Google could have Assistant-powered headphones in the pipeline

Why it matters to you

According to a recent APK teardown, it looks like Google might be working on a set of Google Assistant-compatible headphones that could rival Apple’s AirPods.

Look out, Apple. Google is here to steal your thunder once again. And this time, it’s in the audio game. According to a recent teardown from 9to5Google, it would appear that the tech giant is planning on unveiling a pair of headphones with smart capabilities, and of course, compatibility with Google Assistant. According to 9to5Google, it would appear that a string of mystery code known as “Bisto” refers to a set of headphones that run Google’s artificially intelligent helper, which could spell trouble for Apple’s AirPods.

As IBTimes points out, Google has long alluded to the existence of an “audio wearable” project, but now, it seems that these previously secretive plans are becoming a bit more complete. In the recent teardown, a string refers directly to Google Assistant, stating, “Your headphones have the Google Assistant. Ask it questions. Tell it to do things. It’s your own personal Google, always ready to help.”

This line is found next to the “bistro_magic_pairing” phrase, which makes it seem as though the wearer of these headphones could control volume, skip tracks, and more, all using naught but his or her voice. Much in the same way that Google customers can talk to Google Assistant to speak with the Google Home speaker, this functionality could soon be applied to a headset.

However, unlike the Apple AirPods, which are activated by way of a double tap, it would appear that Google’s headphones will feature physical buttons. This could echo Samsung’s Bixby button, which you can find on the Samsung Galaxy S8 — when pushed, this button calls forth the AI helper. Another reference to buttons comes in conjunction with “the left earcup,” which leads us to believe that these headphones will probably be of the over the ear variety (not earbuds).

Of course, we still don’t know very much about the rumored headphones. However, with the new Pixel smartphones slated to make their debut in the next few months, it could be the right time for Google to unveil a few other pieces of hardware. So look out, audiophiles. You could very soon have a new pair of headphones to try out.

Google may take on Surface and MacBook laptops with the Chromebook Pixel

Why it matters to you

A new Chromebook Pixel could really shake up the high-end laptop market and provide real competition for the current front-runners.

As part of Google’s new lineup of Pixel products, a source said to be familiar with the matter said a new Chromebook Pixel laptop may be in the works too. Considering the timing, it’s quite possible that such a design would be born out of Google’s shadowy Project Bison, which suggests that this mysterious new laptop design could feature the kind of hardware required to take on Microsoft’s Surface line and Apple’s MacBooks.

Lately, the Google Pixel brand has been focused on smartphones and that has been fine with us. The last time Google released a Chromebook Pixel was back in 2015, so if Google is looking to launch a new entry in that range, it would be the first in quite some time. AndroidPolice seems relatively confident it will, though.

Although it is all speculation, the fact that the Project Bison operating system mash-up between Chrome OS and Android has been canceled, but some elements have been leveraged elsewhere, lends credence to the rumor. The original Project Bison was also supposed to debut around the third quarter of 2017, so the timing of this rumor leaking out does seem rather coincidental.

If this Pixel device borrowed developments from Project Bison, it could end up with rather powerful hardware. Bison was originally intended to take on some of the top offerings from both Apple and Microsoft, so a Bison-developed Chromebook Pixel would likely come with a powerful processor and plenty of memory and storage space.

It seems likely that any such Chromebook would also feature a versatile display of some sort, potentially offering 2-in-1 tablet functionality as well as the traditional notebook form factor.

The mere existence of this laptop is just speculation for now though, so any discussion of hardware or form factor is even more so.

If we do end up seeing a new Chromebook Pixel by the end of the year, it is said to launch alongside a new, miniaturized version of Google’s Home hub hardware. Although once again, details are scant and there has been no official big announcement from Google, a smaller version would make sense considering the success of Amazon’s Echo Dot. Bringing the price down would not hurt either, as Google and its contemporaries in that space battle the stigma of privacy invasions associated with an open-microphone that is connected to the cloud.

Schlage adds Android compatibility to its Connect Touchscreen Deadbolt

Why it matters to you

Keeping your home safe should be as seamless a process as possible, which is why the new Schlage Connect Touchscreen Deadbolt comes with an Alexa integration.

Keeping your home safe shouldn’t be a struggle, and luckily, Schlage agrees. The Allegion brand has nearly a century of experience in creating locks and other door hardware, and now, it’s combining that heritage with Amazon Alexa’s technology, making it easier than ever to protect your home — with your voice. In February, Schlage announced the new provision of voice activation accessibility to its Schlage Connect Touchscreen Deadbolt via Amazon Alexa, which means you can now use your Amazon Echo (or other Alexa-enabled device) to lock or check the status of your door.

Now, Schlage has unveiled its new Android compatibility. Thanks to the free Android app (available to users through the Google Play store and Apple users through the App Store), Touchscreen Deadbolt owners can create and delete up to 30 unique access codes from their phones, schedule access codes so guests can enter only at specified times, update their lock’s settings, and check on battery life.

Additionally, if you buy the Schlage Sense Wi-Fi Adapter, and add it to your Wi-Fi network, you’ll be able to control your Schlage Sense lock from anywhere in the world on your smartphone.

“Smart home technology is all about incrementalism, whether it’s consumer adoption or brands integrating with mega-technology platforms,” said Rob Martens, futurist and vice president of strategy and partnerships at Allegion. “Schlage is committed to providing the ultimate security and convenience.”

With the Schlage Connect Touchscreen Deadbolt, you won’t have to worry about carrying around a key (which also means you won’t have to worry about it getting lost or stolen). Simply enter your preset access code numbers in order to unlock your door. When you’re ready to leave or have decided on staying in for the night, Schlage offers one-touch locking functionality.

The Touchscreen Deadbolt also features an anti-pick shield that promises to protect the lock against tampering, and further offers the ability to contain multiple unique codes that users can tailor to specific days and times, making it easy to track movement in and out of the home. And if someone unauthorized does try to make an entrance, the Schlage connected lock offers three unique alarm modes that are designed to sense vibrations at the door, and will immediately alert customers with an alarm.

You can get a Schlage Connect Touchscreen Deadbolt on Amazon.com, and connect it to the company’s smart assistant for a well-protected smart home.

The Schlage Sense Smart Deadbolt is now available for $229 in select Apple, Lowe’s and Home Depot stores and online, whereas the Schlage Sense Wi-Fi Adapater can be found on THD, Lowes, Amazon, and Build.com’s websites for $69.99.

Update: Schlage adds Android compatibility to its Connect Touchscreen Deadbolt. 

Grub’s up — startup thinks the next great sustainable food is … fly larvae?

Why it matters to you

Black soldier fly larvae could provide the world with a massive, sustainable source of food. This startup wants to help deliver on that promise.

Whether it’s lab-grown meat or “seafood” made out of red algae, there is no shortage of innovative startups in the sustainable food space. Broadly speaking, all of them are working to solve the same problem: How to produce large quantities of food in a way that does not damage the environment. It’s the means by which these companies are trying to solve the problem where the differences become apparent, however. New U.K.-based startup Entocycle’s idea? Using black soldier fly larvae as a sustainable source of protein, capable of feeding animals and — one day — potentially humans as well.

“Our mission is to bring a stop to the degradation of our beautiful planet and stop taxing its finite natural resources,” Keiran Olivares Whitaker, CEO and founder of Entocycle, told Digital Trends. “For 60-odd years mankind has savaged seas and rainforests in order to farm fish and grow crops to feed to animals for meat. So much so that 50 percent of our fish populations have crashed in the last four decades, and 4 million hectares of rainforest are cleared each year for crops. Animals don’t need fishmeal or soy meal to be healthy. We can feed them insects instead — which is many animals’ natural choice in the wild anyway.”

Insects can be farmed more efficiently and sustainably than any other crop and black soldier flies are better in this regard than most other insects. For example, while crickets can be made into protein feed, they need to be fed on chicken feed or flour. The larvae of black soldier flies, meanwhile, will eat virtually any waste food, which they then convert into protein and fertilizer. It’s a simple and natural process, which Entocycle then hones with some cutting-edge technologies — including smart pods that gather constant analytics about the insects and their development.

At present, Whitaker says the company is focused on its mission of making animal feed. That remit is likely to expand in the future, though.

“We have big ambitions and so we would be keen to explore producing insects for the human diet in future because it just makes so much sense to,” he continued. “They are highly nutritious, the black soldier fly doesn’t carry disease, and is a completely sustainable source of food. Once people are over the ‘ick’ factor — which is only really a prevailing attitude in the west — then there is nothing to stop insects becoming part of a person’s regular, healthy diet. It would take a great shift in attitudes and behavior, and I think we would very much one day aim to be a part of that.”

Grub’s up!

Amazon Fire TV Stick vs. Fire TV 4K: Which should you buy?

Two streaming solutions, both alike in dignity, from fair Amazon, where we make our choice. … Which should you buy? We’ve got your answer.

When it comes to plugging into your television, Amazon has two options that’ll tempt you to open your wallet. There’s the Fire TV, and the Fire TV Stick.

Neither one should bust your budget. In fact, the more expensive of the two is less than $100. And both do generally the same thing — they give you access to Amazon’s Appstore (and Amazon Music, let you watch all sorts of streaming video, and play all kinds of games. (Because, again, apps.)

But you still need to make a choice. Do you go for the $89 Fire TV? Or the $39 Fire TV Stick? Seems like a no-brainer, right?

Let’s take a look at the differences.

See what’s new this month on Amazon Prime Video!

Fire TV Stick vs. Fire TV — the specs

Price	$39	$89
Form factor	HDMI Stick	Small set-top box
Release date	September 2016	December 2015
Supported resolution	Up to 1080p	Up to 4K
Ethernet	No	Yes
Storage	8GB	8GB
Expandable storage	No	Up to 128GB
Memory	1GB	2GB
Processor	MediaTek 8127D quad-core (32-bit)	MediaTek 8173C quad-core (64-bit)
GPU	Mali-450 MP4	PowerVR Rogue GX6250
Bluetooth	4.1	4.1 + LE
See at Amazon	Fire TV Stick	Fire TV

Fire TV Stick vs. Fire TV — what you need to know

You don’t have to be a tech head to know that you generally get what you pay for with this sort of thing. A higher price means more tech, and more tech often means a better product.

And that rings true with Fire TV. Both do the same thing — they plug into your TV, connect to the Internet and your Amazon account, and let you download apps and watch videos and stuff.

But one of them does it better than the other. That’s something you can glean from the specs — the more expensive Fire TV box has more powerful internals than the less expensive Fire TV Stick. (It also has more room for that more powerful hardware, which is a pretty good rule of thumb, too.)

What you’ll find is that both of them get the job done. What you’ll also find is that the full Fire TV box does it better.

Why you should get the Fire TV over the Fire TV Stick

For my money — and let’s be clear here, while $89 isn’t nothing, it’s not a whole lot of money — I’d get the more expensive of the two, the Fire TV box. For one reason:

You can get by with the Fire TV Stick, but get more out of the box for that extra $50.

It has better hardware. And when it comes to this sort of thing — decoding video and running apps — better hardware almost always leads to a better experience. That’s definitely true when it comes to the Fire TV. It won’t blow the doors off other streaming devices. But when it comes to these two, it’s definitely the victor. Better processor, better GPU. That means better performance.

Also: If you’ve got a 4K television — that’s the newfangled resolution that’s also referred to as UHD — then the Fire TV box also is the right call, as it’s the only one here that handles that many pixels. The Fire TV stick is limited to a 1080p resolution.

There are a few other minor differences, but those are the big ones you should worry about.

One caveat, though, and it applies to both devices: Neither one of these is a spring chicken. The current-generation Fire TV Stick was released in September 2016, and the current Fire TV box came out in December 2015. It wouldn’t be at all surprising to see a refresh drop this year. That’s always a gamble when it comes to buying tech, especially when the numbers line up like they do here. That shouldn’t affect your decision between the stick of the box, though. The box is better.

And moreover, when given a choice that’s within my budget I always get as much tech as I can. It won’t necessarily future-proof the device. For as much better as Fire TV is over the stick, it’s still not the same as getting a couple hundred dollars worth of hardware.

But in this case, the $89 Fire TV is the right decision.

See at Amazon

Amazon Fire TV

• What’s new on Amazon Prime Video
• Read our full review!
• Get the latest news
• Join the discussion

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Rogers increases price of Roam Like Home travel service

Rogers is getting in on the price increase trend.

Canadian carrier Rogers is increasing its Roam Like Home roaming data service by $1 to $6 per day while in the United States, its most popular destination. Prices to other countries will remain at $10 per day.

The service debuted in late 2014 under old CEO Guy Laurence, and proved to be one of the most endearing parts of his legacy at the company, which ended this summer after a dispute with the company’s board of directors. The idea behind Roam Like Home is simple: use your domestic phone, text and data allowance abroad for a set fee, a payment schedule that has been adopted in the U.S. with companies like Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile.

Rogers told MobileSyrup, which broke the story, that “Since [it] introduced the service, customers are using it more and more and [it] believes this service continues to offer great value with the ease, convenience, and predictability customers expect.” Competitors TELUS and Bell both charge $7 for similar services, so Roam Like Home still comes in under that. Flanker brand Fido will also increase the price the same amount.

See at Rogers

iOttie iTap Wireless charging car mount review: As good as it gets

Wirelessly charge your Qi-enabled phone with ease.

If you’ve ever used a wireless charging stand before, you know that the two biggest issues are lining up your phone on the charging coils and keeping it there. Nothing is more frustrating than thinking your phone has been wirelessly charging only to discover it got knocked slightly off its orientation.

It’s a great accessory for any device that supports Qi charging — including the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Note 8.

iOttie has a great solution that uses the power of magnets to keep your phone in place and includes two different mounting options so you can use it in your car or at your desk at work. The iOttie iTap Wireless car mount, which runs about $70, features Qi Fast Charging capabilities, too, meaning you’ll be able to conveniently charge your phone faster than a traditional third-party wireless charger simply by installing a thin metal plate to the back of your phone or to a thin case. It’s a fantastic option for anyone who owns a Galaxy phone, since wireless charging has been included as a regular feature in the latest Samsung flagships — including the upcoming Galaxy Note 8.

The kit comes with everything you need in the box: the wireless charging pad, two adhesive mounting pads (a flexible one perfect for mounting to your car dash and a flat, rigid one ideal for your desk), a car charger adapter and Micro-USB cable for supplying power, and two metal plates in black and grey to help match your phone’s color. You’re able to adhere it to the back of a thin case or directly to the back of the phone (though I recommend the former, for obvious usability reasons).

You only get one shot at installing the metal plate, so make sure that you do it right the first time. On a Samsung Galaxy S8, you’ll want to line it up as I’ve done so here. If you’re concerned about the plate getting stuck to the back of your phone forever or leaving any unsightly marks, I can report that while it certainly feels forever stuck once you’ve applied it, you can safely work it off of the back of the phone with a credit card along the thin edges.

So how does it actually hold up in use? I tested the car mount on the notoriously pothole-ridden streets of Winnipeg and while I was fairly sure the bumpy ride would jostle the phone free — if not the entire mount itself — everything held up just fine. There’s a built-in fan that helps to counter the heat generated during charging, and it helps keep your phone cool which is especially important with your phone sitting on your dash on a hot summer day.

My Galaxy S8 immediately started charging as soon as the mounting magnets did their job, although it took a few seconds before it jumped up to fast-charging speeds. Starting with 11% of remaining battery life, it gave me an estimated full recharge time of just under two and a half hours — significantly faster than regular wireless charging speeds, but still not quite as fast as doing so via USB-C.

Therein lies the dilemma: there’s no denying that wireless charging is futuristic cool, and being able to just grab your phone and go without dealing with wires is great, but if I’m looking to top up my phone’s battery during a short trip across town, I typically want the fastest charge available. For that reason, I’d be more inclined to using the iTap as a car mount only and swapping the Micro-USB cable powering the wireless charging pad for a USB-C cord plugged directly into the phone. Either way, it’s great to have multiple options and its functionality as a sturdy dash mount alone makes it a worthwhile investment.

If you want to take advantage of your phone’s wireless charging capabilities and don’t mind the idea of attaching a metal plate to the back of your phone (or a case), the iOttie iTap is the perfect answer.

See at Amazon

This $11 wall charger has two Quick Charge 3.0 USB ports for fast charging

Our friends at Thrifter are back again, this time with a great deal on Aukey’s Quick Charge 3.0 wall charger!

Aukey’s Quick Charge 3.0 Wall Charger with dual USB ports is now on sale at Amazon for only $10.99 when you enter the promo code P6DQ37MS to save $9 off its regular price at checkout.

With Quick Charge 3.0, this wall charger can charge your phone up to four times faster than conventional chargers. It has built-in safeguards to protect your device from excessive current, overheating, and overcharging.

This wall charger is backed by a two-year warranty. Its 4.4 out of 5-star ranking on Amazon should give you some peace of mind before purchase as well.

See at Amazon

More from Thrifter:

• How to get the most out of your Amazon Prime membership
• Here are some of the best AmazonBasics products to buy

For more great deals be sure to check out our friends at Thrifter now!

Uber’s more flexible driver policies promise fewer cancelled rides

If you’ve used Uber long enough, you’ve probably encountered drivers who’ve canceled trips simply because they weren’t convenient. They didn’t want to travel far or had an appointment to make, for instance. You might not have to put up with those surprise cancellations quite so often in the future, though. As part of its “180 days of change” initiative, Uber is providing drivers with more flexibility that promises to have a positive side effect for passengers — you should get more drivers who actually want to ferry you from point A to point B.

Most notably, declining trips won’t hurt a driver’s account standing or chance at promotions. Drivers shouldn’t be as tempted to accept a trip they can’t take and promptly cancel it. They’ll also get notifications whenever a trip is expected to take 45 minutes or longer, so you shouldn’t see your driver cancel just because you need a ride to the airport across the city. Uber workers can also set arrival times for their ultimate destinations, so they won’t be asked to take rides that would lead to missed appointments, and they now have up to six destinations per day instead of a mere two. Also, they’re not stuck offering services they don’t like or aren’t making much money, since they can easily switch to UberEats or decline to offer services like UberPool.

This is the third big change to Uber’s policies since the “180 days” effort began (tipping being the first move), and it reflects the company’s determination to improve its image since the ouster of CEO Travis Kalanick. It’s not just for the sake of appearances, though. Lyft has been growing quickly in part because of its reputation as the friendlier alternative to Uber, both for customers and drivers. If there weren’t changes, Lyft might have plenty of opportunities to lure people disaffected by Uber’s seemingly singular obsession with its bottom line.

Via: TechCrunch

Source: Uber (1), (2)

Verizon’s always-on throttling is an afront to customers and net neutrality

Well, it was nice while it lasted. Today, Verizon (the biggest carrier in the US) announced it was doing away with its simple and fair unlimited wireless data plan and complicating things by instead offering three plans. Two of those cost more, and all three come with compromise. Customers who pick the cheapest plan can have their data speeds throttled at any time. Video won’t stream above 480p and tethering data is limited to the ludicrously slow speed of 600Kbps. Meanwhile, opting for the more expensive plan limits you to 720p video on phones and 1080p video on tablets, and you’ll only be throttled if the network is congested and you’ve used more than 22GB of data in one billing cycle. (The third plan is aimed as business customers.)

This is a big change from what Verizon announced in February, when it surprised just about everyone by bringing back unlimited data. As a reminder, the big US wireless carriers killed unlimited data back in 2011 and started moving customers to tiered plans, wherein you paid for what you used. But Verizon’s new unlimited plan that came out earlier this year was blessedly simple: There was just one plan, your data speeds were only throttled if you both went over 22GB and Verizon’s network was currently congested, and you got a full 10GB of LTE tethering data every month. It wasn’t a cheap plan, but it probably was the most straightforward wireless option with the fewest compromises out there.

That’s all gone now. And, adding insult to injury, all Verizon customers will have streaming video quality downgraded. Whether you have a tiered plan or the unlimited plan that came out in February, Verizon will cap streaming video at 720p. Tablet video and tethered video tops out at 1080p. There’s nothing you can do about this, no money you can throw at this restriction. Verizon says that people won’t notice the difference. Perhaps that’s true, but most smartphones have screens with resolutions far higher than 720p. Why does Verizon care how we use our data? Why can’t I watch 1080p video (or higher) on a Galaxy S8 and blow through my 22GB of pre-throttling data in the first week of the month? If I’m on a tiered plan, let me chug down data, blow through my caps and pay the ridiculous overages if that’s what I want.

Ostensibly, this is about managing traffic and congestion on the network, which Verizon still claims is the best in the US. After six months with unlimited plans back on the menu, Verizon might be sensing a tipping point in quality that these plans will help head off. Indeed, as noted by The Verge, a recent OpenSignal report found that both Verizon and AT&T’s data speeds have slowed since they brought back unlimited data plans.

Of course, that makes all the highfalutin language about how great Verizon is a bit hard to swallow. The reality of the matter is that, as of tomorrow, new customers will pay more money for lesser service and existing customers won’t get what they’ve been paying for all along. It feels like a bait and switch — get customers on board with the unlimited offering and then change up the terms of that agreement, with no recourse. Verizon telegraphed this move last month when some customers noticed YouTube and Netflix speeds being capped, but the carrier said that was only a temporary test.

It’s worth noting that Verizon didn’t actually start this terrible practice. T-Mobile has been screwing around with capping video stream qualities for a while now. That carrier has ended up restricting video to 480p unless you shell out an extra $10 a month per line for HD video. But your overall data speeds are only restricted if the network is congested and you’ve used more than 32GB of data in a month.

That’s much more reasonable than both Verizon and AT&T’s plans. AT&T now has an entry level “unlimited” plan that’s cheap at $60 per month, but video is capped at 480p and speeds are always limited to 3Mbps. That’s unacceptable, and slower than what you could get back in 2011 on AT&T’s pre-LTE, HSPA+ network. To actually get LTE-level speed, you’ll need to shell out $90 a month for a single line. At least that gets you HD video streaming. Sprint’s unlimited plan still offers HD video, but it caps music streaming at 1.5Mbps and gaming at 8Mbps.

It’s unfortunately now looking like a true unlimited plan is a complete pipe dream. Instead of nickel-and-dime-ing customers with data overages from their tiered plans, it looks like we’re hurdling toward a world in which we pay more for better speed, whether that means not getting throttled or having the ability to play back high-speed video. It’s not quite the same as what broadband internet providers sell, where you pay based on your upload and download speeds, but it’s not hard to imagine that happening a year or two down the line. Or maybe every service we use will get throttled. Imagine your web browser speeds being capped, or music limited to lousy, low-bandwidth streams — unless we pay up for each one.

As someone who pays attention to the complicated and compromised plans the US wireless carriers foist upon their consumers, you’d think I wouldn’t be so angry about what Verizon is doing. This is a classic move out of a playbook they’ve been using ever since unlimited data first went away, and even before that, if we’re being honest. But I am angry. This is unfair to existing customers, and new customers will pay more for less. That’s especially disappointing coming on the heels of the fair unlimited plan Verizon rolled out just six months ago. But Verizon can get away with it because the FCC isn’t likely to care about companies violating the principles of net neutrality under Title II that’ll probably be rolled back soon anyway.

I don’t really have anyone to blame but myself for being angry today. Given Verizon’s love for milking customers to death and the realities around net neutrality, I should have seen this coming. In the meantime, you can still sign up for Verizon’s existing unlimited plan today (though streaming video will still be capped at 720p resolution). But you can get a better deal elsewhere. The other carriers all have their own downsides, but their plans a little more reasonable — and they aren’t sticking it to you quite as obviously as Verizon.

Verizon did not respond to our request for comment.