The quantified kid: Wearables for children are on the rise, for better and worse

Why it matters to you

Kid-focused wearable tech could potentially save lives. But are we ready to track our children yet?

Anyone with kids will be uncomfortably familiar with the feeling of helplessness that comes from them getting sick, especially when we’re unsure exactly what the root cause is. That’s what CJ Swarmy experienced when his eldest son Eashan became unwell a couple of years back.

“He’s a typical, active, healthy child who loves to run around, get in trouble, and is especially fond of playing at the Golden Gate Park,” Swarmy told Digital Trends. “One day after one of our play trips, Eashan fell sick, getting a high fever. The next day, when we took him to the doctor we discovered that he had heat exhaustion and a bit of dehydration. Naturally I was scared. I’m a very diligent parent, but I hadn’t seen this coming.”

Fortunately, like so many of these instances, Eashan turned out to be just fine. After the initial scare, he returned to his normal self and, a few days later, didn’t even remember being sick. But Swarmy did experience lasting effects. Feeling shaken by the incident — but also in a position to help change things — Swarmy went away and designed a wearable device to help parents keep closer tabs on their children.

The resulting product, launched by Swarmy’s company Good Parents Inc., is a smart sensor-filled wrist-worn wearable, designed for kids aged 3-10 years old. Currently available for pre-order on Kickstarter, its aim is to monitor key biometrics and detect unusual patterns, so that parents and guardians can use the insights to take effective action in matters concerning their kids’ health and wellbeing.

Features of Kiddo include the monitoring of biometrics such as skin temperature, heart rate, sleep, activity and perspiration levels, as well as keeping track of a child’s nutrition. It uses machine learning technology to take that information and learn what is normal for your kid. If a major change is detected, parents receive a mobile app notification, letting them know their child may be sick, stressed, eating badly, or similar. It can also suggest actions that parents may take to alleviate the symptoms. It even lets parents and children set goals designed to encourage healthy habits, with a rewards-based system that’s triggered when goals are reached.

Kiddo isn’t the only wearable device to be aimed at youngsters, either. While Kiddo is smarter than most, thanks to its use of artificial intelligence, there is a cottage industry of devices focused on tracking children. These include gadgets like the Tinitell, a kids GPS tracker with live map monitoring, which also doubles as a water-resistant, voice-recognition wrist phone.

The rise of the technologies offer some exciting potential solutions, but also raises challenges. Like the age of a child when they get their first smartphone, or the amount of screen time they’re allowed, how young is too young for a wearable device? And do things change if it’s in the interests of their health — or does this come under the same “freedom through surveillance” banner that makes NSA tracking objectionable to many?

The use of technology with kids remains a contentious issue. For example, the late Steve Jobs — an influential leading figures in the high tech world, by any definition — previously spoke out about his refusal to let his kids get hooked on tech.

Back in 2010, one year before his tragic death at the age of 56, Jobs was asked by New York Times writer Nick Bilton what his kids thought of the iPad, which had just launched to great acclaim. Jobs told the stunned Bilton that his kids didn’t have an opinion on it, because they’d not yet tried it. “We limit how much technology our kids use at home,” he said. Jobs’ official biographer Walter Isaacson backed up the story: “Every evening Steve made a point of having dinner at the big long table in their kitchen, discussing books and history and a variety of things,” he said. “No one ever pulled out an iPad or computer. The kids did not seem addicted at all to devices.”

There is, of course, a difference between a device like an iPad and a wearable. One involves screen time and active participation from the user, while the other is designed to operate almost invisibly in the background; requiring virtually no involvement from the person using it. But both instill an early reliance on technology, and use of self-tracking with the understanding that one’s behavior is being measured and quantified by both machines and other users. Such technology could, in fact, be a negative for both parents and kids. It ties into the phenomenon of “helicopter parents” as described in Sherry Turkle’s 2011 book Alone Together: Why We Expect More From Technology And Less From One Another.

“[Helicopter parents] hail from a generation that does not want to repeat the mistakes of its parents (permitting too much independence too soon) and so hover over their children’s lives,” Turkle writes. Turkle describes, not altogether positively, a generation of kids frequently coming from broken families, who have grown up with technologies like metal detectors as standard at schools and airports. “They tend not to assume safe passage,” Turkle writes, and notes that connected devices become “amulet[s] emblematic of safety.”

It’s a fair concern to raise. Today’s generation of wearable-sporting kids will go on to live in a world in which such devices are ubiquitous, and where machine learning-assisted surveillance in smart homes, smart cities, and smart workplaces is pervasive. The question is: what age is too young?

It’s a question that parents and families will have to discuss. In terms of keeping children safe, smart wearables like Kiddo share a lot in common with cellphones: another device which causes plenty of discussion as to the right age to give children. Like phones, smart wearables will provide a link between parent and child; providing invaluable peace of mind to both parties. Wearable devices also don’t come with the more obvious downsides of cellphones, such as the possibility of grooming or sexting (although possible hacking is certainly a concern.)

But some parents may be uncomfortable with the idea of the quantified kid: a child whose data is being monitored, analyzed, and sliced and diced at a time in their life when they should just be left to be kids. It’s part of a much broader topic that will only become more pressing as today’s generation of kids grows into tweens, teens, and beyond.

What’s not up for questioning is whether kid-centric wearables are on the way. Far from lurking on the horizon, as our roundup article demonstrates, they’re already here. Parents are monitoring their children, for better and for worse.

For the first time since the 1980s, we’re excited about a music synthesizer

Why it matters to you

Roli’s portable Seaboard Blocks keyboard’s compactness makes it great for composing on the go.

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 most accessible synth from the company yet.

“Music making will only begin to thrive in the digital age when electronic instruments are truly intuitive and can be played as expressively as any acoustic instrument,” Roli chief Roland Lamb said in a statement. “Seaboard Block is the culmination and convergence of our work at Roli to create new instruments that are deeply emotive and easy to play.”

We had a chance to play with the Seaboard Block ahead of Thursday’s announcement, and discovered an experience that’s impressively close to the Rise and Grand. The Block made from the same material (albeit a bit thinner), and features 24 raised keys which can distinguish between taps and touches of varying force. For example, you can mimic instrument vibrato, such the warbling of a violin string as the player’s finger moves rapidly on the string, by creating a similar movement on the keys.

As mentioned, the Seaboard Block is highly customizable, too. You can adjust the key sensitivity via a PC or an iOS app, and assign configurable filters to touchpads set into the keyboard’s top and bottom edges. By default, swiping across the bottom modulates the pitch. In fact, the entire device is essentially a touchpad.

The Seaboard Block works well as a standalone MIDI controller. Paired to a PC or MAC, it feeds taps and touches via a low-latency Bluetooth connection to Roli’s proprietary Equator Player, which ships with over 100 sounds (from percussion to strings), six sound packs (including Vintage Electronic and Cinematica), and it’s easy to add to digital audio workstations, working equally well in environments like Cubase and FL Studio, as well as Abelton Live, Logic Pro, and Omnisphere.

On mobile devices like the iPhone and iPad, the Seaboard Block pairs with Roli’s Noise app, which packs loops, instruments, and other music creation tools. After you’ve created a recording, a social component lets you publish your works to Noise.FM, Roli’s social network for music producers, where you can also download and remix compositions and collaborate on songs with other users.

Block heads

Perhaps the best thing about the Seaboard Block is its aforementioned compatibility with Roli’s Blocks, a puzzle-like system of modular MIDI controllers that snap together. And that’s where the Seaboard Block really shines.

Roli’s Blocks include the Live Block, which lets you switch scales and octaves, trigger chords, and sustain notes on the fly; the Loop Block, which features playback controls that help record a loop and play it back; and the Lightpad Block, a pressure-responsive, illuminated grid that lets you manipulate sound with taps, glides, and other gestures. The Seaboard Block hooks to Block modules on any side, or even additional Seaboard Blocks.

As the name implies, the Seaboard Block really starts to make sense when you pair it with other Blocks.

Roli is also introducing a new Block alongside the new Seaboard called the Touch Block. It’s the same size as the Live Block and Loop Block, designed to offer “expressive” controls for the Lightpad and Seaboard’s touch-sensitive surfaces, like one that adjusts how side-to-side finger movements bend pitch on the surface of the Seaboard Block.

As the name implies, the Seaboard Block really starts to make sense when you pair it with other Blocks.

Attach the Seaboard Block to the Live Block, for example, and you get illuminated playback controls, a dedicated “record” button, volume controls, and a multicolor progress bar that shows the progress of the loop or song that’s being played.

Pair it to the Lightpad Block, and you get a sample queue, a visual metronome, and programmable instruments designated by color. You can assign any one of the Noise app’s 128 virtual sounds and instruments to individual squares on the Lightpad, multiple columns, or the entirety of the controller’s light-up surface.

The only downside there is the potential expense. The Lightpad Block retails for $180, and Roli’s other Blocks — including the Live Block, Loop Block, and the Touch Block — start at $80. It doesn’t take long before the costs add up.

But Roli argues that with Blocks, you get more bang for your buck than most MIDI systems — and that’s a fair point. You only need a Lightpad Block or Seaboard Block to get started, and the other Blocks are optional — Roli’s Noise app lets you tweak every part of the experience. In comparison, Abelton’s popular Push 2 will run you $800 with the software.

Roli believes that the Seaboard Block will appeal to another demographic outside the studio world, as well: Music creators who want an affordable, lightweight controller they can fit in a backpack.

“[The Seaboard Block] is one of the most simultaneously accessible and expressive digital instruments ever made,” Lamb said. “I can’t wait to hear what people create with it.”

The Seaboard Block is available for pre-order through the Roli store and retail partners including Sweetwater, GuitarCenter, and Amazon. It begins shipping in late June.

For the first time since the 1980s, we’re excited about a music synthesizer

Why it matters to you

Roli’s portable Seaboard Blocks keyboard’s compactness makes it great for composing on the go.

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 most accessible synth from the company yet.

“Music making will only begin to thrive in the digital age when electronic instruments are truly intuitive and can be played as expressively as any acoustic instrument,” Roli chief Roland Lamb said in a statement. “Seaboard Block is the culmination and convergence of our work at Roli to create new instruments that are deeply emotive and easy to play.”

We had a chance to play with the Seaboard Block ahead of Thursday’s announcement, and discovered an experience that’s impressively close to the Rise and Grand. The Block made from the same material (albeit a bit thinner), and features 24 raised keys which can distinguish between taps and touches of varying force. For example, you can mimic instrument vibrato, such the warbling of a violin string as the player’s finger moves rapidly on the string, by creating a similar movement on the keys.

As mentioned, the Seaboard Block is highly customizable, too. You can adjust the key sensitivity via a PC or an iOS app, and assign configurable filters to touchpads set into the keyboard’s top and bottom edges. By default, swiping across the bottom modulates the pitch. In fact, the entire device is essentially a touchpad.

The Seaboard Block works well as a standalone MIDI controller. Paired to a PC or MAC, it feeds taps and touches via a low-latency Bluetooth connection to Roli’s proprietary Equator Player, which ships with over 100 sounds (from percussion to strings), six sound packs (including Vintage Electronic and Cinematica), and it’s easy to add to digital audio workstations, working equally well in environments like Cubase and FL Studio, as well as Abelton Live, Logic Pro, and Omnisphere.

On mobile devices like the iPhone and iPad, the Seaboard Block pairs with Roli’s Noise app, which packs loops, instruments, and other music creation tools. After you’ve created a recording, a social component lets you publish your works to Noise.FM, Roli’s social network for music producers, where you can also download and remix compositions and collaborate on songs with other users.

Block heads

Perhaps the best thing about the Seaboard Block is its aforementioned compatibility with Roli’s Blocks, a puzzle-like system of modular MIDI controllers that snap together. And that’s where the Seaboard Block really shines.

Roli’s Blocks include the Live Block, which lets you switch scales and octaves, trigger chords, and sustain notes on the fly; the Loop Block, which features playback controls that help record a loop and play it back; and the Lightpad Block, a pressure-responsive, illuminated grid that lets you manipulate sound with taps, glides, and other gestures. The Seaboard Block hooks to Block modules on any side, or even additional Seaboard Blocks.

As the name implies, the Seaboard Block really starts to make sense when you pair it with other Blocks.

Roli is also introducing a new Block alongside the new Seaboard called the Touch Block. It’s the same size as the Live Block and Loop Block, designed to offer “expressive” controls for the Lightpad and Seaboard’s touch-sensitive surfaces, like one that adjusts how side-to-side finger movements bend pitch on the surface of the Seaboard Block.

As the name implies, the Seaboard Block really starts to make sense when you pair it with other Blocks.

Attach the Seaboard Block to the Live Block, for example, and you get illuminated playback controls, a dedicated “record” button, volume controls, and a multicolor progress bar that shows the progress of the loop or song that’s being played.

Pair it to the Lightpad Block, and you get a sample queue, a visual metronome, and programmable instruments designated by color. You can assign any one of the Noise app’s 128 virtual sounds and instruments to individual squares on the Lightpad, multiple columns, or the entirety of the controller’s light-up surface.

The only downside there is the potential expense. The Lightpad Block retails for $180, and Roli’s other Blocks — including the Live Block, Loop Block, and the Touch Block — start at $80. It doesn’t take long before the costs add up.

But Roli argues that with Blocks, you get more bang for your buck than most MIDI systems — and that’s a fair point. You only need a Lightpad Block or Seaboard Block to get started, and the other Blocks are optional — Roli’s Noise app lets you tweak every part of the experience. In comparison, Abelton’s popular Push 2 will run you $800 with the software.

Roli believes that the Seaboard Block will appeal to another demographic outside the studio world, as well: Music creators who want an affordable, lightweight controller they can fit in a backpack.

“[The Seaboard Block] is one of the most simultaneously accessible and expressive digital instruments ever made,” Lamb said. “I can’t wait to hear what people create with it.”

The Seaboard Block is available for pre-order through the Roli store and retail partners including Sweetwater, GuitarCenter, and Amazon. It begins shipping in late June.

Evil Controllers’ esports gamepad ditches macros, speeds up button actuation

Why it matters to you

If you think Evil Controller’s macro-supporting gamepads give players too much of an edge, the Shift should be more to your liking.

Evil Controllers has announced a brand new esports-focused controller for the Xbox One and PS4 called the Evil Shift. It’s designed to be faster and more intuitive than other gamepads available on the market, though it does ditch the controversial macro software support of some of Evil’s other controllers.

The reputation of Evil Controllers is rather mixed, depending on who you speak to. Some like the company’s focus on bringing some of the PC’s customizable controller systems and macro command functions to consoles, while others see (at least that latter feature) as some measure of cheating. The Shift should avoid some of that controversy, however, as it does away with the macros and instead pushes its abilities as a fast-paced esports controller.

That’s because to be tournament compatible and therefore usable by esports gamers, the hardware can never allow macro mapping. Evil makes a big point that that feature has been stripped from the Shift.

Buyers of the new gamepad can still expect the on-the-fly button remapping of previous Evil Controller designs, but the big changes come in the form of new face buttons, which have an audible click for actuation and a much faster reaction time. Hair trigger buttons reduce tension by more than 50 percent (as per Polygon), which should also speed up presses for trigger commands — whatever you want them to be.

There are also additional buttons at the base and back of each handgrip, where players’ fingers naturally sit. That gives them additional commands which can be activated without moving fingers from their resting point. They can also be actuated from any angle, so no matter how your fingers sit on them, a press will be recognized as a press.

Those “paddles” are unique to Evil Controller designs, we’re told, so much so that the gamepad maker is looking to patent the design. Future Evil Controller designs will use them too, though they will come in different shapes and sizes, giving users options when it comes to their paddle choices.

The Shift will also come with a choice of three thumbstick sizes, letting users pick their preference on a game by game basis.

As it stands there is no hard pricing information, though the Shift is slated to cost around the same as Evil’s other controllers — so anything from $100 up to $250. There will be two versions though, one with a removable cable and one without.

Expect the Shift to debut at some point this summer.

Niantic celebrates Pokémon Go anniversary with huge update, real-world events

Niantic is planning summer-long events to celebrate Pokémon Go’s anniversary.

Niantic has announced that it is kicking off a series of in-game and real-world events to celebrate the one-year anniversary of Pokémon Go. Launched last summer, the title proved to be a monumental hit around the world, amassing over 750 million downloads.

Niantic will host an in-game Solstice Event starting June 13, featuring “Fire-type and Ice-type Pokémon, huge XP bonuses for throwing Poké Balls accurately, and discounted Lucky Eggs in the in-game shop.” The game is slated to pick up a huge update focused on “collaborative group gameplay,” which will likely introduce a PvP mode.

Niantic has also shared details on the first real-world Pokémon Go event, which will take place in Chicago on July 22. Tickets for the Pokémon Go Fest Chicago will be available from the Pokémon Go Live website starting June 19 at 10:00 a.m. PDT, and there’s the option to register your interest to be notified when tickets go up for sale.

Players in Europe will be able to partake in celebrations that will be hosted across the continent from June through September, with Niantic teaming up with Unibail-Rodamco shopping centers. Finally, The Pokémon Company is organizing a “Pikachu Outbreak” event in Yokohama in August that will provide a “unique Pokémon Go experience.” A full schedule for the European and Japanese events will be detailed in the coming weeks.

Pokémon Go

• Pokémon Go Game Guide!
• Pokémon Go Gen 2 FAQ
• Pokémon Go tips and tricks
• How to deal with GPS errors in-game
• How to play without killing your battery
• Join our Pokémon Go forums!

Best Vertical Docks for PlayStation 4

So long as you have a decent dock, standing your PlayStation 4 up vertically isn’t a problem.

While your PlayStation 4 console has a sturdy base to sit on horizontally, there is a way to save some space on the entertainment center. By using a dock, you can easily ensure that, when standing vertically, your console is stable and ready to give you access to your games, music, and movies.

• Keten Vertical Stand
• Ortz Vertical Stand
• Official PlayStation Vertical Stand
• Tosa Blue Light Stand

Keten Vertical Stand

When it comes to saving space on your entertainment center, moving your console so that it is standing is a solid choice that can help to give the illusion of decluttering. The Keten Vertical Stand for the slim PlayStation 4 model is a great example of how to do this right.

You get the stand, which will securely hold your system in place, along with a few bells and whistles to help you out. This includes two fans and multiple USB ports that can be used to charge your controllers, all of which are powered by a USB port. There is even a fold-out tray, which can display your games so that you always know where to find them.

See at Amazon

Ortz PS4 Vertical Stand

The Ortz Vertical Stand has a slightly bolder look than some of its competitors, with a wide, hexagonal shape to its vertical stand. This isn’t just made to save you some space, although it certainly does that by letting you safely move your PlayStation 4 console to a vertical position.

Ortz is also powered by a USB that includes two extra ports for charging your controllers, as well as a built-in cooling element to help keep your system a bit cooler during those marathon gaming sessions.

See at Amazon

Official PlayStation Vertical Stand

Sometimes you just want the product that’s going to get the job done, without having to consider any additional bells or whistles. If that’s the case when it comes to looking at vertical docks for your PlayStation 4, then the Sony Vertical Stand is probably the one you’ll want to look at.

It’s a single-piece stand, built by Sony for the PlayStation 4 console. There aren’t any additional features here of any kind, just a small stand that won’t be grabbing attention or creating more clutter for you in the long run.

See at Amazon

Tosa Blue Light Stand

There aren’t many ways that you can make your PlayStation 4 console look slicker when you’ve got it in a vertical dock, but the Tosa Blue Light Stand can definitely help. This stand is pretty low-key, until you plug in the USB that powers it.

As you might guess, the stand has a light bar, which glows the same blue as your console does when it is active and being used, giving this accessory a bit more flair than some of the other stands on our list. It also includes several USB ports, which means you can easily charge your extra controllers without having to argue about where everything plugs in.

See at Amazon

Have you gone vertical?

Vertical stands can help you to save some room if you are rearranging your entertainment center, as well as being a great way to ensure that all of your controllers are charged and ready for when you want to play. Have you been considering a vertical stand? Is there an excellent stand we didn’t cover that we should know about? Be sure to leave us a comment and let us know about it!

PlayStation 4

• PS4 vs. PS4 Slim vs. PS4 Pro: Which should you buy?
• PlayStation VR Review
• Playing PS4 games through your phone is awesome

See on Amazon

Use your Amazon Echo and Alexa to follow the UK General Election

It’s the UK General Election today, with millions voting on the future leaders of the country throughout Thursday 8 June, with results expected to start to come in soon after midnight tonight.

TV stations will undoubtedly cover the proceedings all day and night, but there’s another, less intrusive way to follow the news and information as it comes in. You can use your Amazon Echo or other Alexa-enabled device to keep up-to-date with the election simply by using your voice.

You can use a fair few key phrases to find out different aspects of the General Election throughout the day. Polling statistics are available, along with updates on the individual parties.

• Amazon Echo gets cool new features, check out what Alexa can do now
• Amazon Echo vs Amazon Tap vs Echo Dot vs Echo Look vs Echo Show: What’s the difference?

Alexa can also tell you which areas have declared and which party has gained or retained its seat.

Here are a few questions you can try throughout today:

• Alexa, what’s the polling like?
• Alexa, what’s the latest with The Labour Party?
• Alexa, what’s the latest with Theresa May?
• Alexa, what’s the latest with the election?
• Alexa, who is winning the election?
• Alexa, how many seats do the Liberal Democrats have?
• Alexa, who is winning in Scotland?

There are plenty more too, which you can find out for yourself. You can even ask Alexa for stats on previous elections and information about the candidates in this one.

Whatever you do, we also thoroughly encourage you to vote, whoever your chosen party is. It is your democratic right to help shape the future of the country and you should use it.

The Amazon Echo is currently £149.99 in black or white on Amazon.co.uk. It costs $179.99 on Amazon.com in the States.

Oppo UDP-203 and 205 Blu-ray players now support Dolby Vision

Oppo has released an official update for its UDP-203 and UDP-205 Ultra HD Blu-ray players that will bring the added benefit of Dolby Vision support.

• What is Dolby Vision?: Dolby’s very own HDR TV tech explained
• Opponents UDP-203 review: UHD Blu-ray has never looked so good

A Beta version of the firmware has previously been available in the US, and some owners there noticed their players being able to support Dolby’s own HDR TV tech. Now though, Oppo has begun rolling out a firmware update for owners worldwide.

The update can be completed either via the internet, or can be downloaded to USB stick from Oppo’s website, and then loaded onto the player.Dolby Vision has, up until now, only been available to view through services such as Netflix and Amazon, but the first 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray discs to support the format: Despicable Me 1 and 2, were released this week on 6 June.But even if you have an Oppo player, and a Dolby Vision disc to play on it, you’ll still need a Dolby Vision-enabled TV to take full advantage.

• Dolby Vision is now available as a software update for compatible kit
• LG’s 2017 OLED TVs are brighter than ever before and support Dolby Atmos
• Sony 4K HDR TV choices for 2017 explained

LG’s 2016 lineup of OLED TVs was the first to support Dolby Vision, and its 2017 lineup has followed suit. Sony jumped on the Dolby Vision bandwagon too with its A1 OLED TV, XE94 and XE93 TV ranges. 

If you don’t have a Dolby Vision TV, you’ll still be able to watch discs in HDR via HDR10. Dolby Vision expands upon HDR10 by being a complete end-to-end production process, so Dolby can dictate the metadata in each frame, and then Dolby Vision-enabled players and TVs can read it exactly as it was meant to be. 

The result is far more accurate colours, greater contrast levels and higher levels of brightness, delivering a more lifelike image and one that the director intended.

The Oppo Blu-ray player update is rolling out now, you can find a full tutorial on how to update it on the company’s website.

Grab yourself a cheap Kindle Paperwhite for summer reading with £20 off

Amazon has discounted two of its top eBook readers just in time for your summer holidays.

The Amazon Kindle Paperwhite and Kindle Voyage readers are both carrying sale prices at present, with £20 knocked off each.

That means you can get a Kindle Paperwhite for £89.99 (usual price £109.99) and the Kindle Voyage for £149.99 (usually £169.99).

• Click here to buy the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite
• Click here to buy the Amazon Kindle Voyage

All versions of the Paperwhite and Voyage are discounted, so you can also buy the white Kindle Paperwhite, plus versions of both devices with 3G connectivity as well as the standard Wi-Fi.

You can also choose to have “special offers” – Amazon suggestions on your device – switched on or off. The latter costs a bit more.

The Amazon Kindle Paperwhite device has a 6-inch screen with 300ppi E Ink resolution. It also has a built-in backlight light to improve reading conditions in all light, whether it is day or night.

• Which Amazon Kindle is best for you? Kindle, Kindle Paperwhite, Kindle Voyage or Kindle Oasis?
• Amazon Kindle Oasis vs Kindle Voyage vs Kindle Paperwhite: What’s the difference?

The Amazon Kindle Voyage also has a 6-inch screen with 300ppi resolution. It includes an adaptive front light, which changes brightness depending on ambient lighting conditions, which works with the backlight to further improve reading. It is also lighter than the Paperwhite, weighing 180g in preference to 205g.

Both devices have touchscreen displays, but the Voyage adds “PagePress” touch in the side bezels.

Apple iPad Pro 10.5: Release date, specs and everything you need to know

Apple officially revealed several new products during its WWDC developer conference in June, one of which was a new iPad Pro, while another was the larger iPad Pro with updated specs. There was also a Siri speaker – called HomePod – announced, but that’s an entirely different topic for an entirely different feature.

The new iPad Pro is the device we are focussing on here. Bridging the rather large gap between 2016’s iPad Pro 9.7 and the iPad Pro 12.9, the iPad Pro 10.5 replaces the 9.7-incher with a slight redesign and a big bump in specs. Here is everything you need to know about the iPad Pro 10.5.

• Apple WWDC 2017: All the announcements that matter

Apple iPad Pro 10.5: Design

• 250.6 x 174.1 x 6.1mm, 469g or 477g
• 20 per cent larger screen, 40 per cent reduction in bezels to iPad Pro 9.7
• Smart Connector, Lightning port, 3.5mm jack and four-speaker audio

The Apple iPad Pro 10.5 features a similar design to the previous iPad Pro models, only Apple has reduced the bezels around its display by 40 per cent. It therefore is almost identical to the iPad Pro 9.7 but you get a 20 per cent larger display without too much increase in actual footprint.

The new model measures 250.6 x 174.1 x 6.1mm and it weighs 469g or 477g, depending on whether you opt for the Wi-Fi only model, or the Wi-Fi and LTE option. The same premium, slim metal build is present with the Apple logo on the rear, slightly raised rear camera lens in the top left-hand corner and the Touch ID home button beneath the display on the front.

There were reports the new iPad would ditch the home button and there were also reports of a bezel-free device, aside from the top of the display where the FaceTime camera sits but alas, not this time.

Like the iPad Pro 9.7, the iPad Pro 10.5 has a four-speaker setup and a Smart Connector on the rear for attaching the Smart Keyboard. The standard Lightning Connector is positioned at the bottom for charging and a 3.5mm headphone jack is present at the top.

The iPad Pro 10.5 comes in four colour options comprising space grey, silver, gold and rose gold. The iPad Pro 12.9 only comes in space grey, silver and gold.

• Apple iPad Pro 10.5 vs iPad Pro 9.7: What’s the difference?

Apple iPad Pro 10.5: Display

• 10.5-inch, 2224 x 1668 resolution, 264ppi
• True Tone, anti-reflective coating, P3 wide colour gamut
• Support for 120Hz refresh rate, 600nits brightness

The Apple iPad Pro 10.5 features a 10.5-inch display, as you might expect from its name. The display is one of the biggest differentiating factors between the new model and the 9.7-inch iPad Pro it replaces, and not just because of the size increase and bezel reduction.

Like the smaller model, the iPad Pro 10.5 comes with an LED-backlit Retina display, though the resolution has increased slightly to 2224 x 1668 pixels in order to offer the same 264ppi pixel density as its predecessor. The company’s True Tone technology is on board again, adapting the colour and intensity of the display to match your environment, and the P3 wide colour gamut is also present.

Apple claims the iPad Pro 10.5 has the most advanced display in the world though. It is claimed to be brighter at 600nits, less reflective and more responsive than the previous model, supporting a 120Hz refresh rate, which means a smoother and more fluid experience from both your finger and the Apple Pencil. 

• What is Apple’s True Tone display?

Apple iPad Pro 10.5: Camera

• 12MP rear camera, 7MP front
• 4K video from rear, Full HD from front
• OIS, Quad-LED True Tone flash, 5x digital zoom from rear

The Apple iPad Pro 10.5 features the same rear and front cameras as the iPhone 7. This means you’ll find a 12-megapixel rear snapper with an f/1.8 aperture, five times digital zoom, optical image stabilisation and a Quad-LED True Tone flash.

It is capable of recording up to 4K video at 30fps and you’ll also get all the photo features found on the iPhone 7, including exposure control, auto HDR, body and face detection and Live Photos with stabilisation.

In terms of the front camera, there is a 7-megapixel sensor with an f/2.2 aperture and a Retina Flash. The front snapper is capable of 1080p video recording and it too offers auto HDR, exposure control, a timer mode and body and face detection. No matter what your thoughts are on tablet photography, the iPhone 7’s cameras are excellent so the iPad Pro 10.5 will no doubt deliver in this department.

• Apple iPhone 7 review

Apple iPad Pro 10.5: Hardware

• A10X Fusion processor, M10 motion coprocessor
• 64GB, 256GB and 512GB storage options
• Compatible with Apple Pencil and Apple Smart Keyboard

The Apple iPad Pro 10.5 features the A10X Fusion processor under its hood, as the rumours predicted, along with an embedded M10 motion coprocessor. The new chip is claimed to offer 30 per cent faster performance than the previous iPad Pro generation, as well as 40 per cent faster graphics and Apple says it will cope easily with tasks such as editing 4K video or rendering 3D images.

The battery capacity remains the same as its predecessors, with Apple claiming the new model will deliver up to 10 hours of life. The storage capacities have changed though, with the iPad Pro 10.5 available in 64GB, 256GB and 512GB options, none of which offer microSD as is the case with all Apple devices.

As mentioned, the iPad Pro 10.5 comes with four-speaker audio, a 3.5mm headphone jack and a Smart Connector on the rear. It is compatible with Apple Pencil, which has improved latency to 20ms thanks to the new display, and it is also compatible with a new Apple Smart Keyboard, designed specifically for the new size.

• Apple iPad Pro 12.9 review

Apple iPad Pro 10.5: Software

• Will launch on iOS 10
• iOS 11 due in September

The Apple iPad Pro 10.5 will feature iOS 10 when it first launches, though it will get an update to iOS 11 when the new software build arrives this Autumn. It’s expected to be released alongside the new iPhones in September.

Plenty of exciting functions and features have already been previewed by Apple during WWDC though so we already have an idea of what to expect when it arrives. The Apple Pencil will become more useful with iOS 11, with Instant Notes, Instant Markup, Inline Drawing and Searchable Handwriting all arriving.

There will also be a new Drag and Drop feature, allowing you to move text, photos or files from one app to another, and Apple has also redesigned the App Switcher to make changing apps quicker, requiring just a swipe.

Multi-tasking has also been redesigned with both apps staying active in Slide Over and Split View formats, a new Files app will bring all your documents and files together from your iPad to your iCloud and services like Dropbox, and there is an all-new Dock too for favourite and recently used apps and files.

• iOS 11: 11 features coming to your iPad and iPhone

Apple iPad Pro 10.5: Release date and price

The Apple iPad Pro 10.5 was announced on 5 June during WWDC 2017, alongside a spec-updated iPad Pad 12.9. Both are available to pre-order now from Apple. They will both ship on 14 June.

The Apple iPad Pro 10.5 starts at £619 and goes up to £1019, depending on the storage capacity and model you select.

The Apple iPad 12.9 starts at £769 and goes up to £1169 for the top storage and Wi-Fi and Cellular model.