Nest ‘Instaclips’ capture highlights with a single click
Time-lapse photography is super cool, but doing it yourself is a pretty involved undertaking. The folks at Nest want to take the work out of it though. With a new feature for Nest Aware subscribers you can make a short “instaclip” of the video footage it’s grabbing. The outfit says that its algorithms work to look for the beginning and end of the action (like when people start setting a table or decorating a room for the holidays, as an example), but you can dictate where the video starts and stops as well. Once you’re done perfecting the footage, you can share the clip however you’d like from within the app.
The company also announced that it’s bringing additional parity between its Android and iOS applications, and that when an alert pops on the latter, you can watch a short video within the notification itself. “So you can get a person alert, press and hold to watch a video of who’s there, then go into the app to instantly make a clip,” Nest says.
What’s more, you can watch these clips and full video feeds on an Android TV as well, monitoring each camera in your house right from your flatscreen. Perfect for when you want to swap from watching The Matrix Revolutions, to role-playing as the Architect yourself. Nest says that the functionality is coming soon to Apple TV, too.
Source: Nest
Nexar’s dashcam app is free, but at the cost of your data
We likely aren’t going to get flying cars anytime soon, but we will have self-driving ones. They’ll be packed to the gills with sensors to keep us safe and sound as we Snapchat ourselves cruising down the highway, bellowing along to our favorite Urfaust tracks. But those are a ways off, and the phone in your pocket already has a pretty solid set of sensors in it. Plus, using a device you already own is far more economical than buying a new car. That’s where Nexar’s dashcam app comes in. A $7 mount holds a phone, while the free app uses your gizmo’s onboard accelerometer, cameras and microphone do the rest of the work.
Nexar’s promise is that when enough drivers start using the app, the vehicle-to-vehicle network will alert folks of accidents seconds ahead of time, giving you a larger window for avoiding one yourself. Say, if someone does a hard stop a few cars ahead of you, you’ll get an alert about it. Or if you have an issue, other drivers using the app will get a ping saying what’s up so they have a chance to plan around it. It uses machine learning too, so over time, and with enough users, the app should progressively get better at predictions. This week, New York and San Francisco went online with the service, and it’s available on both Android and iOS.
As Wired notes, however, there’s no such thing as free lunch: Because the Nexar app is constantly using your phone’s camera to survey the road, it’s sending all that data back to its Israel-based servers for analysis. So, the more it’s used, the better the system gets. Opting in to the app means that Nexar has every right to do whatever it wants with your data, including sell it to third parties. Apparently, insurance companies have started tapping into this to offer people rewards for good driving. And though the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration says there isn’t a formal agreement in place, Wired says Nexar has agreed to share driving data with the government.
Oh, and the company is even planning to roll out driving scores, assigned by driving habits and tied to license plate numbers, as well. What’s more, there’s no word what the constant video transmission will do to your monthly data cap, either. What’s a little driving data amongst friends, though, right?
Via: Wired
Source: Nexar, Google Play, iTunes
Full Fact wants to automate fact checking to fight fake news
“If we can’t discriminate between serious arguments and propaganda, then we have problems.” That’s President Obama speaking to the threat of outright fake and inaccurate news. In an effort to combat this, and ensure that people are well-informed, UK charity Full Fact is trying to make fact checking fully automated. So far it’s working on UK-focused stuff like what members of Parliament say during addresses, and claims made by trade groups in addition to print, online and broadcast media organizations, according to TechCrunch. But in the future, it plans to cross the Atlantic.
Full Fact staffers will keep checking a claim even after their initial report publishes, too, will address corrections and retractions from sources as well. The human touch is key, because sometimes analyzing what’s available requires context and judgment, according to project director Will Moy.
“Some types of claims can be handled as easily as spellcheck, including claims that were fact checked by human beings before,” he told TechCrunch. “But some claims will always require human judgment, for example, about what’s a fair and balanced way of expressing things, or what methods of analysis should be applied to answer a question about crime.”
The primary aim is giving journalists the tools needed to see if a statement made on out of date statistics, or patently wrong, but Full Fact wants its tools to help inform the people who read news in addition to writing it as well. The current plan is for mobile and web apps, and to help get there, Google’s Digital News Initiative (GDNI) has contributed some EURO 50,000 ($53,113) to help make that happen. Full Fact says that to guard against conflicts of interest, it’s limiting a single entity from donating more than 15 percent of its total funding.
From GDNI’s donation overview:
“FACTS will be the first fully automated factchecking tool: our original technology will recognise claims in political debates and online media and immediately alert journalists if they are inaccurate. FACTS will give journalists the killer question the moment they need it. It will save time, when journalists have never had less.
It will help stop misinformation spreading through the news. It will help journalism maintain the credibility that audiences demand. Our tool has two modes. One identifies claims we have factchecked before and provides a verdict.
The most innovative mode factchecks claims automatically using statistical analysis—something never done before.”
Source: Google Digital News Initiative, TechCrunch
Three UK breach puts millions of customers at risk
If you thought the last 12 months was pretty bad for data breaches, The company has confirmed that attackers successfully managed to access a database of 9 million customers using a stolen employee login, according to The Telegraph. The National Crime Agency says three men have been arrested but investigators are still piecing together who has been affected.
Telegraph sources believe that as many as six million records may have been accessed, which are thought to contain names, phone numbers, addresses and dates of birth. Three says no financial information has been stolen. Three was only alerted to a possible breach when customers began complaining that scam callers were trying to gain access to their bank accounts.
A spokesman for Three said: “Over the last four weeks Three has seen an increasing level of attempted handset fraud. This has been visible through higher levels of burglaries of retail stores and attempts to unlawfully intercept upgrade devices.”
“We’ve been working closely with the Police and relevant authorities. To date, we have confirmed approximately 400 high value handsets have been stolen through burglaries and eight devices have been illegally obtained through the upgrade activity.”
“The investigation is ongoing and we have taken a number of steps to further strengthen our controls. In order to commit this type of upgrade handset fraud, the perpetrators used authorised logins to Three’s upgrade system. This upgrade system does not include any customer payment, card information or bank account information.”
News of the attack comes after the high-profile hack of TalkTalk in October 2015. which saw almost 160,000 customers have their details stolen. The quad-play provider was fined £400,000 for not properly safeguarding customer information and has spent the past 12 months trying to stop customers jumping ship. Earlier this week, a 17-year-old boy pleaded guilty to his role in the attack.
The National Crime Agency confirmed the arrests in the following statement: “On Wednesday 16 November 2016, officers from the National Crime Agency arrested a 48-year old man from Orpington, Kent and a 39-year old man from Ashton-under-Lyne, Manchester on suspicion of computer misuse offences, and a 35-year old man from Moston, Manchester on suspicion of attempting to pervert the course of justice.”
“All three have since been released on bail pending further enquiries. As investigations are on-going no further information will be provided at this time.”
Source: The Telegraph
Apple will fix iPhone 6 Plus ‘touch disease,’ for $149
A number of iPhone 6 owners and independent repair techs have been complaining for months about something called “touch disease” killing their phones, and now Apple is responding. The problem’s symptoms have been described as a flickering gray bar across the top of the screen and problems with the touchscreen responsiveness, which continue to get worse until it’s addressed or the phone is unusable. Repair techs like Jessa Jones have reported seeing multiple devices per day afflicted by the same problem, with no end in sight.
Going by Apple’s description of its “Multi-Touch Repair Program for iPhone 6 Plus,” the problem is really the owner’s fault, caused by “being dropped multiple times on a hard surface and then incurring further stress on the device.” Still, if you have the problem and your screen isn’t cracked, Apple says it will fix the issue for $149, and its repair program is available for five years after the original sale date.
That’s less than the usual out of warranty repair price of $329, but it’s not free, and it does nothing for people who opted to replace their phone instead of fixing it. Some owners have reportedly filed lawsuits against Apple concerning the issue, and it remains to be seen how this will affect their progress. If you’ve already paid to have an iPhone 6 Plus repaired due to the problem, Apple says it will reimburse the difference between that cost and $149, if you used its service or an authorized technician.
While some have reported similar problems with the smaller iPhone 6, there’s no indication of a program for owners of that device. In a blog post on iFixit, Jones noted the larger size of the 6 Plus made it more susceptible to the problem, despite reinforcements implemented to resolve the phone’s tendency to bend. The actual problem seems to come from the touch controller chip separating from the phone’s logic board, which is why twisting the device can sometimes fix it for a short time.
Via: 9to5Mac
Source: Apple
Google goes after Pixel resellers by locking their accounts
Google has taken severe measures against Pixel buyers who violated its terms of service. Around 200 people purchased the phones via Project Fi and shipped them directly to a reseller in sales tax-free state New Hampshire, according to bargain-hunting site Dan’s Deals. The phones were then resold to others, and the small profit split with the buyers. However, Google’s terms dictate that buyers may not “commercially resell” any device and it locked their accounts, denying access to photos, emails and other personal data.
The dealer in question has been doing similar transactions since the original Nexus phone without any blowback from Google, according to Dan Eleff, the owner of Dan’s Deals. This time, however, Mountain View effectively gave users a “digital death penalty,” by issuing a straight-up ban with zero warning, he says. “I’m not defending those who violated the terms of the sale, but I do think it is heavy-handed for Google to block access to all of their services for doing so.”
Many users on Dan’s Deals’ forums weren’t very sympathetic to buyers, arguing that Google was within its rights to ban them. However, the move might put a chill down Google users’ spines when they realize how easily they could be cut off from their data. As Eleff points out, buyers could lose access to things like “gift cards, bills, travel confirmations and work documents,” throwing their lives into disarray.
I’m not defending those who violated the terms of the sale, but I do think it is heavy-handed for Google to block access to all of their services for doing so.
Other companies, including Amazon and Ubisoft have also banned users (for returning too many items and exploiting shoddy code), but most aren’t as big a part of people’s lives as Google. Mountain View has reportedly cancelled around 500 orders, but as yet, hasn’t restored the functionality of any users’ accounts. The dealer in question (who hasn’t been named) says he’s willing to return all the phones if Google agrees to give buyers their data back.
The lesson here, says Eleff, is “don’t mess with Google,” but another teaching moment might be about backups. As many forum users point out, you can use Google’s Takeout service to get a local backup of all your data, in case, God forbid, it shuts the door on you. We’ve reached out to Google for more information about the matter.
Via: The Guardian
Source: Dan’s Deals
Bloomberg: An OLED iPhone is coming next year
OLEDs make for better displays because they draw less power and provide much nicer color reproduction. The only thing stopping them from being on every smartphone in the world is that they’re a hassle to make. It’s one of the reasons that an OLED iPhone remains as much-rumored as Half-Life 2: Episode Three. Bloomberg, however, believes that we’ll see the device hit store shelves in limited quantities by next year. At least, that’s what Apple is planning, but like the sapphire crystal display that never was, these things can always change.
The story claims that the change will coincide with a radical new design for the iPhone to celebrate its 10th anniversary. It will be “all glass,” with an edge-to-edge design and a virtual home button in place of the physical one we currently have. But Bloomberg also says that Apple wants to push an OLED iPhone in 2017, despite there being some obvious supply constrains that it can avoid if it just waited a year. It’s believed that suppliers like Samsung, LG, Sharp and Japan Display will only be able to meet Apple’s demand by 2018.
The report says that, in a rush to get OLED out of the door, it will release one device with the specification rather than across the whole line. It doesn’t seem likely that Apple would so radically bifurcate its iPhone product line beyond the two different sizes it already offers (not counting the iPhone SE). The only main difference between the iPhone 7 and its larger sibling is display size, battery capacity and an improved camera. To introduce an OLED display (and a new design) on one and not the other seems uncharacteristic.
Then again, looking at Apple’s strategy with the new MacBook Pro: keeping a lower-priced version with function keys around since the Touch Bar hardware itself is too expensive. Although it seems like it would annoy more customers than it would delight, especially since the company makes a big deal of introducing new technologies across both of its devices. It would also muddy the sensible “Small,” “Big,” “Bigger” philosophy that the company has going on across its mobile range, and make things much more like the cluttered iPad landscape.
Source: Bloomberg
Huawei’s MediaPad M3 is out now for $299
After launching in Europe this September, Huawei’s high-end Android tablet has finally made its way stateside. Available now to order on Amazon, the 8.4-inch MediaPad M3 ships on November 20th. Although Europe got 32GB, 64GB and 128GB versions, complete with 4G and WiFi options, only the 32GB WiFi model has made it over to the US, priced at $299.
Announced at this year’s IFA, the MediaPad M3 is a tablet with an unsurprising focus on media. Huawei is aiming to court those who love watching movies on the go with the M3, as it boasts a 2,560 x 1,600 display, high resolution audio support, Harmon Kardon-certified speakers and a generous 5,100mAh battery. Additionally, Huawei says its 10.1-inch MediaPad M2, another tablet already available in Europe, will join the M3 in the US next month.
Source: Amazon
Engadget giveaway: Win an Honor 8 smartphone courtesy of Huawei!
There’s something personal about a smartphone. It stays with you day-to-day or, heck, even moment-to-moment, so it helps to have a sleek design and quality camera on board to capture the moments you experience. Huawei’s recently released Honor 8 fits the bill, offering a premium exterior and the increasingly popular dual camera setup.
On the outside, the 5.2-inch Honor 8 is sheathed in subtly curved 2.5D glass with an aircraft-grade aluminum trim and the ability to catch light in artistic ways. The 12-megapixel dual camera gives you the tools to capture scenes in full splendor and the 8-megapixel front-facing cam will make your selfies shine. Huawei’s own EMUI 4.0 OS is laid upon an Android 6.0 foundation and its fast-charging battery will help you keep your life moving. With all these flourishes, the $400 price makes it a great option for your next pocketable life partner. This week, Huawei has provided us with one of its Honor 8 smartphones for a lucky reader to enjoy in time for the holidays. All you need to do is head to the Rafflecopter widget below for up to three chances at winning!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
- Entries are handled through the Rafflecopter widget above. Comments are no longer accepted as valid methods of entry. You may enter without any obligation to social media accounts, though we may offer them as opportunities for extra entries. Your email address is required so we can get in touch with you if you win, but it will not be given to third parties.
- Contest is open to all residents of the 50 States, the District of Columbia, and Canada (excluding Quebec), 18 or older! Sorry, we don’t make this rule (we hate excluding anyone), so direct your anger at our lawyers and contest laws if you have to be mad.
- Winners will be chosen randomly. One (1) winner will receive one (1) Huawei Honor 8 smartphone ($399 value).
- If you are chosen, you will be notified by email. Winners must respond within three days of being contacted. If you do not respond within that period, another winner will be chosen. Make sure that the account you use to enter the contest includes your real name and a contact email. We do not track any of this information for marketing or third-party purposes.
- This unit is purely for promotional giveaway. Engadget and AOL are not held liable to honor warranties, exchanges or customer service.
- The full list of rules, in all its legalese glory, can be found here.
- Entries can be submitted until Nov. 18th at 11:59PM ET. Good luck!
Firefox Focus brings easy private browsing to your iPhone
Many modern smartphone web browsers have private modes. They’re rarely turned on by default, however, and you may have to wade through settings just to make sure you’re a ghost online. Mozilla wants to try something different: it’s launching a browser for iOS that revolves around privacy. Firefox Focus isn’t very sophisticated (you don’t even get multiple tabs), but it blocks ad, analytics and social trackers by default, with simple sliders used to turn tracking on and off. Also, see that conspicuous “erase” button up top? Hit that and it immediately wipes your current browser history — all the evidence of your gift shopping goes away in a moment.
You can take your browsing to extremes if you want. There’s an option to block more content trackers if you’re not worried about breaking site compatibility, and you can disable sites’ custom web fonts if they’re bogging you down. You still have the option of jumping into standard Firefox or Safari if you want to load a page in a more conventional browser.
There’s no question that Firefox Focus is a one-trick pony, and it’s not completely necessary when Mozilla’s content blocker for Safari (confusingly named Focus by Firefox) is still around. However, that single-minded strategy might be Mozilla’s ace in the hole. Firefox faces an uphill battle gaining share on iOS when Safari is the default, and Chrome is easily the most popular alternative. How is it supposed to stand out? Well, Firefox Focus does — it could be your go-to option when you’re determined to remain invisible.
As for other platforms? Mozilla tells us that it will “consider building a similar product” for Android if the iOS version proves successful. In the meantime, anti-tracking measures are already available in both the desktop and mobile editions of Firefox.
Source: App Store
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