Pebble Says Existing Smartwatch Services Will Continue to Function Through 2017

Pebble has moved to reassure its customers that software and services will continue to run through 2017, following Fitbit’s acquisition of the company last week.

Fitbit bought out Pebble for its software assets, not for its hardware, which has concerned many existing owners of Pebble smartwatches about the continued functionality of their devices. Today, however, Pebble sought to allay fears by confirming in a blog post that services would continue as normal for at least another year.

Fitbit is going out of its way to keep Pebble software and services running through 2017. To be clear, no one on this freshly-formed team seeks to brick Pebble watches in active service. The Pebble SDK, CloudPebble, Timeline APIs, firmware availability, mobile apps, developer portal, and Pebble appstore are all elements of the Pebble ecosystem that will remain in service at this time.

Pebble said it has “seen a massive influx of community developers teaming up to keep the Pebble watch experience alive, long into the future,” but as TechCrunch notes, what that means for third-party apps developed for the smartwatch remains unclear.

In addition, Pebble said that it was working on an update for release in the coming months that will ensure the normal operation of core Pebble functions, including Pebble Health, once the company’s cloud services close down.

Tags: Pebble, Fitbit
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Project Fi vending machine hands out free travel goodies to subscribers

Project Fi subscribers get free travel goodies.

If you’re traveling through San José International Airport, you should stop by the new Project Fi vending machine. The Project Fi Travel Trolley (as it’s called) is located across from gate 25, and is handing out free travel goodies to Fi subscribers, including eye masks, socks, and charging cables.

Traveling through SJC? Check out the new Project Fi Travel Trolley filled with goodies for subscribers. #flywithFi pic.twitter.com/W8O4xvUGyd

— Project Fi (@projectfi) December 14, 2016

If you’re a Fi subscriber, you can generate a unique QR code by dialing *#*#FLYWITHFI#*#* (that’s *#*#359948434#*#*) on your phone. Once you get the QR code, hold it up to the machine and choose your free item. To prevent abuse, you’re only eligible for one free goodie every 24 hours.

It’s certainly a nifty service and a great way to brand Project Fi offline. All Google has to do now is bring these vending machines to more airports across the country.

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Second Android 7.0 Nougat beta build rolling out to the OnePlus 3

Expect a final Nougat update for the OnePlus 3 before the end of the year.

OnePlus is rolling out a new Android 7.0 Nougat build for the OnePlus 3. The official Nougat release is slated for the end of the year, but OnePlus is offering a preview of the changes to come with the Open Beta program. The first beta build for the device was made available at the end of last month, and today’s update includes stability and UI optimizations, as well as a new expanded screenshot feature.

Here’s what’s new in OxygenOS Open Beta 9:

• Added Expanded Screenshots
• Shelf Design Optimizations
• General UI Optimizations
• DPI Optimizations
• Battery Performance Optimizations
• Stability and Performance Optimizations
• General bug fixes

You’ll be able to sideload the build by downloading it from OnePlus’ forums, which will enable you to get further updates. However, if you’re on the beta channel, you won’t receive updates for stable OxygenOS releases. You’ll have to flash your phone to an official release to continue receiving updates, a process that involves wiping all data on your device.

OnePlus 3 and OnePlus 3T

• OnePlus 3 review: Finally, all grown up
• The OnePlus 3T is official
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Volkswagen Golf GTI Clubsport Edition 40 review: The retro-inspired hot hatch

The fact that the GTI Clubsport even exists is a miracle in itself. Volkswagen already offers the brilliantly capable GTI and the Golf R for those needing extra spice, while the fallout from an emissions scandal has seen the entire Volkswagen group withdraw from publicising anything overtly sporting or CO2-emitting.

We should be thankful, then, that engineers decided to celebrate the 40th birthday of one of the most influential hot hatches on the planet with a complete rascal of a machine.

The changes, tweaks and additional niceties on the Clubsport may seem subtle from afar. Slip behind the wheel, however, and all becomes clear: this is true front-wheel-drive menace that manages to give a gigantic nod to the golden era of hot hatches without compromising on the mod cons.

Volkswagen Golf GTI Clubsport Edition 40 review: History repeating

Volkswagen isn’t averse to celebrating the birthday of one of its most successful models and the Clubsport 40 Edition follows in the footsteps of the 25th, 30th and 35th anniversary offerings, but 40 genuinely feels special.

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Need proof? The Clubsport Edition 40 very briefly held on to the title of “most powerful GTI”, shortly before having it ripped from its grasp by the insane and super-limited Clubsport S.

Just 400 of the aforementioned mean machines were put into production worldwide, with just 150 making their way to the UK. But the tried and tested 2.0-litre turbo-charged engine was tuned to develop an almighty 306bhp in that machine. It lapped the ‘Ring in 7min 49.21secs thanks to it being stripped of rear seats and other such niceties, bettering Honda’s Civic Type R by 1.4 seconds and shaming the list of other front-wheel-drive hot hatches attempting to take the title.

Fortunately, the slightly more sedate Clubsport model, which we’ve been driving, is almost as powerful, generating 262bhp under normal driving conditions – but offering around 288bhp when a temporary boost function kicks in.

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The Clubsport also packs five doors, comfortable seats – you know, those things your family and friends can sit on – and all of the interior gizmos one expects of a modern Golf. Yet it manages to retain a certain old school hot hatch charm that’s been missing from the market for too long now.

Volkswagen Golf GTI Clubsport Edition 40 review: What lies beneath

The secret to the Clubsport Edition 40’s loveable personality is the extensive list of changes that have been made to the suspension and steering. For example, it boasts an all-new spring layout, re-tuned dampers and improved aerodynamic flourishes that combine to make a car that loves to be thrown through the bends.

Where the Golf R grips like a sloth covered in No More Nails, the Clubsport Edition 40 wriggles and shimmies through the corners, hinting that it’s happy to indulge in some lift-off oversteer if you’ve got the cojones.

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The steering is also sharp and precise. Granted, it doesn’t offer the sort of feedback afforded by something like a Caterham, but it means the car can be placed through a corner with confidence.

Let’s no forget that engine, either. The Gold’s transverse mounted 2.0-litre TSI turbocharged four-cylinder unit may be found in plenty of VW products but it doesn’t fail to deliver the goods.

When mated to the slick manual gearbox, it can be revved to the limit and wrung out for every Newton Meter of torque it possesses. The DSG auto gearbox isn’t quite as engaging but it’s rapid enough to provide thrills and comes into its own on long motorway slogs.

Volkswagen Golf GTI Clubsport Edition 40 review: Retro flair

To add to the nostalgic charm of the driving experience, Volkswagen has seen fit to throw in a wide black stripe, which runs from the front to rear wheels. It’s a knowing nod to the original GTI of 1976.

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There are also plenty of modern touches, which stand it head and shoulders above the regular GTI range: including a larger boot lip spoiler, 18-inch Quantra alloy wheels, an Alcantara-wrapped steering wheel and optional, figure-hugging sports bucket seats at the front.

It looks great, if a tad understated, but that has always been the appeal of a Golf: you can thrash it around a country lane and then arrive at the school gates without feeling and looking like a complete buffoon.

Volkswagen Golf GTI Clubsport Edition 40 review: Kit bag

Granted, there’s nothing groundbreaking about the infotainment offering but VW’s Discover Navigation system with a 6.5-inch colour touchscreen does everything you ask of it.

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There’s DAB radio, 2D and 3D mapping, plus dynamic navigation based on TMC+ technology. VW will even throw in a three-year subscription to Car-Net Guide and Inform, which gives you online access to live traffic, fuel pricing, parking, weather and news feeds via a built-in SIM card.

The test car we drove also benefited from the Car-Net App Connect optional extra, which costs an additional £130 but sees Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and MirrorLink thrown in for tethering the compatible smartphone to the touchscreen system via a USB slot. It’s a little cheeky this isn’t thrown in for free, considering the Clubsport 40 Edition costs in excess of £30,000 and that less expensive Skodas feature the tech as standard.

Verdict

The Golf GTI Clubsport Edition 40 is a wonderful car with just enough engineering extras and additional power to make it worth spending the extra dosh to buy.

Those wanting truly blistering performance and seemingly unending levels of grip should stick with the Golf R, but if you have a taste for old school hot hatches and don’t want to deal with a rust bucket, the Clubsport Edition 40 is the one.

Limited edition appeal, a fantastic chassis and handling characteristics that hark back to the 1980’s, what’s not to like? We’re in modern day retro love.

Prescription lenses for Snapchat’s Spectacles just got cheaper

While Snapchat’s Spectacles are pretty neat, they’re not ideal for those who need prescription lenses. A couple weeks ago, however, Rochester Optical announced that it would offer corrective lenses for the video-recording glasses for only $99. That sounds pretty good, right? Well, GlassesUSA announced today that it would offer the same thing starting at only $29 for single vision lenses.

The catch here is that you’ll need to have your very own pair of Snapchat Spectacles to start with. That’s because you’re only ordering the lenses themselves. Simply enter in your prescription and then you can choose from a variety of lenses such as reflective lenses, tinted sunglasses, transition lenses, computer “digital block” lenses” and more. Once you receive the lenses through the mail, you’ll be able to “snap” those lenses in place yourself by following a how-to tutorial. There’s no need to send the Specs to a specialty retailer.

It all seems pretty easy enough, though the trick is getting those Snapchat Spectacles in the first place. Better head on over to New York City to get your pair now.

Source: Glasses USA

Just Eat devours takeaway rival Hungryhouse for £200 million

Just Eat, ravenous for global expansion, has bought rivals Hungryhouse and SkipTheDishes for £266 million. The two acquisitions will help the company to consolidate its position as one of the biggest food delivery startups on the planet. In the UK, Hungryhouse is one of its biggest rivals, with close but not quite equal marketing spend and brand recognition. Buying the brand from Delivery Hero for £200 million will increase Just Eat’s scale and remove any threat it once posed. Likewise, picking up SkipTheDishes will bolster its business in Canada, while removing a potentially dangerous chess piece from an increasingly cluttered board.

Indeed, Just Eat’s competition is rife. Countless startups want to be the service that connects restaurants with would-be takeaway customers. Scale is critical, however, and those who fail to win the public’s favour are often gobbled up by their competition. Just Eat will now be focused on Deliveroo, Uber and Amazon in the UK. All three have made efforts to connect with businesses that typically don’t work with delivery startups. Deliveroo has Pizza Express, Wagamama and Gourmet Burger Kitchen, while Uber Eats has Chilango, Pho and Snog. Just Eat will need similar relationships, or something equally compelling — cheap prices, perhaps — to stay at the top of the food chain. Like adorable delivery robots?

Source: Just Eat

Evernote’s New Privacy Policy Lets Staff Read Customers’ Notes ‘to Improve the Service’

Some users of Evernote have threatened to stop using the note-taking service after the company announced a new privacy policy scheduled to go into effect on January 24 that effectively allows employees to read customers’ notes.

The policy changes are related to machine learning algorithms, says Evernote, which are being tested on user content that the company has accumulated since going into operation. Specifically, Evernote explained that staff may need to read customer notes in order to ensure the algorithms are working as they should.

The latest update to the Privacy Policy allows some Evernote employees to exercise oversight of machine learning technologies applied to account content. While our computer systems do a pretty good job, sometimes a limited amount of human review is simply unavoidable in order to make sure everything is working exactly as it should.

In describing this position more succinctly, Evernote’s privacy policy states that employees will look at notes “for troubleshooting purposes or to maintain and improve the Service”. But some users are concerned about the vague wording of the clause, which journalist Stacy-Marie Ishmael has called “so broad as to be all inclusive”. Meanwhile, some users have taken to social media to join a growing chorus of revolt.

Evernote says that only a limited number of employees who have undergone background checks will be able to access note content and that users can encrypt notes to prevent staff from reading them.

But while users can opt out of having their notes reviewed for machine learning purposes, Evernote can still access content for other reasons, including violations of terms of service, to protect the rights, property, or personal safety of Evernote and its users, or to comply with law enforcement requests, warrants, or court orders.

Users can read more about the new changes to Evernote’s privacy policy here.

Tags: Evernote, privacy
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