Mitsubishi’s mirrorless car cameras can spot distant traffic

Mirrorless cars, terrifying as they may sound, as coming. In 2015, the United Nations gave the go ahead for carmakers to replace mirrors with cameras and display systems, so the race is on to design tech that’s fit for the job. Now, Mitsubishi says it’s developed the industry’s highest-performing vehicle camera, able to detect objects up to 100 meters away.

The technology uses the brand’s proprietary AI to give drivers advanced warning of upcoming obstacles, and is expected to help prevent accidents, especially when changing lanes. The system has a visual-cognition mode, which mimics human visual behavior to focus on the right thing in any given field of view, and it can distinguish between object types, such as pedestrians, cars and motorcycles (not that it’s okay to drive into any of them, of course). Compared to conventional camera-based systems, this one extends the distance of object detection from 30 meters to 100 meters, and improves object detection accuracy from 14 percent to 81 percent.

Mirrorless cars are expected to launch in Japan as early as next year, a move driven by carmakers that say camera systems provide a wider, blind spot-free view for drivers and are therefore safer. Doing away with bulky mirrors also helps cars become more aerodynamic, which results in lots of selling points, such as faster speeds and better fuel efficiency, so expect other manufacturers to follow Mitsubishi’s lead soon.

Source: Mitsubishi

Experimental Feature Pushes Google’s Arts & Culture App to the Top of the Free Apps Chart

Google’s Arts & Culture app rocketed to the top of the free app charts over the weekend after one of its experimental interactive features went viral.

Better known for its relatively staid virtual history exhibitions and digitized artworks, the app’s sudden popularity is down to the addition of an option near the bottom of its scrolling interface which asks users, “Is your portrait in a museum?”

On tapping the button, the app asks for access to the device’s camera and then prompts the user to take a selfie. Their picture is then compared against thousands of digitized artworks in Google’s historical database using facial recognition technology, after which a series of closest matches are returned.

Hey good morning everyone, this Google Arts and Culture app is scary. pic.twitter.com/yt2kSYMWyM

— Ding Dong Daddi (@sixthsentz) January 13, 2018

The find-your-art-lookalike feature, which was actually added to the app in a December update with little fanfare, apparently drew interest only recently after some users and celebrities began sharing their results on social media.

The option only appears to be available to U.S. users at the moment, but if you’d like to give it a go, you can download the free Google Arts & Culture app from the App Store.

Tag: Google
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Nomad Launches New 4-Port Wireless Charging Hub With Support for Fast Charging

Nomad today announced the launch of its new Wireless Charging Hub, which is designed to be the ultimate desktop hub for iPhone X, iPhone 8, and iPhone 8 Plus users.

The top of the Hub is a wireless charging pad that offers up to 7.5W of wireless charging power for Apple’s glass-backed iPhones, and underneath, there are four additional ports.

Three are USB-A ports meant for charging all kinds of devices, and one is a USB-C port that offers 15W of power for fast charging the iPhone X, 8, or 8 Plus with a USB-C to Lightning cable.

Ahead of the launch of the Wireless Charging Hub, I was able to spend some hands-on time with it. The hub a bit larger than the average wireless charger, but it doesn’t take up too much space on my desk. The top, where the wireless charging coil is located, is covered with a rubber material that’s designed to add a bit of grip to prevent the iPhone from sliding off from vibrations and bumps.

Five LEDs on the top of the hub let you know exactly what’s plugged in and what’s still charging. LEDs are green when charging has been completed and orange while power is still being delivered to one of your devices. There’s an ambient light sensor that dims the LEDs in a dark room, which is a nice feature.

With support for 7.5W wireless charging, the hub offers the faster wireless charging speeds that were introduced with iOS 11.2, and if you need a lot of juice in a pinch, you can use the USB-C port to fast charge Apple’s latest iPhones. USB-C fast charging with a USB-C to Lightning cable can charge your iPhone from 0 to 50 percent in a half an hour.

This is a 15W USB-C port (3A x 5V), so while it’s suitable for your iPhone and other USB-C smartphones or devices, it’s not enough power for a MacBook or MacBook Pro. Three other 2.1A USB-A ports are included so you can charge up all of your devices and accessories at once. The hub itself is powered by an adapter that plugs into the wall.

One thing to note — the Wireless Charging Hub does not come with cables and it does not feature any built-in cable hiding mechanism, which is a negative. If you’re using this on a desktop, you’re probably going to want to purchase smaller Lightning cables to use with it, because it was a huge mess of cables on my desk with the 1m and 0.5m Apple cables.

Nomad recommends its 0.3m Universal Cables with micro-USB, USB-C, and USB-A, but I don’t think most people are going to want to pay $30 per cable. Luckily, Amazon has options for affordable shorter iPhone cables that will work well on the desktop. Unfortunately, there are no Apple certified USB-C to Lightning cables that are shorter in length, so you’ll need to use the standard 0.5m cable.

When paired with the appropriate cables, the Wireless Charging Hub is a convenient desktop charging accessory. If your iPhone just needs a bit of a top up, it’s easy to plunk it down on the wireless charging pad, and if you need more power in a hurry, it’s great having an easily accessible USB-C fast charging port.

This isn’t a cheap accessory at $80, and you’re going to want to make sure you have shorter cables if you want a neat and organized desktop, which can add an additional cost, but it does offer unmatched versatility and convenience if you don’t mind the price tag.

You can purchase the new Wireless Charging Hub from Nomad’s website for $79.95.

Note: Nomad provided MacRumors with a Wireless Charging Hub for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received. This post contains affiliate links and MacRumors may earn commissions on purchases made using those links.

Tag: Nomad
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Apple Suppliers Anxious Over Lower-Than-Expected iPhone 8 Orders Going into 2018

iPhone suppliers are said to be preparing for low orders from Apple in the first quarter of 2018 because of a combination of seasonal factors and anxiety over reports of slower-than-expected sales of Apple’s latest smartphone line-up.

According to DigiTimes’ sources in the supply chain, several component suppliers are bracing themselves for low order visibility for the full range of iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X models.

Component orders for iPhone devices will come 15-30% less than expected for the first quarter due mostly to seasonal factors, but some sources argued that the slower-than-expected sales of iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus have dragged down the momentum for the iPhone X.

The report highlights signs of declining order visibility for Apple’s flagship phones that appeared as early as the fourth quarter of 2017, which is said to have led some suppliers to plan for temporary halts in production during the month of February.

Another influencing factor on the decision is the weeklong Lunar New Year holidays, which significantly reduce capacity utilization rates, according to the same sources.

Several upstream suppliers are reportedly cognizant of the need to control their inventory levels to offset the possible impact of low orders, including those for memory chips, camera modules, 3D sensing modules, PCBs and IC backend service firms.

Reports remain conflicted about actual iPhone X sales since the smartphone was launched in September. Recent OS data from Kantar Worldpanel indicated “stellar” performance of the iPhone X in multiple markets around the world during November, amid an overall “mixed performance” for iOS devices from September to November 2017.

However, in December 2017, sources in the semiconductor packaging and testing service industry claimed that pre-orders for the iPhone X were not as strong as expected in some markets. Numerous reports in recent weeks have weighed in on the topic of sales, with many analysts predicting weakened demand in Q1 2018 now that early adopters have received their iPhone X.

Related Roundups: iPhone 8, iPhone XBuyer’s Guide: iPhone 8 (Neutral), iPhone X (Buy Now)
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Microsoft’s 15-inch Surface Book 2 comes to 17 new countries

Microsoft first launched the Surface Book 2 in November, but so far, both the 13- and 15-inch variants have only been available in the US. That’s about to change, however, as the 15-inch model is now on pre-order in Australia, Canada, France, German, the UK and other European nations where, until now, only the 13-inch model was sold. On top of that, starting in February, Microsoft will release both Surface Book 2 models in places where it has yet to go on sale, including China, India, Italy, Qatar and other parts of Asia and the Middle East.

The 15-inch model is particularly interesting as a graphics and gaming unit, since it comes with a nicely powerful NVIDIA GTX 1060 graphics card (the 13-incher has NVIDIA GTX 1050 graphics). Though you might be tempted to buy it as a gaming machine, know that the power supply isn’t enough to sustain a charge if you’re running games like Destiny 2, however. Microsoft has yet to say how or whether it will rectify that rather weird issue.

The original Surface Book suffered from power management and other bugs, but Microsoft told Engadget last year that it learned from that experience for the Surface Book 2. In fact, Microsoft fixed nearly everything we didn’t like about the last one, strengthening the hinge, improving the screen and making it work better as a tablet. With an eight-gen Intel CPU and NVIDIA 1060 graphics, it’s certainly powerful, and incredibly light for a hybrid laptop/tablet at 4.2 pounds.

As mentioned, pre-orders start today for the 15-inch model in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Over the next few months, both the 13- and 15-inch models will go on sale in Bahrain, China, Hong Kong, India, Italy, Korea, Kuwait, Malaysia, Oman, Portugal, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, Taiwan, Thailand and the United Arab Emirates. Pricing starts at $1,499 for the 13-inch model and $2,499 for the 15-incher.

Source: Microsoft

Apple’s iPhone 7 Plus Was China’s Second Best-Selling Smartphone in 2017

Apple’s iPhone 7 Plus was the second best-selling smartphone in China last year and outperformed iPhone 7 sales by some margin, according to new market research, suggesting price is not the only concern amongst Chinese consumers.

Low-cost smartphones have dominated the Chinese market in recent years, while high-end devices from companies like Apple typically see low sales numbers in the country. But a report from Counterpoint Research reveals Apple’s 5.5-inch device reached second place with a 2.8 percent market share overall, while Oppo’s similarly sized R9S ended 2017 as the market leader with a 3 percent share. In third and fourth place the Vivo X9 and Oppo A57 took 2.7 percent and 2.6 percent of the market, respectively, while Apple’s 4.7-inch iPhone 7 sat in fifth with 2.4 percent, suggesting the smaller form factor display dampened interest amongst consumers.

Apple was the only foreign brand in China’s 2017 market top 10, according to the research, thanks to the success of its iPhone 7 series. An uptick in sales in the second half of the year was reportedly due to the implementation of price cuts, which increased Apple’s competitiveness against lower-cost local brands. For example, an iPhone 7 Plus with 128GB storage received a 16 percent price cut, putting it around the $900 mark.

The big winner though was Oppo, whose product and pricing strategies were most in sync with the demands of the Chinese market, enabling it to end the year with three different models in the top 10. In terms of product strategy, Oppo focused on selfie and social media features, both of which are popular with Chinese consumers in the high-volume middle-tier market, where smartphones cost between $200 and $400.

According to the report, higher replacement demand and a bigger dependence on mobile apps has spurred fierce competition in China, which is home to the world’s biggest smartphone market in terms of sales volume. Apple fared well, however, managing to ship an estimated 11 million iPhones overall in the third quarter, up 40 percent from the year-ago quarter, according to separate research conducted by Canalys.

The strong growth, buoyed by the launch of the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus, put an end to six consecutive quarters of declining iPhone sales in the region. Data isn’t yet available for the fourth quarter, when the iPhone X launched in China, although the model’s high price and supply constraints likely inhibited growth in the short term, despite excitement around all-display/bezel-free phones.

Apple was the fifth largest smartphone maker in China in Q3 2017, behind local brands Huawei, Vivo, Oppo, and Xiaomi, according to Canalys data.

Tag: China
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Lyft opens its ride-booking Concierge service to all businesses

Lyft has finally opened up Concierge to businesses and organizations of all sizes. The program allows members to hail rides for other people, giving companies a way to offer that extra touch of service to customers, especially those who can’t call for a ride themselves due to one thing or another. Concierge launched in 2016 when Lyft teamed up with the National Medtrans Network in New York City — the perfect place to start, since most residents don’t have cars — to take patients to the doctor.

After a while, Lyft forged partnerships with more companies, including JetBlue, CareMore and GoGoGrandparent. JetBlue, for instance, can call a Lyft to offer their passengers or crew a seamless journey, while GoGoGrandparent can hail a ride for the seniors who call their number on a landline. Rotor Zen, a San Diego-based helicopter tour operator, also uses the service to get guests from hotels and to drive them back after their tour.

Now, Concierge is open to any company, so long as they sign up for a Lyft Business account and add a payment method. They can hail almost any type of Lyft ride for employees and clients alike. It’s worth taking note, however, that the companies will be able to track passengers’ journeys in real time. That’s ideal for businesses like GoGoGrandparent, so they can track their elderly customers. But those who don’t appreciate being watched by their employers might want to call a ride on their own and just ask for reimbursement.

Source: Lyft

London’s new electric taxis scuppered by faulty sensor

London’s new electric taxis have been delayed. The “TX” cabs developed by LEVC were supposed to arrive in the capital late last year. But there’s a problem with the system that tracks time and distance — recorded as electric “pulses” — for the all-important fare meter. It’s forced the company to push back its production schedule while a fix is developed and approved by Transport for London (TfL). “Deliveries are subject to a short delay as a result of an unexpected issue with compatibility with the taxi meters and the taxi,” an LEVC spokesperson said. “The problem is understood, and it involves the pulse messages sent between the vehicle and the meter.”

LEVC, formerly known as The London Taxi Company, is working with TfL and third-party meter suppliers on a solution. It’s unclear exactly which component is causing the issue, however. A spokesperson explained that it’s causing the taxis to deliver fewer “pulses” than normal, which in turn produces low, inaccurate fares. (Not a bad problem for London citizens, but I’m sure taxi drivers wouldn’t be impressed.) LEVC now expects to fulfil its first taxi orders sometime next week. Only then can it usher in the greener, tech-savvy era of transportation mayor Sadiq Khan has been longing for.

The new car has a 1.3 litre, three-cylinder petrol engine that acts as a generator for a battery pack and electric motor. As a pure EV, it can travel up to 70 miles on a single charge, but with a full tank of petrol that rises to 400 miles. Its green credentials, then, are limited, but it does meet the zero-remissions capable” requirement that was introduced on January 1st. London’s air quality is notoriously bad and it’s hoped the new cabs will improve public health as older, traditional gas-guzzlers are switched out.

The TX comes with a contemporary interior too. It has onboard WiFi, USB charging and support for contactless payments — a requirement in London since 2016. Drivers also have access to a sat-nav with information about traffic congestion and charger points. The latter will be crucial as the city gradually expands its EV-refueling infrastructure. Steve McNamara, general secretary of the Licensed Taxi Drivers’ Association, told the Guardian that there is “still nowhere near the number of rapid charge points” required in central London. Tfl has promised to install 300 by 2020, but the slow roll out could limit the initial interest from drivers.

There’s also the issue of price. At £55,600 — including an electric vehicle grant of £7,500 — it’s hardly an impulse buy. Though running costs are lower, the initial cost is considerably higher than a traditional diesel model. That’s a problem for an industry that is already steeling itself against ride-hailing services such as Uber. At the moment people are very hesitant,” McNamara added. “We’ve got to pay £12,000 more for a vehicle that we don’t know the reliability or durability of, at a time when the market is being squeezed by that company [Uber].” The TX has an uphill battle, then, even once LEVC has fixed its mysterious vehicle-to-meter interface glitch.

Via: The Guardian

The city of Barcelona is dumping Windows in favor of Linux

The city of Barcelona, Spain, announced its plan to dump Windows and Office in favor of open-source alternatives. Linux will be its operating system of choice, as officials attempt to save some money by dodging the subscription fees associated with Microsoft’s offerings.

Little has been said about how Barcelona plans to transition to open-source software, according to a report from Tech Radar. However, a pilot scheme is already underway, as some city employees have been outfitted with workstations that run Ubuntu and come pre-installed with Firefox to cater to their web browsing needs.

The plan goes beyond just picking and choosing the best open-source alternatives to Microsoft products out there, as Barcelona will apparently be hiring developers to create bespoke software. The idea is that these projects could potentially be rolled out across other Spanish cities if they’re up to the task.

It remains to be seen how successful the move away from Windows will be in the long run. Barcelona is far from the only European city to make a similar decision and previous examples have been less than encouraging.

In 2003, Munich announced its plans to switch to Linux, a process that took several years to carry out, according to a report from MSPowerUser. The city eventually decided to revert back to Windows, after widespread complaints from staff regarding reduced efficiency and productivity. Vienna made a similar transition to Linux in 2005 but would return to the Microsoft ecosystem in 2009.

Of course, the computing landscape has changed a great deal in recent years. There was once a time when Linux and open-source software was thought of as something for power users, but years of development brought many of these projects up to a very high standard, in some cases on a par with Microsoft’s products.

From packages like LibreOffice to the various free alternatives to Photoshop that are available, there has never been a better time to dive into open-source software. It remains to be seen whether Barcelona will succeed in its attempt to leave Microsoft behind, but it’s certainly in a better position to do so than Vienna was more than a decade ago.

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Real-life Doctor Dolittle aims to use A.I.-powered translator to talk to animals

What pet owner hasn’t, at some point, looked at their nonpaying houseguest and wondered what it is that they’re saying with those meows, barks, or assorted other sounds they make? Dr. Con Slobodchikoff, professor emeritus of biology at Northern Arizona University, wonders too — to the point where he’s spent the past 30 years examining the behavior. And now he’s created an artificial intelligence (A.I.) startup so we won’t be left wondering for too much longer.

“We are increasingly finding that animals have languages of their own,” Slobodchikoff told Digital Trends. “In my book, Chasing Doctor Dolittle: Learning the Language of Animals, I show that many animals have either language or language-like abilities. In the past, it was difficult to decipher these languages, but now we have the tools with which we can do this. The goal of Zoolingua is to start with dogs — because many people do not understand what their dogs are trying to say to them — and, using A.I. technology, build a device that would allow people to communicate with their dogs. Once that is built, we plan to expand to devices that will allow people to communicate with cats, horses, cows, pigs, goats, and wild animals.”

Slobodchikoff’s research started out analyzing the high-pitched calls of prairie dogs, which he found contained a complex language capable of describing everything from the presence of a predator nearby (obvious) to the color of specific humans’ clothing (less obvious.) He then teamed up with a computer scientist colleague to turn those insights into a machine translation tool. It was this work that prompted the creation of Zoolingua in 2017.

The company’s work won’t just focus on spoken words, though. “We are in the process of building a device that will read dogs’ body language and vocalizations, and using A.I. technology and cloud computing, will tell people what their dog is saying to them in English,” he said. “At the present time, some 2 million to 3 million dogs are euthanized each year in the United States, primarily because of behavioral problems arising from an inability of dogs to communicate their needs to people. With this device, we will be able to drastically reduce behavioral problems and euthanizations of animals. Also, people love to talk to their dogs and think that their dogs understand them. This device will show people that dogs do indeed understand what is said to them, and even have their own thoughts and opinions.”

Slobodchikoff says that such a device is two to five years away, depending on funding. If it works as well as described, though, we’ll be the first in line to buy one. Let’s hope that Slobodchikoff and his colleagues are barking up the right tree!

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