Todoist’s business platform has a new activity log and notifications
Todoist has long been one of the best task management / to-do services out there. It works on just about every platform you could ask for and is frequently updated with useful features. But one of its main competitors, Wunderlist, has the power of Microsoft behind it, so Todoist needs to keep improving its product to keep up. One of the big focuses for the company over the next year or so will be its business platform, and that starts today.
Probably the most noteworthy new feature in Todoist Business is an activity log that can be filtered in a wide variety of ways. You’ll be able to see how everyone in your team is progressing on the various projects they’re assigned to, and you can sort by dates, people and projects to get a more focused view of exactly how things are moving forward. Another way to view progress is by sorting by tasks added, updated, completed, uncompleted and deleted tasks, and added comments. It’s a pretty dizzying array of seeing what’s going on in your team — but if you’re using Todoist to track a big set of projects and team members, it should help you see how things are moving forward.
Each project also has a new unified “notes” area where the project leader can share details; you can also attach files to your comments and also notify team members when you add things to that thread. To keep things from getting overly cluttered, notifications are grouped and collapsed by default so you don’t get one every single time something in a project is updated.
The last update is a tweak to Todoist’s “quick add” feature that lets you use natural language to add tasks to your to-do lists. Now in addition to quickly adding recurring tasks on specific dates, you can also easily specify specific users and projects in the quick add field. Todoist says the quick add features will now work the same across all platforms, including iOS and Android.
Of course, a “business” offering doesn’t come for free — Todoist’s corporate product costs $28.99 per user, per year. That’s the same price as the single-user “premium” offering that’s more focused at individuals rather than businesses. It’s not exactly in expensive, particularly if your organization is a large one, but Todoist promises that there will be a whole host of new features for business subscribers coming out between now and 2017. While you don’t want to sign up for something based on potential future features, Todoist’s paid offering is already quite robust. And, it’s cheaper than Wunderlist Pro, to boot. It’s still probably a coin flip as to which is better, but Todoist is still definitely worth your consideration.
Amazon made flipping through books on Kindles and tablets easier
As useful (and as crazy-svelte) as e-readers can be, there’s something terribly satisfying about thumbing through a sheaf of processed plant matter with words on it. While you’ll never get the same sensory experience using a Kindle, Amazon at least tried to make it easier to skim through digital books, and you’ll get your chance to try it for yourself today. The feature’s called PageFlip, and it’s coming to Amazon’s Kindle app for iOS and Android, along with certain Kindle readers and Fire tablets by way of an automatic, over-the-air update.
PageFlip, in short, is basically the digital equivalent of sticking your thumb between two pages and scouting through the rest of a book looking for the juicy bits. If you’re using the Kindle app on a tablet or phone, tapping on a page gives you a zoomed-out view of that page, along with a progress bar along the bottom to mark your place in the book.
While you flick through the pages, a little window remains in the corner of the screen — that’s the page you just came from, and one tap brings you back to where you left off. If that doesn’t get you skimming through prose fast enough, there’s also a grid view option that shows off even more pages at once. Even better, page previews — be they big or packed into the grid — change on the fly when you fiddle with your margin, line spacing and typeface settings.
Getting PageFlip to work on Kindles was a little trickier, considering the differences in displays, refresh rates and touch sensitivity. Still, the concept scales to these more basic devices without much trouble — you’ll be able to pin pages and view the grid (albeit with less detail), and there is a pair of new shortcut buttons to help you jump between chapters. Simple enough, no?
I didn’t spend much time with PageFlip, but there was one thought I couldn’t shake while I was seeing it: this would be kind of amazing to have before you buy a book. After all, who among us Luddite bound-book readers doesn’t thumb through a tome before trudging up to the checkout line? When asked, a pair of Kindle product managers declined to answer directly; they mentioned the “Look Inside” feature on book listings has been “really helpful,” so I wouldn’t expect much more than that for a while. Speaking of book listings, I haven’t been able to find a book that isn’t PageFlip-enabled, though Amazon concedes that not every digital book they carry is compatible right now.
ICYMI: The CGI car stand-in and smart pill dispenser
Today on In Case You Missed It: The Mill Blackbird is a vehicle chassis that car commercials can use as a stand-in, rather than getting to film with an actual new car. The Pillo is a smart medication dispenser that can recognize family members and automatically give their pill dosage. It’s up on Indiegogo now.
And we wanted you to see both the Converse sneakers made to play guitar with, and the autonomous light show that drums. As always, please share any interesting tech or science videos you find by using the #ICYMI hashtag on Twitter for @mskerryd.
Wileyfox Spark, Spark X, Spark+ specs
Affordable new handsets powered by CyanogenOS.
British startup Wileyfox has taken the wraps off its latest handsets at an event in London this morning — the Wileyfox Spark series, which consists of three different variants.
The base model, selling for £89.99, features a 5-inch 720p screen, a quad-core MediaTek processor, an 8-megapixel camera, 1GB of RAM and 8GB of storage. The Spark+ ups the storage to 16GB, RAM to 2GB and the camera to a 13-megapixel sensor, for £114.99. And at the upper end, the Spark X takes the internals of the Spark+ and adds a 5.5-inch 720p display, for £129.99.
You’ll find full details down below.
| Operating System | CyanogenOS 13, Android 6.0 | CyanogenOS 13, Android 6.0 | CyanogenOS 13, Android 6.0 |
| Size | 143×70.4×8.65mm | 143×70.4×8.65mm | 154.35×78.6×8.75mm |
| Weight | 134.5g | 134.5g | 162.9g |
| CPU | MediaTek MT6735A, quad-core 1.3GHz | MediaTek MT6735A, quad-core 1.3GHz | MediaTek MT6735, quad-core 1.3GHz |
| GPU | ARM Mali T720 | ARM Mali T720 | ARM Mali T720 |
| ROM | 8GB | 16GB | 16GB |
| RAM | 1GB | 2GB | 2GB |
| SIM | Dual microSIM | Dual microSIM | Dual microSIM |
| microSD | up to 32GB | up to 32GB | up to 32GB |
| Display | 5-inch 720p IPS LCD | 5-inch 720p IPS LCD | 5.5-inch 720p IPS LCD |
| Camera | 8MP AF, LED flash | 13MP AF, LED flash | 13MP AF, LED flash |
| Front Camera | 8MP FF | 8MP FF | 8MP FF |
| Battery | 2,200mAh removable | 2,200mAh removable | 3,000mAh removable |
Wileyfox unleashes the Spark — new Cyanogen OS phones starting at £89
British startup Wileyfox grabbed a lot of attention last year with its competitively priced Storm and Swift, and the company is now announcing its third smartphone, the Spark. Set to be available SIM-free for £89.99, the Spark offers a 5-inch 720p display, 1GB of RAM, 8GB internal storage, a microSD slot, and Cyanogen OS 13.0 atop Android 6.0 Marshmallow.
Other specs of the Spark include a MediaTek MT6735 SoC with a 1.3GHz quad-core CPU, 8MP cameras at the front and back, 4G and dual-SIM, and a 2200mAh battery. The phone comes in a Sandstone Black or White finish, and offers 2.5D curved glass at the front.
Wileyfox is also offering the Spark+, which bumps the internal storage to 16GB and RAM to 2GB, and the camera at the back to 13MP. Then there’s the Spark X, which offers a larger 5.5-inch 720p display and a 3000mAh battery, as well as 2GB of RAM and 16GB storage and a 13MP camera.
Pre-orders for the Spark series will kick off from later today on Wileyfox’s website and online retailers. Those pre-ordering from Amazon will receive a free protective case as well as free screen replacement insurance valid for one year.
The Spark retails for £89.99/€119.99, the Spark+ will set you back £114.99/€149.99, and the Spark X is debuting at £129.99/€169.99. The Spark will launch July 12, and will be joined by the Spark+ later next month. The Spark X will be hitting shelves early August.
Samsung is rolling out Android Marshmallow to Galaxy S5 Neo in Europe
Samsung has reportedly kicked off its Marshmallow rollout for the Galaxy S5 Neo in Europe. This latest release brings Android 6.0.1 to the handset, adding a bunch of new features and improvements to the overall experience. According to reports, the update build number is G903FXXU1BPD4.
You should receive the software release in due course, but if you’re rather impatient be sure to check for updates manually. Head to Settings, then About Device and hit the software update button to see if it’s available for your particular handset. Already rocking Marshmallow on your Galaxy S5 Neo? Let us know in the comments!
New TouchWiz UI shows off Galaxy Note 7’s likely software
The latest version of TouchWiz, currently in its beta form, suggests Samsung will introduce yet another visual refresh in its software when the Galaxy Note 7 launches. HDBlog published a video showing off the new beta software in an in-depth walkthrough.
While the software is undoubtedly still TouchWiz-esque in appearance there are plenty of positive changes in the latest beta version of Samsung’s custom UX. Overall, the entire experience seems a lot cleaner and more minimal, and there appears to be an emphasis from Sammy on making things much easier to find, which should mean getting to what you want more quickly.
Perhaps the biggest change is the revamped settings menu which groups settings options together. That means the initial settings screen has far fewer things in it since multiple options have been better categorised and condensed in to sections. For instance, connectivity settings are all under the connections category. And if you can’t find what you’re looking for, there’s a search option right at the top of the screen.
That search tool is something of a running theme in the beta. It’s also in the widget selection screen, to help you find specific app widgets, and it’s in the drop-down quick-settings screen.
On that note, it also appears as though Samsung is building more functionality in to the drop-down quick settings. Each of the quick-access toggles in that drop-down box seems to have more granular control within that interface too. Pressing and holding an individual toggle, or tapping the drop-down arrow shows you various customisation or settings options right on the screen, rather than take you to the settings menu.
The change of most intrigue is shown when the video host swipes up on a home screen app icon. Although clearly not ready for prime time, there seems to be a function whereby users will get quick access to a specific function of that app right from the home screen just by swiping up from an icon. With it being beta, it gives developers time to build in these feature shortcuts in to their apps before the software is publicly launched. Whether that’s quickly navigating home from Google Maps or taking a selfie with Instagram.
Although Samsung phones don’t have pressure-sensitive screens yet, this feature is very similar to the 3D Touch feature in iOS on the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus. It could perhaps hint that future Galaxy phones will have a “Force Touch” display, like the Huawei P9 Plus and Mate S. While we’re not sure if the Note 7 will have a pressure-sensitive screen, rumours have circled suggesting the Galaxy S8 might do.
With all of these changes and features in beta form now, and the software looking mostly finished, it would suggest a revamp is coming very soon to Samsung’s software. The very fact that we’re expecting a Galaxy Note 7 launch in August means this software is likely going to launch with the new handset.
Wileyfox Spark, Spark+ and Spark X are three new British-designed budget smartphones
Wileyfox has just taken the wraps off its latest phones and – just like last year – its smartphone lineup is seeking to shake-up the budget end of the market. Unlike last year however, it opted to release three different versions of a single device family.
At its launch event in London this morning, Wileyfox showed off the Spark, Spark+ and Spark X.
The Spark is an all-plastic soft-touch device bearing the company’s fox logo on the back and the trademark orange trim on both the black and white models. Its shape is rounded to make it feel comfortable in hand, and the front 2.5D Dragontrail glass is curved at the edges to blend in to the rounded finish, making it look somewhat seamless.
As you would expect, the three models vary in specification and in price. All three run Cyanogen 13.0 OS, which is based on Android 6.0 Marshmallow and thankfully support Android 6.0’s adoptable storage feature.
The base model, named the Spark, costs just £89.99 and features a five-inch 720p HD display. Other specs fit in line with its price point. It has just 8GB of built-in storage, 1GB of RAM and a quad-core MediaTek processor. The good news is that you can expand the storage with a microSD card, but only up to 32GB extra. What’s more, there’s a 2,200mAh battery that you can remove, and you’ll be able to buy spares if you need them.
As for cameras, we’re looking at an eight-megapixel sensor on both the front and rear of the phone.
If those specs seem a little on the low side, there is the Spark+ and Spark X too. The former of those is exactly the same as the Spark in size and screen resolution but has double the storage and RAM. It also has an upgraded 13-megapixel camera on the back and comes in a choice of colours, but costs £114.99 (£25 more).
As for the Spark X, the highest end model shares many of the Spark+’s specs, but is a bigger phone with a 5.5-inch 720p resolution display. It also has a bigger 3,000mAh battery and costs £129.99.
All three phones are available to pre-order direct from Wileyfox from today, with live orders kicking off on 12 July.
Wileyfox returns with three more affordable smartphones
Fledgling British smartphone brand Wileyfox debuted its first devices last autumn, and one of them ended up being seriously good value for money. Not to lose momentum following these initial launches, the company is back today with no less than three new handsets. At the most affordable end of the scale is the £90/€120 Spark, with the £115/€150 Spark + and £130/€170 Spark X making up the rest of this new family of devices.
As you might expect, the Spark doesn’t sport a killer spec sheet, but for under £100 you get a quad-core 1.3GHz Mediatek chip, 1GB of RAM and 8GB of expandable storage. These components sit behind a 5-inch, 720p LCD display, with 8-megapixel cameras on both sides of the dual-SIM device, powered by a 2,200mAh battery. Jump up to the pricier Spark + and you’re looking at the same processor married with double the RAM and storage (2GB and 16GB, respectively). Similarly, the display and battery capacity are identical, while the rear camera sensor gets a bump to 13 megapixels.
The daddy of the range is the £130 Spark X, which increases the screen size to 5.5 inches (still at 720p resolution) and the battery capacity to 3,000mAh, but is otherwise the same inside as the Spark +. Continuing Wileyfox’s existing software partnership, all the new smartphones run Cyanogen OS 13, based on Android 6.0 Marshmallow.
The cheapest Spark is available to pre-order from Wileyfox and other online retailers today, with deliveries expected from July 12th onwards. The Spark + and Spark X won’t be too far behind, though, launching towards the end of next month about a week apart.
Alphabet proposes scrapping buses in favor of Ubers
Sidewalk Labs, Alphabet’s smart cities think-tank, wants governments to scrap buses and other forms of public transport. That’s the headline stat coming out of a cache of documents obtained by the Guardian that reveals the firm’s plans for the city of Columbus, Ohio. The 15th largest city in the US recently won a Smart City challenge, complete with $50 million in extra funding from the Department of Transportation. One of the pillars of the proposals is to do away with the remnants of vital public services and scrapping subsidized travel for low-income workers. Instead, these people would be given discounted travel on certain ride-sharing services like Uber.
As part of the competition, Columbus will be handed Sidewalk’s traffic-management software, Flow, free of charge. The product is designed to monitor traffic levels using Google Maps and Waze, with the data coming out the other side used to improve transit routes. Another proposal that Sidewalk is proposing is a unified transit-map app that would compare the journey times and prices of various transportation options. That would make it similar to the app Citymapper, which often thinks around traditional mapping routes for more efficient outcomes.
As for the issue of parking, the proposals suggest that vacant lots would be turned into a market, similar to that of Uber. For instance, on busy days when everyone is heading into town, surge pricing would be activated to help manage demand. In addition, drivers would be directed towards empty spaces that they may not have otherwise found simply driving around the streets they know. In future, private garages and office lots (which are often unused on weekends) could be added to the system. The software isn’t all good, however, and would narc on you if you’ve outstayed your welcome — making it easier for futuristic parking attendants to fine you.
It’s fair to say that Alphabet may not be working in this space entirely out of a civic-minded desire to improve cities for the better. After all, it (and by it, we mean Google’s venture fund) quietly holds a stake in Uber and has its own, well-publicized project to develop a self-driving car that could operate as a cab. The paper also quotes MIT’s Carlo Ratti, who voiced a concern that Alphabet is effectively building itself a monopoly by not opening its platform up to other companies.
There’s also the issue that, in order to implement the proposals, Columbus will have to spend enormous sums of public money to make itself ready for the technology. And yet, the report believes that the city would only receive around $2.25 million for all of its trouble. Fortunately, nothing has yet been agreed, and it looks like some more scrutiny around the details could be worth everyone’s time.
Via: 9to5Google
Source: Guardian
