Microsoft Surface Pro vs Huawei MateBook E vs Samsung Galaxy Book: Battle of the 2-in-1s

If there’s one category that’s heating up, it’s the 2-in-1 category. Small format notebooks have largely stepped aside for tablets with a lot more power, while weak tablets seem to have given up completely; it’s the age of the Pro tablet and there’s a growing number of Windows tablets to choose from.

Microsoft holds the ace card, making its Surface hardware for a number of years. But the refinement of that design hasn’t been missed by the likes of Samsung and Huawei, both ever keen to find a new device category to expand into.

The new Surface and new MateBook E were announced on the same day; here’s how they all shape up with another newcomer, the Samsung Galaxy Book.

Surface Pro vs Matebook E vs Galaxy Book: Design

• Surface Pro: 292 x 201 x 8.5mm, 768-784g (without keyboard)
• MateBook E: 278.8 x 194.1 x 6.9mm, 640g (without keyboard)
• Galaxy Book: 291.3 x 199.8 x 7.4mm, 754g (without keyboard)

In the battle for slim and light, Huawei comes out with the smallest tablet and also the lightest, shaving 100g off the weight of the other devices. The Surface Pro is the largest and heaviest, but unlike the other models, it has the kickstand built-in, whereas the other devices both rely on the keyboard case to stand up.

That means the Surface Pro has something of an advantage: even if you ditch the keyboard it’s more versatile, with the new kickstand offering even more positions for use. This is reflected in the new cover for the MateBook E, which has a hinged design so you can set it at various angles too. The Galaxy Book is still at the mercy of folding the cover in various ways, so is less flexible than the other two.

The new Surface Pro offers a fanless design until you get up to the more powerful i7 model, at which point it becomes a hybrid cooling system. The Galaxy Book on the other hand is a fan-cooled design, and the MateBook E is fanless which perhaps explains how Huawei managed to get it slimmer than the others.

When it comes to the physical designs, we’ve got to say that we think the Surface’s bolder physical design makes for better looks. It’s worth noting that all offer a keyboard case with chiclet keys; Samsung and Huawei include it in the box, Microsoft sells it separately and it’s rather costly.

Surface Pro vs Matebook E vs Galaxy Book: Display

• Surface Pro: 12.3-inch PixelSense, 2736 x 1824 pixels, 267ppi, 3:2
• MateBook E: 12-inch IPS, 2160 x 1440 pixels, 216ppi, 3:2
• Galaxy Book: 12-inch Super AMOLED, 2160 x 1440 pixels, 216ppi, 3:2

A tablet is all about the display. It’s your point of interaction, it’s where you focus all your attention. All three of these 2-in-1 devices carry a 12-inch display (although there’s also a smaller 10-inch Galaxy Book option at 1080p), with the Surface Pro edging out its rivals with an addition 0.3-inches, which explains why it’s a little bigger in design overall.

The Surface Pro carries another advantage in its display: it’s not only larger, but it also has a higher resolution and fairly substantially too, pushing the pixel density up to 267ppi over its 216ppi rivals. That means it has the potential to pack in more detail and give you sharper images.

The story doesn’t end there though, as the Galaxy Book has an AMOLED display, meaning it’s likely to offer better contrast and brightness than its rivals. Samsung has also made its display HDR capable, meaning it will give you richer visuals when watching HDR content from sources like Netflix or Amazon Video, so could be the natural choice for those interested in getting the best media experience.

Surface Pro vs Matebook E vs Galaxy Book: Hardware and power

• Surface Pro: Intel Core 7-gen m3, i5 or i7, 4-16GB RAM, 128-1TB storage, Intel HD Graphics 615/620 or Iris Plus Graphics 640
• MateBook E: Intel Core 7-gen m3 or i5, 4-8GB RAM, 128-515GB SSD, Intel HD 615 graphics
• Galaxy Book: Intel Core 7-gen i5, 4-8GB RAM, 128-256GB storage, Intel HD Graphics 620

It’s in the hardware that things start to move in a very different direction. It’s also the hardware that dictates the price to a certain extent, which is where you have to decide exactly what you need and how much you want to pay.

The Surface Pro offers the most options, from lower-power and cheaper Core m3 options that more or less mirror the offering of the Huawei MateBook E.

Both the Surface Pro and the MateBook E step up to a Core i5 model which is where Samsung positions itself, although Samsung is using a fan-cooled chip and the other don’t, so the Galaxy Book will potentially deliver more power.

Only the Surface Pro then makes the jump to offering a Core i7 option, along with 16GB RAM options and storage up to 1TB. Of course, the price difference between the entry-level surface and the top spec is £1900, so it’s a very different device based on the specs you choose. 

When it comes to battery life, Microsoft is citing 13.5 hours, Huawei is saying 9 hours of battery life, and Samsung offers up 10.5 hours. Of course, a lot will depend on configuration and what you do with it – and all these devices are brand new, so we don’t yet know what the real world figures will be.

Surface Pro vs Matebook E vs Galaxy Book: The Pen is mightier than the pen

• Surface Pro: Surface Pen, 4096 pressure points
• MateBook E: MatePen, 2048 pressure points, laser pointer
• Galaxy Book: S Pen, 4096 pressure points, battery free or Staedtler Noris pencil

It you’re one for scribbling on the display and want to use your device for writing notes or sketching, then we’re into battle of the accessory pens. Samsung includes its S Pen in the box whereas the MatePen and the Surface Pen are optional extras.

Both Samsung and Microsoft offer greater degrees of sensitivity, so are likely to be the more natural and precise options for those who want to draw, with Microsoft claiming it’s the fastest pen around. Huawei pitches its MatePen as being a handy business tool, offering a laser pointer function and clicker for presentations in the same device.

Both the MatePen and the Surface Pen need to be powered, whereas the S Pen doesn’t need to be powered – as a fun alternative, Samsung also teamed up with Staedtler to create a Noris digital pencil instead.

Surface Pen comes in a choice of four colours to match your keyboard, however.

Surface Pro vs Matebook E vs Galaxy Book: Connectivity

• Surface Pro: 1x USB 3.0, microSD, 3.5mm, Mini DisplayPort, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
• MateBook E: 1x USB C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
• Galaxy Book: 2x USB C, microSD, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, LTE, GPS

When it comes to physical connections there’s a very different story being told. Microsoft is yet to commit to USB Type-C, so there’s none on the Surface Pro, but you do have a full range of legacy connections, so it’s relatively easy to connect to.

Samsung offers a pair of Type-C connections, but offers wireless functions the others don’t, namely the option for LTE and GPS. There’s also microSD to expand the memory.

Finally the MateBook E is the weakest option, only offering the single USB Type-C, so you’ll need to use the MateDock to really get things connected. It does have a fingerprint scanner for security, however and boast 2×2 MiMo Wi-Fi.

If you’re looking to just integrate with devices you already have, then the Surface Pro looks like your best option if you don’t want to exchange all your cables for Type-C.

Surface Pro vs Matebook E vs Galaxy Book: Price

• Surface Pro: From $799 + $149.99 for the keyboard
• MateBook E: From €999 (about $1120?)
• Galaxy Book: From $1299

We mentioned earlier that price is one of the key factors here and something to bear in mind is that Samsung’s more expensive tablet comes with the keyboard cover and the S Pen in the box, so it’s more complete package for your money.

The Surface Pro is the least expensive, although once you factor in the Signature Type keyboard, it has less of an advantage.

Comparing the model that they all offer, the Core i5, 8GB, 256GB the prices break down like this:

• Surface Pro: $1299
• MateBook E: $1454 (converted)
• Galaxy Book: $1329

We’ve listed the price in dollars for the sake of comparison, although the MateBook E only has euro prices at the moment so we’ve converted it – but we suspect the price would be adjusted for the US market to bring it down. UK pricing for the UK hasn’t been confirmed.

With these devices being so new it’s hard to call which device will be the better. We have a strong feeling that Microsoft’s experience in the sectior will make the Surface the easy choice. Huawei’s MateBook E is better than the model it replaces, but offers fewer hardware choices. Once prices settle on the Huawei, it might be a low-spec champion, offering greater portability and able power for daily tasks.

Samsung’s big sell is that you get the accessories in the box, along with a display to blow your socks off, but there’s few configuration choices to choose from.

We’ll update prices and more accurate details of how these devices compare as we review them, but one thing is sure – you now have a full range of excellent devices to choose from.

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• Huawei MateBook E preview: A better keyboard cover makes all the difference

Ricoh’s latest camera is waterproof, shockproof, and freezeproof

Ricoh has a new compact camera that doesn’t mind getting a bit wet, rough, or cold – so it’s perfect for outdoor extremists.

Or, as Ricoh said, for underwater photography.

Called the WG-50, it’s described as a digital compact camera with a lightweight body design and “exceptional waterproof and shockproof performance”. More specifically, it’s waterproof to a depth of 14 metres and shockproof against falls from a height of 1.6 metres. It’s even “freezeproof” to temperatures as low as minus 10 degrees celsius.

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Other than that, it can do still-image shooting and movie recording like any other camera. It offers 16.0 effective megapixels and full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels) movie-recording capability. It also comes with an LCD screen and works with a range of optional camera-mounting accessories. For instance, it can be secured to a bicycle or watercraft.

So, to recap, here are a few key specs:

• Waterproof (equivalent to IPX 8 or JIS Class 8)
• Shockproof (equivalent to IPX 6 or JIS Class 6)
• Freezeproof (to temperatures as low as minus 10 degrees C)
• Back illuminated CMOS image sensor
• Approximately 16.0 effective megapixels
• Top sensitivity of ISO 6400
• Five-times optical zoom lens with a 28mm wide-angle coverage
• Focal-length coverage from 5mm to 25mm
• Full HD movie recording for extended shooting of high-quality movies
• Records at 1920 x 1080 pixels, 16:9 proportions (frame rate of 30fps)
• “Triple anti-shake protection”
• 2.7-inch LCD screen
• Six Macro Lights to assist close-up shooting
• Digital SR mode, Movie SR mode
• Outdoor View Setting mode, Underwater shooting mode
• WG-series mount accessories (optional) for a range of shooting situations

There are of course other features, such as an included Macro stand, a high-speed Face Detection function to capture up to 32 faces in focus, a choice of 12 digital filters, and a pet-detection function to auto-detect the face of a cat or dog. If any of this interests you, the WG-50 will be available from end of June for £249.99 in orange or black.

Battlefield 1’s next DLC has a female soldier class, due this summer

EA Dice has finally realised that Battlefield fans might want to fight online as a woman sometimes.

The developer announced it will add a female soldier to Battlefield 1’s multiplayer component in its upcoming expansion, In the Name of the Tsar. Set to be released this summer, it will be the second downloadable content for Battlefield 1. It’ll focus on the Russian Army and bring a new Russian Scout class to the multiplayer shooter. But the most interesting aspect is that it includes playable female soldiers.

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“The Women’s Battalion of Death is represented by the Russian Scout class,” explained the Battlefield Twitter account on Tuesday. In other words, 15 years after the franchise debuted, gamers can finally fight as a woman online. And it’s actually inspired by Russia’s real-life 1917 military unit, The Women’s Battalion of Death, a group of about 300 soldiers led by Maria Leontevna “Yashka” Bochkareva. 

The Women’s Battalion of Death is represented by the Russian Scout class. Details at EA Play, more info: https://t.co/vADTEbP6re https://t.co/VrRuBGVMeK

— Battlefield (@Battlefield) May 22, 2017

Battlefield 1 follows Battlefield 4 but is confusingly titled Battlefield 1. It released for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC last October and is set during World War I, allowing you to fight in the air and on the ground in countries like France, Italy, and elsewhere. If you recall, the Battlefield franchise began as a World War II fighting game when it was launched in 2002, so EA is basically took things back with Battlefield 1.

EA said it will reveal more information about the Russian Scout at E3 in June. Check out Pocket-lint’s E3 guide for more information about what is expected at this year’s show. Of course, we will also be there live to bring you the latest news as it happens.

Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) vs Apple iPad Pro 12.9: What’s the difference?

Microsoft has introduced a new iPad competitor

A couple weeks after announcing the new Surface Laptop and Windows 10 S, it has announced the successor to the Surface Pro 4, the Surface Pro. So, how does it compare to last year’s Apple iPad Pro 12.9? You’re probably asking yourself that, considering they’re around the same size and are designed to work with their own companies’ stylus. To help you out, we pitted the devices against each other spec by spec.

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Surface Pro (2017) vs Apple iPad Pro 12.9: Design

• New Surface Pro (2017) said to be lightest Pro ever at 768g
• New hinge system on new Surface Pro (2017)
• Expected to have similar footprint to Pro 4 at 292.1mm x 201.4mm

The new Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) looks similar to its predecessor, but it has a new hinge system on the kickstand, which allows it to be used in Surface Studio mode. That means it can lay flat and works directly with the new Surface Pen. Its also lost a bit of weight, touting itself as the lightest Surface Pro (2017) ever created at 768g. Measurements have yet to be revealed for the new Surface Pro (2017).

The iPad Pro 12.9 measures 305.7 x 220.6 x 6.9mm and weighs 713g, making it lighter than the Surface Pro (2017). There is a Smart Connector positioned on the left shoulder that will power additional accessories, such as the iPad Pro keyboard, which is good for those after a laptop-style tablet. There are also two extra speakers positioned at the top, offering four-directional sound for powerful audio.

Surface Pro (2017) vs Apple iPad Pro 12.9: Display

• New Surface Pro (2017) has a 12.3-inch screen
• 2736 x 1824 pixel resolution, 267ppi

The Surface Pro (2017) has the same size screen as its predecessor, the Pro 4, measuring 12.3-inches diagonally. The resolution of the new model is 2736 x 1824 pixels, which results in a pixel density of 267ppi.

Meanwhile, the iPad Pro 12.9 is the largest iPad available in the company’s line up, with a 12.9-inch display. The LED-backlit Retina display has a 2732 x 2048 resolution for a pixel density of 264ppi. Everything looks nice and share, whether you’re watching movies or sketching with the Apple Pencil. The larger iPad Pro’s display can also measure pressure, allowing it to work with the Apple Pencil.

Surface Pro (2017) vs Apple iPad Pro 12.9: Hardware

• New Surface Pro (2017) has Intel Core 7th-gen
• RAM options between 4GB and 16GB depending on model
• New Surface Pro (2017) has 50 per cent more battery life

The new Surface Pro (2017) features Intel Core 7th-generation processors, The base model features the Core m3 Intel 7th-gen processor, configurable to a faster-yet Core i7 option. Meanwhile, RAM options come in abundance too: the entry-level Surface Pro (2017) has 4GB RAM, expandable up to 16GB. Its storage options start at 128GB SSD, through 256GB, 512GB, and even a maximum 1TB option.

There is also a microSD card slot on the new Surface Pro (2017), so paying the extra for the 1TB option might not be worthwhile for many. In terms of battery, the new Surface Pro (2017) is claimed to offer 50 per cent more than its predecessor, at 13.5 hours. There’s also an 8-megapixel rear camera and 5-megapixel front camera on the Surface Pro (2017), which is capable of 1080p video recording.

The iPad Pro 12.9 features the latest 64-bit A9X processor with built-in M9 motion coprocessor. It comes in storage options of 32GB, 128GB and 256GB in the Wi-Fi only option, or 128GB and 256GB in the Wi-Fi and LTE option. It is claimed to be 1.8 times faster than the iPad Air 2’s 10 hours. The iPad Pro 12.9 also features an 8-megapixel rear camera with a f/2.4 aperture and a 1.2-megapixel front camera.

There are numerous features on board, including autofocus, HDR, face detection and burst mode. The rear camera is capable of 1080p HD video recording, as well as 720p at 120fps, while the front-facing camera will record in 720p.

Surface Pro (2017) vs Apple iPad Pro 12.9: Connections and ports

• No USB Type-C ports for the Surface Pro (2017)
• But it does have a headset jack

Microsoft did not give the Surface Pro (2017) any USB Type-C ports, contrary to speculation before Surface Pro (2017) was announced. But it does have a full-size USB 3.0 port, a microSD card reader, a Mini DisplayPort, one cover port, a headset jack, as well as Surface Connect.

The Apple iPad Pro 12.9 has the distinction of being the only iOS device from Apple to feature a high-speed USB 3 Lightning port. There are a few advantages to having this; the faster port can take advantage of new USB 3 accessories from Apple, including a speedy Lightning to SD card reader, as well as a USB 3 Camera Adapter. And, yes, this iPad does have a headphone jack.

Surface Pro (2017) vs Apple iPad Pro 12.9: Accessories

• New Surface Pen
• New Type Cover

The new Surface Pro has the option of several accessories, all of which cost extra with none included in the box. There is a new Type Cover called the Surface Pro Signature Type Cover, which is made from Microsoft’s Alcantara material. There is also a new Surface Pen, which comes in four colours and offers four times the sensitivity of its predecessor. The new pen is said to be better than ever.

The new Surface Pro also offers on-screen support for the Surface Dial. As for the iPad Pro 12.9, it has the Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard.

Surface Pro (2017) vs Apple iPad Pro 12.9: Software

• Surface Pro (2017) comes with Windows 10 Pro
• Provides access to everything from Office to Cortana

The new Surface Pro (2017) comes with the latest Windows 10 Pro operating system. That means the full bevy of software – from Office to Cortana and beyond – is offered, plus it’ll run third-party apps. It also offers an Office 365 30-day trial. The iPad Pro 12.9 runs on iOS 10. It would maybe have been better running on Apple’s full OS X, but that would have impacted its battery life.

Surface Pro (2017) vs Apple iPad Pro 12.9: Price

• Surface Pro (2017): Starts at £799
• Apple iPad Pro 12.9 starts at £679

The new Surface Pro (2017) will start at £799 with no accessories and will ship on 15 June, while the Apple iPad Pro 12.9 starts at £679. If you want the biggest storage capacity and LTE, you’re looking at £1019 with no accessories.

Sensor-embedded plastic wrap makes brain surgery safer

It almost goes without saying that brain surgery requires extreme precision, but there hasn’t been much advancement in brain mapping techniques for the past two decades. What good is a breakthrough procedure if you’re still using bulky, imprecise 1990s-era technology as a guide? Researchers may have a better way: they’ve developed an electrode grid-based brain mapping tool that’s both much easier to wield and far more precise. Instead of relying on the usual metal electrodes, they switched to a conductive polymer that’s so tiny and thin it makes Saran Wrap look ungainly. That, in turn, let them stuff 25 times more electrodes into the same space while slimming their tool down to just 0.0002 inches thick instead of a few tenths of an inch.

The result is a brain mapping device that fits much more closely to the brain (giving it better readings) and delivers higher resolution in the process. Real-world tests bear that out. While a regular device and the experimental model could both spot brain areas triggering epileptic seizures, the new device could capture more detail.

There’s a lot of work to be done: the scientists want to build higher-density electrode grids and verify that this device can stay in your body for a long time without creating issues. It could be years before surgeons get their hands on a finished product. If and when they do, though, the technology could make brain surgery considerably safer. Doctors would be less likely to damage or remove healthy parts of your brain, and they could cut more aggressively than they might otherwise.

Source: UC San Diego

Google Photos adds an archive button to declutter your stream

Google Photos has been gently nudging users to store and share more on its service lately. Earlier this month, the Photos team unveiled some AI-powered sharing suggestions and a Google Lens integration that will make its image recognitions even smarter. But the latest update is a much simpler one meant to keep your photos in Google’s cloud without crowding up your main stream.

According to 9to5Google, a simple Archive feature is already rolling out to users on Android and is accessible from the navigation drawer in the app. Archived photos will stay in your albums and search results, but won’t appear in your main Photos tab. It’s a handy way to keep your main stream clutter-free and hide extra shots that you don’t want to delete completely. In a similar move, Instagram also unveiled an archive feature recently, giving users the ability to make individual posts private. While Instagram is more of a social network than a cloud archive solution like Google Photos, both services obviously recognize their users’ compulsive need to prune their feeds.

The Archive function is currently live in Google Photos on Android and will reportedly be coming soon to the web and iOS versions.

Congressional internet privacy bill would counter FCC rollbacks

The US House of Representatives may have voted to roll back the FCC’s privacy rules and let internet providers sell your browser history without your explicit permission, but there’s a proper replacement waiting in the wings… maybe. Tennessee Representative Marsha Blackburn has proposed a bill, the Browser Act, that would have both internet providers and content providers (like Facebook or Google) get your permission before selling data. They couldn’t refuse service if you disagreed, either. The measure would theoretically please both privacy advocates as well as those telecoms that saw the FCC’s ISP-only regulation as unfair, such as AT&T. However, there are still serious areas of concern — it’s possible that this bill would anger both sides.

Most notably, the bill would prevent both the FCC and states from pursuing similar online privacy regulations. Is a privacy issue better-suited to the FCC than Congress? Too bad. And civil liberties groups aren’t entirely convinced that the Browser Act is as much of a boon to privacy as it could be. The ACLU’s Neema Singh Guliani tells Recode that “gutting” the FCC regulation wasn’t the answer to privacy issues — there should have been a “replacement,” she says.

Meanwhile, some companies see this as going too far. The Internet Association, which represents the likes of Amazon, Facebook, Google and Twitter, is concerned the bill would “upend the consumer experience online and stifle innovation.” It’s not clear that this is true, but advertisers would certainly be unhappy if they had to make do with only a fraction of the data they have now. Sites that thrive on selling data definitely wouldn’t be pleased. Moreover, some telecoms may balk at any regulation restricting how they sell data, no matter how consistent or light it might be.

All of this assumes the bill goes anywhere. It’s not certain that Blackburn’s proposal will come up for a vote, let alone get the President’s signature. The current anti-regulatory environment could make it difficult to pass any bill that proposes more limits, even if there are clauses that might please the anti-rule camp. If the Browser Act survives the gauntlet, however, it would at least partially fill the privacy vacuum that Congress just created.

Source: Recode

DJI’s palm-sized Spark drone delivers epic selfies

Everyone loves taking selfies, even if they don’t like to admit it. And if you’re looking to take those snaps of yourself to the next level, DJI’s new, cutesy Spark drone may be just for you. The company’s latest drone is designed to fit on the palm of your hand and can be controlled with motion gestures, letting you take some over-the-top pictures and videos without much effort. You can wave your hand to have move it up or down, right or left and pull it toward or away from you, while a quick gesture that resembles you taking a picture will trigger the camera’s selfie mode. The only drawback to this is that the Spark can only go up to 10 feet away from you, and that’s where the Spark’s companion app and remote control come in.

The smartphone application will make the overall experience better, as it increases the drone’s maximum reach to about 300 feet when you’re controlling it this way. Not only that, but the app will let you choose between a few different shooting modes: QuickShot, Dronie, Circle and Helix. QuickShot, for example, turns the Spark into a camera operator of sorts, as it’s main goal is to take cinematic videos of you. The feature locks onto a subject, follows them for around a minute and then turns that footage into a 10-second clip that you can share with your friends.

Meanwhile, the analog remote lets you have control of the drone for roughly 1.3 miles, though it doesn’t feature a built-in screen like the model included with its sibling the Mavic Pro. DJI says the idea with the Spark was to make a drone that was all about simplicity, which could help it in its quest to reach mainstream audiences. Up until today, the only drone really like the Spark has been Zerotech’s Dobby, but that drone depends on a smartphone to control it.

As far as specs go, the Spark features a 12-megapixel sensor (1/2.3-inch), mechanical stabilization and a GPS GLONASS sensor, as well as a 3D depth-sensing and vision-position systems that can detect objects and environments for up to 16 and 96ft, respectively. All in all, the Spark has the potential to be a great little drone, but we’ll have to put it through its paces before we can fully judge it. You can pre-order it today starting at $499 in a variety of different colors, such as sky blue, metal green, alpine white and lava red.

If you want to spend a little more than that, DJI also has a “Fly More” bundle, which includes the Spark itself, a set of propellers a charging box and the analog remote control.

Apple Watch Proves Most Accurate at Measuring Heart Rate in New Fitness Tracker Study

In a new study comparing the accuracy of seven different fitness trackers, the Apple Watch was found to have the lowest margin of error when measuring heart rate, beating the Basis Peak, Fitbit Surge, Microsoft Band, Mio Alpha 2, PulseOn, and Samsung Gear S2.

Researchers set out to determine the accuracy of wrist-worn devices at measuring both heart rate and energy expenditure, aka calories burned via physical activity. 60 volunteers participated, including 29 males and 31 females, each of whom wore several fitness trackers and completed activities like cycling, running, and walking.

Data gathered by the fitness devices was compared against a “gold standard” tracking method, which included an electrocardiograph (ECG) for measuring heart rate and clinical grade indirect calorimetry (measuring oxygen and carbon dioxide expelled when breathing) for measuring calories burned. An error rate of 5 percent was determined to be within acceptable limits.

Across all of the modes of activity, the Apple Watch had the lowest median heart rate error at 2 percent (1.2% to 2.8%), while the Samsung Gear S2 had the highest error rate at 6.8 percent (4.6% to 9%). The Apple Watch was also notably more accurate at measuring heart rate during the walking test than competing products.

For the walking task, three of the devices achieved a median error rate below 5%: the Apple Watch, 2.5% (1.1%-3.9%); the PulseOn, 4.9% (1.4%-8.6%); and the Microsoft Band, 5.6% (4.9%-6.3%). The remaining four devices had median error between 6.5% and 8.8%.

When it came to measuring calories, no device, Apple Watch included, managed to accurately determine how many calories were burned through activity. Median error rates across all devices and tasks ranged from 27.4 percent (Fitbit Surge) to 92.6 (PulseOn). Though no device was accurate, the Apple Watch did the best at estimating energy expenditure.

Overall, researchers found that most of the fitness trackers tested were able to measure heart rate with an acceptable error level in a laboratory setting, but calorie estimates are largely inaccurate.

There are three principal findings from the current study. In a diverse group of individuals: (1) most wrist-worn monitoring devices report HR with acceptable error under controlled laboratory conditions of walking, running and cycling; (2) no wrist-worn monitoring devices report EE within an acceptable error range under these conditions; (3) of the devices tested, the Apple Watch had the most favorable error profile while the Samsung Gear S2 had the least favorable error profile.

The full study, conducted by Stanford University and the Swedish School of Sport and Health Services, is available in the Journal of Personalized Medicine.

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Twitter for Apple TV Gains Support for Live 360 Degree Video and Periscope Global Map

Twitter today updated its app for the Apple TV, introducing support for live 360 degree videos, making it the first Apple TV app to support such a feature.

Following the update, Apple TV users can watch live 360 degree videos directly on their television sets, navigating through the scene with the Siri remote. The new version of the Twitter app for Apple TV also includes support for the Periscope Global Map, letting users find user-created Periscope content from around the world.

Much of Twitter’s television content comes from its content deals, but there is also a wealth of user-generated video sourced from Periscope that can be watched within the Twitter for Apple TV app.

Along with an update to its Apple TV app, Twitter has also updated its iOS app. As noted by TechCrunch, the iOS update offers up new settings to connect a Twitter account stored on an iOS device to the Apple TV, letting users view their Twitter account on the Apple TV.

There’s one other Twitter update, which includes support for Emoji 5.0. Emoji 5.0 was released in March and includes emoji like grinning face with star eyes, vomiting face, face with raised eyebrow, elf, mermaid, zombie, giraffe, pretzel, and more. While Twitter has implemented support for the new emoji, Apple has not, so these characters are only visible when using Twitter for web.

Twitter for iOS can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]

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