Harman Kardon Invoke speaker has Microsoft Cortana for brains

Harman Kardon, one of the audio brands to fall under the Harman umbrella, has accidentally leaked a product page for the Invoke speaker, which uses Microsoft Cortana. The page has since been pulled down.

• Amazon Echo review: It’s all about Alexa

Harman Kardon teased the existence of the speaker toward the end of 2016, but merely stated a speaker was coming and it would use Cortana. Although it did release a 30-second teaser video. The video shows what appears to be a screen on top that lights up when Cortana is activated. It’s not clear if the screen can be used for anything else.

Now we have the full details. The speaker has a similar design to the Amazon Echo in that it’s cylindrical, but from the images at least, it features a more premium, all-metal build.

Some of the features of the Invoke speaker are revealed on the product page, and include being able to make and receive Skype calls. This makes complete sense, seeing as the speaker uses Microsoft’s smart assistant. Everything pumped out the built-in speakers, whether it be voice calls or music, should sound good thanks to Harman Kardon’s audio knowhow.

With regards to Cortana’s capabilities, Harman Kardon simply says you’ll be able to “get things done”. You’ll be able to control your smart home devices and music using your voice, as you do with Amazon Echo and Google Home, as well as getting answers to questions. The Invoke will likely use the Bing search engine to deliver results. 

• Google Home: A better voice assistant that Amazon Echo?

The product page doesn’t give any further details, such as what services and smart home products are compatible with Cortana, or the price. We’d expect the Invoke speaker to cost around the Amazon Echo’s £150 asking price, although given the more premium build it could be more. Harman Kardon has at least told us the Invoke speaker will arrive in “Fall 2017”, so not too much longer until all is revealed.

Watch Anthony Joshua’s amazing win over Klitschko in virtual reality

Anthony Joshua’s 11th round victory over Wladimir Klitschko was an incredible feat – capping one of the best bouts of boxing we’ve seen in many years. If you managed to catch it on Pay-Per-View you were lucky indeed.

If not, you can always relive the fight as Sky has created a 12-minute film documenting Joshua’s win. What’s more, it’s presented in virtual reality.

Developed and put together by Sky VR Studios, the film was made using a custom-built rig including eight 360-degree cameras. It follows the fighters from their preparations, walk to the ring through the 90,000-strong crowd at Wembley and as they trade punches. You certainly get a unique perspective.

“There’s no doubt that this was one of the all-time great heavyweight fights, and it was an incredible to be given such unprecedented access to the action. The resulting film takes viewers closer to the action than ever before – closer than Arnie’s ringside seat,” said Neil Graham, executive producer of Sky VR Studios.

• Best VR headsets to buy in 2017, whatever your budget

You can watch the VR film on an iOS or Android device, through the dedicated Sky VR app on Google Play or Apple’s App Store. You can use any mobile headset that is compatible with Android phones or the iPhone.

Alternatively, you can also watch it on Samsung Gear VR, Daydream and Oculus Rift.

Those without a headset can also view it in 2D and swipe their fingers on the screen for a 360-degree view.

Other Sky VR productions are in development, including a virtual tour of London’s Natural History Museum with Sir David Attenborough as a virtual guide.

The Morning After: Monday, May 8th 2017

Hey, good morning!

Monday’s back. But before dealing with that, read about how Facebook may be planning its own TV-like shows, how Android Pay might use your your face, and NASA’s plans of where to go next in the Solar System.

The ridiculously sharp picture is just one reason.
‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ team explains why it used Red’s 8K camera

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is the first movie shot with Red’s 8K Weapon camera, but why? The camera maker has posted a behind-the-scenes look at the movie that, to no one’s surprise, talks a lot about why the Vol. 2 team shot with such relatively exotic gear. As director of photography Henry Braham summarizes: the Weapon is a “large format” camera that’s simultaneously “tiny.” That let the crew shoot very detailed imagery regardless of the shot — important for a CG-heavy movie, since it maintains a consistently sharp look. It meant they could use the same cameras for handheld close-ups or unusual rigs, such as a spider rig that flies along a wire.

The mission it chooses will launch in 2024.
NASA is reviewing candidates for its next Solar System mission

The Space Agency might be focusing on Mars recently, but it hasn’t forgotten the rest of the Solar System. NASA has begun reviewing the 12 proposals it received for the New Frontiers program, the same one that gave rise to New Horizons, Juno and other notable unmanned missions. All the proposals will go through scientific and technical probing with the next seven months, with one or a few moving on to the next phase of the selection process. It will choose the best mission to develop in 2019 and will spend up to $1 billion to make it a reality.

It’s also pushing an Autopilot update that catches up with the original.
Tesla collects videos from cars to improve its self-driving tech

Tesla has pushed an Autopilot update that, in addition to bringing newer vehicles up to snuff , includes a new data policy that mentions collecting “short video clips” from external cameras in the name of autonomous driving upgrades. The footage will help Tesla’s systems learn how to recognize lanes, signs and other visual cues that cars need to get around. The Autopilot update itself is big news, at least if you own a recent (October 2016 or later) Model S or Model X. In many ways, these newer vehicles finally have Autopilot limits on par with earlier cars.

Finding something to play is tricky, too.

The Nintendo PlayStation can finally play CD games

Ah, the fabled Nintendo PlayStation: a very cool prototype of what might have been, but with a CD drive that couldn’t actually play games. Until now.Professional tinkerer Ben Heckendorn (aka Ben Heck) has managed to get the CD drive working, including games. The solution, as he explains, involved replacing some “questionable” capacitors and “jiggling some things around” — he was caught off-guard when things started working.

But wait, there’s more…

• Self-repairing roads could also charge your electric car
• The TV industry just edged closer to a giant merger
• Google explains how it’s preventing future email phishing scams
• San Francisco train service plans to run solely on clean energy

Facebook purges thousands of fake profiles ahead of UK election

Facebook has doubled its efforts to tackle fake news in the UK. As the nation heads towards a snap general election, the company has removed “tens of thousands” of accounts which it believes were involved in the spread of misinformation. The crack-down is attributed to new detection tools, first announced in April, which can spot suspicious patterns of activity, including repeat posting and sudden spikes in post volume. Tackling these bogus accounts will, as a byproduct, curb the spread of spam, fake news and other “deceptive content,” Facebook claims.

The company has also been tweaking the algorithm which decides what content appears in your News Feed. Following a trial in the US, Facebook is burying stories in the UK which are read but rarely shared by users. That ratio, the company claims, is a pretty good indicator that an article is misleading or contains false information. Facebook will now use this “signal” to improve its News Feed in the UK, reducing visibility for “outlier” articles which don’t line up with what the rest of the press is reporting.

Following its newspaper blitz in Germany, Facebook is trying a similar tactic in the UK. It’s planning a range of full-age ads in The Times, The Guardian and The Daily Telegraph, among others, which list 10 tips for spotting fake news. Some are fairly straightforward — be skeptical of headlines, investigate the source, and check for other reports — while others are genuinely insightful, touching on post formatting, doctored photos and phoney, look-alike URLs. Lastly, the company is teaming up with UK fact-checking charity Full Fact and reporting nonprofit First Draft to help news organisations assess fact and fiction during the election.

“People want to see accurate information on Facebook and so do we,” Simon Milner, Facebook’s director of policy for the UK said. “That is why we are doing everything we can to tackle the problem of fake news.”

Facebook and Google have been heavily criticised for their role in the growth and distribution of fake news. A cross-party group of MPs is investigating the wider issue, while News Media Association — a representative body for British newspapers — calls for a deeper look into Facebook and Google’s influence. Both companies have since taken steps to curb the issue. These include better reporting tools and summaries from reputable, independent fact-checkers. Still, the problem remains. The worry is that false news will impact an upcoming election — France seems to have come through unscathed, but the UK and Germany remain.

Via: The Telegraph, Sky News

‘iPhone 8’ Production on Schedule for September Launch, October Sales

Apple will begin selling its new range of iPhones in October this year following a September unveiling, according to a report out on Monday. Previous rumors have claimed that Apple will struggle to meet its usual fall launch timeframe for its upcoming OLED iPhone, which is set to debut alongside two more typical LCD models, with several sources claiming the “tenth anniversary” phone faces a possible delay late into the fourth quarter because of production yield rate issues.

Japanese site Mac Otakara earlier this year suggested the “iPhone 8” would launch “very much” behind the the LCD models, while KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes Apple will debut the OLED iPhone in September, but the device will face “severe supply shortages” until as late as October-November, two months later than previous ramp-ups in August-September. Similar delayed production rumors have been circulated by analysts and media outlets in recent months.

In contrast, the Chinese-language Economic Daily News claimed on Monday that there will be no delay for the launch of the next-generation phones, signaling the usual ramp-up in the production of parts related to the iPhone beginning next month.

Upstream to downstream suppliers in the iPhone supply chains, including Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), SLP (substrate-like PCB) makers Zhen Ding Technology and Kinsus Interconnect Technology, and battery supplier Simplo Technology, are ready to ramp up related iPhone parts starting June.

TSMC will begin to fabricate the wafer starts needed for the production of A11 processors on June 10 and to deliver the chips in volume quantity in the second half of July, the report indicated.

Both Zhen Ding and Kinsus have reportedly managed to improve the yield rates of SLP products which will allow for volume production of the materials in June. Meanwhile, iPhone assemblers Foxconn, Winston, and Pegatron are said to be accelerating the recruitment and training of new workers in China in preparation of mass production of the new iPhone.

Apple has a major redesign planned for the “iPhone 8”, with a glass body and edge-to-edge OLED display that may include an integrated Touch ID fingerprint sensor if the company can overcome the technical challenges involved. Other potential features include wireless charging, a vertically oriented rear dual-lens camera, and a front-facing camera with 3D sensing and facial recognition capabilities. The OLED iPhone is expected to be sold alongside upgraded (but standard) 4.7 and 5.5-inch iPhones.

(Via DigiTimes.)

Related Roundup: iPhone 8 (2017)
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Harman Kardon Product Page Reveals Design of Cortana-Based Smart Speaker

Harman Kardon has teased its upcoming Cortana-integrated connected smart speaker with a product page that revealed a little more about the device’s design and features.

The web page for the Invoke speaker appears to have been removed since it was spotted by Thurrott.com this morning, but it offered a better glimpse at the device’s sloping cylindrical design, which appears to fall somewhere in between the Amazon Echo and Google Home.

The light ring at the top of the speaker will be familiar to users of Microsoft’s Cortana voice-activated assistant, while pictures suggest touch-based controls could involve rotating the upper ridge. Elsewhere, the mesh grille indicates the device’s expected ability to project high-quality audio over 360 degrees.

Perhaps the most notable feature of the Invoke speaker is voice calling, which the Echo and Google Home do not currently support, although the Harman Kardon device does appear to rely on Skype for this capability.

No pricing was given on the product page, but the Invoke speaker is being marketed as a premium alternative to its rivals, so it’s unlikely to be cheap. The device is expected to launch this fall.

Apple is rumored to be close to launching its own voice-driven smart speaker with Siri functionality and AirPlay support. The device is said to have a Mac Pro-like concave top with built-in controls and could possibly run a modified version of iOS. The product could be unveiled as early as next month at WWDC. Amazon is also said to be working on a next-generation Echo with a built-in screen and phone calling features.

In related news today, research firm eMarketer revealed the results of a study that shows Amazon is dominating the nascent market for voice-controlled speakers. The company’s Echo range of devices will claim a 70.6 percent share of the U.S. market this year, the study found, while Google Home will come a distant second with 23.8 percent share, with the rest of the market shared between less successful offerings from other tech companies.

The number of active U.S. users will more than double for the devices this year, to 35.6 million, eMarketer said.

Tag: Cortana
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‘Spotify Codes’ makes it even easier to share your favorite tracks

Why it matters to you

It’s another easy way to share your favorite music tracks with friends.

Spotify recently rolled out a new feature that makes it easier for users to share music via the app.

“Spotify Codes” lets you scan a barcode on a friend’s handset that takes you direct to the linked song, artist, or playlist.

So if, say, a friend plays you a new song they really love and you find that you also think that it’s pretty darn good, you can simply scan the song’s code to launch it in the Spotify app on your own phone. With such an action only taking a split second, that certainly beats firing up a messaging app to send the link or taking down the track’s details to conduct a manual search.

It’s easy to locate a Spotify Code. When you’re playing a track, simply tap the three dots in the top right of the display to make the unique code appear.

Alternatively, If you want to scan a code, tap the search button at the bottom of your screen and then hit the camera icon top right. You might have to give Spotify permission to access your phone’s camera, but once you’ve done so, it’s just a case of pointing your camera at the code. It’ll only take your app a split second to recognize the code, at which point it’ll automatically pull up the linked track.

Of course, you don’t just have to be in the same room as someone to share music using Spotify Codes. You might want to post screenshots of codes on your favorite social media sites so other users can scan them off a PC screen or tablet display — or by getting the scanner to read the code off a saved image on your camera roll. Print publications can make use of them, too, while the artists themselves might choose to incorporate them into merchandise.

While it’s unlikely to be the deal breaker for new users looking for the best music streaming site, Spotify Codes is a useful addition to the service that music fans will take little time to get to grips with.

Huawei Watch 2: Everything you need to know

The Huawei Watch 2 has the tech that lets you ditch your phone, but loses the swish suitable-for-all style of the original

The Huawei Watch was a breath of fresh air when it was released. Not only was it easily the most stylish Android Wear watch (and some may some smartwatch in general) out at the time, but it was also styled so it was suitable for all wrist sizes.

Pricing and Availability

Huawei officially launched the Watch 2 with prices in euros. The Sport costs 330 euros or 380 euros with 4G, and the Classic costs 400 euros. Huawei will only sell the Watch 2 Classic in the U.S., priced $300 at Best Buy, Amazon, Newegg, B&H Photo Video, Jet, Kohls, Target, and Walmart. It’ll come in two colors, black and grey.

The Watch 2 launches in the U.K. in retail stores on May 17, but online orders at Amazon start May 3. The carbon black Sport model is 330 British pounds, the 4G Sport is 380 British pounds, and the Classic in titanium grey is 410 British pounds.

A masculine aesthetic

Over time, Huawei enhanced the Huawei Watch range with straps that appealed to both men and women, increasing its pull and making it stand apart from the competition. All this makes the sequel highly anticipated, because the wearable industry — despite the prompting from Huawei — hasn’t changed much, and is still driven by a masculine style.

Unfortunately, Huawei may have led the pack in that respect before, but with the Huawei Watch 2, it has joined makers in producing larger, tougher-looking smartwatches. There are two versions, the Huawei Watch 2 Classic, and the Watch 2 Sport, and the pair differ greatly in style and functionality. However, neither are for the daintily wristed. The IP68 water-resistant body measures 45mm, up from the 42mm on the original. It may not sound much, but it makes a big difference when that device in on your wrist.

The body may be larger, but the screen is smaller. An odd decision, but Huawei has shrunk the 1.4-inch screen down to 1.2-inches for the Watch 2. It notices too. It doesn’t look bizarre, but it’s obvious there’s a lot more body around the screen than before. The Watch 2 is very lightweight, and both versions are comfortable to wear, with the Classic being the standout in this respect. The reason is its strap, which is made from leather with a silicone layer next to your skin. We’ve tried something like this on the Apple Watch (Native Union uses the same technique for their leather band), and it effectively reduces sweat and discomfort during exercise, while maintain an all-business look.

Watch 2 Sport doesn’t need a phone

While the stainless steel Watch 2 Classic wins the prize in the looks department, it doesn’t in the features department. Huawei has thrown everything at the Watch 2 Sport, which has a ceramic bezel, and silicone straps in either black, green, or incredibly bright orange. The reason for the ceramic case is due to the 4G LTE support. That’s right, the Watch 2 Sport works as a standalone device, so you can leave your phone at home without losing contact with the world. The antenna array includes a special double version for 4G, plus GPS, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi. It has a noise reducing microphone and a speaker, ready for calls.

Android Wear 2.0 is installed on the Watch 2, which along with the interface and feature improvements, also adds a dedicated app store, Google Assistant, and Android Pay. The Watch 2 Classic and Sport both have large bezels, and it cries out to be twisted and turned to scroll through the revised Android Wear 2.0 menus, like you would on the Samsung Gear S2 and Gear S3. However, the Watch 2 is a touchscreen only device. A Snapdragon chipset drives the Watch 2 models, and there’s 2GB of internal memory space for your music.

This is an important part of Huawei’s fitness focus with the Watch 2 Sport. Load your music, and it’s another job taken away from your phone. The Watch 2 has special software for fitness fans, including workout plans and guidance. This includes feedback from the heart rate sensor in real-time, plus data on steps, calorie burn, step frequency, speed, your VO2 Max, and even estimated recovery times post-workout.

Battery life doesn’t suffer

If the thought of 4G LTE, GPS, and a heart rate monitor on a smartwatch makes you fear for the battery, don’t worry too much. Huawei says the 4G Watch 2 Sport will give two days use from the battery, or three days for the Classic. Use the 4G version with the heart rate monitor and GPS active continuously, and it’ll still return an estimated 11 hours. There’s even a power-saving mode that turns off all the smart features to show only the time and a step count, which extends the battery life to 26 days.

There’s even a power-saving mode that turns off all the smart features.

Highs

• 4G LTE on the Watch 2 Sport
• IP68 water resistance
• Android Wear 2.0

Lows

• Large body won’t suit all wrists
• Limited availability

Article originally published in February. Updated on 05-08-2017 by Andy Boxall: Added U.K price and availability.

Prototype smartwatch moves around on your wrist to make the screen easier to see

Why it matters to you

To help make them more convenient and usable, researchers are working on projects that take smartwatches beyond the recognized basic watch design.

Smartwatches are supposed to make seeing notifications and using apps like Google Maps easier and more convenient, without taking your phone out of your pocket. However, because of a watch’s location on your wrist, and us using our hands and arms for other things, this isn’t always possible. A prototype device called Cito has been developed by a team at Dartmouth College, New Hampshire and the University of Waterloo, which is designed to overcome the visibility problems of wrist-worn computers.

The device contains several motors to automatically shift the watch face to an angle that’s visible to the wearer, regardless of whether they can conveniently move their arm to see the screen. For example, if you’re carrying a large item which requires both hands, and a notification comes through, the screen angles and tilts towards you automatically. You don’t need to put down what you’re carrying, but still get to read the message.

Another scenario that perhaps more smartwatch wearers have experienced already, is the arrival of a notification when the watch is hidden under a sleeve, and your hands are wet, dirty, or covered in food. The Cito avoids you transferring whatever muck is on your hands on to your shirt sleeve, but extending the screen out from under the cuff and into view.

The screen is mounted on a platform which can not only extend and hinge, but also rotate around a special watch strap, orbit on its axis, or perform a combination of all these movements.  Demonstrating the watch on video, its functionality can also be used to add feedback to button presses. With the screen tilted, it can provide greater resistance to a negative button push, and less resistance for a positive button push.

Assistant professor of computer science at Dartmouth College, Xing-Dong Yang, said the Cito helps show, “the true potential of smartwatches,” and warns people will, “question the need for smartwatches if the devices are just not convenient enough.” Huawei CEO Eric Xu Zhijun recently asked why we need smartwatches when we have smartphones, and this concept device does help argue the device’s case by increasing convenience.

However, it’s clear the Cito is still an early prototype, due to the majority of its hardware being stored inside a large box strapped to the wearer’s upper arm, so don’t expect it on store shelves any time soon.

Konami and soccer star Maradona call truce over game licensing

That dispute between Konami and sports legend Diego Maradona didn’t last long. The two have reached an out-of-court settlement over Pro Evolution Soccer 2017’s alleged use of the footie star’s likeness without his permission. The exact financial figures aren’t public, but Konami is paying Maradona in return for a big favor: he’ll promote the game from now until 2020. He’s also donating some of the money toward improving soccer pitches in his native Argentina.

This is a big reversal, but Konami made clear that it was willing to do whatever it took to keep one of the sport’s most recognizable figures. Konami digital head Takayuki Kubo even went so far as to fly to Argentina to participate directly in the discussions. The bend-over-backwards effort isn’t entirely surprising, mind you. PES 2017 is already considered the underdog to EA’s FIFA series, and losing Maradona wouldn’t exactly have helped Konami compete against its rival.

Via: Kotaku

Source: El Eco