Bear 1.2 Brings Sketching, New Icons, and VoiceOver to Note-Taking App

Popular note-taking app Bear received an update on Thursday across Mac and iOS that adds a number of notable features to the Evernote rival.

The biggest change to Bear is the ability to sketch on iOS. Users can now add sketches to their notes using a finger or stylus. Sketches are drawn on a separate open canvas, which includes pencil and marker tools similar to Apple Notes, with each pencil coming in three sizes and a range of colors.

Next, Bear has taken cues from the new API in iOS 10.3 that enables apps to use custom icons. Bear supports eight different themes, and now each one has an accompanying icon so that Bear’s appearance on the Home screen optionally matches the selected theme.

Bear 1.2 also brings VoiceOver support, to aid blind and visually impaired notetakers. Elsewhere, a Bear Notes sticker pack has been included for use in iMessages.

Lastly, Bear has been translated for three new languages: Korean, Russian, and Brazilian Portugese. Bear 1.2 is free and offers a $1.49 monthly or $14.99 annual subscription model for Pro features. Bear is available to download on the App Store for iPad and iPhone [Direct Link], as well as on the Mac App Store [Direct Link].
Discuss this article in our forums

Fitness trackers appear to be lousy calorie counters, but it’s not all bad news

Why it matters to you

The research suggests fitness trackers have a ways to go when it comes to accurate calorie measurements, so keep it in mind if you’ve been relying on them.

If you’ve been using your fitness tracker’s calorie measurements to shape your diet, then you’re not going to like what you’re about to read: The data is well off the mark.

That, at least, is the conclusion of a team of researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine, which ran tests on seven wrist-worn devices that offer users a range of health-related measurements.

The researchers evaluated the Apple Watch, Basis Peak, Fitbit Surge, Microsoft Band, Mio Alpha 2, PulseOn and Samsung Gear S2 among a diverse group of volunteers and published their findings this week. While many of the devices have been updated, retired, or even recalled, we can assume that many are still being used by the millions of people that bought them.

Looking at the team’s data, even the best performing device — the FitBit Surge — was way off the mark when counting burned calories, missing the real figure by 27 percent. The least accurate was the PulseOn, which was off by a whopping 93 percent.

“People are basing life decisions on the data provided by these devices,” Euan Ashley, a professor of cardiovascular medicine at Standford and senior author of the research report, said in a release, adding that it can be hard for doctors to know how to respond to data offered by a patient with their own fitness tracker.

While the researchers couldn’t be certain as to why the energy expenditure data was so inaccurate, they noted that the devices each use proprietary algorithms for calculating such data. Anna Shcherbina, one of the report’s authors, commented that it’s “very hard to train an algorithm that would be accurate across a wide variety of people because energy expenditure is variable based on someone’s fitness level, height and weight, etc.”

But before you toss your tracker in the trash, you might like to know that the findings weren’t all bad. For example, it was discovered that six of the devices measured heart rate with an error rate of less than 5 percent, while Samsung’s Gear S2 device had an error rate of 6.8 percent. These more accurate measurements can be put down to the fact that such data is measured directly rather than by way of an algorithm.

Ashley concluded that for the devices tested, a user can have a fair amount of confidence in the heart rate data, adding that you’ll clearly want to be very wary about designing your diet on the basis of the calories-count readout.

“The heart rate measurements performed far better than we expected, but the energy expenditure measures were way off the mark. The magnitude of just how bad they were surprised me,” the researcher said.

We can certainly expect developments in software and technology to improve the accuracy of tracker data and look forward to seeing the results of additional research on more recently released — and future — fitness-focused devices.

Grab a OnePlus 3T while you still can, discontinued from 1 June

The OnePlus 3T will soon be disappearing from store shelves and the company’s online store, as it prepares for the launch of the OnePlus 5. The 3T was only released in November 2016 as a slightly updated version of the already excellent OnePlus 3, but all good things must come to an end, and Thursday 1 June is the last day you’ll be able to pick one up.

• OnePlus 5: Release date, rumours and everything you need to know
• OnePlus 3T review: The best mid-price phone, now with Nougat sweetness

The OnePlus 3T has a faster and more capable Snapdragon 821 processor compared to its OnePlus 3 predecessor and has sapphire glass on the front to better protect it from scratches and the like. It also has a much improved battery and an upgraded front camera. Couple all that with a solid build and a very attractive price tag, and it’s no wonder it’s one of our favourite phones of the moment. 

If you already have a OnePlus 3T and are worried about it not being supported anymore, fear not. OnePlus has confirmed it will continue to roll out software updates to the phone.

• OnePlus 5 vs OnePlus 3T: What’s the rumoured difference?

The OnePlus 5 will replace the 3T at some point this year, but we don’t expect it to be 2 June, the day after the 3T goes off sale. Until the 5 does become available, you won’t be able to buy any phones from the OnePlus online store. We’d assume there will be a good couple of weeks at least until the 5 goes on sale, but that’s purely speculation.

Worried your children are victims of cyberbullying? Take the pledge to talk to them

Internet Matters, the organisation to aid parents in online safety, has launched a campaign to raise awareness of cyberbullying and help children and their families communicate about its dangers and effects.

As well as host a #Pledge2Talk button, which shows how other likeminded parents are also taking a commitment to speak to their children, Internet Matters has age-appropriate tips on how you can engage with your child, start a conversation about cyberbullying and what you can do to help.

Tips were developed in association with the Anti-bullying Alliance, Childnet, Kidscape and Ditch the Label, so can really help if you are struggling with approaching the subject with your kid.

There are also videos and articles on the Internet Matters website that explain more about cyberbullying and the signs to look out for.

You can also follow the campaign and other Internet Matters activities on its dedicated Facebook and Twitter pages.

Opening up about #cyberbullying can be difficult but we can help, #Pledge2Talk to your child today & get expert tips https://t.co/h7YcbEl3F1 pic.twitter.com/0ZbNp94Xsr

— Internet Matters (@IM_org) May 22, 2017

Internet Matters is a not-for-profit organisation backed by BT, Sky, TalkTalk and Virgin Media. Its website hosts thousands of informative features and guides to help parents understand technology and the world wide web, covering everything from apps on smartphones and tablets to how to tackle a child watching online pornography.

At internetmatters.org parents can find all the advice they will need to keep their children safe online. Designed specifically for parents, the site offers a wealth of up-to-date, unbiased information and advice about how to deal with online safety. Parents can learn about the latest issues and technologies, get great tips on how to talk about online safety with their children and get the best advice on dealing with issues and taking action. Created with experts, Internet Matters provides detailed information, but also signposts to best-in-class resources from individual expert organisations. Our goal is to ensure parents can always access the information that they need, in a format that is clear and concise.

Raspberry Pi is merging with a coding foundation

Raspberry Pi’s credit card-sized computers have helped kickstart a coding revolution. Thanks to their low cost, major companies like Google and VMWare have distributed thousands of the DIY boards to children all over the world in the hope that it’ll inspire the next generation of computer scientists.

The Raspberry Pi Foundation routinely works with educational partners to get its computers in the right hands, and its latest announcement is set to boost that outreach even more. Today, the foundation confirmed that it is to merge with CoderDojo to form what it believes will be the biggest code-promoting organization on the planet.

CoderDojo, if you’re not aware, is a Dublin-based organization that focuses on getting young people coding. It facilitates the creation of volunteer-run programming clubs for youngsters aged between 7 to 17. The organization says that there are more than 1,250 CoderDojos in 69 countries, which serve more than 35,000 children and teenagers.

While the Raspberry Pi Foundation is best known for its cheap computing boards, it also has a vocal and passionate community. It offers resources to help support educators who want to teach coding and also runs its Code Club network of programming clubs for children aged between 9 and 13 (which are attended by over 150,000 kids a week). Code Club wasn’t its own creation, though — the Foundation merged with the eponymous organization back in 2015.

Looking at numbers alone, it’s easy to see why Raspberry Pi and CoderDojo are a good fit. Plus, it’s something the hardware maker has done successfully in the past. While their programming clubs may slightly differ, both organizations agree there is “a need and room for both.”

Raspberry Pi Foundation CEO Eben Upton recently said that the organization would move away from major product launches and focus more on software, as well as “doubling down” on its charitable work. Today’s announcement suggests that dream is becoming a reality.

“Raspberry Pi will work closely with CoderDojo to advance our shared goals, pooling our resources and expertise to get more adult volunteers and young people involved in the movement,” said the Raspberry Pi Foundation a statement. “Our combined scale will allow us to invest more in the infrastructure and systems that underpin our work, and to offer a wider range of products and services to our communities.”

The ‘Monster Hunter’ series is coming to Nintendo’s Switch

We knew it was going to happen. Capcom will be bringing its hugely popular (at least in Japan) action RPG to Nintendo’s hybrid console, although the first title won’t be a completely new iteration. Monster Hunter XX is pitched as an expanded edition of Monster Hunter Generations, which launched on the 3DS two years ago. (MHXX is not the twentieth game from the series, however, you’re meant to pronounce it “double cross”.)

The Monster Hunter series could make an ideal fit for the Switch, with the ability to explore and hunt… monsters with either local players or online allies — and look! You already have analog sticks, rejoice! Capcom’s holding off from offering any insight into what will be added to the Switch upgrade, but expect to hear more in a few days at the Monster Hunter Championships this weekend. It’s being held, naturally, in Japan.

Source: Capcom (Japanese)

Feral Updates ‘Sid Meier’s Railroads!’ for macOS Compatibility

Feral has announced that Sid Meier’s Railroads!, the classic “tycoon” strategy game released on PC in 2006, has been updated on Mac to include full compatibility with Apple’s latest macOS platform.

If you missed Sid Meier’s Railroads! last time around, the game is a re-imagining of the best-selling Railroad Tycoon, which was released in 1990 for Amiga, Atari ST, and MS DOS. The game has been in dire need of a compatibility and stability update for several years, so today’s announcement should come as good news for die-hard fans.

Like the original, players are tasked with constructing a rail empire across one of four locations: the Western United States, the Northeastern United States, Great Britain, or continental Europe.

Lay track, route trains and watch the world come to life in this compelling mix of train set and business simulator. Become the ultimate railroad robber baron with the drive to shape a nation, build an empire and amass a fortune.

Spanning the history of the railroads from the steam engines of the 1830s to the bullet trains of today, Sid Meier’s Railroads!, out now on Mac, is a bold re-imagining of the legendary Railroad Tycoon (1990) that launched the “tycoon” genre.

Players get to control 40 historically accurate trains across seven historical scenarios and over 150 years of American and European history. Features at the disposal of budding tycoons include corporate warfare, demand and supply, stock trading, patent bidding, and industry building. A LAN multiplayer mode also lets players sabotage their rivals and monopolize the industry.

Minimum requirements for the game are as follows: MacOS 10.12.4 or later, Intel 1.8GHz processor, 4GB RAM, 2GB disk space, and 256MB graphics memory. The following graphics cards are not supported: ATI HD2xxx series, ATI X1xxx series, Intel GMA series, Intel HD3000, Nvidia 9xxx series, Nvidia 7xxx series, Nvidia 1xx series, and Nvidia 8xxx series. The game is not currently supported on volumes formatted as case-sensitive.

Sid Meier’s Railroads! is currently on offer at the special price of $2.49 on the Steam store until May 29. The game is also available on the Mac App Store ($17.99) and direct from Feral’s online store ($9.99). Existing owners of the game should see an update in the Mac App Store.

Tag: Feral
Discuss this article in our forums

Lyft’s new ‘Lux’ service features high-end cars to challenge Uber Black

Why it matters to you

Lyft’s new Lux service offers you another option if you fancy rolling up to a special event in style.

If you’ve ever wanted to roll up to a special event in style, you’ve always had options. In more recent years, Uber gave riders even more choice with the launch of Uber Black, and now Lyft is joining the party with its own version of luxury pick-up, called, would you believe, Lyft Lux.

Lyft Lux is one level above Lyft Premier, another comfy ride that the company introduced last year. It comes in two flavors: Lux — “our most luxurious ride experience: a black car piloted by a top driver,” and Lyft Lux SUV — “all the amenities of Lyft Lux, in a more spacious black SUV that seats six.”

The San Francisco-based Uber rival is targeting its new service at folks attending formal functions, business meetings, and group events like weddings, introducing it first in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York City, San Francisco, and Silicon Valley. Other cities are said to be “coming soon.”

Request a Lux vehicle — now the priciest of all of its ride options — and you can expect an ultra high-end sedan or SUV (such as a BMW 5-series, Cadillac Escalade, or Lexus LS) with a black exterior and leather or leather-like seats, while a Lux SUV will guarantee riders an ultra high-end SUV (such as a Cadillac Escalade, BMW X5, or Lincoln Navigator), complete with a black exterior and leather or leather-like seats. The slightly cheaper Premier service, which launched in 2016, matches riders with a high-end sedan or SUV (such as a BMW X3, GMC Yukon Denali, or Lexus ES) featuring the apparently all-important leather or leather-like seats.

By way of comparison, the Uber Black service offers high-end vehicles such as the BMW 7 Series, Jaguar XF, and Mercedes-Benz S-Class, together with a driver who you can expect will dress to impress. And yes, they’ll have a black leather interior, too. Or leather-like.

As for Lyft drivers, the new service offers the chance to earn between 3 and 5 times the fare of regular Lyft rides, or between 1.5 and 2 times the fare of Lyft Premier rides, a Lyft spokesperson told Digital Trends.

Grab the 128GB Xiaomi Mi Note 2 with global LTE bands for just $429

This is the lowest price we’ve seen for the global variant of the Mi Note 2.

The global variant of Xiaomi Mi Note 2 is currently on sale for just $429 at GearBest. The phone debuted at the end of last year, and is the first Xiaomi handset to offer global LTE bands. It has 37 LTE bands in total, and is compatible with most GSM networks around the world, including T-Mobile and AT&T in the U.S.; EE, O2, Three, and Vodafone in the UK.

Here’s the breakdown of the LTE bands supported by the Mi Note 2:

• GSM (2G): 850/900/1800/1900MHz
• CDMA 1X: B0/1/10/15
• WCDMA (3G): B1/2/4/5/8
• TD-SCDMA: B34/39
• LTE-FDD (4G): B1/2/3/4/5/7/8/12/13/17/18/19/20/25/26/28/29/30
• LTE-TDD (4G): B38/39/40/41

Global LTE support isn’t the only thing going in its favor — the Mi Note 2 offers a 5.7-inch Full HD dual curved display, and is powered by a 2.35GHz Snapdragon 821 SoC. There’s 6GB of RAM, 128GB storage, a 22.5MP camera at the back with 4K video recording, 8MP front shooter, Wi-Fi ac, USB-C, NFC, and a 4070mAh battery with Quick Charge 3.0.

More: Xiaomi Mi Note 2 review

On the software front, the phone is still running Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow, but it has the latest version of Xiaomi’s custom ROM, MIUI 8, with the March 2017 security patch.

The main drawback with the global variant of the Mi Note 2 was that it was too costly when it launched last year, with prices going up to $750 on reseller sites. At $429, there’s no reason not to get one — it is in fact more affordable than its retail counterpart in China. If you’re in the market for a capable mid-ranger, you should definitely take a look.

The price is listed as $519 on GearBest, but you can use the coupon code DNote2 to pick up the phone for $429.

See at GearBest

SmartCar connects Facebook’s chatbot to your Tesla

We’ve seen AI-powered chatbots for almost everything, and now a company called Smartcar has developed one specifically for Tesla electric vehicles. Owners can access any number of features via Tesla’s mobile app, and by logging in via TeslaBot, they can pop open Facebook Messenger to ask questions or send commands. That’s a pretty low bar for use, particularly compared to the Tesla app Smartcar’s founder developed for Google Glass. Of course, most of us don’t have a Tesla yet (at least until the Model 3 comes out), but we could see more tech like this quickly, as Smartcar is already working with Hyundai on its Ioniq platform.

Source: TeslaBot AI (Facebook Messenger), TeslaBot.ai