MIT’s Skinbot is a wearable robot that’s designed to scamper all over your body

Thanks to smart artificial intelligence assistants like Siri and Alexa, we’re used to having a personal A.I. on hand whenever and wherever we might need it. However, researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Media Lab have been working on the next iteration of this kind of personalized tech: A palm-sized personal robot that is designed to literally crawl over your body. Called Skinbot, it carries out this movement using suction-cup feet that are modeled on the adhesive abilities of leeches or cephalopods.

“The idea is making wearable robots that move around your body, kind of like small robotic companions that help you,” Artem Dementyev, a Ph.D. student in the MIT Media Lab’s Responsive Environments Group, told Digital Trends. “We see this kind of relationships in nature already. The goal is to look at new ways at wearable devices, as not just static devices such as watches. The “epidermal robots” attach directly to the skin using suction cups, kind of like the suction cups for massage. It is the first robot that can climb on the skin. We already have robots that autonomously explore Mars, so why not have robots that can explore ourselves?”

In theory, we guess such robots could function as robo-pets, kind of like the upgraded 2018 equivalent of a parrot on the shoulder. But Dementyev said that a more compelling use case would involve medical applications.

Previous

Next

1 of 3

“I see the robots as tiny physicians that you can order on demand in a small box to your house,” he continued. “The robot can have a microscope that looks at the skin. [It] can crawl thoroughly and inspect the skin for signs of cancer or other skin problems, perhaps while you sleep. The robot knows the precise locations and can record changes over time. This would be impossible with current technology, as it would require to look at the skin with a microscope.”

Skinbot could also be used to precisely map the mechanical properties of the body by walking around and physically pushing on the skin to determine how hard it is in various places. In addition, SkinBot’s suction cups have metal rings that can pick up biopotential signals such as heart rate and muscle activity.

Dementyev noted that, currently, the robot is still exploratory and preliminary work, and any commercialization is likely at least half a decade away. To get there, the team needs to solve technical challenges such as removing the wires and making the robot autonomous in order to make it more practical.

A paper describing the work was recently published in the journal Proceedings of the ACM on Interactive, Mobile, Wearable and Ubiquitous Technologies.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Don’t know what size screw you’re looking at? Amazon’s Part Finder can help
• Switching to the ‘Un-carrier?’ Here’s a breakdown of T-Mobile’s plans
• Meet the voice actors of ‘Marvel’s Spider-Man’
• Here’s where to download audiobooks for free
• Be an online phantom and web surf safely with Ghostery’s mobile browser

Your Google Chrome extensions are about to get a lot safer

Google announced today several changes to the way the Chrome web browser handles extensions. Starting with Chrome version 70, consumers will be in control of the access that extensions have to their visited websites, and developers will also be subject to more scrutiny when submitting extensions that request sensitive permissions.

Google has been on a steady path to putting an end to bad extensions, and previously improved transparency for consumers. Now, with the latest changes, consumers can restrict host access (website access) by clicking on an extension, and selecting an option from the drop-down menu. This should put an end to extensions that manipulate websites, which has been a concern for many since June of 2018.

Extensions with a remotely hosted code are also getting special attention from Google in Chrome 70. Since this code can always be changed, Google now wants extensions to be narrowly scoped instead. “Our aim is to improve user transparency and control over when extensions are able to access site data. In subsequent milestones, we’ll continue to optimize the user experience toward this goal while improving usability,” proclaims Google.

As for developers, Google is changing up the review process for extensions which require “powerful permissions.” For consumers, this should mean for cleaner extensions, especially since Google is planning to remove extensions in January 2019 which are running “obfuscated code.” That is a process which developers often use to hide their source code, but it also is often used in 70% of malicious extensions. “Because obfuscation is mainly used to conceal code functionality, it adds a great deal of complexity to our review process,” noted Google.

This is just the latest round of changes for Chrome, which is always ever evolving. The last round of changes came with the recent version 69 update, though that was more focused on UI changes.

Chrome version 70 is currently in the beta channel, and Google explained it is planning on wider extension API changes in 2019, set to give consumers even more control of their data. Other changes coming in Chrome 70 include mandatory Two-Step Verification for Chrome Web Store developer accounts, the introduction of the Manifest v3 for stronger security, privacy, and performance guarantees.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Hacked Chrome extension disguised as legitimate version steals logins
• A.I.-powered Grammarly comes to Google Docs to improve your writing
• Dell P2715Q review
• Watch Amazon Video on your Chromecast — no Fire TV Stick needed
• Apple Photos ditches prints, but third-party extensions could be even better

iPhone XS Proves Faster Than iPhone X but Slower than Galaxy Note 9 in LTE Speed Test

The Intel XMM 7560 LTE modem in the iPhone XS and XS Max beats the Intel/Qualcomm modems in the iPhone X, but it isn’t quite as fast as the X20 modem used in the Samsung Galaxy Note 9, according to data sourced from Cellular Insights and Ookla and shared by PCMag.

Cellular Insights compared Apple’s iPhone XS Max with the iPhone X equipped with an earlier Intel modem, the Samsung Galaxy Note 9, and the Google Pixel 2 using the 20MHz channel of Band 4, used by Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, and several major Canadian carriers. Download speeds were tested at full strength and at a lower signal to determine overall comparative performance.

According to the data, in situations where there is strong signal, the 4×4 MIMO antennas in the iPhone XS and XS Max offer double the speeds compared to the iPhone X, and also help improve speeds in weak signal conditions. Compared to the Note 9 and the Pixel 2, the iPhone XS Max is a bit slower, but the difference is slimmer as signal gets weaker.

At signal levels below -120dBm (around zero and one bar of reception), the iPhone XS Max becomes more competitive with the Android phones using the Qualcomm X20 modem, but at the lowest signal, the Qualcomm X20 modem outperforms the Intel modem in the new iPhones.

Real world testing pulled from Ookla speed test results also suggest the iPhone XS is a good deal faster than the iPhone X. On average, the iPhone XS offers 6.6Mb/s faster download speeds on all U.S. carriers, and even better performance on Canadian carriers with a 20.2Mb/s speed boost.

AT&T is the carrier in the United States that appears to be seeing the biggest speed boost, while the difference is smaller on Verizon and Sprint. AT&T and T-Mobile iPhone X models used Intel modems and Verizon and Sprint used Qualcomm modems, which could account for the difference.

Samsung’s Galaxy Note 9 with Qualcomm X20 modem outperformed the iPhone XS in both the United States and Canada, with the Galaxy Note 9 offering mean download speeds of 43.2Mb/s and the iPhone XS offering mean download speeds of 38.9Mb/s. Data for Ookla’s speed comparison was collected during the week of September 24.

Despite the favorable results on these performance tests, many new iPhone XS and XS Max users have complained of LTE connectivity issues on the new devices. PCMag speculates that this is due to problems with the first versions of the iPhone XS firmware, which could be causing trouble with signal reception.

During testing, PCMag was unable to find “any issues in the hardware” that would explain negative experiences, suggesting problems people are experiencing can perhaps be fixed through a future software update.

Related Roundup: iPhone XSBuyer’s Guide: iPhone XS (Buy Now)
Discuss this article in our forums

Mobvoi Ticwatch S review

Research Center:

Mobvoi Ticwatch S

Mobvoi’s Ticwatch S — short for Sport — is one of the most affordable Wear OS smartwatches on the market. For $160, you’ll not only get built-in GPS but also a heart-rate sensor — adding more capability to your workouts and daily activity tracking. Mobvoi is a Chinese company that’s mostly known to sell affordable Wear OS smartwatches in the U.S; the Ticwatch S sits above the even cheaper Ticwatch E, but it ranks a little lower than the more recently announced Ticwatch Pro.

While the features under the hood are impressive, the aesthetic of the smartwatch doesn’t give us the same excitement. Even though it is a “sport” smartwatch, it looks and feels cheap — especially after wearing sleeker, sportier smartwatches with a similar price tag. But with jam-packed features essential for health and fitness and a bargain price, is it enough for us to look past the unique design? Let’s take a closer look.

Lightweight and comfortable, but looks cheap

The Ticwatch S is large, but it sits comfortably on the wrist. There’s a 1.4-inch fully-round OLED display in a 44mm polycarbonate body that’s about 13mm thick. It’s extremely lightweight, but it looks and feels too chunky. As a unisex smartwatch, men may not find the size too different than others available on the market for them, but women might feel like it’s too big on their wrists. While we appreciate the larger screen size, which makes it easier to read alerts and track activity during workouts, the size does standout a little too much on our wrist — and not in a good way.

Brenda Stolyar/Digital Trends

The smartwatch comes in a variety of colors — Knight (black), Aurora (neon yellow), and Glacier (white). Each one comes with watch straps to match the case, which disappointingly aren’t interchangeable. We tested the all-white Glacier color, which is loud on the wrist. It looks best with workout or casual wear, but this is not a watch you can take to more formal events. That being said, the white option is significantly more subtle than the neon yellow variant, but your best choice for a toned down aesthetic is the black.

The size does standout a little too much on our wrist — and not in a good way.

One part of the design that may split opinion is the placement of the crown, which is on the left. It works as your navigation tool — you can use it to access installed apps, call upon Google Assistant, or go back to the watch face. We’re used to wearing smartwatches with crowns on the right, and we found it a little difficult to get used to using our thumb to press the crown. The button is also bulky and looks unnatural; it unnecessarily and unattractively jets out from the watch face.

The silicone band didn’t attract a ton of dust and lint — at least as much as some other watches we’ve worn — and the white model kept its bright color even months after wearing the watch.

The Ticwatch S can look comical on some wrists, but it looks best when paired with workout gear. With other outfits, it can look a little like a toy.

Solid performance, large display

Unlike most Wear OS smartwatches that are powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 2100 processor, the Mobvoi Ticwatch S is features MediaTek’s MT2601,1.2GHz dual-core processor. It packs 4GB of storage and 512GM of RAM — allowing you to store music and play it via Bluetooth-connected earbuds. We surprisingly didn’t run into too many issues with performance. We were able to open apps relatively quickly and respond to notifications with ease, though we did see some lag when trying to access the Google Play Store or Google Fit.

Brenda Stolyar/Digital Trends

With a 400 x 400 resolution, the OLED screen is incredibly sharp and the colors pop. But the screen does falter in broad daylight, as you’ll need to turn up the brightness when outdoors to see anything.

Wear OS works better with Android phones

The Mobvoi Ticwatch S runs Google’s Wear OS. While Google removed the Android name to help people better understand these smartwatches work with iPhones too, there are still limits when using it with iOS.

For people on Android, the Ticwatch is extremely simple to use even if you’ve never owned a Wear OS smartwatch. Swipe down to access your settings, swipe up to view your notifications, and swipe to the left or right to change your watch face. Swipe left or right to clear specific notifications. You can type replies to messages, as well as use quick replies without having to use the keyboard. There’s also the option to swipe to type or use your voice to reply. With such a large display, it’s actually comfortable to type with responses — something we’re not used to on a lot of smartwatches. Some of these gestures will be changing in an upcoming Wear OS update that simplifies the usability of the operating system.

With such a large display, it’s actually comfortable to type with responses.

When connected to an iPhone, Wear OS is a tad more limited. As with Android, you have to download the Wear OS app but you’re required to keep it running in the background at all times. Otherwise, you’ll have to reconnect it to the app each time in order to receive notifications and track activity. When that did happen, it took us many attempts to reconnect it — at one point, we had to reboot the Ticwatch completely and start over. While you can view notifications, you can’t interact with them. Calls can also be accepted or denied right from the watch face.

The Ticwatch S uses the all new Google Fit to track your activity via Move Minutes and Heart Points, which you can learn more about in our Google Fit hands on. You can also use Mobvoi’s own built-in apps, which we’ll get to later.

Brenda Stolyar/Digital Trends

Google Assistant is triggered by holding down the crown button, and you can use it to set reminders, ask for weather updates, ask about directions to work, control smart home products, and more. Those with an Android phone can also ask the Assistant to send messages.

The pre-installed watch faces are standard — with options for analog or digital. But since this is a “sport” watch, most of the faces are geared more towards highlighting metrics such as step count and calories burned. You can customize parts of each one, to better suit your look for the day — whether it be for the gym or a casual day out.

Easily track daily activity

The Mobvoi Ticwatch S includes a heart rate sensor, allowing you to track your heart rate throughout the day and also during workouts. While heart-rate tracking capabilities aren’t new, there aren’t a lot of other Wear OS smartwatches out there with a sensor for $160. The closest competitor is the Misfit Vapor, which is $200.

Unfortunately, the smartwatch doesn’t track heart rate automatically like the Vapor. You’ll have to manually tap the heart rate app to begin measuring — swiping up within the Heart Rate app will bring you to a history of your heart rate measurements that you’ve taken throughout the day. It is automatically tracked during workouts, which is nice. There’s also the option of downloading the third party Mobvoi app Heart Trace, which will then sync your data with Google Fit.

You can use Google Fit and Fit Workout to track your activity or you can sync your smartwatch to the Mobvoi app on Android and iOS. We used TicExercise to track our outdoor runs — but you can also track indoor runs on the treadmill, biking sessions, and there’s also a free style option like weight training or other cardio. After starting your workout, you’re able to see the smartwatch track your path on the display itself. Thanks to the built-in GPS, you won’t have to carry your phone on you to track your runs.

Other pre-installed Mobvoi apps include TicHealth, which allows you to check in on your daily activity straight from your display. There’s also Step Ranking that provides you with your current steps for the day and ranks them in comparison to those around you based on your location — in an attempt to give you a bit of a motivational push to keep going in attempt to stay ahead.

The smartwatch doesn’t track heart rate automatically.

For music you’ll have to sync your playlists from Google Play Music, which is annoying if you don’t use it on a regular basis. Since we use Spotify, we still carried our phones to listen to music but tracked our run via the smartwatch. While running, we were able to glance at the Ticwatch to see metrics like distance, heart-rate, and calories burned. With an auto-pause feature, the workout would pause whenever we took a break or waited to cross the street at a light.

As our heart-rate was tracked in real-time, the smartwatch would also label which stages we were in — like cardio or fat-burning. Whenever we pushed ourselves a bit too hard, bringing our heart rate up to 194 BPM, the smartwatch would label our heart-rate as “dangerous” — letting us know we should slow down. But we wouldn’t have known that unless we glanced at our watch every so often, and wish it would vibrate every time our heart-rate would get to that point. Even though at times we found the heart-rate sensor overcalculated, it was reasonably accurate for the most part.

While you can see a summary of your workout on the Ticwatch, you can refer to the Mobvoi app for a more in-depth analysis. This is where you can see a graph of your heart rate, pace, step frequency, step length, along with your distance and route. You can also see detailed data of your daily activity too such as steps, active hours, exercise, and heart rate.

Mobvoi Ticwatch S Compared To

Fossil Q Venture HR

Apple Watch Series 4

Garmin Fenix 5X Plus

Casio Pro Trek WSD-F30

Alpina AlpinerX

Fossil Q Venture

Garmin Vivoactive 3

Emporio Armani Connected touchscreen…

Apple Watch Series 3

Diesel On Full Guard Smartwatch

Huawei Fit

Garmin Vivoactive HR

Apple Watch Series 2

Asus ZenWatch 2

Garmin fenix 2

The Mobvoi app calculates and tracks activity differently than what some might be used to — but is extremely similar to the newly-designed Google Fit. On the Mobvoi app, you’ll see Active hours, which only counts during hours that you take more than 250 steps (similar to Google Fit Move Minutes). There’s also Exercise, which measures the intensity level of your exercise (Just like Google Fit’s Heart Points) — so every time you go for a power walk or do some high-intensity cardio, the Ticwatch’s heart-rate sensor will recognize the increase in heart-rate and the app will track it under the Exercise category. Aside from that, your steps, calories burned, heart-rate, and distance are tracked normally.

Unfortunately, there’s no built-in sleep tracking capabilities. It’s a feature that’s available on other smartwatches, but with the Ticwatch S you’ll have to use third-party apps instead.

Standard one-day battery life

The Mobvoi Ticwatch S has a 300mAh battery that the company claims can provide up to 48-hours of use. In reality, we found that it lasts a little over 12 hours at most. After taking it off the charger at 100 percent around 8:30 a.m., it was at 59 percent by 2:23 p.m.. By the time we got home from work at 6:30 p.m. it was at around 30 percent, and 19 percent when we went to bed at 10 p.m. — and that’s with all the notifications on and without using its built-in GPS. That’s no where near the two full days Mobvoi claims its smartwatch can last.

In reality, we found that it lasts a little over 12 hours at most.

When we did workout with the Ticwatch S, we took it out at about 9 p.m. — when it was charged at about 83 percent, and found that it was already at 20 percent by 1 a.m. — which is only about five hours. This was after using built-in GPS, heart rate sensor, and Mobvoi’s TicExercise app to track our run.

Even though it doesn’t last us the entire 48-hour day, we were pleasantly surprised at how quickly it charges. After plugging it in at zero percent, we never had to wait more than an hour for it to charge back up to 100 percent. It’s especially useful for days when you want to make sure it’s fully charged for your evening run after work or a late-night gym session, and don’t want to wait a long time before it’s ready to be used.

At the same time, it’s important to note that our battery life tests were made when the Ticwatch S was connected to an iPhone, and may differ with Android.

Warranty information

The Mobvoi Ticwatch S costs $160, and is for purchase available through Mobvoi’s site. It’s also available through other retailers such as Amazon and Best Buy, but the price may be a little closer to its original $200.

As for warranty, Mobvoi offers a one-year warranty that covers against any defects, but it doesn’t cover accidental damage to the case, strap, or battery.

Our Take

The Mobvoi Ticwatch S is a comfortable smartwatch that features a large, vibrant OLED display. While the built-in heart rate sensor and GPS is a bargain for $160, the loud design makes it a smartwatch you won’t want to wear everyday.

Is there a better alternative?

Yes. If you’re looking for a sleeker smartwatch that has similar capabilities, there’s the Misfit Vapor for $200. While it doesn’t come with built-in GPS, it does feature a heart-rate sensor, large 1.30-inch AMOLED display, and unique touch-sensitive bezel. It also comes in a variety of different colors and interchangeable watch straps for a more customizable look.

There’s also the Samsung Galaxy Watch for $330, which comes in two different sizes to accommodate those with larger and smaller wrists. As the successor to the Gear Sport, Samsung’s latest smartwatch comes with a heart-rate sensor, beautiful design, and packs a ton of fitness tracking features. Depending on the size of the smartwatch, it lasted us between two to four full days — that’s including tracking workouts and receiving notifications.

There’s also the Fitbit Versa — Fitbit’s latest smartwatch that launched back in March for $200. With a 1.34-inch LCD display, interchangeable straps, tons of fitness features and a beautiful design, it’s an accessory you can wear everyday regardless of the occasion. Its battery can also last for up to five days on a single charge, depending on how much you use it.

We do recommend waiting until the end of the year to see all the new Wear OS watches coming with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Wear 3100 processor, which will be far more efficient, powerful, and offer longer battery life.

For those with an iPhone, we recommend the Apple Watch Series 4. That way, you’ll be able to easily take advantage of all its features without having the same limitations you would with an Wear OS.

How long will it last?

The Mobvoi Ticwatch S should last you beyond the one-year limited warranty. But the battery will deplete overtime, and it’s unclear how long it will receive software updates. We expect it to last around two years before you’ll want to replace it. The smartwatch has an IP67 water resistance rating, so you can take it underwater up to 1 meter for 30 minutes.

Should you buy it?

No. At $160, you are getting a bargain with the Ticwatch S, but there are better alternatives available at similar prices that would let you wear a smartwatch in any occasion, including the Fitbit Versa.

U.S. government sues California to stop its new net neutrality regulations

After California passed what many consider to be the toughest protections in net neutrality this past weekend, the United States Department of Justice announced it will sue the state. California’s SB822 was signed by Governor Jerry Brown to reverse many of the net neutrality protections that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) dismantled under agency Commissioner Ajit Pai earlier in 2018. In its lawsuit, the Justice Department argued that the bill “unlawfully imposes burdens on the Federal Government’s deregulatory approach to the internet” and that because the internet itself can be categorized as a function of interstate commerce, regulation of this area falls under federal jurisdiction.

“Under the Constitution, states do not regulate interstate commerce — the federal government does,” Attorney General Jeff Sessions said in a statement denouncing California’s bill. “Once again the California legislature has enacted an extreme and illegal state law attempting to frustrate federal policy. The Justice Department should not have to spend valuable time and resources to file this suit today, but we have a duty to defend the prerogatives of the federal government and protect our Constitutional order.  We will do so with vigor. We are confident that we will prevail in this case — because the facts are on our side.”

However, because the FCC in the past has taken conflicting positions about its role in regulating the internet, this may be a harder argument to prove. Even though the FCC repeal of neutrality specifically included language that banned states from protecting consumers, the agency also said it had no power to regulate broadband providers when it repealed the 2015 Open Internet Order. “An agency that has no power to regulate has no power to preempt the states, according to case law,” Stanford University law professor Barbara van Schewick told Motherboard. “That means the FCC cannot prevent the states from adopting net neutrality protections because the FCC’s repeal order removed its authority to adopt such protections.” The FCC’s repeal of net neutrality is being challenged in court by 22 state attorney generals.

California passed SB822 after the FCC dismantled net neutrality protections despite growing bipartisan support in keeping the internet free and open. Under the California law, internet service providers must treat all web traffic equally, and the state places restrictions on zero-rating practices and discriminatory practices in the past that throttled Netflix connections. Zero-rating is a practice that can give an unfair advantage to larger companies. DirecTV streams on AT&T’s wireless network, for example, do not count against a user’s data caps because of zero-rating agreement between the satellite provider and its parent company AT&T.

The telecommunications industry led by USTelecom had urged Brown to veto the bill, leaving the matter of regulation to the federal government.

Editors’ Recommendations

• California’s pro-net neutrality bill awaits governor’s signature
• With net neutrality gone, carriers throttle YouTube, Netflix, other streamers
• Verizon pledges to no longer throttle first responders’ data speeds
• California passes bill that regulates security for Internet of Things devices
• Need the FCC to handle a problem? A formal complaint will cost you $225

Attention, space gardeners: Simulated Martian soil now on sale for $20 a kilo

University of Central Florida

Have you got $20, plus postage, burning a hole in your pocket? If so, you may be interested in an offer from astrophysicists at the University of Central Florida: Martian soil that’s on sale for research purposes, priced at 20 bucks per kilogram. Okay, so it’s not actually soil taken from the Red Planet, but rather dirt created using the first scientific, standardized method to make a simulant material which will act in the same way as the real thing.

“We’re creating simulated, or artificial, soils that mimic those found on Mars, the Moon, and asteroids,” Kevin Cannon, a post-doctoral researcher who helped develop the material, told Digital Trends. “They’re made up of different minerals that occur naturally on Earth, but mixed up in unique proportions that are very unlike terrestrial soils.”

The University of Central Florida formula soil is based on the chemical signature of materials gathered on Mars by the Curiosity rover, which landed on Mars in 2012. UCF Physics Professor Dan Britt, who also worked on this project, built two calibration targets which were part of the Curiosity rover.

But why exactly is a renowned university drumming up a few extra bucks by selling dirt? As it turns out, it’s less about pulling in money than something a whole lot more important: standardization. At present, a number of institutions, organizations and startups are researching topics like how best to grow food on Mars. However, they’re not using standardized simulants, which makes it difficult to compare experimental results in any meaningful way. By creating its more accurate space soil simulant, the UCF researchers hope to advance research in a more practical, useful manner.

“We work mostly with planetary scientists and engineers at universities, NASA centers, and private space companies,” Cannon continued. “There are all kinds of applications, including testing robotics, extracting resources like water from planetary materials, and learning to grow plants on future missions to Mars or the moon.”

It turns out that making Martian soil isn’t exactly a niche industry, either. To date, the university has gotten requests from more than 50 different groups, totaling more than half a metric ton of simulant. “We’re planning on having the capacity to make between hundreds of kilos and several tons per year,” Cannon said.

A paper describing the work is available to read online.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Get your Sagan on with 60 awe-inspiring photos of the final frontier
• We’re going to the Red Planet! All the past, present, and future missions to Mars
• NASA’s Opportunity Rover is stuck in a giant dust storm that won’t end for months
• The best PS4 games (September 2018)
• Women may be immune to brain damage from cosmic rays, study finds

HP Spectre Folio hands-on review

Research Center:

HP Spectre Folio

HP claimed it was “reinventing the PC” ahead of the launch of the new Spectre Folio convertible laptop. That’s hardly the case. Microsoft did that in 2013 when it rolled out the Surface Pro, a laptop that converted into a tablet (or was it the other way around?), worked with a digital pen, and was designed to be picked up, carried around, shared, and most important, drawn directly on.

What HP did do, is take Microsoft’s idea and turn it up to 11. At an event in New York City Monday morning, HP unveiled the Folio, a laptop that replaced the soft fabric with beautiful pebbled leather, evolving the idea of a kickstand into a device that snaps smoothly into several different positions, and in general adding the polish and pizzazz you’d expect from a device that costs $1,300 or so.

That’s hardly reinventing the PC – but it may just be perfecting it.

Wrapped in leather or made of leather?

When he announced the new Folio, Stacy Wolff — global head of design at HP – stressed that the product may not be what you think it is. “I want to be clear, this is not a PC that is wrapped in leather. This is a PC that is made of leather. The leather that you see provides its flexibility, its versatility,” he told the crowd.

Jeremy Kaplan/Digital Trends

And that’s mostly true. The Folio is composed of two parts, a keyboard that’s wrapped in leather and a screen that’s wrapped in leather. So, yeah, it’s a PC wrapped in leather. But to Wolff’s point about flexibilty, a fulcrum at the screen’s halfway point allows the Folio to convert between several positions. It’s a traditional laptop; or the screen can sit in front of the keys at a sharper angle, ideal for movies; or it can fold flat in a Z shape to enter tablet mode. And a leather bound hinge does seem pretty damn integral to that folding.

Folded up like a traditional notebook, the Folio felt classy.

The Folio’s leather feels nice against the hand, and before you ask, yep, it does have that new leather jacket smell – officially making this the first laptop you’ll tell your friends to sniff. The leather comes in two colors, Cognac Brown and Bordeaux Burgundy. We checked out the brown one, which was almost exactly the color of melted chocolate.

Convertibles have switched modes in a variety of ways over the years, from the kickstands in Surface Pros which have locked into different positions to hinges that allow you to pick a variety of positions. The Folio really targets those three shapes (four if you count “closed” as a position), and magnets in various places help it lock directly into position. There’s no click sound or anything, but it’s very satisfying to feel it lock in place. And overall, it switches between modes quickly and smoothly.

HP Spectre Folio Compared To

HP Spectre x360 13-ae002xx

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon (2018)

HP EliteBook X360 G2

Dell Latitude 13 7370

Lenovo ThinkPad P50 20EN-001RUS

Lenovo Thinkpad X1 Carbon (3rd Gen)

Lenovo Z40

Acer TravelMate TMP645-MG-9419

Lenovo ThinkPad T440s

Lenovo ThinkPad T431s

HP EliteBook 8560p

Toshiba Satellite M300-S1002X

Lenovo ThinkPad T60p

Gateway NX570

Lenovo 3000 V100

Folded up like a traditional notebook, the Folio felt classy. Most people have carried a laptop between conference rooms or meetings while open, held by one corner and poised to crash to the ground. We do this even though they fold up, because the act of closing the laptop means little — and we don’t want to lose our work, of course. Closing this laptop makes a statement: The leather doesn’t quite meet with the metal of the chassis, creating a channel for airflow and making it feel less like a computer and more like a work of art. It feels and looks great closed. More manufacturers should embraced the importance of looking good when closed; I use a Dell XPS 13, which doesn’t lock shut with magnets, the cover simply flops against the keys. It is not a great look.

Speeds and feeds

We didn’t have enough time to test the performance of the Folio, but we did spend some time typing on the keyboard, which has a reasonable travel. Given the overall depth of the product, the keys can only travel so far; go too far and they’d be coming out the back of the computer. So travel is notably shallower than on the XPS 13, but still surprisingly good. They also felt firm; typing was very comfortable.

Jeremy Kaplan/Digital Trends

The Folio has a 13.3-inch Full HD 1,920 × 1,080 touchscreen with Corning Gorilla Glass 4; it  The maximum brightness is 400 nits. It looked great to our eyes: Sharp and colorful, with dark blacks, although we had very little time to study it. HP touted the Folio as coming with a 4K panel, which turns out to be an option that won’t be available until later this year – a shortcoming of this product. Yes, 4K doesn’t make that much of a difference when viewed from a foot or so away. But it does make a difference and would have matched the premium look this laptop’s trying to push.

Under the hood, there’s an 8th-gen Core i5 or i7 Y-Series processor (Amber Lake), 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of SSD storage, all of which made it feel peppy. These are Intel’s latest dual-core processors, but offer some enhancements such as better battery life and optional 4G LTE connectivity. One other point of note: There’s no fan, making this a very quiet system. We look forward to some long term testing to ascertain whether leather helps dissipate heat or simply builds it up. Anyone wearing a leather jacket in the summer would tell you the material doesn’t breathe too well.

So, does it “reinvent” the PC? Hardly. This design is elegant and well thought out, and once you’ve touched the pebbly leather, you’ll wonder how (and why) you ever went without. HP may not have reinvented anything, but this is nonetheless one of the classiest takes on convertibles we’ve ever seen.

The Surface Pro will go back to black, Microsoft event listing confirms

Mark Coppock/Digital Trends

If you had any doubt that Microsoft will announce a refresh its Surface hardware at its October 2 event tomorrow, you should rest easy. Microsoft has all but confirmed that the Surface will be going “back to black.”

While Microsoft initially launched its Surface RT and Surface Pro in a black-coated VaporMg build, the company eventually switched to silver. Microsoft more recently added more color options to some of its hardware, including the Surface laptop, and it looks like it will now add black to the color mix again, confirming earlier reports of the return of the color.

A Microsoft event listing scheduled for October 16 in Auckland New Zealand, spotted by WalkingCat and published on Windows Central, revealed that black will be making a triumphant return to the Surface lineup after an absence of several years.

“In April 2012, Microsoft launched the Surface RT, its sleek black chassis, detachable keyboard and integrated kick stand started a wave of innovation that has no signs of slowing down,” Microsoft detailed in its New Zealand event invitation. “Surface devices have inspired people to draw on their screens, work anywhere, collaborate across the world on 84-inch Hubs, crank the volume with dial and even float their all-in-one screen up and down with a zero-gravity hinge. It is safe to say the devices have come a long way in 6 years. But in October 2018, Surface goes Back to Black.”

Earlier rumors suggested that Microsoft may reveal updates  to at least two Surface PC products. Updated versions of the Surface Pro and the Surface laptop are widely believed to be delivered at its October 2 event in New York City. Earlier rumors for the Surface Pro suggested that Microsoft may be working on a radical design for its detachable hybrid tablet, but more recently, it is speculated that Microsoft may not have the redesigned Pro completed in time for the October event.

It is likely that Microsoft will unveil more modest updates to the Surface Pro 2018, which has also been referred to as the Surface Pro 6. The update will likely come with newer processors from Intel, but at this time it’s unclear if Thunderbolt 3 or USB-C connectors will also be present. The first product with USB-C onboard was the Surface Book 2, which Microsoft unveiled earlier this year.

Other products that will likely get refreshed include the Surface Dial, which was also mentioned in the New Zealand invitation, and the Surface Studio, Microsoft’s all-in-one desktop solution that’s targeted at creative professionals. Fortunately, we don’t have to wait too much longer to see what Microsoft has been working on. The October 2 event kicks off at 1 p.m. PT, or 4 p.m. ET.

Editors’ Recommendations

• How to watch Microsoft’s Oct. 2 Surface event
• What to expect from Microsoft’s October 2 Surface event
• Microsoft may go back to black with 2018 Surface Pro and Surface Laptop
• Refreshed Surface Pro 6 could arrive at Microsoft’s October 2 event
• Turn your Surface Pro into a cheap Surface Studio with Kensington’s dock

Step back in time with Google’s secret text-adventure game

Are you feeling a bit nostalgic for the days of Zork and other classic text adventure games? If so, then Google has you covered with an Easter egg embedded in its website. A Reddit user discovered that searching for a particular phrase on the site and then accessing the developer console in your browser presents an option to begin a text-based quest. Best of all, in true 1980s fashion, the console starts off by asking, “Would you like to play a game?”

To access the text-based adventure game, head to Google in your favorite web browser, and search for the phrase “text adventure.” Once the search results page is displayed, open your browser’s developer console. If you are using Google’s Chrome web browser, you can access the developer tool by heading to the View menu, selecting Developer, and then Javascript Console.

Once you have acknowledged that you would indeed like to play a game, you are thrown into a world of text-based fun. Your adventure begins with you playing as the Google logo, although you aren’t quite yourself as you are missing the majority of your letters. Finding yourself inside a building, you must navigate the world and seek out your missing letters.

Step back in time with Google’s text-based adventure game.

If you never played a text adventure game before, take the time to enjoy Google’s blast from the past. From a time when graphics weren’t yet able to stand up to the challenge, gamers played interactive stories in text consoles, using their imaginations to dive deep into mystical worlds. With the latest gaming graphics being continuously touted as essential for complete immersion, text-adventure games are a fun way to remember that a game’s story is just as important.

The Google Easter egg itself doesn’t seem to be available on international sites, so if you want to give the text adventure a try, be sure to head to Google.com and not one of its global variations. Some speculation has lead players to guess that the setting the game is set within is Google’s Mountain View, California, campus and the surrounding area. Additionally, those who have completed the game say it takes anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes.

We’re not sure how long Google intends to keep the Easter egg in its site code, so be sure to head on over and have some fun, just in case time is limited.

Editors’ Recommendations

• The best Google Home tips and tricks
• Google celebrates 20 years with a slew of Easter eggs and new Google Images
• ‘Alto’s Odyssey’ aims to amplify adventure without sacrificing serenity
• Become a master caster with these Google Chromecast tips and tricks
• Google Assistant: Everything you need to know

Lighter and tougher, graphene may be the future of wheelchairs

Ever since it was first isolated by researchers at the University of Manchester earlier this century, graphene has been viewed as a “wonder material” by everyone from material scientists to entrepreneurs. While the first generation of uses was primarily research-based, businesses are now starting to catch on to the amazing strength possibilities offered by an ultra-thin single layer of graphite.

Having already seen everything from experimental aircraft to experimental footwear adopt graphene, now we’ve got another case of a company jumping on board the graphene bandwagon — with Swiss wheelchair company Küschall introducing the so-called “Superstar” wheelchair. This next-generation wheelchair promises to use the futuristic material to create a wheelchair that, with a frame weighing just 3.3 pounds, will be 30 percent lighter than classic carbon wheelchairs but an impressive 20 percent tougher.

“We are redefining the rules with innovation, by using aerospace materials and working in partnership with a Formula 1 manufacturer to secure the most unprecedented and ultimate driving performance available on the market today,” Küschall claimed in a press release.

Previous

Next

1 of 5

It’s not just the use of ultralight, yet immensely tough, materials that make the Superstar a promising wheelchair, however. It also boasts an X-shape geometry intended to improve performance and agility, with “outstanding” vibration and absorption capacity, and one of the best weight-to-acceleration performances on the market. In addition, its creators suggest that its design will help minimize the risk of upper extremity injuries; something which can affect a massive 50 to 70 percent of wheelchair users after around a decade of using a wheelchair. To make the experience as smooth as possible, Küschall says that every Superstar wheelchair will be bespoke tailor-made to each customer.

All of this going to come with a price tag, of course. Digital Trends contacted the company, but it wasn’t willing to share details — including how much the wheelchairs will cost or when they might be made available. Will it live up to the space-age promise of graphene, or is a graphene wheelchair more of a hype-driven gimmick? We’ll have to wait and see.

One thing’s for sure: With innovative wheelchairs like this shapeshifting model that transitions from seated to standing positions, or this autonomous wheelchair created by robotics researchers, it’ll have its work cut out for it in the quest to the most futuristic, high tech wheelchair on the market.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Engineers in the U.K. unveil the world’s first graphene-skinned airplane
• ‘Part coat, part science experiment,’ a jacket made of graphene is on the way
• There’s a new way to 3D print graphene, the strongest material on Earth
• Materials scientists have found a way to make graphene twice as tough
• Replaced by robots: 10 jobs that could be hit hard by the A.I. revolution