Garmin Virb Ultra 30 takes on GoPro Hero4 Black with 4K thrills of its own
Garmin has announced a 4K Ultra HD action camera that includes GPS, voice control and a colour LCD touchscreen for easy control.
The Garmin Virb Ultra 30 can shoot 4K video at 30 frames per second or, if you need extreme slow motion footage, 720p at 240fps.
It is waterproof thanks to an included, sealed case and can livestream footage at the touch of a button. It also has 3-axis stabilisation, and can take still photos at 12-megapixels.
Its voice command functionality enables users to bark orders at the camera, such as “OK Garmin, start recording” or “OK Garmin, remember that”.
The LCD touchscreen can be used when in the waterproof case or outside.
The Virb Ultra 30 hooks up to smartphone or tablet, which can then be used as a Wi-Fi remote control for the device. Garmin includes its Virb Edit software for desktops to cut and create videos, including an auto-create mode that builds clips based on the best moments.
It has started to rollout around the globe now, through retailers such as Amazon, although we’re still yet to see it listed on British retail sites. It is priced at $499.99 in the States and will retail for £449.99 in the UK.
Amazon Dash Buttons: 10 to get in the UK
Amazon Dash Buttons have launched in the UK allowing you to access Amazon’s one-click order service if you are a prime customer.
Each Dash Button costs £4.99 and comes with £4.99 credit – so are effectively free of charge. Setup is via Wi-Fi through the Amazon Prime app, but once linked will operate independently meaning all you have to do is press the button to order more product.
One press shows a blinking light, which turns green after around 10-15-seconds to demonstrate the order is accepted. An alert notification will follow to your device. And that’s it, job done. Dash Buttons’ batteries are said to last for years too.
With over 40 brands available at launch from cat food to Play-Doh there is plenty to choose from. Here are our top 10 favourite ones to get:
Ariel
Amazon
You always run out of washing power at the wrong time, and now when you go to get the last tablet out of the box you can press the button knowing that by the next day you’ll have a delivery of a new batch of washing up tablets. Handy
Get
Kleenex
Amazon
Like watching teary-eyed movies, or maybe you’re just one of those people that always have a cold? The Kleenex button is there for you to be able to press and order more tissues. Sadly you do have to wait at least a day for new ones to arrive before having a grizzle.
Get
Andrex
Amazon
We’ve all been there. Sat on the loo, done our business, only to realise the last person didn’t bother to tell you they had used the roll and that you need to order more. Whether it’s cursing your partner or your kids. A well placed button next to the toilet will stop you wonder just how painful using the cardboard roll actually is
Get
Durex
Amazon
Another one where some will wish Amazon did round the clock 24 hour delivery, but we can some unscrupulous cads having one in their sock draw ready to press when the box is empty.
Get
Huggies
Amazon
Buying nappies is boring, takes up loads of space in the shopping bag, and isn’t exactly the most stylish thing to be seen with one the way home from work. Buying them online makes sense, having them automatically delivered when you’re down to your last few because you’ve been savvy to press a button, even more so.
Get
Lenor
Amazon
Like the washing power above, but for softer. We aren’t sure about you, but we are always running out of one or the other in the Pocket-lint households.
Get
Derwent
Amazon
This is for the extreme artist, but Derwent have an Amazon Dash Button to let you re-order pencils without thinking about it. Stationary on tap sounds dangerous.
Get
Nerf
Amazon
I need more darts we hear you cry, and so does Amazon. Nerf has created a button just for you if you are under siege. Just don’t let the kids find this Dash Button though, otherwise we can quickly see a small armoury being built up in the following days and weeks as they eagerly press the button at the end of firefight.
Get
Finish
Amazon
Stick one of these dishwasher tablet ordering button under the sink and you’ll never need to worry about those inbetwen days when you can’t make it to the shops and are forced to wash the dishes like you are back at university.
Get
Play-Doh
Amazon
You know, for kids. Yep, even Play-Doh has got in on the Dash Button excitement allowing you to order more at the press of a button. The Amazon site isn’t clear though at the moment whether this is ordering a huge pack, single colours, or just something random. We kinda hope it’s the later just so spruce up the fun.
Get
DxO One camera for iPhone gets Wi-Fi update, new accessories available too
We first saw the DxO One camera – a 1-inch sensor unit that connects to the iPhone Lightning connector – in September 2015. We thought it had potential, but was a mix of high and low points. Now, with its fourth software update due 1 September 2016, it adds Wi-Fi connectivity to improve its capabilities. There are also forthcoming accessories.
The addition of Wi-Fi connectivity means the DxO One can be used remotely from the iPhone, with the phone used to control the unit on the same Wi-Fi network. That means, assuming the network is one and the same, the two devices can be spaced apart – whether an arm’s length or a couple of storeys, it’s up to you – for more creative control.
As the DxO One connects to the iPhone or iPad via the Lightning connector, it means the Wi-Fi data can be passed from phone to the camera, without the need to faff about setting up both components, which is a neat solution. In addition, Wi-Fi connectivity also means less lag than at launch, which is a notable benefit.
If you’re not in a Wi-Fi network area then the option for Wi-Fi direct means phone and camera can be paired to operate up to 45-metres away from one another – which is still pretty good going.
DxO
In addition to the Wi-Fi functionality, the new DxO One software will also bring better battery management via a new Autofocus On-Demand (AF-OD) feature, which will only focus after you ask the camera to; in addition to Mobile Smart Lighting, which is like DxO’s HDR (high dynamic range) option to equalise shadows and highlight detail in slight, medium or strong presets.
The new accessories comprise the DxO Stand, for tripod mounting, priced £20; the DxO Outdoor Shell, for waterproofing to 45-metres, including a tripod mount and GoPro mount, available in six colours, priced £50; the DxO Optical Adapter, a trio of snap-on 30.5mm filter threads, to add in your own filters, priced £20; and the DxO Zipped Pouch, a mini carry case for the camera, priced £20.
Looks as though the DxO One is on the up. It’s still only available for iPhone/iPad, of course, given its Lightning connector, priced £399. We have the refreshed model in hand, so will be updating our original review in due course to see whether the new software will iron out the low points we found at launch day.
READ: DxO One original review: The iPhone add-on camera’s highs and lows
Viceland brings ‘Bodega Boys’ podcast hosts to late night TV
The latest podcast-to-TV transfer hails from the Bronx, as Viceland announced plans for a late night talk show from Bodega Boys hosts Desus Nice and The Kid Mero. This is the 6 month-old channel’s first dive into late night programming that co-president Eddy Moretti tells Variety is aimed towards “a young, smart, affluent audience.” With a planned October launch, Desus & Mero could arrive on screens before we see in-development shows based on the Serial & Lore podcasts.
i used to hit the @VICE store on lafayette street for evisu tees and copies of the magazine. we done came full circle.
— Desus Nice (@desusnice) August 31, 2016
As a listener, I can confirm their unique viewpoint opens up discussions that cover web development with ColdFusion just as much as the importance of avoiding ableist language. For them, firsthand advice can include how to survive a long holiday weekend in Rikers or being unmasked on Gawker without suing the place into oblivion. The comedic duo has moved up from an online series, Desus vs. Mero, as well as spots on shows like Guy Code and Wild’n Out to carve out this late night spot. Their experience at creating digital-friendly content may help them avoid Larry Wilmore’s quick exit, or some of the growing pains noted with Chelsea Handler’s show on Netflix.
Source: Viceland (Twitter)
Corning’s latest Gorilla Glass will make wearables tougher
The latest Gorilla Glass variant out of Corning’s offices was specifically designed for wearables, which tend to be more exposed to damage than phones. Corning describes Gorilla Glass SR+ as a whole new composite that’s different from previous versions and is based on Project Phire. If you’ll recall, the company teased a new type of glass called Project Phire in 2015 that’s almost as scratch-resistant as sapphire.
Corning Gorilla Glass director Scott Forester said in a statement:
“In early 2015, Corning launched Project Phire with the goal of engineering glass-based solutions with the scratch resistance approaching luxury cover materials, combined with the superior damage resistance of Gorilla Glass. Corning Gorilla Glass SR+ delivers a superior combination of properties that is not available in any other material today – it is in a class of its own.”
Based on Corning’s lab tests, SR+ is 70 percent more resistant to impacts than the luxury cover materials smartwatches and other wearables use today. Further, the company says it has better overall optical performance and outdoor readability that ultimately contribute to a longer battery life. Corning didn’t list out which manufacturers plan to use SR+ for their wearables, but the variant is apparently expected to debut on devices that “leading global brands” will launch later this year. We’ll just have to wait and see if it’s truly as good as the glass-maker claims.
Source: Corning
Dropbox Hack in 2012 Targeted Over 60 Million Accounts
After Dropbox forced a password reset on any user who hadn’t changed their login credentials since mid-2012 — due to a hack faced by the company that year — new information has surfaced recently detailing the extent of the user data leak.
According to a collection of files obtained by Motherboard, containing the email addresses and hashed passwords of the affected user base, a total of 68,680,741 Dropbox accounts were successfully targeted during the 2012 hack. When Dropbox announced it was going through with the preventative password reset measure last week, the company didn’t give any hint as to the extent of the users touched by the four-year-old hack.
The “incident,” as Dropbox refers to it, was a data breach in the summer of 2012 where a few users began reporting spam sent to email addresses connected to a Dropbox account. Due to a password hack connected to other websites, hackers were able to sign in to “a small number” of Dropbox accounts, including an employee’s who had access to a document listing an array of user email addresses.
Dropbox is confident its message to users last week has covered “all potentially impacted users,” and the company is encouraging users to still reset passwords on other services that have the same login information, particularly passwords, previously used for Dropbox.
“We’ve confirmed that the proactive password reset we completed last week covered all potentially impacted users,” said Patrick Heim, Head of Trust and Security for Dropbox. “We initiated this reset as a precautionary measure, so that the old passwords from prior to mid-2012 can’t be used to improperly access Dropbox accounts. We still encourage users to reset passwords on other services if they suspect they may have reused their Dropbox password.”
As Motherboard discovered, nearly 32 million of the affected accounts were secured with the strong hashing function bcrypt, “meaning it is unlikely that hackers will be able to obtain many of the users’ actual passwords.” The other half of the passwords had a slightly less secure SHA-1 aging algorithm and were salted with a random string of characters to further strengthen them. Since 2012, Dropbox has changed up this password and account hashing process several times in attempt to make sure every user remains secure.
Motherboard confirmed that none of the four files, which total 5GB of collected user login data, appear to be anywhere on the dark web. Also, given Dropbox’s aggressive measures taken in the past week, their value will continue to “diminish” over time.
Tag: Dropbox
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Corning’s Gorilla Glass SR+ is coming to a wearable near you
After launching Gorilla Glass 5 for smartphones earlier this year, Corning is now turning its attention to the wearable segment with Gorilla Glass SR+. Corning started developing a product under “Project Phire” last year, aiming to come up with a glass substrate that was as durable as Gorilla Glass 4 and as scratch resistant as sapphire, which is used in traditional luxury watches. Gorilla Glass SR+ is the culmination of those efforts.
According to Corning, Gorilla Glass SR+ “significantly reduces visible scratches while delivering the toughness, optical clarity and touch sensitivity that make Gorilla Glass famous.” The manufacturer is touting scratch resistance comparable to sapphire, while delivering 70% better damage resistance against tumbles and 25% better surface reflection. With the new glass substrate, Corning will be looking to entice watchmakers away from sapphire displays to its more affordable solution.
Corning didn’t reveal any specifics, but said that wearables with Gorilla Glass SR+ will be available from “leading brands” later this year. With new smartwatches expected at IFA later this week, we should be hearing more in the coming days and weeks.
Xiaomi rolls out a $250 robot vacuum cleaner
Xiaomi isn’t your average phone manufacturer. The Chinese company makes everything from air purifiers to hoverboards, smart rice cookers, smartwatches, body scales, power banks, routers, and even an electric screwdriver. Xiaomi brings these products to market under its Mi Ecosystem label, which sees the company facilitating startups across various categories by providing monetary assistance and connecting them with its supply chain partners.
The latest entrant in the Mi Ecosystem is the Mi Robot Vacuum, which will go on sale in China starting September 6 for ¥1,699 ($250). The vacuum cleaner features a laser distance sensor that is able to scan its surroundings up to 1800 times a second. The Mi Robot Vacuum uses its complement of 12 sensors — including an ultrasonic radar sensor, cliff sensor, gyroscope, and accelerometer — to map out the interiors of your house, and the Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) algorithm calculates the most efficient route for cleaning.
The robot vacuum comes with three processors that track its movements in real-time, and it features a Nidec brushless DC motor that has a suction rating of 1800Pa. To put that into context, the $900 Roomba 980 has a 1670Pa motor. The vacuum has two circular side brushes that direct dirt toward the main brush, which can adjust its height to create more suction with the floor.
The vacuum also syncs with the Mi Home app, allowing you to view real-time progress, change cleaning modes, set automatic schedules, and power on the device remotely. The vacuum comes with a 5200mAh battery that can clean for two and a half hours on a full charge, following which it will return to the base unit.
As with most products in the Mi Ecosystem, it is likely the Mi Robot Vacuum will be limited to China.
ASUS IFA 2016 liveblog: 1 p.m. CET on Aug. 31 (7 a.m. ET)
ASUS is another darling of the annual IFA event, bringing along scores of computers, tablets, phones, watches and more. And this year should prove to be no different. That means it’s liveblog time!
We’ll get things going Aug. 31 at 1 p.m. Berlin time — that’s 7 a.m. U.S. Eastern Time and 4 a.m. on the West Coast (sorry, guys).
Join us!
How to disable DT Ignite bloatware
How do I get DT Ignite bloatware off of my phone?
If you own a Verizon HTC 10 and noticed it’s felt a bit slower after the latest software update, the issue might be related to a pesky piece of bloatware called DT Ignite. Typically hidden from the list of installed apps by default, DT Ignite is used by a bunch of carriers install on Android devices. [AC’s own Jerry Hildebrand wrote a primer on the bloatware that you should definitely read.
In a nutshell, DT Ignite is basically a system program that runs in the background and allows carriers to advertise and install other apps on your carrier-branded phone. Fortunately, it can be disabled.
How to disable DT Ignite
Swipe down from the top of the screen to access the notification shade.
Tap the Settings icon.
Tap Apps (might be labelled Applications or Applications manager depending on the phone you’re using). NOTE: Some phones may show DT Ignite as an installed app, while others will lump it in with the system apps. See steps 4 and 5 if you cannot locate DT Ignite in the Apps settings.
Tap the menu button in the top right corner. It should look like three dots or lines.
Tap Show system. This will reveal all hidden system apps running in the background.
Find and tap on DT Ignite.
Tap Disable.
And that’s it!
AC has confirmed that AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, US Cellular, Rogers, America Movi, Vodaphone and Deutsche Telekom sell phones with DT Ignite installed, but not every phone they sell will include it.
Your phone might also have a DT Ignite folder on the storage. Once you disable the app and uninstall anything it downloaded, you can safely delete this folder.
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