Preorder AIAIAI’s wireless upgrade for its modular headphones

In 2015, AIAIAI introduced its TMA-2 modular system that lets you configure your headphones with on- or over-ear cans, different drivers, cables and other options. Perhaps the most useful option was the H05 Bluetooth band that let you go cable-free, first unveiled for a Kickstarter campaign late in 2016. That option is now on pre-order for all at $125 (£120) with delivery expected in three to four weeks.

If you invested in the TMA-2 system, all you need to do is swap whatever headphones you have over to the H05 band, and hey presto, instant Bluetooth. To accommodate the wireless option, the band is quite a bit thicker than the wired models, but not excessively so.

The H05 band has an integrated microphone, delivers Bluetooth AptX HD audio, offers 16 hours of battery life and recharges over USB-C in about two hours. While $125 is double the Kickstarter price, it’s still a relative bargain for good-quality Bluetooth headphones and gives TMA-2 buyers the choice of wired and wireless cans (the H05 also supports a wired connection without changing the band). You can place your order here, and as mentioned, expect delivery in three to four weeks.

Source: Aiaiai

Apple Interested in Developing ARM-Based Mac Processors and iPhone Modems in House

Apple is continuing to expand manufacturing efforts related to the production of its own chips, according to a new report today by Nikkei, which stated that the company aims to “better compete” in the artificial intelligence field and reduce reliance on major suppliers like Intel and Qualcomm. Nikkei’s sources said Apple’s interest lies in building “core processors for notebooks, modem chips for iPhones, and a chip that integrates touch, fingerprint and display driver functions.”

Apple has reportedly “invested in research and development” for baseband modem chips — currently sourced from Intel and Qualcomm — which are required for cellular communication features on Apple’s mobile devices. Analysts pointed towards Apple’s legal fight with Qualcomm, and its poaching of Qualcomm modem chip engineer Esin Terzioglu, as examples to bolster the theory that the Cupertino company is ready to build its own modem chips.

iPhone 8 teardown by iFixit
Building its own core processor chips for MacBooks would reduce Apple’s dependence on Intel, with two industry sources stating that Apple would instead build its notebook chips using ARM Holding’s technology, a British company that designs ARM architecture and licenses it out to other companies. Apple’s interest in designing chips that integrate touch, fingerprint and display driver functions is said to be because the company “wants to control next-generation display technology and some related key components.”

Multiple analysts provided theories behind Apple’s move to design more of its own chips for its products, which included staying on the forefront of artificial intelligence, lowering production costs, better protecting proprietary technology, and more.

“By designing its own chips, Apple can better differentiate itself from others. Further, depending too much on other chip suppliers in the age of artificial intelligence will deter its development,” said Mark Li, a Hong Kong-based analyst with Sanford C. Bernstein.

“We believe that more system houses will design their own chips. The purposes are to develop and protect their proprietary technology information, to make more efficient chips for their unique need, to lower [costs] and to do inventory control better and keep all logistic operation confidentially,” Samuel Wang, a U.S.-based analyst at research company Gartner, said..

Apple has long designed and built the core processing chips found in iPhones and iPads, but this year reports began to emerge of the company’s hope to expand the amount of internal iOS device components that it creates on its own. In April, Apple informed Imagination Technology that it would stop using its graphics technology over the next two years, aiming to make its own graphics processing chips and lessen its reliance on the supplier. Less official was a prediction by analyst Karsten Iltgen that Apple would drop Dialog Semiconductor from its supply chain and move to its own in-house power management chips for iPhones by 2019.

This week, Apple was part of a consortium that purchased Toshiba’s much-sought-after NAND memory chip unit for $17.7 billion, another move that will eventually allow Apple to be less reliant on other suppliers for device components. Still, many of Apple’s in-house chip production lines are many years off, with analyst Mark Li stating that it’s “unlikely” Apple will be able to debut its own components — specifically referring to the modem chips — within the next two years.

Tag: nikkei.com
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Apple Shares iPhone X Environmental Report

Apple today shared an iPhone X environmental report, detailing the smartphone’s environmental performance as it relates to climate change, energy efficiency, material efficiency, and restricted substances.

The report reveals that the base model iPhone X generates an equivalent of 79 kilograms of carbon dioxide over its life cycle, which is the highest estimated greenhouse gas emissions of any Apple smartphone since the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. 80 percent of the emissions come from production of the device.

A comparison of Apple’s estimated greenhouse gas emissions for each iPhone model:

• iPhone X: 79kg CO2e
• iPhone 8: 57kg CO2e
• iPhone 8 Plus: 68kg CO2e
• iPhone 7: 56kg CO2e
• iPhone 7 Plus: 67kg CO2e
• iPhone 6s: 54kg CO2e
• iPhone 6s Plus: 63kg CO2e
• iPhone 6: 95kg CO2e
• iPhone 6 Plus: 110kg CO2e
• iPhone 5s: 65kg CO2e

Apple said the iPhone X’s U.S. retail packaging contains 55 percent recycled content. 100 percent of the fiber in the device’s box is sourced either from recycled content, bamboo, waste sugarcane, or responsibly managed forests.

Like other models, the iPhone X has a mercury-free display made with arsenic-free glass, and it’s also free of BFR, PVC, and beryllium.

iPhone X received a highest-possible gold rating from EPEAT, a program that ranks mobile phones based on environmental attributes in accordance with UL 110. All models since the iPhone SE have also achieved gold ratings.

Related Roundup: iPhone X
Tags: Environmental Responsibility, environment
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Here’s how to keep track of your child’s digital footprint with Google Family Link

Managing your kids’ digital activity can be an exercise in frustration. Limiting the amount of time they spend on their various gadgets, keeping track of what they’re doing, and preventing them from doing something they shouldn’t, are all challenging tasks. But apps like Google’s Family Link  are changing the paradigm.

Google’s new Family Link service, designed for kids under 13, gives you control over nearly every aspect of your child’s digital experience. You can approve or block apps he or she attempts to download from the Google Play Store, see how much time your kids are spending on their favorite apps, and remotely lock their devices. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Here’s how to get started with Family Link.

Setting up an account

Family Link is not available to everyone just yet — it launched as an invite-only beta on March 15 in the U.S. You can apply to join here. Once your account has been approved, you can set it up immediately.

First, gather the essentials. You will need:

• A Google Account for your kid through Family Link
• An Android device (running Android 7.0 Nougat or later) for your kid*
• Your own Android device (running Android 4.4 KitKat or later) or iOS device (running iOS 9 or later)
• Your own Google Account

*Family Link is also compatible with the following devices running Android 6.0 Marshmallow: Alcatel Dawn, Alcatel Fierce 4, Alcatel Pixi Unite, LG K3, LG Stylo 2 Plus, LG X Power, Samsung Galaxy Luna, Samsung Galaxy Tab A, and Sony Xperia X.

Family Link does not support Google accounts provided through work or school — you will need a personal Google account, such as a Gmail account, to create an account for your child.

Download the Family Link app on your personal device from the Google Play Store. Then, install the same app on your kid’s smartphone or tablet and sign them in.

You will be charged a $0.30 fee when you set up your child’s account because of “federal privacy regulations,” Google explains on Family Link’s FAQ webpage. “We’re required to obtain verifiable parental consent before collecting personal information from children, and credit cards are one of the FTC’s approved methods. Payment is required so that you have the chance to see the payment on your credit card statement and object if consent was improperly provided.”

You can only have one account installed on a kid’s device.

Manage your kid’s apps

One of Family Link’s most powerful features is the ability to manage the apps your kids use. When your child attempts to download an app from the Play Store, you will get a pop-up notification containing the name of the app, the app’s publisher, the average star rating, and the number of downloads it has accumulated.

You will also see its maturity rating. In March 2015, Google adopted the Entertainment Software Rating Board’s (ESRB) content ratings. Apps like Google Maps get “G” ratings for example, while slightly more risque titles get “E” (for ages six or older) or “T” (for ages 13 and up).

Armed with that knowledge, you can approve or deny the installation.

Once an app is installed on your child’s device, you can control its permissions. You can deny the Facebook app access to the device’s camera and contacts, for example, or prevent a game from connecting to the internet.

You do not have to approve or deny every device individually. Family Link lets you set blanket content restrictions (i.e., nothing above “G”) for downloading or purchasing apps, games, movies, TV, music, and books. Or, you can limit restrictions to in-app purchases and paid content.

Limit your kid’s screen-on time

Family Link lets you limit the amount of time your kids spend on their device in two ways: By setting a Daily Limit, and by specifying your kid’s Bedtime.

With the Bedtime feature enabled, you can schedule a window of time when your child won’t be able to unlock their device. You can selectively impose limits on weekdays (9 p.m. to 7 a.m. Sunday to Thursday, for example) or weekends (10 p.m. to 8 a.m. Friday and Saturday). Or, you can lift limits altogether on certain days of the week. It’s up to you.

Daily limit is a little less granular. You can specify a daily usage limit — a set number of minutes and hours your child’s allowed to use their device each day. Just like Bedtime, the amount can differ day-to-day.

If Daily Limit and Bedtime are not doing the trick, you can lock your kids’ device at any time with the Lock Devices Now option. They will be kicked off their tablet or smartphone immediately, and can only gain access again when you toggle the setting off.

It works even when your kid’s device is not connected to the internet. A special Parent’s access code restricts the device’s features until you manually unlock them.

See how your child is spending time

Family Link provides a convenient way to see how your child is spending their digital time. You will get a weekly and monthly report showing how much time your kid spent with each app they accessed. A unified dashboard shows a summary of app activity over the past seven days. If your kid has spent more time in Candy Crush than in their Amazon eBook library, for example, you will see that.

The analytics page is also where you will be able to see the device’s physical location and fine-tune certain settings. The Google Chrome web browser, for example, lets you switch between three levels of access: Unfiltered, SafeSearch (where Google blocks explicit websites and more), and Restricted (where the child is only allowed to visit websites you approve).

Zizo cases for the Galaxy Note 8: Rugged, stylish, and a little bit weird

Zizo makes some uniquely designed rugged cases for the Note 8.

Starting at over $900, the Galaxy Note 8 is as expensive as flagship phones come. Keeping the Note 8 protected at all times will likely require a case rugged enough to withstand everything that life throws at you along with a tempered glass screen protector, too.

If you know you’ll need that full protection Zizo shipped us their full line of cases for the Note 8 for us to check out so let’s dive in!

Bolt Series case

The Bold Series case is Zizo’s flagship case. It comes not only with a tempered glass screen protector but a 360-degree swiveling belt clip holster and an optional lanyard you’ll need to install before inserting your phone.

The angled ridges on the back seem to indicate this case was designed to be held in your left hand — your fingers naturally find the ridges, and the plastic rivets are interesting touches. On the inside is a grid of shock-dispersing channels that will help keep your phone unharmed after a nasty drop.

This is a rugged, dual-layer case that also includes a reinforced kickstand on the back. Along with the screen protector and all the other includes accessories and features, this is a great value at just $18.

See at Amazon

Proton Series case

Combining the views provided by a clear case and the rugged bumper of a heavy duty case, the Proton Series case is perfect for anyone who loves the idea of a clear case but also doesn’t want to skimp on protection.

It’s actually a three-piece case that is easy to install but tricky to remove your phone from in our experience — better than the alternative when we’re talking about accessories designed to keep your phone safe. The bumper is textured to ensure good grip.

This case includes covers for the charging port and headphone jack, and is available in six bold color choices — all for just $14.

See at Amazon

Retro Series case

As the name implies, the Retro Series case has a look that feels reminiscent of a classic car or retro diner. Zizo sent us the Baby Blue/Silver version and it certainly lives up to its name.

It’s got a simple and elegant design on the back, with the ridged silver section doubling as a pop-up kickstand complete with magnetic closure. Also hidden under the kickstand is a card slot for hiding a credit card or ID — it’s a really clever use of space. The bumper also features stylish ridges to help with grip, but it also may remind Star Wars fans of the design of Kylo Ren’s mask, especially on the Black or Gray/Silver cases.

Even the inside of this case is stylishly designed, with an interesting pattern circles designed to help with absorbing shock. You can get yours in your choice of color for just $17.

See at Amazon

ATOM Series case

The ATOM series case is proof of the old adage that less is more. This is the most minimalist case in the Zizo arsenal, and feels the most rugged thanks to the premium aluminum bumper and the slick locking mechanism at the top.

It’s a simple and elegant design that feels really well-built. Even the clear backplate feels sturdier than other cases we’ve tested. There’s a thin strip of TPU between the aluminum of the case and the front lip provides protection for the screen.

If you’re looking for a minimalist case that’s also incredibly rugged and literally feels cool in your hand, grab the Zizo ATOM series case for just $22.

See at Amazon

Static Series case

Zizo has once again done a great job with the Static Series case, striking the balance of being rugged while also maintaining a slim profile.

Zizo sent us the red version of their Static Series of cases, which reminds us of a Ferrari with its sleek scoops and other design elements on the back. The design also features a kickstand that blends in nicely with the case when not in use.

It’s available in six different color options and is one of the best values offered by Zizo at just $11.

See at Amazon

Shock 2.0 Series case

Another sleek and stylish case with a clear backing option, the Shock 2.0 case features a toned-down design with aesthetic flourishes on the back but otherwise clean and smooth surfaces around the bumper.

The buttons appear to be made of metal and contrast well against black or any of the five other color options available. As always there’s shock absorbing grooves along the inside of the case and ample cutouts around the ports and S Pen at the bottom. You can get yours for just $17.

See at Amazon

These are our favorite Zizo cases but you can browse through everything that Zizo has to offer for the Note 8 they have to offer by clicking through below

See Zizo on Amazon

Samsung Galaxy Note 8

• Galaxy Note 8 review
• Complete Galaxy Note 8 specs
• Galaxy Note 8 vs. Galaxy Note 5
• Which Note 8 color is best?
• Join our Galaxy Note 8 forums

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The Morning After: Friday, September 29th 2017

Good morning! More Mars colony announcements, blood-sugar monitors that don’t need to break the surface of your skin and a GoPro that truly delivers on high-quality video. The future is here this Friday morning.

Earth-to-Earth trips on BFR.SpaceX’s next rocket could take you to Mars, or London

At a speech in Australia, Elon Musk provided details about SpaceX’s next rocket, the BFR (yes, you’re right, that is what it stands for). Capable of carrying 150 tons and refueling in space, it’s the key factor in Musk’s plans for human outposts throughout the solar system. Even if you don’t take a ride on its first manned Mars trip in 2024, there’s one more reason to pay attention: SpaceX plans to use these rockets for trips around Earth, carrying passengers to any city on the planet in under an hour.

The schedule is set.
SpaceX unveils Mars city plan, will fly two cargo missions by 2022

Of course, the BFR is also designed for interplanetary travel, and Musk explained his idea to build a self-sustaining city on Mars. The plan starts with two uncrewed missions filled with supplies in 2022, followed by four more rockets — two with people aboard — in 2024 to start building out the settlement that will become Mars City.

Finally.FDA OKs a blood-sugar monitor that doesn’t need fingerpricks

The Food and Drug Administration has approved the first continuous glucose-monitoring system for adults that doesn’t require drawing blood several times a day. Instead, the FreeStyle Libre Flash Glucose Monitoring System works by inserting a sensor wire under the skin, for up to ten days. After 12 hours, the patch is ready for the wearer to monitor blood-sugar levels by passing a mobile reader over it.

That’s a tall order.
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai insists Apple should enable FM radio chips in its iPhones

There’s just one problem: According to Apple, the iPhone 7 and 8 don’t have FM radio chips or antennas.

Facial recognition is the next frontier for the action-cam company.
The Hero 6 and GP1 are GoPro’s chance to grow again

“We’ve finally been able to make a GoPro without compromises. We haven’t had to work around somebody else’s chip design and chip limitations,” Nick Woodman, GoPro founder and CEO said. The “somebody else” in that sentence refers to Ambarella, the company that made the processor for almost every GoPro up to this point — and the processor for most other action/drone cameras on sale right now, for that matter. Woodman is enthused about GP1 for a number of reasons, but key is that GoPro is no longer sharing technology with its rivals. James Trew talks more with the founder and explains all about GoPro’s newest camera.

Giddy up.
‘Red Dead Redemption 2’ trailer introduces a new anti-hero

Howdy there, moody protagonist.

Echo? Echo!
Amazon’s confusing new Echo lineup: There’s a method to the madness

Amazon’s overstuffed Echo event made one thing clear: It’s not afraid of doubling down on smart speakers. The company announced a smaller $100 Echo (just as we reported in July); a $150 Echo Plus with smart hub features; and an Echo-powered alarm clock called Spot. And that’s not even including the truly strange stuff: Echo Connect, which turns your Echo devices into speakerphones for landlines. Now, a wider variety of Echo devices is a good problem for Amazon. It may get tougher for consumers to figure out what they need, but it also gives the company more ways to fit Alexa into their lives.

But wait, there’s more…

• Anker crammed a projector into a soda-can-sized smart speaker
• Twitter finds links to hundreds of Russian-backed bot accounts
• Yes, Mario was punching Yoshi in the head
• Changing your race in virtual reality
• ACLU challenges DOJ request for info on 6,000 anti-Trump Facebook users

‘Flower’ brings its zen gameplay to iPhone and iPad

Earlier this month, Apple announced that it had snagged exclusive rights to the next game from indie studio Thatgamecompany. Sky (described as a “romantic social adventure game”) will be an Apple TV exclusive. But, there’s more to the relationship between the two firms. On Thursday, the developer revealed its given its indie classic Flower the iOS treatment. The game is now available on the App Store for iPhone and iPad, priced at $4.99.

Flower involves players interacting with its environment in unique ways. Taking control of the wind, you’re tasked with guiding a flow of petals around various landscapes and lush backdrops. Like its PS4 and PS Vita versions, Flower for iOS uses motion controls, which in the case of the iPhone and iPad is as simple as tilting your device in the direction you want to go. Thatgamecompany claimed the game’s primary function is to arouse positive emotions in the player. Therefore, it’s probably not the type of title you’ll end up rage quitting (after all, a smashed iPhone 8 would be way more upsetting than a broken gamepad).

The game received unanimous praise upon its release as a PlayStation Network exclusive in 2009. And, it went on to win a number of awards, gaining recognition from BAFTA, the Game Developers Choice Awards, and Dice.

Although it seems to be inching closer to Apple, Thatgamecompany began life as an exclusive developer for Sony Computer Entertainment. During its stint with the gaming giant, it released three celebrated titles for the Playstation Network: Flow, Flower, and Journey. The latter’s lengthy development process bankrupted the indie studio, but it managed to get back on its feet by raising millions of dollars in independent funding. Despite co-founder Jenova Chen previously stating that his firm’s next game would be multi-platform, Sky is currently slated as an iOS exclusive.

Source: Thatgamecompany

Sphero’s Mini app-powered robot is its smallest one yet

Over the past year, Sphero has been busy teaming up with Disney on connected toys for film franchises like Star Wars, Spider-Man and Cars. But today the company is launching a product that takes it back to its roots: a mini version of its original app-controlled robot. The new rolling ball, aptly named Sphero Mini, is about the same size as a ping pong ball and comes with a removable shell, which you can get in white, blue, green, orange or pink colors. As is to be expected given the different frame, it does come with a few tradeoffs compared to models like the SPRK+. Mini isn’t waterproof and connection range is limited to 10 meters, as opposed to 30 on its higher-end sibling.

That said, Sphero’s only pricing this one at $50, making it its cheapest creation yet. Ollie and SPRK+, for context, are respectively priced at $100 and $130. You’ll get about an 45 minutes of playtime with the Mini, and you recharge it via microUSB once it’s out of juice — it takes about an hour for the battery to hit 100 percent. Inside the box, you’ll get some tiny cones and bowling pins that are designed to be used as targets for your robot. The Sphero app, available for iOS and Android, lets you slingshot your Mini at physical items, drive it and use it to play mini games that turn the ball into a controller.

In addition to that, it’s also compatible with Sphero’s Edu application, which kids (and adults) can use the company’s robots as education tools to help them learn how to code. Sphero Founder Adam Wilson says that the idea behind Mini was to make something that most people could afford, but at the same time it needed to be a product that was well-designed, practical and, most importantly, fun.

If you think you want one for yourself or your little ones, Mini is available today from Amazon and Sphero’s online store.

Google is Prepping a Tabletop Smart Screen Device to Rival Amazon’s Echo Show

Google is working on a tabletop smart screen for video calling and more that will go up against Amazon’s Echo Show, according to sources who spoke to TechCrunch.

The Google device is internally codenamed “Manhattan” and will have a screen size similar to the 7-inch Echo Show, said two sources, one of whom reportedly received information directly from a Google employee. The device is said to run a version of Android, meaning it could be capable of running third-party apps, with Netflix being mooted as a possibility.

Amazon’s Echo Show device.
Both sources claim the device will offer access to Google Assistant, Google Photos, and YouTube – which goes some ways to explaining why the latter video service was unceremoniously pulled from Amazon’s Echo Show on Tuesday.

Google’s device will also reportedly work as a smart hub for controlling other connected smart home gadgets and appliances, similar to Amazon’s new Echo Plus speaker unveiled earlier this week.

According to TechCrunch’s sources, the original target launch date for the Manhattan device was mid-2018, but Google is apparently under intense pressure to get the product out the door before the end of this year, given that the Echo Show is already on the market. Google has a hardware event scheduled for October 4, but it’s unclear if the device will make an appearance.

Other rumors floating about suggest the tech giant is readying an upmarket version of its Google Home smart speaker to rival Apple’s upcoming $350 HomePod. Known internally as “Google Home Max”, the “premium” device is said to feature stereo speakers housed in a high-quality design.

Thanks to leaks, we already know that Google will announce a mini version of its Google Home speaker at its hardware event, alongside new Pixel smartphones and a rebranded Google Pixelbook. But there’s also talk of $159 Google-branded Bluetooth earbuds on the way with Google Assistant built-in.

Whatever the exact line-up of products the company drops on October 4, stay tuned to MacRumors for a full summary immediately following the event next week.

Related Roundup: HomePod
Tags: Google, Amazon Echo
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Uber App Offers Basic Sign Language Tips to Chat With Deaf or Hard of Hearing Drivers

Uber has rolled out an update to its iOS app that enables riders to learn basic sign language on the go so they can communicate better with deaf and hard-of-hearing drivers.

Uber announced the new feature in a post on its website, where it said the ride-hailing service had “thousands” of deaf drivers in the United States alone, and that the update was in support of National Deaf Awareness Month.

Riders will see a special card in the Uber feed. Once they tap it, they’ll be taken to a page where they can select the basics, like “Hello” and “Thank You,” or spell out their name. They’ll then be given a GIF with the word(s) in ASL. That way, they can better communicate with their Deaf or Hard of Hearing driver, because signing “Thank You” or “Hello” in ASL can go a long way.

Uber has actually included interface features for its hard of hearing drivers for the last couple of years, such as flashing screens for ride requests instead of audible notifications, and allowing drivers to receive texts rather than calls. But the latest feature, which currently only works in the U.S., will surely come as a welcome addition.

The Uber app is a free download for iPhone available on the App Store. [Direct Link]

Tag: Uber
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