2018 February | AIVAnet

2

Feb

Owl Car Cam brings 24-hour outside and inside monitoring to your vehicle

If you’ve ever noticed an unexplained dent or ding on your car, the Owl Car Cam may be able to help you track down the culprit. This new always-connected camera that monitors your vehicle from both the inside and out, can notify you of any safety event, such as a break-in or crash.

Using LTE connectivity, the Owl Car Cam can instantly remotely send video of events to the Owl Cam app on your phone. Although the camera is always recording, it only retains and uploads video that is triggered by a safety event or through a voice-activated feature that allows you to capture and tag memorable moments, like a meteor streaking across the sky or an in-car sing-along during a road trip. You can also set the camera to record live continuously, if you wish. Videos are stored locally — up to 24 hours of footage — which is then recorded over when it hits the limit. With LTE service, you can connect to the camera to see a live view or play back recorded footage. LTE service is not required to use the camera, but you lose some functionality.

Besides monitoring your vehicle for theft and accidents, you can also capture interesting moments from the road, simply by using a voice command.

The Owl Car Cam also has several interesting features to guard against break-ins. Since the camera is paired to your phone, it knows when an authorized driver is approaching your car. If someone attempts to break into it, two LED floodlights are activated and you’re immediately notified via the app. You’ll be able to watch a live-feed of inside the vehicle and use a built-in intercom to let the intruder know that you’ve contacted authorities.

The Owl Car Cam has lights that turn on to help you locate your vehicle or in case of a break-in.

Because the camera is continuously capturing more to the story than a single-lens dashcam, it could help you prove your case during an insurance claim. And if you’re pulled over, Owl says the camera keeps “everyone on their best behavior and to make sure you have what you need to tell your side of the story.”

When developing the Owl Car Cam, CEO Andy Hodge, who previously led development teams at Apple (iPod), Microsoft (HoloLens), and Dropcam, told Digital Trends that user privacy was a key concern. As such, the camera features an interesting privacy feature that restricts video access to the associated driver. For example, if you share a vehicle with your significant other, you will only be able to access video recorded when you’re behind the wheel.

As for specs, the device uses two 4-megapixel, 120-degree cameras, one on either side — a 1440p camera on the front (outside), and a lower-resolution 720p camera on the back (inside). The idea here is that it’s more important to get a higher quality image of what happens outside the car. However, resolution dumbs down to 480p when you’re in 24-hour live-recording mode. Video frame rate is 30 frames per second, but it uses the HEVC codec; newer iPhones running the latest version of iOS will support this codec, but you might have issues with playback on older phones or computers.

The display is a small 2.4-inch, touch-capable LCD. In addition to various sensors to detect movement, the Owl Car Cam has GPS, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth, as well as the aforementioned LTE radio. The device is lightweight and fits in your palm. It has a mono speaker, but it captures audio in stereo. The whole thing runs on a 2.4GHz, 8-core processor with 3GB of onboard memory.

Limited compatibility

There are some limitations to the Owl Car Cam. You’ll need to make sure your vehicle has an OBD port under the steering column, since this port is used to power the device. If your car was manufactured after 1996, you’ll likely be in the clear.

More limiting, however, is the Owl Car Cam’s compatibility with smartphones. Currently the camera only works with iPhones running iOS 11 or higher. When we talked with Hodge earlier this month, he mentioned that the company hopes to have an Android app available in the future, but did not provide an estimate for its release.

First impressions

We had an opportunity to see the Owl Car Cam in action earlier this month and were impressed. We spent about an hour with the camera on a busy New York City street and were able to witness it automatically capture several different events. Both the camera and app worked perfectly and the video quality was excellent. In many ways it’s similar to a camera you would use to monitor your home.

While the Owl Car Cam is primarily meant to act as a security device, or evidence to prove you’re not at fault during an accident or traffic violation, we like the social sharing abilities. The Owl Car Cam allows you to capture and tag any short event in the vehicle with your voice; this event is then transferred to the Owl Cam app where you can easily share it on any social media platform. There is a fun aspect to this camera: With its inside and outside recording, you can not only capture the outdoor scenery during a drive, but also the reaction from the people inside the car. We think the Owl Car Cam could benefit drivers for car-hailing services like Uber and Lyft.

However, since the camera doesn’t record what happens behind the car, you can’t capture situations like a fender bender caused by a car hitting yours from behind, whether you’re on the road or parked. With so many accidents occurring at the rear, obviously, a dashcam like this is limited in capturing those events.

Pricing and availability

Currently you can only purchase the Owl Car Cam on the Owl website. During our interview with Hodge, he mentioned the company would like to offer the product in major retailers later in the year. The Owl Car Cam currently sells for $349, bundled with a year of LTE service and video hosting. The company plans to sell the camera later in the year as a standalone device for $299; monthly service will be available for $10. The LTE service includes 60 minutes of live view or 60 video alerts. Owl has not said what would happen if you go over the limit — whether it just stops recording, records over older footage, or charge a fee for extra storage — but this could be another limiting issue for some users.

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2

Feb

iOS 12 and new MacOS may let Mac users download iPad apps

Apple has pushed back some planned features for upcoming iOS updates in order to allow engineers to work on ensuring iOS 12 is as smooth and bug-free as possible. But one key feature is apparently still in the works for 2018: The ability to run iPad apps on a Mac laptop.

According to Axios, Apple’s focus for iOS 12 is on security and performance updates, thought the company still plans to update its software to allow Macs to run iPad apps in 2018, both as a part of the newest mobile operating system and, presumably, as an update to MacOS. The Mac’s ability to run apps has long been seen as an issue, with the Mac App Store being viewed by many as a “ghost town” stocked with out-of-date apps, with even major apps like Twitter being painfully neglected.

Allowing Macs to access iPad apps would change that pretty much immediately, letting developers create apps for the iPad and Mac simultaneously, and not having to prioritize one over the other — a practice that has thus far led to MacOS getting the short end of the stick.

We’ve seen moves like this before from other companies. Google recently updated ChromeOS devices such as Chromebooks to access and download apps from the Google Play Store, and while the implementation is still a little rocky, taking these steps towards unifying disparate elements of the same empire is generally seen as a good thing for consumers.

This move in itself comes at a good time for Apple. The release of iOS 11 has been a low-key disaster for Apple, with bugs plaguing users from day one. Issues like disappearing notifications, glitches with the keyboard, and Touch ID failures are some of the problems that have arisen from iOS 11, and are issues that people rarely expect from a company like Apple. By choosing to focus on eliminating as many bugs as possible in iOS 12 and polishing it to a near-mirror shine, Apple is showing how seriously its taking the issues that people have had with Apple. It’s also notable that this comes after the Spectre vulnerability, and the major PR disaster that was the revelation that Apple purposefully slowed down older phones — prompting investigations into planned obsolescence.

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2

Feb

iOS 12 and new MacOS may let Mac users download iPad apps

Apple has pushed back some planned features for upcoming iOS updates in order to allow engineers to work on ensuring iOS 12 is as smooth and bug-free as possible. But one key feature is apparently still in the works for 2018: The ability to run iPad apps on a Mac laptop.

According to Axios, Apple’s focus for iOS 12 is on security and performance updates, thought the company still plans to update its software to allow Macs to run iPad apps in 2018, both as a part of the newest mobile operating system and, presumably, as an update to MacOS. The Mac’s ability to run apps has long been seen as an issue, with the Mac App Store being viewed by many as a “ghost town” stocked with out-of-date apps, with even major apps like Twitter being painfully neglected.

Allowing Macs to access iPad apps would change that pretty much immediately, letting developers create apps for the iPad and Mac simultaneously, and not having to prioritize one over the other — a practice that has thus far led to MacOS getting the short end of the stick.

We’ve seen moves like this before from other companies. Google recently updated ChromeOS devices such as Chromebooks to access and download apps from the Google Play Store, and while the implementation is still a little rocky, taking these steps towards unifying disparate elements of the same empire is generally seen as a good thing for consumers.

This move in itself comes at a good time for Apple. The release of iOS 11 has been a low-key disaster for Apple, with bugs plaguing users from day one. Issues like disappearing notifications, glitches with the keyboard, and Touch ID failures are some of the problems that have arisen from iOS 11, and are issues that people rarely expect from a company like Apple. By choosing to focus on eliminating as many bugs as possible in iOS 12 and polishing it to a near-mirror shine, Apple is showing how seriously its taking the issues that people have had with Apple. It’s also notable that this comes after the Spectre vulnerability, and the major PR disaster that was the revelation that Apple purposefully slowed down older phones — prompting investigations into planned obsolescence.

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2

Feb

Instagram Stories now has an option to add photo-free text with Type Mode

Instagram is a photo-focused platform but it is now offering a way to share photo-free, at least inside Stories, anyway. On Thursday, February 1, Instagram launched Type Mode inside Stories, which allows users to add text on colored backgrounds to a Story. The official announcement comes a week after the feature was spotted in testing.

Type Mode is located in that bottom scroll menu inside Stories alongside options like live, normal, and Boomerang. Rather than a record button to take a photo, tapping the usual shutter button in Type mode brings up the keyboard for users to type whatever is on their mind. After typing in the note, users can choose from a handful of different formats that will change both the text and the background together. Photo backgrounds are available, along with simple colored backgrounds without an image. Like photos and videos, the text will disappear from Stories after 24 hours.

Adding text to Stories isn’t an entirely new feature. Users can already add text overlays to images. Where the new tool differs is that the tool doesn’t require an image — maybe for those moments in your day that weren’t actually visual or possible to capture on camera, or adding details to another shot in the Story. Some of the Fonts options, however, do include a recolored image in the background.

Late last year, the platform began testing a “regram” or share button. At the same time, the platform also started testing the option to add GIFs to Stories and an option to save Stories — the latter now part of the full version of the app. Another test, confirmed by Instagram, adds a stop-motion effect along with options like Boomerang.

Instagram late last year added an option to add images that are older than 24 hours to a Story, opening up the sharing option to Throwbacks rather than only shots from the last 24 hours. In December, Instagram added the option to archive Stories — leaving the post away from public eyes but allowing users to reminisce through old Stories. While archived Stories are private, a new Highlight Reel allows users to share a handful of favorite Stories to live on their profile beyond the 24-hour limit.

Updated to reflect Instagram’s official launch of the Type Mode following the test.

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2

Feb

Microsoft hints at a modular Windows 10, new mobile device category

One of the industry’s more persistent unicorns is the rumored Surface Phone, a smartphone built by the Surface team that would run full Windows 10 and utilize many of the same design concepts as the rest of the Surface line. If such a device is on its way, or even something similar, then Microsoft will need to optimize Windows 10 to even more granularly support different form factors. New evidence suggests that this is exactly what Microsoft is doing.

According to reliable leaker WalkingCat on Twitter, code in the latest Windows Insider builds indicate that Microsoft is creating a host of different Windows 10 shells for a variety of different devices. These shells would present an optimized user interface depending on the device, all built on the same Windows 10 OneCore OS kernel. Each would be capable of running the same apps and would offer largely the same feature set, but interface elements would be resized and reformatted to support different screen sizes, input options (such as pens), and other differences between devices.

composers pic.twitter.com/aUZxTiOPgR

— WalkingCat (@h0x0d) February 1, 2018

WalkingCat

Looking at the list, we see a number of references to different systems, including Internet of Things (IoT), Surface Hub, and both Andromeda and Polaris. Andromeda is suspected to be a potential shell for dual-hinged devices similar to Microsoft’s Courier concept from a few years ago, and Polaris is thought to be a slimmer, lightweight operating system for the thinnest and lightest laptops, 2-in-1s, and tablets.

my guess: Andromeda is not 'phone', its new category: "HingedDualScreenDevice" https://t.co/80o70ijkpF

— WalkingCat (@h0x0d) February 1, 2018

WalkingCat isn’t convinced that Andromeda is a “phone,” however, indicating in another tweet that it’s more likely that it fits a “HingedDualScreenDevice” category. We’ve seen a number of Microsoft patent applications involving such a device, which would be highly mobile, would utilize a special notetaking app, and would be pen-enabled. Check out the following video for Microsoft’s original Courier concept that’s strongly suggested by recent rumors.

Clearly, Microsoft has plans to implement a modular version of Windows 10 that can adapt to any form factor. Whether or not a “Surface Phone” ever materializes, it’s increasingly likely that some kind of highly mobile device, possibly with cellular calling capabilities, will arrive as part of the Surface line of hardware. If so, then that will represent another category of devices that Microsoft has created, to go along with the increasingly popular 2-in-1 notebook.

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2

Feb

Google’s new Assistant Go brings Assistant to low-power phones

Android Go is growing and growing. The initiative was first launched at Google I/O in May as a way to bring the core functionality of Google’s apps to phones with low-power hardware and less available RAM. Since then, we have seen apps like YouTube Go, Maps Go, and even a lightweight version of Android, called Android Go. Now, it’s Google Assistant’s turn — Google just launched Assistant Go.

Assistant Go, like the other Go apps, basically aims to offer a similar experience as the standard Google Assistant in a much smaller package and without taking up much RAM or processing power.

Of course, the tradeoff is that the app can’t do everything the normal Google Assistant can do. For starters, it currently only supports English, and it doesn’t do certain functions, like set reminders or control smart home devices. Thankfully, it’s not just a voice interface for Search — it does still integrate with other apps on your phone, like Maps.

While Assistant Go is currently only available in English, we expect that to change. After all, the Android Go initiative seems to be largely targeted at emerging markets, where lower-power phones are more common and RAM is a little harder to come by. It’s possible the company could launch a new version of Assistant Go in each language.

Assistant Go can be found on the Google Play Store, but we’re not sure what devices are compatible just yet. Google won’t allow users with phones capable of running the standard version of Assistant to download Assistant Go.

Google is making serious efforts to bring Assistant to as many people as possible. Not only do plenty of Android phones now have Google Assistant, but Google Home is getting increasingly popular, and more smart home devices also have Assistant built in. The company has even started partnering with other companies on so-called smart displays, which offer information like the weather and can be used for video calling. It makes sense that Google would want to do the same in developing markets, where it probably can’t sell as many Google Home devices or Android TVs.

It’s also likely we will continue to see the company launch lightweight apps. Apart from the previously mentioned apps, we have also seen Gboard Go, and Files Go, which is a file management app for Android that focuses specifically on clearing away files that you don’t need in order to free up space.

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2

Feb

How to buy Litecoin

As one of the most popular alternative cryptocurrencies out there, Litecoin shows a lot of potential as a store of value and a potential investment option — especially since its price fell towards the end of 2017. But in order to be in with a chance of enjoying any rise in Litecoin’s value in the future, you need to know how to buy Litecoin. That’s what this guide is all about.

As with other cryptocurrencies, there are different ways to acquire them. You can mine them yourself, but if you want to buy Litecoin, these are the best ways to do so.

Buying through an exchange

For those just getting started with buying cryptocurrencies like Litecoin, or for anyone who wants to buy in the most straightforward manner, buying from an exchange is probably the best way to go. Although they are far from perfect, they do a lot of the legwork for you and give you the quickest and easiest access to a wide variety of cryptocurrencies, without you needing to be hands-on for the trade itself.

Picking an exchange might seem complicated, but it needn’t be too much of a headache. There are a lot of them out there and as with buying cryptocurrencies in the first place, you want to pick the one that’s right for you. Some of the more established trading platforms include Coinbase, Kraken, and Bitstamp, but Bitcoin.com has a list of all major exchanges that you can sift through. Whichever one you pick, make sure it’s well-established, has insurance to cover any potential losses — and most importantly in this case — actually supports Litecoin trading.

When you’ve locked in which exchange you want to use, your next step should be to sign up. Most exchanges operate from a web address, though some also offer smartphone app compatibility if you prefer. Depending on the exchange, signing up may require you to provide some form of identification, but that’s merely to comply with anti-money laundering laws. You’ll then need to pair your bank account or debit card with the exchange — and in some cases transfer funds directly to your account. Once you’ve done so though, you’re ready to begin trading.

The actual method for buying Litecoin will depend very much on the exchange you use, but most of them will boil down to a few simple options. You’ll be looking to make a “buy order.” When you do, a certain amount of your fiat currency (USD, etc.) will be transferred out of your account, with the requisite amount of Litecoin then sent to your exchange wallet.

Basic buy orders, sometimes called market orders, make the purchase for you automatically at the best market rate. If you want to only buy at a set price, you can in some cases place a “limit” order instead, which allows you to specify a value.

If you plan to hold your Litecoin for a while or have purchased a particularly large amount, we’d recommend you transfer it out of your exchange wallet into something more secure. Although most established exchanges are well protected, DDOS attacks, busy trading periods, and hacks can cause problems with accessing your cryptocurrency. Making sure you have a firm grasp on it, whether you use a software or digital wallet, is a good idea.

Buying through direct trade

The other main way to buy cryptocurrencies of any type is directly from the owners. It’s a little more off-the-grid than exchanges, but ultimately just means that you can have a firmer grasp of price and the timing of the trade. It does mean being actively present for the trade and manually sending the funds, but it also keeps your currency (of all types) away from any platforms which may become inaccessible for whatever reason.

Direct trading with Litecoin isn’t as easy as it is with bitcoin — there just aren’t as many platforms that support it. Fortunately, Cointal handles peer-to-peer transactions for everything from bitcoin, to Litecoin, to Ripple. It also supports a wide array of payment methods, so you can buy Litecoin with Paypal, gift cards, or a direct bank transfer, among others.

To use Cointal, head to the site’s homepage and input either how much USD you’re willing to spend, or how much Litecoin you want to purchase and click the “find an offer,” button. You will then be presented with a list of available offers which you can list by buy/sell or payment method. You can also peruse sellers and look at their reputation, feedback, and location.

When you have selected a deal you like the look of, click the “buy” button on the right-hand side and you’ll be taken to the relevant deal page. Double check the details of the transaction and then hit the “Buy Now” button, and you’ll be taken to the login page, at which point — if you haven’t already — you’ll need to make an account.

The actual specifics of the transaction will be down to you and the seller, but suffice to say, it will involve you sending them a payment, which will be held in escrow while they send you the Litecoin. When everyone is happy, your new Litecoin will be sent straight to your chosen wallet.

Buying with other cryptocurrencies

The only other way to get hold of Litecoin is to trade it for another cryptocurrency like bitcoin. If you do have some alternative tokens you want to trade, you can use asset exchange websites like ShapeShift or Changelly for a more automated experience. You can also use Paxful or indeed Cointal, to make direct trades with one cryptocurrency for another.

For a full look at that process, check out our guide on how to trade bitcoin for other cryptocurrencies.

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2

Feb

New Microsoft patent hints at potential design of Surface Phone

In a patent application revealed today, Microsoft may have just tipped its hand and shown us what we can expect from the long-rumored Surface Phone — or some next-generation Surface device. The patent application details a “live hinge” which allows a device with two screens to be seamlessly opened flat into a tablet mode, or have one screen folded all the way around back. It’s easier just to show you.

See? The gray part in the middle is the live hinge. It connects both screens and allows the phone to have an unprecedented degree of adjustability. Folded flat, the hinge ensures that both screens connect to each other without too much of an unsightly seam. It would allow you to fold the phone closed like a pocket book, eliminating the need for a clunky protective case.

This hinge also could allow, in certain configurations, a full 360 degrees of rotation. That means the screens could folder further until the screens are “back-to-back,” exposing the touch surfaces on both sides of the device. Such a device would have three modes; closed with no screens exposed, 180 degrees open with both screens conjoined into one larger display, or 360 degrees open with one screen on each side of the device.

In the patent filing itself, Microsoft describes the potential use as a “multi-part device” but the description also includes a specific reference to the size limitations of current single-screen mobile phones. It’s a strong suggestion that this is indeed what we might see out of the rumored Surface Phone.

“Mobile phone displays have increased in size to the point where they can now consume almost an entire front surface of a phone. In some cases, further increases in display size would detract from other capabilities of the devices, such as its pocket-size form factor,” the patent reads.

As we mentioned, it’s not the first time this kind of hinge technology has been hinted at through patent filings. As The Verge reported in December 2017, Microsoft has been toying with these kinds of “live hinges” for a while now. The example in the earlier patent suggests more of a tablet-form-factor device, while this most recent filing looks more like an overlarge mobile phone — kind of like the ones used in HBO’s Westworld.

These patent filings coupled with the files which mention a forthcoming “modular device” category in the latest Windows 10 build seriously suggest that Microsoft’s Surface Phone, or at least some kind of next-generation Surface tablet, is on the horizon.

Here, we get a better look at how it could be used. The thing to really note here is how consistent these drawings are. Between this patent and the earlier one revealed at the end of 2017, it’s pretty clear that Microsoft is has some very specific use-cases in mind for this technology.

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