Garmin’s latest smartwatch can play music during your run

Yes, you can listen to music on a smartwatch without keeping your phone nearby, but that usually means settling for relatively simple fitness tracking. Garmin may have a solution that eliminates those compromises, however — it just introduced the Forerunner 645 Music, a GPS running watch that (surprise) stores up to 500 songs for playback over Bluetooth earphones. You can track your runs (or bike rides, or swims) and the detailed stats to match while listening to tunes you’ve saved either from your computer or from streaming services like iHeartRadio.

The watch is an upgrade in the style department as well. It’s the first Forerunner with a steel bezel, so it looks more at home on your wrist when you’re not in the middle of a half-marathon. You’ll also get Garmin Pay (to buy that post-workout drink), an always-on color display and support for a Running Dynamics Pod that tracks stats like cadence and stride length. The battery will last up to a week in a regular smartwatch mode, although that shrinks to 5 hours if you invoke GPS and music.

The 645 Music is available for $450, and there’s a music-free 645 for $400 if you’d rather listen to the great outdoors or the gym. That’s potentially a bargain if you want a soundtrack while you train for a half-marathon, but just be sure that you intend to use Garmin’s more advanced tracking. You might get more value from an Apple Watch or Gear Sport if you only need basics like calorie burn.

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

Source: Garmin

Garmin Speak Plus mixes Amazon Alexa with a dash cam

Don’t think it’s enough to have Amazon Alexa in your car? Garmin thinks it has a better proposition: throw in a dash cam. Its new Speak Plus includes the same voice assistant that offers directions, music playback and other hands-free controls, but it also tucks in a camera that can both record “incidents” (read: collisions) and deliver alerts. It’ll warn you if you’re too close to a car, if you’re drifting out of your lane or if that gridlocked traffic has finally started moving.

The Plus continues to pair with your smartphone to get online, and can use either Bluetooth or an aux cable to pipe music to your car’s audio system. An OLED screen provides basic navigation details so you don’t miss a turn.

Not surprisingly, the addition of the camera raises the price. The Speak Plus will sell for $230 when it ships on January 22nd ($200 if you pre-order by January 20th), or well over the $150 for the original Speak. However, it might make more sense. Many people are content with mounting their phone and using its built-in assistant, and there’s not much point to Speak if you have a vehicle with Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. However, dash cams are a different story — this gives you some useful safety and insurance features in addition to keeping your eyes on the road while you drive to an unfamiliar destination.

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

Source: Garmin

Mira fertility monitor helps you track your ovulation with AI

One of the problems with over-the-counter fertility monitors is that they don’t often tell you much beyond if you happen to be ovulating at the time you’re taking the test. If you are, there’s a smiley face, and if you’re not, there’s nothing. The Mira fertility monitor, however, is a little different. It has an AI so that it learns your patterns over time, and will figure out when you’re ovulating potentially weeks before it happens.

The way it does this is by tracking the levels of luteinizing hormone in your pee. It’s the same method that those drugstore fertility monitors use to figure out if you’re ovulating, but the difference with the Mira is that it keeps track of that information so that you don’t have to do it. You pee on the one-time-use Mira fertility wand, stick it into the egg-shaped digital reader, and voila, you’ll see if you’re ovulating in the tiny digital screen. It’ll also send that information over to a companion app via Bluetooth. Apparently Mira uses a different kind of fertility wand than its drugstore counterpart — it uses a fluorescent immunoassay that actually tells you the quantity of LH in your urine.

There are a lot of other digital fertility trackers on the market, like the Ava bracelet as well as apps like Glow. But most of them don’t quite provide the same accuracy as monitoring your LH levels. Mira is an effort to combine the accuracy of a drugstore fertility monitor with machine learning and tracking.

Unfortunately, the Mira doesn’t quite solve the other big problem with over-the-counter fertility monitors: the price. Higher-end ovulation kits from the drugstore can cost up to $60 for a reader and 20 wands, which is already pretty pricey. The Mira will cost much more: almost $100. And there’s no word how much those extra Mira fertility wands will cost.

That said, Mira does say that it hopes to expand its portfolio to more than just fertility monitoring. It could sell special wands for influenza and allergen testing as well, which might justify its $100 price a little more.

Mira hopes to sell its fertility monitor starting in a few months. In the meantime, you can learn more about it on its website.

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

D-Link unveils high-speed and mesh options for its router lineup

D-Link has a new trio of router packages to show off at CES. Like other device providers, one focuses on security, while the others include a high-speed one optimized for bandwidth-intensive activities like streaming and online gaming, while another uses multiple routers for a mesh setup.

D-Link’s Ultra Wi-Fi line features the dual-band AX6000 gets speeds up to 6,000 Mbps while the tri-band AX11000 boasts 11,000 Mbps. Sure, this could be useful for a house full of active media streamers, but these routers are intended for users intending to perform multiple bandwidth-draining activities simultaneously, like file sharing and high-performance gaming. Both include one 2.5 Gbps WAN port and four Gigabit LAN ports and support 4×4 MU-MIMO. D-Link didn’t announce pricing, but both models will be available in the second half of 2018.

The Covr line, on the other hand, supports a scalable mesh WiFi network. The higher-end $320 tri-band model, out in Q2 2018, comes with two routers amplified to cover up to 6,000 sq. ft. of space, and includes built-in compatibility for Amazon’s Alexa. The dual-band model, on the other hand, includes three pods to cover 5,000 sq. ft. and will retail for $250, arriving in Q1 2018.

Finally, the AC2600 is D-Link’s security-minded router with built-in protection by McAfee, alleging automatic protection for all devices in the network. The model could be a response to the FTC’s somewhat-diluted case against D-Link for poor security, but the industry as a whole is starting to introduce devices with beefed up protection in the wake of public hacks.

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

D-Link adds battery-powered and LTE cameras to its home security line

D-Link introduced two new home monitoring cameras at CES that tackle logistics shortfalls of domestic security. One is a wire-free system boasting battery power that lasts up to 11 months, while the other can operate and record over LTE. Additionally, D-Link has refreshed three of its simpler, affordable models. All have sound and motion triggers, can record footage to the cloud and integrate with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and IFTTT.

The Wire-Free Full HD Indoor/Outdoor Camera operates around a hub and as many cameras as desired, all of which operate on battery life. Kits start at $250 for one camera, $350 for two and additional cameras cost $220 apiece. The $300 LTE model does exactly what it says, which is useful if Wi-Fi is spotty or unavailable. Both cameras record in 1080p and will be available in Q2 2018.

D-Link also refreshed three of its simpler home security cameras. The lower-tier $60 HD Wi-Fi Camera handles basic home monitoring in 720p with a 120-degree field of view from a static position, while the $90 mid-grade Full HD version bumps that up to 1080p and 140 degrees. The top camera of the set, which retails for $120, includes pan and tilt functionality to cover 340 degrees in total. All three will be available in Q2 2018.

You can set up and control all of D-Link’s new cameras from your smartphone or device with the updated mydlink app. Users can be alerted when they detect sound or motion and watch live video straight from the app. All of D-Links cameras can record locally on microSD or to the cloud using D-Link’s subscription options, which will be available in Q1 2018 and range from $1 a month for 2GB of video up to $10 a month for 30GB.

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

Tile’s item-finding technology gets built into Bose earbuds

Ever lost a pair of earbuds? Or your luggage at the airport? Or worse, your inhaler? Well, starting this year, Tile will partner with companies like Bose, Samsonite and Propeller Health to help you find those things and more.

These are extensions of the Tile Platform, which the company debuted in 2016. The purpose of the program is to incorporate the stuff-finding tech found in its Bluetooth trackers into everyday items like battery packs and scooters. You’d add them to the Tile app just like the regular trackers, and if you lose them, you can use the app to find them. The device in question will make a sound, or you can use the vast Tile community network to help locate where it is.

With Bose, the Tile technology will be incorporated in the Bose SoundSport Wireless and QuietControl 30 headphones — they’ll ring when you tap “find” in the app — some time in 2018. As for Samsonite, a global pilot of Tile-integrated luggage is scheduled for later this spring. Other companies that will integrate with Tile technology later this year include Herschel backpacks, Boosted skateboards and Starling, an educational wearable for young kids.

As mentioned above, Propeller Health is also working on integrating the tech into its connected inhalers. “We’re excited to partner with Tile in our ongoing efforts to make management of asthma and COPD more personal and convenient,” said David Van Sickle, Propeller co-founder and CEO in a statement. “By combining the search power of Tile with our connected medication sensors, we can help people ensure their important inhalers and information are always easy to find.”

Additionally, Tile has also partnered with Comcast, Ruckus Wireless and the San Jose International Airport to provide more access points for Tile’s network. Currently, the network relies on a community of Tile owners — everyone’s Tile app works in concert to pinpoint the location of a missing item. The addition of these access points help boost the power of that community. Right now, San Jose International Airport has already been blanketed with Tile access points, while Ruckus Wireless and Comcast will add them later this year.

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

Investors Urge Apple to Do More to Protect Children From Smartphone Addiction

Apple should do more to reduce growing smartphone addiction among children, said two major investors on Monday (via USA Today). In an open letter to the tech giant, New York-based Jana Partners LLC and the California State Teachers’ Retirement System wrote of their increasing concern about the effects of mobile devices and social media on youngsters, urging Apple to offer more tools and choices to help prevent harm.

“There is a developing consensus around the world including Silicon Valley that the potential long-term consequences of new technologies need to be factored in at the outset, and no company can outsource that responsibility to an app designer, or more accurately to hundreds of app designers.”

The letter cited several studies revealing the negative effects of smartphones and social media on children’s mental and physical health. For example, one study found that 67 percent of over 2,300 teachers surveyed believe that the number of students who are negatively distracted by gadgets in the classroom is growing, while 75 percent say students’ ability to focus on educational tasks has decreased. 

In another study, eighth graders who are heavy users of social media were shown to have a 27 percent higher risk of depression, compared to children who exceed the average time spent playing sports, socializing with friends, or doing homework, all of whom have a much lower risk.  

To counter the threat, the investors – who collectively control $2 billion worth of Apple shares – suggested that Apple set up an expert committee including child development specialists and make its information more available to researchers. The letter also proposed enhancing iOS and associated apps to give parents and guardians more resources to protect their children’s wellbeing.

This is a complex issue and we hope that this is the start of a constructive and well-informed dialogue,” said the partners. “As one of the most innovative companies in the history of technology, Apple can play a defining role in signaling to the industry that paying special attention to the health and development of the next generation is both good business and the right thing to do.”

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CES 2018: DJI Announces Osmo Mobile 2 With Simpler Controls and Improved Battery Life

Camera and drone maker DJI today announced two new camera stabilizers ahead of the first official day of CES 2018, which begins tomorrow, January 9. DJI’s reveal centered upon the Osmo Mobile 2 and Ronin-S, a pair of stabilizers made for smartphones and DSLRs, respectively, that allow users to take videos without having to worry about shaky cam disrupting the footage.

The Osmo Mobile 2 is the newest model in DJI’s line of camera stabilizers for smartphones, introducing simpler controls with cinematic zoom and a longer battery life. Like the previous device, the Osmo Mobile 2 is compatible with iPhone and includes three-axis gimbal technology to cancel out movement in three directions, allowing footage to remain steady even when the user’s hands shake.

The gimbal technology combines with DJI’s SmoothTrack technology to detect and compensate for the user’s movement of the camera and “ensure a smooth cinematic shot every time.” Users can shoot in both landscape and portrait orientation, and a 1/4″ universal screw mount makes the Osmo Mobile 2 compatible with most photography accessories.

“With the introduction of these two stabilizers, DJI now offers gimbal technology to help unlock the creative storyteller in everyone no matter what camera they’re using,” said Paul Pan, Senior Product Manager at DJI. “Osmo Mobile 2 offers the best in smartphone stabilization at an affordable price, and Ronin-S brings the quality of DJI’s professional gimbal technology to a new form factor that is perfect for run-and-gun filming using your favorite DSLR or mirrorless camera system.”

In terms of the major new additions, DJI said the new device’s battery system is “more powerful” than its predecessor and allows for filming for up to 15 hours, which is three times longer than the original. There’s also a new USB port to enable smartphone charging while the Osmo Mobile 2 is being used, and even lets the Osmo act as a power bank for charging other devices when not in use.

DJI said the “simpler controls” include ways for users to use their smartphone’s camera similar to a professional camera, thanks to integrated settings for ISO, shutter speed, and more. A new button for a zoom slider on the Osmo Mobile 2’s handle lets users operate their smartphone camera without needing to touch the screen, and the controls also allow for the production of a dolly zoom, which DJI said is “a visual effect usually created only on professional film sets.”

The Osmo Mobile 2 will cost $209 AUD (about $163 USD) and will launch exclusively on Apple.com, with pre-orders beginning January 23. In early February, the new Osmo will then debut on DJI’s own website, as well as in DJI stores and authorized resellers. Later in February the device will be available to purchase in Apple’s retail stores too. The Ronin-S will launch in Q2 2018.

Tags: DJI, CES 2018
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Showtime swears ‘Halo’ TV show is still in ‘active development’

It’s that time of year again: that is, time to promise that Steven Spielberg’s Halo TV series isn’t dead. In an interview with TV Guide, Showtime CEO David Nevins promised that the live-action, gaming inspired show is “still in very active development.” He didn’t provide more details, but did note that he had seen scripts and that the network was “encouraged by what we’ve seen so far.” He was confident it would not only please Halo fans, but Showtime’s overall drama audience.

This may be heartening if you’ve wanted to see how Halo would fare in Hollywood. However, that “if” may be the problem. Microsoft proudly announced the show alongside the Xbox One in 2013, but it’s been in limbo ever since. That’s a long time to wait if you’re used to getting new games in a franchise every couple of years or less. And remember, Halo 5 shipped in 2015. Even if the TV show arrives in 2018, that’s a roughly 3-year gap — interest definitely isn’t at its zenith. While game adaptations regularly have trouble standing purely on their own merits, the Halo show might face an even greater challenge than usual.

Via: Kotaku

Source: TV Guide

The ‘world’s biggest wind farm’ could send power to as many as five countries

While most offshore wind farms are located close to the coast, an ambitious plan by a Dutch energy firm involves the creation of what would be the world’s biggest wind farm, with a central man-made island acting as a power hub.

Dutch-controlled TenneT says the hub could be located in the North Sea and provide power to not only the Netherlands, but also the U.K., Norway, Denmark, Germany, and Belgium.

All of these countries are roughly the same distance from the proposed site, Dogger Bank, a vast sandbank about 160 miles north-west of the Netherlands and 60 miles off the east coast of England.

The power hub on the 2.3-square-mile artificial island would be surrounded by numerous wind turbines capable of providing power, via long-distance cables, to each of the countries.

The wind farm could provide power to the Netherlands, U.K., Norway, Denmark, Germany, and Belgium.

TenneT

As noted by the Guardian, TenneT claims its plan could lead to savings of billions of dollars over conventional wind farms and international power cables.

Today’s offshore wind farms produce alternating current that suffers loss when sent over long distances, so the hub would convert it to direct current before sending it to nearby nations using more affordable cables.

TenneT is planning to produce a more detailed proposal this year, and said that if construction went ahead, the earliest it could be operational is 2027.

But the bold project faces plenty of hurdles, including securing both cooperation and funding from other energy companies in Europe.

If they can work together to make it happen, the wind farm could have a capacity of 30GW — more than double the total installed offshore wind power across all of Europe today.

With opposition from those living close to proposed wind farms a constant obstacle to their construction, it’s little surprise that energy firms are beginning to look at sites further offshore.

Rob van der Hage, manager of TenneT’s offshore wind grid development program, told the Guardian that “onshore wind is hampered by local opposition and nearshore is nearly full,” adding that it was therefore logical to look at the idea of placing wind farms further away from land.

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