CES 2014: Haier Launches First ‘MFi Licensed’ Smart Appliance for iOS Device Compatibility
Chinese appliance manufacturer Haier today announced that it has become the first such company to be accepted into Apple’s MFi licensing program to certify compatibility with iOS devices. Haier’s Tianzun cabinet air conditioning unit is the first appliance to carry the MFi designation, with expansion to other Haier appliances coming in the future.
Haier’s Tianzun air conditioner is the first air conditioner and white good that is authorized by Apple’s MFi program. Haier will use this technology in the other Haier products, such as water heaters, ovens, intelligent home accessories and the like. Users will be able to complete the setup simply by connecting to WiFi. The live demonstration showed that Haier’s air conditioner could match the phone automatically and the user could set up parameters for the air conditioner directly without registration, setup password or any other complicated and time-consuming operations when connected to WiFi. And that brings consumers a simple, efficient experience of using smart appliances.
While smart appliances capable of being controlled through iOS devices are not new, a move by manufacturers to join Apple’s MFi program may help give consumers confidence that the products meet Apple’s standards for compatibility and functionality. The licensing program is already in wide use for such products as charging accessories, speaker docks, and more recently game controllers, but Haier’s announcement today indicates that the program is poised for even greater adoption as the burgeoning market for connected home appliances continues to expand.
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CES 2014: FLIR Systems Debuts ‘FLIR ONE’ Thermal Camera Case for iPhone 5s and iPhone 5 [iOS Blog]
FLIR Systems showed off its FLIR ONE thermal imaging camera case for the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5 at CES 2014, allowing users to display heat signatures from live humans, animals, and environmental sources up to 100 feet away. In addition to its infrared capabilities, the FLIR ONE houses a rechargeable battery that can power the case for up to two hours, and also increases the battery of an iPhone by up to 50 percent.
FLIR ONE’s unique ability to see and measure infrared energy gives consumers a versatile new tool that can be applied in a wide variety of applications. For example, homeowners and contractors with a FLIR ONE can easily identify heat or cooling leaks in buildings, find studs in walls, or locate water damage. An outdoor enthusiast can observe wildlife, day or night, navigate in the dark, determine if the day’s catch is fully cooked, or make sure a campfire is out by using FLIR ONE. A family can detect intruders in total darkness, find a lost pet, or see through smoke in an emergency using a FLIR ONE.
FLIR also says a developer SDK for the device is in the works for late 2014, with select developers getting early access. The FLIR ONE camera case itself will begin shipping in Spring 2014 and will come in grey, white, or gold.
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CES 2014: LG Debuts Earphones That Monitor Heart Rate [iOS Blog]
LG yesterday announced a new set of fitness-oriented earphones, which are designed to offer real-time heart monitoring. The earphones, which connect to a small medallion that is strapped on an arm or waistband, track both metabolic rate and maximum oxygen consumption while allowing users to listen to music. They function through sensors that measure blood flow through the inner ear.
In addition, the Heart Rate Monitor Earphones include an accelerometer that measures a wide range of data, including distance, calories burned, steps taken, and more. It also includes hi-fi sound and a built-in microphone for phone calls.
It’s never been easier —or more tuneful—to track your metabolic rate and cardiovascular fitness (VO2 max). And it’s all accomplished with LG’s revolutionary HRM Earphone Heart Rate Monitor. Because of the unique physiology of the ear, users can count on health and fitness metrics with none of the inconvenience of chests strap measuring devices.
The add-on medallion that connects to the earphones serves as a data processing hub that sends real-time biometric information to an iPhone via Bluetooth, which can be accessed by the LG Fitness app. The earphones are also designed to work in conjunction with LG’s recently announced Lifeband Touch activity monitor. Along with the LG app, the earphones can sync with popular third-party apps like MyFitnessPal and Runkeeper.
The earphones will ship during the first half of 2014 and will retail for $179.99.
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Apple Requests Removal of External Compliance Monitor in E-Book Antitrust Case [Mac Blog]
Apple today requested that U.S. District Judge Denise Cote disqualify Michael Bromwich, the external compliance monitor Apple was ordered to hire to ensure the company complies with all antitrust requirements in the future, from serving in his position, reports Reuters.
An attorney for the consumer technology giant on Tuesday asked U.S. District Judge Denise Cote in Manhattan to disqualify Michael Bromwich from serving as an external compliance monitor, arguing he had shown a personal bias against the company.
In a letter to Cote, Apple’s attorney claimed the report filed by Bromwich last month, in which he accused Apple of blocking interviews and disrupting his investigation, was a “wholly inappropriate declaration”.
Bromwich’s report was filed in reaction to a complaint Apple had filed in November, in which the company claimed Bromwich was overcharging them for his services. In addition, Apple cited Bromwich had aggressively sought to interview top executives when his mandate required him to assess the company’s antitrust policies 90 days after his appointment.
Those same complaints were re-asserted in Apple’s letter to Cote requesting the removal of Bromwich. Apple was found guilty of conspiring with five publishers to raise the prices of e-books in July.
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Apple Opens Official Store On Popular Chinese E-Commerce Site Tmall [iOS Blog]
Apple has partnered with Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba to open an official online store on its popular online marketplace Tmall, reports the Wall Street Journal.
An Alibaba spokeswoman confirmed that the Tmall page is indeed Apple’s and that it opened recently, but declined to comment further. An Apple spokeswoman wasn’t immediately available for comment.
Tmall is one of Alibaba’s two dominate online marketplaces and hosts over 70,000 merchants, including brands like Nike and Gap. Its structure is essentially an online shopping mall, with trusted brands each having their own store portal. However, Tmall requires each seller to pay a deposit, an annual service fee and charges a commission on each transaction.
The online store mirrors Apple’s own Chinese store portal, but allows the company to reach China’s fast-growing population of online shoppers.
The move is yet another effort by Apple to boost sales in China as the company is also set to start selling iPhones to China Mobile’s 700 million subscribers on January 17. Apple also recently announced its annual Lunar New Year sale, a one-day event for Asian countries also known as “Red Friday” because of its similarities to Black Friday, would take place on January 10 in Asia.
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This case turns your iPhone into a night vision camera
Thermal cameras are expensive, which is why they’re mostly used by firefighters, contractors and psychotic aliens. Fortunately, that’s all about to change thanks to the FLIR One, which is an iPhone case with a tiny thermal camera stuck on the back. All you have to do is strap your iPhone 5 or 5s into the dock and, once you’ve downloaded the app, you’re ready to go. Using multi-spectral dynamic imaging, it can create hybrid images, adding extra detail to the thermal pictures, or plain-ol’ thermal pictures in the dark. When you point it at a subject, the FLIR will also give you a temperature reading of what you’re pointing the device at.
It took FLIR more than two years of research and development to create Lepton, the camera necessary to make this happen, which is smaller than a nickel. Despite its tiny size, it’s much cheaper than normal thermal lenses, which would normally set you back around $1,000. The company hopes that this will help DIYers to find the leaks in their home, outdoors types to avoid wild creatures and families to navigate dangerous areas like smoke-filled houses. It’ll be available in the spring for $350, with an Android version planned for later in the year.
Billy Steele contributed to this report.
Here’s that $500 3D scanner for the iPad
That new consumer 3D scanner we told you about a little while ago? Here it is. Well, sort of. This iSense is actually a prototype, as you can probably tell from the 3D printed mold behind the camera. We asked CEO Avi Reichental if there was any possibility that the company might 3D print the casing at some point, to help future-proof the peripheral, and he certainly seemed open to the idea, though don’t expect that in the version of the product shipping in Q2. At a cursory glance, the camera and the sensor appear similar — if not exactly the same — as the ones found on the sense. Around this, you’ll find a brushed metal housing that helps the camera blend in a bit more with the iPad’s backing.
As for why this unit is $100 more than the Sense, we suspect it has something to do with the much smaller form factor, which helps make this a truly portable scanner, with a Lightning cable that plugs directly into the tablet. We couldn’t take a shot of the software, as that’s also still firmly in the beta stage, though you can expect it to be pretty similar to what you get with the Sense.
CES 2014: Native Union Shows Off ‘Jump’ Cable/Battery Charger Combo [iOS Blog]
On the CES show floor, Native Union is demonstrating its new Jump accessory, which combines a Lightning cable with an 800mAh battery pack for simple charging and extra battery life on the go.
Jump is like standard battery packs, providing battery life to an iPhone, but because it’s also a Lightning cable, the battery portion of the accessory is charged each time the iPhone is charged. This eliminates the need for the battery pack to be charged separately of the iPhone, which is often an inconvenience that requires an entirely separate cable.
The accessory utilizes an AutoCharge circuit prioritization system to detect when the iPhone battery is full, at which point it charges the battery pack portion of the Jump.
JUMP is not just a charging cable; it also provides your smartphone with a substantial power boost wherever you are, without ever having to remember to charge it. Perfect for work, play, and travel.
Unlike power banks, JUMP charges automatically every time you charge your phone, giving you complete reassurance that whatever situation you are in, there’s always power in your pocket.
Jump is ultra compact (1.9 inches), weighing less than two AA batteries and fitting easily into a pocket. The 800mAh battery pack delivers an extra 1/3 charge, which equates to an additional 3 hours and 50 minutes of talk time or web browsing.
The Jump is currently a Kickstarter project and can be pre-ordered for a $35 pledge. Currently, the project has received just over half of its funding with 36 days to go and will begin shipping to backers in May of 2014 if full funding is reached.
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CES 2014: CubeSensors Monitor Air Quality and Other Environmental Factors [iOS Blog]
At CES this week, a new product was introduced to monitor a variety of home environmental factors in an effort to improve quality of life for its buyers. The CubeSensor is a small cube with seven sensors to “help you live better”, according to the company that makes them.
The small devices measure air quality, temperature, humidity, noise, light, and atmospheric pressure and notify users via visual and push notifications so they can make adjustments as needed to improve their environment. A room could be too bright to sleep well, or too dark to work, and users may not notice that their environment could be negatively affecting them.
The idea behind the project comes from consumers growing increasingly interested in data about their own lives, especially where health and fitness are concerned. Yet there’s no all-encompassing product that monitors the health level of your own environment.
Knowing that people often care a great deal about the aesthetics of the home, CubeSensors was designed to be discreet and attractive, with the option to be wirelessly connected (and charged periodically) or plugged in.
CubeSensors are available in 2, 4 or 6 packs, along with a base station, for $300 to $600. They are expected to ship later in the first quarter of 2014.
The CubeSensor demo app is available via the company’s website to see what sort of information the cube shares with its owners.
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CES 2014: LG Debuts Earphones That Monitor Heart Rate [iOS Blog]
LG yesterday announced a new set of fitness-oriented earphones, which are designed to offer real-time heart monitoring. The earphones, which connect to a small medallion that is strapped on an arm or waistband, track both metabolic rate and maximum oxygen consumption while allowing users to listen to music. They function through sensors that measure blood flow through the inner ear.
In addition, the Heart Rate Monitor Earphones include an accelerometer that measures a wide range of data, including distance, calories burned, steps taken, and more. It also includes hi-fi sound and a built-in microphone for phone calls.
It’s never been easier —or more tuneful—to track your metabolic rate and cardiovascular fitness (VO2 max). And it’s all accomplished with LG’s revolutionary HRM Earphone Heart Rate Monitor. Because of the unique physiology of the ear, users can count on health and fitness metrics with none of the inconvenience of chests strap measuring devices.
The add-on medallion that connects to the earphones serves as a data processing hub that sends real-time biometric information to an iPhone via Bluetooth, which can be accessed by the LG Fitness app. The earphones are also designed to work in conjunction with LG’s recently announced Lifeband Touch activity monitor. Along with the LG app, the earphones can sync with popular third-party apps like MyFitnessPal and Runkeeper.
The earphones will ship during the first half of 2014 and will retail for $179.99.
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