The ZTE V870 features a Qualcomm Snapdragon 435 and 16MP camera
Why it matters to you
While this phone is only available in some developing countries, it’s likely we will see more from the company as time goes on.
ZTE is back again with another midrange smartphone but this time around the company is offering a device with some specs that match flagship-level phones — and others that are decidedly less powerful.
The device is called the ZTE V870 and will likely only launch in China and other emerging markets. According to reports, the phone is said to be affordable with decent specs.
So what are those specs? Well, for starters, the phone offers a Qualcomm Snapdragon 435 processor, which is decidedly a midrange chip. That chip, however, is coupled with 4GB of RAM — a figure you really only find in flagship phones these days.
Apart from the processor and RAM, the phone boasts a 1,080 x 1,920 display that sits in at 5.5 inches. It also offers a somewhat large 64GB of storage, which can be expanded upon through the microSD card slot. The camera on the phone comes in at 16MP and offers a f/2.0 aperture and an LED flash. The front-facing camera comes in at 8MP, which is pretty decent. Last but not least is the battery, which comes in at 3,000mAh.
The design of the phone is pretty standard, but that is not necessarily a bad thing. On the back, you will find a camera sensor and right under it, you will see the fingerprint sensor. On the top, you get a headphone jack, while the bottom houses the USB-C connection.
When it comes to software, the phone offers Google’s latest and greatest version of Android, Android 7.0 Nougat. But how much does it cost? Well, reports indicate that it sits in at 2,699 Yuan or $400 — which is a little pricey for a Snapdragon 435-powered phone.
ZTE has been on a roll of late and while it will continue to launch China-only phones, perhaps more of its devices will start making their way to the U.S.
Apple’s iMessage is about to get even more secure with the release of iOS 11
Why it matters to you
Apple wants to keep its iMessage platform as secure as possible, and is poised to make it even safer with iOS 11.
Apple’s iMessage app has long been one of the more secure ways to send messages to your friends, but now it looks like the company could be preparing to improve the security of the app even more by closing a major loophole, according to a report from Motherboard.
While iMessage has long supported end-to-end encryption, there has long been a catch to that encryption — backing up your messages to iCloud allows Apple, and any government or hacker who forces his or her way into Apple’s system, to read your messages. That kind of defeats the purpose of encryption in the first place.
Apple, however, is changing that with the launch of iOS 11, its latest and greatest mobile operating system. All of your conversations in iOS 11 will now be synced automatically across your iPhone, iPad, Mac, and other Apple devices. With that automatic syncing, however, comes new security challenges. Does it mean that Apple will be able to read your messages? Apparently not.
“Our security and encryption team has been doing work over a number of years now to be able to synchronize information across your, what we call your circle of devices — all those devices that are associated with the common account — in a way that they each generate and share keys with each other that Apple does not have,” said Apple’s Senior Vice President of Software Engineering Craig Federighi in an interview with Apple blogger John Gruber. “And so, even if they store information in the cloud, it’s encrypted with keys that Apple doesn’t have.”
How is this possible? Well, we don’t know just yet, but we’ll likely hear more about it in the coming months before the official launch of iOS 11.
Apple’s iMessage is about to get even more secure with the release of iOS 11
Why it matters to you
Apple wants to keep its iMessage platform as secure as possible, and is poised to make it even safer with iOS 11.
Apple’s iMessage app has long been one of the more secure ways to send messages to your friends, but now it looks like the company could be preparing to improve the security of the app even more by closing a major loophole, according to a report from Motherboard.
While iMessage has long supported end-to-end encryption, there has long been a catch to that encryption — backing up your messages to iCloud allows Apple, and any government or hacker who forces his or her way into Apple’s system, to read your messages. That kind of defeats the purpose of encryption in the first place.
Apple, however, is changing that with the launch of iOS 11, its latest and greatest mobile operating system. All of your conversations in iOS 11 will now be synced automatically across your iPhone, iPad, Mac, and other Apple devices. With that automatic syncing, however, comes new security challenges. Does it mean that Apple will be able to read your messages? Apparently not.
“Our security and encryption team has been doing work over a number of years now to be able to synchronize information across your, what we call your circle of devices — all those devices that are associated with the common account — in a way that they each generate and share keys with each other that Apple does not have,” said Apple’s Senior Vice President of Software Engineering Craig Federighi in an interview with Apple blogger John Gruber. “And so, even if they store information in the cloud, it’s encrypted with keys that Apple doesn’t have.”
How is this possible? Well, we don’t know just yet, but we’ll likely hear more about it in the coming months before the official launch of iOS 11.
Get a good night’s sleep with the six best sleep trackers of 2017
Updated on 5-31-2017 by Ed Oswald to include the Beautyrest Sleeptracker.
As the movement to quantify everything we do continues at a feverish pace, sleep-tracking tech is becoming more and more common — no longer is it just a secondary feature of fitness trackers. The overarching idea behind it all is that, with additional information about the quality of your sleep, you can begin to make changes in your lifestyle to improve it, thus creating a positive effect on your mental and physical well-being.
Today, there are a handful of different products on the market capable of measuring your nightly rest and each has its own set of advantages and disadvantages. Below, we’ve put together this overview to help you figure out which one is right for you.
Hello Sense and Sleep Pill ($149)
Hello’s Sense sleep tracker is sensible in every way and we reviewed the first-generation device last year. Now with voice, it’s even better. The hassle-free sphere consistently tracks sleep without a wristband or remembering to engage sleep mode settings. The nest-esque tracker is equipped with an array of sensors — including a microphone, light sensor, particulate sensor, temperature sensor, and humidity sensor — that work to log a summary of your sleep environment.
The environmental tracking data is combined with Sense’s tiny “sleep pill,” which attaches to your pillow to log your sleep patterns. The result is a sleep log accessible via the Sense’s mobile app, one that provides a comprehensive sleep grade and a snapshot of how your bedroom environment factored into your sleep. The addition of voice capabilities means you can now set alarms and upcoming smart home integration makes it an even better deal. With a 12-month lifespan, Sense requires less maintenance than the cactus you got from your sister three years ago.
Buy it now from:
Target
Beddit 3 Sleep Tracker ($150)
Beddit is one of the original sleep trackers that didn’t require you to wear something likely to interfere with your sleep. Apple scooped up the company in May, and at least for the time being, the device is still being sold as a separate product through the Apple Store. The third-generation Beddit shrinks the sensor even more — so much so you’ll likely not even feel it there. You can also track all kinds of sleep data, including sleep duration, quality, respiration rate, and even your heart rate, and the device automatically knows when you’re asleep so you don’t have to bother with anything.
Buy it now from:
Apple
Sleep Number SleepIQ Kids Bed ($700+)
Sleep Number’s SleepIQ for kids makes a lot of sense, even if the bed might be a bit on the pricey side. It’s a mattress with an integrated sleep monitor, which allows parents to monitor their child’s sleep patterns directly from an app. It’s similar to other Sleep Number mattresses, except this one has a few incentives to please the tykes, including gold stars for a good night’s sleep and a “monster detector” that illuminates the space under the bed when the kid wakes up. The mattress also monitors sleep without the need for a bracelet or mattress pad, and the bed comes equipped with a night light parents can turn off remotely when their child falls asleep. Parents can even receive alerts when their kid leaves the bed. Read more here.
Buy one now from:
Sleep Number
Beautyrest Sleeptracker ($200)
We’re big fans of Beautyrest’s Sleeptracker, having tested the unit when it first came out in March. You place the sensors between your mattress and boxspring, which makes it even less noticeable than the ultra-thin sensors you typically place beneath your sheets with other models. Once installed, the device automatically detects when you fall asleep and records heart and respiratory rate. It also utilizes a built-in artificial intelligence to detect various sleep stages — light, deep, and REM. Over time, the AI engine works to provide you with better sleeping tips based on individual sleep habits, as well as any information you provide after a night of sleep. It’s certainly worth the price, even if it is one of the more expensive options on our list. Read more here.
Buy it now from:
Amazon
S+ by ResMed ($50)
One of the more advanced devices on our list is ResMed’s S+. The robust device basically sits on your nightstand and tracks sleeping habits, without requiring you to put something under your bed sheets. How does it do that? With a combination of ultrasonic pulses and sonar, of course. Using the aforementioned tech, the device is capable of seeing through your blankets and monitoring your chest movements as you breathe, which helps indicate the quality of sleep. Perhaps even cooler is the fact the device matches your breathing rhythm to the tempo of music that can help lull you to sleep. You’ll need your phone to do so, however, as the device plays music via your phone’s speaker.
Buy one now from:
Amazon
Withings Aura ($290)
The Aura is a lot like the aforementioned Beddit Sleep Tracker but comes with a few additional features. As with Beddit, the Aura comes equipped with a ballistocardiography sensor pad that slips under your mattress and tracks your movements, heart rate, and respiration. However, this pad is also attached to a color-changing light and speaker. Using these components in tandem, Aura senses when you’re in bed and emit wavelengths of light which enable you to fall asleep faster. It also uses these components to determine when you’re about to wake up, and flicks on a blue light to wake you at the best possible time.
Your sleep data automatically syncs with the Withing’s app, aka Health Mate, which then displays your total sleep time alongside metrics culled from other Withings products. The Aura works with the iPhone 4S and later, however, if you’re an Android user, your device needs Bluetooth LE. Read our full review here.
Buy one now from:
Amazon
Weekly Rewind: AI predicts your death, Britney gets hacked, NASA’s new Mars Rover
A lot can happen in a week when it comes to tech. The constant onslaught of news makes it nigh impossible for mere mortals with real lives to keep track of everything. That’s why we’ve compiled a quick and dirty list of this week’s top 10 tech stories, from what happened at WWDC to how Britney Spears got hacked — it’s all here.
New iMacs at last! And the $5,000 iMac Pro is the most powerful ever
Apple held its 2017 Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) this week, and as usual revealed a slew of new features coming for its various platforms. While WWDC tends to focus on software, Apple’s Mac hardware wasn’t left out of this year’s event.
The iMac is one of Apple’s more important MacOS hardware products, representing the tech giant’s main presence on PC users’ desktops. While the Mac Pro remains in limbo, the iMac got some serious love at the event, with refreshed models available today and a sneak peek at an upcoming iMac Pro.
Read the full story here.
The best fuel efficient car you can buy
When it comes to saving fossil fuels, we now have quite an array of choices. Automakers currently offer a slew of hybrids, plug-in hybrids, battery-electric cars, and even a couple of hydrogen fuel-cell models (in California, at least). But the good ol’ internal-combustion engine isn’t done yet.
Even without electric assist, gasoline and diesel engines can achieve impressive fuel economy, and this list proves it. What we have here is a diverse array of vehicles — including a hatchback, a convertible sports car, a luxury sedan, a pickup truck, and a small SUV — each of which emphasizes fuel efficiency and best-in-class gas mileage without sacrificing performance or practicality.
These vehicles do not feature hybrid or electric powertrains, but if either of those options sounds more appealing to you, feel free to check out our best hybrids and best electric cars lists.
Read the full story here.
For the first time since the 1980s, we’re excited about a music synthesizer
Roli, the London firm best known for its iOS apps and portable MIDI controllers, went all-in with its Seaboard series three years ago. The soft-touch music keyboards, which swap out tactile piano keys with continuous-touch, silicon “keywaves,” are among the most customizable musical instruments on the market. But they aren’t exactly affordable synthesizers around — the cheapest model, the Seaboard Rise, starts at $800 (the Seaboard Grand is $3,000). Later this month, though, that’ll change with the introduction of the Seaboard Block.
The Seaboard Block, which Roli announced on Thursday, is the smallest, lightest, and most compact Seaboard yet. It’s also the first to be compatible with Roli’s modular Blocks system and, at $300, it’s also the company’s most accessible synth yet.
Read the full story here.
NASA’s Mars Rover concept looks like it was designed by Bruce Wayne
When automakers want the public to get excited about the future, they build concept cars. Now NASA is proving that idea works not only for next year’s sedans and SUVs, but for Mars exploration as well.
NASA’s Mars Rover concept won’t actually turn a wheel on the Red Planet, but its eye-catching design will get people’s attention. The vehicle will be displayed at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex to promote the complex’s “Summer of Mars” program, according to a NASA blog post. The program was created to educate the public on NASA’s Mars exploration efforts.
The Mars Rover concept was built by Parker Brothers Concepts, a Florida-based outfit that previously built a replica of the “Tumbler” Batmobile, which a Saudi team unsuccessfully tried to enter into the Gumball 3000 rally. The Tumbler seems to have influenced the design of the six-wheeled Mars Rover, which looks decidedly more macho than real-life space vehicles.
Read the full story here.
Airbnb is making it easier than ever for you to host a person in need
Airbnb is making it easier to be a good samaritan. On Wednesday, the short-term rental company launched Open Homes, a platform that allows hosts to volunteer to give shelter to a person in need. Whether a guest is displaced due to a natural disaster, an immigration ban, or has just fallen on hard times, Airbnb wants to help put a roof over his or her head. And now, you can help.
This is by no means the first time the company has allowed its vast community to demonstrate their benevolence. In 2012, Superstorm Sandy left tens of thousands homeless on the east coast of the U.S., and Airbnb hosts made moves to provide lodging for those affected by the disaster. Similar acts of kindness have taken place since then, largely with the help of the company’s Disaster Response Tool. But with Airbnb’s latest tool, relief organizations can connect those in need directly with Airbnb volunteer hosts, which ought to lead to a more efficient process.
Read the full story here.
‘Me too!’ With the HomePod, Apple’s legacy of audio innovation is dead
Monday at Apple’s WWDC 2017 saw plenty of new updates, upgrades, and even some shiny new toys for Cupertino fans worldwide to ogle during CEO Tim Cook’s exhaustive presentation. But the big-ticket item, Apple’s highly anticipated new smart speaker, was saved for last. Dubbed the HomePod (not the Apple Speaker) Apple’s new device boasts voice-activated smarts, Wi-Fi integration, and Homekit functionality to manage everything from your drapes to your door lock.
Apple’s tagline for the HomePod is that it offers “The chance to reinvent the way we enjoy music in the home,” but there’s an obvious problem with that claim: the way we enjoy music in the home has already been reinvented, and it wasn’t by Apple.
Read the full story here.
Facebook launches ‘disaster maps’ to provide vital data in the midst of a crisis
In an effort to bridge the gap between obtaining crucial information quickly during a crisis and acting accordingly, Facebook has announced the launch of “disaster maps.” The company is partnering with multiple organizations such as UNICEF and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, among others, to gain feedback on the most useful data to aggregate.
Disaster maps serve the purpose of providing a more concrete visual for relief organizations to work off of when making important decisions during an emergency. The data used to create the maps is shared at regular intervals — not quite in real time, but close to it — as a disaster unfolds.
Tracking this information can potentially better identify where resources such as food and water are needed, the directions most people are heading to find safety, and congested areas to avoid in order for help to arrive at the scene quicker.
Read the full story here.
By scanning CT scans, this AI can predict who will die in the next 5 years
This AI will tell people when they’re likely to die — and that’s a good thing. That’s because scientists from the University of Adelaide in Australia have used deep learning technology to analyze the computerized tomography (CT) scans of patient organs, in what could one day serve as an early warning system to catch heart disease, cancer, and other diseases sooner, so that intervention can take place.
Using a dataset of historical CT scans, and excluding other predictive factors like age, the system developed by the team was able to predict whether patients would die within five years around 70 percent of the time. The work was described in an article published in the journal Scientific Reports.
“The goal of the research isn’t really to predict death, but to produce a more accurate measurement of health,” Dr. Luke Oakden-Rayner, a researcher on the project, told Digital Trends. “A patient’s risk of death is directly related to the health of their organs and tissues, but the changes of chronic diseases build up for decades before we get symptoms.”
Read the full story here.
Hackers use Britney Spears’ Instagram to hide instructions for malware attack
Hacking groups are always working on new ways to perpetrate attacks, and now there’s evidence that a Russian outfit known as Turla has figured out a method of using Instagram to carry out its activities. Earlier this week, a report was published that suggests Britney Spears’ account on the photo-sharing service was used as a staging area for a Trojan attack.
The information published by antivirus developer Eset revolves around a Firefox browser extension, according to a report from Ars Technica. The extension purported to offer enhanced security, but in fact served to give the hackers a method of seizing control over an infected system.
A bit.ly URL directed the extension toward its command and control server, but the address was not actually present in its source code. Instead, it was hidden away in a seemingly random comment on one of Spears’ Instagram posts.
Read the full story here.
The bedbugs won’t bite thanks to this smart IoT track-and-trap device
From smart thermostats that intelligently control the temperature in a room to smart devices like the Roomba vacuum cleaner that hoover up dirt, connected devices are capable of carrying out all sorts of functions in the places we sleep. Here’s one we’ve not come across before, though: a Wi-Fi enabled system smart device that’s designed to alert you of any bedbug outbreaks in the making.
Developed by the company Delta Five, the currently available Automated Insect Monitoring System takes the form of a small, 3-inch box that monitors for insects around the clock. The device uses heat, vapors, pheromones, and other odorless methods to attract insects. It then captures them by closing its chamber door, takes a picture of the bug to identify it, and sends an alert to the relevant person, either via text message or email.
“Given our initial focus on hospitality, and our core competencies in robotics, unattended sensors, computer vision, and machine intelligence, we recognized a significant gap between available products and actual need as it relates to bedbugs,” Jason Janét, Delta Five’s CEO, told Digital Trends.
Read the full story here.
Weekly Rewind: AI predicts your death, Britney gets hacked, NASA’s new Mars Rover
A lot can happen in a week when it comes to tech. The constant onslaught of news makes it nigh impossible for mere mortals with real lives to keep track of everything. That’s why we’ve compiled a quick and dirty list of this week’s top 10 tech stories, from what happened at WWDC to how Britney Spears got hacked — it’s all here.
New iMacs at last! And the $5,000 iMac Pro is the most powerful ever
Apple held its 2017 Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) this week, and as usual revealed a slew of new features coming for its various platforms. While WWDC tends to focus on software, Apple’s Mac hardware wasn’t left out of this year’s event.
The iMac is one of Apple’s more important MacOS hardware products, representing the tech giant’s main presence on PC users’ desktops. While the Mac Pro remains in limbo, the iMac got some serious love at the event, with refreshed models available today and a sneak peek at an upcoming iMac Pro.
Read the full story here.
The best fuel efficient car you can buy
When it comes to saving fossil fuels, we now have quite an array of choices. Automakers currently offer a slew of hybrids, plug-in hybrids, battery-electric cars, and even a couple of hydrogen fuel-cell models (in California, at least). But the good ol’ internal-combustion engine isn’t done yet.
Even without electric assist, gasoline and diesel engines can achieve impressive fuel economy, and this list proves it. What we have here is a diverse array of vehicles — including a hatchback, a convertible sports car, a luxury sedan, a pickup truck, and a small SUV — each of which emphasizes fuel efficiency and best-in-class gas mileage without sacrificing performance or practicality.
These vehicles do not feature hybrid or electric powertrains, but if either of those options sounds more appealing to you, feel free to check out our best hybrids and best electric cars lists.
Read the full story here.
For the first time since the 1980s, we’re excited about a music synthesizer
Roli, the London firm best known for its iOS apps and portable MIDI controllers, went all-in with its Seaboard series three years ago. The soft-touch music keyboards, which swap out tactile piano keys with continuous-touch, silicon “keywaves,” are among the most customizable musical instruments on the market. But they aren’t exactly affordable synthesizers around — the cheapest model, the Seaboard Rise, starts at $800 (the Seaboard Grand is $3,000). Later this month, though, that’ll change with the introduction of the Seaboard Block.
The Seaboard Block, which Roli announced on Thursday, is the smallest, lightest, and most compact Seaboard yet. It’s also the first to be compatible with Roli’s modular Blocks system and, at $300, it’s also the company’s most accessible synth yet.
Read the full story here.
NASA’s Mars Rover concept looks like it was designed by Bruce Wayne
When automakers want the public to get excited about the future, they build concept cars. Now NASA is proving that idea works not only for next year’s sedans and SUVs, but for Mars exploration as well.
NASA’s Mars Rover concept won’t actually turn a wheel on the Red Planet, but its eye-catching design will get people’s attention. The vehicle will be displayed at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex to promote the complex’s “Summer of Mars” program, according to a NASA blog post. The program was created to educate the public on NASA’s Mars exploration efforts.
The Mars Rover concept was built by Parker Brothers Concepts, a Florida-based outfit that previously built a replica of the “Tumbler” Batmobile, which a Saudi team unsuccessfully tried to enter into the Gumball 3000 rally. The Tumbler seems to have influenced the design of the six-wheeled Mars Rover, which looks decidedly more macho than real-life space vehicles.
Read the full story here.
Airbnb is making it easier than ever for you to host a person in need
Airbnb is making it easier to be a good samaritan. On Wednesday, the short-term rental company launched Open Homes, a platform that allows hosts to volunteer to give shelter to a person in need. Whether a guest is displaced due to a natural disaster, an immigration ban, or has just fallen on hard times, Airbnb wants to help put a roof over his or her head. And now, you can help.
This is by no means the first time the company has allowed its vast community to demonstrate their benevolence. In 2012, Superstorm Sandy left tens of thousands homeless on the east coast of the U.S., and Airbnb hosts made moves to provide lodging for those affected by the disaster. Similar acts of kindness have taken place since then, largely with the help of the company’s Disaster Response Tool. But with Airbnb’s latest tool, relief organizations can connect those in need directly with Airbnb volunteer hosts, which ought to lead to a more efficient process.
Read the full story here.
‘Me too!’ With the HomePod, Apple’s legacy of audio innovation is dead
Monday at Apple’s WWDC 2017 saw plenty of new updates, upgrades, and even some shiny new toys for Cupertino fans worldwide to ogle during CEO Tim Cook’s exhaustive presentation. But the big-ticket item, Apple’s highly anticipated new smart speaker, was saved for last. Dubbed the HomePod (not the Apple Speaker) Apple’s new device boasts voice-activated smarts, Wi-Fi integration, and Homekit functionality to manage everything from your drapes to your door lock.
Apple’s tagline for the HomePod is that it offers “The chance to reinvent the way we enjoy music in the home,” but there’s an obvious problem with that claim: the way we enjoy music in the home has already been reinvented, and it wasn’t by Apple.
Read the full story here.
Facebook launches ‘disaster maps’ to provide vital data in the midst of a crisis
In an effort to bridge the gap between obtaining crucial information quickly during a crisis and acting accordingly, Facebook has announced the launch of “disaster maps.” The company is partnering with multiple organizations such as UNICEF and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, among others, to gain feedback on the most useful data to aggregate.
Disaster maps serve the purpose of providing a more concrete visual for relief organizations to work off of when making important decisions during an emergency. The data used to create the maps is shared at regular intervals — not quite in real time, but close to it — as a disaster unfolds.
Tracking this information can potentially better identify where resources such as food and water are needed, the directions most people are heading to find safety, and congested areas to avoid in order for help to arrive at the scene quicker.
Read the full story here.
By scanning CT scans, this AI can predict who will die in the next 5 years
This AI will tell people when they’re likely to die — and that’s a good thing. That’s because scientists from the University of Adelaide in Australia have used deep learning technology to analyze the computerized tomography (CT) scans of patient organs, in what could one day serve as an early warning system to catch heart disease, cancer, and other diseases sooner, so that intervention can take place.
Using a dataset of historical CT scans, and excluding other predictive factors like age, the system developed by the team was able to predict whether patients would die within five years around 70 percent of the time. The work was described in an article published in the journal Scientific Reports.
“The goal of the research isn’t really to predict death, but to produce a more accurate measurement of health,” Dr. Luke Oakden-Rayner, a researcher on the project, told Digital Trends. “A patient’s risk of death is directly related to the health of their organs and tissues, but the changes of chronic diseases build up for decades before we get symptoms.”
Read the full story here.
Hackers use Britney Spears’ Instagram to hide instructions for malware attack
Hacking groups are always working on new ways to perpetrate attacks, and now there’s evidence that a Russian outfit known as Turla has figured out a method of using Instagram to carry out its activities. Earlier this week, a report was published that suggests Britney Spears’ account on the photo-sharing service was used as a staging area for a Trojan attack.
The information published by antivirus developer Eset revolves around a Firefox browser extension, according to a report from Ars Technica. The extension purported to offer enhanced security, but in fact served to give the hackers a method of seizing control over an infected system.
A bit.ly URL directed the extension toward its command and control server, but the address was not actually present in its source code. Instead, it was hidden away in a seemingly random comment on one of Spears’ Instagram posts.
Read the full story here.
The bedbugs won’t bite thanks to this smart IoT track-and-trap device
From smart thermostats that intelligently control the temperature in a room to smart devices like the Roomba vacuum cleaner that hoover up dirt, connected devices are capable of carrying out all sorts of functions in the places we sleep. Here’s one we’ve not come across before, though: a Wi-Fi enabled system smart device that’s designed to alert you of any bedbug outbreaks in the making.
Developed by the company Delta Five, the currently available Automated Insect Monitoring System takes the form of a small, 3-inch box that monitors for insects around the clock. The device uses heat, vapors, pheromones, and other odorless methods to attract insects. It then captures them by closing its chamber door, takes a picture of the bug to identify it, and sends an alert to the relevant person, either via text message or email.
“Given our initial focus on hospitality, and our core competencies in robotics, unattended sensors, computer vision, and machine intelligence, we recognized a significant gap between available products and actual need as it relates to bedbugs,” Jason Janét, Delta Five’s CEO, told Digital Trends.
Read the full story here.
Best Tablets for Kids 2017
If you’re in the market for kid-friendly tablets, we’ve got a list of contenders.
Every kid wants a tablet. They’re fun, portable, easy to use, and they keep the little ones entertained. If your children have seen you working (or playing) on a tablet, chances are they want to play, too.
Deciding to invest in a tablet for your child is a big step, and there are a number of qualities to consider: price, parental controls, and perhaps most importantly, durability. We’ve read the reviews, asked around, and brought together the tablets we believe will be the best for your kids .
- Amazon Fire Kids Edition
- LeapFrog Epic Kids Tablet
- Dragon Touch 7 inch Android Kids Tablet
- Fisher Price Kids Learning Tablet
Amazon Fire 7 Kids Edition
The only tablet that offers a two-year, no-questions-asked warranty is Amazon’s. If the unthinkable happens to the Fire 7 Kids Edition, or if you know your kids tend to be hard on their toys, this is peace of mind included in the price of the product. Running the mature and fast Fire OS, the only thing missing is Google’s services, but Amazon’s Appstore is stocked with lots of apps and games.
It comes with one year of Amazon FreeTime Unlimited, which allows your child to access over 10,000 apps, games, shows, movies, and books, all kid-tested and parent-approved. Parent mode, which is accessed with a password, gives you the opportunity to share media that your kids need your permission to get into. It also helps keep little fingers away from your Amazon account, which is pretty important.
The latest update to the Fire Kids Edition bases it on the “all new” Fire 7, which brings a better screen, improved battery life and dual-band Wi-Fi for better connectivity. If you want a different case, there are plenty out there to choose from, or you can get it in blue, pink or yellow.
See at Amazon
LeapFrog Epic Kids Tablet
LeapFrog was one of the first tablet-style devices made just for kids. Until recently, parents had to purchase cartridges in order to get games or educational materials for LeapFrog products, but the latest version of the tablet has eliminated the cartridges in favor of Wi-Fi and an Android 4.4-based OS. Now that everything can be downloaded, just like a regular “grown up” tablet, you’ll never have to go searching for little green cartridges again.
The tablet comes with LeapSearch, a child-friendly browser that lets kids “explore” the web without stumbling into adult territory. Kids can download pre-approved apps without worry and keep themselves occupied with plenty of safe content. The 16GB LeapFrog has an expandable SD card port, just in case your child requires more storage for their new favorite gadget. Parental controls within the LeapSearch browser allow you to set time limits either for the entire tablet or for particular games. These controls also let you unlock web access as your child grows up.
The Epic has a battery life of approximately 6 hours and a 7-inch screen. At 3.6 pounds, this tablet is heavier than most, but it stands up to drops and unexpected accidents. The bumper case, available in either green or pink, is removable, which helps reduce some of the weight and bulk once your child has mastered their grip on the tablet.
See at Amazon
Dragon Touch 7 inch Android Kids Tablet
The Dragon Touch tablet runs on Android’s KitKat OS. It’s Wi-Fi, HDMI, and Bluetooth-compatible, so you may find yourself playing around on it after the kids are in bed. Reviews for the Dragon Touch are consistently favorable, and the cost is reasonable, starting around $60. The 8GB storage is expandable thanks to a microSD slot.
The tablet comes pre-installed with “Zoodles,” a child-friendly app store. Here, kids can access free games and educational software. If you want to share some digital artwork your kids have created on social media, you have access to Parent Play Along mode, letting you access things like Facebook. In Play Along mode, you can download other apps for your kids that they would not otherwise have access to. You’ll also have access to services like Netflix for family-friendly shows and movies or for binge-watching your own shows when the kids are done playing.
The thick silicone case makes the Dragon Touch drop and bump-proof, and it’s easy for small hands to grip onto. It weighs 9.8 ounces, and the bumper is available in either red or blue. The battery life tops out around 3.5 hours — which could even be an advantage if you’re looking to limit usage.
See at Amazon
Fisher Price Kids Learning Tablet
The first thing you’ll notice about the Fisher Price Kids Learning Tablet is that it’s perfectly suited to handing off to the little ones without worrying about it disintegrating. It’s eye-catching enough to be fun, while being covered in the sort of rugged case that will protect from the likely frequent tumbles.
Fisher Price preloads the tablet with 35 apps and games suited for ages 3 and up, which is great, because part of a good experience for a kids tablet is tailored content. But, where it has the edge on something like the Fire Tablet is with full access to Google Play.
Without being siloed away from Google’s massive app catalog, you’ve access to anything you want to have for your kids. All for $100, which isn’t bad at all.
See at Toys R Us
The bottom line
No one knows your child like you do. You are the best predictor of what your child is going to enjoy and get the most use out of. You’re also the one with the wallet.
But it’s tough to look too far beyond the Amazon Fire Kids Edition. Amazon’s no-quibble warranty and sheer amount of content available for the young ones makes it hard to top. All of these are good, though, so you’re sure to be getting a great tablet for your kids with any of these.
Update June 2017: Added Amazon Fire Kids Edition.
Google introduces reCAPTCHA Android API to keep mobile apps safer from bot abuse
Adding reCAPTCHA functionality is but another tool for Android developers to keep their apps secure.
Machine learning and security were big themes at Google I/O, including making the Google Play Protect service more visible to users. In a recent post on the Android Developers Blog, Google has announced the first reCAPTCHA Android API as part of Google Play Services.
If you’ve spent any time on the internet over the past 10 years, you’ve surely run into Google’s free reCAPTCHA service, which has benefitted billions of users and saved countless websites from the spam and abuse caused by scripted bots. The service has become so advanced that Google announced it was going to become invisible to human users, while suspicious users and bots will have to solve those familiar challenges.
This new Android API will use that latest reCAPTCHA technology to run in the background so users can enjoy their favorite apps and avoid spam and abuse without being interrupted with a human check. The API will be included with Google SafetyNet, the existing set of services and APIs that developers use to protect apps from security threats. This is a win-win for users, who will get an extra layer of security built into their favorite apps without ever noticing it’s there.
Every Daydream app you can install right now, and a look at what comes next
Just go ahead and install all of them. You know, for fun.
Google’s first Daydream headset is finally shipping to people who purchased the first Daydream phone, and are quickly finding it’s not easy to locate the whole list of Daydream apps from the Play Store. While we’ve been having a lot of fun showing you the best free Daydream apps and the Daydream games everyone should have installed, the act of browsing for apps and then waiting for them to install while in VR isn’t a good time.
To make it a little easier, we’ve tracked down the first wave of Google Daydream apps that are available to install now, so you can load up your Pixel with VR goodness and see what this new experience is all about.
Read more at VR Heads!
GoPro Fusion preview: The 360 camera you’ve been waiting for
GoPro has given us a first look at the upcoming Fusion 360-degree action camera. Like the Hero and Session, it’s designed to be strapped to virtually any part of you, your bike, shoes, car or any number of accessories. It’s just as much an action camera as the others, except this one shoots in 360 degrees and has some impressive features.
It’s worth noting, the units we saw were very much pre-production models, and this was more a sneak peak teaser than a full-on product announcement. That means some (or most) details and specs aren’t being shared, but we’ve seen enough of how it performs and works to at least give you a taster of what to expect. If pre-launch models are anything to go by, the real thing won’t just be what the 360/VR capture market needs, it could revolutionise action camera video.
GoPro Fusion preview: Design
GoPro kept things fairly simple on the design front. It’s a square camera that’s noticeably larger than the Hero 5, but it is roughly the same thickness and has a similar finish. GoPro retained the dual-tone grey colour scheme and the grippy diagonal lines around the edges. As you’d expect, it also has the same two-button control system to keep things familiar and simple for existing users.
Pocket-lint
There’s a camera on the front and the back of the Fusion, as well as the usual small, square monochrome screen on the front which will show basic information during shooting, just like the Hero does. The one thing it doesn’t have is a touch screen or viewfinder. Arguably, having one on a 360-degree system doesn’t make any sense, so it’s a fair omission.
Using the usual mounts, you can attach the Fusion to most of the existing selection of GoPro accessories, although due to its size, it obviously won’t fit in the Karma mount. That means no drone flying for this gadget just yet.
While GoPro hasn’t officially confirmed as much yet, it seems the Fusion is built to withstand water. We noticed one (accidentally) being submerged in water at least 1 metre deep for a few minutes, and it worked just fine afterwards. That’s not a surprise though, with its similarities to the Hero 5 in terms of finish and build, it looks like it will cope with all your rainiest, wettest action cam sessions. It’s not confirmed, but we’d be very surprised if it wasn’t waterproof.
Pocket-lint
GoPro Fusion preview: Cameras and OverCapture
Being a 360-degree camera, the Fusion is equipped with two 180 degree lenses that capture everything all around the device. It shoots 5.2k video, and its sensors and optics make this one of the best action cameras we’ve seen. Strangely, it’s not because its footage can be viewed in a VR headset like the Gear VR (as cool as that was). It’s what it does to transform the 360 video in to a flat video that anyone can watch.
With so many consumers using their phones to consume media on the go, GoPro decided it made sense to develop a way to transform its 360 captures in to videos that look great on a flat screen. With 5.2k resolution and something called OverCapture, the company looks like they’ve cracked it.
Using its OverCapture feature, you can choose to have a nice flat shot of one part of the action, or select a wider one, or even have a “tiny planet” like experience that shows all of the video. More importantly though, when editing the footage you can pan through select parts, or transition between the tiny planet and more traditional flat video scenes smoothly in one motion.
As an example, you could have the Fusion set up on a tripod, completely still and have a bike or dog run past it, and in the edit, you can follow that action almost as if you were moving a regular single video camera. So when you go to show your friends, or watch it back on a TV, you don’t miss any of the important action.
As you’re watching it back, it looks as the the camera itself was being moved, but it isn’t. It’s all in the Over Capture technology and the way it can switch, transition and edit. It’s pretty phenomenal.
What this does for regular consumers, and technophobes, is it gives them the ability to make amazing action videos. You’ll be able to make professional looking, immersive video, and barely lifting a finger to do it. Arguably then, you actually get a better experience from it on a flat mobile or TV screen than strapped into a headset, although even then, the video quality was good.
As with many of the other features, we don’t have any information about the camera sensor resolution in terms of regular still photos or an idea about battery performance. There’s more to come in that regard, sometime later this year.
GoPro Fusion: When can I get it?
There’s no concrete release date yet for the Fusion. Currently, the company has opened up registration for a pilot program where it will select a few experienced prosumers to test out the camera before it’s officially available. You can sign up at GoPro’s Fusion web-page. Actual retail launch hasn’t been nailed down just yet, neither has a price, but the plan is to have the camera starting to roll out by the end of 2017.
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First Impressions
Although we’re short on official specifications, we’ve seen enough to excite us about what’s coming up, when the company eventually reveals everything we need to know about the new 360 degree action camera. For us though, the experience is more than just about numbers on a screen. What’s going to make this camera unique is its ease of use and the OverCapture feature.
With OverCapture, being able to smoothly switch between a regular sized photo or video frame to the tiny planet effect in a single transition, editing on the fly on a smartphone, it’s impressive to say the least. We think this is the real story here and something which has the potential to shake up the VR camera industry, and reinvigorate the action camera market.
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