Oscar the A.I. trash can sorts your garbage and recyclables

Confused by which items in your trash are recyclable? Oscar the artificial intelligence garbage bin can do the sorting for you — at least that’s the claim by Autonomous, the ergonomic office and gaming furniture company behind Oscar.

If you are intrigued by a smart device that will help sort your garbage, Autonomous plans to a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign for Oscar starting July 17.

According to Autonomous, when you drop an item of trash in Oscar’s recognition and sorting mechanism an image-recognition camera detects whether or not it is recyclable.

Oscar drops anything it deems recyclable in one of two cardboard bins. If Oscar recognizes a piece of trash as non-recyclable, it dumps it into the second bin.

If Oscar’s machine learning algorithm doesn’t recognize an item, an LED blinks red to prompt the user to help by “teaching” the item’s classification. Any time a user teaches Oscar about a new item, that information is stored in an A.I. server in the cloud and shared with all other Oscar units.

More self-teaching smart home appliances

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According to Autonomous, about one in four items people place in recycling bins are not recyclable, which strains and contaminates the recycling system. Autonomous created Oscar to help the environment and to give owners the convenience of automated recyclable sorting as well as the chance to help the cause by participating in the training process.

Oscar requires an AC outlet and an internet connection to access the global algorithm. If there’s no Wi-Fi, the unit won’t work even with garbage it recognizes.

The aluminum A.I.-powered sorter, which Autonomous calls “Oscar’s classifying capsule,” is a one-time purchase. The cardboard body and bins will eventually need replacement at as-yet unpublished prices.

Owners are expected to use trash bags in each of Oscar’s 1,000-ounce bins (about 7.8 gallons). Autonomous also recommends wiping out the bins every time you remove the trash bags.

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Oscar is the company’s first artificial intelligence product. Autonomous primarily focuses on ergonomics office furniture with a current product list that includes electric sit-stand desks, office chairs and stools, and gaming desks.

Oscar will have a $1,000 list price. A preliminary announcement on the company website states the first 50 super early bird backers who contribute $349 will receive an Oscar for 65 percent off as a reward if the campaign is successful.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Machine learning? Neural networks? Here’s your guide to the many flavors of A.I.
• Meet the man fighting plastic pollution with a fleet of A.I.-powered camera drones
• Facebook utilizes Instagram photos and hashtags to create a smarter A.I.
• Bing Visual Search is a Google Lens competitor — with an extra feature
• Microsoft acquires conversational A.I. technology firm Semantic

How to turn off targeted ads in Google

Ever wonder what Google actually knows about you? Or why that ad pop-up is strangely semi-related to something you Googled yesterday? Google recently updated its “Ad Settings” feature, now letting you see why certain ads are targeted toward you and what information Google thinks it knows about you.

With the update, you can turn off certain interest signals that Google uses for targeting ads, giving you the freedom to manage your ad settings. If you don’t want Google to personalize your ads, it will now let you opt out entirely. The process is simple and easy, taking just one minute.

First, make sure you are logged into your Google account. Click the box in the upper right-hand corner and hit “My Account.”

You will be directed to your account, where you can access all of your information. Click on “Ad Settings,” underneath the “Personal info & privacy” column.

Once at this window, click “Manage Ad Settings.”

You will be directed to a screen that shows you whether or not your ad personalization is on or off. Slide to the left and your ad personalization will be off.

Google will pop up, telling you what turning off personalization will do, stressing the fact that you will still receive ads, but they will no longer be tailored toward you.

If you are at all interested in what Google ads they thought you would like, scroll to the bottom of the screen before turning off personalization. Some may make sense, others may leave you entirely confused.

If you don’t want to turn your personalization off, but want to get rid of ads that don’t have anything to do with you, click on the specific topic that you want to get rid of, and click “Turn off.”

Google also updated its “Why this ad?” feature that appears next to ads, and lets you know why you are seeing this certain ad in your feed. They have expanded the coverage of the feature, you will now see “Why this ad?” notices on all services that show Google Ads, including YouTube, Google Play, Gmail, Maps, Search, and nearly all websites and apps that partner with Google to show ads.

If personalizing what ads you see is not enough, we rounded up the best ad blockers for Chrome, helping you hopefully get rid of ads once and for all.

Editors’ Recommendations

• It’s now easier to tell Google exactly what data it can use to advertise to you
• How to use Google Pay and Google Pay Send
• How to change your language in Google Chrome
• How to use Google Assistant, plus all the ‘OK, Google’ commands you need to know
• Xiaomi finally heads to the U.S. with a little help from Google Assistant

How how to easily log in to multiple Gmail accounts at once

Aleksey Boldin/123rf

More Gmail guides

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How to get the new Gmail

Have you found yourself rapidly accumulating Gmail accounts? Between work, school, and any personal or spam accounts you may have created, it’s completely reasonable to have three (or more) Google accounts that need to be checked regularly.

It can be annoying (not to mention time-consuming) to log in and out of each of your accounts every time you want to use them. Luckily, Google makes it easy to log in to multiple Gmail accounts at once and quickly switch between them on your phone and computer. Here’s how to make use of Google’s multiple sign-in feature.

On your computer

Navigate to Google and sign in

First, navigate to the Google homepage. If you’re already signed in to your first account, you can skip down to the next section. If not, in the upper right corner of the screen, press the blue Sign In button. You can either choose an account you’ve previously logged in with and re-enter the password, or enter all the relevant information for another account. Once you’re signed in to that first account, you’ll be brought back to the homepage.

Adding additional accounts

Once you’re logged in, you should see your profile picture (or your initials if you haven’t added a photo yet) in the upper-right corner. Click it. A drop-down menu will appear directly below it. Next, click Add Account. Sign in to the next account and repeat this process for however many Google accounts you have (up to 10). To switch between your signed-in accounts, press your photo again. Each additional account will show up as an option in this menu now. Click whichever one you wish to use and a new tab or window will open with that account signed into.

You may notice that one of your accounts (like the first one you signed in with) will have a (default) tag next to it now. Whichever account is set to default will be the account that is automatically logged into when you first access a Google app. There is currently no easy way to change your default account once you’ve signed in to them all, except by logging out of all of your accounts and signing in with the one you want first.

On your iPhone or Android phone

Download the Gmail app and sign in

While you can check your email on a single account through the mobile version of Gmail, you’ll need to download the app if you want to log in to multiple accounts at once. Once you’ve downloaded and opened the Gmail app, you’ll be presented with a white envelope and prompted to sign in. Enter your email and password or toggle the accounts that you’ve previously logged in with. Press Add account to sign in to another account. When adding a new account, press Google at the top of the resulting page and enter your information when asked. It will sign in using Google, which will also sign you into any Google services in your apps, as well as Safari.

Adding more accounts

To add an additional account to your Gmail app, press the menu button (represented as three vertical lines in the upper left). Next, tap the account that’s signed into at the top of this menu, and click Manage accounts from the resulting menu. Toggle whichever accounts you would like to see in the app, or add another one from the Add account button. You will only be able to see mail from one account at a time. To switch between the accounts you’ve added, press the menu button again and either tap the picture of the account you want to use to automatically switch to that account, or tap the email currently logged into, and select the next email you’d like to check from the drop-down menu. And that’s it!

To help differentiate your accounts once they are all signed in, make sure to check out our guide to adding a signature to your Gmail account.

Editors’ Recommendations

• How to manage multiple Instagram accounts
• Massive Gmail redesign rollout will begin in earnest in July
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• How to delete your Uber account
• Gmail’s new confidential mode is finally rolling out. Here’s how to use it

Apple’s sticky key problem isn’t going away on the 2018 MacBook Pro

Although Apple introduced an updated third-generation butterfly switch keyboard with the latest MacBook Pro refresh on Thursday, July 12, it did not address a major pain from last year’s MacBook models. While the new keyboard will be even quieter when you type compared to the 2017 MacBook Pro, the 2018 model could still suffer the same fate of unresponsive and sticky keys if dust gets lodged underneath the keyboard, an issue that’s been widely reported when Apple switched to the new butterfly key switches.

“Sadly, while the new 2018 MacBook Pro does have an updated third-generation keyboard, Apple tells CNET it doesn’t include any new engineering or tweaks to address the sticky key issue,” the publication reported, eliminating any hope that Apple was able to deliver a permanent fix to the widely reported keyboard issue. The flaw had led to several class-action lawsuits.

Prior to launching the new MacBook Pro, Apple announced a repair program for affected keyboards, which the company said only affected a small number of laptops. Apple advised its Genius Bar staff and third-party authorized repair centers to either repair or replace the keyboard regardless of the warranty status. A prior report suggested that because of the way the keyboard is integrated into the laptop’s enclosure, an out-of-warranty replacement can run as high as $700. Fortunately, users out of their standard one-year warranty and who did not purchase the extended AppleCare protection plan can take advantage of Apple’s keyboard repair program without having to pay any additional cost.

Without a permanent keyboard fix in place, another bit of unfortunate news is that Apple discontinued its 2015 MacBook Pro model. That laptop was the last MacBook Pro to utilize Apple’s old scissor key switch for the keyboard, which delivers a more traditional typing experience. The change to the butterfly key switch design allowed Apple to create a more compact laptop — the 2015 model measured 0.71 inches high, while the redesigned MacBook Pro was just 0.59 inches thick — but the downside is that key travel was much more shallow.

For now, it appears that Apple is solely focusing on how the keys sound when typing on the third-generation keyboard. The company has been promoting the quieter keys on the new 2018 MacBook Pro keyboard. The strategy makes sense given that Apple has been promoting dark mode as one of the key new features of MacOS Mojave, which will launch this fall as a free update. A quieter keyboard and an OS that is friendlier on the eyes when working in the dark will likely appease night owls.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Failure rate of MacBook Pro ‘butterfly’ keyboards is double that of older models
• MacBook DIY keyboard repairs don’t void your chance of a free replacement
• Apple flexes its design muscles with a patent filing for a ‘living hinge’
• Apple Store hints you shouldn’t buy a new MacBook Pro until after WWDC
• MacBook Pro owners file class action lawsuit over keyboard issues

The U.S. Justice Department is appealing the AT&T and Time Warner deal

Not even a month after AT&T purchased Time Warner for $85 billion, the U.S. Justice Department is now appealing the deal.

A court document was filed on Thursday, July 12, confirming the news. The appeal is being led by District Court Judge Richard Leon.

Per CNBC, Leon noted in his 200-page appeal filing that “the government failed to meet its burden to establish that the deal would significantly decrease competition.”

On June 15, AT&T officially completed its purchase of Time Warner following months of debating the acquisition in court. Time Warner owns major brands such as HBO, DC, and Turner, and commenting on the completing of the deal, AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson said —

We’re going to bring a fresh approach to how the media and entertainment industry works for consumers, content creators, distributors, and advertisers.

The court’s decision to let AT&T and Time Warner go through this agreement was seen as a controversial move by many, so it’ll be fascinating to see where the next steps of the appeal process take us.

What do you think about this development?

AT&T has officially purchased Time Warner for $85 billion

Apple’s Mac Shipments Increase in Q2 2018 as PC Market Sees First Growth in 6 Years

Apple’s worldwide Mac shipments grew 3 percent in the second quarter of 2018 compared to the year-ago quarter, according to new preliminary PC shipping estimates shared today by Gartner.

During the quarter, Apple shipped an estimated 4.4 million Macs, compared to 4.26 million in the second quarter of 2017. Apple’s market share also saw slight growth, improving from 7 percent in Q2 2017 to 7.1 percent in Q2 2018.

Gartner’s Preliminary Worldwide PC Vendor Unit Shipment Estimates for 2Q18 (Thousands of Units)
Apple’s improved Mac sales come amid an overall increase in worldwide PC shipments, the first growth that’s been seen in the last six years. Worldwide PC shipments totaled an estimated 62.1 million units in Q2 2018, up from 61.3 million in the year-ago quarter.

Though Apple saw sales growth in Q2 2018, the company was ranked the number four PC vendor in the world, coming in behind Dell, HP, and Lenovo. Lenovo was the number one vendor with 13.6 million PCs shipped, followed by HP with just under 13.6 million and Dell with 10.5 million. Acer Group, the number five worldwide PC vendor, shipped 4 million PCs during the quarter.

Lenovo and HP are tied for 21.9 percent market share, followed by Dell at 16.8 percent and Apple, as previously mentioned, at 7.1 percent. All of the top five worldwide PC vendors saw shipment growth in Q2 2018 compared to last year.

“PC shipment growth in the second quarter of 2018 was driven by demand in the business market, which was offset by declining shipments in the consumer segment,” said Mikako Kitagawa, principal analyst at Gartner. “In the consumer space, the fundamental market structure, due to changes on PC user behavior, still remains, and continues to impact market growth. Consumers are using their smartphones for even more daily tasks, such as checking social media, calendaring, banking and shopping, which is reducing the need for a consumer PC.

Apple saw less growth in the United States, shipping an estimated 1.84 million Macs, up from 1.81 in the year-ago quarter, an increase of 1.7 percent. Apple was also the number four vendor in the U.S., coming in behind HP (#1), Dell (#2), and Lenovo (#3). Apple holds 12.7 percent of the PC market in the United States, compared to 14.9 percent for Lenovo, 28.6 percent for Dell, and 29.3 percent for HP.

Gartner’s Preliminary U.S. PC Vendor Unit Shipment Estimates for 2Q18 (Thousands of Units)
Almost all top vendors in the U.S. saw shipment growth, with the exception of HP, which saw shipments fall 0.6 percent. Acer Group had the best quarter in the United states with 25.7 percent growth. Overall U.S. shipments were up 1.7 percent, with a total of 14.5 million PCs shipped during the quarter, compared to 14.3 million in Q2 2017.

Apple’s Market Share Trend: 1Q06–2Q18 (Gartner)
It’s important to note that data from Gartner is preliminary, and that the numbers can shift, sometimes dramatically and sometimes less so. Last year, for example, Gartner estimated Q2 2017 worldwide Mac shipments at 4.236 million when the actual number was 4.266 million.

Apple’s Mac sales could grow significantly next quarter and through the end of 2018. Apple today introduced new 13 and 15-inch MacBook Pro models with improved processors, more maximum RAM, higher-capacity SSDs, True Tone displays, and more.

The rest of Apple’s Mac lineup, including iMacs, MacBooks, and the Mac mini, is also expected to get a refresh before the end of 2018.

Tag: Gartner
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Apple Announces New $300 Million Clean Energy Fund in China

Apple today announced the launch of a $300 million investment fund in China which is designed to connect Apple’s suppliers with renewable energy sources.

Apple, along with 10 initial suppliers, is investing $300 million into the China Clean Energy Fund over the course of the next four years. Apple says the fund will invest in and develop clean energy projects totaling more than 1 gigawatt of renewable energy in China, which is equivalent to powering close to 1 million homes.

Apple’s new fund will be managed by DWS Group, a company that specializes in sustainable investments. DWS also plans to invest in the fund.

“At Apple, we are proud to join with companies that are stepping up to address the climate challenge,” said Lisa Jackson, Apple’s vice president of Environment, Policy and Social Initiatives. “We’re thrilled so many of our suppliers are participating in the fund and hope this model can be replicated globally to help businesses of all sizes make a significant positive impact on our planet.”

According to Apple, the China Clean Energy Fund will provide participates with the advantage of greater purchasing power and the ability to attain “more attractive and diverse” clean energy solutions.

Participating suppliers include Catcher Technology, Compal Electronics, Corning Incorporated, Golden Arrow, Jabil, Luxshare-ICT, Pegatron, Solway, Sunway Communication, and Wistron.

Apple earlier this year announced that all of its facilities around the world are powered by 100 percent renewable energy, a milestone achievement for the company.

To hit that goal, Apple invested in and constructed renewable energy facilities around the world, including solar arrays, wind farms, biogas fuel cells, micro-hydration generation systems, and other energy storage technologies.

Since the launch of its Supplier Clean Energy Program in 2015, 23 manufacturing partners across 10 countries have committed to powering their Apple production lines with 100 percent clean energy.

Tags: China, supplier responsibility, Environmental Responsibility, Apple environment
Discuss this article in our forums

Audio-Technica ATH-ANC40BT wireless noise-cancelling earbuds review: Function over form

We come by a lot of Bluetooth earbuds here at AndroidGuys, so we appreciate when manufacturers make a valiant effort to standout. This is precisely how our attention got caught in our talks with Audio Technica – renowned Japanese audio manufacturer.

The long-standing company has been keeping up with the times, and one of its latest wireless earbuds, the ATH-ANC40BT, packs quite the spec sheet.

Chiefly, there’s active noise-cancellation (ANC) tech incorporated, which is something we don’t see often in an in-ear headphone. Is the ANC40BT as promising as it sounds? We’ll cover the important details in this review.

Design

Wireless earbuds come in various shapes and sizes, from around-the-neck band to completely wire-free earpiece flavors. The ANC40BT is the former. This may not appeal to everyone, but we imagine that Audio Technica put technology in front of form when making this earbud (we’ll cover its capabilities in the next section).

Packaging includes a sizable drawstring pouch, four sizes of silicone tips, airplane adapter, microUSB charging cable, and a microUSB-to-3.5mm jack for optional wired listening.

We’ve seen neckband designs that work really well, such as with LG‘s Tone series. However, the ANC40BT very basically put together. The flexible band portion is an averagely thick, rubbery cable, which terminates with sizable plastic compartments at its ends, from where the compact earpieces simply extend via a very thin wire.

It’s a very essential design not just in form but also materials. Everything is constructed from ho-hum-feeling plastic. This isn’t to say that it’s flimsy or won’t hold up, it’s just not different in feeling than a solid $30 pair of earbuds would be. And this is a $120 headphone. We imagine the justification will come when we look at its function and sound quality.

There is a small bit of styling to note on the outward surface of the earpieces. Alongside the inset metal grills (we’re guessing that assists noise-cancellation tech) are circular metal caps. They’re attractively shiny and have Audio-Technica’s logo engraved.

Function

The ANC40BT packs a bit more within than your typical wireless earbud. The common physical controls are present like that of most. That is, a power button with accompanying status LED and three-button playback toggles.

Their locations may seem a little convoluted (all fitted around the left-hand compartment), but its all fairly intuitive to use. The volume up/down buttons are the ones closest to you, and the ANC switch is only an on/off switch. We like there being separate buttons for power/pairing and for play/pausing.

The two back volume buttons can also switch tracks with a long press, and the front play/pause button can take calls (there’s a microphone).

Charging is done via a microUSB port on the end (this port can also be used for wired audio using the supplied microUSB-to-3.5mm cable). The nearby ANC switch is concise.

The around-the-neck wear is comfy. This isn’t a compact unit all-together. You’ll really feel the equipment around your head; it doesn’t “disappear” like many alternatives. What really doesn’t help is the earpiece wires. Although they’re thin, they’re stiff, and they butt up right against the left and right side of your chin. There isn’t really anything you can do about it, unless you tape them down onto the neckband.

This also makes the ANC40BT not quite ideal for working out, as the wires rub against your face with head movement. The unit stays in place just fine, so you can work out with them if you wanted to, but we just don’t get the sense they were designed for Sport use (additionally, we don’t see any mention of water resistance).

The ear tip in-canal fit can also be a concern. Even with the largest included tips, we just couldn’t manage to get an appropriate seal. If we could push them in further, maybe, but the considerable stems about the earpieces keeps you from pushing them past a certain point. Despite not having the smallest ear canals, I always manage to find a size that works on other earbuds. But the ANC40BT’s tips are a complete no-go for me.

The included silicone ear tips.

Fortunately, the ANC system works quite well, and somewhat makes up for the compromised ear tip seal. There’s a stark reduction in ambient noise when you toggle it on. It cleans up the audio a bunch in a noisy environment, excellently isolating the music.

Like most ANC systems, it mostly targets silencing lower-end frequencies. Especially that our incomplete seal means compromised passive isolation, we hear plentiful high frequencies get through.

Overall, the system still works for an appreciably isolated experience. Just don’t expect silent levels like that of the Sony WH-1000MX2 or Bose QC 35 II (to be fair, no earbud with ANC has reached close to this level).

Sound

Audio-Technica is a brand that knows what it’s doing when it comes to audio quality. The company has a history for good reason, and holds some beloved classics like the super popular ATH-M50X. And the fact definitely shows with the ANC40BT.

The ANC40BT pairs nicely with the aptX-equipped LG G7 ThinQ.

Firstly, it did the appropriate thing for wireless earbuds in this day and age by employing the aptX wireless audio codec. Streaming music with “High” settings results in plentiful and clean details throughout.

One of the most enjoyable parts of the sound is the deep and bodied bass. It has an authoritative presence throughout (maybe a little too strong in the mid-bass for some audiophiles), without being overdone.

The mid-range isn’t as full or open as with higher-end earphones, but overall well-done for this price range. It has a smooth and natural tone, with a hint of airiness. Again, it’s not “forward”, but not a V-shaped sound signature either (more like U-shaped). We like how the upper bass and mids have clear distinction, and can be separately appreciable.

We have the same kind of quality up through the treble. Details come through punchy and clearly (though, not as crisply as you’ll get up the price chain). Extended portions can get slightly lost in the mix. This isn’t unexpected at this price-point.

We like the amount of soundstage width that the treble can utilize. Coupled with the strong bass, you can get that immersive sense that larger headphones achieve.

Regarding the low-level hiss that plagues many like headphones, the ANC40BT has very little. You’ll only notice it in silence or quiet passages of tracks; the music easily drowns it out when it gets going.

Final Thoughts

We’re left a bit torn with Audio-Technica’s ANC40BT earbuds. What they clearly have going for them is the great ANC tech and sound quality. But there’s a notable lack of finesse in the design.

The entire unit is quite bulky for a portable wireless earbud, and the wear leaves to be desired. They’re undeniably comfortable (save for the face-butting earpiece wires), and the functions work well.

Our biggest contention was our ability to get a complete in-canal seal. Audio-Technica should re-look at the earpiece/ear tip design, or at least include foam tips in the box. Though, this is a “your mileage may vary” kind of thing. The ear tips may work fine for your canals. If they do, and if you don’t mind the involved design, then the ANC40BT would be a good choice, especially if audio quality is your utmost priority.

Fitbit Versa Review

While Google continues to figure out what is going on with Wear OS, other smartwatch OEM’s have stepped up their game. This includes Fitbit, which has released two dedicated smartwatches in as many years with the Fitbit Versa and Ionic.

READ MORE: Fitbit Ionic Review

Stepping back to take a look at our Ionic review, the smartwatch garnered an overall score of 3.7/5. This was due to the subpar battery life, lack of app support, and price.

The Fitbit Versa aims to help “fix” these problems, along with the release of FitbitOS 2.0. Without diving into too much detail, the latest version of Fitbit’s software aims to add many new features, along with opening up support for onboard music and more.

Specs

Diving right into the Versa, we would be remiss without mentioning its specs. The smartwatch features a 1.34-inch display with a 300 x 300 resolution.

Underneath, there is an unknown chipset, which has 4GB of onboard storage, although only 2.5GB is usable. We also have Bluetooth 4.0, along with Wi-Fi support, which comes in handy during set up.

Other sensors include the following:

• NFC (Special Edition Only)
• 3-axis accelerometer
• 3-axis gyroscope
• Optical heart rate monitor
• Altimeter
• Ambient light
• SpO2

The only major sensor not found on the Versa is a dedicated GPS chip. Instead, that functionality will be handled by your smartphone.

For those who want to be able to go for a swim, you’ll be just fine with this selection. This is thanks to being waterproof in up to 50 meters of water.

On the battery side, Fitbit claims the Versa will last for up to 4 days. Obviously, this depends on how much work you’re making the smartwatch perform.

Build Quality

Now that the specs are out of the way, let’s take a look at build quality. As mentioned before, there is a gorgeous LCD touch-screen display, which is housed in a rectangular aluminum body.

When I first took the Versa out of its packaging, I immediately thought about the Apple Watch. In fact, there were a few times where friends asked if I got Apple’s smartwatch, and were surprised when I said no.

Around the edges of the frame, we have three different buttons, which perform different actions. The button on the left acts as your “back” button, but also is one way to view different shortcuts.

The Top and Bottom buttons also provide different shortcut options. For example, when holding the Top button for two seconds will automatically bring up your notifications.

Moving to the underside of the Versa, there are the four charging pins for Fitbit’s proprietary charger. Directly in the middle, there are the various health sensors, including the heart rate monitor.

As for the band, you are provided with a silicon band with either small or large attachments to best fit your wrist. However, there are other options available, such as the Horween Leather band, that you can purchase after-the-fact.

When it comes to the charger, Fitbit is not reinventing the wheel. Actually, I’m not quite sure what the company is doing.

The included charger acts as a general base, and you can insert your Versa by pinching the bottom of the sides. Once it has been inserted properly, the charging percentage will appear on your display.

It seems that Fitbit is afraid of switching to standard Qi charging, much like other smartwatches. Instead, the company is using its proprietary chargers, which is rather frustrating.

Software

Fitbit has obviously not needed to focus on a full-OS for its wearables. Other trackers like the Charge 2 and Alta don’t require a standard operating system.

However, with the release of the Ionic last year, Fitbit decided to make the plunge into a fully-fledged smartwatch. The Versa is sort-of an iteration of that, and launches with Fitbit OS 2.0.

This includes a proper App Store with a developer SDK for more developers to jump on board. After you reveal the “app drawer”, you are presented with a few pre-installed apps to choose from.

These include apps such as the Fitbit Coach application which will help you with various workouts. But there are others which allow you to keep track of your various workout results and more.

A recent update even brought the ability for users to read and respond to SMS messages from your wrist. Obviously, this is nothing new for those coming from Wear OS, but is a new feature for Fitbit OS.

We’re hoping to see Fitbit continue to innovate and bring new features to its smartwatches. But Fitbit OS 2.0 is a step in the right direction, now the company just needs more developers to jump on board.

Battery Life

If I had to describe the Versa’s battery-life, it would take one word – incredible. Fitbit claims that the battery will last up to four days, but I have exceeded this a few times.

Now, it’s important to note that I am not taking advantage of all of the extra workout features. Mainly just the standard step and sleep tracking, but I do receive a MASSIVE amount of notifications.

Triaging those notifications from my wrist takes its toll, along with the aforementioned tracking. However, the Versa continued to impress and never left me stranded without juice in the middle of the day.

Conclusion

Until Google releases its latest batch of smartwatches, we are left looking elsewhere for our needs. The Fitbit Versa is very likely the best option on the market, and is priced to compete.

The Versa is available from either Fitbit or Amazon for just $199 with free shipping. For those interested in the Special Edition, you’ll be looking at dropping $229.95 for NFC and a few smaller features.

Nonetheless, the Versa is a great option from a trusted brand, and you won’t have to worry about support going away. If you want to pick one of these up for yourself or a loved one, hit the button below. In the meantime, sound off in the comments below and let us know what you think.

Buy the Fitbit Versa!

Google Chrome now consumes more memory due to a new Spectre fix

Version 67 of Google’s Chrome browser for Windows, Mac, Linux, and Chrome OS now includes a new security feature called Site Isolation. This new component protects web surfers against Spectre-based attacks on the internet but for a price: 10 to 13 percent more system memory consumption.

Spectre — along with Meltdown — is a design flaw in modern processors that enable hackers to gain access to data stored in memory. This data is supposedly off limits, but the method processors use to predict the outcome of their current task leaves that data exposed. Hardware and software manufacturers have scrambled to fix these flaws since their initial reveal in January.

While the typical scenario sees a hacker physically accessing a computer and running custom code to read sensitive data stored in memory, an attack can happen across the internet as well. According to Google, browsers run potentially malicious JavaScript code in the background from multiple websites and in many cases within the same process. That means a website could steal data stored in memory stemming from other websites.

Although all major web browsers include “some mitigations” to prevent Spectre-based attacks, Google believes Site Isolation is the best approach. Prior to version 67, Chrome relied on a multi-process architecture that allowed each tab to have its own web page rendering process. The problem is that many websites use frames (aka iframes) to compile different web-based components together into a single page: Components that are used across multiple sites. The page may even display cross-site pop-ups too.

That said, all of this rendering resides within a single process. But if one of those components or pop-ups include malicious JavaScript that exploits the Spectre flaw, they could read data residing in the system memory that is stored by the other components of the page. Data may include passwords, cookies, credit card numbers, and so on.

With Site Isolation, pages aren’t rendered in a single process. Instead, the website’s mainframe has its own render process while all other cross-site components have their own individual “out of process” rendering. This is why the browser’s memory consumption increased up to 13 percent.

According to Google, splitting a single page across multiple processes is a major change to how Chrome displays a single page.

“The Chrome Security team has been pursuing this for several years, independently of Spectre,” states Google’s Charlie Reis. “Site Isolation is a significant change to Chrome’s behavior under the hood, but it generally shouldn’t cause visible changes for most users or web developers.”

Although Site Isolation is baked into Chrome 67 for Windows, Mac, Linux and Chrome OS, only 99 percent of those installs will actually have the feature running in the background. The remaining one percent will stay inactive as Google monitors and improves performance.

Does that mean the team will trim off Chrome’s 10 to 13 percent added memory consumption? Time will tell, and given that Chrome already gobbles memory like a kid on Halloween, the extra Spectre-based consumption could be an unwanted setback for machines with low amounts of system memory.

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