Levi’s is already working with Google on a second smart jacket

Levi’s connected denim jacket went on sale three weeks ago, but CEO Chip Bergh said it’s already working with Google on a version 2.0. At Wall Street Journal’s D. Live conference, Bergh said that the new one will have even more functionality. If you don’t need a screen for it, he said, then there’s a possibility that feature could be incorporated into the next Levi’s and Google collaboration.

Bergh showed off a few capabilities of the current Google-powered jacket on stage. He swiped his sleeve to tell him the time, and another swipe told him directions. The jacket uses a conductive fiber that was developed as part of Google Advanced Technology and Product group’s Project Jacquard. It’s meant primarily as a jacket for cyclists, so they don’t need to look at a screen when riding. “We’ve come up with a solution so people aren’t constantly taking phones out of their pocket,” he said.

He went on to say that this is just the start of wearable computing. Bergh foresees a future where conductive thread and fabric is weaved into all items of clothing. For example, a future swimsuit might have embedded fibers that could keep track of lap turns and heart rate. As for whether the new Google jacket will have a voice interface, he said that the fibers don’t listen just yet.

“We have to honor our past,” Bergh said regarding Levi’s heritage. “But we have to also put one foot going very confidently into the future with innovation.”

‘GTA Online’ transforming vehicle races start today

There are plenty of new racing games to choose from this fall (Forza 7, GT Sport, Project Cars 2 and Need for Speed: Payback), but none of them will let you change vehicles mid-race. Nor are they anywhere near as crazy as what Rockstar Games has been doing with GTA Online. Today marks the debut of Transform Races, which as the name suggests, has you swapping from plane to jet ski, to stunt car to bicycles all in the course of a single circuit, and in real-time. Simply drive through a waypoint in a stunt race and your vehicle will change instantaneously and appropriately for the section ahead.

All said, there are 15 of these races, and to celebrate Rockstar is offering double earnings and reputation (experience points) through October 26th. Need more races than that? Rockstar teases that those will be coming later this fall, as is the ability to make your own in Online’s race creator. Transform Races are available now on PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.

Source: Rockstar Newswire

Google Testing Support for Third-Party Email Accounts in Gmail for iOS

Google today asked customers who use the Gmail for iOS app to test a new feature that will allow non-Google accounts to be added to and checked from the official Gmail for iOS app.

Right now, the Gmail app for iOS devices only supports Gmail accounts, but the addition of support for third-party email accounts would put the app on par with other popular iOS apps like Spark, Airmail, Alto, Edison Mail, and other options.

Calling Gmail iOS users! Help us test a new feature – check your non-Google accounts from the official Gmail iOS app https://t.co/qVG44ygii2 pic.twitter.com/WZlUDSOtWX

— Gmail (@gmail) October 17, 2017

Gmail for Android already supports third-party email accounts.

Google is allowing Gmail users to sign up to test the feature through a beta application. Requirements include using the Gmail for iOS app, having a non-Google email account, and iOS 10 or later.

Customers are asked to enter their name, Gmail address, iOS device, and provider of the non-Google email account to be used in the beta. There’s no word yet on when the feature might launch following the beta test.

Gmail for iOS can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]

Tags: Google, Gmail
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Diabetics can control their blood sugar with a smartphone and artificial pancreas

Why it matters to you

An artificial pancreas and smartphone algorithm could be key to treating diabetes in the future.

There has been quite a bit of good news lately for diabetes patients. From a stem cell-based implant that could serve as a functional cure for some folks to a glucose monitoring device that obviates the need for finger pricks, science and technology are helping millions of folks worldwide conquer the disease. Now, the latest innovation comes in the form of an artificial pancreas, which allows patients to control their insulin levels with a smartphone.

A total of 30 patients with Type 1 diabetes participated in a 12-week trial of the novel system and researchers found “significant improvements in two key measures of well-being in people living with Type 1 diabetes,” namely decreased hemoglobin A1c and reduced time spent in hypoglycemia. Thanks to the combination of the man-made pancreas and smartphone algorithms, patients were more easily able to monitor their blood glucose levels and administer insulin either using a needle or infusion pump.

Per a Harvard Universtiy release detailing the trial, “The artificial pancreas is designed to mimic a healthy person’s glucose regulating function. The closed-loop system consists of an insulin pump and continuous glucose monitor placed under the user’s skin.” In addition, the system includes an algorithm within a Bluetooth-enabled smartphone, which determines how much insulin the pump ought to deliver. This amount is determined by a number of variables, like meals consumed, physical activity, sleep, stress, and metabolism.

The success of the trial was made even more exciting by the fact that participants were folks who were already vigilant about monitoring themselves, and had “very good HbA1c levels before the trial.” Even so, using the artificial pancreas, researchers were able to reduce these levels even further.

“This is by far the longest duration trial we have conducted, and it is a testament to the robustness of the algorithm that our key performance indices were maintained from our earlier, shorter trials,” said Francis Doyle, a Harvard professor of Engineering and Applied Sciences, said.

While the system has yet to reach the market, results like these certainly bode well for the future viability of the project.

Diabetics can control their blood sugar with a smartphone and artificial pancreas

Why it matters to you

An artificial pancreas and smartphone algorithm could be key to treating diabetes in the future.

There has been quite a bit of good news lately for diabetes patients. From a stem cell-based implant that could serve as a functional cure for some folks to a glucose monitoring device that obviates the need for finger pricks, science and technology are helping millions of folks worldwide conquer the disease. Now, the latest innovation comes in the form of an artificial pancreas, which allows patients to control their insulin levels with a smartphone.

A total of 30 patients with Type 1 diabetes participated in a 12-week trial of the novel system and researchers found “significant improvements in two key measures of well-being in people living with Type 1 diabetes,” namely decreased hemoglobin A1c and reduced time spent in hypoglycemia. Thanks to the combination of the man-made pancreas and smartphone algorithms, patients were more easily able to monitor their blood glucose levels and administer insulin either using a needle or infusion pump.

Per a Harvard Universtiy release detailing the trial, “The artificial pancreas is designed to mimic a healthy person’s glucose regulating function. The closed-loop system consists of an insulin pump and continuous glucose monitor placed under the user’s skin.” In addition, the system includes an algorithm within a Bluetooth-enabled smartphone, which determines how much insulin the pump ought to deliver. This amount is determined by a number of variables, like meals consumed, physical activity, sleep, stress, and metabolism.

The success of the trial was made even more exciting by the fact that participants were folks who were already vigilant about monitoring themselves, and had “very good HbA1c levels before the trial.” Even so, using the artificial pancreas, researchers were able to reduce these levels even further.

“This is by far the longest duration trial we have conducted, and it is a testament to the robustness of the algorithm that our key performance indices were maintained from our earlier, shorter trials,” said Francis Doyle, a Harvard professor of Engineering and Applied Sciences, said.

While the system has yet to reach the market, results like these certainly bode well for the future viability of the project.

Huawei Mate 10 vs. Mate 10 Pro: Battle to be your new best mate

It’s not easy to carve out a share of the high-end smartphone market. Relatively few people in the U.S. look beyond the enticing wares of Samsung and Apple, but that’s a shame because they’re missing out on excellent smartphones like the HTC U11, the LG V30, and the Huawei Mate 10 and Mate 10 Pro.

Only Samsung sells more smartphones worldwide than Huawei, and the Mate series is the cream of the Chinese manufacturer’s crop. We were impressed by last year’s Mate 9 and the Mate 8 before it, but availability stateside was limited. This year Huawei is offering the Mate 10 and the Mate 10 Pro, and the latter is coming to the U.S. We decided to compare the two to find out what the differences are.

Specs

Huawei Mate 10

Huawei Mate 10 Pro

Size
150.5 x 77.8 x 8.2 mm (5.92 x 3.06 x 0.32 inches)
154.2 x 74.5 x 7.9 mm (6.07 x 2.93 x 0.31 inches)
Weight
186 grams (6.56 ounces)
178 grams (6.28 ounces)
Screen
5.9-inch LCD
6-inch OLED
Resolution
2,560 x 1,440 (499 ppi)
2,160 x 1,080 (402 ppi)
OS
Android 8.0 Oreo
Android 8.0 Oreo
Storage
64GB
64GB, 128GB
MicroSD card slot
Yes
No
NFC support
Yes
Yes
Processor
Huawei Kirin 970
Huawei Kirin 970
RAM
4GB
4GB/6GB
Connectivity
LTE (Cat 18), GSM, CDMA, HSPA, EVDO, 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi
LTE (Cat 18), GSM, CDMA, HSPA, EVDO, 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi
Camera
Dual 20-megapixel monochrome and 12-megapixel RGB rear, 8-megapixel front
Dual 20-megapixel monochrome and 12-megapixel RGB rear, 8-megapixel front
Video
Up to 4K at 30fps
Up to 4K at 30fps
Bluetooth
Yes, version 4.2
Yes, version 4.2
Fingerprint sensor
Yes
Yes
Other sensors
Accelerometer, barometer, gyro, geomagnetic, proximity
Accelerometer, barometer, gyro, geomagnetic, proximity
Water resistant
No
Yes, IP67 rated
Battery
4,000mAh

Fast charging

4,000mAh

Fast charging

Charging port
USB-C
USB-C
Marketplace
Google Play Store
Google Play Store
Colors
Black, Champagne Gold, Mocha Brown, Pink Gold
Midnight Blue, Titanium Gray, Mocha Brown, Pink Gold
Availability
Late October
Mid-November
Price
700 euros (around $827)
800 euros (around $945)
DT review
Hands-on
Hands-on

There are surprisingly few differences to be found here in terms of hardware. If you dig through the shiny glass and metal to expose the guts of Huawei’s flagship phones, you’ll find the beating heart of both is Huawei’s all-new Kirin 970 processor. Not only does this processor offer a 20 percent speed boost over its predecessor, the Kirin 960, it also packs a Neural Processing Unit (NPU).

The NPU is designed to enable cloud-based artificial intelligence (AI) and on-device AI to run in concert, faster than ever before. Your Mate 10 or Mate 10 Pro should make smart suggestions and run more efficiently as a result. But performance will be identical on the two phones.

While both the Mate 10 and Mate 10 Pro are being offered with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage, the Mate 10 Pro also comes in a 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage option. The Mate 10 also has a MicroSD card slot for expansion, while the Mate 10 Pro does not. How much RAM your smartphone needs is debatable, but you might see slightly more competent multitasking, enabling you to switch between more apps and games, if you opt for the 6GB version and that’s enough to win the round for the Mate 10 Pro.

Winner: Mate 10 Pro

Design, display, and durability

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

Both the Huawei Mate 10 and the Mate 10 Pro sport metal frames sandwiched by glass. The back has a reflective stripe that houses the dual cameras, but on the Mate 10 Pro there’s a fingerprint sensor in the middle of the back, below the camera. The Mate 10 opts for a more traditional fingerprint sensor lozenge on the front below the screen. This allows the Pro to have smaller bezels.

We’ve established that the Mate 10 Pro isn’t much more powerful than the Mate 10, so you’d be forgiven for thinking that the appended Pro means that it has a bigger screen. It does, but only by a fraction of an inch. The Mate 10 has a 5.9-inch screen compared to the Mate 10 Pro’s 6-inch screen, but there are some really important differences when we look closer.

The Mate 10 Pro has a superior AMOLED screen with an 18:9 aspect ratio. Despite having a slightly larger screen it is narrower than its sibling, making it easier to hold. However, don’t write the Mate 10 off just yet, because its bright LCD sports a resolution of 2,560 x 1,440 pixels, giving it a pixel per inch (PPI) rating of 499. The Mate 10 Pro screen has a resolution of 2,160 x 1,080 pixels for a PPI of 402.

AMOLED technology is generally better and we think that’s the case here, too, but it’s surprising that the Pro has a lower resolution. Both support HDR content.

There is one other advantage for the Mate 10 Pro in the durability stakes and it’s an IP67 rating. Just like the iPhone 8, the Huawei Mate 10 Pro can take a dunk in up to 1.5 meters of water for up to 30 minutes and emerge none the worse for it.

Winner: Mate 10 Pro

Battery life and charging

There’s nothing to divide these two here. The Huawei Mate 10 and Mate 10 Pro both pack big batteries rated at 4,000mAh. You’ll also enjoy fast charging capable of taking the battery from zero to more than 50 percent in just 30 minutes. Sadly, the glass backs don’t spell support for wireless charging, so you’ll be relying on that USB-C port.

Winner: Tie

Camera

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

It’s a familiar story in the camera department. You’ll find the same 20-megapixel monochrome camera alongside a 12-megapixel RGB camera in both phones. They both have large f/1.6 apertures, which should provide great low light performance. There is a Portrait Mode offering a solid bokeh effect, which blurs the background, but only the RGB camera has optical image stabilization. Around front, you’ll find the same 8-megapixel camera on the Mate 10 and Mate 10 Pro, so this has to be a tie.

Winner: Tie

Software

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

We’re pleased to find that Huawei has employed the latest flavor of Android — version 8.0 Oreo — in the Mate 10 and Mate 10 Pro. Both also boast Huawei’s EMUI 8 on top. Huawei’s user interface may take some getting used to if you’re unfamiliar, but it has some handy tricks up its sleeve, including a floating navigation circle that can replace the standard Android navigation buttons. There’s even a desktop mode, allowing you to connect to a TV or monitor with a USB-C to HDMI cable, which is a good deal cheaper than Samsung’s DeX docking station.

The Mate 10 Pro can show you multiple columns when you hold the phone in landscape mode, but that’s just about the only difference in software on these two phones. It’s a tie.

Winner: Tie

Price and availability

The Huawei Mate 10 goes on sale towards the end of October and the Mate 10 Pro will follow in November. The Huawei Mate 10 will cost 700 euros, which is currently about $827. The Huawei Mate 10 Pro will cost 800 euros, which is currently about $945. But it’s not unusual for manufacturers to set a lower dollar price, so they may be closer to $700 and $800.

The bad news is that Huawei hasn’t revealed the U.S. release plan, so we don’t know when or where the Mate 10 and Mate 10 Pro will be available in the United States, or precisely how much they’ll cost. We imagine you’ll be able to purchase them via the Huawei website and some other retailers — the Mate 9 is currently on sale at Best Buy and Amazon. U.S. carriers haven’t shown much interest in Huawei’s wares so far, but that could change.

It looks like the Mate 10 is slightly better value, but we think the Mate 10 Pro is probably worth the extra money. We’re going to call this a tie for now.

Winner: Tie

Overall winner: Mate 10 Pro

It’s natural to assume that the more expensive “Pro” version is going to be better and the Mate 10 Pro does win out over the Mate 10, but it’s a much closer contest than we expected. The processors, cameras, batteries, and software are identical. The Huawei Mate 10 Pro has a slightly better display and design, it’s more durable thanks to the IP67 water resistance, and there’s a model with more RAM and storage, but that’s all that separates these devices.

We’re a bit puzzled at Huawei’s strategy here, but given the choice, even with the higher price tag, we’d opt for the Mate 10 Pro.

Give Google a bone — Google Photos can now identify different pets

Why it matters to you

Find pictures of Fido faster with the latest Google Photos update.

Dogs and cats are getting upgraded from objects to actual pet status inside of Google Photos. On Monday, October 16, Google Photos rolled out an update that expands the computer vision options to recognize specific pets and even particular breeds.

The “People” album that automatically curated from photos with faces is now called “People and Pets” because the program is now able to tell one dog (or cat) from another. Now along with tapping a face to see groups of photos with the same friend in them, users can tap a pet face to see all the photos of a furry friend. If you go in and type that pet’s name into that grouping, you’ll then be able to search for Fido from the search tool.

Along with recognizing pets, Google Photos also now can differentiate between a number of different breeds. If you want to find photos of a friend’s dog without digging through images of your own pup, typing in a breed name instead of simply dog helps generate more specific search results. The breed feature works with cats, too.

While Google Photos can easily tell your Labrador from your St. Bernard, the program will have likely have some trouble if you own two dogs from the same breed. Google said that incorrectly identified pets can be moved to the correct folder, which will help the program learn the difference over time.

The update also allows for pet-friendly searches using the dog or cat emoji.

Google says the new tool helps make tasks like creating a pet-focused photo book or album easier, as well as of course finding the best photo to plaster on social media on National Dog Day. Google Assistant’s option to create videos of pets, first rolled out in May, is also simplified by the new pet recognition tool.

Computer vision and machine learning are part of several recent Google Photos updates. Using machine learning to recognize the best photos, for example, allows the program to auto-generate albums and create videos from related still photos, or suggest photos to add to a manually created album. Last year, Google said the algorithms had created 2 trillion labels that help users search for specific photos — and that was before dog and cat breeds made their way into the search tool.

The ESA shows off a new E3 logo to be introduced at the 2018 video game expo

Why it matters to you

E3 is set to undergo a significant rebranding, as the event continues to transition away from its origins as a trade show.

E3 has long since been established as the video game industry’s premier trade show, playing host to some of the most memorable reveals of the last two decades. In recent years, we have seen the event’s organizers make a concerted effort to modernize the show and now that is reflected in a change to its logo.

The new E3 logo takes its cues from modern design sensibilities; it uses a stark typeface and flat colors to produce a simple aesthetic that still retains something of its predecessor’s personality. Its yellow-and-red color scheme remains, but the three-dimensional lettering that was introduced back in the 1990s does not.

When E3 debuted in 1995, the video game industry was transitioning from the 2D era into the brave new world of three dimensions, thanks to hardware like the Sega Saturn, Sony PlayStation, and the Nintendo 64. As such, it made a lot of sense for 3D imagery to be used, reflecting what was cutting-edge in the world of interactive entertainment at that time.

The 3D revolution is old hat now and while 2D games have certainly had a resurgence, 3D environments are simply the norm. In a time when Nintendo can broadcast its own Direct live-streams as and when it sees fit to unveil new titles, E3 has to move with the times to stay relevant, and dragging its branding out of the 20th century is one component of a much broader effort.

There was a time when E3 was exclusively a press event, but due to various other competing trade shows, and the fact that many companies prefer to host their own showcases, this is no longer the case. E3 2017 marked the first time that the public could register for access to the show alongside industry insiders, heralding a change of tact that will see the expo compete more directly with the likes of PAX.

The new E3 logo is set to make its official debut when the 2018 edition of the event descends upon the Los Angeles Convention Center, according to Polygon. Next year’s show is scheduled to take place between June 12 and 14.

Google Maps turns off its controversial calorie feature after backlash

Why it matters to you

Apparently, telling users how many mini-cupcakes their walk burned off was not a good idea for Google.

If you used Google Maps in the last few days on your iPhone, you may have noticed a new feature at the bottom of the app — a counter estimating the number of calories you’d burn if you walked to your destination. If you haven’t used Google Maps in the last few days on your iPhone, don’t bother checking for that feature now. It’s already been discontinued as a result of massive backlash from a vocal user base.

While Google may have intended the feature to encourage folks to forego other forms of transportation in favor of a more environmentally friendly and healthful option, it had a rather triggering effect on some users.

Do they realize how extremely triggering something like this is for ppl who have had eating disorders? Not to mention just generally shamey

— Taylor Lorenz (@TaylorLorenz) October 17, 2017

Part of the problem, perhaps, was that in addition to telling folks how many calories they’d burn by walking, Google Maps also attempted to quantify this amount in terms of food. For example, Katie Notopoulos of BuzzFeed was told that she’d burn almost four mini-cupcakes worth of calories by walking nearly an hour and a half from her apartment to Times Square. Not quite the payoff that you might expect.

Google also had an additional three dots option users could tap to learn more about the calorie counter information, which noted that the average person burns 90 calories by walking a mile (is that really it?) and that a mini-cupcake contains about 110 calories.

Of course, this presented a rather one-dimensional view of health metrics. As Taylor Lorenz of The Hill pointed out, the calorie estimates Google provided didn’t take an individual’s stats (like height, weight, and overall fitness levels) into consideration. Plus, the choice of mini-cupcakes as a benchmark certainly seemed like an odd choice (one Twitter user noted, “I don’t even eat cupcakes“).

any woman could have told you this is a supremely bad thing a) to do b) to not be able to turn off https://t.co/QKLv74R2Lw

— Casey Johnston (@caseyjohnston) October 17, 2017

After the Twitterverse weighed in with their thoughts (and their thoughts were numerous), Google wasted little time removing the feature altogether. The tech company confirmed to BuzzFeed News that due to “strong user feedback,” the calorie counter in Google Maps would be deactivated. Luckily for Google, the feature was only ever a test, and available only to iOS users.

Android phone startup Essential is sued for allegedly stealing trade secrets

Why it matters to you

Essential, the startup behind the Essential Phone, is in hot water over a trade dispute over its wireless transfer tech.

Essential, the Android phone startup backed by Android co-founder Andy Rubin, hasn’t had the success some predicted. But if delayed shipments, privacy gaffes, and disappointing sales weren’t bad enough, Essential’s latest setback threatens to do lasting damage to its smartphone business. On Tuesday, October 17, Keyssa, a wireless company backed by iPod creator and Nest founder Tony Fadell, filed a lawsuit against Essential alleging that it stole trade secrets.

The dispute stems from Essential’s work with Keyssa’s transfer technology, which copies gigabit-size using a low-frequency network. According to documents made public, Essential sought Keyssa’s technical consultation under a non-disclosure agreement, working with a team of the firm’s “top engineers and scientists” and exchanging “many thousands” of emails, technical documents, and confidential presentations.

In August, Essential told Reuters that it “considered Keyssa as a component supplier for Essential Phone and chose to proceed with a different supplier that could meet our performance specifications for the product.”

Essential decided to end the relationship after 10 months, assuring Keyssa that it would use a different wireless technology in the Essential Phone (it eventually sourced it from Sibeam). But Keyssa says it reneged on the confidentiality agreement, knowingly implementing antenna designs and techniques in the phone’s modular accessories pin.

It’s not Essential’s first legal dispute. In June, accessory maker Spigen, which has a trademark on the Essential name for certain battery packs, chargers, and Bluetooth headphones, sent a cease-and-desist letter to Essential, accusing it of misappropriation. It still hasn’t been resolved — Essential’s trademark application was denied twice because it sought the use “Essential” for a nonspecific range of consumer electronics products, according to Android Police.

But if Keyssa’s lawsuit is found to have merit, the impact could be far worse. The Essential Phone’s range of modular accessories, which attach to the back of the phone using a combination of magnetic pins and a 60GHz wireless USB adapter, is one of the handset’s selling points. At launch, some models were bundled with the clip-on Essential Camera, an impressive 360-degree, 12-megapixel 4K camera that Essential claims is the “world’s smallest.”

Keyssa, which earlier this year partnered with smartphone manufacturers like Samsung and Foxconn, says it is seeking damages. “Keyssa has not been compensated for Essential’s use of this guidance and know-how,” a spokesperson told Reuters. “We are pursuing this action because our attempts to resolve this matter through discussions with Essential have not been successful.”

The court proceedings in San Francisco are scheduled to begin later in 2017.