Apple Analysts Remain Upbeat Ahead of Expected ‘iPhone 8’ Upgrade Supercycle

Apple reported its second quarter earnings results on Tuesday, highlighted by revenue of $52.9 billion and 50.8 million iPhones sold. Apple said the results met or exceeded its own targets and guidance, but some of the numbers fell slightly short of what most financial analysts were expecting.

Nevertheless, the majority of analysts remain bullish on Apple’s stock price heading into the second half of the year. MacRumors obtained research notes distributed today by over a dozen analysts, and we’ve compiled their updated AAPL price estimates and guidance for Apple’s current third quarter below.

Katy Huberty of Morgan Stanley is one of several analysts anticipating an “iPhone supercycle” based on high expectations for the “iPhone 8” and a growing base of previous-generation iPhone owners:

We continue to believe that a combination of a growing base of aged iPhones and exciting new technology, including OLED displays, 3D sensors and wireless/fast charging will drive an iPhone supercycle that is still underappreciated by the market.

Rod Hall of JPMorgan rather surprisingly believes there is a “high likelihood” that the iPhone 8 will be announced or at least previewed at WWDC in June, marking the start of “iPhone mania,” rather than in September as usual:

We believe there is a high likelihood that the company plans to announce or at least preview the upcoming new iPhone at WWDC which starts on June 5. Given this we would expect a weaker than normal Summer for Apple as consumers await a major product upgrade. […] Given that our numbers remain well above consensus forecasts we would advise investors to continue to stock up on AAPL before iPhone mania kicks off in earnest in early June.

Apple introduced the iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS, and iPhone 4 at WWDC, but it broke that trend when it unveiled the iPhone 4s in October 2011, and each new iPhone since has been announced in September. A fall launch positions the iPhone well for the ensuing holiday shopping season.

Apple previewing the iPhone 8 at WWDC is certainly possible, but it doesn’t make sense for a few reasons. For one, the smartphone is widely rumored to be facing mass production challenges that could push its wider availability into at least October or November, a whole four to five months after June.

Second, Apple pre-announcing a new iPhone in June would likely hurt its sales during its summer quarter, as some customers might choose to wait until the latest and greatest model is available. Rumors about a new iPhone are one thing, but Apple confirming a new model would be much more influential.

During the company’s post-earnings conference call yesterday, Apple CEO Tim Cook surprisingly acknowledged a recent “pause” in iPhone purchases that he believes is due to earlier and more frequent reports about future iPhones.

Indeed, analysts have been looking toward the future, with all eyes set on the iPhone 8. “One more quarter before show time,” wrote Steven Milunovich of UBS. “Hit snooze for 90 days,” echoed Amit Daryanani of RBC Capital Markets. “Now we wait,” said Benjamin Schachter of Macquarie Research.

Tag: AAPL
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Apple CEO Tim Cook Announces $1B Fund for Advanced Manufacturing Jobs on CNBC’s Mad Money

Apple CEO Tim Cook sat down with Mad Money host Jim Cramer this evening, where he discussed Apple’s recent earnings results and delved into topics like an upcoming investment fund, the company’s plans for television, the iPhone’s impact on consumers, and Apple’s overall impact on the world.

During the show, Cook said Apple plans to create an advanced manufacturing fund with a $1 billion investment. Apple’s first investment, which is already in the works, will be announced later in May.

By doing that, we can be the ripple in the pond. Because if we can create many manufacturing jobs around, those manufacturing jobs create more jobs around them because you have a service industry that builds up around them.

Cook went on to say that Apple is always looking at new ways to create jobs in the United States, and said the company will “bring things to market” in regard to growing its employee, developer, and manufacturing base. Cook also highlighted the $50 billion Apple spent purchasing from U.S manufacturers over the last year, including sourcing materials from 3M (adhesive) and Corning (iPhone and iPad glass).

Job creation and investment in the developer community was also a focus, and Cook said we can expect to hear more during the summer. When asked specifically if Cook would put money behind empowering the next generation of developers, he said “We would. We will.”

On products, some of Cook’s most interesting comments covered Apple’s services category, which includes the App Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay, iTunes, and iCloud, and its future. Apple plans to double its services category by 2020 with both existing and new services, and Cook said Apple is pursuing opportunities related to television and original programming.

On video in particular, what we see is that the video world has kind of hit an air pocket and where cord cutting has been happening on some kind of basis, we think it’s accelerating massively and it’s clear what the end story looks like here.

The trajectory is a debate, but we’d like to play in this. Because we do think the best experience for a customer is to view things when they want, the way they want, and have many additional information around what they’re watching. Not just the linear TV feed. So yeah, we’re working on some original content now, we’re learning, and we’ll see where this takes us.

On the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, Cook agreed when Cramer suggested the iPhone was the greatest consumer technology product. “I think the iPhone is the best consumer product ever,” he said. “That’s what I feel about it. And it’s become so integrated, so integral to our lives that you wouldn’t think about leaving home without it.”

Cook was asked if there’s something coming our way that’s totally unexpected and will “knock us out,” and he of course demurred on an answer, but shared some hints on Apple’s areas of interest, including artificial intelligence and augmented reality. “We always are working on an incredible number of things,” he said.

I think AI is huge. We use AI in so much of what we do today, but we’re going to be able to use it even more in the future because the processing and GPUs are getting so incredible, their capabilities so incredible… so we’re going to be able to do a lot more. I don’t want to get into details, but there’s a lot more there.

AR, I’ve said in the past, this is something we’re really excited about.

Cook covered a much wider range of topics during the interview with Cramer, including reiterating some of the comments he made during yesterday’s earnings call about iPhone rumors impacting iPhone 7 and 7 Plus sales, especially in China. Other topics of discussion covered iPhone retention rate, stock valuation, Apple’s focus on users, tax reform, the U.S. government, and more.

Excerpts from the interview are available on the CNBC website, here and here.

Tags: Tim Cook, CNBC
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Wearhaus Arc review: The world’s first ‘social headphones’

Be honest. You’ve been in a situation before where you’re listening to a killer playlist that you want to share with someone nearby. Man, you’ve picked out some great stuff! The problem, however, is that you don’t want to give up your cans. No, you want to enjoy that carefully curated set of music.

If you have earbuds, you’ll probably pull one out and give it to your friend in the seat next to you. Unfortunately, doing this gets rid of stereo. Moreover, it requires that you sit in very close proximity to the other listener. If you’re using on-ear over over-the-ear headphones, then you’re likely stuck.

The Wearhaus Arc seeks to fix that problem.  Billed as the first “social headphones“, these let you sync up with other friends so that you can listen together. Available in black or white, these wireless headphones let you keep listening to that playlist while your friend joins in with their own pair.

Initially offered through Kickstarter some years ago, the Wearhaus Arc are now available in brick and mortar stores. As of mid-April the headphones can be purchased in Fry’s Electronics store. This is great in our opinion as you’ll want to experience this in person. While it’s easy to envision, there’s something really cool about actually doing this in the real world.

Setup

Setting up the Wearhaus Arc was quite easy in that you basically start out as a single user. Power on with a long press and then pair to your phone.  A voice prompt signals your connection is done at which point you can go about your listening in a standard manner.

If you have a favorite music app or podcast app, feel free to get going. The internal microphone allows for you to take calls; a future firmware update figures to enable active noise canceling.

Shared Listening

Pairing a second set of Arc headphones is a little more involved, although not by much. To do so, tap and hold on the right ear cup until you’re prompted with “ready to share”. At this point, swipe forward and enable the broadcast mode. To ensure this is working, glance at the outer part of the cups and look for blue and red light cycling.

Now, grab the second pair of headphones and do the same thing: press and hold the right ear cup. Instead of swiping forward, you’ll go backward to synchronize. Again, look for the colors. A voice prompt will confirm you’re all paired up and ready to roll.

Mobile App

The Wearhaus app (Android, iOS) is where things get really fun. It’s here where you get to customize the physical headphones. Do you have a favorite color? Select that for the ring around the outside of the ear. Indeed, you can choose any color in the spectrum or pick a tri-color palette. Or, even cooler, let it match the rings to your album artwork or let it pulse to the track.

It’s worth noting that you can also turn off the color so that you’re not distracting anyone on the train or at work. The app also lets listeners broadcast or join a station making it easy to find or share music and audio.

Controls

If there’s one thing we weren’t fond of, especially at first, it’s the buttons. With nothing tactile to feel, you’ll be flying blind when it comes to adjusting volume or playback. Tap the right ear cup in the center and it pauses; a second one resumes. We definitely recommend leaving the sticker in place for a few days just so you can see the right orientation.

To turn the volume up or down, you have to do a gesture which starts in the center; tap the middle and slide a finger up to increase volume, etc. Skipping songs or backing up is done the same way, but swiping left or right across the cup. This proved somewhat maddening in the early days. We found ourselves accidentally pausing music or bringing up Google Assistant when all we wanted to do was back back up one track.

Battery

The battery life of the Wearhaus Arc is tremendous, providing anywhere from 15-20 hours of playback. Results will vary based on how much you are sharing or using the lights, but there’s no reason you can’t get through nearly a week of average music, YouTube, Netflix, and podcast streaming.

Although charging is done via a microUSB port, you might not want to put the headphone box away. There’s actually a small cut out in the bottom which turns the stand into somewhat of charging station. So, when you put them up for the night, plug in and top the battery off. Doing this almost ensures there’s enough battery for anything you’d want.

There’s also an included 3.5mm cord so you can directly plug in your headphones. This way you’re not using any of the battery. Moreover, you can also tap into pretty much any music source, including that portable game console that’s all the rave.

The Wearhaus Arc are comfortable to wear, even for longer periods. The faux leather feels good on the ears and never gets too warm or moist.  The same can be said about the arm, which includes a memory foam.

Sound

We initially expected the sound quality to not be all that great. Our incorrect assumption was that these were more of a gimmick headphone experience that was more about sharing and aesthetics.

Specs

• 40mm neodymium dual diaphragm drivers
• 20 – 20kHz frequency response
• 108 dB @ 1kHz sensitivity
• 28.5 Ω impedance

We’re happy to say that these delivered rather consistent audio with a nice mix of highs to lows. Everything we listened to sounded as clear as we would have hoped just so long as we stayed below 75% volume. While things were as good at low volume levels, higher volumes would give us a somewhat muddy or bass-heavy experience.

If it were up to us, we might like some equalizer settings in the Wearhaus app. Even a few presets to help cover the general bases (spoken word, rock, hip hop, etc) could go a long way. Perhaps a firmware update might tune things a little different, too.

Speaking of which, as we were prepping our final draft, we learned that Wearhaus has pushed out its first major firmware update. Included in the update are “Cinema Sound”, new LED customization, and (ironically) Bass Boost.

What’s New?

Cinema Sound:

• When watching movies, Wearhaus Arc users can now turn on “Cinema Sound” in their Wearhaus app to create a surround-sound-like fully immersive theater experience.
• When combined with Wearhaus Wireless Audio Sharing, you and a friend can both enjoy your movie with theater-quality sound perfectly synced, completely wireless.

Light ring, voice prompt, and wired listening upgrades:

• This over-the-air update also delivers new improvements to owners of the Arc including assistive voice prompts for easy pairing and sharing via touch controls.
• In addition, wireless audio sharing is now enabled when plugged into any device, whether it’s a record player or an airplane armrest, via AUX cable.
• Now lets users wear their Arcs “lights on” as an accessory by adding a timeout to Bluetooth pairing mode. Just pick a color and your headphones will stay there, paired or not.

Conclusion

Sonos continues to be the first name in sharing or connecting audio across multiple speakers. Whereas each speaker works incredibly on its own, grouping two or more together really changes the dynamic in a home or office. To us, the Wearhaus Arc is a similar experience. We really like what we get for the $200 price tag, but when paired with a second (or third) set of headphones, things get much more interesting.

In addition to sharing music, we can also see the Arc working well for traveling. Pair a couple of them together and watch a movie on a tablet the next time you’re on an airplane. Ride the train into town with a friend or spouse? Why not catch up on the news or podcasts together?

Availability

You can purchase the Wearhaus Arc headphones at the Wearhaus website where they retail for $200. Additionally, the can be found at Amazon, Newegg, and Fry’s at the same cost. We’d like to see some sort of 2-for-1 discounted bundle but perhaps that’s coming at a later time.

Facebook is closing in on 2 billion users

Facebook has had quite a rollercoaster ride so far in 2017. Sure, it managed to go head-to-head with Snapchat and rolled out lots of new features, but it’s also faced plenty of scrutiny over fake news and the rise of graphic violence on its live video platform. Still, Facebook continues to be the social network of choice for millions of people around the world. Indeed, in its first quarterly earnings report for 2017, the company reported that it has 1.94 billion monthly active users as of March 31st, which is a nearly 300 million increase from this time last year. What’s more, an average of 1.28 billion people use Facebook products every single day.

As you might expect, this means that Facebook made a lot of money last year. Specifically, in just the first three months of 2017, the company made $8 billion in revenue, which is a rise of 49 percent from just a year ago. If you look at net profits specifically, the jump is a little over $3 billion, which translates to a hugely impressive 76 percent growth. A big chunk of that cash comes from mobile advertising, which is now the source of around 85 percent of Facebook’s advertising revenue. This could explain why Facebook has stopped providing numbers for its mobile users — pretty much everyone on Facebook is a mobile user.

Developing…

Source: Facebook

Tesla says it’s still on track to build the Model 3 in July

As customers holding pre-orders wait for the Model 3 to arrive, Tesla says everything is proceeding according to plan. In today’s Q1 earning report (PDF), the company announced it’s still on track to start production in July, and will be able to build up to 5,000 of the cars per week this year, with plans to scale production up to 10,000 per week next year. To service all those EVs (plus the ones already on the road, some of which will soon start to outlive their manufacturer warranties), it’s massively expanding that department.

Over 100 new “retail, delivery and service locations” will open around the world this year, as well as the first Tesla-owned body shops. It’s also bumping up the number of mobile repair trucks by over 100 in Q2, and claims it has reduced repair times by 35 percent thanks to improved remote diagnostics.

Of course, stats like $2.7 billion in revenue (more than twice what it earned in the same period last year) and production numbers up 64 percent are good too, despite losing $330 million in Q1. But given Tesla’s reputation for delays (remember the Model X?), all eyes are on the highly-anticipated new model, and likely will be until the first real model rolls off of a dealer’s lot sometime later this year.

Source: Tesla Q1 2017 earnings (PDF)

Qualcomm to Pursue iPhone Import Ban in United States in Ongoing Apple Feud

The legal battle between Qualcomm and Apple is heating up, with Qualcomm planning to seek an import ban that would prevent iPhones from being able to enter the United States, reports Bloomberg. Qualcomm is reportedly “incensed” over Apple’s decision to stop paying licensing fees during the dispute and is aiming to retaliate.

Qualcomm is preparing to ask the International Trade Commission to stop the iPhone, which is built in Asia, from entering the country, threatening to block Apple’s iconic product from the American market in advance of its anticipated new model this fall, according to the person, who asked not to be identified because the discussions are private.

Qualcomm and Apple have been facing off in an ongoing legal dispute since January that started when the FTC complained that Qualcomm had engaged in anticompetitive patent licensing practices. Shortly after the FTC complaint, Apple sued Qualcomm, accusing the company of charging unfair royalties for “technologies they have nothing to do with” and refusing to pay quarterly rebates.

In April, Qualcomm countersued, accusing Apple of breaching licensing agreements, making false statements, and encouraging regulatory attacks against Qualcomm’s business in multiple countries. Qualcomm claims Apple “could not have built the incredible iPhone franchise” without relying on Qualcomm’s “fundamental cellular technologies.”

The lawsuit heated up in late April when Apple stopped making royalty payments to Qualcomm and confirmed it would not continue payments until a court figured out the total amount that was owed. Apple CEO Tim Cook yesterday reiterated that Apple could not pay the fees without the court deciding what amount should be paid due to Qualcomm’s refusal to license its patents under FRAND (Fair, Reasonable, and Non-Discriminatory) terms.

In terms of why we’re withholding payments, you can’t pay something when there’s a dispute about how much is needed to be paid. There hasn’t been a meeting of the minds there. At this point, we need the courts to decide that. […]

The reason we are pursuing this is that Qualcomm is trying to charge Apple a percentage of the total of the iPhone value, but their modems/patented technologies are one small part of the iPhone. We don’t think that’s right, so we’re taking a principle stand on it. We strongly believe we’re in the right, as they probably think they are.

The United States International Trade Commission could potentially put a stop to iPhone shipments to the United States should the ITC side with Qualcomm. ITC cases are processed more quickly than cases in the federal courts, where this lawsuit will likely be drawn out for years to come.

Tags: lawsuit, Qualcomm
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Everything you need to know about the 2017 total solar eclipse

August 21 is a big day in the American celestial calendar. For the first time in 23 years, the entire continental United States will have the opportunity to see the sun disappear for a few minutes — in some places, completely — behind the moon. It’s called a solar eclipse, and it’s something that’s pretty rare around here.

What makes the August eclipse all the more special is it’s a total eclipse, which blocks out the sun more completely than a more common annular eclipse. Such a thing hasn’t been viewable from American soil in 38 years! So why should you be excited about this event? Read on and we’ll explain.

Why do solar eclipses happen?

Solar eclipses occur when the moon passes in front of the Sun, blocking out its light. While the moon is only a minuscule fraction of the size of the Sun, the Sun is 94 million miles away from us, and this allows the moon to block out the Sun’s rays across a small fraction of the Earth’s surface.

You might be wondering why solar eclipses are so rare. This is due to two factors. First, the moon must be in the “new moon” phase, which means it is between the Earth and the Sun. Because of this, we see the “dark side of the moon,” and the moon appears invisible. But with new moon phases happening every 29.5 days or so, why aren’t eclipses happening just as frequently? You can thank the tilt of the moon’s orbit with respect to Earth for that.

There’s about a five degree difference at play, which also explains why the moon’s position in the sky seems to change daily (although this also has to do with Earth’s seasonal orbital wobbles, too, which explains why we have seasons). This means that during most new moons, the Moon’s shadow either falls above or below the Earth’s surface.

But generally, two times a year these two orbits line up just right, and an eclipse occurs. If you’re lucky enough to see it, it’s a beautiful sight.

What’s the difference between an “annular” and “total” solar eclipse?

Solar eclipses come in two forms, annular and total. The difference depends on the orbit of the moon. In space, orbits are not a perfect circle: instead they have some degree of eccentricity, which is a measure of how much the orbit deviates from that perfect circle. This eccentricity also governs the magnitude of the eclipse itself. You can also see this concept at work throughout the year as the moon appears to grow and shrink in size in the night sky.

Takeshi Kuboki/Digital Trends

Nicholas Jones/Flickr

Annular Solar Eclipse (Takeshi Kuboki/Flickr), left, and Total Solar Eclipse (Nicholas Jones/Flickr).

Most of the time the moon is far enough away that it doesn’t cover the sun completely, allowing for a ring of sunlight to come through. While light is greatly reduced, there still is enough that areas in the path of totality are basked in eerie twilight. With total eclipses, it is different.

In a total eclipse, the moon blocks out the solar disk completely, leaving a fibrous halo. What you’re seeing here is the sun’s corona — one of the few times it is visible on the Earth’s surface to the naked eye. Bright stars may become visible, crickets may start chirping, and you might even experience a sudden (but small) drop in temperature. For a total eclipse, the moon must be close enough to block out the entire solar disk, which makes them less common than annular ones.

In either case, totality lasts only for a few minutes, although the process to and from totality takes several hours.

What should I expect from the 2017 total solar eclipse?

This depends greatly on where you are. Every U.S. state will see some percentage of the Sun disappear, with the Lower 48 seeing the Sun at least 55% obscured. The first spot to see totality in the U.S. will be just north of Newport, Oregon at about 10:15 a.m. PT. From there, it will race east and southeastward, exiting the U.S. coast at 2:49 p.m. local time at Cape Romain, South Carolina.

(Editors note: while it seems like a long time, we’re using local times. The ‘path of totality’ will actually make its way across the entire Lower 48 in just 94 minutes!)

Altogether, 14 states will be in the path of totality, with those passing closest to the center of that path experiencing generally around two and a half minutes of darkness. Carbondale, Illinois will take the cake though: the city is closest to the point of greatest totality, and will see the sun eclipsed for 2 minutes, 42 seconds!

The 20 best tech toys for kids will make you wish you were 10 again

Finding the perfect gadget gifts for children is trickier than it looks. The children’s toy market is awash with over-priced junk destined to end up unloved and forgotten at the bottom of a toy box within days of being unwrapped. How do you find kid’s tech that’s inspiring and educational, but fun enough to keep them coming back to it? We have just the right picks.

We’re not going to look at obvious categories like tablets or smartphones — we have separate roundups for those. This is about interesting and unusual gadgets that will hopefully delight your wee ones. This is the best tech for kids. We have included the suggested age from the manufacturer here, but we’ve found that as long as they’re supervised, younger kids will also really enjoy most of these gadgets and toys.

8 years and up

Galaxy Zega Battle Tanks ($150+)

Transform your living room floor into a battleground and go head-to-head with smartphone-controlled tanks. Thanks to Galaxy Zega’s clever design, it’s quick and easy to slot a battleground together. You can use Android and iOS devices as remote controls, and the apps allow you to earn points and upgrade your tank. It’s also worth spending the extra $30 on the X-bases, because they act as power-up squares or flags that spice up the various game modes. Younger kids can enjoy the tanks, too, but they’ll need some supervision and a smartphone or tablet to join in the fun.

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Galaxy Zega

Jimu DIY Robot Buzzbot & Muttbot Robotics Kit ($120)

Here’s a robotics kit brimming with snap-together parts and servos that can be transformed into a robot that your child can then program and control via an Android or iOS app. It’s billed as a S.T.E.M. toy, and as such, it encourages problem solving and logical thinking. It’s also pretty easy to get into and loads of fun. You can put the kit together in multiple ways, too, and there are visual instructions to help you build the Buzzbot and like-minded Muttbot. Still, the robots require time, patience, and a smartphone or tablet to program, so this is best for older kids with some adult supervision.

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Amazon

Sphero BB-8 app-enabled Droid ($129+)

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For any kids excited by Star Wars: The Force Awakens, what could be better than a branded BB-8 droid that can be remote controlled with an Android or iOS device? This super-cute robot rolls around in any direction, with his head floating magnetically on top. The companion app is packed with official Star Wars sound effects and a few different activities, such as the ability to record holographic messages, so you and your kids can have more fun with BB-8. The Star Wars tie-in does mean that the price is a little inflated for what this is, but most kids will love it. Watch our first look video.

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Amazon Apple

Meccano Meccanoid G15 KS Personal Robot ($183)

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What kid wouldn’t love to build their own 4-foot-tall robot that’s capable of mimicking them and responding to instructions? There are around 1,200 parts to this, including a brain, LED eyes, and eight motors. You can use an Android or iOS app with it, but it’s easier to teach the Meccanoid through direct manipulation. There are lots of voice commands you can use, and it can be reconfigured into something less humanoid — but be warned, it takes a long time to build.

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Walmart

littleBits Electronics Gizmos & Gadgets Kit ($175+)

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Building their own gadgets can be enormously appealing for kids, but it’s a lot easier to dismantle something than it is to put it together. Fortunately, the LittleBits line of electronics provides them with all the materials they need to build their own devices. It’s easy to fit the different components together using the clear guides and a companion app, but there’s also room for their own ideas and tweaks. It’s a fun group activity that combines science and art. Read our hands on review here.

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Amazon

Anki Overdrive Battle and Race Robotic Supercars Starter Kit ($150)

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How would you modernize slot-car race tracks? Anki Overdrive could be the answer. It’s like a cross between Scalextric and Mario Kart. Cars are controlled by an Android or iOS device, and you can race or battle each other. You can fit up to four cars on the track at once, but you don’t need company because the AI is impressively good. The track can be slotted together to create various different layouts, and you can add extra packs to extend it.

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Amazon

Circuit Maze Board Game ($30)

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This puzzle game teaches your kids all about how circuits and electricity work. It’s a well-made game with 60 different challenges to beat. They’ll need to move the pieces around and fit them in the right sequence to solve each puzzle. The challenges come in three different difficulty levels. It’s great for developing problem solving skills, and, more importantly, it’s fun for adults to play along with their kids. If you’re trying to cut down on screen time, this is a nice alternative.

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Amazon

6 – 7 years and up

SelfieMic Selfie Stick Microphone ($32)

If your youngster has their heart set on a career as a pop star — or they just enjoy singing — then the SelfieMic could be a real hit. It’s a selfie stick that comes outfitted with a microphone, though you’ll need to provide the smartphone in order to use it properly. There’s also a companion app available for Android and iOS devices that’s packed with potential karaoke songs. Your kids can even edit their creations, add effects, and share them instantly. That said, you’ll definitely want to supervise younger kids with this one.

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Amazon

SAM Labs Science Museum Inventor Kit ($139)

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The elegant simplicity of this electronics kit is appealing for kids and adults alike. You get a light sensor, a buzzer, a tilt sensor, a motor, and a few other bits and pieces in the box. Start up the software on your computer and you’ll find a simple interface where you can move and link together the various blocks. It’s not just about creating sequences for the electronics, either. You can also trigger your computer to play sounds, capture photos, and send tweets. This particular kit was produced in partnership with the London Science Museum, and includes guides that encapsulate everything from Morse code to alarm systems.

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Amazon SAM Labs

Mattel View-Master Virtual Reality Starter Pack ($14)

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Virtual reality is starting to take off and it’s exciting. There are a few headsets that use your smartphone as the screen, but this is the first one we’ve seen that’s specifically aimed at kids. It works with various smartphones, just like Google Cardboard, and there are a number of compatible VR apps and games currently available for Android and iOS. In a nod to the view-masters of yesteryear, Mattel has also included reels that trigger different augmented-reality experiences. You can buy various $15 reel packs, which cover topics such as space and wildlife. Read more here.

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Amazon

Dino-Lite AM2111 handheld 0.3 MP digital microscope ($99)

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It’s amazing what you can see with a microscope. Your kids will love collecting samples to examine, and even everyday objects can reveal surprises. This handheld microscope plugs into your computer, laptop, tablet, or phone — the software supports Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS — and shows from 10X up to 220X magnification. There are also four LEDs to illuminate your subject and a plastic stand you can slot it into. You can also use it to capture photographs or video.

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Amazon

Chat backups, Incognito group chat, and more arrive on Allo for Android users

Why it matters to you

Google’s new Assistant-powered chat service is becoming more powerful all the time, thanks to new features, and is definitely worth a look.

Allo may be struggling to gain traction in the already crowded arena of messaging services, but that is not stopping Google from keeping it current with new features.

Version 9.0 for Android hit the Play Store in mid-April. Although it didn’t appear to immediately add much to the experience, there was evidence at the time of new features seemingly waiting in the wings for a server-side update. Now, it seems some of those features are ready for prime time.

A tweet from Amit Fulay, Google’s head of product development for Allo and its video-focused sibling, Duo, has revealed that backup and restore and Incognito mode for groups are rolling out right now. Both those features were discovered just last month when 9to5 Google dismantled the APK. The update also brings a surprise feature — link previews.

New features in #GoogleAllo rolling out today! Chat backup/restore, incognito mode for groups and link preview pic.twitter.com/v7uc3unGkG

— Amit Fulay (@amitfulay) May 3, 2017

In April, a pop-up message revealed in Allo’s code alluded to restoring saved conversations, and further investigation dug up messages relating to images and videos — indicating the app would not only back up text, but media as well.

What’s more, you can apparently choose to back up your chats to either Google Drive or external storage. If you choose the former, there is the typical option to only save to Drive when on Wi-Fi to avoid data charges. You will even be able to set the frequency of backups.

At the time, 9to5 Google also found a “Start group Incognito chat” string. Incognito is Allo’s end-to-end encrypted conversation channel that doesn’t involve Google Assistant. Based on the image Fulay shared on Twitter, it seems users who start an Incognito group chat will be able to set a limited time for it to self-destruct, just like in a private chat.

In terms of more fun features that were teased, there was Quick Selfie, which first made the rumor rounds in March and reappeared under the surface in version 9.0. The feature acts as a small camera button to the right of the text entry field that, when tapped, opens a circular window linked to the front-facing camera.

Finally, what update would be complete without some new stickers? In this case, we’re actually talking about stickers generated from selfies, created in your likeness. A reference to the feature was present back in Allo 5.0, then disappeared, and has now returned.

Seeing all these features pop up in code before actually debuting is nothing new for Allo or Google’s apps, as the company typically activates them independently of updates. Doing this allows Google to slowly roll out changes and tweak things on the fly. While some of these features have finally launched, others — like Quick Selfies and selfie stickers — are still locked away, and there’s no word on when they might arrive.

Article originally published on 04-13-2017 by Adam Ismail. Updated on 05-03-2017 by Adam Ismail: Added news that backup and restore, Incognito group chat, and link previews have been released.

Houzz home decor app adds AR functionality for in-home previews

Why it matters to you

Augmented reality is becoming an increasingly popular way of getting people to shop online.

Houzz, an online platform dedicated to interior design and home decor, added some new augmented reality functionality to its iPad and iPhone app. View in My Room 3D allows users to preview up to 300,000 different pieces of furniture and other decor products in their home before they make a purchase.

A 2D version of this functionality was introduced in 2016 and was used by 50 percent of people who shopped via the Houzz app. The new iteration transplants 3D models into the user’s home, accurately representing materials and textures to offer a realistic visualization of how the physical item will look.

View in My Room 3D can be accessed via individual product pages for compatible items within the Houzz app. This launches the camera, with the desired object overlaid — users can rotate and re-position the item to their specifications to get a good idea of how it might be placed in practice.

More than one object can be added to the same view, for shoppers who are keen to completely refurnish a particular room. They can then capture what is on screen as a Sketch, which is added to their Houzz ideabook, and later shared with others. Alternatively, they can purchase the item immediately, directly from the app.

“At Houzz, we’re focused on building technologies that can be used today, by the broadest number of people, to make the home improvement and home design experience more fun and productive,” said Alon Cohen, the company’s co-founder and president. View in My Room 3D was created by an internal team known as Houzz Labs.

The Houzz app is available now for iPad and iPhone via the App Store — users who have already installed the app on their device may have to update to the latest version to access View in My Room 3D functionality.