Hulu’s ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ wins best TV drama at Golden Globes

Streaming shows are no strangers to picking up Golden Globe awards, and that trend is continuing at the 2018 ceremony. To start, Hulu’s The Handmaid’s Tale has won awards for both the best TV drama and best TV actress (Elisabeth Moss). The wins weren’t completely surprising given the strength of Margaret Atwood’s story, Moss’ performance and the all-too-timely subject matter, but it’s still a significant victory.

Not that other services left the Globes empty-handed. Rachel Brosnahan won the best TV actress award for playing the namesake role in Amazon’s The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, for example. We’re still waiting on the full list of winners as we write this, but we wouldn’t be surprised if Amazon and Netflix scooped up some of the remaining awards.

Developing…

Never let them grind you down. Congratulations to The #HandmaidsTale cast and crew on your #GoldenGlobes win for Best Drama Series. #Globes75 pic.twitter.com/hqvKtPwQec

— The Handmaid’s Tale (@HandmaidsOnHulu) January 8, 2018

The spotlight is on #MrsMaisel! Congratulations to @RachieBros and the entire @MaiselTV cast for 2 @GoldenGlobes nominations! #GoldenGlobes pic.twitter.com/0hKJwDSG1K

— Marvelous Mrs Maisel (@MaiselTV) December 11, 2017

Source: Handmaid’s Tale (Twitter), Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Twitter)

The Enhancia ring turns your gestures into musical effects

Enhancia consists of a rubber ring that you wear while playing the keyboard, connected to a larger hub. Its purpose is to augment whatever tune you’re playing with effects that are common in modern music — often added later in the production stage — with natural gestures and in real time. “We wanted to create the shortest path between musical intention and musical creation” said Damien Le Boulaire, CEO and one of Enhancia’s four co-founders from Grenoble, France.

The “connected ring” essentially functions as a responsive MIDI controller that can function with or without a laptop. Tilting your hand up and down modulates the volume while rolling it from side to side creates pitch bend or vibrato effects. Combining gestures means the effects combine, too. The team says they’ll add more gestures in the future — which are received through nine sensors — while any number of musical effects can be programmed by a user.

Presently, the ring is connected to the hub by a tether, but the team says it will be wireless by the time Enhancia’s Kickstarter launches in March 2018. While a spokesman would not confirm exact pricing, he anticipates it will sell at around €200-€300 ($240-$360), with delivery expected by the end of the year.

Click here to catch up on the latest news from CES 2018.

Jabra’s Elite 65t are affordable wireless earbuds with great sound

Jabra may have just announced its latest totally wireless earbuds at CES, but I got a hold of a pair early and have been using them as primary headphones for about a week. While the $170 Elite 65t that I’ve been wearing isn’t a final model, they still gave me an idea of what to expect when the final version ships next month. Mostly, Jabra proves that you don’t need to spend $250 (or more) to get a pair of earbuds that won’t get tangled and still sound really good.

You won’t find any surprises in terms of design here, as the Elite 65t look similar to other totally wireless earbuds. The in-ear units themselves are small enough to sit nicely in the space just outside your ear, so they don’t stick out from your head like some others do (looking at you, Bose Soundsport Free). The Elite 65t also has controls on both earbuds that make adjustments easy and don’t require pulling your phone out of your pocket. On the left side are the volume controls while a short press on the right side will play/pause and a long press will summon your virtual assistant of choice. In my case, that was alerting Siri on my iPhone.

Those controls are handy, but you’re still pushing the earbuds into your ear any time you employ them. It’s not super uncomfortable, but it did take me a few tries to find the best way to make volume or other tweaks while putting the least amount of pressure on my ears. Of course, the alternative is no on-board controls at all, so I’ll take what I can get.

Jabra says both software and sound quality are still being tweaked ahead of the official launch, so I won’t go into too much detail there. Based on a few days with the Elite 65t though, the final product will sound really good based on the current audio quality. There’s not quite the depth of sound I heard on the Soundsport Free currently, but again, that could change. However, the current current audio profile is still very nice. Highs, mids and lows are all well-represented across a range of genres, including bluegrass, hip-hop, metal, electronic and more. These earbuds, even in an unfinished state, sound good when you consider they cost at least $80 less than some of Jabra’s main competition, like Bose or B&O.

Due to their small stature, the Elite 65t earbuds are comfy to wear — even for long periods of time. They aren’t too heavy and sit comfortably in your ears. Even at the gym, both units stayed in place despite the lack of any fin or other design element that would help them stay put. As you might expect, the Elite 65t comes with a charging case that provides two addition full charges. That means you can expect up to 15 hours of playback when you use the case’s extra power — up from the 5-hour battery life Jabra says you can expect with the earbuds alone. I didn’t put those figures to the test though, as I put the in-ears back in the case each time I was finished listening so I wouldn’t lose them. I did, however, have to plug the case in to recharge the whole thing about every third day.

Even with a beta unit, Jabra has a compelling totally wireless option with the Elite 65t. Sure, there are more affordable options than this $170 pair, but there are also more expensive ones that aren’t so impressive they justify the higher price. The combination of good sound and comfort is definitely on display here, and let’s be honest, those are the two things that matter most when it comes to selecting new headphones or earbuds.

Click here to catch up on the latest news from CES 2018.

CES 2018: Belkin Adds HomeKit Compatibility to Wemo Lineup With Launch of New Bridge

Belkin today announced that it is officially adding HomeKit support to its popular Wemo lineup of smart connected accessories with the launch of the new Wemo Bridge.

Customers who own Wemo home automation products have been eagerly awaiting the debut of the Wemo Bridge, which Belkin first unveiled earlier this year. It was meant to launch in the fall of 2017, a target that was missed, but it will be available for purchase starting tomorrow.

Details about the bridge have already been added into the Wemo app, so some customers may have already noticed its imminent availability.

The Wemo Bridge is designed to connect to any home Wi-Fi router via an Ethernet cable to add HomeKit connectivity to current Wemo Smart Plugs and Light Switches. With the addition of the bridge, selected Wemo accessories can be controlled via the dedicated Home app or through Siri, and they can interact with other HomeKit products using Scenes, Schedules, and Timers.

Belkin’s Bridge-compatible Wemo devices include the Dimmer, Mini Smart Plug, Insight Smart Plug, Motion Sensor, and Light Switch.

“We’ve had an overwhelming positive response from customers when we announced last spring that we would make the Wemo Bridge compatible with HomeKit support, said Kara Alexander, Wemo senior product manager. “We have made it a top priority working with Apple to ensure an incredible experience for both Wemo and HomeKit users. Bringing together two of the most influential Smart Home platforms will enable millions of current and future Wemo users to experience the benefits of HomeKit, including the Apple Home app, Siri integration and interoperability with other HomeKit devices.”

The HomeKit-connected Wemo Bridge will be available for purchase starting on Monday, January 8 from Belkin, Amazon, Apple, and Best Buy for $39.99.

Tags: HomeKit, Belkin, WeMo, CES 2018
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CES 2018: Speck Announces New Presidio Mount iPhone Case Designed to Work With Scosche Mounts

Speck today announced that it has teamed up with Scosche to create a new Presidio Mount iPhone case that is designed to work with Scosche’s lineup of MagicMount magnetic mounts.

Scosche’s magnetic mounts typically require iPhone users to attach metal mounting plates to their iPhones or iPhone cases using adhesive, but the Presidio Mount includes two steel plates that are embedded between the layers of the case.

Speck says the metal plates are invisible because they’re mounted inside the case, and they’ve been positioned so they won’t interfere with wireless charging.

Like Speck’s other Presidio cases, the Presidio Mount includes two-layer protection that can keep an iPhone from getting damaged from drops up to 10 feet high. The inner layer is made from an impact absorbing rubber Speck calls Impactium, while the outer layer is made from a polycarbonate designed to disperse shock.

The Presidio Mount is compatible with all cradle-free Scosche MagicMounts and it will be available for the iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, and later, including the iPhone X. Speck plans to make the Presidio Mount available for purchasein February of 2018 and it will be priced starting at $44.95.

Tags: Speck, CES 2018
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Intel wants to bring you faster Wi-Fi in the next couple of years

We’ve got more and more devices these days that rely on Wi-Fi, whether they’re cellphones, laptops, or something in between. With the increase of all these new technological tools, the need for more reliable and faster wireless networks has become very important. But a solution to this problem does appear to be coming down the pipeline. Intel recently made an announcement that it is readying new chips for what will be the next generation of Wi-Fi.

In 2018, Intel is going to make its home Wi-Fi portfolio larger with its new 802.11ax chips. With these new chips comes a whole host of upgrades and improvements from the predecessor, 802.11ac. The 802.11ax chips should be able to offer up to 40 percent higher peak data rates for an individual device, which means a change from 433Mbps to 600Mbps. On more dense or congested networks, the average throughput per user should improve by at least four times. This is accomplished, in part, by sending the data out to designated devices, as opposed to covering an entire area with an abundance of signals.

In addition to that, the battery life of client devices is going to be extended with these new 802.11ax chips, while at the same time increasing network efficiency. These improvements are going to be very useful for households with an increasing number of connected devices. Intel says it will begin shipping 802.11ax chips sometime this year. It will be some time before we’re connecting to the internet on much faster Wi-Fi, however.

The Wi-Fi Alliance told The Verge that they don’t expect to see mass adoption of the new chips until next year in 2019. This is mainly because product certification does not begin until next year, and according to a spokesperson, certification “is typically an inflection point toward broader industry adoption.”

Even when certification for 802.11ax arrives in 2019, it will still be a little while before we will be able to take advantage of it. It will take some time before certified products are on the shelves. You’ll also probably have to replace some of your devices for ones that will support the new Wi-Fi standard.

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Nvidia’s updates EULA to ban the use of gamer-oriented GPUs in data centers

Nvidia has banned the use of its consumer-grade GPUs in data centers, the Register reported. This decision forces organizations to pay for the more expensive chips such as the Tesla V100.

The GPU company updated the license agreements of its Titan and GeForce software to reflect this change.

“No Datacenter Deployment,” the updated agreement reads. “The SOFTWARE is not licensed for datacenter deployment, except that blockchain processing in a datacenter is permitted.”

Prior to this change, it was possible for data centers to use several Titan or GeForce GPUs in servers in order to power things such as A.I. research, machine learning, and simulations and analytics. Technically speaking, the EULA only covers the drivers, but without Nvidia’s drivers, you can’t access the full power of the hardware so the Titan and GeForce will do you little good.

This means that data centers and hardware manufacturers building workstations for those data centers will have to fork out a lot more money for GPUs. The gamer-focused GeForce GTX 1080 Ti only costs about $700. It’s not cheap, but it is much more affordable than the $9,000 Tesla V100.

In a statement to the Register, Nvidia said that it updated the license agreement to reflect the fact that it does not believe its consumer-grade cards are meant for data center work.

“GeForce and TITAN GPUs were never designed for data center deployments with the complex hardware, software, and thermal requirements for 24×7 operation, where there are often multi-stack racks,” a spokesperson for Nvidia said.

However, some researchers have said that they do not need the extra power offered by the Tesla V100 stating. One research expressed frustration that Nvidia would resort to legal threats against researchers for using consumer-grade cards.

“Much of this data does not actually need to double-point precision of the Tesla cards,” the researcher told the Register.”This is a shocking sneaky way to suddenly introduce limitations to their product. Most places would be happy to acknowledge that using a consumer product in a server may invalidate the warranty, but to limit in such a way that it would leave researchers open to possible legal threats is frankly disgusting.”

EULAs are often difficult to enforce, though it is possible that Nvidia could take organizations to court over the violation of the agreement. Whether or not they will remains to be seen.

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L’Oréal’s new battery-free wearable fits on your thumbnail, measures UV exposure

At the 2016 Consumer Electronic Show in Las Vegas, L’Oréal USA debuted its My UV Patch — a stretchable skin sensor that monitors UV exposure while also educating people about sun protection. At this year’s CES, the company is unveiling UV Sense — an accessory that enhances the ability to monitor your skin while you’re under the sun.

Available from L’Oréal-owned skincare brand La Roche-Posay, UV Sense is a battery-free wearable electronic sensor that can measure your UV exposure and store up to three months worth of data. Coming in at less than two millimeters thick and and nine millimeters in diameter, it’s designed to be worn on your thumbnail and lasts for up to two weeks.

The sensor is applied using an adhesive, and can be reapplied using additional adhesives that come with the wearable. By placing it on the thumbnail specifically, you’ll be exposing UV Sens, which is activated by UVA and UVB rays, to optimal sunlight.

The wearable is also accompanied by a mobile app available for iOS and Android. Using near-field communication (NFC), the data is transferred from the sensor to your smartphone to keep you updated on your UV exposure. It’ll also provide you with tips for protection and facts about sun exposure.

Alongside UV Sense, L’Oréal is also debuting a limited-edition My UV Patch. We had some hands-on time with the original, but the new one features a different design. While the first UV Patch was in the shape of a heart, this one has a more geometric pattern that looks like it will blend in better with casual outfits.

The patch features photosensitive dyes that will change color when exposed to UV rays. You can sleep, shower, and swim with it, as well as apply sunscreen over it. But it only lasts several days. 

My UV Patch also comes with an app available for iOS and Android. After scanning the patch, the app will factor in skin type, weather, and location, then use a smart algorithm to provide specific advice including sun-safe behavior and when to reapply your sunscreen.

While details on pricing and release date haven’t been confirmed, both the UV Sense and limited-edition My UV Patch will be available later this year.

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The DJI Osmo Mobile 2 gets better, longer lasting and a ton cheaper

Shaky smartphone videos be damned, the new DJI Osmo Mobile 2 is so cheap that almost any mobile videographer should have one.

DJI is best known for its range of drones, but at CES 2018 the company’s focus is away from the skies and into your hand. Along with a new gimbal designed for DSLR and mirrorless cameras, DJI has introduced an all-new Osmo Mobile to stabilize all your smartphone videos.

And the biggest news of all is the new price: $129. No, that’s not a typo.

The first generation Osmo has been around for a couple of years and even today remains an incredible product loved by mobile videographers the world over. But it had its downsides. The price was the biggest, costing $299 when it first launched.

The DJI Osmo Mobile 2 looks like it takes most of the criticisms about the first model and throws them in the garbage. For starters, it’s $129, a huge price cut on what you can still buy the original model for today. It’s also lighter, and thanks to the shift to an internal battery, lasts for up to 15 hours per charge instead of 5. The tripod mount is now on the bottom where it should be and thanks to the built-in USB port you can charge your phone from the Osmo.

The Osmo Mobile 2 gets some new features too, with an integrated zoom control joining previous favorites such as active tracking and motion timelapse. But perhaps one of the biggest new additions for the social media generation is support for portrait video. So now your Snapchat and Instagram Stories can be silky smooth forever more.

The Osmo Mobile 2 is set to go on sale first through the Apple Store where pre-orders will begin on January 23. From February it will become available directly from DJI and authorized resellers, as well as enjoying expanded availability from Apple in more regions.

Sensorwake will crowdfund a nighttime scent diffuser in April

Sensorwake burst onto the scene with a smell-based alarm clock that operated on the belief that scents were better than sounds. Now, the company is attempting to make a further in-road into our bedrooms with its next product, the Oria night-time diffuser. The idea being that folks will sleep easier if all they can smell is the sweet perfume that’s being pushed out while you catch some shut-eye.

Part-way through 2017, Sensorwake’s parent company received a cash injection from the Givaudan Group, a Swiss perfume and flavoring giant. Givudan has conducted numerous EEG sleep studies claiming that, when exposed to specific scents, people have longer, and more restful slumber. Oria will use a tailored capsule that can last up to a month at a time before you need to replace it.

Right now, Sensorwake and its founder, Guillaume Rolland, are working on finishing the Oria hardware in anticipation for a Kickstarter. That’s expected to launch in April, with interested users also being given the chance to register to join the beta-testing program for the product. Shipping is expected to take place towards the end of the year, although specifics on the cost of the hardware, and the capsules, is still TBC.

Click here to catch up on the latest news from CES 2018.