Nest might unveil new 4K indoor home security camera by end of May

Google-owned Nest will soon announce a 4K indoor home security camera, but it’s not your typical 4K camera.

It won’t actually record in 4K, according to Android Police. Instead, it will use the 4K resolution to “power some cool zooming tricks”. The sensor in the new Nest camera can technically record in 4K, but you will see a 1080p image. The camera, which detects motion, can auto-zoom in on a 1080p section of the full frame, so you can see more detail than you would zooming in on a frame that starts at 1080p.

Here’s how Android Police explained it:

“That zoomed view is still a 1080p image, so you will actually be able to see what’s going on. There will also be a down-scaled 1080p full frame view available, thus you can view either zoomed or full 1080p feeds.”

So, if the camera sees something moving, it can crop down to 1080p in order to show you a zoomed-in view that’s still in full HD. From what we can tell, it sounds like Nest is trying to cater to people who don’t have devices capable of streaming 4K. Plus, 4K equals mammoth video files that are heavy on bandwidth and storage. Also, since it’s a security camera, being able to see what’s actually moving matters most.

• Nest might soon launch a cheaper thermostat and new security system
• Nest 3.0 review: The smartest thermostat just got smarter
• Nest Cam Outdoor review: Secure enough as a security camera?
• Nest Cam review: The next level in home security?

Currently, there doesn’t seem to be an ability to stream in 4K resolution. Also, there will reportedly be a ring around the lens that lights up to indicate when the camera is recording. This upgraded Nest Cam should resemble the outdoor Nest Cam and will have USB-C for power. Some of Nest’s subscription-only features – maybe even personal alerts – will become free, too.

As for price, expect around $300 – that’s $100 more than the current indoor Nest Cam. And it should be announced by the end of the month.

Red Dead Redemption 2 has been delayed, see new screenshots here

Rockstar Games has announced that the long-awaited sequel to Red Dead Redemption has been delayed.

The publisher revealed via Twitter on Monday that Red Dead Redemption 2 will no longer arrive this autumn. It is now scheduled to release sometime in spring 2018. Rockstar published new screenshots for the game and apologized for the delay in a statement on its website: “We are very sorry for any disappointment this delay causes, but we are firm believers in delivering a game only when it is ready.”

Red Dead Redemption 2 will be the third entry in the Red Dead series, following 2010’s Red Dead Redemption. Developed by Rockstar Studios, it’s an open world western action-adventure for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. It was announced late last year, when Rockstar published the game’s first trailer, which you can watch here. At the time, it’s official release date was listed as “fall 2017”.

• Red Dead Redemption comes to Xbox One
• Far Cry 5 revealed, heading to Montana for some hillbilly mayhem
• Destiny 2: Release date, screens, formats and everything you need to know

In its announcement of the delay, Rockstar said that it would reveal more information about Red Dead Redemption 2 this summer. We’re assuming that’ll be at E3, since the annual game show is set to kick off in June. Pocket-lint will be on the show floor to bring you the latest as it happens. Meanwhile, check out our E3 2017 guide for more about what you can expect.

We’ve also gathered up the new Red Dead Redemption 2 screenshots in the gallery above.

Red Dead Redemption 2 is now coming Spring 2018: https://t.co/z4iypSBY53 pic.twitter.com/Dd3ZZDi6bE

— Rockstar Games (@RockstarGames) May 22, 2017

Microsoft will likely unveil new Surface Pro Type Covers in Shanghai

Microsoft is teasing new products ahead of its Surface event.

The company is expected to launch a new Surface Pro device in Shanghai on 23 May, so naturally, a day before the event, Microsoft’s Surface chief has taken to Instagram to publish a teaser. Panos Panay posted an image of what appears to be four Surface keyboards with the following caption: “Working session. 30 hours to go.” These keyboards essentially look like Type Covers in new colours.

They also appear to be wrapped in alcantara, the same fabric also used on Microsoft’s new Surface Laptop. Keep in mind this teaser comes a week after a leak revealed a Surface Pro 5 is coming. It looks a lot like the current Surface Pro 4 that was launched in 2015. Reportedly, the changes will be under the skin, with Intel’s seventh-generation chips used and presumably other hardware changes.

Working session. 30 hours to go. #MicrosoftEvent #Surface #Shanghai https://t.co/u12oAeULxF pic.twitter.com/H1jQI1d94x

— Panos Panay (@panos_panay) May 22, 2017

Microsoft’s Surface event is set to kick off Tuesday morning. Check out Pocket-lint’s guide to see what else the company may announce.

These Apple Watch bands from Nike were made to match your trainers

Nike has catered to Apple fans once again.

The company, which has a long history of working with Apple and even recently partnered with the company to create a specific version of the Apple Watch for runners, has unveiled a new collection of Apple Watch bands. These bands are unique in that they match or correspond with pairs of new Nike trainers. The collection, called Day to Night, features four different colours of sport bands.

Each band has perforated holes, presumably to help with airflow while you sweat. There’s nothing else remarkable about them. They don’t glow at night or do anything to help you transition from day to night. Nike only said that the colours were “inspired by a shade of the sky, from dawn to dusk” – and they allow runners to “make a statement by matching their Apple Watch Nike+ bands to their footwear”.

• Is Apple testing an Apple Watch device that tracks blood sugar?
• Apple and Nike made a new Apple Watch called NikeLab and it’s limited
• Asus might never make another ZenWatch Android Wear watch

The new bands will be available from 1 June for $49 (about £38) each via Nike.com or in Nike stores. Apple.com will also carry them from “early June.” Obviously, you have to buy the trainers separately. They’ll go on sale at the same time for $190 (about £146 a pair). There’s no word yet on UK pricing, but we’ll let you know when we know for sure. There also doesn’t seem to be any bundle discounts.

See our Apple Watch Nike+ guide for more details about the watch.

Microsoft Surface event in Shanghai: When is it and what to expect?

Microsoft is holding yet another hardware event this year.

The company recently held an event in New York City, where it revealed products aimed at the education sector. Those included Windows 10 S, a new operating system that only has access to apps from the Windows Store (which has been done to make sure everything runs quickly), and the Surface Laptop, a laptop that will go head-to-head with Apple’s MacBook Air when it launches in June.

• You can watch Microsoft’s 2 May education event here, Surface Laptop and Windows 10 S revealed
• Microsoft unveils the Surface Laptop, a Windows 10 S device looking to take down the MacBook

But education isn’t all Microsoft is focusing on this year it seems, as the company has released a teaser to say there will be another event on 23 May in Shanghai to show off what’s next for Microsoft. But what exactly is next? Microsoft isn’t giving anything away, but we took a few educated guesses as to what the computing giant has up its sleeve. Here’s what you need to know.

Microsoft Surface event in Shanghai: When is it?

MicrosoftEvent will hold its event in Shanghai, China on 23 May beginning at 4 am PST (7 am EST/ 12 pm GMT). The company said you can follow along with updates on its blog here.

Microsoft Surface event in Shanghai: What to expect

VentureBeat

Surface Pro 5

Microsoft’s VP of Devices, Panos Panay, tweeted a teaser from his account that included the hashtag #Surface. Panay credits himself as being the creator of the Surface series of devices, so it would be fair to assume there will be another new Surface device on the way. Considering we’ve just been given the Surface Laptop, it’s unlikely to be another computer, but could instead be the Surface Pro 5 2-in-1.

Although Microsoft firmly denied that there was a Surface Pro 5 in the works, it looks a new Surface Pro is indeed coming, thanks to a new leak. We know what you’re thinking: this looks a lot like the current Surface Pro 4 that launched in 2015. Physically, the update doesn’t look any different to the existing model, but Venture Beat said will simply be called the Surface Pro – losing the number.

That makes sense if you’re from the Apple School of thought (think MacBook Pro), and it’s better than calling it the Pro 4S or Pro 4.5 or something. Reportedly the changes will be under the skin, with Intel’s seventh-generation chips used and presumably some other hardware changes. VentureBeat said that the pen and keyboard to accompany the Surface Pro will be available in a range of colours, too.

There will more than likely be several different variations of the Surface Pro 5 available when it does launch, with different processor speeds and storage. As for price, we can’t be sure, but the starting price will be somewhere between £700 and £1000.

Microsoft

Surface Pro Type Covers

Microsoft is teasing new products ahead of its Surface event.

The company is expected to launch a new Surface Pro device in Shanghai on 23 May, so naturally, a day before the event, Microsoft’s Surface chief has taken to Instagram to publish a teaser. Panos Panay posted an image of what appears to be four Surface keyboards with the following caption: “Working session. 30 hours to go.” These keyboards essentially look like Type Covers in new colours.

They also appear to be wrapped in alcantara, the same fabric also used on Microsoft’s new Surface Laptop.

Surface Phone

Talks of a Surface Phone have been on and off in recent months and years. At one point there were strong rumours to suggest Microsoft would channel its Surface laptop 2-in-1 technology into a powerful phone. But since then the company has sold off its phone patents, implying it won’t be working on a phone itself.

But we’ve then seen images of a possible Surface Phone, although some media outlets thought it was a Windows Phone made by Dell. We haven’t heard much more on the subject since those images surfaced.

However, Alcatel manufactures Microsoft branded phones, and Alcatel is headquartered in Shanghai, the same city where Microsoft’s event is taking place. It could therefore be possible that we’ll either see a new Microsoft phone unveiled, or at the very least get an update on the current state of play.

Of course, until Microsoft officially reveal whatever it’s planning on 23 May, we can only speculate. We’ll be sure to bring you the very latest news and product announcements as and when we hear them.

Dubai hopes to have a human-free police station by 2030

Is robot policing the way of the future? Dubai is well on its way to finding out.

The emirate, one of seven in the UAE, is taking a technological leap of faith this week as it introduces its first robot officer to the Dubai police force. Designed by the Spanish company PAL Robotics, the specialized REEM robot stands 5 feet 6 inches high and looks like a knight in shining white plastic armor, riding in on its wheels (rather than a horse).

This is just the first step for the Dubai police department. The department aims to have 25 percent of its police force composed of robot officers by the year 2030. “We are looking to make everything smart in Dubai Police. By 2030, we will have the first smart police station which won’t require human employees,” Brigadier Khalid Nasserl Al Razouqi, the General Director of Dubai Police’s Smart Services Department, told Gulf News.

What can the robot police officer do? The prototype unveiled last year at GITEX, an annual Dubai-based electronics trade show, was basically a glorified kiosk, complete with a touch screen interface. Using an integrated tablet on the robot’s midsection, people could report crimes, submit paperwork, and pay fines for traffic violations. It’s unclear how or if the robot has been upgraded since then, though Dubai police were working with Watson, IBM’s AI system, on voice command recognition. Eventually, the department plans on using the robots as full-fledged police officers.

But does “smart,” the term the Dubai Police Department uses to describe their new robot initiative, mean better? It isn’t clear how the public will react to a robot police officer. Will people trust a robot more implicitly, assuming it won’t have the same biases human officers have? It’s also possible people might feel uncomfortable approaching a robot to report a crime, leading to underreporting.

While there are questions surrounding Dubai’s implementation of its robot officer, it’s clear that other countries will be watching Dubai’s experiment closely as they weigh the pros and cons of their own robotic police force.

Via: Newsweek

Source: CNN, Gulf News

Nevada would allow in-stadium mobile bets at Raiders games

When the Raiders start playing football in Las Vegas, their stadium lease will officially ban the team from offering bets or other forms of gambling in the building. Don’t tell that to the Nevada Gaming Commission, though. Its officials understand that there’s nothing in the lease precluding the use of mobile betting apps on the facility’s grounds, even if you’re already in your seat. The NFL tells ESPN that the Raiders will have to “abide by League rules,” but the Commission says it hasn’t been asked to make any policy decisions so far.

We’ve asked the NFL to elaborate, but it’s not making any commitments at this point. “It’s an item we will look into over the next few years,” a spokesperson says.

Most daily fantasy sports services like DraftKings and FanDuel don’t operate in the state, since they’d need a gambling license. However, the terms would permit straightforward bets.

There’s certainly time for the NFL to change its mind between now and the time the Raiders first play in the stadium, which is likely to be sometime in 2020. It wouldn’t take much to require geofencing that blocks betting apps and websites whenever you’re nearby, and the league has a history of cracking down on bets even for games in the UK, where betting is legal. For now, though, the lack of a clear ban creates an unusual situation: the NFL may have to contend with Raiders crowds who are at least as interested in making a profit as they are watching the game.

Source: ESPN

Tesla makes Autopilot ‘smooth as silk’ for current models

Just because your Tesla can periodically drive itself doesn’t mean you’ll always like it. Elon Musk himself acknowledges that the sometimes rough Autopilot driving can be “unpleasant.” You won’t be jolted quite so frequently in the near future, though. Musk has teased that a June update will give recent Model S and Model X variants (that is, any vehicle made in October 2016 or later) Autopilot control that’s “smooth as silk.” It should be “safer,” too, suggesting that Tesla is determined to avoid even the slightest chance that it’s responsible for a crash.

Musk hasn’t discussed many of the specifics of the upgrade, but he is hoping that the new software will also enable hands-free perpendicular parking and rain sensors. We’ve reached out to Tesla to see if it can elaborate. As the company founder points out, though, many of the updates to newer cars are focused on catching up to previous-generation features, not the new tricks possible only with post-October hardware. If there’s more, the focus will likely be on parity.

The months-long wait likely hasn’t made you happy if you’re a recent buyer — you’ve had to look on with envy as Tesla owners with older cars can pull off many of these tricks. The company hasn’t had much choice, though. The split with Mobileye (blamed either on safety or a fight over chips, depending on who you ask) effectively forced Tesla to develop its own Autopilot sensors and software if it wanted its plans to remain on track. And it appears to largely be on course — Musk still expects to see a demo of fully autonomous coast-to-coast driving by the end of 2017.

Excited about the Tesla Autopilot software release rolling out next month. New control algorithm feels as smooth as silk.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 22, 2017

Via: Ars Technica

Source: Elon Musk (Twitter 1), (2), (3)

Viacom is working on a low-cost, sports-free TV package

The cable industry continues to struggle mightily against being neutered by a generation of cord cutters. In that effort, Viacom CEO Bob Bakish announced on Monday that his company is working to develop a low-cost “entertainment pack” for its customers that forgoes high-fee sports and broadcast stations.

This so-called “skinny package” would only cost subscribers $10 to $20 and is designed to entice younger viewers back into the bosom of broadcast television. Bakish blamed the high price of sports channel programming, caused by licensing agreements with their respective leagues, for inhibiting the legacy communication technology’s uptake among what he called “cord-never millennials.” It would effectively drop ESPN and broadcast staples like ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox, at for a significant cost savings — essentially becoming the anti-YouTube TV.

Speaking at the recent J.P. Morgan Global Technology, Media and Telecom Conference, Bakish remarked that this package “would be a very exciting development in the marketplace and that’s a very positive development for Viacom because when you look at our services, we still today have the largest share of viewing on pay TV on every demographic that we serve.” Despite those metrics, Viacom has struggled recently to have its programming added to many popular streaming services.

Bakish blames that, in part, on the $40 price point that Viacom has been aiming for. Bakish described a conversation with one of his distributors who pointed out that they were losing $6 on every one of those subscriptions. “It’s unclear how long that can sustain,” he said.

However, by cutting out those high-fee stations, Bakish hopes that his company can offer “a new entry segment at a much lower price point designed to be a path to bring someone in that wants high-quality entertainment at a low price.” The new package is expected to be available to subscribers within this calendar year.

Via: Variety

Source: Broadcasting Cable

Amazon’s Echo Look app is ready for your fashionable selfies

Amazon still hasn’t said when it plans to ship its new Echo Look camera, but it appears that will be happening very soon. The company has started rolling out companion iOS and Android apps for the device, which costs $200 and is only available via invite to Prime customers — at least for the time being. To refresh your mind, Echo Look is an Alexa-powered camera for people who want to take pictures or videos of their daily outfits, enhanced by an artificial intelligence algorithm that’ll learn your habits and make clothes recommendations based on that.

The iOS and Android apps are going to bring all of that together, putting your very own lookbook in your pocket. Naturally, you’ll be able to share your pictures with friends, family or other loved ones — if you’re into that sort of thing. You can download the Echo Look application from the App Store and Google Play right now, though there’s not much you can do without the device itself.

Via: TechCrunch

Source: App Store, Google Play