Cortana, turn on the lights! Leak shows Microsoft getting into home automation

Why it matters to you

You will soon be able to manage your smart home from a Windows 10 PC, if this leak is correct

As Digital Trends reported a few months back, Microsoft plans to compete in the smart home automation game by adding a “Home Hub” feature to Windows 10 PCs. However, The Verge has leaked new information from internal sources pertaining to Home Hub, and how the feature will likely work.

According to The Verge, a Windows 10 update in September will include a variety of features, including improvements to Cortana and support for third party smart home devices. It appears Windows 10 PCs will soon be the newest home automation managers.

Instead of using a standalone device like Echo, the user will be able to control a variety of smart home devices (Hue, Nest, and more) from within Windows 10. In addition to controlling smart devices, Home Hub will be designed for families, as it will feature a welcome screen that’s “always on.” This provides families with constant access to their to-do lists, calendars, and notes.

It seems as though you’ll be able to issue voice commands to Cortana, and she’ll be able to turn your lights on and off, adjust your thermostat, or manage your family calendar; and, you’ll be able to do all of this on a fully functional Windows 10 PC.

“Microsoft appears to be readying Windows 10 for future devices that are similar to Amazon’s new Echo Show hardware, with easy access to voice search, calling, and smart device control. Microsoft’s differentiator is that it wants these devices to be considered full Windows 10 PCs,” reports The Verge.

Home Hub’s always on welcome screen is designed for new, smaller hardware that will support voice commands given from a distance. Microsoft has reportedly been working with HP and Lenovo, who plan to have PCs ready for the holidays that are optimal for the new Home Hub features. Microsoft is also holding a special event in Shanghai on May 23rd to “show the world what’s next.”

Google is making 360-degree cameras Street View-ready

It can be a pain to upload your own Street View photos even if you have a 360-degree camera. You may have to stop to take photos every few feet, and then there’s the question of getting the spherical shots from your camera to the internet. Google thinks it can help. It’s working with hardware partners on “Street View ready” standards that will certify 360-degree cameras based on how easily you can post shots. Street View mobile ready devices let you post directly from an app, with no PC required; auto ready cameras, meanwhile, are designed for capturing high-accuracy shots from your car. VR ready cameras collect the geometry you need for (what else?) virtual reality and connected 360-degree shots, while workflow ready cameras come with publishing tools that upload directly to Street View. In at least some cases, uploading is just a matter of recording some footage (even on the move) and loading an app.

There will be 20 certified cameras arriving in 2017. Logically, not all of them get the same certifications — as you can see below, it varies from brand to brand. You’d want to gravitate toward companies like Yi Technology for a mobile ready camera, for instance, while you’d want to look at a company such as Matterport for VR. As for the most recognizable names in the business, like GoPro and Samsung? They’re certified as workflow ready.

The move may help kickstart demand for 360-degree cameras, since it gives you a reason to buy one even if you have no interest in VR. Want to show friends what it was really like on the beach? You now have an easy solution. Pros creators might particularly appreciate the auto and workflow certifications. Also, this could have a ripple effect on Google’s other businesses. If you already have a camera for Street View, it’s not a stretch to post 360-degree videos on YouTube. And of course, there’s a chance you’ll want a VR headset (like Google’s Daydream View) to increase the immersion. This probably won’t usher in a 360-degree revolution, but every little nudge might help with Google’s long-term ambitions.

Source: Google

Apple just bought a popular sleep tracker

Those rumors of Apple Watch sleep tracking just got more tangible. Apple has acquired Beddit, a company whose business revolves around a sleep monitoring device as well as companion iOS and Watch apps. The fate of Beddit’s products isn’t clear (we’ve reached out to both Apple and Beddit), but they’re surviving for now — the only difference is that you’re now subject to Apple’s privacy policy instead of Beddit’s own. Neither side has discussed future plans, but the implications are clear.

Sleep tracking is one of those areas where the Apple Watch falls short compared to activity trackers. You can get third-party apps that will provide some functionality, but that’s clearly not as slick as having built-in software or sleep-oriented hardware. If that’s what Apple is focusing on, you could buy the Watch knowing that it would cover health tracking at all hours of the day — you wouldn’t need to stick to a fitness band (or consider owning two wearables) just to improve your rest. It’s easy to see Beddit’s technology helping with other devices, too, as you could get detailed sleep data in iOS’ Health app.

Beddit-derived sleep features aren’t likely to show up in iOS 11, watchOS 4 or the third-generation Watch. If they have sleep tracking at all, it’ll likely be Apple’s in-house technology. However, this at least reflects Apple’s seriousness on the subject. There are issues to solve before the Watch is an ideal sleep device (battery life, anyone?), but you might just see a time where you have a good reason to leave it on when you’re ready to rest.

Via: 9to5Mac

Source: Beddit

The US military might let its IT warriors skip boot camp

The commander of US Cyber Command (US CYBERCOM) told the Senate Armed Services Committee today that they’re having difficulty raising a number of “cyber-warriors.” They’re in such a hurry to field a force of information technology- and digital security-trained soldiers that they’re considering letting them skip boot camp. If America is to sally forth into the future with its arsenal of digital weapons, it desperately needs personnel to wield them.

CYBERCOM would still make its 2018 deadline to reach full operational capacity, Admiral Michael Rogers, commander of the digital defense arm, told Congress. But to keep it going long-term, the military might have to make some training compromises. That’s partially because IT skills are so precious that other departments have reassigned soldiers meant for the DoD’s cyber warfare force back under their command to keep their own networks up.

Further, those with the desired IT and information security skills aren’t usually drawn to the US military’s five- to ten-year personnel development cycles. They don’t want to use a “cyber force” not embedded within the service, which might make it lose sight and context of its mission.

Hence, the possibility of letting cyber warfare-ready recruits skip basic training. CYBERCOM is also considering “laterally” bringing them into the service with ranks and pay grades equal to their skills, bypassing typical recruitment and advancement. That might sweeten the deal, but whether it would rival the high salaries those IT professionals command in the private sector might be a losing venture.

Via: Ars Technica

Source: Senate Armed Forces Committee

Here’s how to view Snapchat snaps an unlimited number of times

Snapchat just changed the way its biggest hook works.

Previously, if you wanted to view a photo or video that someone sent you via Snapchat, you had up to 10 seconds to do so before the media (aka snap) disappeared. That time limit depended on the settings of whoever sent you the snap. But now, as of 9 May, Snapchat has added a new setting to the timer tool: Infinity. This gives you the option of allowing recipients to view your snap for as long as they’d like.

New creative tools

The new Infinity feature is part of a broader Snapchat update that adds new creative tools and reorganises the entire layout of the tools. Snapchat is introducing a Magic Eraser (located under the Scissors), which lets you rub an eraser on an object to remove it from your snap. It then fills in the blank space with the existing background of your snap. So, it acts sort of like Photoshop’s content-aware fill tool.

Snapchat has also added a new way to draw. You can now a spell out a word made of lipstick kisses or eggplants. In other words, you can easily cover a friend’s face in emoji without having to add each emoji individually. Only a few emoji are currently enabled in the drawing tool, however. And, finally, all the new creative tools have been moved from the top of the app to the right-hand side of the snap’s preview screen.

• Snapchat Spectacles: What are they and how do they work?
• Spotify wants to build a new device possibly like Snapchat Spectacles
• 33 of the best Snapchat fails and comedy snaps around

Limitless snaps

Snapchat further launched a Loop tool for videos. It’s like a video version of the Infinity timer. Keep in mind if you send photos with the Infinity timer or videos with Loop, these snaps are dubbed “limitless snaps”. They will still self-destruct after the recipient closes the message. You must keep it open to view it as many times as you want. It’s similar to the old replay feature, but now, it’s unlimited and free.

• To create a limitless snap: Open Snapchat and take a photo or video. Then, on the preview screen, select the Infinity timer setting if it’s a photo or the Loop button (on the right) if it’s a video. You can then send it to a friend or friends like normal, and they will be able to view it an unlimited amount of times as long as they keep the message open.

Now rolling out

This update is rolling out now to Snapchat for iOS and Android. Check out Pocket-lint’s guide for more about how Snapchat works.

Apple’s Siri speaker: What’s the story so far?

Apple is working on its own Amazon Echo or Google Home-like device, according to several reports from the last few months.

These reports have claimed that Apple is already testing the product inside Apple employees’ homes, and that we may see the device, which is expected to come loaded with support for Siri voice commands, introduced at WWDC 2017 in June. Here’s everything you need to know about the speaker so far, including how it might look and what it might feature. Just bear in mind that nothing is confirmed as of yet.

Apple’s Siri speaker: What could it be?

• 64 ways to get a giggle out of Siri

Apple has been rumoured to be working on an Amazon Echo or Google Home-like smart speaker since early 2016, around the same time Google introduced its Home speaker and around two years after Amazon launched its popular Echo. Although there has been no confirmation from the company, several reports have surfaced in recent months about the device and how it might differ from rival products.

Apple employees have reportedly been testing the speaker inside their homes for several months, according to Bloomberg. The publication also reported last September that Apple engineers had begun in-home testing of prototypes. In other words, if this is true, we’re likely getting closer to an actual unveiling of the product. And many reports are pointing to WWDC 2017 as the perfect venue to announce it.

Apple’s Siri speaker: What can you expect?

• Apple finalising plans for Amazon Echo-like device to control your home

Siri voice commands

The Information first reported in May 2016 that Apple is working on Echo-like device that could obey voice commands through Siri. The report, which was published prior to WWDC 2016, also explained that Apple planned to open up its Siri assistant to outside app developers by releasing an SDK. The company, of course, did just that, in June 2016, allowing app developers to make their apps accessible through Siri.

Facial recognition

CNET also reported in May 2016 that Apple is working on Echo-like device, but it said the device could know who you are just by looking at you. The device will feature a built-in camera and will come in the form of a smart speaker. It’ll be “self aware” and detect who is in the room using facial recognition technology. Doing so would allow it to automatically pull up a person’s preferences, like music.

Early prototypes of Apple’s upcoming speaker, the so-called Siri speaker, for lack of a better name, are said to have included facial recognition sensors, using technology Apple acquired when it bought both Faceshift and Emotient in the last couple of years. It’s also been suggested that Apple’s speaker could trump the Amazon Echo by featuring more advanced microphone and speaker technologies.

Touchscreen

It’s unclear if Apple’s Siri speaker will feature a display – sort of like Amazon’s new Echo Show. It might just be all about audio – like the regular, cylindrical Echo speaker or Google Home. However, Apple executive Phil Schiller recently talked about gadgets with screens rather favourably: “The idea of not having a screen, I don’t think suits many situations,” Schiller said in an interview with Gadgets 360 in May 2017.

He noted voice-only assistants can’t show you photos posted to social media, and if you’re asking for directions, you can’t see them on map. “I think voice assistants are incredibly powerful. Their intelligence is going to grow. They’re gonna do more for us, but the role of the screen is gonna remain very important to all of this,” he explained, while also making it clear he is unimpressed by existing smart speakers.

“My mother used to have a saying that if you don’t have something nice to say, say nothing at all,” Schiller said.

Airplay product

In April 2017, it was reported that Apple’s Siri speaker designs were in the final stages. According to Sonny Dickson, who has hit the nail on the head many times in the past when it comes to leaking Apple news, the company is “finalising designs” for its Echo competitor after two years of development. Posting on Twitter, he added that any device will be marketed as a Siri/Airplay product.

Homekit

It’s also been reported that Apple’s Siri speaker will allow you to control your smarthome kit through Siri voice control. Mark Gurman at Bloomberg originally said that the device will be able to control appliances, locks, lights and curtains via voice activation.

Apple’s Siri speaker: When will it launch?

• Apple’s Echo-like smart speaker with Siri could debut at WWDC 2017

According to reliable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple will announce this Siri smart speaker at its annual developer conference this June and will likely market it as a high-end speaker with built-in Siri, plus superior sound quality and computing power when compared to Echo and Google Home. The Siri speaker should go on sale by Christmas time, even if it’s not announced at WWDC 2017.

Want to know more?

Check out Pocket-lint’s WWDC 2017 guide for more details on what to expect from Apple’s annual developer conference.

Leak shows Microsoft’s vision for Echo-like Windows PCs

Remember when word got out for Microsoft’s Home Hub, a Windows 10 update that would effectively turn your PC into a souped-up Amazon Echo with shared info, across-the-room voice control and home automation? You now have an idea as to what it’ll look like in practice. The Verge has obtained leaked conceptual images showing just what Home Hub will do. Sure enough, the welcome screen now has an always-available view of the family’s calendar, notes and other collective knowledge. If your child has ballet practice, everyone will know. There’s also a shared desktop, simple voice calling and smart home control for key devices (Hue, Insteon, Nest, SmartThings and Wink are on the short list).

The earlier leak had already claimed that Microsoft was working with hardware vendors (including HP and Lenovo) to produce Home Hub-oriented PCs. However, the new leak points to Microsoft shipping the feature as part of the next big Windows 10 update, which supposedly arrives in September. Don’t be surprised if Microsoft talks about the feature alongside the Windows 10 update at its Build conference on May 10th.

This is something of a gamble for Microsoft. After all, even the most affordable PCs tend to be considerably more expensive (not to mention more complex) than an Echo or Google Home. Even the $230 Echo Show could be more affordable. However, there’s certainly pressure to do something in the smart hub space beyond enabling Cortana-equipped speakers. If this market moves to higher-end devices and Microsoft does nothing, it risks being left by the wayside in the battle for your home.

Source: The Verge

Apple Support App Gains Option to Schedule Repairs From Authorized Service Providers

Apple today updated its Apple Support app to version 1.1, adding several new features to enhance the app and make it easier for users to obtain support for their Apple products.

Starting today, the Apple Support app can be used to schedule repairs at participating Apple Authorized Service Providers, giving users more options beyond the Apple Genius Bar. Scheduling repairs through an authorized service provider has previously been available on the support website, but now it is also an option in the app.

The Genius Bars in Apple’s own retail stores can have wait times of several days, but Apple Authorized Service Providers are often able to help customers much sooner. New to the app is an option to filter AASP locations by mobile carrier to find relevant carrier stores that can provide repairs.

Along with the AASP option, Apple Support app users can now make Genius Bar reservations at Apple Stores in China, Hong Kong, Macao, Turkey, and United Arab Emirates.

Apple Support is also gaining a simplified authentication process and support for iOS 10 rich notifications for chat, making it possible for users to reply to incoming Apple Support chat messages directly from the lock screen.

What’s New
– Schedule repairs at participating Apple Authorized Service Providers.
– Make Genius Bar reservations at Apple Stores in China, Hong Kong, Macao, Turkey, and United Arab Emirates.
– Filter locations by mobile carrier.
– Simplified authentication process.
– Supports iOS 10 rich notifications for chat.
– Bug fixes and improvements.

Apple Support first launched in the Netherlands in November of 2016, before expanding to the United States the following month. Since then, the app has expanded to many additional countries across the world.

The app, which is designed to give iPad and iPhone owners an easy way to get support for their devices, closely mimics the design of Apple’s dedicated support website.

Apple Support can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]

Tags: App Store, Apple Support
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T-Mobile Revvl T1, T2, and T3 Pro | News and rumors

Why it matters to you

T-Mobile’s Revvl T1, T2, and T3 Pro could challenge flagships like the iPhone and Google Pixel with competitive pricing.

T-Mobile may be readying a self-branded lineup of affordable smartphones, and the first three may have been revealed prematurely. In early May, details of the T-Mobile Revvl T1, T2, and T3 Pro began to surface.

According to Android Authority, TCL, Alcatel’s parent company and the firm behind the BlackBerry Key One and DTEK devices, is designing and producing the Revvl phones. They are expected to be cheaper than Apple’s entry-level iPhone (less than $650), and they will reportedly launch alongside a commitment-free T-Mobile service that will come with a lifetime warranty and insurance included.

We don’t know much about T-Mobile’s Revvl lineup, but we’re learning more every day. Here is what we have so far.

Revvl T1

Design

Android Authority

The Revvl T1’s design remains shrouded in mystery, for the most part, but Android Authority obtained a rendering in May.

It has an earpiece at the top and bottom, an LED flash for illuminated selfie pictures, and rounded corners on all four sides. On the right are what appear to be a physical power button and a volume rocker, and it is completely black in color.

From the front, it looks a little like an iPhone.

Specs and screen

The Revvl T1 won’t break speed barriers anytime soon, but that is not to say its hardware isn’t competitive.

T-Mobile’s mid-range phone packs a 5.5-inch Full HD (1,920 x 1,080) IPS display, a 13-megapixel rear camera and a wide-angle five-megapixel front camera, and 3,000mAh battery. There is a fingerprint sensor onboard, and a USB-C charging spot.

In terms of software, it runs Android Nougat — the latest version of Google’s mobile operating system. Android Authority wasn’t able to confirm if it would ship with T-Mobile apps pre-installed or a custom theme.

Price and availability

The Revvl T1’s launch date is anyone’s guess, but Android Authority is betting sooner rather than later. Its source pegs the third quarter of 2017 as a likely release window.

Apple engineers are reportedly testing Apple’s ‘Siri speaker’ in their homes

Why it matters to you

Apple has a well-earned reputation for ease of use. A digital assistant from the company could turn this market on its ear.

Several years after Amazon launched its Alexa digital assistant as part of its Echo home speaker, Apple is said to be moving toward the launch of its own version of the device. In fact, the company may be closer to finalizing a device than we thought — according to the latest reports, Apple employees are testing prototypes in their homes.

The report comes from Bloomberg, and it notes that Apple engineers just recently started in-home testing — and that the device could finally be launched at WWDC in June. It’s currently unclear what the device will look like — or if it will come with a display like Amazon’s latest offering, or just a speaker.

The original claim of the speaker’s existence came from blogger Sonny Dickson, a guy who over the years has called it right with a number of Apple leaks. In a tweet, Dickson said the Cupertino, California-based company is “currently finalising designs for their Alexa competitor, expected to be marketed as a Siri/AirPlay device.”

Apple is currently finalising designs for their Alexa competitor, expected to be marketed as a Siri/AirPlay device.

— Sonny Dickson (@SonnyDickson) April 27, 2017

The blogger added that the product is may carry some form of Beats technology and run a variant of iOS, with the latter point suggesting it could come with a touchscreen, something Amazon’s Echo device lacks though might one day include.

There have long been rumors that Apple is looking to build Siri — its own digital assistant that launched five years ago with the arrival of the iPhone 4S — into a piece of hardware similar to the Echo, and Dickson’s tweets this week suggest the company could be gearing up to unveil it in the coming months.

So, what would Apple’s offering let you do? Well, if it’s anything like Amazon’s Echo speaker and its Alexa assistant, or Google’s Home offering incorporating Google Assistant — or indeed Siri — users will be able to call out questions on any number of topics and expect a spoken reply within seconds. Want to listen to a song from your music library? Then simply call out the track and let your digital assistant take care of it. Echo and Home also let you control your integrated smart home appliances, so we can expect similar functionality involving Apple’s own technology.

We can also look for the tech giant to offer up something special in the way of features or hardware quality to help it stand out from its rivals and grab attention in the marketplace.

News that Apple may be close to unveiling its Echo/Alexa rival came on the same day that Amazon unveiled the Echo Look, a hands-free, voice-activated camera for the home that the ecommerce company is touting as a kind of fashion assistant so you can see how your outfits look in full-length snaps.

We wonder if Apple is already working on a rival offering …

Updated on 05-09-2017 by Christian de Looper: Added news that Apple engineers are reportedly testing a prototype in their homes.