Tag Heuer’s ‘modular’ smartwatch isn’t actually modular

Webster’s dictionary may define “modular” as “constructed with standardized units,” but in tech, that buzzword has a slightly different meaning. A modular device usually has swappable components that bring additional functionality. But Tag Heuer is going with the original definition of the word for its latest high-end Android Wear smartwatch. The Connected Modular 45 is the follow-up to the company’s surprisingly successful debut smartwatch that came out last year. The company’s sophomore offering is a highly customizable device that lets you swap out the “smart” module for a mechanical timepiece, turning it into just another analog luxury watch with a multi-thousand-dollar price tag. You can change other components of the watch, too. Starting at $1,600, the Tag Heuer Connected Modular 45 is a refinement of the original and, like its predecessor, will appeal only to a very select group of people.

Tag’s play on modularity focuses more on the watch’s form than its functions. When you go to the company’s website to buy the Modular 45, you can use the “Watch Selector” tool to pick your preferred module, strap and lugs. That’s similar to what Motorola did with the Moto 360, except Motorola didn’t offer options for the lugs.

But Tag doesn’t let you go completely crazy with customization, though. I tried picking a gold module, black ceramic strap and gold lugs, but couldn’t. Only certain straps and lugs can be paired with a gold module, and not all the lugs are available by the time you’ve selected the watch face and band.

To get really specific about the combination of parts you want, you’ll have to go to a brick-and-mortar retailer, since Tag Heuer only offers 56 predefined models online. That’s frustrating: I don’t want to have to get out of my apartment and find a retailer nearby just so I can get the exact look I want. (Where am I? In the 1990s?!) Someone who already wants to drop thousands of dollars for a fully customized Tag, however, may be determined enough to do so.

Even after you buy the watch, you can still change the way it looks. The lugs, strap and module are designed to be easily swappable, although putting the watch back together is not as simple as taking it apart. For instance, the band slips out smoothly when you pull it towards you after pushing down the catch on the watch’s underside. Putting it back, though, requires a bit of finesse as you have to align the parts very carefully — an awkward maneuver indeed.

In fact, Tag Heuer seems aware of the difficulty involved, and a spokesperson made sure to get me on the phone to walk me through the process. Removing the lug is slightly more complicated: You have to squeeze both ends and then jiggle the attachment to free it from the strap.

Not only is it unintuitive to exchange the parts — it’s also expensive. The straps range from $115 for a vulcanized rubber option to $945 for a ceramic version. The lugs cost between $850 for basic titanium and $2,700 for a diamond-studded set. A mechanical module that lets you turn the Modular 45 into a regular analog watch sells for a whopping $1,650.

Not all the components are meant to be user-replaceable, either. Changing the clasp, for instance, requires a visit to a physical store. But what Tag offers is novel for a luxury watch and may appeal to a sizable fanbase that’s unlikely to balk at the high prices.

In addition to customizing the watch’s hardware, you can also personalize the device’s face via the onboard Tag Heuer Studio app. This lets you pick the number of hands, dials, as well as the style and color of the accents and background. The designs you can come up with here are sophisticated and generally appealing, and pair well with the watch’s aesthetic.

Like the original Tag Heuer Connected, the Modular 45 is a chunky but well-built device. On my relatively slender wrist, the watch is a massive monstrosity, but on the wrists of some of my male colleagues, it’s a more reasonable size. It’s tempting to blame the Tag’s heft on the sensors it houses, including a cellular radio, GPS, NFC and Bluetooth sensors. But the Modular 45 doesn’t even have a heart rate monitor, so its size (and price) are less excusable.

Plus, there are similarly designed Android Wear watches with all those components that are smaller and more comfortable. The vulcanized rubber strap on my review unit is stiff and far less comfortable than the band on the Huawei Watch 2, for example.

I do appreciate the Modular 45’s bezel, which is carved with markings to denote the time, as well as the Tag Heuer logo etched into the button on its right side. Unfortunately, this isn’t a dial like on the LG Watch Sport or Style, which you can twist to scroll through menus and lists. On the Tag Heuer, you can only press the knob to go home or long-press for Google Assistant.

Like other Android Wear 2.0 watches I’ve tested, the Modular 45 barely gets through a full day before running out of juice. On a slow day with very little interaction, however, I was impressed to find the watch made it through almost a day and a half. During my testing, I found the Intel-powered Modular 45 mostly responsive, although it encountered lag more frequently than the LG Watch Style, which uses a Qualcomm Snapdragon 2100 CPU.

Really, the rest of the Modular 45’s functions are basically the same as any other Android Wear 2.0 watch. The primary software differences are the watch face designer I mentioned earlier, and a Tag Heuer Connected app that offers some customized content from the company’s partners. The Modular 45 also has a water resistance rating of 5 ATM, meaning it can withstand submersion in up to 50 meters or 165 feet. That’s a deeper range than most existing options are capable of.

All told, the latest Tag Heuer smartwatch is another too-expensive luxury wearable that doesn’t do much that cheaper Android Wear devices can’t. It may still appeal to the company’s diehard fans, who are likely to appreciate the deep level of customizability despite the hassle they’ll have to go through for the personalization. But the only real modularity here exists in the mechanical watch unit, at least in the way that we have come to understand the concept. That component costs the same as the basic model of the Modular 45, meaning you’re better off not buying the “smart” version altogether. So really, what’s the point of its existence?

Amazon is trying to be your one-stop subscription shop

Amazon’s subscription offerings go beyond Kindle Unlimited, Prime and its various add-ons. The retailer has offered magazine subscriptions for awhile too, and now the company has set up Subscribe with Amazon. It’s a hub that gives “subscription providers the ability to offer customers flexible pricing including introductory, monthly and annual pricing options, as well as the opportunity to explore offering Prime exclusive deals,” Amazon said in a press release.

The messaging on the customer-facing portal describes subscriptions as “fun to discover” and leverages the company’s reputation (“relax, we are always here for you”) and ease-of-use as key selling points. As for Prime-exclusive deals, right now you can pick up a free month of Dropbox Plus and two weeks of Amazon Rapids for free, among others.

The requirements seem pretty lax too. As a developer, all you need to get in on the program is to offer an app, website or software; have a US business address and sell a subscription that has recurring fees. Amazon takes the internet-standard 30 percent cut of a subscription’s first year, and that decreases to 15 percent if someone renews.

“You have full control over pricing, with the option to create different tiers of service, offer a free trial or set an introductory price,” according to the Subscribe with Amazon page. “Subscribe with Amazon is a self-service solution that allows you to make your digital subscription purchasable to millions of highly qualified shoppers who trust Amazon to be their primary shopping destination.”

That last line is the key here: Amazon is angling to be everyone’s goto stop for online shopping, and it’s going to use the subscription service to further push that.

Source: Business Wire, Subscribe with Amazon

Apple to Reduce Affiliate Program Commission Rate to 2.5% for Apps Next Week

Apple today emailed its iTunes Affiliate Program members to inform them that its commission rate for all apps and in-app content will be reduced to 2.5 percent on May 1, down from 7 percent, globally.

Apple will continue to offer a 7 percent commission rate for all other iTunes content, including music, movies, TV shows, and books. Apple will also continue to offer a one-time 50 percent commission on Apple Music subscriptions.

Ouch! Apple just slashed the affiliate commission on apps and IAP. This will impact lots of great sites/apps. pic.twitter.com/dbv7CboMX3

— David Barnard (@drbarnard) April 24, 2017

Through the iTunes Affiliate Program, websites can link to and promote App Store apps and receive a percentage of the sale in return.

Tags: App Store, iTunes Affiliate Program
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Apple Seeds Fourth Beta of iOS 10.3.2 to Developers

Apple today seeded the fourth beta of an upcoming iOS 10.3.2 update to developers, one week after seeding the third iOS 10.3.2 beta and one month after introducing iOS 10.3, which included features like a new Find My AirPods feature and Apple File System. Apple also released a minor iOS 10.3.1 update in early April, which focused on security improvements.

Registered developers can download the fourth iOS 10.3.2 beta from the Apple Developer Center or over-the-air with the proper configuration profile installed.

Apple doesn’t typically provide detailed release notes for its iOS updates, so we don’t yet know what features, improvements, or bug fixes might be coming in iOS 10.3.2, aside from some fixes for SiriKit car commands, outlined in the release notes for the first beta.

As a minor 10.x.x update, we can expect iOS 10.3.2 to offer bug fixes and performance improvements rather than outward-facing features. No notable features were found in the first three betas, but if anything new is found in the fourth iOS 10.3.2 beta, we’ll update this post.

Related Roundup: iOS 10
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Apple Seeds Fourth Beta of macOS Sierra 10.12.5 to Developers

Apple today seeded the fourth beta of an upcoming macOS Sierra 10.12.5 update to developers, one week after seeding the third beta and one month after releasing macOS Sierra 10.12.4, which introduced Night Shift for the Mac.

The fourth beta of macOS Sierra 10.12.5 can be downloaded through the Apple Developer Center or through the Software Update mechanism in the Mac App Store.

According to the release notes accompanying the beta, the update “improves the stability, compatibility, and security of your Mac.”

Apple’s release notes don’t often provide a lot of insight into what’s included in new beta software, so we don’t know what features or bug fixes might be included in the 10.12.5 update.

No notable changes or major bug fixes were discovered in the first three betas, but should anything pop up in the fourth macOS Sierra 10.12.5 beta, we’ll update this post.

Related Roundup: macOS Sierra
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Apple Seeds Fourth Beta of tvOS 10.2.1 to Developers

Apple today seeded the fourth beta of an upcoming tvOS 10.2.1 update to developers for testing purposes, one week after seeding the third 10.2.1 beta and one month after releasing tvOS 10.2, an update that included improve scrolling and iPad support for the Apple TV Remote app.

The tvOS 10.2.1 beta is designed for the fourth-generation Apple TV. It can be downloaded by connecting the Apple TV to a computer with a USB-C cable and installing the beta software from a registered developer account using iTunes.

Because of the installation requirements, tvOS betas are limited to developers. tvOS 10.2.1 will not be available to the public until the final version of the software launches.

Apple does not typically provide detailed beta release notes, so we don’t yet know what’s included in tvOS 10.2.1. It’s likely to focus primarily on bug fixes, security enhancements, and performance improvements, so we may not know what’s new until the software sees an official release.

No notable changes were found in the first three tvOS 10.2.1 betas, but should anything new popup in the fourth beta, we’ll update this post.

Related Roundups: Apple TV, tvOS 10
Buyer’s Guide: Apple TV (Don’t Buy)
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Apple Seeds Fourth Beta of watchOS 3.2.2 to Developers

Apple today seeded the fourth beta of an upcoming watchOS 3.2.2 update to developers for testing purposes, one week after seeding the third watchOS 3.2.2 beta and one month after the release of watchOS 3.2, which introduced Theater Mode.

The fourth beta of watchOS 3.2.2 can be downloaded through the Apple Watch app on the iPhone by going to General –> Software Update. To install the update, the Apple Watch must have 50 percent battery, it must be placed on the charger, and it must be in range of the iPhone.

watchOS betas require an iPhone running iOS 10 to install, and they’re only available to developers because there’s no way to downgrade the software on an Apple Watch.

It’s not yet clear if watchOS 3.2.2 introduces any new features or bug fixes because Apple doesn’t typically provide release notes for betas.

Given that this is a minor 3.x.x update, it’s likely to focus primarily on bug fixes. No notable features were found in the first three watchOS 3.2.2 betas, but we’ll update this post should anything new be discovered in the fourth.

Related Roundups: Apple Watch Series 2, watchOS 3
Buyer’s Guide: Apple Watch (Neutral)
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Samsung DeX review – can your smartphone replace a PC?

Alongside its new Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus smartphones, Samsung also unwrapped a new docking accessory designed to harness the power of the Galaxy S8. Called Samsung DeX, it’s meant to allow you to use the Galaxy S8 as a replacement for a fixed desktop computer.

Does it deliver on its promise? Is Samsung DeX the future of smartphones and computing, or is it just another attempt to use smartphones to kill the PC industry? Find out in our Samsung DeX review!

See also:

Samsung Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus review: Almost to Infinity

6 days ago

Samsung DeX isn’t new, but it’s a new take on an old problem

Companies have tried different methods to make the smartphone a viable PC replacement for years

For years, companies have tried different methods to make the smartphone a viable PC replacement. In 2011, the Motorola Lapdock was the first dock to do this, and provided connections for physical keyboards, a mouse, and other peripherals. Apple then tried to use AirPlay to accomplish something similar, although it acted like little more than screen sharing. Then there was HP’s Elite X3, which ended up coming close with its Desk Dock before also failing to be widely adopted.

The biggest challenge plaguing these solutions were that they all tried to mirror the smartphone screen to the desktop, Samsung’s previous mobile docks for the Galaxy S4 and Note 2 included. Samsung is hoping that the time is ripe for another attempt and in the DeX station, we have an accessory that’s mostly well thought out and has some very smart features as well.

The DeX station

DeX works only with the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus, which is a shame as it would have been nice to have support for older Samsung (and other Android) devices as well. That said, the dock comes with an Ethernet port, two USB ports for connecting peripherals such as a keyboard and mouse, and a HDMI port to connect to your desktop monitor.

The top of the DeX station flips down to reveal the USB Type-C port, where you’ll plug in your Galaxy S8. This also acts as a fan to cool your Galaxy S8 or Galaxy S8 Plus in DeX mode. Also, thanks to the USB Type-C port, it charges your phone at the same time as powering the DeX experience.

Samsung disables the display on the Galaxy S8 when using DeX, meaning you’re reliant on the keyboard and mouse

It’s not perfect however, as Samsung disables the display on your Galaxy S8 when using DeX, meaning you’re completely reliant on the keyboard and mouse. It would have been nice to be able to use the phone at the same time but this is a trade-off to having the desktop experience.

DeX as a desktop

The number of apps compatible with DeX is pretty small, and, short of Microsoft Word, lacking in any depth of quality

Samsung DeX has a lot of potential, but in its current form, it’s certainly a little raw. The number of apps compatible with DeX is pretty small, and, short of Microsoft Word, lacking in any depth of quality. At the launch of the Galaxy S8 – where DeX was made official – Samsung confirmed that Adobe would bring Photoshop and Lightroom to DeX, but at the time of writing (a few days before the US release of the Galaxy S8), these apps weren’t available to test.

Of course, you can open all the apps that exist on your Android phone but most retain their mobile equivalents. For example, WhatsApp shows up as mobile (which is to be expected), but pressing the enter key doesn’t send a message, and there’s no keyboard shortcut to do so. This means you have to move the mouse and select the send key every time. Similarly, Google Chrome only displays in mobile mode, and often crashes. If you do want to browse the internet and don’t mind using a different browser, Samsung has optimised its own internet browser to offer the full website experience.

The browsing experience is seemingly on-par with Microsoft’s Edge browser and Google Chrome, although there is a touch of latency when scrolling as DeX seemingly struggles to support resource-intensive websites. When resizing a window, Samsung’s browser does well to resize the content accordingly but to get the full experience (and not a responsive version of the site), you need to go into fullscreen mode before resizing the window down.

Samsung DeX works in a similar way to Microsoft’s Universal Mobile Apps where the same apps could run in both mobile and desktop depending on whether docked to a PC. DeX takes the same premise but without widespread support for apps, it proves to be a little limited. However, what Samsung does have going for itself is that the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus are likely to sell in more volume than most, if not all, of the Lumia Windows Phones that Microsoft managed to shift.

The biggest challenge facing Microsoft at the time was persuading developers to adapt their apps to support UMA, or in most cases, even develop their apps for Windows 10 Mobile in the first place. For Samsung, this should be a much easier bridge to cross. Plus, if the additional development resources required to develop for DeX are minimal – either via ease of software or incentives from the company – we will hopefully see developers flock to adapt their apps for Samsung DeX.

In DeX mode, the phone follows the same security settings as when not docked

When moving away from your docked phone, you might be wondering how security works, especially if you only want to move away from it temporarily. The answer is pretty simple: in DeX mode, the phone follows the same security settings as when not docked. So in my case, a press of the power button instantly locks the phone. It then requires you to enter either your password, PIN, pattern, or use biometrics such as iris recognition or fingerprint scanning to unlock the phone.

See also:

The best way to unlock your Samsung Galaxy S8

3 days ago

The latter is quite awkward with the fingerprint sensor on the back, making it even more difficult to unlock. When you use iris recognition, though, the DeX dock props the Galaxy S8 up at the right height to make iris scanning a breeze. In fact, in our Galaxy S8 review, I found that the iris recognition can be a little hit and miss. While you still have the same issues in terms of recognising you through glasses, DeX does at least solve the issue with needing to position the phone at a certain angle.

The verdict: should you buy DeX?

Overall, Samsung DeX shows a lot of promise, but without the widespread adoption of apps and optimization of all apps for the desktop experience, it’s difficult to determine just how useful it is. In its current state, it doesn’t do much better than other solutions out there, but it wouldn’t be fair to judge it just on this basis. DeX is unique as it aims to present a solution to a problem that not many users face – namely, being able to be truly mobile and work from anywhere – but for those who need a solution, DeX is certainly one of the most portable out there.

Should you buy DeX? For most users, the answer will be an easy ‘no’

Should you buy DeX? For most users, the answer will be an easy ‘no’ as it doesn’t solve a problem they’ve faced. However, if your job takes you to multiple work places and you need an easy way to dock and undock for light work without carrying an additional computer, then Samsung’s DeX could be a potential solution. The biggest challenge to it being truly useful is that your use case has to be very specific – you need the guarantee of a computer monitor you can dock into, as well as a workload that doesn’t require Windows/Mac specific applications and isn’t resource intensive.

Alternatively, Samsung DeX would be ideal in developing countries for small businesses, but the cost of owning a Galaxy S8, monitor, DeX station and all the peripherals will probably be as expensive, if not more expensive, than an all-integrated desktop computer or powerful laptop and a more affordable smartphone. If Samsung could find a way to make DeX more affordable for developing markets then it would certainly have a place, especially for agriculture industries where business owners are already using their smartphones to do a lot of tasks we associate with traditional computers.

With all of that said, DeX is a rather cool accessory and it’s testament to the future of technology that you’re able to power a desktop-like experience from a smartphone. It’s not perfect, and it remains to be seen whether it’ll ever be widely adopted, but it certainly has the potential to be useful. Ultimately, the future of DeX depends on Samsung, and specifically whether it can make it affordable for the users who it would truly benefit and whether it can get developers on board to offer optimized apps.

Buy now from Amazon

Buy now from Samsung

What do you think of Samsung DeX? Would you buy one? Does it fit your use case or do you think it’s a fad that will fail to achieve widespread adoption? Be sure to speak up in the comments below!

Best app deals of the day! 6 paid iPhone apps for free for a limited time

Everyone likes apps, but sometimes the best ones are a bit expensive. Now and then, developers make paid apps free for a limited time, but you have to snatch them up while you have the chance. Here are the latest and greatest apps on sale in the iOS App Store.

These apps normally cost money, and this sale lasts for a limited time only. If you go to the App Store and it says the app costs money, that means the deal has expired and you will be charged. 

More: 200 Awesome iPhone Apps | The best Android apps for almost any occasion

IQ Test

An intelligence quotient (IQ) is a score derived from one of several standardized tests designed to assess intelligence. Test yours with this app.

Available on:

iOS

3D Earth

3D Earth presents a stunning live 3D simulation of our planet with weather, forecasts and world clock for cities around the world.

Available on:

iOS

Photosets

Take bursts of images with this handy app. Promising the highest possible capture resolutions, Photosets supports wide color capture on the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus.

Available on:

iOS

No Location

Location data is stored in every photo you take with your iPhone. NoLocation is here to fix that problem. With just a few taps, you can remove that data.

Available on:

iOS

Parker Planner Classic

Parker Planner Classic features super fast, two-tap entry. Make a quick and easy to-do list and creates notes that pin on the day you write them.

Available on:

iOS

Chinese Food Restaurant Menu

This is a perfect app for anyone learning Chinese. It contains 2,500+ frequently used Chinese restaurant menu terms, and audio files for each term recorded by native Chinese speakers.

Available on:

iOS

USC researchers develop wearable to predict conflict in couples

Why it matters to you

Wearables have become typecast as fitness trackers, but projects like this one show that they could have an impact on many aspects of our health and well-being.

The University of Southern California has published the results of a new study that sought to find out whether wearable devices could anticipate conflict between couples before they occur. Using machine learning techniques, the researchers were able to establish a system that could apparently capture conflict episodes with an accuracy rate of up to 86 percent.

The majority of the research was conducted outside of the lab, according to a report from TechCrunch. Couples were given wearable sensors and smartphones to record data, and asked to complete a survey every hour recording their thoughts and feelings regarding their significant other.

The wearable devices kept track of the subjects’ body temperature, heart activity, and sweat levels. This data was then cross-referenced with audio recordings, which were analyzed to gain insight into the content and intensity of speech so that the team could determine whether or not conflict had emerged.

The researchers hope to continue to develop their machine learning algorithm, in the hopes that an improved version could spot the physiological signs of conflict up to five minutes ahead of time. This functionality could potentially be made available on commercially available wearables as a stand-alone piece of software.

At present, keeping fit remains the most common reason for people to don a wearable device, both in terms of dedicated fitness trackers like the Fitbit, and more general-purpose devices like the Apple Watch. However, various different research projects are demonstrating that this kind of technology could be used to provide all kinds of different health benefits.

In December 2016, a wearable that can counteract tremor caused by Parkinson’s disease was showcased on the BBC television program The Big Life Fix. Earlier this month, a campaign to fund a wearable that can apparently provide relief from menstrual pain launched on Indiegogo.

People weren’t as quick to jump on the smartwatch bandwagon as many manufacturers anticipated that they would be. However, wearables that provide tailored health services may prove more popular, if they can offer tangible improvements to their users’ quality of life.