Haunting ‘Abandoned Places’ float in digital space

“Art is never finished, only abandoned,” Leonardo Da Vinci supposedly said, which is maybe why abandonment itself is a popular theme among artists. Abu Dhabi-based Brazilian artist and designer Fábio Araujo has highlighted that loneliness by putting his compact, incredibly detailed “Abandoned Places” creations adrift in a flat, digital sea. Though they resemble movie miniatures, Araujo created the pieces by digital manipulation using an Apple MacBook, Photoshop and Wacom Cintiq tablet.

“I’m a designer but fascinated by abandoned buildings and places; these places always have some history behind old walls,” Araujo told Arch Daily. “I like the colors of rust and nature taking care of the place. There is a mystery in abandoned places that attracts me.” The set includes three pieces: An abandoned house and car, deserted amusement park and an overgrown industrial plant

In an earlier interview, Araujo described his technique on “Aquarium,” a previous creation. “I used a blue texture for the background image, a real image of an aquarium, and incorporated aquatic photos of boats, divers and an island. Using Dodge and Burn, I created shadows and markings on the glass partitions and drew over the aquarium to finalize the piece and make it real.”

For “Abandoned Places,” Araujo even created a video (below) with water flowing through the yard of the abandoned house, a deer eating grass in the factory and an operating “Tickets” sign for the theme park. Each piece is accompanied by sounds like crickets, water and wind.

Despite the theme of his latest piece, Araujo doesn’t exactly subscribe to Da Vinci’s artistic process. “I learned that my greatest difficulty was the anxiety I had wanting to be finished with the art,” he said. “Over time, I learned that the longer I spent on a project and the more details I put into it, the better the outcome.”

Via: Arch Daily

Source: Fabio Araujo (Behance)

Alexa’s new kid-friendly skills have a layer of parental control

Amazon’s Alexa skills let you add all sorts of functionality to your Echo devices, and there are more coming every day. You can order a pizza, manage your video streaming binges, find out when your package has shipped and even book a hotel with your voice. But why should grown-ups have all the fun? Amazon has just announced kids skills in the US, which have a layer of parental permissions to help adults feel safe in adding them to their children’s Echo devices.

Amazon also announced a bevy of kid-friendly activities and games that are available right now as part of the new push. Kids can check out The SpongeBob Challenge, Sesame Street and Amazon Storytime right now, along with games like The Tickle Monster Game! and Zoo Walk on their own devices. Amazon also says that hundreds of developers are interested in making kid skills, with more on the way.

Parents get a bit of control, too. The first time you ask Alexa to enable a skill that’s been identified for kids, it will ask you to give the skill permission in the Alexa app. You’ll need to verify your identity with a one-time text code sent to the phone number in your Amazon account or with the security code of the credit card on file. You’ll be able to manage permissions on Amazon.com thereafter.

Via: TechCrunch

Source: Amazon

Garmin Vivoactive 3 hands-on: More than just a running watch

Garmin’s image as a niche fitness brand catering for a group of hardcore athletes does the company a massive disservice. Because the newest generation of its Vivoactive and Vivomove watches have the potential to be some of the best on the market.

The flagship Vivoactive 3 comes with all of the features you’d expect from a high-end smartwatch, just with less of the cruft. It ticks the usual boxes, including GPS run tracking, an optical heart-rate sensor and basic notifications. But, in addition, you get the benefit of extreme battery life, guided workouts and mobile payments through NFC.

One of the biggest issues with swiping across a smartwatch display is how slow getting anywhere in a menu is. Samsung got around this problem by adding a rotating bezel to the Gear S2 and S3, while Apple kinda/sorta uses the digital crown for a similar purpose. Garmin’s been a little smarter than both, and made one half of the Vivoactive’s case sensitive to capacitive touch. So you can just swipe up and down to quickly get around the various menus and options in no time at all.

Then there’s the fact that you can send canned responses to text messages from inside the watch, assuming you have a compatible smartphone. And you can access the small, but perfectly formed ecosystem of apps that Garmin has formed around the watch. No, you can’t order an Uber from your Vivoactive 3, not yet, at least, but you can track the distance between you and your forthcoming ride. Which probably makes more sense for most folks who aren’t in love with the idea of never using their phone at all.

And, unlike so many other devices that call themselves smartwatches, the Vivoactive 3 has class-leading battery life. In fact, in a world where so many timepieces last for less than two days on a charge, the fact that the Vivoactive 3 will last for seven days at a time is magical. Hell, you’ll even get 13 hours of GPS usage in a single session, a huge improvement on the sort of figures you see on the Apple Watch and Android Wear.

We’ll be able to confirm (or deny) how well it lives up to its own hype when we grab it in for review, but it’s certainly promising. And if you’d like to buy one ahead of our verdict, you can do so when it launches for the sum of $300 with a stainless steel case, or $330 for a nicer-looking slate one.

Then there is Garmin’s Vivomove HR, a hybrid that puts connected smartwatches from several other brands to shame. Much like its big sibling, the Vivomove comes with an optical heart rate sensor, activity tracking and a five-day battery life. Lurking beneath the lower third of that analog face, however, is an OLED display that activates when you tap the number six on the dial. Then the hands will move to the 10:10 position and you’ll be able to swipe through basic activity, smartwatch and fitness dashboards.

In fact, from the slightly janky first edition, the Vivomove HR has evolved into a much more elegant version of Nokia / Withings’ Steel HR. Similar to that device, the Vivomove will also live on as an analog timepiece for a further two weeks when its main battery is depleted. And, all told, the Vivomove’s a pretty device, the sort that you’d be proud to wear both to a gym and a fancy dinner. If you want one, it’ll set you back $200 for a basic sport version and $300 for the premium edition.

Rounding out the trio is the slender Vivosport, a fitness tracker that’s the same size as a MiBand, but comes packing GPS. Much like the other two, and many other Garmin devices, the Vivosport will track your activity and runs, not to mention counting reps in the gym. The optical heart rate monitor will also keep track of your vitals, and stress, while the GPS can also be used to monitor your position should you feel unsafe.

The only problem will be to convince folks to spend $200 on a device like this, since it wouldn’t look out of place next to $70 Fitbits and $20 MiBands. If GPS is a must, but you don’t want a fully-featured watch, then it’s probably worth investigating. But don’t be surprised if people look shocked when you tell them your fitness band cost you two Benjamins.

Tom Cas contributed to this report.

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House cancels net neutrality hearing after companies don’t commit

The September 7th meeting to discuss the future of net neutrality in Washington, D.C. has been cancelled. Why? Alphabet, AT&T, Charter Communications, Comcast, Facebook, Netflix and Verizon executives wouldn’t commit to attending, according to Reuters. At the end of last month, lawmakers agreed to extend the deadline in hopes that company heads would attend. The reality is that in private, the companies have been apparently reticent to sign any sort of permanent rules under the current administration.

For example, FCC chairman Ajit Pai has called net neutrality a “mistake” in the past, and believes that the internet shouldn’t be classified as a utility.

Apple recently came out swinging for “strong, enforceable internet protections.”

“Our deep respect for our customers’ security, privacy and control over personal information extends to our customers’ broadband connectivity choices,” it said in a comment. “We work hard to build great products, and what consumers do with those tools is up to them — not Apple and not broadband providers.”

How Congress will proceed from here is anyone’s guess, but if the current sentiment stands, it could lead to a repeal of 2015’s ruling.

Source: Reuters

The smartwatch market is actually performing pretty well

While the wearables field is proving a tough space for many companies, smartwatches are apparently doing quite well. In a report from International Data Corporation on this year’s second quarter earnings, sales numbers show that wearables are up 10.3 percent year over year. That number includes a small — nearly one percent — but notable first time drop in annual growth for basic wearables, like most Fitbit trackers, that don’t run third party apps. On the other side of that, though, smartwatch growth topped 60 percent this quarter compared to the same time last year.

“Smartwatches recorded double-digit year-over-year growth, with much of that increase attributable to a growing number of models aimed at specific market segments, like the fashion-conscious and outdoor enthusiasts in addition to the technophile crowd, lower price points, and a slowly-warming reception from consumers and enterprise users alike,” said IDC’s wearables research manager, Ramon Llamas, in a statement. “Factor in how smartwatches are taking steps to become standalone devices, and more applications are becoming available, and the smartwatch slowly becomes a more suitable mass market product.”

Apple was a big leader with nearly 50 percent year over year growth during the second quarter, while, as reported previously, Xiaomi took the top spot in the wearables market. Though Fitbit has dropped to third place and its second quarter year over year change was an over 40 percent decrease in growth, its upcoming Ionic watch could help it grab some of the fast-moving smartwatch growth. Fossil, which entered the wearables market top five for the first time, has done well with its slew of smartwatches produced by its Fossil brand as well as high-end brands like Armani that fall under its umbrella. And Misfit — another Fossil brand — has its snazzy-looking Vapor smartwatch set to launch in October.

The next big wearables star could be clothing and earwear, which according to IDC, showed triple-digit growth. “These products are still in their initial stages, but by targeting specific market niches (performance tracking clothing for professional athletes) or providing unique value propositions (audio adjustment or language translation for earworn devices), these products are offering solutions to problems other than simply reporting data, and gaining traction,” said Llamas.

Via: CNET

Source: International Data Corporation

littleBits’ Droid Inventor Kit teaches kids tech with ‘Star Wars’

The latest addition to the littleBits line of products is a Droid Inventor Kit — part of the Force Friday II toy launch ahead of Star Wars: The Last Jedi. “We’ve created a gender-inclusive product that celebrates kids’ own self-expression and ingenuity, while showcasing the same characteristics of imagination, grit and invention that are embodied in the Star Wars franchise,” said littleBits CEO Ayah Bdeir in a statement.

The kit comes with everything kids need to build their own Droid along with an app that includes instructions and how-to videos. Stickers and 17 special Star Wars in-app missions are also included as well as 20 authentic Droid sounds from the films. Challenges accessed through the Droid Inventor app also encourage children to play with the parts and littleBits technology in order to come up with different types of Droids, like one that can deliver items or one that can guard their rooms. Rearranging electronic blocks can also unlock new powers.

Some of the Droid features include Force Drive, which lets kids guide their creation with a wave of their hand, self navigation, wherein the Droid can maneuver itself around objects, and a draw mode that lets the Droid draw secret maps or messages.

The Droid Inventor Kit is available now for $100 through Walmart, Amazon, the Apple Store, the Disney Store and littleBits.com.

Source: littleBits

Microsoft unlocked 1080p Mixer game streaming on Xbox One

Testers have had their hands on the customizable Xbox One interface for a bit, and Microsoft has listened to their suggestions. Specifically, the home screen now supports up to 40 pinned items and your background image will be easier to see, according to a post on the Xbox forums. More than that, you can broadcast your gameplay via Mixer at 1080p. There are a handful of other tweaks (like support for Arabic and Hebrew languages), so be sure to check the links below. Or, if you’re a member of the Alpha Ring preview, the patch might already be on your console.

Alpha #Xbox Insiders, a few updates coming to you today, based on feedback: Up to 40 dash pins, 1080p Mixer broadcasting & more

— 💬 Larry Hryb (@majornelson) August 30, 2017

Via: Windows Central

Source: Xbox forums

Netatmo to Add HomeKit Support to ‘Presence’ and ‘Welcome’ Cameras

Netatmo today announced plans to add HomeKit support to its existing Welcome and Presence home security cameras.

Both cameras will gain HomeKit compatibility through an upcoming software update that will enable HomeKit for both new devices and those that customers have already purchased.

“Having both our security cameras compatible with Apple HomeKit through a software upgrade demonstrates our ability to constantly provide our existing and new users with the most advanced technologies. All our cameras will benefit from the HomeKit transition, no matter when they were commercialised. Netatmo products are long lasting capital goods. Through regular software updates, we ensure they offer the best services to our clients” explains Fred Potter, Founder and CEO of Netatmo.

Presence is Netatmo’s outdoor security camera that’s able to detect people, cars, and animals outside of the home and send activity notifications to users. Presence features 1080p videos with a 100 degree field of view and a 65 foot detection range, making it ideal for keeping an eye on the outside of your home.

Welcome is Netatmo’s indoor home security camera with a 120 degree field of view, a live video feed with audio, facial recognition, and night vision support.

When HomeKit support is added, both the Presence and the Welcome will be accessible in the Home app and will be able to respond to Siri voice commands. In addition to viewing a camera feed, Siri commands can be used to adjust the accompanying light on the Presence outdoor camera.

Netatmo plans to add HomeKit connectivity to Presence in the fall, while HomeKit compatibility will be added to Welcome in early 2018.

Tags: HomeKit, Netatmo
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DJI Debuts New Mavic Pro Platinum and Phantom 4 Pro Obsidian Drones

At the IFA trade show in Berlin, popular drone manufacturer DJI announced two new drones, which are upgraded versions of its popular Mavic Pro and Phantom 4 drone lineup.

The Mavic Pro Platinum is identical to the Mavic Pro, but it comes in a new platinum color and it features both an 11 percent gain in flight time and a 60 percent reduction in noise. With the flight time improvements, the Mavic Pro Platinum’s battery will last for 30 minutes before needing to be recharged.

To enable the longer battery life and quieter operation, DJI is using new electronic speed controllers and new propellers, with the propellers compatible with existing Mavic Pro models.

The Phantom 4 Pro Obsidian, part of the Pro line designed for professionals, features a matte-gray shell color and a magnesium electroplated gimbal that has an anti-fingerprint coating.

DJI also plans to introduce new firmware for its smallest drone, the Spark, introducing a panoramic photo with a fisheye lens effect that can be shared to social media sites. The new firmware will be available in the upcoming DJI Go 4 mobile app.

DJI’s new Mavic Pro Platinum is available for pre-order immediately from the DJI website, and it will begin shipping in September. It’s priced at $1,099, a $100 premium over the standard Mavic Pro.

The Phantom 4 Pro Obsidian will retail for $1,499. It will be available for purchase in September from the DJI website.

Tag: DJI
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WiZ Light bulbs are a new player in the smart lights arena (Review)

WiZ is a new company in the smart lighting market, and they bring a compelling collection of lights to the US market. Featuring a simple set up and easy to use app, as well as a hub-less design that may be appealing to those feeling the smart home hub fatigue.

The WiZ A.E26 bulbs are similar to your standard light bulb and have full 16 million color RGB and 64 thousand shades of white. They function very similarly to the likes of Philips Hue, or Lifx in terms of the app and even the light’s color performance. However, the light bulbs are much easier to set up than Lifx, requiring a simple toggle of power and then about a minute or two of setup in the app. Once you’re in the app, it’s a simple matter of making a room and assigning lights to the room. The app has the usual fare for customization, with a color selector, options for the different shades of white, as well as custom themes and lighting modes to suit your mood. It’s easy to use, but the UI isn’t the most visually striking, I give that to the Lifx app, which has a nicer visual flair overall.

In terms of light performance, white was generally spot on for the WiZ bulbs. The color performance stood up well also, at least compared to the Hue bulbs. Some colors were difficult for WiZ to match the newer Hue bulbs with improved colors, mostly green, and actually outperformed Hue in red. However, both bulbs can’t match the peak brightness and color of the Lifx bulbs, since they have more LED diodes per bulb. They do come close enough that without having the other bulbs to compare, you’d probably never notice the difference. I’d say the WiZ bulbs are definitely up there with the best smart bulbs in terms of overall performance.

Hue on top, WiZ on bottom

Hue on top, WiZ on bottom

Hue on top, WiZ on bottom

Hue on top, WiZ on bottom

WiZ also has a handy remote that lets you control the bulbs without using your phone, and lets you customize the four preset buttons to your favorite themes or settings. The remote requires line of sight but works well even through lampshades. It’s powered by traditional batteries, which is both good and bad for me, but it is also convenient if you just want to turn the light on quickly without your phone or voice.

The WiZ bulbs came ready to play nice with the rest of your smart home as well. They come fully compatible with both Alexa and Google Assistant, as well as IFTTT to allow you to easily integrate them into your existing smart home infrastructure. Setting them up with my Google Home was very easy, and so far it has worked just as well as my Lifx bulbs at home. Points to WiZ for having a solid smart home integration at launch.

WiZ bulbs are available in select Costco stores now and will be at Amazon and Home Depot starting next week in the US. The A.E26 bulbs will start at $69.95 for the color and $49.95 for the white only version. There are also other lights available on WiZ’s website, WiZ.world, including the most intriguing to me, smart RGB LED recessed lighting.

If you’re in the market for smart lights and are looking for a brand that offers the same level of quality that the more established brands like Philips and Lifx offer at a competitive price with some compelling new features, then be sure to check out WiZ lights.