally sound than just disposing of them.

Samsung has millions of Note 7s sitting in storage, with perfectly good components.

On the outside through, it’s highly unlikely “Grace R” would look anything like a Galaxy Note 7, nor would Samsung want to use that brand name. It’s also unclear whether the recycled device will be sold outside Korea — India and Vietnam have also been rumored target markets for the device. However, Samsung has more than four million Note 7s (with perfectly good components, besides the battery) at its disposal, and it’d be foolish to let that go to waste.

Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus

• Latest Galaxy S8 rumors!
• Galaxy S8 announcement coming March 29 in NYC
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Pixel 2: Sketchy rumor suggests Google may remove headphone jack

Don’t freak out just yet, but there’s a small chance the next Pixel might exclusively use USB-C audio.

It seems like just about every major phone announcement is accompanied by a rumor that it may ditch the headphone jack and, iPhone-style, force you to buy new headphones or life the #donglelife. Sometimes that’s accurate. Sometimes not so much.

Today 9to5Google is reporting via a single source — apparently some internal Google documentation — that this year’s Pixel phones will ditch the jack, presumably going with a single USB Type-C port for both charging and audio.

Multiple models of Pixel 2 are supposedly in development.

Such a move would be unwelcomed by Android fans wanting to use their own 3.5mm cans with the upcoming phone, as well as highly ironic given the shade thrown on the iPhone’s single lightning port in Google’s own advertising.

9to5 itself doesn’t seem especially confident in this single-sourced rumor, giving it a 6/10 score, and earlier rumblings have suggested that multiple Pixel 2 models are in testing anyway, which would be entirely understandable more than 9 months out from launch.

So maybe it’ll happen. Maybe it won’t. In the meantime, be sure to share your thoughts down in the comments — would the removal of the headphone jack make you think twice about buying a future Google phone?

Galaxy S8, S8 Plus shown side-by-side in latest leaked pics

5.8-inch S8 shown next to 6.2-inch S8 Plus in freshly leaked photos.

Because it’s a day ending in Y, we’re starting the morning off with yet another Samsung Galaxy S8 leak. Today’s leaked shots, showing the GS8 and GS8 Plus, come via SlashLeaks from a screen protector manufacturer, clearly revealing both handsets and offering us an valuable size comparison.

We’re also treated to some close-up shots of the GS8 in black, showing off a polished metallic frame, a SIM tray up top and headphone jack and USB-C ports down below. The GS8’s Always-On Display feature seems to have been overhauled too, with a starscape pattern decorating the display as it shows the time and charging indicators. Also note that the on-screen time appears to change from shot, so we’re likely dealing with a live Galaxy S8 here, and not a plastic dummy unit of the type often used to test accessories.

The shots are among the clearest of live Galaxy S8 units to date, and seeing both size options next to each other also gives us some point or reference in terms of just how much bigger the enormous S8 Plus will be. (Be sure to let us know which one you’d buy down in the comments!)

We’ll find out more as we approach the phone’s March 29 announcement date, so stay tuned!

Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus

• Latest Galaxy S8 rumors!
• Galaxy S8 announcement coming March 29 in NYC
• Galaxy S8 release date set for April 28
• Join our Galaxy S8 forums