IFA 2018 Complete Coverage

CES may be the largest consumer electronics show in the U.S., but IFA owns bragging rights as the largest CE show outside of the states. The show runs Aug. 31 to Sept. 5, and because of its timing (just in time for buyers to place Christmas orders), IFA frequently plays host to several first-time product unveilings, many of which will simply be repeated at CES in the U.S. As such, IFA is increasingly becoming the must-see consumer electronics event of the year, and Digital Trends will be on the ground to bring you all the news and hot announcements coming from the show.

Patent hints that the iPhone could one day have built-in handwriting recognition

It looks like it’s time for some new Apple patents. Just last week, we reported that Apple had filed patents indicating it might steal the Google Pixel 2’s squeeze features. Now, the company has filed another patent — this time for a handwriting recognition system that could be used in multiple languages and a range of different apps — and could one day make it into the iPhone.

There are already handwriting recognition apps for the iPad, but what’s notable about this particular patent is that it could be built straight into iOS, meaning that you could use handwriting recognition as part of the iOS keyboard in any app. In particular, it seems like the technology is targeted at users in Asian or Arab countries, where there are more characters in languages, something that may make typing uncomfortable or inefficient.

As the patent notes, while handwriting algorithms have been getting better, they still need some work. Particularly, there’s a lot of variability in different people’s handwriting styles, which can make it difficult for algorithms to properly detect what’s being written. On top of that, the patent application notes that many countries are multilingual — and as such, users may need to switch between languages often. For example, someone in China might need to write a movie title in English. Manually switching languages on a software keyboard can be difficult.

Apple’s system, however, could make handwriting recognition a little better. Apple describes training the system with writing samples, meaning that it could get better at detecting handwriting as time goes on. The same system is used for detecting handwriting in all languages, so if you switch between languages while you’re writing, it should be able to properly pick it up.

It would certainly be interesting to see a system like this launch on iOS. For starters, either the system would only be available on newer iPad models, or Apple would have to open up Apple Pencil support for the iPhone. The third option is that users would have to “handwrite” with their finger, though that could get a little frustrating and inefficient. It’s possible that Apple won’t ever use the patent at all — the company routinely files for patents that it doesn’t use. It’s important to note, however, that this patent is a continuation of patents that date back to 2013, so the company has clearly been thinking about the tech for some time.

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Microsoft’s new USB-C port could enable even slimmer Surface products

Microsoft had been hard at work prepping for the transition to USB-C, and the fruits of that labor could soon appear in future Surface hardware. Microsoft had filed two separate USB-C patents — one for the USB-C housing and a second patent for the cabling — with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) dating back to April and May 2017.

The housing assembly, according to Microsoft’s patent filing, “may be directly attached to the chassis of the computing device and may secure a USB-C plug.” The design encompasses curved side walls and a tongue assembly with a mid-plate. And by allowing the housing to be directly attached to the chassis of a device without needing top or bottom wall plates, the design could allow Microsoft to save space to make thinner devices.

Microsoft claims that the housing could either be bolted to the chassis or attached via an adhesive compound, like glue or epoxy. Another option is to mold the housing with the chassis, which would add extra strength to the structure to prevent accidental damage to the USB-C port if, for example, the USB-C cable was pulled out or twisted out at an angle.

“It may be advantageous to integrally attach and/or form the housing with the chassis to simplify manufacturing costs,” Microsoft said in its filing. “Being integrally attached also ensures a firm connection between the housing and chassis for transferring torques to the chassis.”

Microsoft’s rumored foldable computing device code-named Andromeda, which will likely be part of the growing Surface family, could benefit from this new port design. Given the more compact device of this device and the requirements needed for a foldable screen, a slim USB-C enclosure assembly would make sense to keep Andromeda as thin as possible for mobility. Andromeda could launch as early as late this year.

The second patent is for a USB-C connector, which includes the USB-C tip and the cable assembly. That patent appears to be straightforward.

Microsoft has already adopted USB-C on several of its products. The port appeared first on Microsoft’s Lumia 950 and 950XL smartphones, and the Surface Book 2 most recently became the first device in Microsoft’s Surface family to ship with USB-C built in. In addition to the Surface Book line, Microsoft also has a Surface Pro tablet, the Surface Laptop, and the Surface Studio desktop. These products have not made the transition to USB-C yet, but Microsoft is rumored to be working on hardware refreshes that will ad the port to other products in the Surface family. Microsoft has long been rumored to be working on a Surface Pro 6 refresh with a USB-C port, and the company’s patent filing depicts a tablet with the port in one illustration. Microsoft is also rumored to be working on a low-cost Surface Tablet.

A prior patent suggests that Microsoft may even replace its beloved magnetic Surface Connector port with a magnetic USB-C port with a breakaway cable that would make the computer safer to use in the event someone trips over the cord.

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• Apple’s first-generation MacBook is Amazon’s Deal of the Day

Watch this Japanese ‘dragon’ drone slither through the air like a flying snake

Drones are awesome, but there are only so many conventional quadcopters you can see before you start to get jaded and lose your sense of wonder. Fortunately, researchers from the University of Tokyo are ready and waiting in the wings to reintroduce said wonder — courtesy of their new drone designed to look like a dragon.

Standing (and we’re a bit dubious about this one) for “Dual-Rotor embedded multilink Robots of multi-degree-of-freedom aerial transformation,” DRAGON is seemingly modeled after a single line flying dragon kite. Only in this case, it uses a series of modules with a pair of ducted fan thrusters on each to help it maneuver through the air in spectacular fashion. By changing the fan thrusters’ direction to generate vectored thrust, the DRAGON drone is capable of carrying out an astonishing range of transformative motions in the air; transitioning into different shapes depending on what it is required to do.

“DRAGON does not have to contact with the ground, so the motion freedom is higher than other multi-linked robots from two aspects: Mobility and manipulation ability,” Moju Zhao, an assistant professor at the University of Tokyo, told Digital Trends.

University of Tokyo

The mobility means that the robot can move easily through complex environments, even passing through narrow spaces like a snake. Such abilities could prove very helpful for inspection or disaster rescue tasks in the future. The manipulation ability, meanwhile, means that the robot could function as what Zhao describes as a “flying human arm,” potentially being augmented with a gripper to carry out precision work with the flexibility of an actual arm.

At present, the drone’s battery life only lets it stay airborne for up to three minutes at a time, although this could be improved in the future. It could also support up to 12 linked modules, giving it an enormous amount of agility and shape-shifting prowess.

“We will [next] move forward to design a ‘multi-legged’ model with our basic link module,” Zhao continued. “Then the robot can not only fly, but also walk on the ground. This can benefit us in terms of the energy efficiency. Such autonomous decision about locomotion according to the environment is very interesting research. Our ultimate dream is to achieve the flying humanoid, like an unmanned Iron Man.”

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The creator of Internet Explorer wants to read your mind with a bracelet

Forget Amazon Echo-style voice controls or touchscreen gestures; the idea of controlling a computer with your thoughts sounds like the ultimate way of interfacing with machines. There’s just one problem: for the technology to work as well as it could, it might be necessary to drill a hole in your head and insert a chip in your brain. That, as they say in the trade, is a dealbreaker.

A New York startup called CRTL-Labs has a different idea, though. Founded by Thomas Reardon, the creator of Microsoft Internet Explorer, it describes itself as an “applied research neuroscience company” with designs on decoding your neural activity. But unlike many of its rivals in this space it won’t actually venture too close to your cranium to do it. And it certainly won’t be brandishing any drills or other cutting implements.

Users can carry out feats like typing 200 words-per-minute without physically touching a keyboard.

Instead, CRTL-Labs has developed an electronic wristband which promises to make possible non-invasive mental control of computers, smart prosthetics, and a range of other devices. This brain-computer interface is accomplished by picking up voltage bursts resulting from muscle fibers in the arm when it contracts.

By analyzing these signals, slight body movements can be transformed into computer inputs. Better still, as the video below makes clear, even the intention of movement can be read as movement.

Admittedly, this isn’t a brain-computer interface in the way that we might think of one. However, the reason the team describe it this way is because it may be the fastest means yet of turning the brain’s conscious instructions into useful actions. In this case, the technology becomes a natural extension of thought and movement. Using CRTL-Labs’ prototype device — which looks a bit like the kind of studded armband a 1990s superhero drawn by Rob Liefeld might have sported — users can carry out feats like typing 200 words-per-minute without having to physically touch a keyboard.

“We think about your arm as a pipe of information from your brain to the world,” Adam Berenzweig, director of R&D at CTRL-Labs, told Digital Trends. “We don’t have too many other ways of getting the information out of our brain, except through control of muscles.”

A new universal input device?

There is, of course, voice. Using our voices, thoughts can be communicated as verbal instructions near-instantaneously. Thanks to advances in artificial intelligence, voice control is now a viable technology for the first time in history. But as Berenzweig pointed out, voice control isn’t perfect for every scenario. “Voice is great for some things, but it’s not ideal for all circumstances,” he said. “There are privacy issues, loud environments, and other times when it’s simply not convenient.”

“I could see a future where people are wearing this device all day.”

A subtle gesture, on the other hand, can be carried out in virtually any context. It’s also a very versatile control method. Our hands turn out to be pretty versatile hunks of meat. We can type with them. We can hold pens with them. We can drum our fingers. We can ball our fingers up and form fists.

The ability to recognize any of these gestures using one ultra-sensitive wearable could lead to the biggest leap forward in computer interfaces since the invention of the mouse. It could be even more versatile, in fact, since the mouse is really only an analog for pointing; transforming that universal human gesture into a computational metaphor.

“I could certainly see a future where people are wearing this device all day, and it’s the thing that is used to interact with people’s phones, the lights in their house, and the radio in their car,” Berenzweig continued. “After people are used to it, it’s easy to imagine that people will [wonder why they need a keyboard or mouse at all] when they’re sitting at their computer.”

CTRL Labs

He suggested that it could prove to be a generational thing, in which our CRTL-Labs armband-wearing kids view today’s input devices the same way they skeptically look at bits of retrograde tech detritus like VHS tapes and Game Boys. “Did you guys seriously used to use those?” they’ll ask us, one hand subtly contorting as they simultaneously gesture out a quick IM to their school friends.

Coming soon to an arm near you

“A really big use case for this is going to be virtual reality and augmented reality,” Berenzweig said. “Right now, VR can offer really amazing, immersive experiences visually. But then to control them you’ve just got these sticks where your hands should be. It really limits an experience, which is very much defined by what kind of control you have.”

“What we’re putting out this year is not mass consumer-ready, but the technology works.”

Using CRTL-Labs’ technology, the idea of controller-free VR suddenly becomes a whole lot more possible. As the world becomes increasingly “smart,” with connected Internet of Things devices all around us, it’s equally easy to imagine how technology such as this could be used to let us interact with everything from our smart thermostats to our smart locks. What self-respecting geek hasn’t, at some point, wished that they could control the world around them with a simple Jedi Knight-style wave of the hand? Such things may not remain science fiction for too much longer.

The bigger question, however, is how this will translate to other interface methods. Some gestures are natural to us, like pointing at an object to indicate interest. Others, like American Sign Language, have more of a learning curve. We can train ourselves to use them as second nature — much like a pianist learns to turn the music in their brain into finger movements on a keyboard — but this requires effort.

In an age of intuitive, effortless interfaces like voice and smartphone swipes, will we be willing to put in the work? And, if so, how many of us? If this tech is going to become the universal interface Berenzweig believes it can be, the answer had better be “lots and lots.”

CRTL Labs

We’ll get the chance to find out soon.

“We’re committed to shipping something this year,” he said. “It will be a smaller rollout to developers [initially]. We’ve currently got a signup sheet for people to register their interest. It’s still early in the productization. What we’re putting out this year is not mass consumer-ready, but the technology works. Our goal now is to get it in the hands of developers so they can start exploring exactly what is possible with it.”

We await the verdict with bated breath, arm muscle fibers twitching with excitement.

Editors’ Recommendations

• 7 ways we’ll interact with computers in the future
• Meet the Australian ‘techno-artist’ growing a web-connected ear on his arm
• Assistive tech is progressing faster than ever, and these 7 devices prove it
• Tomorrow’s laptop will work more like your phone — and you’re going to love it
• Why downhill camera operators are winter sport’s true unsung heroes

The creator of Internet Explorer wants to read your mind with a bracelet

Forget Amazon Echo-style voice controls or touchscreen gestures; the idea of controlling a computer with your thoughts sounds like the ultimate way of interfacing with machines. There’s just one problem: for the technology to work as well as it could, it might be necessary to drill a hole in your head and insert a chip in your brain. That, as they say in the trade, is a dealbreaker.

A New York startup called CRTL-Labs has a different idea, though. Founded by Thomas Reardon, the creator of Microsoft Internet Explorer, it describes itself as an “applied research neuroscience company” with designs on decoding your neural activity. But unlike many of its rivals in this space it won’t actually venture too close to your cranium to do it. And it certainly won’t be brandishing any drills or other cutting implements.

Users can carry out feats like typing 200 words-per-minute without physically touching a keyboard.

Instead, CRTL-Labs has developed an electronic wristband which promises to make possible non-invasive mental control of computers, smart prosthetics, and a range of other devices. This brain-computer interface is accomplished by picking up voltage bursts resulting from muscle fibers in the arm when it contracts.

By analyzing these signals, slight body movements can be transformed into computer inputs. Better still, as the video below makes clear, even the intention of movement can be read as movement.

Admittedly, this isn’t a brain-computer interface in the way that we might think of one. However, the reason the team describe it this way is because it may be the fastest means yet of turning the brain’s conscious instructions into useful actions. In this case, the technology becomes a natural extension of thought and movement. Using CRTL-Labs’ prototype device — which looks a bit like the kind of studded armband a 1990s superhero drawn by Rob Liefeld might have sported — users can carry out feats like typing 200 words-per-minute without having to physically touch a keyboard.

“We think about your arm as a pipe of information from your brain to the world,” Adam Berenzweig, director of R&D at CTRL-Labs, told Digital Trends. “We don’t have too many other ways of getting the information out of our brain, except through control of muscles.”

A new universal input device?

There is, of course, voice. Using our voices, thoughts can be communicated as verbal instructions near-instantaneously. Thanks to advances in artificial intelligence, voice control is now a viable technology for the first time in history. But as Berenzweig pointed out, voice control isn’t perfect for every scenario. “Voice is great for some things, but it’s not ideal for all circumstances,” he said. “There are privacy issues, loud environments, and other times when it’s simply not convenient.”

“I could see a future where people are wearing this device all day.”

A subtle gesture, on the other hand, can be carried out in virtually any context. It’s also a very versatile control method. Our hands turn out to be pretty versatile hunks of meat. We can type with them. We can hold pens with them. We can drum our fingers. We can ball our fingers up and form fists.

The ability to recognize any of these gestures using one ultra-sensitive wearable could lead to the biggest leap forward in computer interfaces since the invention of the mouse. It could be even more versatile, in fact, since the mouse is really only an analog for pointing; transforming that universal human gesture into a computational metaphor.

“I could certainly see a future where people are wearing this device all day, and it’s the thing that is used to interact with people’s phones, the lights in their house, and the radio in their car,” Berenzweig continued. “After people are used to it, it’s easy to imagine that people will [wonder why they need a keyboard or mouse at all] when they’re sitting at their computer.”

CTRL Labs

He suggested that it could prove to be a generational thing, in which our CRTL-Labs armband-wearing kids view today’s input devices the same way they skeptically look at bits of retrograde tech detritus like VHS tapes and Game Boys. “Did you guys seriously used to use those?” they’ll ask us, one hand subtly contorting as they simultaneously gesture out a quick IM to their school friends.

Coming soon to an arm near you

“A really big use case for this is going to be virtual reality and augmented reality,” Berenzweig said. “Right now, VR can offer really amazing, immersive experiences visually. But then to control them you’ve just got these sticks where your hands should be. It really limits an experience, which is very much defined by what kind of control you have.”

“What we’re putting out this year is not mass consumer-ready, but the technology works.”

Using CRTL-Labs’ technology, the idea of controller-free VR suddenly becomes a whole lot more possible. As the world becomes increasingly “smart,” with connected Internet of Things devices all around us, it’s equally easy to imagine how technology such as this could be used to let us interact with everything from our smart thermostats to our smart locks. What self-respecting geek hasn’t, at some point, wished that they could control the world around them with a simple Jedi Knight-style wave of the hand? Such things may not remain science fiction for too much longer.

The bigger question, however, is how this will translate to other interface methods. Some gestures are natural to us, like pointing at an object to indicate interest. Others, like American Sign Language, have more of a learning curve. We can train ourselves to use them as second nature — much like a pianist learns to turn the music in their brain into finger movements on a keyboard — but this requires effort.

In an age of intuitive, effortless interfaces like voice and smartphone swipes, will we be willing to put in the work? And, if so, how many of us? If this tech is going to become the universal interface Berenzweig believes it can be, the answer had better be “lots and lots.”

CRTL Labs

We’ll get the chance to find out soon.

“We’re committed to shipping something this year,” he said. “It will be a smaller rollout to developers [initially]. We’ve currently got a signup sheet for people to register their interest. It’s still early in the productization. What we’re putting out this year is not mass consumer-ready, but the technology works. Our goal now is to get it in the hands of developers so they can start exploring exactly what is possible with it.”

We await the verdict with bated breath, arm muscle fibers twitching with excitement.

Editors’ Recommendations

• 7 ways we’ll interact with computers in the future
• Meet the Australian ‘techno-artist’ growing a web-connected ear on his arm
• Assistive tech is progressing faster than ever, and these 7 devices prove it
• Tomorrow’s laptop will work more like your phone — and you’re going to love it
• Why downhill camera operators are winter sport’s true unsung heroes

Save 65% on this 360-degree HD wireless security camera!

Home security cameras are more popular than ever these days, giving you the peace of mind to be able to check on your household remotely while you’re away. But not all cameras offer the same range of vision — or video encryption.

For a limited time, you can save big on the iPM World HD Panoramic Camera, which offers a full 360 range of vision that gives you more options for placement in your home. The camera creates an encrypted connection via Wi-Fi, and allows you to access live and recorded footage on your smartphone at all times. Motion alert notifications and infrared night vision gives you the peace of mind so you can enjoy your time out of the house.

With a ton of great features and microSD card support for local video storage, this full-featured security camera is regularly sold for $130, but thanks to Android Central Digital Offers, you can get this compact HD security camera for just $44.95!. That’s a savings of 65%, but this deal won’t last for long!

Don’t miss out on snagging your own 360-degree HD security camera at this low of a price!

See at Android Central Digital Offers

Deal: Google is sending out promo codes for 15% off the Pixel 2 and 2 XL

The person whose code you use also gets a $50 Google Store credit.

Even though the Pixel 3 is right around the corner, Google’s Pixel 2 and 2 XL are still excellent phones worth picking up in mid-2018 — especially when you find a deal like this.

Google’s begun sending out emails that contain promo codes for 15% off the Pixel 2 and 2 XL, and they’re meant for you to share with someone that’s been eager to get one. When someone uses your code, you’ll receive a $50 Google Store credit that’s good for whatever you like.

With that 15% discount, that brings the Pixel 2’s various configurations down to the following:

• Pixel 2 w/ 64GB — $551 (reg. $649)
• Pixel 2 w/ 128GB — $636 (reg. $749)
• Pixel 2 XL w/ 64GB — $721 (reg. $849)
• Pixel 2 XL w/ 128GB — $806 (reg. $949)

To use the promo code, have your friend, family member, or whoever else add the Pixel 2/2 XL to their cart on the Google Store. Once they enter your promo code at the checkout and complete the order, they’ll get 15% off and you’ll get a $50 credit. Even better, this code can also be combined with Google’s offer of getting a free Home Mini when buying a Pixel 2 XL.

It’s unclear who exactly Google’s sending these promo codes to, but if you’ve got one and feel like being awesome, feel free to drop it in the comments below so someone else can pick up a Pixel 2 at a sweet discount.

Speaking of which, first come, first served — B-L4Z4SRHM4D9HOKX8E5KOWZ7 😘

See at Google Store

Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL

• Pixel 2 FAQ: Everything you need to know!
• Google Pixel 2 and 2 XL review: The new standard
• Google Pixel 2 specs
• Google Pixel 2 vs. Pixel 2 XL: What’s the difference?
• Join our Pixel 2 forums

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Standing desks, Arlo baby monitors, binoculars, and more are all discounted today

Whether you’re looking for new tech gear or household items, we’ve got you covered.

We found plenty of great deals today that include big discounts including a free Fire HD 8 tablet with the Arlo baby monitor, Bushnell glass, standing desk converters, and more! Time’s running out to take advantage of these prices, so hurry!

View the rest of the deals

If you want to know about the deals as soon as they are happening, you’ll want to follow Thrifter on Twitter, and sign up for the newsletter, because missing out on a great deal stinks!

Turn your phone into a desktop PC with the $57 Samsung DeX Station

Try a new experience.

The Samsung DeX Station Desktop Experience is down to $57 on Amazon, which is the lowest price we’ve ever seen. It has been selling between $80 and $86 for the last few months and hasn’t dropped below $70 until now.

This device converts your smartphone into a desktop. It works with plenty of models including the Galaxy Note8, S8 and S9, and the Plus versions. It has a built-in fan to cool your phone while it’s docked. It adds two USB-A 2.0 ports, a USB-C charging port, LAN Ethernet, and more. This lets you add a mouse and keyboard to use with your phone. The device closes to a flat disk so it’s easy to carry around and comes with a travel adapter and USB-C cable. Users give it 3.8 stars based on 366 reviews.

See on Amazon