Apple Watch can now unlock your August Smart Lock

Unlocking an August Smart Lock with your phone is easy enough, but if you have an Apple Watch, you don’t even need to have your phone with you. Apple’s smartwatch can now unlock any August-branded smart lock, so long as you’re specified as its “owner.” To set it up, you first need to make sure your wearable is running WatchOS 4 or higher and that it has the new native August Apple Watch app.

You’ll also need to update your iOS app, because you might be prompted to log in to sync your locks. Once that’s done (and you’re a recognized owner), though, you’ll be able to view all the August locks you have on the Watch’s screen. If you want easy access to a specific lock, you can even add it as a Watch face shortcut. August Home says it’s a different feature from Auto-Unlock, since you’ll still have your phone nearby with that one. With this particular feature, all you’ll really need is Apple Watch itself.

Source: August Home

How to Apply Color Tags to Items in macOS Finder Using Custom Keyboard Shortcuts

In one of our previous macOS how-to guides, we explained how using tags can help you organize your files and folders and quickly locate them when they’re needed. In this article, we’re going to show you how to tag items in Finder using a simple custom keyboard shortcut, for even faster tagging.

The first series of steps below shows you how to create a handy key shortcut to activate Finder’s inline tagging menu. Once you’ve done that, we explain how you can use one or more custom shortcuts to directly apply specific color tags to selected items in a Finder window.

This more powerful color tagging method requires creating a simple Automator service. If that sounds scary, don’t worry – it’s a simple process, and if you’re a frequent user of tags then you’ll find this quick recipe well worth the effort. Keep reading to learn how it’s done.

How to Create a Shortcut for Tagging Items in Finder

Launch System Preferences from the Apple menu bar ( -> System Preferences…).
Select the Keyboard preference pane.
Click the Shortcuts tab.

Select App Shortcuts in the left column and click the + button.
Select Finder.app in the Application field.
Type Tags… in the Menu Title field.

Click inside the Keyboard Shortcut field and press your preferred key combination for activating the service. In our example, we’ve used Shift-Command-T.
Click Add.Now your shortcut is set up, it’s time to try it out. Open a Finder window and select an item (or several) for tagging. Hit your chosen key combination and you should see a tag menu pop up beneath the selected item(s), like so.

From there, just start typing the name of the tag you want to use and it should appear in the input field. Hit Enter to apply it. Alternatively, use the down arrow key to choose the tag you want from the dropdown list, and hit Enter.

How to Create a Color Tagging Service in Automator

Launch Automator from the Applications folder.

Click New Document.
Choose Service as the type of your document.

Type label into the Library search field at the top of the Automator sidebar.
Drag the Label Finder Items action into the empty workflow area.

Click the tag color you want to use for your first keyboard shortcut. (We’re going for red in our example.)
Select files or folders in the Service receives selected dropdown.
Select Finder in the in application dropdown.

Select File -> Save from the Automator menu bar, and give your service a name. We’ll be using the name “Tag Red”.
Click Save.

How to Assign a Shortcut to Your New Tagging Service

Launch System Preferences from the Apple menu bar ( -> System Preferences…).
Select the Keyboard pane.
Click the Shortcuts tab.
Select App Shortcuts in the left column and click the + button.

Select Finder.app in the Application field.
In the Menu Title field, type the exact name of the service you just created in Automator (“Tag Red” in our example).

Click inside the Keyboard Shortcut field and press your chosen key combination for activating the service. We’ve used Shift-Command-R.
Click Add.You should now be able to tag selected items in Finder with your chosen color using the keyboard shortcut you created.

To create additional shortcuts for applying other tag colors, simply follow the Automator steps again but choose another color, and save the service under a corresponding name. Then simply assign a shortcut to the named service in the Keyboard preference pane as described above.

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Hyperloop Transportation Technologies is on its way to the UAE

Just days after announcing that its Hyperloop test track is one step closer to completion in France, Hyperloop Transportation Technologies is breaking ground again and moving forward with the first commercial Hyperloop system in the UAE. On Wednesday, Hyperloop TT and Aldar Properties signed what is being called a “historic agreement” for the first commercial Hyperloop system to emerge between Abu Dhabi and Dubai. 

Not only will HyperloopTT soon begin to build the transportation system, but it’ll also construct an Innovation Center and a Hyperloop Visitor Center. Construction is slated to begin in Aldar’s Seih Al Sdeirah landbank in Abu Dhabi, which is located on the border between the Emirates of Abu Dhabi and Dubai. It’s also near the site of Expo 2020 — which is slated to attract quite a large audience — as well as Al Maktoum International Airport.

“We are delighted to be working with HyperloopTT as they look to bring one of the world’s most revolutionary transportation technologies to Abu Dhabi,” said Talal Al Dhiyebi, Chief Executive Officer, Aldar Properties. He noted that the site of the Hyperloop is particularly strategic. “Alghadeer sits at such a strategic point within the UAE – close to major growth areas of both Abu Dhabi and Dubai, that it makes sense to pair it with rapid transport opportunities. We believe that Hyperloop technology can have a major positive impact on the lives of all of those living within our communities, and we look forward to this possibility becoming a reality.”

As with its test track in France, HyperloopTT intends to build the new line in a number of phases, first beginning with a 10 kilometer (6.2 mile) route. Further development will aim to construct an entire Hyperloop network throughout the Emirates and surrounding regions.

“This agreement creates the basis for the first commercial Hyperloop system in the world here in the Emirates, with the goal of eventually connecting Abu Dhabi to Al Ain, Dubai, and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.” said Bibop Gresta, Chairman of HyperloopTT. “With regulatory support, we hope the first section will be operational in time for Expo 2020.”

“A forward-thinking nation like the UAE is ideal for building the most revolutionary, most efficient, and fastest transportation system in the world,” added Dirk Ahlborn, CEO of HyperloopTT. “With this historic agreement in Abu Dhabi, we take a big step towards the world’s first commercial system.”

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JPEG XS will be a faster format for 8K streaming, better VR, and safer drones

Joint Photographic Experts Group

JPEG has been the compressed standard for images for decades but the file format will soon gain a little brother designed to eliminate lag time while streaming to create anything from a better virtual reality experience to safer camera drones and self-driving cars. The organization behind the JPEG, the Joint Photographic Experts Group, recently introduced JPEG XS, a compressed photo and video file format designed to use less energy.

JPEG XS is a bit of a misnomer because the file sizes aren’t actually smaller than a JPEG — in fact, the files take up more room because the compression is six times compared to 10 times. The XS instead refers to the file’s compression process. JPEG XS uses a compression that is both faster and simpler than the original JPEG. So while a JPEG XS will take up more space on a hard drive or smartphone, the files will stream faster using Wi-Fi or 5G. Because the files are actually larger than a regular JPEG, the file type creates high-quality footage while simultaneously speeding up the streaming process.

The organization isn’t trying to replace the JPEG — the original JPEG’s smaller file size still makes the original ideal for applications where the file is being saved, not streamed. The JPEG XS instead aims to alleviate a number of issues associated with streaming content. For example, by creating faster streams, a JPEG XS could reduce lag time between what a drone camera sees and when the drone pilot actually sees the same thing. The same idea could help make self-driving cars safer by increasing reaction times.

The faster streams and reduced latency aren’t just for live-streaming content, however. In virtual reality, the group explains, the delay between moving and the nearly imperceptible response to that movement is one of the reasons some headset users can feel nauseous inside the experience. The file format would also make sharing a video from a smartphone to a screen (wirelessly) faster.

The organization also says that the faster compression could also allow higher resolution and increased frame rates, such as streaming in 8K. The file format has even caught the eye of the European Space Agency — the group is interested in potentially using the format on space probes because the format uses less energy.

Professor Touradj Ebrahimi is leading the group’s work as part of the School of Engineering at École Polytechnique Fédérale De Lausanne, a technical university in Switzerland. “For the first time in the history of image coding, we are compressing less in order to better preserve quality, and we are making the process faster while using less energy,” Ebrahimi said in a statement.  “We want to be smarter in how we do things. The idea is to use less resources, and use them more wisely. This is a real paradigm shift.”

JPEG XS, like the original JPEG, is also slated to be an open-source file format. That accessibility has The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers considering the format for editing since the format could be a universally accepted file type because of that open source.

The International Organization for Standardization has yet to approve the file format before JPEG XS could be widely adopted. Once approved, Ebrahimi says new hardware could adopt the format, while software would need to be updated.

“In the immediate future, JPEG XS will be put to use in professional applications like movie editing, space imagery, and professional-grade cameras. Consumer electronics will come next, including self-driving cars, virtual reality, augmented reality, and wireless connections between multimedia devices and TV monitors or projectors,” he said. “To be able to use JPEG XS, consumers will need to own the next generation of devices. In terms of software, they will probably just need to run an update, like they do from time to time on their computers and smartphones anyway.”

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A new bracelet can detect if you’re being attacked, automatically call help

Researchers from the University of Alabama at Birmingham have developed a smart wearable they hope could be used to keep people safe in the face of possible physical or sexual assault, or elderly people experiencing a fall. The Smart Jewelry Bracelet uses a combination of machine learning technology and smart sensors to automatically detect when an assault or fall takes place.

The bracelet can then alert passersby with a loud beeping sound and a red strobe light. It also connects, via Bluetooth, to the wearer’s smartphone and sends their location and an emergency message to a predetermined contact list. Unlike dialing 911 or using an emergency app, the device works autonomously — meaning that the user is not required to trigger it.

“The difference with existing panic button type devices is that we use multi-modal sensing and machine learning to automatically detect the assault or the fall,” Ragib Hasan, associate professor of computer science in the UAB College of Arts and Sciences, told Digital Trends. “This is a significant improvement as the assault or the fall can leave the user unconscious or otherwise unable to call for help.”

The multi-modal sensing Hasan refers to includes accelerometers able to detect unusual movements, as well as blood pressure and temperature sensors to sense elevated blood pressure on the part of the wearer. The bracelet’s learning component allows it to learn to distinguish between the user’s regular movements and an unusual incident. It can function for more than 12 hours on a single charge.

“Our goal is to make an inconspicuous wearable bracelet, which for all purposes looks and feels like a regular jewelry item, but which can essentially act as a guardian angel to watch over the user,” Hasan said.

He noted that the current Smart Jewelry Bracelet is only a prototype, and not yet ready to bring to market. The team working on it is continuously improving the prototype by adding additional sensors to collect more data. They are also working to incorporate similar sensing technology into other objects like shoes and earrings which can be worn by the user.

“We envision a future where our everyday objects will be smart without looking like nerdy gadgets,” Hasan continued. “We are essentially working on making the computer invisible, yet an essential component of our everyday clothing, jewelry, and other objects.”

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Boosted graces us with 4 skateboards, including its cheapest model yet

If you’ve been waiting to get an electric skateboard, wait no longer. Boosted, the company known for its brightly wheeled eboards recently expanded its product offerings in a serious way. There are four new boards in two different forms, including one that may make electric skateboards more accessible to folks who don’t want to be spending thousands of dollars on something that you used to buy for just a few bucks as a kid. The Boosted Mini S will cost you  $749 and begins shipping in May, and is officially Boosted’s cheapest board to date.

The Boosted Mini S is a standard range model, which means that it can last up to seven miles and tops out at speeds of 18 mph. On the other hand, there is the extended range version (X) that is capable of going for 14 miles at top speeds of 20 mph. The Boosted Mini X comes in at $250 more than its standard counterpart and will begin shipping in June.

Both boards, however, will feature a kicktail, custom 80mm wheels, three different speeds, and of course, a remote. The Mini will be only 29.5 inches long, but will still weigh about 15 pounds. The X, on the other hand, weighs just 1.8 pounds more as a result of its larger battery.

If you’re looking for a little more power, however, you might check out the new electric longboards from Boosted. First up is the Boosted Plus, which comes with an extended range battery that should take you 14 miles at a time, as well as a shorter, straighter, and wider custom deck constructed with new materials. The wheels are 85mm, and are still the trademark bright orange, and can take you up to 20 mph. This model will set you back $1,399.

The Boosted Stealth is largely similar, but it boasts five-speed modes — one more than the Plus. It can reach a top speed of 24 mph, and rather than orange, it has gray wheels, as well as a black and gray deck. There are also metal pulleys that help you go faster while keeping things quiet. This guy will cost $1,599, and like the Plus it should ship in “late May/early June.”

Boosted customers may miss the bamboo deck that has been the trademark of the company’s for quite some time now, but the eboard maker says that the new deck will still offer the same flexibility. In fact, the latest board draws inspiration from snowboarding and is made with a poplar wood spine and encased in high-density foam. This should help Boosted boards deal with vibrations at higher speeds, and also makes it just a little bit lighter (though having a bigger battery and larger wheels eliminates any weight saving). All in all, both the Plus and Stealth boards weigh in at 17 pounds.

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Accidental mutant enzyme sounds scary, but it could help eliminate plastic waste

Despite the public awareness drive that recycling has received in many states, the world still has a massive problem with polluting plastics. Right now there are millions of tons of unrecycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic bottles. Left alone, these will persist for hundreds of years before eventually decomposing. Researchers from the U.K.’s University of Portsmouth, the University of South Florida, and the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) have engineered an enzyme that’s capable of significantly speeding up that process — by digesting the world’s most common polluting plastics.

Their “PETase” enzyme was isolated from a bacterium found in a Japanese recycling plant in 2016. Following its discovery, the project’s research team set out to explore the properties of the enzyme, which led to them inadvertently creating a mutant version that outperforms its natural counterpart. The results reduce the length of time it takes to break down PET plastics to just a matter of days.

At present, the mutated version of PETase is around 20 percent more efficient than the naturally occurring enzyme, but this could be improved in the future. To examine exactly how the enzyme functions, the team recently used X-rays to generate an ultra-high resolution model of the enzyme at molecular level.

“We are currently in the early stages of optimizing this enzyme’s efficacy, however, our efforts are a very encouraging,” H. Lee Woodcock, associate professor in the Department of Chemistry at the University of South Florida, told Digital Trends. “We were able to clearly show that PETase is both a viable mechanism for plastic biodegradation, and that it is susceptible to engineering for improved activity. We already have plans in place to continue this work and envision a multi-fold improvement in the ability to recycle plastics in the near future.”

Woodcock said that there are no immediate plans to commercialize this biotechnology, although further research will absolutely take place. “We will have full access to NREL’s facilities that will facilitate the development of a pilot scale application,” Woodcock continued. “We will then work with industrial partners to move beyond the pilot scale.”

An article describing the work was recently published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

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You can help a cyborg drummer get a new, improved robot arm so he can tour

When it comes to robot technology that has the ability to genuinely change people’s lives, it’s difficult to think of anything more transformative than cutting-edge prosthetic limbs. These prostheses can allow their wearer to carry out activities that once appeared to be impossible. Case in point is drummer Jason Barnes.

Barnes lost his hand in an accident six years ago, leaving him devastated, depressed, and thinking he would never again be able to play music. Thanks to researchers at Georgia Tech, however, he was been kitted out with a robotic arm prototype that lets him play faster and better than ever.

As much a part of Barnes’ identity as his cyborg arm might be, it still belongs to Georgia Tech. It is also a heavy and complicated research platform that requires two computers and a technical team to operate. Both of these factors limit Jason’s ability to travel freely with the cyborg arm — and has precluded much in the way of musical touring.

But things could change with a new Kickstarter campaign. The project aims to raise $90,000 to cover the production costs of a new arm, as well as expenses associated with organizing concerts and making recordings to showcase Barnes in action.

“This project is so exciting for us because, for the first time since his injury, Jason has a real chance at becoming the touring musician he has always wanted to be, owning his arm, and making a living from his music,” Gil Weinberg, founder/professor of Georgia Tech’s School of Music, told Digital Trends.

People pledging money for the campaign can get hold of music videos, concert tickets, and merchandise. Weinberg continued: “We know that these kind of rewards are usually offered by musicians working on new albums, and that our project looks and feels as if it belongs to the technology category on Kickstarter. But we hope backers will understand the unique interdisciplinary aspect of our project, and that we will have enough of them backing the project, helping us reach our goal.”

As ever, we have to issue our warning about the potential risks of pledging money to crowdfunding campaigns. Nonetheless, this looks like a great project to get involved with — and we absolutely wish Jason Barnes every good fortune in realizing his dream.

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Nike’s 3D-printed uppers create super lightweight, custom shoes

Nike is no stranger to innovation when it comes to crafting the perfect shoe and now it has taken its quest to a new level. This week, the athletic company introduced Flyprint, a 3D-printed textile upper for your sneaker. It’s the first of its kind and may bring about a new standard in performance running shoes.

These Flyprint uppers are produced by way of solid deposit modeling (SDM), which as Nike explains, is a process in which a “TPU filament is unwound from a coil, melted, and laid down in layers.” While that is the technical definition, it doesn’t get to the heart of what Nike is trying to achieve with this new technique. By 3D printing the uppers, Nike is able to create key changes to the shoe and the textile as determined by athlete data. The exact textile geometry of the upper is actually determined by its wearer, allowing for what Nike calls “proprietary modification” of the shoe. And because it’s 3D printed, it can be rapidly customized and produced for specific sports or specific athletes. In fact, Nike says that it can prototype a shoe 16 times faster than in any previous manufacturing method.

But it’s not just speed of production that sets 3D-printed textiles over 2D fabrics. The brand notes that the Flyknit also allows for increased dynamism, and is also lighter and more breathable than other materials. And because the 3D-printed upper is fused, it does away with much of the frictional resistance inherent to fabrics.

We’ll be able to see the Nike Flyprint in action for the first time in the form of the Nike Zoom Vaporfly Elite Flyprint, designed and manufactured specifically for Eliud Kipchoge, frequently described as “the greatest marathoner of the modern era,” and the 2016 Olympic marathon gold medalist. He will be sporting the new shoes during his next 26.2-mile race on April 22 in London. The Nike Zoom Vaporfly Elite was created for the athlete after he provided feedback about how the 2017 Berlin Marathon, plagued by heavy rain and 99 percent humidity, created rather unfortunate conditions. Nike then took this information and determined how best to 3D print an upper that would not be bogged down by the wet and water.

Though Kipchoge will likely be the first person to run a race with the Flyprint technology, you may be lucky enough to get your hands on a pair, too. Nike is selling a limited run of these shoes in London via the Nike App during the London Marathon weekend.

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Ford takes on Uber and Lyft with its own medical transport service

Ford isn’t remaining idle while Uber and Lyft start medical transport services. It’s launching a GoRide service that offers non-emergency transportation for patients who may have challenges reaching appointments on time. Health care providers can book rides for patients in Transit vans with drivers and equipment that can handle special needs, including wheelchairs.

The initial GoRide fleet serves facilities in Michigan’s Beaumont Health network. There’s no mention of additional coverage plans so far.

GoRide could be a valuable part of Ford’s ever-growing list of mobility services, especially if there’s a sharp decline in car ownership. At the same time, it’s a not-so-subtle answer to criticisms of equivalent services from Uber and Lyft. Both ridesharing companies have faced multiple lawsuits over complaints they don’t properly accommodate passengers with disabilities, whether it’s a lack of wheelchair-friendly vehicles or drivers who avoid customers with special requirements. Ford is clearly hoping to win over patients and facilities by developing a service that guarantees this care.

Source: Ford