Jawbone is reportedly dead (again)

A little more than a year after rumors suggested Jawbone would shut down, it appears the company actually is. The Information reports it has begun liquidation proceedings and notices have been sent to creditors, with many employees moving on to founder Hosain Rahman’s new company Jawbone Health. According to its source, Jawbone Health will continue to service the company’s various devices while working on “health-related hardware and software services.” As far as its legal squabbling with Fitbit, that will continue.

The move lines up with a report from TechCrunch earlier this year, however it will mean a loss for many investors that contributed some $900 million to the company, which was previously valued at as much as $3 billion. Once upon a time Jawbone was known for high quality Yves Behar-designed Bluetooth headsets, and it eventually expanded to other products including speakers and fitness trackers.

Last year, the company said “Jawbone remains wholly committed to innovating in and building great wearables products. The company has never been more excited about its pipeline of technology and products and looks forward to sharing them when ready,” but it appears that plan has changed. We’ve contact Jawbone about the report, but have not received a response yet, this post will be updated if we do.

Source: The Information

Google Maps crowdsources info for wheelchair-accessible places

It’s important to know whether a restaurant or other building is accessible if you use a wheelchair. While Google already added this information to places in its Maps app a while ago, the company has just announced that it will be crowdsourcing a larger set of accessibility options to help those with wheelchairs know if places are accessible or not. Google claims it has added this valuable information to almost seven million places around the world.

According to a Google blog post, you’ll now be able to add even more accessibility details to places from Google Maps for Android. You simply open the main menu, tap “Your contributions,” then “Uncover missing info.” Sort by “Accessibility” to find places missing these details and then fill it in. We were unable to see these options in our own testing, so it’s possible the feature may roll out to users over time. Once people have added in this information, though, you’ll be able to see whether a place has wheelchair-accessible entrances, elevators, seating and parking using the desktop or mobile versions of Maps, as well as within Google Search on mobile. Google told Engadget that it has no information to share on an iOS or web-based way to add accessibility information, but reiterated that all users can see it via Maps and Search.

Source: Google

‘Halo 5’ will run in ‘true 4K’ on Xbox One X

Halo 5 is getting the “true 4K” treatment with the Xbox One X. During Halo 5’s pre-release hype cycle, Microsoft said that it was so focused on hitting 60 frames per-second with the game that there weren’t any sacred cows — including split-screen co-op, a series staple. Maybe don’t expect that to return with the Xbox One X’s more powerful innards, though.

More than that, by year’s end, Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, Halo 3, Halo 3: ODST and Halo 4 will all be backwards compatible on Xbox One. You know, if you didn’t already own the Halo: The Master Chief Collection of remasters. In a blog post, Microsoft says that every Xbox 360 add-on map pack will be made free on the Xbox Store. You’ll even be able to hook an Ethernet cord between Xbox Ones and Xbox 360s for a cross-generation LAN party if you’re so inclined.

Microsoft is easing even more for this year (2017 is Halo 3’s 10th anniversary, after all) and you can catch all the details at the source link below.

Source: Halo Waypoint

Mars is even more toxic to life than we thought

We haven’t found life on Mars yet, but the discovery of organic molecules in the soil and atmosphere have left many hoping that it’s just a matter of time before we do. However, recent experiments may have thrown some cold water on these dreams. Scientists have studied compounds within Martian soil and discovered that they are toxic when combined with Mars’ UV rays.

We’ve suspected that Mars was home to perchlorates since the Viking Lander missions four decades ago; the discovery was confirmed by more recent rovers. However, scientists were divided on what it could mean. Some have argued that the presence of perchlorates on Mars actually might increase the likelihood of finding life on the red planet. Not only do perchlorates lower the freezing point of liquid water, but these compounds could be used as an energy source for bacterial life. After all, one type of perchlorate, ammonium perchlorate, is currently used as solid rocket fuel.

According to their published findings in the journal Scientific Reports, scientists took common Earth bacteria, mixed them with Martian perchlorates and then exposed them to UV rays similar to those on Mars. The results were definitive: Bacteria were wiped out twice as quickly when perchlorates were present. Upon adding in other components found in Martian soil, iron oxide and hydrogen peroxide, the results were even worse: Bacteria were killed 11 times faster than with just perchlorates. The paper states, “These data show that the combined effects of at least three components of the Martian surface, activated by surface photochemistry, render the present-day surface more uninhabitable than previously thought.”

There is one upside to this discovery, though. While it’s unlikely at this point that we’ll find life on the surface of Mars (underground is still a possibility), the results of this study alleviate concerns about Earth-based bacteria contaminating the surface of Mars. While we should continue to take care when sending anything into outer space, any microscopic Earth-based life that hitches a ride to Mars will likely be killed by Mars’ toxic conditions.

Via: The Guardian

Source: Scientific Reports

Researcher uses Game Boy Camera to capture 2-bit photos of space

The Game Boy Camera, released in 1998, wasn’t even close to the weirdest peripheral for Nintendo’s classic handheld console and even earned a Guinness World Record for the smallest digital camera in the world. Its 2-bit, 128 x 128 pixel CMOS sensor managed very grainy black-and-white shots, making it far more fun than technically impressive. And yet, a Dutch researcher and tinkerer just used one to catch some charmingly blocky photos of the moon and Jupiter.

Astrogphrapher Alexander Pietrow used a universal cell phone mount to strap one of the 29-year-old monochrome workhorses to an appropriately old telescope (built in 1838) in Leiden University’s Old Observatory and aimed at at the stellar bodies.

The resulting photos are barely detailed — Jupiter is half a dozen pixels wide — but they’re blocky in a charming throwback to the original Game Boy’s 8-bit graphical style. Pietrow even managed to pick out three of the gas giant’s moons, singular pixels in a field of star dots. (Note that the image below has been blown up 400 percent to make it visible, since the Game Boy Camera takes photos at a whopping 112 x 128 pixel resolution.)

Maybe it doesn’t do much for astronomy as a field, but it’s a lovely reminder that space still fascinates at any resolution — that we still find meaning when stretching for the cosmos with the crudest of tools.

Via: PetaPixel

Source: Alexander Pietrow

Qualcomm Seeks iPhone and iPad Import Ban in the United States

The legal battle between Qualcomm and Apple continues to escalate, with Qualcomm asking the United States International Trade Commission (ITC) to block imports of select iPhone and iPad models, reports Fortune. Qualcomm also wants to stop sales of devices that are already in the United States and has filed a new patent infringement case against Apple in the Southern District of California.

According to Qualcomm, Apple is infringing on six Qualcomm patents related to carrier aggregation and technologies that are designed to allow iPhones to save battery life while communicating. The six patents cited by Qualcomm were granted between 2013 and 2017 and are not licensed or standard-essential patents that are part of the ongoing Qualcomm v. Apple battle over royalty payments.

Qualcomm is asking the ITC to block all iPhones that are equipped with LTE chips from competing mobile communications companies, which would include AT&T and T-Mobile iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus models equipped with Intel chips, along with some iPad models. In an interview, Qualcomm lawyer Don Rosenberg said Qualcomm is pursuing another lawsuit and an import ban because Apple is not willing to pay for the technology it uses.

“If Apple was a willing licensee and Apple was someone who was, like everybody else, willing to pay for what they use, we wouldn’t be suing them on these patents,” Don Rosenberg, Qualcomm’s general counsel, said in an interview. “But they’re not, and we felt we were put in a position, given all the lawsuits they’ve brought against us around the world, of not simply having to defend ourselves but having to take some affirmative action ourselves.”

As noted in Qualcomm’s ITC request, a possible ban on the iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, and future iPhones wouldn’t happen for approximately 18 months, so it would not affect the devices Apple plans to release in September of 2017. Qualcomm expects the ITC to look into the complaint in August and schedule a trial for 2018, and it believes the new patent infringement case filed today could be put on hold until the ITC makes a decision on the import ban.

The dispute between Apple and Qualcomm kicked off in January, when the FTC complained that Qualcomm had engaged in anticompetitive patent licensing practices. Apple sued Qualcomm for $1 billion shortly after, accusing the company of charging unfair royalties for “technologies they have nothing to do with” and refusing to pay quarterly rebates.

Qualcomm countersued in April, accusing Apple of breaching licensing agreements, making false statements, and encouraging regulatory attacks against Qualcomm, which prompted Apple to stop making royalty payments to Qualcomm entirely until a court can determine the proper amount due.

Since then, the two companies have been fighting a bitter public battle. Apple in late June expanded its lawsuit against Qualcomm and accused the wireless chipmaker of “double-dipping” with unfair patent licensing agreements. According to Apple, Qualcomm has overcharged it by billions of dollars, while Qualcomm says its innovations are “at the heart of every iPhone.”

Alongside its dispute with Apple, Qualcomm is also now facing an FTC lawsuit for using anticompetitive tactics to remain the dominant supplier of baseband processors for smartphones.

Tags: lawsuit, Qualcomm, Patent lawsuits
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Jawbone Going Out of Business as CEO Moves on to New ‘Jawbone Health Hub’ Startup

In May of last year, speaker and fitness tracker company Jawbone ended production of its fitness trackers and started seeking a buyer for its speaker business, leading to speculation that the company was going out of business.

Jawbone denied claims that it was shutting down and planned to pivot to medical products for direct sale to clinical practitioners, but that may not have panned out, as The Information reports that the business is officially shutting down.

Jawbone has reportedly started liquidation proceedings and notices have been sent out to its creditors.

Jawbone co-founder and CEO Hosain Rahman has moved on to a new company called Jawbone Health Hub that is designed to make “health-related hardware and software services.” Many existing Jawbone employees have already transitioned to the new company.

Jawbone Health will reportedly service existing Jawbone products, which may allow existing Jawbone customers to get help with their devices. Jawbone has been ignoring customer service requests for several months, making customers unhappy. Starting in January, Jawbone customers were unable to contact Jawbone support and did not receive responses to service requests for faulty products.

Tag: Jawbone
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Red’s first phone has a holographic display and a price tag worthy of the brand

Why it matters to you

The display tech featured in Red’s first phone may be otherworldly and wildly expensive, but we could see it trickle down to mainstream devices in the future.

Professional digital imaging firm Red is mostly known for absurdly expensive film cameras, but now it has turned it attention to a different kind of product. The company has unveiled the Hydrogen One, an Android-powered smartphone that is unlike any other we’ve seen.

The party piece here is the screen. Red calls it a “professional hydrogen holographic display,” and what it does is enable on-the-fly switching between 2D content, stereoscopic 3D content, and holographic Red Hydrogen 4-View content. While we’re not exactly sure what that last one could possibly look like in action, the point is that the Hydrogen One is able to deliver all these kinds of media formats without the need for glasses or any additional accessories. It’s kind of like the Nintendo 3DS in that way, but with a much more advanced screen.

It’s for this reason that the company calls the device “the world’s first holographic media machine,” rather than simply a smartphone. The display itself is 5.7 inches in size, and Red has not stated the resolution of the display, nor the underlying tech — be it LCD, OLED as the upcoming iPhone is rumored to feature, or something perhaps completely different. We’ve reached out to Red for clarification.

But there’s more that differentiates the Hydrogen One than just the screen alone. Red has fitted its first phone with a proprietary audio algorithm that it says converts ordinary stereo into multidimensional sound. Interestingly, it doesn’t seem to require custom accessories hardware either, meaning ordinary headphones will still be able to provide the depth effect.

Finally, Red says the device allows for a certain degree of modularity as well, to support future attachments for shooting higher quality video, still images, and holographic content. Strangely however, the press release doesn’t elaborate as to the on-board imaging tech.

We can see the bezeled camera housing in the lone promotional image we have of the device, but as for other details — megapixels, aperture, sensor size, whether there’s a dual-camera system in play, and so on — there’s no information provided. However, Red does mention a specialized app and content hub called the Red Channel where users can download and upload holographic content, indicating you should be able to record such video out of the box.

There are still many more details about the Hydrogen One that have yet to be confirmed. We don’t know what processor is powering this phone for example, or how much memory it’s packing. We can see a USB-C port and 3.5mm headphone jack, but as for everything else, lots of questions remain. We’ll update this article as we hear more.

We do, however, know the price — and it appears all that next-generation media doesn’t come cheap. The Hydrogen One can currently be pre-ordered in two configurations: an aluminum model for $1,200, and a titanium one for a whopping $1,600.

Red says that pricing is also subject to change, as are the design and specs before the phone launches sometime in the first quarter of 2018. The company is very clear that it can’t guarantee those prices upon the release date; once the pre-order run is all spoken for, the Hydrogen One could end up being even more expensive.

What’s inside the AtariBox? We pieced together all the clues

During E3 2017, Atari posted an interesting 21-second teaser called AtariBox. In short visual stabs, it shows what appears to be a redesigned Atari 2600 console. Atari CEO Fred Chesnais confirmed that the AtariBox was indeed real, and that the company was back in the hardware business.

Naturally, that generated a lot of buzz. But before you get too excited at Atari’s possible return to the console wars, you should consider where the company is now, where it plans to go, and what Fred Chesnais has publicly stated since he rescued the company from bankruptcy protection in 2013. What you’ll find is that a full-fledged console likely isn’t on the Atari menu.

Atari, the software company

Today, Atari makes its money as a game publisher. It serves up games for Android and iOS such as RollerCoaster Tycoon Touch, Atari Vault, Centipede: Origins, and many more. The company also provides an “online arcade” where fans can play Flash-based versions of Centipede, Lunar Lander, Missile Command, Pong, Yars’ Revenge, and more, within a web browser.

Atari also serves up older console and PC games such as Ghostbusters: Sanctum of Slime, Blood, and the RollerCoaster Tycoon series. Atari is even rebooting its popular franchises, publishing reimagined versions of Asteroids, Yars’ Revenge, and Haunted House.

Classic games optimized by Atari for a game-optimized smartwatch doesn’t seem far-fetched at all.

Atari does make money from games, and it even generates cash with lucrative licensing of its brand to Hollywood. Yet that doesn’t mean Atari is able to make the huge investment required to compete with Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo. Sony and Microsoft often lose money with each console sold, and make up for that loss through software sales. Based on Atari’s current software portfolio, it doesn’t appear to have the cash to do that.

Chesnais said, in 2015, that the company has no plans to build a new console. Instead, Chesnais indicated his interest in producing an Atari-branded smartwatch capable of playing games. That’s totally feasible, as smartwatches on the market today can play clones of Asteroids, Galaxia, Brick Breaker, and Pong. Classic games optimized by Atari for a game-optimized smartwatch doesn’t seem far-fetched at all.

What would a new Atari look like?

What, then, is the AtariBox? In 2014, Chesnais said that Atari was contemplating a replica of the Atari 2600. The comment seemingly points to a device like what Nintendo produced during the 2016 holiday season — the NES Classic Edition console. It’s a miniature version of Nintendo’s very first home console packed with 30 games, HDMI connectivity, and the ability to save progress.

The NES Classic Edition had classic games you can’t purchase to play on other hardware, however. That’s not the case for Atari, which has frequently made its classics available on various platforms, so if the company is indeed taking that route, it will need something to get gamers excited. One possibility is an AtariBox that plays not just Atari 2600 games, but also made for the 5200, 7800, and Jaguar consoles — and maybe even the Atari Lynx handheld system, too.

Chesnais’ said in an interview that AtariBox will rely on PC technology, which is what started the excitement. That’s a very vague description, and could be a play on words to generate buzz. Both Microsoft and Sony ditched proprietary processors in their latest consoles, and went with AMD-based processor and graphics technology used in PCs for the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 consoles.

To some degree, Nintendo’s Switch console is based on PC technology, too. Unlike the Xbox One and PlayStation 4, the Switch is based on a variant of a mobile all-in-one “Tegra” chip designed by PC graphics card provider Nvidia. It contains processor cores based on the ARM mobile CPU architecture, which mainly powers smartphones, tablets, and other mobile devices. But Nvidia’s chip also includes graphics cores based on Nvidia’s “Maxwell” design for PC-based graphics cards. In a sense, then, it could be called “PC technology.”

If Atari chose to rely on Nvidia’s Tegra mobile chip, then the AtariBox could be a themed, Atari-branded variant of the Shield TV set-top-box. But right now, Atari’s Android-based portfolio on Google Play is limited to six games including Atari Greatest Hits, Centipede Origins, and RollerCoaster Tycoon Classic. A lot of work might be involved on porting the games to Android-compatible versions. And an Android TV-based console feels unlikely given how the highly-anticipated Ouya’s success panned out.

Another unlikely route for Atari is a branded PC. The video teased by Atari hints at 2600-like surfaces that could be applied to a console-shaped PC like Dell’s Alienware Alpha, which has a starting price of $550. The AtariBox could even be a themed, branded miniature PC from Zotac or Gigabyte. After all, the company does license out its brand. We don’t think that’d be a great idea, however. Even Valve Software’s own highly-popular Steam brand had difficulty selling PC gaming machines under the company’s Steam Machine initiative. Atari wouldn’t stand a chance.

If the AtariBox isn’t an Xbox One competitor, an Android-based set-top-box, or a branded desktop PC, what is it? Our best guess is a device capable of PC-based software emulation.

PC technology, retro fun

Right now, all signs seemingly point to an Atari 2600 revamp with digital output, internal storage, and pre-installed Atari 2600 games. But if the AtariBox isn’t a straight-up copycat of Nintendo’s NES Classic Edition and SNES Classic Edition consoles, we could be looking at a device capable of playing the company’s PC games along with its limited Android library through emulation. The software would presumably be sold and maintained through a built-in Atari Play marketplace.

Right now, all signs seemingly point to an Atari 2600 revamp with digital output.

But that PC-based design would also mean the device would need to rely on a version of the free, open-source Linux operating system to keep the overall console cost down. However, based on what’s available through Steam right now, only a dozen Atari-published titles are compatible with the Linux platform.

What about input? If the AtariBox is indeed a remake of the 2600 model, expect identical joysticks connecting through a USB port instead of the previous 9-pin input. Of course, Atari could opt to throw in standard gamepads instead, but that would break the retro feel. Having full USB ports would mean gamers could purchase third-party controllers that can be used both on the AtariBox and PCs.

Despite all the recent buzz, Chesnais said Atari was still working on the design, so we may not see what Atari is up to for quite a while… if at all. Until then, we can only speculate that the AtariBox is a small Atari 2600 clone with updated components. Frankly, the fact so many of potential AtariBox ideas lead to a dead end, makes us think the concept isn’t as promising as it seems – until we learn more details, at least.

Switching to the ‘Un-carrier?’ Here’s a breakdown of T-Mobile’s plans

T-Mobile is the most rebellious of the four big carriers in the United States, with its “Un-carrier” moves being the ones that truly shake up the industry. Over the past few years, T-Mobile has killed two-year contracts, ended data overages, and opened up a lot of cool features to its customers. Its service is still a bit spotty in many parts of rural America, but its urban coverage can’t be beat. If you live in an area that gets T-Mobile service, you’ll definitely want to check out the Un-carrier’s plans.

That said, we’ve broken down each of T-Mobile’s plans to help you better understand the good and the bad hidden within. Here are a few main points to get you started.

• T-Mobile really has only one plan, whether you’re looking for a single-line or a family option. The only differences apply to it’s Plus and Plus International add-ons.
• It’s standard plan only offers standard definition when it comes to video streaming, though, lately, it has been running promotions to include HD streaming at no additional cost.
• The T-Mobile One Plus International plan is the best plan out there for overseas travelers, by far.
• Plans are “all-in,” meaning taxes and fees are baked into the cost of the plan.
• T-Mobile Tuesdays is a nice — albeit, slightly gimmicky — perk, given you get free or discounted stuff on a weekly basis, like $15 Lyft credits.

T-Mobile One Unlimited Plan

 People
 Line cost
 Data
 Total
1
 $70
 Unlimited
 $70
2
 $70 + $50
 Unlimited
 $120
3
 $70 + $50 +$20
 Unlimited
 $140
4
 $70 + $50 + $40 +$20
 Unlimited
 $160
5
 $70 + $50 + $40 + $20 +$20
 Unlimited
 $180

Editor’s note: This is non-promotional pricing — your mileage may vary. For instance, as of this writing, a two-line plan was $100 per month.

The unlimited plan is best for families of four or more. It’s also great for individuals who are data hogs. If you don’t have internet at home and rely on your phone plan for internet access, the unlimited plan is also a great choice. However, it is expensive for individuals and small families. T-Mobile does offer a lot of perks to make this plan worth your while, though.

Recommendations:

• The T-Mobile One plan is best for families of three or more people because you get unlimited data for a good price.
• Most people really don’t need to pay for the high-resolution video or tethering add-ons on a data connection, so don’t do it.
• T-Mobile One is also great for people who travel because you get unlimited text and 3G data in more than 100 countries.

The perks of T-Mobile One

• Unlimited texting and 3G/2G data in more than 100 countries worldwide. Calls are 20 cents a minute.
• Unlimited talk, text, and data in Mexico and Canada.
• Unlimited text and an hour of Gogo internet access on select flights.
• The T-Mobile Tuesdays app, which gives you free things and discounts on stuff every Tuesday.

The downsides of T-Mobile One

• Videos stream at a lower, 480p resolution when on a data connection. If you want HD video, you’ll have to pay an extra $10 a month per line for the One Plus plan, but watch for occasional promotions.
• The tethering between your phone and other devices is limited to 3G speeds. You’ll have to upgrade to the One Plus International plan for 4G LTE tethering.
• If you surpass 26GB of 4G LTE data, your speeds will be throttled to 2G.
• You must sign up for Auto Pay on your bills, or T-Mobile will charge an extra $5 per line each month.

The One Plus plan includes unlimited tethering with the first 10GB of data used at full 4G LTE speeds, unlimited high-speed data in more than 140 countries, unlimited HD streaming, and unlimited Gogo in-flight Wi-Fi. It adds $10 per line (formerly $5 per month before the end of a promotional period in July 2017) to the cost of your plan, however. Here’s what it’d look like if you added it to every line.

 People
 Line cost
 Data
One Plus
 Total
1
 $70
 Unlimited
$10
 $75
2
 $70 + $50
 Unlimited
$10 x 2
 $130
3
 $70 + $50 +$20
 Unlimited
$10 x 3
 $155
4
 $70 + $50 + $20 +$20
 Unlimited
$10 x 4
 $180
5
 $70 + $50 + $20 + $20 +$20
 Unlimited
$10 x 5
 $205

Like we said, the T-Mobile One Plus International plan is the best international plan we’ve seen for overseas travelers. You gain unlimited calling to landline numbers in over 70 countries, and mobile lines in more than 30, and there are no limits on 4G LTE tethering. There’s one downside, though: It’s $25 per month. Our recommendation is that you add this only to the lines that absolutely need it. Otherwise, your five-line plan will balloon to more than $300 per month.

Let’s recap:

The perks that come with all T-Mobile plans:

• Mobile without Borders: T-Mobile users get unlimited talk, text, and data in Canada and Mexico, as well as the United States. Unlimited text and data at lower speeds is also available in nearly 150 countries worldwide, though, calls cost 20 cents per minute unless you’re on the T-Mobile One Plus International plan.
• T-Mobile Tuesdays: Download this iOS and Android app to get free deals every Tuesday, like $15 in Lyft credit or a Frosty from Wendy’s.
• No overages on data.

The downsides of all T-Mobile plans:

• Spotty coverage in rural areas, however, there has been significant improvement in the last year.
• Once you surpass 26GB of data, you may be throttled.