Kate Spade designed an Android Wear smartwatch

Kate Spade, known for its colorful, bubble-gum aesthetic that draws girls from all over the world to its purses and accessories, has made its first touchscreen smartwatch. The Android Wear device was unveiled at CES 2018, and doesn’t have a name other than “Kate Spade scallop touchscreen”. It was designed to fit in with the rest of the brand’s “unapologetically feminine” look, according to CEO Mary Beech, and is one of the few smartwatches ever to specifically target women’s wrists, and do so in an attractive way.

Pictures don’t quite convey how this watch looks in real life — the case isn’t as chunky as it appears. And that’s part of the reason it took Kate Spade so long to release its first touchscreen wearable. “We needed to wait till the tech got to the point where we could have that slim case that we knew our customer would want,” Beech told Engadget in an interview.

The 1.19-inch watch face is surrounded by scalloped edging, which you’ll find on some other Kate Spade products. A spade logo is etched onto the knob on the right of the case. The device also comes with three animated watch faces that fans will find familiar, like the “New York Minute” cab graphic and the daisy with falling petals. Those features alone don’t make the Scallop feminine, of course. It’s the narrow 16mm band and relatively small face that make it more suited for petite wrists.

Like other smartwatches made by Fossil Group, the Kate Spade watch has an app that lets you customize the watch face. But instead of picking the colors of the dials, hands and numbers, the Kate Spade “Choose your look” app asks questions about your outfit, jewelry colors and the time of day to generate a face that will “perfectly complement” what you’re wearing.

Also similar to other Android Wear 2.0 devices from Fossil Group are the Scallop’s fitness-tracking features. which are pretty basic. It doesn’t have a heart rate sensor, so it will just track your steps, calories and distance traveled via Google Fit. You can also long press the knob to summon Google Assistant and stream music over Bluetooth to your headphones. You know, like most other Android Wear 2 watches.

For a brand that’s known for its bright colors and bold patterns, Kate Spade’s first touchscreen smartwatch lacks the company’s distinct palette. When the watch launches comes Feb. 5th, only black and nude leather straps will be available for $295, along with a rose-gold metal bracelet option for $325. That’s not to say more colorful versions aren’t coming in the future, of course. For now what physically stands out about Kate Spade’s new watch is its narrow strap and scalloped detail. At least it’s not another watch “designed by men for men, with some glitter thrown on it,” as Beech described.

Skagen also unveiled its first touchscreen smartwatch at CES called the Falster, and it’s also an attractive option. It features color-matched lugs and metallic strap, making for a cleaner, more elegant aesthetic. Like the Kate Spade version, Skagen’s device runs Android Wear 2.0, has customizable watch faces and can track basic fitness metrics.

Although smartwatches haven’t been very well-received since their inception, fashion brands clearly still aren’t giving up on the category. Like Beech said, “our customer is going to tell us where the market place is going.” We’ll surely see more refinements in the category and, hopefully, get a long-lasting watch that’s as beautiful as it is useful. One day.

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

Netflix brings HDR and surround sound to the Razer Phone this month

If you’re a fan of mobile entertainment, the Razer Phone is about to get better. At CES, the company just announced that it’s entering a partnership with Netflix and that the handset will be the first mobile phone to offer Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 surround sound. That’s in addition to HDR10 video. Basically, it’s the highest-quality Netflix experience you can get that still fits into your pocket.

How does it look and sound in action? From my brief demo, pretty well. A Razer spokesman offered a quick clip from Stranger Things’ second season, and Steve’s hair looked as luscious and feathered as Farrah Fawcett would hope. Nancy’s exasperation that he related a basketball win to his grandpa’s time in the war sounded plenty convincing from the phone’s front-facing speakers as well.

It was tough to get a feel for how accurately the phone replicated surround sound in a moderately noisy hotel suite and with a dialogue-heavy scene, but we’ll have further impressions later this month once the update is out. Current Razer Phone owners will receive it via an over-the-air patch, and all new phones will ship with it pre-installed.

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

NBC’s Winter Olympics VR streams will work on almost any device

The Winter Olympics is getting a virtual reality makeover. NBC will present over 50 hours of VR coverage from the games in South Korea next month, using Intel True VR technology to create 360-degree immersive environments. It’s the same style of tech that’s been adopted by BT Sport, MLB, UFC, PGA and NBA, and it made an appearance at the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio, but it’s the first time the Winter Games has been given the treatment (they only happen every four years, after all, and VR has only taken flight in recent times).

The VR content will be available on a wide range of devices and platforms (unlike programming for the Summer Games, which was only available on Samsung headsets) and will include the opening and closing ceremonies, behind-the-scenes extras, packaged highlights and a whole host of events including ski jumping, snowboarding and big air, which will make for impressive VR viewing. Programming will span every day of the Games (with the exception of February 18) and is available to pay-TV subscribers with Samsung, Google, Windows, Android and iOS devices in the US through the NBC Sports VR app.

Via: Variety

Just Eat adds a cheeky 50p service charge to dodge EU rules

Thanks to new EU regulations, you won’t have to put up with irritating card surcharges for much longer. Unfortunately, minimum card spends you come across in small shops and such will stick around, but from January 13th, the Payment Services Directive comes into play. This stops retailers from charging you more for, say, using a credit card than a debit card, or generally just passing the transaction fee onto the customer. It won’t, however, make your Just Eat delivery any cheaper. That’s because yesterday, ahead of the new EU rules being implemented, Just Eat did away with its 50p fee for paying by card, and instead created a new 50p “service charge” that applies to all orders.

What’s particularly cheeky is pay-by-cash customers now also have to fish between the sofa cushions for an extra coin — a move Just Eat calls “fairness for all” (lol) — meaning it’s making even more moolah while sticking a middle finger up to the spirit of the EU directive. Just Eat told the BBC it had previously thought about tweaking charges, while also totally confessing that “the change to legislation did play a part in prompting the review.” A spokesperson also said, predictably, that it’ll enable the company to keep providing its stellar services: “The 50p charge simply means that along with our restaurant partners, we can continue to deliver the best possible takeaway experience.”

Just Eat hasn’t actually done anything too surprising. You don’t need a degree in economics to imagine companies are going to try to dodge the EU directive by renaming charges so they aren’t as obviously linked to card transaction fees. The other option would be to just increase the price of goods and services to reflect the card charge vacuum that now exists. Classic ‘business is business’ stuff, though we’ll see how Trading Standards feels about this kind of trickery when it actually has to start enforcing the new rules. And in Just Eat’s case, it’s gotta pad the bank account for when it eventually swallows Hungryhouse whole.

Via: BBC

Apple Begins Selling Refurbished 10.5-Inch iPad Pro Models

Apple today has added refurbished 10.5-inch iPad Pro models to its online store for the first time in the United States and Canada.

There are currently around 20 configurations available to choose from, including Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi + Cellular variants, with prices reduced by around 15 percent compared to what Apple charges for brand new models. As usual, supply is limited, so be quick to place an order if you are interested.

In the United States, refurbished prices start at $549 for Wi-Fi models with 64GB of storage, a discount of $100. Wi-Fi models with 256GB and 512GB of storage are $649 and $849, down from $799 and $999, respectively.

Apple says its refurbished products are thoroughly inspected, tested, cleaned, and repackaged with a new white box and all manuals and accessories. Apple also installs a new battery and replaces the outer shell, making it nearly impossible to distinguish between a refurbished and brand new iPad Pro.

All refurbished iPad Pro models come with Apple’s standard one-year warranty effective on the date the tablet is delivered. The warranty can be extended to up to two years from the original purchase date with AppleCare+ for iPad, at a cost of $99 for all 10.5-inch iPad Pro models in the United States.

Apple introduced the 10.5-inch iPad Pro in June 2017. The device is only slightly larger than the 9.7-inch iPad Pro it replaced, but the size and weight difference is hardly noticeable, given Apple was able to make the display around 20 percent larger by significantly reducing the size of the tablet’s bezels.

Subscribe to MacRumors on YouTube
The 10.5-inch iPad Pro is powered by Apple’s A10X Fusion chip and features a 12-megapixel rear camera, a 120Hz refresh rate, Touch ID, four speakers, and a Lightning connector with USB 3.0 transfer speeds and fast charging capabilities. Apple advertises battery life of up to 10 hours per charge.

Related Roundup: iPad ProTag: refurbishedBuyer’s Guide: 10.5″ iPad Pro (Neutral)
Discuss this article in our forums

CES 2018: Colgate Debuts Apple Exclusive Smart Electronic Toothbrush With ResearchKit Integration

Colgate this week announced the launch of its first app-enabled electronic toothbrush, called the Colgate Smart Electronic Toothbrush E1 with Artificial Intelligence. Available exclusively beginning today on Apple.com and in some Apple retail locations, Colgate’s new product provides a few pieces of real-time feedback to help users improve their brushing routine.

The electronic toothbrush also uses Apple’s ResearchKit in order to crowdsource toothbrushing data and “get even smarter about oral care for better and faster future innovation.” ResearchKit is a software framework created by Apple that lets medical researchers gather data from compatible apps and programs, working in conjunction sometimes with CareKit to provide users with a better understanding of their specific medical conditions.

“Our goal is simple. We want people to have their healthiest smiles by brushing their best,” said Dr. Patricia Verduin, Chief Technology Officer, Colgate-Palmolive Company. “The first step to improving brushing is to understand consumers’ brushing habits, and Apple ResearchKit has proved to be a powerful tool for this.”

Otherwise, Colgate’s electronic toothbrush performs functions similar to previous devices from Philips, providing users with real-time feedback through an iPhone app as a way to improve brushing habits. The toothbrush includes various sensors, 3D motion sensors, and AI algorithms to detect brushing effectiveness “in 16 zones of the mouth.”

The device’s AI technology was created in partnership with Kolibree, and the connected app coaches users through brushing sessions that point out sections of the mouth where they might need to focus on more during their daily routines. The more the toothbrush is used, the more the AI learns and will adapt to each user, adjusting to their own habits and providing improved brushing tips.

Colgate is launching the Smart Electronic Toothbrush today in the United States on Apple.com and in select Apple stores, and will run for a price of $99.95.

Tags: CES 2018, Colgate
Discuss this article in our forums

CES 2018: Alpine Electronics Reveals 9-Inch Aftermarket CarPlay System That ‘Hovers’ in Front of Dash

Alpine Electronics at CES today unveiled a new aftermarket CarPlay system with a “hover” design that floats in front of the vehicle’s dashboard instead of being embedded directly into it. The company said that the iLX-F309 “doesn’t require custom installation,” but professional help will still likely be needed to remove existing infotainment systems before installing the iLX-F309.

Alpine’s receiver includes a 9-inch touch screen and will fit in “a variety of vehicles.” The 9-inch screen is slightly larger than the average 6-to-7-inch screen size of many other aftermarket CarPlay infotainment systems. Alpine pointed out that the hover design will bring the larger display into vehicles that were previously restricted to dashboards with smaller form factors.

The system uses a 1-DIN chassis and an adjustable mount to give the “hover” effect after installation. In its announcement, Alpine Electronics described some of the installation mechanics of the iLX-F309 and how users will be able to adjust its angle:

The 9-inch screen is attached to an adjustable mount connected to a 1-DIN chassis. Once installed, the screen and mount are fixed to the chassis for a sturdy installation. The screen hovers over or in front of the dash while its rear housing tapers off cleanly at the edges for a thin and modern silhouette. At its default position, the screen’s sliding mount is pushed out, sitting at a 90 degree angle and the bottom of the screen is centered with the 1-DIN chassis.

At this point, the screen can be angled at select positions to assist during installation, help with visibility, or move it away from other items on the dashboard. The screen can be positioned 20 millimeters (mm) back from its default position, to move it closer to the dashboard. It can be moved up or down 30mm from its default position and can be tilted up or down at a maximum of 45 degrees, depending on the position of the up/down location.

In addition to CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, the new system is also an AM/FM receiver with video support. The system doesn’t include a CD or DVD slot, but there is a USB port, AUX input, and an HDMI input. The company mentioned that it has Bluetooth technology for audio streaming, but it doesn’t appear to include Wi-Fi or support for wireless CarPlay connectivity, like the company’s iLX-107.

Multiple add-ons are available for the iLX-F309, including a CD/DVD player, a second HDMI input, and rear/side cameras to see behind the vehicle as it’s backing up. Alpine Electronics authorized retailers will begin selling the new system in February for $1,100.

Related Roundup: CarPlayTags: Alpine, CES 2018
Discuss this article in our forums

Check out this rooftop ski slope set for a super-green power plant in Denmark

The top of a power plant may not be the first place you’d think of for a ski slope, but that’s exactly what architects in Denmark have planned.

What’s more, it’ll be one of the longest artificial ski slopes in the world when it opens later this year, giving outdoor enthusiasts panoramic views of the city of Copenhagen as they head down the run.

The slope will be part of the 88-meter-high Amager Bakke waste-to-power incinerator plant to create a facility that can be enjoyed by the community instead of just stared at from afar, or completely ignored. It also aims to be the world’s most efficient waste-burning and energy-generating plant when it starts operating.

Besides the 440-meter slope for skiers of all abilities, there’ll also be a challenging 180-meter run featuring a knee-knocking angle of 45 degrees at its steepest point.

And if skiing isn’t your thing, visitors will also be able to enjoy the nature-filled landscaped park atop the facility. The green space will offer everything from hiking trails and playgrounds to climbing walls and viewing spots. It’s also hoped the location will be a magnet for birds, insects, and other wildlife and so significantly increase the biodiversity of the area.

The ambitious $640 million project, the final design of which was unveiled this week, is the work of Bjarke Ingles Group (BIG) — one half of the team behind Google’s stylish London headquarters — and SLA, which focused on the plans for the ski slope and park.

Commenting on the design, SLA partner Rasmus Astrup said in a release: “The project to create an attractive and green activity rooftop park on top of Amager Bakke has been very challenging, not only because of the extreme natural – and unnatural – conditions of the site and the rooftop itself, which put severe stress on plants, trees and landscape, but also because we’ve had to ensure that the rooftop’s many activities are realized in an accessible, intuitive and inviting manner.”

Astrup adds: “The goal is to ensure that Amager Bakke will become an eventful recreational public space with a strong aesthetic and sensuous city nature that gives value for all Copenhageners, all year round.”

SLA said tackling the challenges have so far involved working with a wide range of “nature-based design solutions, testing types of vegetation and materials in 1:1 experiments. Different nature biotopes have been specially selected to accommodate the challenging living conditions of the roof and to provide optimal microclimate and wind shelter for the visitors.”

The finished product should offer “a highly wild, lush and resilient green nature design which allows for year-round use of the rooftop while providing a sensuous and diverse environment as a basis for all the rooftop’s activities.”

It certainly sounds more interesting than Copenhagen’s Little Mermaid.

The rooftop plant should be ready to open by September 2018.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Martians may call these massive domed greenhouses “home”
• 2018 Porsche Panamera 4 E-Hybrid first drive
• The best heated clothing
• 2019 Porsche Cayenne S first drive review
• Eat your heart out, ‘Avatar’ fans: MIT just figured out how to make plants glow

Energous is finally bringing its awesome new wireless charging tech to market

Well folks, 2018 could finally be the year that we get true wireless charging — or charging at a distance without the need for charging pads. Energous has been making news headlines for a few years now for its wireless charging concepts, and the company announced just a few weeks ago that it had received FCC approval for its WattUp Mid Field charging tech. Now, at CES 2018, it’s showing the first WattUp-supported product, a smart underwear from Skiin.

What the FCC approval means is that the company is now able to deliver products with Near Field and Mid Field charging — Near Field being wireless charging with contact, like a charging pad, and Mid Field being wireless charging at a distance of up to 3 feet. That makes it perfect for charging device on a desk or night stand. The company is also working on Far Field charging — which allows for charging at up to 15 feet.

Energous has been partnering with Dialog Semiconductor, a chip manufacturer, for some time now in an effort to bring the tech to consumers, and 2018 could be the year that the tech hits big. Already the company has partnered with Myant for a smart clothing line called Skiin, which uses Energous’ WattUp charging tech to charge the embedded sensors in the underwear. At launch, only Near Field tech will charge the underwear, but Energous says that once Mid Field and even Far Field chargers come to market they’ll be able to charge Skiin clothing too. Skiin clothing basically tracks metrics like heart rate, without the need for a device like a smart watch.

Of course, smart clothing isn’t the end game here. Eventually, Energous wants to bring charging-at-a-distance tech to all kinds of devices, from phones to watches to laptops. It’s likely full adoption will require multiple different uses of the tech. For example, you could have a Near Field charger on your desk for quick charging, a Mid Field charger in each room to charge while you walk around the house, and a Far Field charger in your office to be used by everyone in the workplace.

According to Dialog Semiconductor, the company has already built and demonstrated two wireless charging chips to customers, suggesting that some other device manufacturers could already be working on devices with the charging tech built right in.

Previously it was revealed that Apple and Dialog Semiconductor had formed a partnership, prompting rumors that Apple would be adopting a revolutionary new wireless charging tech in the latest iPhone. But the iPhone launch came and went, and while Apple has adopted Qi wireless charging, distance-charging tech was no where to be seen. Of course, it is still possible that a future iPhone model will adopt the tech, though it remains to be seen.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Samsung patent filing reveals interest in a dual wireless charging mat
• Powermat’s Charging Spot 4.0 is compatible with more devices, easier to install
• Wirelessly charge your iPhone and Apple Watch simultaneously with Funxim
• Grovemade unveils a beautiful new Wireless Charging Pad
• Apple’s not very happy holiday party: Lawsuits filed over iPhone slowdowns

Pilot Era offers high-res in-camera 8K stitching, no computer necessary

4K seems like a lot of resolution, but wrapped into a 360-degree video it can still feel a little lacking. To remedy this, Pisofttech is launching the first 360 camera that can stitch 8K videos in-camera. Announced on Tuesday, January 9 at the Consumer Electronics Show, the Pilot Era is a four-lens camera capable of shooting 8K 360 videos at 30 frames per second (fps) or 4K at an impressive 100 fps.

Pisofttech is most known for its 3D-imaging software, which is found in more 3D cameras than any other software. While the Pilot Era doesn’t have 3D capabilities, the camera’s four lenses and sensors work together to record and stitch 8K spherical video automatically. The four f/2.2 fisheye lenses are placed on each side of the rectangular body. While other pro-level 360 cameras have reached 8k resolution, the processing demands for that higher resolution require using a computer to stitch the files. Cameras like the Insta360 Pro, for example, can do 4K in-camera or 8K when stitching is performed separately. True to the company’s software reputation, the camera also uses algorithms to stabilize the footage and correct any distortions created by merging the four fields of view together.

“Our core technology is the object recognition algorithm, including motion analysis technology, which enables the panoramic camera to detect and interact with images more accurately and makes it smarter,” Pisofttech CEO Adler Shen said in a statement. “This technology will be integrated into the Pilot Era soon, so that the camera can recognize images locally rather than having to upload them to the cloud for recognition and analysis. This will provide a huge performance advantage over systems that rely on the CPU or GPU to run vision algorithms.”

Users can interact with the camera via a small LCD screen, a unique feature not often found on 360 cameras. It also offers voice control and an optional smartphone app can control the camera remotely. Users have a choice of four different preview modes, including fisheye, traditional scrollable 360, little planet, and flattened equirectangular which allows you to see the entire recorded area at once.

Another unique feature is the inclusion of both Wi-Fi and 4G, which can both be used for live-streaming. The camera can’t go live in 8K, but 4K streaming is supported on both YouTube and Facebook.

At just over a pound, the Pilot Era isn’t exactly a featherweight, but it contains dual batteries that can power it for 180 minutes, considerably more than most smaller 360 cams. However, as a high-end device, it is also quite a bit more expensive, with an expected price of $3,000, putting it well out of reach for the average consumer. For professionals who want an easier way to create high-resolution immersive content, however, it could definitely be worth it. Availability is slated for April.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Panasonic GH5S masters the dark with a new 10MP, multi-aspect sensor
• Speed or resolution? 42-megapixel, 10 fps Sony a7R III mixes the best of both
• Crush the Rebel Alliance for good with our ‘Battlefront II’ performance guide
• VR photos in 12K are now possible with the latest Insta360 Pro update
• Meet the Samsung 360 Round, a pro-level 360 with 3D and impressive live-streams