Microsoft Surface event in Shanghai: What was launched?

Microsoft held a special event in Shanghai on Tuesday 23 May, which it used to announce three Surface devices.

Two of them had been previously revealed at other recent events, the Surface Laptop and Surface Studio, although it was revealed that they will be coming to China too.

However, the new Surface Pro was unveiled for the first time globally.

• Microsoft unveils the Surface Laptop, a Windows 10 S device looking to take down the MacBook

So here’s everything that was revealed at the #MicrosoftEvent in Shanghai and how you can catch up on further details.

Microsoft

Microsoft Surface event in Shanghai: When was it?

Microsoft held its event in Shanghai, China on 23 May but didn’t livestream it (apart from a Chinese language version on a website there). However, you can read a timeline of what happened on its blog here.

Microsoft Surface event in Shanghai: What was launched?

Apart from confirmation that the Surface Laptop and Surface Studio devices will be available from 15 June – in China too – the main product revealed at the event was an all-new Surface Pro.

Upgraded, versatile, and exceptionally powerful, with iconic Surface design. Meet the new Microsoft #SurfacePro. #MicrosoftEvent pic.twitter.com/o1RQjzlySE

— Microsoft Surface (@surface) May 23, 2017

It has a 12.3-inch PixelSense screen and runs on a 7th gen Intel processor. There is also a new Surface Pen with a claimed 4,096 levels of pressure.

Microsoft

The biggest changes between the new Pro and existing Pro 4 is that the newer model is lighter, weighing just 0.77kg. It also has a bigger battery, with a claimed life of up to 13.5 hours between charges.

You can read more about the new Surface Pro here.

2017 Smart ForTwo ED is cheaper than its smaller, slower charging predecessor

The latest Smart ForTwo ED already has a bevy of advantages compared with its predecessor. It’s bigger, its motor is more potent with 80 horsepower and 115 pound-feet of torque, and it charges way more quickly. It’s on-board charger gets it to an 80-percent charge in just 2.5 hours when hooked up to a 240V charger instead of the 4.5 hours of the predecessor. Now it has price on its side, too. The coupe starts at $24,550, which is $1,200 less than the old model.

The convertible version doesn’t get cheaper, but it doesn’t get more expensive either. It starts at the same $28,750 as the previous drop-top version. When applying the $7,500 national tax credit for EVs, the Smart ForTwo ED looks even more affordable, with the coupe starting at $17,050, and the convertible starting at $21,250.

Both models come with additional standard features including cruise control and a warranty for the battery. Smart now offers a Climate Package that adds a heated steering wheel and seats, and also adds more insulation to improve the efficiency of the climate control system. This will likely be a good package for people looking to stay comfortable while maximizing the ForTwo ED’s 70- to 80-mile electric range.

The Smart ForTwo ED will arrive on dealer lots this summer. And, unlike some larger competitors such as the Kia Soul EV and Fiat 500e, the Smart ForTwo ED will be available nationwide.

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Instagram is grouping Stories to make them easier to find

Seeing as Instagram’s Stories is fast becoming one of the app’s most popular features, the company is taking steps to make it even more visible. Instagram already had Stories on its Explore page, but today, it will feature two new kinds of Stories: location stories and hashtag stories. Location stories show you the photos and videos that have been tagged with your particular location, while hashtag stories center around a particular hashtag that’s relevant to your interests.

If you fire up Instagram’s Explore page some time today, you’ll see a new story ring marked with your location. Tap it and you’ll see photos and videos from folks who have chosen to add location stickers to their stories. Hashtag stories will look the same way.

What’s particularly interesting is that location and hashtag stories can be found not just in Explore, but through search as well. If you search for “San Francisco” for example, your results won’t just be of photos of San Francisco; you’ll also see a story ring for the city at the top. Similarly, if you search for a hashtag, you’ll see a story ring of that hashtag if other people used it in their stories.

That sounds pretty similar to what Snapchat is already doing with a Stories Search feature that it rolled out a couple of months ago. Search for a keyword on Snapchat, and you’ll see snaps featuring that keyword. The difference here, however, is that on Snapchat, you have to opt in for the snap to be viewable in search. (You’d select “Snap to Our Story.”)

On Instagram, however, any time you add a location sticker or a hashtag to your story, that photo or video could very well show up in that larger story ring on Explore or search. You’ll know it’s there if there’s a line at the top of your viewer list that show the number of people who saw it in the larger story (as in the above image). If you want to keep using those location stickers and hashtags without putting your story on Explore, you have to opt out by hitting X in your stories viewer list.

The problem here is that photos and videos posted to Stories are often a little more intimate and personal than the ones on someone’s regular Instagram feed. The fact that location stickers and hashtags will be indexable and searchable by default won’t sit well with everyone, especially as Stories are often posted quickly without too much forethought. Of course, those photos and videos will disappear after 24 hours anyway, so it might not matter much. Still, I’d probably think twice going forward about adding those location stickers and hashtags in personal Stories.

Instagram says that location stories will roll out to iOS and Android starting today, while hashtag stories will arrive in the coming weeks.

Microsoft’s new Surface Pen should feel more like writing on paper

A new Surface Pro just wouldn’t be the same without improvements to its companion pen, and Microsoft is going all-out with the upgrades this time around. It’s introducing a new Surface Pen that it claims is the “fastest pen ever” on any platform — with a 21ms latency, it’s supposedly fast enough that it’ll feel more like you’re writing on paper than glass. There’s also a whopping 4,096 pressure points (up from 1,024), reduced parallax (the mismatch between where your pen is and where input appears onscreen), and an Apple Pencil-style tilt feature that lets you apply artistic flourishes like shading.

The new Pen will be available in black, burgundy, cobalt blue and platinum colors (to match your Surface Pro or Surface Laptop, naturally). Microsoft hasn’t disclosed stand-alone pricing, but it’s promising that its upgraded stylus will be available in the “coming weeks.”

Hardware isn’t the only star in this show. There’s also a new Whiteboard app for Windows 10 (currently available only as a private preview for the Surface Hub) that gives Surface device owners a collaborative drawing space. If you want to brainstorm a new design with your coworkers, you just have to invite them. The software includes smart object recognition features, too, such as geometry recognition and table conversion.

And there’s more even if you’re happy to draw by yourself. Windows 10 is adding a virtual pencil case that syncs your favorite tools across devices, while Office 365 users will see new ink and texture effects in Excel, PowerPoint and Word in June. Office will support the new Pen’s tilt function as well. If you treat your PC as a canvas, you might be in for a treat in the near future.

Via: The Verge (1), (2)

Source: Microsoft

Snapchat’s custom Stories put you in control of curation

Sure, Facebook and Instagram have been copying the crap out of Snapchat’s Stories feature, but the ephemeral messaging app still remains one step ahead. For now, anyway. Snapchat is maintaining its lead by continuing to tweak its service and today unveiled a new custom Stories tool that will let anyone create a collection and control who sees it.

Right now, Snapchat users can only post to their own Stories with no way of sorting them, and clips are arranged chronologically. With the new custom feature, you can create a collection after taking a Snap, by selecting “Create Story” on the screen where you choose where to send it. Then, you can pick who gets to add to and view the story, and you can also choose to geofence the Story to a location. Stories disappear if no one has contributed to them in the past 24 hours.

The updates should roll out in about a day to iOS and Android users, according to a Snapchat spokesperson. The company said in a blog post that custom Stories will be perfect for special events such as baby showers and weddings or, based on a video for the tool, that incredibly spontaneous girls’ trip with your impossibly glamorous squad.

Source: Snapchat

Alexa can control your dumb AC unit using Ambi’s smart hub

Some of you may recall that back in October 2014, Hong Kong startup Ambi Labs unveiled its Ambi Climate as a gateway between your smartphone and your dumb air conditioner at home. But it isn’t just about replacing your infrared remote control; what makes Ambi Climate unique is its machine learning capability, so that over time it learns your comfort preferences by way of various sensors, while also saving up to 20-percent energy according to user feedback. Now, almost 2.5 years later, the company is back with the Ambi Climate 2, which is essentially a prettier version of its $179 predecessor and with a lower retail price of $129; and you can grab one for as low as around $80 on Kickstarter, with shipments expected to begin in June this year.

Compared to the original Ambi Climate, this new version sports a similar yet more minimalistic black-and-white design, which is topped off with a shinier finish plus a touch of wood at the bottom. The three old LED indicators are now combined into one in the form of Ambi Labs’ logo: it blinks yellow rapidly when booting up, pulses yellow when ready for setup, glows teal when connected and blinks when responding to a command.

Gone is the old infrared motion sensor — it was intended for detecting people in the room — on the side, which was actually long disabled on the previous version as it turned out to be less useful than expected: it could get false readings from the air conditioner’s air flow, and it’s apparently still a challenge for existing motion sensors.

The Ambi Climate 2 consists of the same set of sensors as before to monitor temperature, humidity plus sunlight, and it also collects local weather data. That’s right, temperature alone isn’t the only contributor to the feel of a room, so when the user taps in feedback — on a scale of “freezing” to “hot” — in the companion app’s Comfort Mode, the device will remember all of these parameters to better understand one’s preferences. It also tracks the time of day, as it will make slight adjustments to suit our metabolic cycle; I’ve definitely noticed that my unit raises the temperature a little late at night, since this is taking into account of the fact that our body temperature drops during sleep.

After some learning, Ambi Climate will be able to automatically adjust the air conditioner for the user, as opposed to the user having to find the remote control or tap the app every time. Ambi Labs starting shipping its original product in late August 2015 and it’s now present in various markets (US, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia and more), so it’s no surprise that the company has some fun stats to share. Personally, I was most intrigued by how people across various regions can have very different comfort preferences.

For instance, users in New York have a wider range of preferred temperatures, whereas users in Singapore peaked at around 77 degrees Fahrenheit (about 25 degrees Celsius) — which is actually very close to what I prefer here in Hong Kong. Interestingly, on the “Freezing” end, New Yorkers peaked at 67 degrees Fahrenheit (about 19 degrees Celsius), while Singaporeans appeared to find a broad range of temperatures to be “freezing.” I suspect the latter has something to do with Singapore’s relatively higher humidity.

On top of Comfort Mode, Ambi Climate also offers a Temperature Mode, an Away Mode (it only turns on the air conditioner to suit your settings) and a Manual Mode, as well as a timer and a scheduling feature. While the more tech-savvy users can already use IFTTT to add automation, and Ambi Labs will soon be adding Amazon Alexa support in Q3 2017 (with beta trials starting soon), meaning you’ll be able to give feedback just by voice. In fact, according to CEO Julian Lee, some of his colleagues have even stopped using the app and switched to using voice input full-time.

Another interesting upcoming feature is multi user geo-location. Since each Ambi Climate supports multiple users, this new feature will soon be able to automatically turn off the air conditioner when it knows that absolutely everyone has left the household. Similarly, it can automatically turn on the air conditioner when one of the members is almost home. Again, this is expected to arrive in Q3 this year.

It’s worth noting that all of these features will be backward compatible with the original Ambi Climate, and the same goes for the support for 50 air conditioner brands plus 1,200 models. After all, the startup’s bread and butter lies within its A.I. power, so its current goal is to get its devices into more hands, and then perhaps contemplate premium features in the future. Lee said he’s also been in talks with property developers to explore potential collaborations, and I can see how it would make sense to have Ambi Labs-powered devices installed in hotels, serviced apartments and even offices one day.

Source: Kickstarter

Instagram helps you hide unwanted photos instead of deleting them

That sloppy Instagram selfie from 2 AM on the walk home. That glut of ice coffee compositions. That once-happy vacation photo with your ex. There are no shortage of reasons to delete your old Instagram missives, whether it’s to ensure consistency of your personal brand (ugh), broken hearts, or just old-fashioned shame. Now, however, there’s another option — well, if you’re one of the early testers. Instagram is testing a new “archive” option in addition to the typical (still permanent) delete option.

Tapping on the three-dot option tap on individual ‘grams opens up the usual menu of post options, with archive taking the top spot. Any images you do decide to hide away from your main page remain available for private viewing. The feature further nudges those primary Instagram posts into a different category from anything you choose to upload to Stories — an extra curation option for photos that you don’t want in your profile forever. It might also lead users to share more impermanent clips and photos to Stories rather than leaving them on profiles.

A spokesperson told TechCrunch that the archive option sends your now unloved photos a private space for personal viewing. The company says it’ll expand availability of archive option in the coming months, so if you don’t see the option just yet, give it a few weeks.

Via: TechCrunch

Pinterest Lens finds recipes based on your weekend brunch pics

Pinterest announced its image recognition tool back in February, but the company has already added a number of improvements since then. Today, the company is revealing the latest addition to Lens: full dish recognition. This means that when you snap a pic of your plate with the Pinterest app, the software will find full recipes for complete dishes rather than just options based on single ingredients. This update to Lens isn’t all the company is doing for aspiring cooks though.

Pinterest is also adding new food filters to its search tools. Now, you’ll be able to narrow down the options based on dietary preference, cook time and ingredients so you can find exactly what you’re after a bit faster. There are also ratings and reviews for recipe pins now. When you come across a dish that looks good, you’ll be able to read through reviews and comments to see if it actually is before you decide to tackle it.

Earlier this month, Pinterest added the ability for Lens to identify multiple items in the same image as well as handy shortcuts to the image search tool on Android and iOS. It’s clear the company is betting big on its image recognition abilities, so we’re sure to see even more new features in the near future.

‘iPhone 9’ Rumored to Come in 5.28-Inch and 6.46-Inch Display Sizes in 2018

As stories surrounding the 2017 launch of the “iPhone 8” continue to heat up, a report from The Bell this morning has already begun rumors for next year’s so-called “iPhone 9.” According to the report, which centers on Apple’s and Samsung’s supply chain deal for the 2018 iPhone, the iPhone 9 will launch in two OLED screen sizes: 5.28-inch and 6.46-inch (via The Investor).

Apple currently sells a 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch display in its iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus smartphone devices, respectively. Later this year, the company is expected to launch new iPhones in three sizes: two “iPhone 7s” models will keep the 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch display sizes, while the major new “iPhone 8” will include a 5.8-inch OLED screen.

A rendering of the iPhone 8

The report said the iPhone 9 is expected to come in two OLED models — 5.28- and 6.46-inch display sizes. Samsung’s OLED shipment is also likely to be more than double at 180 million units.

“The two companies have recently signed a non-disclosure agreement on general conditions, including the screen size,” an industry sources was quoted as saying in the report.

The new rumor for the 2018 iPhone devices suggests a screen that would be slightly smaller than the current display of the iPhone Plus models, and then a larger option that would represent Apple’s biggest smartphone display to date. Although the report doesn’t confirm the full sizes of the iPhone 9 models, the screen dimensions suggest Apple could return to a pair of device sizes similar to current generation iPhones but with full-front displays and greatly reduced bezels.

The Bell’s report today doesn’t mention any other rumors related to the iPhone 9, except that Samsung will be the supplier for the OLED displays and will manufacture more than 180 million units for Apple. The report did state that details such as “screen design and functions” might be adjusted down the line, considering how far away the iPhone 9 is from a launch date.

Related Roundup: iPhone 6s
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Buyer’s Guide: iPhone (Caution)
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Instagram Makes It Easier to Search Stories Through Locations and Hashtags, Adds Archival Feature

Instagram today updated its iOS and Android apps with two new ways that will let users easily search through “Stories,” the company’s version of Snapchat Stories that disappear after 24 hours. The update begins in the Explore tab, where users will see new Stories at the top of the tab related to Stories happening near them. The Stories know user locations only when a location sticker is added into the post.

Users will also be able to specifically search for any location around the world in the Explore tab, so they can find Stories from users all over the globe. In a similar vein, “Hashtag Stories” will let users find content specific to their own interests. So, for example, when a user searches for the hashtag “#onthetable” in Explore, the app will now include Stories atop the search results from users who have placed that tag in their Story.

Today we’re excited to announce two new ways to discover the world around you on Explore: location stories and hashtag stories. Now you can see what’s happening around you and find stories related to your interests.

From discovering new parts of your own city to jogging alongside the #fromwhereirun community all around the world, location and hashtag stories help you share these experiences as they unfold.

The company is making sure users know how many views their Story has gotten as well, with the Stories viewer list now including how many Instagram users might have viewed it as part of a larger Story collection. For privacy, users can tap the “X” next to that item on the viewer list to remove their content from Explore while keeping any hashtag or location sticker in their post.

The company also recently began testing a new feature called “Archive Posts,” which allow users to temporarily hide any picture from their Instagram profile into a private area that only they can see (via TechCrunch). If they ever change their mind, the picture can be reverted back into their profile with a few taps.

To archive a post, simply tap the ellipsis on the top right of any Instagram post and select “Archive.” From there, archive posts can be viewed on the user profile tab by tapping the circular clock button in the top right corner.

Instagram is available to download for free from the iOS App Store [Direct Link], and the company said that the 10.22 update will begin rolling out throughout the day.

Tag: Instagram
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