Genius ‘info bulb’ projects virtual tools onto your real-life desktop

Why it matters to you

Smart user interface concept could make our devices more context aware, while also giving us extra work space.

Back in the 1980s, people working on bringing the graphical user interface to PCs adopted the metaphor of the desktop to help people understand how to use their personal computers. Here in 2017, the technology exists to let us expand our computer interfaces out beyond our machines, and onto our real life desks.

That’s the basis for a new project developed by Carnegie Mellon’s ever-interesting Future Interfaces Group (FIG). They’ve created a nifty interface concept that allows your regular work desk to transform into one giant touchscreen — and even compensates for your desk being cluttered. If you thought the iPad Pro was big, you ain’t seen nothing yet!

“We believe the time has come to re-imagine the light bulb as a 21st century computational appliance, illuminating our days not just with light, but information,” Professor Chris Harrison, head of FIG, told Digital Trends. “Instead of simply emitting light when a switch is flipped, why can we not emit structured light, more akin to a digital projector? Further, wherever the light may fall could become an interactive surface, infused with rich communication, creation and information retrieval capabilities. This is a low-cost, self-contained device that fits existing light fixtures: simply screw in your new ‘info-bulb’ and now your office desk or kitchen counter is an expansive multi-touch surface, able to respond to and augment your daily activities.”

The work debuted this week at the Symposium on Engineering Interactive Computing Systems. There are a few neat elements which make it particularly cool. For one, the projected augmented reality “info-bulb” manages to pull off touch sensing — while also retrofitting into standard flood bulb (BR30 LED) fittings, so it can be installed in most houses. In addition, the surfaces you can use it on don’t have to be flat, although Harrison notes that these are the most comfortable to use for prolonged periods. Finally, it includes some smart accessions to the fact that most desks aren’t simply large empty spaces by rearranging projected interface elements to avoid overlapping with your coffee mug, or even letting them “snap” to objects.

As can be seen by the video demonstration, there’s still work to be done to areas like touch tracking to make it lower latency and improve accuracy, but this is definitely one heck of an impressive demo.

“We next plan to add a regular, visible light camera to our bulb so that we can better see information in the scene, things like written text, newspaper articles, and objects,” Harrison said. “This will let us digitize information and augment it — like Google searching right on a magazine article, digitizing hand-written shopping list, or popping up photos from your phone.”

A paper describing the work can be read here.

Genius ‘info bulb’ projects virtual tools onto your real-life desktop

Why it matters to you

Smart user interface concept could make our devices more context aware, while also giving us extra work space.

Back in the 1980s, people working on bringing the graphical user interface to PCs adopted the metaphor of the desktop to help people understand how to use their personal computers. Here in 2017, the technology exists to let us expand our computer interfaces out beyond our machines, and onto our real life desks.

That’s the basis for a new project developed by Carnegie Mellon’s ever-interesting Future Interfaces Group (FIG). They’ve created a nifty interface concept that allows your regular work desk to transform into one giant touchscreen — and even compensates for your desk being cluttered. If you thought the iPad Pro was big, you ain’t seen nothing yet!

“We believe the time has come to re-imagine the light bulb as a 21st century computational appliance, illuminating our days not just with light, but information,” Professor Chris Harrison, head of FIG, told Digital Trends. “Instead of simply emitting light when a switch is flipped, why can we not emit structured light, more akin to a digital projector? Further, wherever the light may fall could become an interactive surface, infused with rich communication, creation and information retrieval capabilities. This is a low-cost, self-contained device that fits existing light fixtures: simply screw in your new ‘info-bulb’ and now your office desk or kitchen counter is an expansive multi-touch surface, able to respond to and augment your daily activities.”

The work debuted this week at the Symposium on Engineering Interactive Computing Systems. There are a few neat elements which make it particularly cool. For one, the projected augmented reality “info-bulb” manages to pull off touch sensing — while also retrofitting into standard flood bulb (BR30 LED) fittings, so it can be installed in most houses. In addition, the surfaces you can use it on don’t have to be flat, although Harrison notes that these are the most comfortable to use for prolonged periods. Finally, it includes some smart accessions to the fact that most desks aren’t simply large empty spaces by rearranging projected interface elements to avoid overlapping with your coffee mug, or even letting them “snap” to objects.

As can be seen by the video demonstration, there’s still work to be done to areas like touch tracking to make it lower latency and improve accuracy, but this is definitely one heck of an impressive demo.

“We next plan to add a regular, visible light camera to our bulb so that we can better see information in the scene, things like written text, newspaper articles, and objects,” Harrison said. “This will let us digitize information and augment it — like Google searching right on a magazine article, digitizing hand-written shopping list, or popping up photos from your phone.”

A paper describing the work can be read here.

New study on anemone genes could pave way for regenerative medicine

Why it matters to you

The new finding could help scientists unlock the secrets to regenerative medicine in humans.

In the future, artificial and transplanted organs may be things of the past as regenerative medicine becomes so advanced that a damaged heart or lung is simply regrown from cells already present.

That possibility is still far in the distance, but a new study out of the University of Florida could help pave the way. While examining the genes of the starlet sea anemone — an invertebrate capable of regenerating itself — a research team led by Mark Martindale discovered genes that are known to grow heart cells in humans.

The finding was surprising in part because anemones don’t have hearts or muscles, and yet Martindale knew they shared more in common with humans than might be expected.

“A group of us sequenced the genome of the anemone … about 10 years ago,” he told Digital Trends. “One of the super cool things we found was that this little sea anemone had more genes in common with human beings than all of the other so-called ‘model systems’ that 99 percent of the people in my field work on.”

Since these model systems — including fruit flies and nematodes — are nearer to humans on the evolutionary timescale, that finding suggested that they’ve lost genes along the way.

“It turns out that the number of genes you have does not seem to be a very good predictor of organismal complexity as we have traditionally interpreted it,” Martindale said.

Rather of the number of genes, the deciding factor may be the way they communicate with each other.

“One of the most important findings in this paper is not necessarily how many genes are involved in ‘heart’ formation, but how they are ‘wired-up.’” Martindale explained. “Genes control other genes in very complicated networks. Many people focus on genes that are involved in cell division … but not as many people have studied the differences in how these genes ‘talk’ to each other in animals that can regenerate versus those that can not regenerate.”

By understanding how genes communicate, the researchers hope that they can someday stimulate regenerative healing in the human body.

But there’s a lot of work to be done first. One of the big challenges will be determining whether certain mechanisms are species-specific or if they can be adapted. In vertebrates, for example, heart genes create “lockdown loops” that require them to perform functions related to their location in the body. Anemone genes don’t lockdown in such a way. It’s unclear whether this feature is fixed to anemone or if it can be activated in humans as well.

Tinder’s new subscription speeds up online dating, shows you who swiped right

Why it matters to you

For those who use dating apps as a way to meet people, Tinder’s new service helps to speed up the process by providing you with a list of people who already swiped right on your profile.

Online dating can often feel overwhelming with so many new dating apps constantly being released, but Tinder is here to create a comfortable and relaxing experience, without the rejection anxiety. The company announced the arrival of Tinder Gold — a member-only service that provides you with a list of people who have already swiped right on your profile.

Tinder’s new service sets out to eliminate the guesswork and waiting involved in discovering if your love interests on your Tinder feed reciprocate the feeling. It also helps to speed up the process of finding matches without having to sit there and swipe through tons of people that won’t even result in a match.

Tinder will begin testing the subscription service in Australia, Canada, Mexico, and Argentina with hopes of rolling out in the U.S. soon afterward. While no price was officially listed — it will test different options to find the amount customers are willing to pay — Tinder Gold will be available to Tinder Plus subscribers along with free users who wish to make the switch from their current account status, noted TechCrunch.

The service — referred to as “your personal Swipe Right concierge” — is in the form of a feature called Likes You which brings you all of your pending matches to swipe through no matter what time of day. Other exclusive features including Unlimited Likes, Rewind, five Super Likes a day, one Boost per month, and more profile controls.

The Likes You section of the app is laid out in the form of a grid listing all the different users who already swiped right on your profile. As you scroll through the grid you can either swipe right, or left to auto-match or dismiss, or click on someone in particular to view their full profile. At the top of the grid, you’ll see the exact number of people who have already swiped right on your profile. You’ll also see this number highlighted in gold when you’re in the messaging section of the app under the New Matches section.

However, you don’t need to go exclusively through the grid to view the people who already liked your profile. If you’re swiping regularly through your Tinder feed, there will be a gold heart with three stripes next to users’ names to easily indicate that they’ve swiped right on your profile. With either method, the service will constantly keep you informed on who is already interested without wasting any time.

15 annoying iPhone 7 problems, and how to fix them

The iPhone 7 doesn’t look much different than its predecessors, but the deeper you dive, the more improvements you’ll find. The camera is a great performer, there are dual speakers, and Apple finally made its flagship device water-resistant. If you’ve managed to snag one, then you’re likely enjoying it, but sometimes a single issue can kill the fun. We’ve been filtering feedback to isolate the main iPhone 7 problems that users are running into, and we’ve got some potential fixes and workarounds to put the smile back on your face.

Annoyance: No 3.5-millimeter headphone jack

Apple’s decision to kill the headphone jack has, understandably, been very controversial. If you’ve already invested in a killer pair of headphones that rely on the standard port present in every phone up until now, you could be forgiven for being a wee bit peeved. Having to use the Lightning port also means that you can’t charge your iPhone 7 while you’re using headphones. There are some workarounds, but there’s no real solution for this one.

Workarounds:

• There’s an adapter in the box with your iPhone 7, or you could consider snagging a Bluetooth adapter. Check out our guide on how to use your old headphones with the iPhone 7 for more ideas.
• Maybe it’s time to go wireless? Check out our guide to the best wireless Bluetooth headphones.

Problem: iPhone 7 makes a hissing sound

A lot of iPhone 7 owners have been complaining about a mysterious hissing sound coming from the back of the device. It seems to be louder when the iPhone is engaged in heavy lifting, such as when a demanding app or game is running, which suggests that it’s related to the processor. Put your ear next to the Apple logo and run something that requires a lot of processing power to test for yourself. It’s also worth mentioning that many phones and other devices will emit some hissing and other noises when under heavy stress — if you listen closely enough, that is. We just don’t notice it most of the time. This problem was affecting enough people that both Ars Technica and 9to5Mac reported on it.

Potential solution:

• There’s currently no fix for this, but reports suggest that it’s not something that’s present in every iPhone 7, so you might want to return your handset and get a new one. If it’s really bothering you, then contact Apple, your carrier, or your retailer and ask for a replacement.

Issue: Poor battery life

Battery life for the iPhone 7 should be a lot better than it was for the iPhone 6S, thanks to a larger battery and the more efficient A10 Fusion chip. For a lot of people on the Apple discussion forums, that does seem to be the case, but we’ve also seen some complaints about rapid battery drain, with more recent complaints resulting from the iOS 10.2 update.

Workarounds:

• Update to iOS 10.3.2 if you haven’t already. Battery drain issues were addressed in this update.
• If you head into Settings > Battery, you can turn Low Power Mode on to stretch your battery further, but it comes at a cost. Mail fetch, Hey Siri, Background app refresh, automatic downloads, and some visual effects will be reduced or turned off completely. However, you can individually turn off any of these things for a lesser bump in battery life.
• Take a look under Battery Usage in Settings > Battery and see if any particular app is guzzling too much power. Consider updating, uninstalling, or replacing it.
• Check out our iPhone battery tips for more ideas, or our roundup of the best portable battery chargers.

Glitch: Can’t activate a new iPhone 7

A lot of people have trouble activating their new iPhones. If you’re getting a message about the activation server being unavailable, it could be that Apple is simply struggling to cope with the current volume or people trying to access it. You can check the status here — if there isn’t a green box next to iOS Device Activation, then try again later.

Possible fixes:

• If you’re trying to do it using your cellular connection, then switch to Wi-Fi instead.
• Try turning your iPhone off and on again by pressing and holding the Sleep/Wake button and then dragging the slider to turn the device completely off. Press and hold the Sleep/Wake button again to turn it on.
• Make sure that iTunes is up to date, and try plugging your iPhone 7 into your computer and completing the activation using iTunes.
• Contact your carrier and ask if there are any known issues with iPhone 7 activation. You might need to get a replacement SIM card.
• If nothing has worked, then it’s time to contact Apple.

Problem: Poor phone call/speaker quality

This is one of the most widely reported iPhone 7 problems. There are multiple threads on the Apple discussion forums full of iPhone 7 owners who have reported this particular problem. People have said that incoming audio sounds distant, or it’s too low to hear. Enough people have even made complaints about this that Apple has since updated a support page in an attempt to help people with sound issues.

Official solution:

• Go to Settings > Sounds and drag the Ringer And Alerts slider to turn the volume up.
• If you can get audio out of the speaker, there are several other things you can try:
  • Check the Ring/Silent switch on the side of the phone to make sure it’s not set to Silent (Orange).
  • Make sure your case isn’t blocking the speaker.
  • Restart your iPhone.
  • Clean any dirt, dust, or debris out of the speaker.
  • Launch an app that plays audio or sound effects and adjust the volume using the volume keys or Control Center controls.
• If you can’t get sound out of the speaker, or nothing changes after trying the aforementioned methods, reach out to Apple Support.
• It’s been suggested that if your carrier is Verizon, that could be the source of the issue. Reach out to the company’s support here.

Underwater telecommunication is hard, but engineers just made a huge breakthrough

Why it matters to you

Data transfer breakthrough could help transform underwater exploration.

Researchers at the Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) have discovered a method of packing more channels onto a single acoustic frequency — massively increasing the quantity of data that can be transmitted underwater.

“Image you are somewhere underwater in the ocean — say, you are on a submarine — and still want to communicate with high speed with other submarines, or surface vessels, or somewhere on ground,” Chengzhi Shi, a PhD student in Mechanical Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, told Digital Trends. “The cell phone, Wi-Fi, and other microwave-based communication network we use everyday [don’t work] because microwaves can be easily absorbed by water. Some may think about optical waves, but light has a tiny wavelength that can be easily scattered by micro-particles and marine life in the ocean and the information gets lost.”

It’s for this reason why SONAR acoustic waves are currently the only medium used for underwater applications. The problem? That the frequency of the acoustic waves is so low that it limits communication speed to around a kilobit per second. To put that in perspective, average broadband speeds are around 50 megabits per second (50,000 times as fast).

Marilyn Chung/Berkeley Lab

With their new setup, Berkeley researchers were able to simultaneously pack eight channels onto an acoustic frequency, rather than just the one. This means sending 8 bits at the same time, or an increase of 8x the current rate. In the words of the researchers, it’s “comparable to going from a single-lane side road to a multi-lane highway.” In their experimental setup, the investigators sent data through the air, but using frequencies very similar to the ones required to convey information in the water.

The research means a lot more than just faster Apple Music downloads for people stuck on submarines, though. The slow speed of underwater communication is one of the reasons so much of the ocean remains uncharted. Faster communications will play a vital role in subjects like seafloor mapping using unmanned vehicles and underwater robots, as well as things like offshore oil surveying and vessel detection. If this work lives up to its potential, it could represent a seismic leap for all of these areas.

“The next step is to actually put our transducer array underwater to test the communication method in the real-water environment,” Shi said. “We are planning to do so soon. Once the technique is tested underwater, we can then commercialize our work.”

A paper describing the work was recently published in the journal PNAS.

Hot deals on 8 portable tech gadgets you shouldn’t leave home without

Electronics are getting smaller and smaller and we all have those special gadgets that we never leave home without. You probably already have a smartphone with you just about everywhere you go, but if you’re in the market for some new portable tech for everyday carry, then we’ve rounded up a handful of great palm-sized devices for you to add to your loadout.

Below are eight of our favorite portable tech deals going right now, from a pair of wireless headphones to a new smartwatch. Even better: All of these gadgets are currently on sale on Amazon at deep discounts of up to $114 off.

Mpow Cheetah wireless Bluetooth headphones

A good pair of Bluetooth headphones is invaluable if you’re frequently on the move and don’t want to be without your music and other entertainment. However, many pairs of wireless earbuds feature clunky receivers or housings that sit on your neck, making them too big for pocket carry. In contrast, the compact Mpow Cheetah headphones fit comfortably behind your ears without any clunky Bluetooth receivers adding unnecessary bulk to the design.

The Cheetah features a nano-coated surface is resistant to sweat and water, making them a great choice for outdoor wear and for sporting activities. AptX technology delivers high-quality stereo sound as well. The Mpow Cheetah wireless Bluetooth headphones are available on Amazon for as low as $23, giving you a 32 percent savings of $11.

Amazon

Dofly 3,400mAh mini power bank

Power banks are great little devices to have with you when you’re out and about, letting you give your portable tech a power boost without having to hunt around for the nearest outlet or USB port. The Dofly mini power bank takes this portability to the next level with its pocket-friendly size and 3,400mAh internal battery. The included lanyard also does double duty as a handy Micro USB charging cable.

The pocket-sized Dofly mini power bank won’t fully charge your devices multiple times over, but the 3,400mAh battery is sufficient for full or near-full charges for most smartphones. This handy portable charger can be had for as little as $11 on Amazon after a 69 percent discount of $25.

Amazon

Anker PowerCore 10,000mAh power bank

If the palm-sized Dofly charger whets your appetite for portable tech but you want something with a bit more juice, the Anker PowerCore is another excellent pocket-friendly power bank. Its 10,000mAh battery can charge your phone multiple times, but the PowerCore is barely larger in length and width than a credit card.

Anker’s proprietary PowerIQ and VoltageBoost technology optimizes charging speed for different devices, ensuring that you’re not waiting around too long for your gadgets to recharge when you need a boost in a pinch. A 48 percent discount of $24 knocks the Anker PowerCore down to just $26 on Amazon.

Amazon

Plantronics Explorer 50 Bluetooth earpiece

Concerns about safe driving and hands-free laws in many jurisdictions make going hands-free a good idea. A quality Bluetooth earpiece like the Plantronics Explorer 50 is a simple and lightweight way to do it. Whether you’re on the road or just walking about and want to keep both of your hands free, this handy mono headset lets you make and receive calls without even having to take out your phone.

The Plantronics Explorer 50 works with any mobile device compatible with Bluetooth 3.0 and its internal battery provides up to 11 hours of continuous talk time before needing a charge. You can score this top-rated wireless earpiece for $26 on Amazon after a 13 percent discount.

Amazon

PNY Micro Hook 32GB USB drive

There’s no such thing as having too much storage space. Long gone are the days when a 500MB hard drive was considered impressive — digital storage continues to get smaller and more efficient, and SD cards and USB flash cards are wonderful things to have if you’re frequently moving data between devices or workstations. Many devices lack SD slots, however, but the PNY Micro Hook USB flash drive is tiny enough that you won’t even miss those easy-to-lose SD cards.

This small USB storage device packs 32GB of memory in a durable metallic body and its small hook makes it the perfect addition to your keychain. The PNY Micro Hook 32GB USB drive can be yours for just $24.50 on Amazon after a 23 percent discount shaves $7.50 off the normal price.

Amazon

Travel Inspira Bluetooth speaker

Although it probably won’t fit in your pocket, the Travel Inspira is a great compact Bluetooth speaker that is especially suited for portability. We featured the Travel Inspira in our recent roundup of the best wireless speaker deals and it’s easy to see why it’s one of our favorites. Along with a 5-watt driver, attractive design, and easy-to-use controls, the Inspira’s unique housing features a slot which lets you use the speaker as a stand for your phone or tablet. You can even connect non-Bluetooth devices via the 3.5mm audio jack.

At 82 percent off of its retail price, the Travel Inspira is on sale on Amazon for just $18, making this a great affordable Bluetooth speaker for you to enjoy your entertainment on the go.

Amazon

Conbrov T16 mini spy cam

Wearable cameras are great, but the best action cams can get pretty expensive and aren’t necessarily something you’re likely to carry around all the time. The super-small mini spy cam from Conbrov, on the other hand, is the perfect size to take with you just about anywhere. This tiny wearable measures at just over one inch on its longest side and includes a magnetic mounting bracket and pocket clip.

Despite its size, the Conbrov T16 boasts impressive filming capability with the ability to record HD video in 720p, and this mini cam can even record nighttime video at short ranges. A 43 percent discount of $30 lets you score the T16 miniature wearable camera for $40 from Amazon.

Amazon

Pebble Time Steel smartwatch

Our final portable tech gadget isn’t something you put in your pocket; in fact, it’s something you can wear all day. The Pebble Time Steel is an attractive and affordable entry-level smartwatch that syncs with your Android or iOS device and send notifications and incoming messages right to your wrist, and the device’s build-in mic lets you reply without even pulling out your phone. The vibrant LED e-paper display is always on and is easy on the eyes. You can choose from thousands of downloadable watch faces to suit your style as well.

Pebble is no longer producing wearables, so this is a solid chance to score a deal on one if prices on the other top smartwatches gives you sticker shock. A new Pebble Time Steel can be yours for as low as $86 on Amazon while supplies last, giving you a discount of up to $114.

Amazon

Looking for more great deals on portable tech and other electronics? Check out our deals page to score some extra savings on our favorite gadgets.

The Mendr app will connect you with people who can help edit your photos

Why it matters to you

Mendr will help people find editors to edit their images and provide an additional income stream for photo editors.

Chances are that at some point in your life wished you could fix something about an image that you didn’t like — hair in your face, wrinkly clothes, a random photobomber, etc. Mendr is a new app aimed at helping you get those changes made by a photo editor with hardly more effort than it takes to call an Uber.

Mendr works by connecting a pool of talented photo editors with people who need imaging edits. All you need to do is download the app, select the image you want to be edited, say what needs fixing, and as Mendr puts it, “editors will take care of the rest.” Users can also just send images to Mendr and let the editor decide what needs to be done, a nice feature for those who know they want an image to look better but don’t know specifically what should be fixed.

Mendr isn’t just an opportunity for people wanting their images edited either, it is also a potential income stream for photo editors looking to pick up more work. In essence, the service is being pitched to photo editors similarly to how Uber pitches to potential drivers. Editors can set their own hours by logging in when they are ready to work and unlike other sites, there is no bidding process. The editor just looks through the available jobs, selects any that they want to do, and they are then able to start working. Getting paid from Mendr will be easy as well through simple Paypal payouts.

Editors will also be able to build a profile and other Mendr users will be able to request them specifically for an extra fee that the editor sets. Mendr also gives the editor 100 percent of that additional fee, which they say will allow editors to build up a following and loyal clients and make more money.

Whatever your needs in regards to photography, be it having your images edited or making some extra money editing, it seems the app is an interesting opportunity to service both needs. Mendr is available for both iOS and Android, and those interested in becoming editors can learn more about it on the editor recruitment website.

Snapchat lets you create custom geofilters straight from its app

Why it matters to you

Have an event coming up that you will broadcast on Snapchat? You can now easily create custom geofilters through the app’s settings tool to use on your photos.

A little over a week after Snapchat released Snap Map — a location-based feature that shows users where their Snapchat friends are and events going on around them — the company has introduced a new way to create custom geofilters. Snapchatters can now submit tons of designs for any event through the app on their phones.

Although custom Snapchat geofilters themselves are not new to the app, the process has now definitely become easier. If you wanted to create one prior to the new feature, you had to go through its “On-Demand Geofilters” website and submit the design using one of the existing templates or one you made yourself using an image editor like Photoshop.

Instead of going through a web browser, users can now create the geofilters easily through Snapchat’s built-in mobile creative studio that lets you add filters, text, stickers, and Bitmojis. Once you are satisfied with the filter, you can choose where and when you want it to appear.

When you are on the app, simply tap on the left settings button in the top-left hand corner of your camera screen. The option for On-Demand Geofilters will appear letting you choose what the filter is for and the template you want to use. From there, you can edit the text within the template or add your own text and stickers. After scheduling the filter and choosing the area you want it to cover, you will receive a confirmation of approval from Snapchat.

The filters can cover an entire block or an event for as little as an hour and as long as 90 days starting at $6. The price is calculated based on a number of factors like how long it will last, how in-demand the location is at the moment, and how big the geofilter is.

Having this option available might make it easier for those who are not as savvy with image editors or want to be able to create filters on the spot whenever inspiration strikes — without having to settle for Snapchat’s pre-made templates if they are not near a computer. But if you are set on a particular design that you created using a third-party program, you can still submit it through Snapchat’s original site for geofilters.

LeEco facing continued cash shortage amidst market expansion, business turbulence

Over-extending at a time of lowered sales and under-performing units is a bad combination.

LeEco’s troubles in 2017 have been numerous and well-documented, but it seems the issues with cash flow have continued and expanded as of late. Speaking this week, LeEco chairman Jia Yueting said the company’s cash issues are “far worse than expected” despite a massive $2.4 billion investment earlier this year.

Despite LeEco’s U.S. launch reaching the point of taking on the “failure” tag, issues with the company run far deeper. Launching a suite of TVs and phones in the U.S. was an ambitious move for sure, but it was really just an example of LeEco perhaps extending itself too widely when it didn’t have the cash flow to cover operations. LeEco decided to pay back a considerable amount of debt at a time in which its overall business was in a downturn — a confluence that really hurt the company.

Despite LeEco’s U.S. launch reaching the point of failure, issues with the company run far deeper.

Jia said in a shareholder meeting that he had expected the large investment from earlier in the year to “solve all the problems” but that clearly wasn’t the case as some of LeEco’s non-public units continued to have tighter-than-expected finances. The plans is to consolidate and liquidate assets within those non-listed units to help out its overall cash position. Jia also said it’s full steam ahead in getting its electric car unit into production after a big round of funding — something that seems increasingly speculative for a company facing financial issues.

Even though its deal to buy Vizio ended up falling through, the hope is for the profitable TV segment of LeEco to focus on the smart TV business and center it around larger panels. The smartphone business, as we all could’ve expected, isn’t likely to be a large driver of revenue going forward when looking at these plans.