New Apple Watch NikeLab Now Available for Purchase
Nike’s latest Apple Watch, the Apple Watch NikeLab, is now available for purchase from the Nike website, Nike Lab stores, and the Apple Watch pop-up shop at the Isetan department store in Tokyo.
First announced last week, the Apple Watch NikeLab pairs a Space Gray Apple Watch Series 2 aluminum case with a black and cream perforated Nike band.
According to Nike, the Apple Watch NikeLab is limited edition and designed to be the “ultimate style companion” for runners. Like the existing Apple Watch Nike+, the Apple Watch NikeLab features a Nike watch face and integration with the Nike+ Run Club app.
Apple Watch NikeLab has the same pricing as an aluminum Apple Watch Sport at $369 for the 38mm model and $399 for the 42mm model. The new watch is available exclusively from Nike and the Isetan department store, marking the first Apple Watch that is not available in Apple retail stores and from the Apple website.
Apple and Nike first teamed up in September of 2016 for the Nike+ Apple Watch that launched alongside Apple’s own set of Series 2 Apple Watch devices. Apple offers two Apple Watch Nike+ models in Silver and Space Gray aluminum along with standalone Apple Watch Nike+ bands.
Related Roundups: Apple Watch Series 2, watchOS 3
Buyer’s Guide: Apple Watch (Neutral)
Discuss this article in our forums
Gear Up: VRS Design cases for LG G6 and other flagships
Are you the proud owner of a new LG G6 smartphone? What are you using to protect that flagship device? As delicate and sleek as that phone is, the last thing you want to do is drop it or scuff its surface. You’ll want to get a case on that thing as soon as possible.
VRS Design has a variety of cases for the LG G6 which we think you’d be interested in checking out. We were sent samples of four different models and have been testing putting them through their paces. All of them are excellent choices for customers looking to cover up the G6; the variety ensures you’ll find something that speaks to your needs.
High Pro Shield
1 of 5
Slim enough that it doesn’t add too much bulk to the device, this series of case is still strong enough to withstand drops. The textured design is subtle at first blush but upon closer inspection, the hairline brushed back gives it a bit of flavor. The outer layer is a shock resistant TPU while the bumpers are comprised of a polycarbonate that helps absorb bumps. Offered in five colors for about $30.
Crystal Bumper
1 of 4
While the bulk of this series is made of a transparent polycarbonate material, the bumpers accent the design of your G6. Available in five colors: Dark Silver, Shine Gold, Satin Silver, Blue Mist, and Rose Gold, each complements the standard colors of the LG handset. Don’t mistake this case for something generic; it can withstand drops with the best of ’em. About $30.
Simpli Mod
1 of 4
When you want to add a level of sophistication or professionalism to your G6, reach for this series of case. It comes in two colors (black, brown) and dresses the flagship phone up with a stitched PU leather backing. Equally slim as others, its polycarbonate backbone can take a few direct hits. It’s more of a snap-on shell than a case so and offers up easy access to the ports and buttons. About $25.
Layered Dandy
1 of 4
More than just a pretty case, this series lets you carry up to three cards and cash with the aid of sleeves. Whether you select Coffee Brown, Wine Red, or Black, the PU leather classes things up quite nicely. The magnetic clasp ensures you don’t have a flapping wallet opening up on you at inopportune times. About $35.
VRS Design has a large selection of cases for not only LG phones, but Samsung, Google, HTC, iPhone, and much more. Additionally, it has a decent lineup of accessories, too. Shop direct or through various retailers such as Amazon.
Truebill automatically cancels subscriptions and refunds bank fees
Why it matters to you
Managing subscriptions and fees is hard enough. Truebill does the heavy lifting for you.
Managing subscriptions may not sound all that difficult, but minor bills inevitably get lost in lengthy statements. Trying to track accounts across services like Spotify, Netflix, Adobe Photoshop, Microsoft Office is enough to drive anyone crazy after a while, which is why Yahya Mokhtarzada thinks most people could use a helping hand. That’s where Truebill, an automated subscription and fee tracker, comes in.
“The way we spend money has evolved,” Mokhtarzada, CEO and co-founder of Truebill, told Digital Trends. “Every dollar you spend, check you write, and card swipe you complete happens automatically. It’s almost too easy.”
He gave a personal example: Gogo’s in-flight Wi-Fi. “I looked at my credit card statement one day and saw a charge for in-flight Wi-Fi,” Mokhtarzada said. “It wasn’t a one-time charge like I thought, but a $40 dollar-a-month subscription over 14 months. Turns out I’d inadvertently subscribed.”
Y Combinator-backed Truebill, which Mokhtarzada launched with his brother, Idris, a year and a half ago, uses a combination of machine intelligence and human curation to nip errant subscriptions in the bud. Once you link a bank account or credit card, Truebill automatically identifies recurring subscriptions and alerts you each time you make a payment.
“It tries to solve inefficiency,” Mokhtarzada said.
But starting this month, Truebill will start handling more than subscriptions. It’s publicly launching bank-fee tracking, a service that’s been in beta the past several months. Doing so required “reverse-engineering” the process that banks use to issue late fees and overdraft processes, Mokhtarzada said.
It’s a little more complicated than subscription tracking. When Truebill detects a bank fee, it performs a “likelihood” assessment before reaching out to the institution.
“We try to determine whether the bank account is in good standing,” Mokhtarzada said, “and whether multiple fees have been charged in the past week or month.”
If the account is in good standing and the assessment finds a high chance of success, Truebill contacts a bank representative and attempts to secure a refund. Mokhtarzada said that refunds average between $35 and $45, and that the biggest refund so far was $135.
Bank-fee tracking works with “any mid-sized and large banks,” Mokhtarzada said, and the number of supported institutions is constantly expanding.
“It’s something that’s almost unexpected,” he said. “A lot of people don’t assume they can get a refund.”
One other killer feature Truebill has is its ability to cancel subscriptions on your behalf. If it’s a service Truebill has never tried encountered before, a human employee processes the cancellation. After it’s completed, Truebill reviews the process and tries to automate it to the extent that it can. E-mail signups like Netflix and Spotify are a cinch to cancel, Mokhtarzada said, but some services, like gym memberships, require a bit more work. Worse case scenario, Truebill requests information like a billing address and date of birth in order to generate and mail a certified letter for you.
To ensure cancellations are successful, Truebill monitors charges over subsequent weeks. If they aren’t, it issues a refund and attempts a second cancellation. Mokhtarzada said that happens about two percent of the time.
Truebill is free to use, a model Mokhtarzada said he’d like to keep, and it’s encrypted.
“All we know is that somewhere out there someone signed up and paid for Spotify and Hulu,” he said. “We follow industry practice protocols around security. But we also really don’t touch any login credentials that could compromise a user’s identity or bank accounts.”
Mokhtarzada hinted that Truebill’s next big project might have something to do with “pausing” subscriptions — i.e., putting a subscription on hold for a number of weeks and resuming it later. “Last summer, I went to Europe for two months on vacation […] but I continued paying for Spotify and Dollar Shave Club razors. I kept it going because I didn’t want to log into Truebill and have everything paused instantly. There is more to management than just skipping.”
Razer’s new Lancehead gaming mice touted as the world’s most precise
Why it matters to you
If you need the absolute highest precision in your gaming mouse, then Razer has you covered.
Razer is perhaps best known for its high-end gaming notebooks that tend to combine excellent performance and relatively thin and light chassis with an instantly recognized brand. The company’s array of gaming accessories is also instantly recognizable, and the family had added its newest member.
The Razer Lancehead wireless gaming mouse incorporates some cutting-edge technology to go along with its classic Razer styling. It’s joined by a wired mouse sibling with similar specifications and the reliability that comes with connecting via cable.
In terms of the main component, namely the laser sensor that does the real work, both mice offer the same “world’s most precise” 16,000DPI and 50G performance. The wireless version provides 210 inches-per-second (IPS) performance, while the wired Tournament Edition version provides up to 450 IPS. This level of performance provides for fast and accurate tracking for competitive gamers.
The Lancehead wireless mouse utilizes Razer’s advanced Adaptive Frequency Technology (AFT) to ensure a perfectly synced connection between mouse and system. In addition, AFT helps to avoid interference in the 2.4GHz band by hopping frequencies only when available and thus maintaining the most interference-free connections.
The Razer Lancehead mice also use Razer’s mechanical mouse switches that are co-designed and manufactured with Omron. They switches are incredibly durable, promising up to 50 million clicks, and they are designed to provide optimal response times and one of the world’s lowest click latencies. Two DPI settings buttons allow users to change sensitivity on the fly.
Finally, Razer Lancehead buyers will be automatically and exclusively invited into the upcoming beta program for the new Razer Synapse Pro software. Synapse Pro is a unified configurator that combines local and cloud storage of mouse settings, meaning that a user can access the same configuration on multiple machines. Both mice also belong to the Razer Chroma line and thus can be customized with 16.8 color options and a range of effects and game-integrated reactive lighting.
The Razer Lancehead will retail for $140 and will be available in May. The Razer Lancehead Tournament Edition will be available starting this month for $80.
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
Cloud Hub
Cloud Hub is a simple document reader and manager for the iOS platform. It allows users to download or upload files from clouds services like Box, Dropbox, OneDrive, Drive, and iCloud.
Available on:
iOS
Marble Camera
Create charming Marble-style photographs with real-time Marble effects. These effects work great on selfies and other portraits but also for many other subjects.
Available on:
iOS
Roam Blocker
Surf the web in a clean and roaming optimized way — just download the app and go. It blocks images and videos from being loaded in Safari.
Available on:
iOS
Crop Video
Crop Video is an easy video-cropping application that allows you to crop videos conveniently and in seconds. It offers a unique “Crop” function to crop your videos in a manner that lets you select only the most important parts.
Available on:
iOS
Percentages Calculator
Percentages Calculator is — odds on — the most powerful calculator of percentages, designed with simplicity and functionality.
Available on:
iOS
AirPhotoViewer
AirPhotoViewr is a Wi-Fi photo Viewer that lets you direct view your photos from your computer without sync.
Available on:
iOS
Acer updates PC line with thinner, cooler new options
Why it matters to you
Acer has some exciting new machines coming soon that give you thinner, cooler, and quieter Windows 10 PC options.
Acer held its 2017 Next@Acer event this morning, where it introduced a number of new and updated products coming next to its various product lines. In terms of PCs, Acer was focused on making things thinner without sacrificing performance or capabilities.
First up is the Swift 1, which received a refresh that squeezed its dimension from 17.9mm thick to 14.95mm, while utilizing a 13.3-inch FullHD display. Acer has incorporated a fingerprint reader supporting Windows 10 Hello, along with a number of Acer technologies including its True Harmony audio, blue light technology to reduce eye fatigue, and Skype for Business certification.
The Swift 3 line, which comes in both 14-inch and 15.6-inch display sizes, has also received a refresh. Its aesthetics have been upgraded with a new brushed hairline design in its aluminum chassis. Discrete graphics are now on hand, along with a fingerprint reader supporting Windows Hello.
Next up is an expanded Switch Alpha family of detachable tablet 2-in-1s. Given the Switch Alpha 12’s 120 percent year-over-year growth rate, Acer decided to add two new members that offer even more competition to Microsoft’s Surface Pro line.
The Switch 3 also offers 12-inch FullHD display and an adjustable second-generation U-hinge that features Acer’s Active Hinge technology, a hinge that can be adjusted to a wide variety of use positions. The detachable keyboard offers 1.4mm key travel.
The Switch 5 focuses on providing completely silent operation via Acer’s LiquidLoop liquid cooling fanless solution that also eliminates vents that could allow dust to enter the chassis. The hinge is a one-touch design and’s auto-retractable and only requires one hand to operate.
Finally, Acer introduced the Aspire U27 all-in-one that’s also meant to be thin and silent. It offers a 27-inch display and a thin unibody aluminum chassis, with Acer’s LiquidLoop liquid cooling system to make for a machine that can be placed anywhere without disruption. Windows Hello is supported via infrared camera.
More information is pending on these refreshes and additions to the Acer PC family. We will provide updated information as it arrives.
Enjoy these limited-time deals on must-have Samsung Galaxy S8 accessories
Samsung’s latest flagship smartphones, the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus, have just started shipping, and there are already a myriad of cases, docks, and other accessories available. We gave Samsung’s new phones an enthusiastic review, so if you’re lucky enough to be the proud owner of an S8 or S8 Plus, or even if you’re just considering buying one, we’ve rounded up some of the best deals going right now on some excellent Galaxy S8 accessories.
iPulse Journal Series Italian leather flip case
The first thing you’re likely to buy for your shiny new device is a case to protect it and keep it looking nice. Leather wallet cases are an attractive way to cover your phone and carry your cards and cash, but many are made from thin, fake, or low-grade leather. The Journal series wallet cases from iPulse, now available for the S8 and S8 Plus, are crafted from thick, full-grain Italian leather that will age beautifully and is built to last.
Along with holding your phone, the iPulse leather flip cases offer three card slots, an ID slot, and a pocket for cash. They are currently priced at $30 on Amazon, giving you a $40 discount off of their retail cost.
Buy it for the S8
Buy it for the S8 Plus
Spigen Slim Armor wallet case
If leather isn’t your style, or if you just want a tough, hard cover, check out the Spigen Slim Armor cases. Its sturdy polycarbonate housing protects the body of your phone from scuffs and scratches, while raised bevels surround the screen to guard it against impacts.
The back panel slides open to reveal space for two cards or a few bills without significantly adding to the overall size, keeping the case at a pocket-friendly thickness of half an inch. These cases normally go for $36 to $40, but are now available for the S8 and S8 Plus for as low as $16 on Amazon.
Buy it for the S8
Buy it for the S8 Plus
Maxboost screen protector two-pack
Along with a good case, a screen protector is a must-have item. While scuffs and even cracks on the phone’s body aren’t necessarily a huge deal, they can be disastrous on the screen, which tends to be the most fragile part of your device.
Maxboost now has screen protector two packs available for the S8 and S8 Plus, so if you want some extra protection, you can score these flexible adhesive covers for $13 on Amazon after a $7 discount. Maxboost even includes a lifetime hassle-free warranty, so if you have any problems applying the screen protector, or if it gets damaged, you will receive a free replacement.
Buy it for the S8
Buy it for the S8 Plus
Encased rapid charging desktop dock
Desktop docks are handy devices that offer a more elegant solution to the standard AC adapter that smartphones typically use. A unit like the Encased rapid charging dock lets you simply attach your Galaxy S8 or S8 Plus to the cradle so you can continue to use the display while it powers up. Set it on your desk and connect the dock to your computer, or put it on your nightstand and let your phone double as a bedside alarm clock as it charges overnight.
The Encased dock normally goes for $40, but a $15 savings brings this attractive charging cradle down to just $25 on Amazon.
$25 on Amazon
Griffin iTrip Bluetooth headphone adapter
Smartphones are great for listening to music on the go, and have all but replaced the old MP3 players we used to know and love. Having to pull your phone out of your pocket to control music playback can be an annoyance, but Griffin’s iTrip Bluetooth headphone adapter solves this little problem.
This convenient miniature clip-on device syncs with your Galaxy S8 or S8 Plus smartphone, and serves as a handy remote for controlling your music, so you can leave your smartphone in your bag or pocket while you listen. Your headphone cable can also plug right into the adapter, so you don’t have to worry about routing the cord. A 15 percent discount lets you snag this iTrip adapter for $17 directly from Griffin.
$17 from Griffin Technology
Encased car mount
Car mounts are often-overlooked phone when it con=mes to accessories, but they can add a lot of versatility to your mobile device. You can mount your phone on your car’s dash or windshield for safer hands-free calling, or even turn your smartphone’s display into a heads-up GPS, effectively replacing the bulky car GPS units of the past.
Encased’s excellent car mount works with your S8 or S8 Plus, even when you’re using a case with your device, and you can easily mount and remove your phone with one hand for safe use when you’re on the road. You can also rotate your Galaxy phone vertically or horizontally to suit your current task. This discounted mount can be yours for just $18 on Amazon.
Buy it for the S8
Buy it for the S8 Plus
Meet the 400-pound robots that will soon patrol parking lots, offices, and malls
Why it matters to you
Instead of seeing human security guards, we’re entering an era where robots patrol for crime.
Chances are you haven’t heard of Knightscope, a security startup founded way back in 2013. But it won’t be long before you come face to face with one of its strange creations: the K5.
The K5 is a 400-pound, 6-foot tall autonomous security robot that roves parking lot aisles, the hallways of office campuses, sports stadium foyers, and shopping malls on the prowl for suspicious activity. Looking something like a mix between a Dalek from Doctor Who and Eve from Wall-E, it packs sensors like a LIDAR (light detection and ranging) array and cameras that help it differentiate between a harmless passerby and potential criminal, and it feeds all that data to the cloud.
Stacy Stephens, a former police officer who co-founded the company in after the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, described Knightscope’s robots as a compliment to human law enforcement. Rather than replace human police officers and private security guards, the robots — which Knightscope calls “fully autonomous security data machines” — fill in the blind spots.
Those areas where guards refuse to patrol. Knightscope’s robots have been deployed under dangerous bridges in San Francisco, crime-ridden public parking lots, and homeless encampments. One Knightschope client in southern California managed to bring break-ins to a halt, Stephen told Digital Trends.
The company’s secret sauce is sensors. Lots of them. Knightscope’s robots pack infrared cameras sharp enough to make out license plates, and onboard wireless that identifies smartphones down to the MAC and IP addresses. On the backend, Knightscope can blacklist individual phones, faces, or even cars. When an intruder is detected, the company alerts its clients.
Knightscope stores all that data for posterity, too, for as long as clients wish — in some cases up to 15 years. An individual robot uploads more than 90 terabytes of data a year via Wi-Fi and cellular, Stephen said.
The robots, which come in two models — one for indoor use and one for outdoor use — are available on a subscription basis. Knightscope’s plans start at about $7 an hour for 24/7 surveillance (about $62,000 annually), and include monthly software updates, maintenance, and remote assistance from the company’s 2,000 technicians.
Knightscope sees potential for its robots just about everywhere. It counts Microsoft, Juniper Networks, the Sacramento Kings, and NBC Universal among its current clients. This year, it expects to sign contracts with a mall in New York, an electric utility in Florida, a monitoring and response center in Texas, a pharmaceutical company and mall in Massachusetts, and a corporate campus in California.
In total, Knightscope plans to service 17 clients in 16 cities across five states by the end of 2017.
It’s filed a mini-IPO earlier this year to help achieve that objective. So far, it’s raised $15 million, and aims to raise an additional $20 million in the near future.
Charge your iPad and Apple Pencil at the same time with the ProBack Cover
Why it matters to you
Keeping your Apple Pencil charged is difficult enough, and not losing it is yet another issue. This iPad cover wants to solve both those problems.
The Apple Pencil may be a great piece of hardware when it is in use, but when you have to charge it? That is a whole different story. While the Pencil is meant to be used in conjunction with the iPad, there is not a solution to charge both of them at once — at least not in a particularly effective manner. But the ProBack Cover wants to change that. Heralded as the first and only iPad Pro case that will allow you to charge both your Apple Pencil and iPad Pro at the same time, the ProBack Cover protects your tablet from scratches while storing and charging the Apple Pencil safely and securely from the side.
With just over three weeks left in its Kickstarter campaign, the ProBack Cover has garnered interest from around 200 backers who have pledged nearly $11,000 to bring the product to market. The idea for the Cover originated when iPad enthusiast Michael Pang discovered that there was no portable and convenient solution to both protect his iPad Pro and charge the Apple Pencil he often used to write on the tablet. So he partnered with Studio Tika Innovation, and thus, the ProBack Cover was born.
The iPad case promises seamless charging, juicing both the Pencil and the Pro at the same time. When you’re using the Apple Pencil, keep its cap safe and sound with the Cover’s magnetic holder. The Cover is also compatible with smart keyboards and boasts speakers that will amplify your iPad’s sound.
Currently, you can pre-order a ProBack Cover from Kickstarter for the early bird price of $29 (the retail value stands at $50). Delivery is expected in June and the team says that everything has already been tested and is just in need of final mass production. So if you’ve been looking for a way to keep your Apple Pencil charged and safe, this may be for you.
Apple Pay could soon take on Venmo, Square Cash with money-transfer service
Why it matters to you
Money-transfer apps are extremely popular now, and integrating such a service into Apple Pay could push millions of iPhone users to get on board the company’s payment platform.
Apple is getting serious about expanding its digital wallet service into money transfers, and could announce the new service later this year. The feature would transform Apple Pay into a competitor to apps like PayPal’s Venmo and Square Cash, which allow users to send money to one and another through the use of an attached bank account or credit card, Recode reports.
The article cites sources familiar with the company’s plans, but offers conflicting reports; one source says a formal announcement can be expected later this year, while another says the launch is still up in the air. Either way, Apple was rumored to be considering such a service back in 2015, but nothing materialized after it convened with several large American banks.
If money transfers through Apple Pay are indeed back on again, it could prove to be a massive boon to the company’s platform. While Apple Pay was reported to be the leading digital payment system in the United States back in February, there’s still enormous room for growth as new retailers support the service and make it more ubiquitous.
To that end, another report claims Apple Pay may actually leave the iPhone in the form of a physical prepaid debit card, which could use those funds acquired through money transfers. Of course, those funds would be available on the device as well, but a physical card adds the benefit of a credit card number, which could be used for payments on websites. Recode says the card would run on Visa’s network, and the two companies were recently in talks about the partnership.
Financial institutions, however, are worried such a move would bolster Apple Pay at the expense of their own credit and debit cards, as the company could easily give priority to its payment method within the app while downplaying everything else. It’s rumored that these companies could be pressuring Visa against working with Apple — possibly delaying the related money-transfer service and contributing to Apple’s indecision over when and how to launch the effort.
AIVAnet 