CES 2018: Canary Launches Cheaper ‘View’ Indoor Security Camera for $99

Canary today at CES announced a new indoor security camera called the “Canary View,” which comes with a cheaper $99 price tag thanks to the removal of certain features from the original Canary device (via The Verge).

Specifically, the Canary View lacks the company’s “HomeHealth” technology, which monitors a home’s temperature, humidity, and overall air quality in the $169 Canary All-in-One camera. Otherwise, Canary View will perform all of the basic security camera functions, including iPhone compatibility, 1080p video capture, two-way Canary Talk, intelligent motion alerts, and more.

The device has a 147-degree wide-angle lens to capture footage, and can automatically transition to night vision when motion alerts appear in the dark. Some features on the Canary View — including Canary Talk — are limited to paying Canary Membership subscribers. The membership costs $9.99/month and updated last October when the company began charging for previously free features for its security cameras, citing “significant” cloud expenses.

The Canary View camera is available to purchase today on the company’s website for $99.

Tags: Canary, CES 2018
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Apple Says $29 Battery Replacements Are One-Per-iPhone When Device Passes Diagnostic Test

iPhone users hoping to double dip on Apple’s discounted $29 battery replacements this year may find themselves out of luck.

While we previously confirmed that Apple is offering $29 battery replacements to any customer with an iPhone 6 or newer regardless of diagnostic result, Apple has confirmed that this policy can only be taken advantage of once, according to new fine print on its iPhone service pricing page.

In other words, after you’ve had your iPhone’s battery replaced once this year, the device must explicitly fail the diagnostic test to qualify for any additional battery replacements for $29. If the test passes, a customer can still choose to have the battery replaced, but Apple’s standard $79 fee applies.

Apple says iPhone batteries are designed to retain up to 80 percent of their original capacity at 500 complete charge cycles, and this is likely the primary benchmark for its diagnostic test, but results may vary.

While it’s unlikely customers would need to have their iPhone battery replaced more than once in a year, some people may have planned on taking advantage of the $29 deal now, and then again near the end of 2018, as the combined $58 cost for two replacements would still be cheaper than the standard $79.

Apple reduced the price of iPhone battery replacements as part of its apology over a lack of communication about the power management changes it made starting in iOS 10.2.1. The discount is effective immediately and available worldwide through December 31, 2018. Prices vary outside of the United States.

To initiate the process, read our guide on how to get your iPhone’s battery replaced with an appointment at an Apple Store or Apple Authorized Service Provider, or by mailing the device to an Apple Repair Center.

Related Roundups: iPhone 6s, iPhone 7, iPhone SE, iPhone 8, iPhone XBuyer’s Guide: iPhone 8 (Buy Now), iPhone 8 (Buy Now), iPhone SE (Don’t Buy), iPhone 8 (Buy Now), iPhone X (Buy Now)
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This robot therapy duck comforts kids with cancer

CES is flush with giant TVs, smart fridges, and plenty of other superfluous nonsense. So it was a breath of fresh air when a company called Sproutel and Aflac showed up with a robot duck designed to comfort children with cancer. The My Special Aflac duck is, in many ways, not terribly different from other toy pets like Furby or an Aibo. It’s cute, cuddly and packed with sensors that allow it to interact with you. Scratch under its chin and the duck will lift its head and let out an appreciative little quack. Find its ticklish spot under the wing and it’ll shake about and erupt in laughter.

But it’s more than just a feathery companion, it’s educational and therapeutic. Children diagnosed at a young age often have trouble communicating how they feel. A selection of RFID enabled emoji cards allow patients use the duck to mirror their own emotions. Tap the frowny face to its chest and it’ll lower its head, slouch and let out a sad whimper. Touch the silly face to it and it’ll dance and quack along to the radio. It’ll even try to mimic your speech pattern (in quacks of course).

There’s also a port-a-cath with an RFID chip so that children pretend to give the duck chemotherapy as they’re undergoing treatment themselves. The medical play helps kids cope with their own treatment by familiarizing them with the process and making them feel like they’re not going through it alone. There’s even a companion app with AR features that extend the medical play. Kids can give the duck a sponge bath or administer injections. And thanks to the Bluetooth connection it’ll respond.

The app also allows children to build their own worlds filled with soothing ambient sounds. They can explore a forest filled with a flowing stream and croaking frogs. And the duck can be made to play those soothing noises with the tap of a spaceship-shaped soundscapes card. If soothing sounds aren’t cutting it though, it can also coach kids through breathing exercises to calm them down.

Peel off the machine-washable skin and you can see all the sensors and motors that make the My Special Aflac Duck work. The motors that get it to nuzzle against you allow for fairly lifelike movement modeled on real ducks. And the speaker on top doubles as a vibrational motor of sorts. So a child can hold the duck close to them and feel its heart beat against them.

So far Aflac and Sproutel have tested the duck with over 100 children. But this should be just the beginning. Aflac hopes to get a My Special Duck in the hands of every one of the nearly 16,000 children diagnose with cancer in this country every year. It’s an ambitious goal, but a admirable one.

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

Google bans sketchy UK ads for profiteering addiction helplines

Google’s not having the best start to the year, as it’s already been called out, yet again, for unscrupulous advertising practices. An investigation by The Sunday Times shed light on a significant money-making machine, which played out through Google ads, targeting people seeking help for substance abuse issues. Someone entering relevant search terms might see an ad for a free advice helpline. These services might subsequently provide details of formal treatment options at private clinics. A caller wasn’t to know, however, that successful referrals were netting these companies significant commission fees. As a result of the investigation, Google has now banned these types of ads from appearing in search results in the UK.

“We work to help healthcare providers – from doctors to hospitals and treatment centres – get online and connect with people who need their help. Substance abuse is a growing crisis and has led to deceptive practices by intermediaries that we need to better understand. In the US, we restricted ads entirely in this category and we have decided to extend this to the UK as we consult with local experts to update our policy and find a better way to connect those that need help with the treatment they need,” Google said in a statement.

The Department of Health has also chimed in, telling The Sunday Times: “It is disheartening that those seeking privately funded help for their addiction are potentially being exploited.”

This kind of ‘patient brokering,’ as it’s sometimes known, is outlawed in several US states. While ethically questionable, it’s perfectly legal in the UK, though Google has now decided to apply the same ad restrictions it’s done in the US since last September across the pond. Daniel Gerrard, chief of the largest UK agency Addiction Helper, said callers are offered a free service, are recommended government-funded programmes and support groups, with private clinics suggested as a “last resort.” However, speaking to undercover reporters, Gerrard also suggested a certain bias towards some treatment options. Regarding outpatient therapy, he said: “It’s minimal money on counselling, so we try not to overpromote it.”

Oliver Clark of rival agency ADT Healthcare told reporters his company also “gives impartial advice” in the “best interest” of callers. If a rehab centre were to agree to a higher commission fee, though, he said they would get preferential treatment for referrals. These agencies don’t disclose their commercial relationships with clinics unless explicitly asked, and can earn up to tens of thousands of pounds for referring just one patient to a luxury rehab centre for a month-long programme. They argue the revenue allows them to continue to provide free support to those who can’t afford private treatment.

Aside from the lack of transparency, one fear is the racket could be impacting the cost of private treatment at a time when the NHS is in disarray, and overdose-related deaths are at an all-time high (according to 2016 data). Part of the reason commission fees are so high is because agencies are (or were) paying Google significant sums to make sure their ads are seen before their competitors. Addiction Helper reportedly met with Google every quarter and paid the company roughly £350,000 each month — up to £200 per clickthrough, over £4 million per year — for the best ad slots. Furthermore, the agency operates more than 300 websites that would funnel visitors back to Addiction Helper phone lines. Showing undercover reporters the extent of this reach, Gerrard demonstrated how simple, relevant search terms would spit out results where his sites occupied five spaces on the front page. Though not anymore, you’d hope.

Via: TechCrunch

Source: The Times (paywalled) (1), (2)

Onewheel doubles the range of its electric skateboard

There’s nothing quite like the Onewheel. The electric rideable is like a skateboard, unicycle and balance board rolled into one; a chunky tire sits in the middle while your feet rest on wooden panels — like the nose and tail of a skateboard — on either side. The Onewheel+ was one of my favorite devices at CES last year, and today manufacturer Future Motion has announced its successor: the Onewheel+ XR. It ships with a new battery system that doubles the range to between 12 and 18 miles (the variance depends on the terrain you’re riding). That’s a huge difference which the company hopes will make it more viable as a mode of transportation.

The Onewheel+ XR is more powerful than its predecessor, with increased torque for hill climbing and “higher performance for all riders.” It’s not clear, however, if these improvements are a result of the battery or further refinements to the “Hypercore” motor. Regardless, it should give the rideable some much-needed oomph while you’re carving across sand, fields and stick-riddled tracks. The riding experience is otherwise unchanged — you press on the nose to accelerate and lean with your heels or toes to turn. There’s a lot to learn, but I was able to ride the older Onewheel+ fairly comfortably after just a few hours in a parking lot.

The Onewheel+ XR costs $1799 and is available for pre-order today. The older Onewheel+ can still be bought for $1499 — at that price, though, you could buy a second-gen Dual+ Boosted Board. Decisions, decisions.

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

ASUS can turn three screens into one seamless gaming display

The most interesting accessory ASUS brought to CES this year isn’t high-tech at all. In fact, it doesn’t even require power or software to operate. The ROG Bezel-free Kit is for gaming fans with multi-screen set-ups, and it promises to eliminate the gaps where those monitors meet, essentially creating one seamless viewing area. It does all of this through the centuries-old magic of light refraction.

The kit includes long, rectangular lens strips designed to be mounted at a 130 degree angle where monitors meet, pulling screen images across the dead space to create the illusion of a single screen. ASUS says 130 degrees is “the angle determined through extensive testing to provide the best viewing experience.” The Bezel-free Kit will be available in the first half of 2018 for an unannounced price.

ASUS also has some high-tech accessories at this year’s CES. The Strix Flare keyboard is a mechanical keyboard with Cherry MX RGB switches and a host of design tweaks that aim to keep players’ fingers where they need to be. The volume wheel and dedicated media keys are positioned on the board’s upper left side, plus it includes a USB passthrough port and a detachable wrist rest. The Strix Flare features Aura Sync lighting technology, allowing owners to customize the keyboard and synchronize all of those flashing lights with the rest of their ASUS products.

Speaking of Aura Sync, ASUS is going all in on its proprietary lighting tech. Every ROG laptop and desktop from here on out will support Aura Sync, and ASUS is rolling out a new hunk of hardware designed to give players more control over their lighting schemes. The ROG Aura Terminal is a quad-channel RGB controller that can synchronize your rig’s lighting effects with whatever’s happening in-game, or ensure all of your lights are on the same page.

The Strix Flare keyboard and Aura Terminal are both due out in the first half of the year, though ASUS has not yet announced a price for either accessory.

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

ASUS’ new Lyra routers are seriously unconventional

ASUS has developed an interesting habit. Forget routers with subtle designs that blend into your living room — the company has started making routers that look straight up wack. Case in point: the Blue Cave router that launched at Computex last year. At CES 2018, ASUS unveiled the Lyra Trio, a triangular mesh router that looks like a wonky iron, and the Lyra Voice. The latter is a mesh router that doubles as a stereo speaker with Alexa built in. Both will be available by the first half of 2018, but ASUS hasn’t announced pricing yet.

Let’s start with the Trio. The pyramid-like router features 3X3 MIMO and dual-band technology, with what ASUS is calling “unique antenna placement… to (banish) WiFi dead zones.” It’s not clear from what we know what this placement is, so we can’t judge how different this is just yet. It might be similar to that of the EA-N66 range extender, which has basically the same shape as the Lyra Trio.

The more interesting product is the Voice, which is a tri-band 802.11ac mesh router system with Alexa built in. Its grey rectangular body looks a lot less conspicuous than the Trio, and houses stereo speakers and a microphone to let you interact with Amazon’s digital assistant.

Both these routers can be configured with the new Lyra app for setup so you can monitor network information from your phone. The app will also notify you if problems arise, which should hopefully mean you won’t have to go all the way to the router to hit a reset button if your network drops out.

ASUS also unveiled a new system last week that creates a mesh network with routers you already own, along with the first AX router and a slew of laptops and gaming hardware. Stay tuned to check out our first impressions of all these devices from CES 2018.

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

ASUS’ Tinker Board S is a powerful platform for DIY types

Last year ASUS tried to win over DIYers with the Tinker Board. It tried to elbow in on Raspberry Pi’s territory. And even made an attempt to upstage it by making the Tinkerboard incredibly powerful. It was capable of pushing out 4K video and 24-bit/192kHz audio. The pile of HDMI, gigabit Ethernet, quad core processor and 2GB of RAM made it better suited to build a media center around than turning into some sort of art project or prototype.

The Tinker Board S is more of the same. It’s powerful board for hacker types with a pile of maker-friendly features like 40 GPIO pins and robust Linux support. The S also has 16GB of eMMC storage and the same pile of USB ports. But its the same size and, most importantly for the DIY crowd, it has the same layout. So you don’t have to tear your whole project apart just to upgrade its guts. The Tinker Board S will ship sometime in the first half of 2018, but ASUS is talking price just yet. But, considering the original Tinker Board cost a hefty $60, don’t expect its sequel to compete with the Raspberry Pi on price.

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

Here wants to help ride-hailing services find new passengers

Ride-hailing services are big business, and Here wants a piece of the action. The company — created by Nokia and sold to a consortium of German car manufacturers in 2015 — has announced a new division called Here Mobility today. Its purpose is to develop an platform, or marketplace where businesses can request and sell ride-hailing services. A hotel, for instance, might want to offer one or two options through its website. In theory, it would connect to the Mobility Marketplace and select the services that best suit its needs and those of its customers. It’s also possible that the end-customer would be able to compare and choose the supplier themselves.

Here describes it as a “unifying abstraction layer.” In short, it wants to be the middle-person between ride-hailing services and commercial businesses (which, by extension, includes everyday customers like you and me). Its clientele could include airline companies that want to help customers grab a lift from the airport, businesses that own self-service kiosks in public spaces, and event venue owners that want to help attendees find their way back home. Ride-hailing companies should benefit from the extra exposure, while customers gain from having easy access to the cheapest, fastest or most convenient transport options.

At the same time, Here is launching a tool called Mobility Dispatch. It’s a platform that allows ride-hailing companies to effectively manage their fleet of drivers. Most of the major services have their own version of this, however Here’s one also links in to its Mobility Marketplace. In addition, Here is touting advanced algorithms and “unprecedented fleet utilization” which could help companies stay ahead of their usually well-funded competition. “Our solutions democratize a fragmented and siloed industry, opening new channels to access the best mobility tools and services available,” Liad Itzhak, vice president and head of Here Mobility said.

Here is a late entrant into an already crowded space. Its role as a facilitator, rather than a direct competitor to services such as Lyft, Uber and Didi Chuxing could be a smart bet, however. The new business venture follows a dizzying number of automotive projects including a next-gen communications hub for autonomous cars and traffic alerts via crowdsourced car sensor data. No wonder Bosch took a five percent stake in the company recently.

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

ASUS rounds out its all-in-one lineup with the Vivo AiO V272 and V222

ASUS laptops might get all the attention, but let’s not forget that the Taiwanese company churns out some solid all-in-one desktops, too. Sadly, despite announcing two new models today — the Vivo AiO V272 and V222 — ASUS has been pretty tight-lipped with respect to specs. Consider the V272: as the model number suggests, it packs a 27-inch multitouch display and it produces 100% of the sRGB color gamut while offering a 178-degree field of view. Fueling the fun is one of Intel’s 8th-generation Core I7 chipsets, and while it’s definitely not meant to be a full-blown gaming machine, the discrete NVIDIA GeForce MX150 graphics should get through you a few rounds in Overwatch without too much trouble.

Configuration options and details beyond that — you know, like screen resolution, RAM allotments, port selection and more — haven’t yet been discussed. Ditto for just about everything the AiO V222 has going for it; literally all ASUS has been willing to say so far is that it has a 22-inch, 1080p display, though we’ve also spotted four USB 3.0 ports and an HDMI port around the back. We’d like to think you’ll be able to pick one of these machines up soon but, surprise, surprise, that information hasn’t been announced yet either. ASUS’s generally good track record with these machines means they’re probably perfectly functional options for folks itching to ditch their desktop rigs in favor of something more compact, but for now, you should know two things: these machines exist, and we’ll update this post more details as soon as ASUS decides to start talking.

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