Intel Looks to Broaden Thunderbolt 3 Adoption by Integrating Into Future CPUs, Eliminating Royalties

Intel today announced that it plans to drive large-scale mainstream adoption of Thunderbolt by releasing the protocol’s specification to the industry next year under a nonexclusive, royalty-free license.

The move should help expand the Thunderbolt ecosystem by making the protocol more affordable for technology companies and accessory makers alike. Intel expects third-party Thunderbolt-compatible chip development to accelerate a wide range of new devices and user experiences.

Intel also revealed plans to integrate Thunderbolt 3 into its future CPUs, but it didn’t provide a timeline as to when. The all-in-one design will take up less space on a Mac or PC’s logic board, and reduce power consumption by eliminating the need for a standalone Thunderbolt controller.

“Apple and Intel have collaborated on Thunderbolt from the beginning, and as the industry leader in its adoption, we applaud Intel’s efforts to integrate Thunderbolt technology into its CPUs and open it up to the rest of the industry,” said Dan Riccio, Apple’s senior vice president of Hardware Engineering.

Intel said Thunderbolt 3 built into the processor could pave the way for thinner and lighter devices, although the current Thunderbolt 3 controller used in Apple’s latest MacBook Pro has a package size of 10.7mm×10.7mm, so any logic board space saved would likely be negligible.

The greater benefit will likely come from Thunderbolt 3’s increased power efficiency, paving the way for longer battery life.

Thunderbolt 3 carries power, USB, DisplayPort, HDMI, and VGA over a single port that shares the USB-C connector design, creating one standard for connecting most accessories and peripherals. Apple’s latest MacBook Pro has two or four Thunderbolt 3 ports depending on the model.

Thunderbolt 3 can transfer data at speeds up to 40Gbps, allowing for a full 4K movie to be transferred in less than 30 seconds. The interface is suitable for 4K virtual reality experiences on PCs, high-end gaming, and single-cable peripherals such as external displays, docks, and storage drives.

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Elgato’s $300 Thunderbolt 3 Dock With Dual 4K Display Support Launches June 6

Elgato today announced that its upcoming Thunderbolt 3 Dock, which was first introduced in January at CES, will be available starting on Tuesday, June 6 for $299.95.

Elgato’s Thunderbolt 3 Dock, designed to work with the new 13 and 15-inch MacBook Pro models Apple introduced back in October, features three USB 3.0 ports, a Gigabit Ethernet port, two Thunderbolt USB-C ports, one DisplayPort with DisplayPort 1.2 support, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a 3.5mm microphone input jack.

The dock is able to provide up to 85 watts of power and can charge a MacBook Pro while also offering multiple ports for connecting displays and accessories. It can drive one 5K display at 60Hz through the Thunderbolt 3 port or two 4K displays simultaneously at 60Hz using the DisplayPort and a Thunderbolt 3 port.

– DisplayPort output: up to 4096 x 2160 pixels at 60 Hz

– Thunderbolt 3 output: up to 5120 x 2880 pixels at 60 Hz

– Dual displays: up to 4096 x 2160 pixels at 60 Hz each

– 4K60 over HDMI 2.0 supported using active adapters (not included) via USB-C and DisplayPort

USB-C accessories are powered with up to 15 watts and the dock’s USB-A ports can charge an iPhone or iPad at full speed. Elgato’s dock is priced similarly to other Thunderbolt 3 docks on the market, with a 1.6ft Thunderbolt 3 cable included in the $299.95 price tag.

It can be purchased in the U.S., Europe, and Australia starting on June 6 from the Elgato website.

Tags: Elgato, Thunderbolt 3
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DJI Reveals $500 Miniature-Sized Personal Drone ‘DJI Spark’ With Gesture Controls

At its “#SeizeTheMoment” event in New York City today, drone maker DJI announced its newest device, called the DJI Spark. The company said that the new drone is its “smallest, smartest, and simplest” drone to date, and was built to capture moments on the go that bulkier drones might miss out on.

The drone lifts from the palm of the user’s hands and can be controlled through hand gestures, without the need of a smartphone. Following an initial launch, Spark enters Gesture Mode which lets users move the drone in any direction by guiding it with their hand, while waving will push it back ten feet, and creating a square with your fingers will capture a photo. To call it back, users just have to wave their arms over their head, then place their palm out so it can rest.

The company designed the drone to be light, weighing about 10.6 ounces, so it can be carried around easily on a daily basis, with a total flight time of 16 minutes. Interchangeable batteries and a micro-USB port allow easy recharging in the field, as well. Additionally, the company aimed to make Spark more personalized than its previous products, with color options coming in Alpine White, Sky Blue, Meadow Green, Lava Red, and Sunrise Yellow.

“Controlling a camera drone with hand movements alone is a major step towards making aerial technology an intuitive part of everyone’s daily life, from work and adventure to moments with friends and family,” said Paul Pan, Senior Product Manager at DJI. “Spark’s revolutionary new interface lets you effortlessly extend your point of view to the air, making it easier than ever to capture and share the world from new perspectives.”

When users want to get a little more control, Spark can connect to an iPhone app and be flown as far as 109 yards away from the user. An optional remote control accessory allows the drone to be flown as far as 1.24 miles away. In the app, users can enable the QuickShot Intelligent Flight feature, which follows a subject for around one minute and then automatically edits the footage down to ten seconds so it can be easily shared on social media.

Spark houses a camera with a 1/2.3″ CMOS sensor that captures 12 megapixel photos and records stabilized 1080p videos at 30fps. Some technology found in previous DJI drones has also been added in Spark, including intelligent flight modes like TapFly and ActiveTrack. The company has also introduced entirely new shooting modes, including a horizontal and vertical panoramic mode, and a depth of field “ShallowFocus” mode.

To ensure flight safety, Spark has dual GPS and GLONASS sensors, a 3D sensing system to detect obstacles up to 16 feet away, and a vision positioning system with a range of up to 98 feet. With a sufficient GPS signal, Spark will return to the point that it launched if its battery begins running low or if the pilot taps the Return to Home button. Integration with the company’s geofencing warning system also gives pilots a heads up when a potential flight area might be an anti-drone zone.

DJI is opening up pre-orders for Spark today at $499, which includes the drone, a battery, a USB charger, and three pairs of propellers. The company is also selling a Spark Fly More Combo, which includes a drone, two batteries, four pairs of propellers, a remote controller, propeller guards, a charging hub, a shoulder bag, and all necessary cables, for $699. The drone is expected to begin shipping in June.

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Would Apple dare kill the MacBook? Yeah, it might

What if Apple announced the Mac’s retirement? A huge swathe of the company’s devotees would be furious … but is it truly an impossible scenario?

To many, the MacBook has long been the gold standard for luxury laptop computers. But as Apple’s business interests continue to change over time, the importance of the device’s established user base has become less and less relevant to the company.

Apple has enjoyed incredible success thanks to the iPhone and several other wildly popular products — and as a result, the company is poised to do whatever is deemed best for its long-term future. Few of its rivals would kill off such a cash cow, but Apple has no fear of making bold moves forward, even when it means leaving some of its fans behind.

Competition heats up

There was a time when the MacBook was an easy choice for anyone looking to dodge the complexity of the Windows laptop market. It was a luxurious yet reliable choice for anyone from students to professionals. Many purchased it not out of fandom, but because they wanted an extremely capable yet intuitive computer.

In recent years, however, the Mac line has struggled to remain ahead of the curve. Microsoft’s Surface Pro is the perfect example. While it debuted to a muted response several years ago, it has quickly established itself as a robust multi-purpose laptop. The fact that it’s fitted with a touchscreen — something Apple seems reticent to explore with its MacBook line — gives it an undeniable advantage over its biggest competitor. Today, the Surface Pro serves as a competent, reliable Mac alternative with features that Apple doesn’t offer for Mac.

It’s not all doom and gloom for Mac. MacBook sales aren’t in decline, they’re simply holding steady, according to figures posted in February 2017. For a company of Apple’s size, though, holding steady doesn’t count for much. Macs were once Apple’s bread and butter, but now they provide a small slice of the company’s earnings. Macs and MacBooks alike seem to remain in production only as fan-service for longtime followers.

The MacBook keeps only a small group of users happy and brings in a relatively small amount of money. Neither of these benefits are particularly important to a company that serves 700 million iPhone users worldwide, and has $250 billion in the bank. Especially given that the MacBook line puts something of a strain on Apple elsewhere.

Pick your battles

At present, Apple serves two distinct groups of people with its hardware. Devices running iOS make up 31 percent of the global mobile user base, according to data from NetMarketShare — not bad going, considering that all those smartphones and tablets come from one manufacturer, whereas the 65 percent of devices that run Android come from various sources. However, MacOS only commands 6 percent of the desktop and laptop market. Worse yet, there’s evidence that the Mac’s market share is shrinking.

Given that iOS devices are very popular among users, and MacOS seems to be serving an increasingly specialist audience, Apple might be prompted to take a good look at what the future holds for its two operating systems. As with any ongoing skirmish, success in the device wars demands that resources are placed where they can have the greatest effect.

MacOS and iOS share a common design language, because Apple likes to make its hardware ecosystem as cohesive as possible. However, in terms of the practicalities of their development, they’re separate products.

If Apple were to discontinue its Mac hardware, it could phase out its support for MacOS.

Apple can’t just design software for its larger group of iOS users and then amend it for MacOS. It uses a completely different input method, the software won’t be presented in anywhere near the same aspect ratio, and the type of applications that a desktop or laptop user wants differ dramatically from the most popular on smartphones and tablets.

No matter the enormous financial resources that Apple has access to, there is a finite amount of top-tier UX designers available to the company, especially with competition from the likes of Microsoft, Google, and Samsung. If Apple were to discontinue its Mac hardware, it could phase out its support for MacOS. That would free up personnel to focus exclusively on iOS support.

Of course, there’s another possibility. MacOS could instead be phased out in favor of a version of iOS that’s tailored to desktops and laptops. However, the type of user that’s loyal to the MacBook would likely see this as tantamount to the death of the device in its current form, so Apple would still effectively be discontinuing the MacBook in the eyes of its most ardent admirers.

It might seem a little extreme to get rid of a product that sold more than five million units in the first quarter of 2017, but the company has a history of making these kinds of difficult decisions.

Apple has pulled the plug before

In the early 2000s, the iPod was something of a phenomenon. Looking back, it’s been eclipsed somewhat by the subsequent success of the iPhone — but it was a critical product for Apple at the time.

The first generation iPod launched in November 2001, and by 2007 the line had exploded in popularity, selling more than 50 million units worldwide over the course of the year. 2007 also marked the release of the first generation iPhone, the first generation iPod Touch, and the iPod Classic, which would turn out to be the final product in its lineage.

The iPod and iPhone lines managed to coexist well between 2007 and 2010, with the music player maintaining sales of more than 50 million units worldwide. However, Apple continued to put the focus on touch-based models rather than the Classic edition, and from 2010 onwards sales began to decline.

In 2014, Apple officially discontinued the iPod Classic, citing a lack of consumer interest. However, in the wake of its demise, the device was selling for well above its retail price on sites like eBay. It’s clear that there was still an audience for the music player. It just wasn’t an audience Apple was interested in serving.

This isn’t the only instance of Apple employing such a strategy. In recent years, we’ve seen the company exit the standalone display business, and cease its production of wireless routers. Both product lines were popular enough among users, but not popular enough by Apple’s metrics.

It would certainly be an extreme move for Apple to drop the MacBook. However, it would only be a bit more extreme than retiring the iPod Classic, a truly iconic product that would likely have sold steadily for years if the company wasn’t in the midst of pushing touch interfaces.

At your service

Speaking on an earnings call in January 2017, Apple CEO Tim Cook revealed that the company’s services division had become the fastest-growing element of its portfolio, according to a report from CNBC. Cook went on to state that he expected revenue from services to double by 2020.

The company’s services division had become the fastest-growing element of its portfolio

Since then, we’ve seen plenty of evidence that Apple is keen to beef up its services. The company is set to debut more video content as part of Apple Music before the end of the year, and rumors continue to circulate that it might use some of its considerable war chest to purchase Netflix outright.

Many the services that Apple offers straddle both its iOS and MacOS devices, but the heavy hitters like iCloud, Apple Pay, and the App Store are far more popular on mobile devices. Apple has tried to adapt them to the Mac, but it often seems more trouble than its worth. Even the Mac App Store still seems an awkward fit, and it’s several years old.

Going out in a blaze of glory

For those that love the MacBook, it’s more than just a laptop. It’s a symbol of creative types that hang out in coffee shops to edit photographs and work on their novel, and students who moonlight as DJs and bedroom producers. It’s a system that defined itself against the business laptops that shepherded portable computing into the public conscious in the 1990s.

If Apple does decide to sunset the MacBook line, expect to see a final version along the lines of the iPod Classic. Something to appease the most ardent users, who would rather lose a limb than switch over to the Surface Pro.

Yet it takes more than rabid fans to keep a product alive at Apple, and the Mac is struggling to find its identify in a post-iPhone, post-iPad world. The MacBook’s purpose is not entirely clear — and because of that, its number may soon be up.

How to get rid of unwanted iPhone apps the easy way

Is your iPhone getting a little crowded with apps that you no longer want or need? We’ll show you how to get rid of them, or hide them away, and clear up some welcome new space. Let’s start with a look at how to delete apps on an iPhone.

Delete a particular app you don’t like

This method is best for those of you who are casually perusing your iPhone and manage to swipe deep into strange and ancient lands filled with apps you had forgotten were ever downloaded. If you’ve come across an app and thought, “Why do I still have this? It’s just taking up space and annoying me,” then this is how you can get rid of them before you’re even finished thinking.

Step 1: Tap and hold on the icon of the app that you want to get rid of. Hold your thumb or finger directly on the icon for around 2 seconds, until it animates and starts to shake. Here is where a lot of iPhone users get confused, because the newer iPhones (iPhone 7 and onward) respond differently than older iPhone touchscreens. The new touchscreens support 3D Touch, so they can tell the difference between you pressing hard on the icon, and pressing very lightly on it. If you press down too hard — which is a natural reaction — then you will open up the Quick Actions menu for the app instead, which can be frustrating when it happens for the fifth time in a row. Remember to lay your thumb or finger gently on the icon and wait for it to start jiggling.

Step 2: Jiggling apps will show an X mark in the upper left corner of the app icon itself. You will need to tap that X to delete the app. The X is pretty small, so this is some delicate tapping work — take your time and hold your phone steady. When you hit the X, the iPhone will ask you if you really want to delete the app. Say yes, and it will vanish. With a little practice, you can get rid of apps permanently in seconds. This will also typically get rid of any information the app holds, but it will not cancel any subscription you may have through an app (your HBO subscription will still be active without the app, for example).

Are these steps not working for you? Sometimes when people try to remove a single app, they can make it “wiggle” but they can’t find the option to delete the app. No worries! That just means that you need to tweak your settings. Head over to the Settings icon (the box of gears), and swipe down to find Restrictions. In here you will find an option named Deleting Apps. Make sure that this capability is turned on, where the slider is green. Now you should be able to go back to your home screen, highlight an app, and have the option to delete it.

Go through your old apps and delete them all

Do you want to delete apps more quickly than just one at a time? There’s a way to do that, too!

 Step 1: Head over to Settings and look for the General section up toward the top of the list, and select it.

Step 2: In General, look for Storage and iCloud Usage. The names used for these settings change slightly in different versions of iOS, but they should still be easy to find under Usage or Storage & Backup or a similar name. Once here, choose to Manage Storage for your iPhone.

Step 3: This should bring up a list of all the apps you currently have. Any app that you select will take you to a little app screen that shows what data the app uses, and gives you a very clear option to Delete App. Choose to delete, then confirm. This allows you to quickly go through a list of your apps rather than explore them icon by icon, making mass deletion much easier.

Note about built-in apps

Some iOS apps — known as built-in apps — are included on the iPhone from the beginning and tie into core services, like Contacts, Mail, News, Notes, iBooks, Facetime, Weather, Tips, Stocks and many more.

You cannot permanently delete those apps, but you can get them off your screen. Hold down on the icon until it shakes, and then press X. This will remove the app just like it will with all others, but the data and the capabilities of the app will remain on your iPhone (removing Contacts won’t destroy all your contacts, etc.). You can always re-download these apps and restore them via the App Store if you want.

Alternative: Hide Apps

Do you want more screen real estate, but don’t want to permanently get rid of the apps that you have? There’s a workaround — you can hide the apps that you have downloaded so that they are still there and available via Settings, but their icons won’t show on your screen.

Step 1: Open up the App Store. Once here, go to the Updates tab on the bottom left of the app window.

Step 2: Updates will show you all purchases that you have made that are currently on your iPhone. Find an app that you want to hide, and swipe left on that app. This will bring up a new HIDE button on the right. Tap it, and the app will still be available, but hidden on your home screen.

Glamix is a new AI chatbot that can help you find your dream outfit

Why it matters to you

Don’t covet what’s not yours — just buy it. With the help of AI chatbot Glamix, you can find all the pieces you need to make your dream outfit.

Your personal stylist is now your smartphone thanks to a new chatbot called Glamix. It’s the latest product to come out of AI and fashion startup Syte, and promises to help users find any outfit they see anywhere with nothing more than a few taps and swipes on their mobile devices. Glamix claims to leverage automatic responses with sophisticated image recognition to help you create your dream outfit in just seconds. So don’t keep staring hopelessly at your closet. Pull out your phone and let Glamix help.

Let’s say your friend is sporting a miniskirt you’re coveting. If you happen to find a photo of her wearing it on Instagram, you can send that picture directly to Glamix, and find a wide range of options that either match or are similar to your desired piece. In fact, you can send any image from the web or from your camera roll to Glamix, and the chatbot will help you find that must-have item.

Based in Facebook Messenger, the AI chatbot will help you shop various looks based on prices, brands, store options, and more. And the more you search with Glamix, the more it learns about your personal style, thereby improving and finding ways to return even better results so you can create the outfit you’ve been dying for.

“After working in stealth mode for the past three years we’re thrilled to launch the new must-have tool for any avid shopper, and look forward for the other tools that will be coming up in the future. Our AI bot will take shopping to the next level.” says Glamix CEO and Founder Ofer Fryman. “I am thrilled to be putting this one of a kind artificial intelligence out into the world for everyone to use and improve their shopping experience. Glamix brings technology and fashion together for all to enjoy.”

Facebook Live viewers can now chime in with private chats — or their own video stream

Why it matters to you

Now, you can share a live-stream with a friend without chatting publicly, or even create your own live-stream together.

As live video continues to grow, Facebook is making the feature even more social. Tuesday, May 23, the social media giant announced two new Facebook Live features with the ability to chat privately with a friend or the option to invite another user to stream with you.

The first feature makes live videos more social by opening up an avenue to chat outside of the public stream of comments. With Live Chat With Friends, users can invite a friend, whether they are already watching or not, to a private chat. These messages are only accessible by invited users, unlike the public comments, which Facebook says already number ten times the remarks on videos that are not posted live.

Facebook is first testing the feature on mobile, but the social media platform expects to add the feature to more outlets this summer.

For users streaming their own live broadcast, friends can now be invited and added using their own camera. The result is a sort of picture-in-picture video coming from two different sources. The feature is a continuation of a similar option that was launched last year but was only accessible to public figure Pages.

Live stream guests can be added by accessing the Live Viewers section or by tapping on comments from viewers. The feature works whether you’re holding your phone horizontally, which puts the video side-by-side, or vertically, which adds a picture-in-picture for the second stream in the corner.

Both features add more social features to live-streaming, with one feature allowing for private chats and another allowing a viewer to chime in themselves during the stream. Facebook is continuing to refine the ability to go live, last week altering algorithms so that videos pushed out as live that are just animations and polls show up lower in the news feed.

Raise’s new mobile wallet streamlines gift card buying and selling

Why it matters to you

Have unwanted gift cards burning a hole in your wallet? Raise helps you get rid of them — and make money on the side.

Ever get a gift card for a store where you never shop? We’ve all been there. Luckily, Raise, a self-styled marketplace for unwanted gift certificates, makes it easy to find an eager buyer — the company said that its partners include more than 3,000 brands. And on Wednesday, May 24, it’s revamping the whole experience with a mobile wallet.

Raise’s new app, which launches today for iOS and Android devices, is streamlined for easy buying and selling. Now, credit from cards purchased through the app’s sellers can be applied to a prepaid wallet — and used to make purchases online and at brick-and-mortar locations.

The new Raise app automatically sends a push notification for “suggestions nearby” — when you’re near a restaurant or retailer, you’ll get an alert if you have any applicable cards on your account. And a redesigned checkout supports more payment methods, including credit cards, PayPal, Apple Pay, Android Pay, and Samsung Pay.

Raise has redesigned the app’s interface, too. A new gift card experience provides “easier and faster access” to gift cards you’ve purchased on Raise are easier to redeem than before, and supports more POS systems. Better balance tracking and card management tools are in tow, as well as the ability to reserve gift cards — now you can place a “hold” on a gift card in your cart for up to five minutes so that it isn’t nabbed out from under you.

Setting up a Raise account requires that you confirm a mobile number, and add payment card information. From there, you can browse available cards by categories like Top Stores, Nearby, and Trending. Each section can be sorted by type, value, percent off, and price. After you buy a card, it’s delivered to a digital wallet within the Raise app.

“Raise is altering the way consumers pay for everyday purchases and [is] transforming payments in a way never before seen,” CEO George Bousis said in a press release. “Raise has helped millions of consumers save and the addition of our new mobile app allows for a seamless experience for both retailers and consumers, making it the easiest and most valuable mobile wallet.”

Since Raise’s launch in 2013, the company said it has saved its more than two million users a collective $125 million. It’s a profitable enterprise, as well — Raise, which takes about a 15-percent commission on gift card sales, has raised $87.2 million in funding from venture capital like Accel, Bessemer Venture Partners, and New Enterprise Association.

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Sphero’s Lightning McQueen RC toy doesn’t just drive, it’s alive

Why it matters to you

If you’re looking for the ultimate in Disney Cars memorabilia, look no further than Sphero’s Ultimate Lightning McQueen.

Cars, the animated Pixar movie that cast Owen Wilson, Paul Newman, and Larry the Cable Guy as anthropomorphic automobiles, screeched into theaters in 2006 wooing kids, parents, and critics alike. The money followed. After raking in a very healthy $462 million at the box office, Cars made $10 billion in merchandise sales alone — setting a new record in the process.

So it should hardly be a surprise that when the third film in the series, Cars 3, debuts in June, it’ll be accompanied by a new remote-controlled car resembling Lightning McQueen — the movie’s intrepid protagonist. But unlike the thousands of Cars-themed toys that’ve come before it, it’s designed by Sphero, the company behind last year’s adorable Star Wars-inspired BB-8. And just like BB-8, it’s a technological marvel.

Boulder, Colorado-based Sphero (previously Orbotix) has a long history in robotics. It introduced the eponymous Sphero, an omnidirectional Bluetooth ball controlled via smartphone app, back in 2011. In 2014, it rolled out Ollie, a tube-shaped, wheel-equipped toy that could reach speeds up to 14 miles per hour. Then came the Sprk and Sprk+, two translucent, colorful versions of the Sphero that support OVAL, a visual programming language.

But Ultimate Lightning McQueen, the newest ‘bot in the company’s growing roster, is a turning point for the company. It looks remarkably like its on-screen inspiration, albeit a bit smaller. Sphero’s engineers collaborated closely with Cars creative director Jay Ward and supervising animator Bobby Podesta on details like styling and stickers. A few long-running series gags include McQueen’s Lightyear-branded tires and a Rust-eze Medicated Bumper Ointment decal.

Most of Lightning McQueen’s interactions happen in the companion remote app for iOS and Android devices

That’s all to say Lightning McQueen looks great powered down and just sitting on a table. But switched on, it’s far more impressive. A custom-designed trapezoidal screen under the windshield animates two big, expressive eyes that seem to follow you around the room, while a dedicated motor moves McQueen’s mouth. Meanwhile, a powerful, built-in sound system pumps out over 300 different phrases recorded by Owen Wilson, the voice of Lightning McQueen.

Sphero tapped Gus Aramayo, a mechanical engineer with over 10 years of experience in the powersports industry, to design Lightning McQueen’s suspension and steering. This system consists of six motors — three for emotive side-to-side movements, two for the front tires, and one for steering — and three processors, including one dedicated to the toy’s eye animations. Five capacitive touch panels allow Lightning McQueen to respond to physical taps on the roof, hood, side doors, and rear window. There’s even an ambient sensor that adjusts the toy’s head and tail lights based on environmental light levels.

Sphero provided Digital Trends with a unit to test drive, and we were struck by how life-like McQueen seems. The mouth motor’s movements sync almost perfectly with the dialogue, as do the “lift” motors above each of its wheels. During one of our favorite animations — “The Wave” — McQueen spits a witty retort while lifting the left-hand side of its body and tilting it smoothly to the right.

Most of Lightning McQueen’s interactions happen in the companion remote app for iOS and Android devices, which is chock full of interactive games and activities. One, called Pitstop Panic, tasks you with matching conveyor belt-bound repair parts to broken cars — Lightning McQueen lets you know which parts are coming next, and offers words of encouragement. Another mode, Racing, pits you against AI competitors on a digital track.

The app’s other modules tie in with the Cars movies. Acting Studio, for example, lets you “direct” Lightning McQueen by combining animations and bits of dialogue in a sequence, which can be played back or saved. And “Movie Mode” brings Lightning McQueen to life when you plop the toy in front of Cars or Cars 2 — he’ll react to scenes and easter eggs.

The app is fun enough by itself, but McQueen’s real draw is his driving skills. Just like the toy’s Hollywood inspiration, McQueen is worth his racetrack salt. The Sphero team engineered him to drift and do donuts on any surface, including carpet, tile, and hardwood. He braces against hairpin turns, and taps a powerful drive train to reach speeds of up to six miles per hour.

Based on our testing, it seems that McQueen works even better than advertised. We were impressed by the speed with which the toy traversed our tricky office floor, and pleased by how easy it was to control. If you’re familiar with Sphero’s BB-8, you’ll feel right at home with the remote control app’s virtual joystick — a “reverse” button backs McQueen out of tight corners, and a dedicated “donut” button makes shredding up asphalt (or carpet) as simple as tapping a touchscreen.

But of course, all that technology doesn’t come without a few drawbacks. Ultimate Lightning McQueen costs $300, double the price of Sphero’s BB-8. Its built-in battery only supplies about 40 minutes of drive time after two hours of charging. And unlike BB-8, which works with Sphero’s Force Band, the car’s remote control features require a smartphone.

All that had us wondering whether the parents of Cars’s most devoted demographic — young kids — would be willing to swallow the cost. But the Sphero team sees Lightning McQueen as an investment that’ll improve over time. Already, the team is hard at work developing new animations, activities, and games — all of which will be available for free in future software updates.

Ultimately, the Ultimate Lightning McQueen is a judgement call — not every would-be buyer will feel the same about it. But if you’re on the hunt for one of the most authentic and technologically sophisticated Cars toys ever made, there’s more than enough here to justify the steep asking price.

Sphero’s Ultimate Lightning McQueen is available today from the Sphero website. It’s compatible with the iPhone 5s or newer, iPod 6th Generation or newer, the iPad 3 or newer, and iPad Mini 2 or newer, and with Android devices with Bluetooth 4.0 and up running Android 5.0 or newer.

Sphero’s Lightning McQueen RC toy doesn’t just drive, it’s alive

Why it matters to you

If you’re looking for the ultimate in Disney Cars memorabilia, look no further than Sphero’s Ultimate Lightning McQueen.

Cars, the animated Pixar movie that cast Owen Wilson, Paul Newman, and Larry the Cable Guy as anthropomorphic automobiles, screeched into theaters in 2006 wooing kids, parents, and critics alike. The money followed. After raking in a very healthy $462 million at the box office, Cars made $10 billion in merchandise sales alone — setting a new record in the process.

So it should hardly be a surprise that when the third film in the series, Cars 3, debuts in June, it’ll be accompanied by a new remote-controlled car resembling Lightning McQueen — the movie’s intrepid protagonist. But unlike the thousands of Cars-themed toys that’ve come before it, it’s designed by Sphero, the company behind last year’s adorable Star Wars-inspired BB-8. And just like BB-8, it’s a technological marvel.

Boulder, Colorado-based Sphero (previously Orbotix) has a long history in robotics. It introduced the eponymous Sphero, an omnidirectional Bluetooth ball controlled via smartphone app, back in 2011. In 2014, it rolled out Ollie, a tube-shaped, wheel-equipped toy that could reach speeds up to 14 miles per hour. Then came the Sprk and Sprk+, two translucent, colorful versions of the Sphero that support OVAL, a visual programming language.

But Ultimate Lightning McQueen, the newest ‘bot in the company’s growing roster, is a turning point for the company. It looks remarkably like its on-screen inspiration, albeit a bit smaller. Sphero’s engineers collaborated closely with Cars creative director Jay Ward and supervising animator Bobby Podesta on details like styling and stickers. A few long-running series gags include McQueen’s Lightyear-branded tires and a Rust-eze Medicated Bumper Ointment decal.

Most of Lightning McQueen’s interactions happen in the companion remote app for iOS and Android devices

That’s all to say Lightning McQueen looks great powered down and just sitting on a table. But switched on, it’s far more impressive. A custom-designed trapezoidal screen under the windshield animates two big, expressive eyes that seem to follow you around the room, while a dedicated motor moves McQueen’s mouth. Meanwhile, a powerful, built-in sound system pumps out over 300 different phrases recorded by Owen Wilson, the voice of Lightning McQueen.

Sphero tapped Gus Aramayo, a mechanical engineer with over 10 years of experience in the powersports industry, to design Lightning McQueen’s suspension and steering. This system consists of six motors — three for emotive side-to-side movements, two for the front tires, and one for steering — and three processors, including one dedicated to the toy’s eye animations. Five capacitive touch panels allow Lightning McQueen to respond to physical taps on the roof, hood, side doors, and rear window. There’s even an ambient sensor that adjusts the toy’s head and tail lights based on environmental light levels.

Sphero provided Digital Trends with a unit to test drive, and we were struck by how life-like McQueen seems. The mouth motor’s movements sync almost perfectly with the dialogue, as do the “lift” motors above each of its wheels. During one of our favorite animations — “The Wave” — McQueen spits a witty retort while lifting the left-hand side of its body and tilting it smoothly to the right.

Most of Lightning McQueen’s interactions happen in the companion remote app for iOS and Android devices, which is chock full of interactive games and activities. One, called Pitstop Panic, tasks you with matching conveyor belt-bound repair parts to broken cars — Lightning McQueen lets you know which parts are coming next, and offers words of encouragement. Another mode, Racing, pits you against AI competitors on a digital track.

The app’s other modules tie in with the Cars movies. Acting Studio, for example, lets you “direct” Lightning McQueen by combining animations and bits of dialogue in a sequence, which can be played back or saved. And “Movie Mode” brings Lightning McQueen to life when you plop the toy in front of Cars or Cars 2 — he’ll react to scenes and easter eggs.

The app is fun enough by itself, but McQueen’s real draw is his driving skills. Just like the toy’s Hollywood inspiration, McQueen is worth his racetrack salt. The Sphero team engineered him to drift and do donuts on any surface, including carpet, tile, and hardwood. He braces against hairpin turns, and taps a powerful drive train to reach speeds of up to six miles per hour.

Based on our testing, it seems that McQueen works even better than advertised. We were impressed by the speed with which the toy traversed our tricky office floor, and pleased by how easy it was to control. If you’re familiar with Sphero’s BB-8, you’ll feel right at home with the remote control app’s virtual joystick — a “reverse” button backs McQueen out of tight corners, and a dedicated “donut” button makes shredding up asphalt (or carpet) as simple as tapping a touchscreen.

But of course, all that technology doesn’t come without a few drawbacks. Ultimate Lightning McQueen costs $300, double the price of Sphero’s BB-8. Its built-in battery only supplies about 40 minutes of drive time after two hours of charging. And unlike BB-8, which works with Sphero’s Force Band, the car’s remote control features require a smartphone.

All that had us wondering whether the parents of Cars’s most devoted demographic — young kids — would be willing to swallow the cost. But the Sphero team sees Lightning McQueen as an investment that’ll improve over time. Already, the team is hard at work developing new animations, activities, and games — all of which will be available for free in future software updates.

Ultimately, the Ultimate Lightning McQueen is a judgement call — not every would-be buyer will feel the same about it. But if you’re on the hunt for one of the most authentic and technologically sophisticated Cars toys ever made, there’s more than enough here to justify the steep asking price.

Sphero’s Ultimate Lightning McQueen is available today from the Sphero website. It’s compatible with the iPhone 5s or newer, iPod 6th Generation or newer, the iPad 3 or newer, and iPad Mini 2 or newer, and with Android devices with Bluetooth 4.0 and up running Android 5.0 or newer.