Mercedes-Maybach concept is a look at the future of luxury cars

Stop us if you’ve read this before: Mercedes-Benz has another ridiculous concept car. At CES 2015, we got a close look at the F015 Luxury in Motion self-driving concept and now the automaker is back with an all-electric coupe. Officially dubbed the Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6, the new vehicle is a mix of “sensual purity” and “aerodynamic efficiency” according to Daimler AG design lead Gorden Wagener. Mercedes also notes that the Vision 6 is an equal mix of “hot” with emotional design and “cold” with so-called intelligent details.

You’re probably wondering why it’s so long. Well, Mercedes says the elongated design, low roof and rear positioning of the cabin are an homage to the classic coupes of a bygone era. In other words, this is the automaker’s reinterpretation of those vehicles. Around back, designers gave the 6 a “boat tail” that looks like something you would see on the backside of a yacht and gullwing doors. Inside, front-seat passengers get a wide-open view of their surroundings with driving data and other information projected on the windshield for an augmented reality road trip. The dashboard also wraps into the door panels and the seats for what Mercedes calls a 360 lounge. Overall, some of the materials, trim, wood floors and other accents are aesthetic touches we saw on the F015.

As far as the electric powertrain is concerned, the 6 is all-wheel drive thanks for four electric motors capable of 550kW of power and 738 horsepower. There’s an additional 80kWh batter in the floorboard that allows the car to Mercedes says that setup also enables true sports car performance with stats like 0-100 km/h (0-62 MPH, approximately) in under four seconds and a top speed of 250 km/h (around 155 MPH). All of that power doesn’t impact range either, as the luxury EV claims 500 km on a charge. That’s around 310 miles for those keeping track at home. What’s more, the 6 can charge enough to take you 62 miles (100 km) in five minutes. This vehicle can either be plugged in or charged via a wireless induction system when the time comes.

The Vision 6 made its official debut at this week’s Monterey Car Week festivities at Pebble Beach, but we’ll have to wait and see if Mercedes plans to make this concept a real thing in sometime in the future. The automaker did confirm earlier this month that it was working on a new EV with a range of 250-310 miles following reports that it would debut four EV models to compete with Tesla.

Source: Mercedes-Benz

Kickstarter introduces the Prototype Gallery for creators

Kickstarter will soon allow creators with projects seeking funding to add photos and videos of their creations in a Prototype Gallery on their project page.

The galleries will offer a way for creators to give more back story and context to their projects without having to post images directly to their project page. The pages can get clogged up as it is with updates and upfront information about the prospective product, and a self-contained gallery will group all of the images of the item in question from concept to completion.

The galleries are still being worked on at this time, but it’s being rolled out soon during an upcoming test period. After the test period ends, the Prototype Gallery will be available to any creators who launch projects within the Design, Technology and Gaming Hardware sections.

Additional information can be found within Kickstarter’s FAQ, but this is great news for anyone looking to launch a relevant Kickstarter soon, as prospective backers knowing more about what their money is going to fund can only be a good thing.

Source: Kickstarter

Volunteers needed to get infected with Zika for science

While the Zika virus spreads into the US and the CDC has advised pregnant women to avoid the area of another recent outbreak in Miami Beach, Florida, scientists continue to race toward prevention options. US researchers are now seeking volunteers to get infected with the Zika virus in order to test promising experimental vaccines that could be candidates for mass deployment.

The researchers still need to get the green light from government regulators, but if so, they’ll start testing in December. In order to control the conditions of the experiment and track the virus’ progress, the researchers want to infect volunteers in winter, a season when mosquitoes are dormant. In such a vacuum, they do what’s called a “human challenge study,” injecting healthy folks and tracking progress. By giving each different amounts, they can see what the threshold for infection is.

Two DNA vaccines have begun preliminary safety testing, one by the National Institute of Health and the other by a Pennsylvania company, Inovio Pharmaceuticals. Those DNA vaccines might be easier to make, explains the Associated Press: Unlike traditional vaccines that use dead or weakened virus pieces to train the body’s immune system, DNA vaccines carry genes that prompt the body to produce Zika proteins, which alerts the body’s immune system. Further tests will determine whether human immune systems are provoked enough to effectively fight the virus.

If the December test is effective, researchers will hold a larger test in January of 2,400 to 5,000 volunteers in Latin America and the Caribbean, the areas where Zika has hit hardest. But researchers still won’t test pregnant women, so as not to risk the unborn children. Instead, they’ll vaccinate candidates who are women of childbearing age and their sexual partners.

Source: The Associated Press

What color Note 7 did you buy?

All four colors look great, but most of us are only buying one. Which color caught your eye?

Most phones come in any color you want, as long as that color is black. That’s a trend that’s changing, and the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 comes in four colors, three of which we can buy in the U.S. (sorry gold fans.)

And they’re pretty nifty colors, too. Even the Black version isn’t just black. It’s black front and back, and the sides are matte black, too. That makes a big difference when you’re used to seeing black phones with silver-ish faux chrome side rails. This phone can act presidential.

Not to be outdone, the Coral Blue model is pretty amazing. It has a cornflower (I had my wife tell me which color it is, and cornflower is much better than “kinda-light-blue-and-sorta-gray-mixed-in-maybe-I-dunno-it’s-nice”) gloss look, but only when it’s still and you’re looking straight at it. It picks up colors from the surroundings because of its reflective surface and the color looks like it’s always changing. It’s pretty wild. You need to see it in person so you know I’m not crazy.

That blue is hot, but I’d have to go with black on black on black.

The Silver version uses the same color as the Galaxy S7 (and the S7 edge in Silver is the prettiest phone of all time). That means while it’s technically silver, it’s really more like a mirror. Fully polished and fingerprint-free it looks nice. Very nice. If the Black model is the stoic and serious model, Silver is the elegant one.

Then there’s Gold. Gold looks really good. It’s a different gold than we’ve seen from Samsung before, and it looks nothing like the pink gold from Apple. It’s a soft color that also does a good job picking up other colors from your surroundings, though not to the extent it’s Blue Chameleon sibling does. It’s very slick. It’s also not coming to North America because we deserve to be punished for some reason. At least for now.

I had a look at them the other evening, and even got to see the gold model. I fell in love with the blue (like many of you likely did) but in the end that murdered-out black would be my pick if I were buying. What about you? Which color did you grab? Hit the poll and let us know.

Which color Note 7 did you buy?

• For more debate and discussion on which color is best, check out our Samsung Galaxy Note 7 Forums.

HTC is now selling the gold and red HTC 10 in the U.S.

HTC is now accepting preorders of both the red and gold variants of the HTC 10 in the U.S. There are limited quantities of both colors available, and the company is still offering $100 off the phone or you can get the free JBL headphones while supplies last. Aside from the colors, nothing is different here. You can pick up an unlocked version, or one on the carrier of your choice.

From HTC:

Pre-orders kick off at HTC.com are available now on the site. The current offer of $100 off HTC 10 purchased at HTC.com is applicable to the new colors which also include UH-OH Protection, a free service that comes with the purchase of HTC 10 from HTC.com. HTC will replace the HTC 10 for free for accidental screen cracks or water damage during the first 12 months of owning.

Orders for both of the colors are expected to begin shipping in October. Will you be picking up the Camellia Red or Topaz Gold HTC 10 for yourself? If so, which color will you end up with? Let us know in the comments.

See at HTC

Google sunsetting Chrome apps for Windows, Mac and Linux

Google has announced that Chrome packaged apps and hosted apps will be phased out of Chrome for Windows, Mac, and Linux.

The Chrome desktop browser has had application support for a while now, and during that time Google found that only 1% of desktop users were actively running Chrome apps, so support will be removed by 2018.

Today, approximately 1% of users on Windows, Mac and Linux actively use Chrome packaged apps, and most hosted apps are already implemented as regular web apps. We will be removing support for packaged and hosted apps from Chrome on Windows, Mac, and Linux over the next two years.

Starting in late 2016, any newly-published apps will only be available for Chrome OS. Existing apps will still be available and developers can still send updates to users. In the second half of 2017, the Chrome Web Store will no longer list Chrome apps on Windows, Mac or Linux and will only show themes and extensions. In early 2018, Chrome for Windows, Mac and Linux will no longer be able to install packaged or hosted Chrome apps.

Your extensions aren’t going anywhere, and no changes were announced for Chromebook users — who the majority of actual apps are targeted towards.

Google encourages developers to migrate apps designed for Desktops into web-based apps or progressive web pages using the latest APIs and features available.

Buying the best smartphone power pack – MrMobile explains

Proclaiming one external battery charger to be the “best power pack” for all people is a daunting challenge – and it misses the point.

The reality is that, as with smartphones, different power banks work well for different users. But I’ve collected between twenty and thirty external battery pack accessories in my time reviewing technology, and I’ve found that the secret to making the search a little less daunting is to focus on three key areas: safety, capacity, and speed.

This video includes products that excel in each field, and some even marry the benefits of all three with that all-important bonus: novelty. Join me for the MrMobile Portable Power Pack roundup!

And don’t forget to be social!

• YouTube
• Le web
• Twitter
• Facebook
• Snapchat
• Instagram

GoPro’s next Hero 5 action cam: What’s the story so far?

GoPro is working on its next flagship action camera.

Although the camera-maker announced earlier this year that it’s laying off 7 per cent of its workforce and ceasing sales of at least three action cams due to a massive revenue drop it suffered year over year, GoPro said it planned to launch a new flagship model, called the Hero 5, as well as a “Karma” drone, which records 4K video, in 2016. Here’s everything we know about the Hero 5, including what it might look like and feature.

GoPro Hero 5: What will it look like?

A tonne of images have surfaced online showing the upcoming camera in detail. Mashable posted them all after they were pulled from Japanese blog Nokishita and camera blog Mirrorless Rumors. Based on these leaks, the camera looks like it will be similar in design to the company’s current flagship, Hero 4, and all the action cams that came before that. It’s rectangular, and the lens and front-facing screen are all in the same place.

Mashable

It looks like the front power/menu button is missing, but that’s probably because the Hero 5 will have a touchscreen for navigation, which we discuss in more detail below. The Hero 5 also looks a bit like last year’s Hero 4 Session, according to the leaks, as the company’s iconic silver-and-black colour scheme has been dropped for an all-black rubber finish.

Anyway, a different leak, which may have been derived from the Android version of the GoPro app, surfaced in early August. It shows a raised record button at the top, rounded edges for the body of the camera, and slightly different navigation menus than the ones found on GoPro’s current lineup. That said, it’s unclear if this quick video is indeed legit.

Mashable

GoPro Hero 5: What will it feature?

Camera

Information from the Hero 5 user manual was posted to Reddit. Thanks to the details in that leaked manual, it seems like Hero 5 uses the same imaging chip as the Hero 4, or maybe just the same options for video resolution, meaning it’ll offer 4K at 30 frames per second. It’ll also have modes starting from 720p and frame rates as high as 120 frames per second. Image stabilization will also be available, but not for 4K or 60fps.

Touchscreen

GoPro’s next flagship action camera has allegedly been spotted in a brief video posted to Reddit and Vimeo.

The nine-second-long video only shows the rear of the camera, but it resembles other how-to videos available in GoPro’s mobile apps, providing users with step-by-step instructions on how to connect the camera to a smartphone. From what we can see, the upcoming camera has a touchscreen, meaning that bus connector slot on the back for attaching peripherals like batteries and other accessories has likely been axed. 

The Hero 5, which is supposed to be released before this holiday season, won’t be the first touchscreen GoPro action camera available, however, as the Silver model of the Hero 4 features such functionality. Overall, it looks simpler, with quick settings for framerate and resolution and whatnot at the bottom, and standard Wi-Fi and microphone features. It looks like microphone can be disabled, too, which is new.

And there’s a GoPro Sniper option in the Connections menu, which could be a codename for another, upcoming product.

Voice control

That leaked Hero 5 user manual posted to Reddit also claimed the Hero 5 will support voice control for basic functions. With this type of functionality, you could say to your Hero 5, “GoPro turn on”, “GoPro start video”, etc.

Waterproof

There’s possibly no bus connector, as it’s not visible on the Hero 5 in other leaks, so this might be a waterproof camera. To corroborate that theory, leaked details found in a Hero 5 user manual posted to Reddit revealed Hero 5 will be waterproof out of the box – just like the Hero 4 Session.

GPS

GPS seems to be included, according to the leaked Hero 5 user manual posted to Reddit.

USB Type-C

Both Mirrorless Rumors and that leaked Hero 5 user manual posted to Reddit indicate Hero 5 will ditch Mini USB in favour of USB Type-C.

Battery

Mirrorless Rumors said the battery capacity would be 1,220 mAh, which is a small bump over the Hero 4.

GoPro Plus

The Verge got a hold of the PDF file of that leaked user manual posted to Reddit, and it dug up some interesting information about GoPro’s upcoming cloud service, which will be called GoPro Plus. The name GoPro Plus actually leaked on Reddit in July. GoPro CEO Nick Woodman has also talked about GoPro’s goal of embracing the cloud and growing software efforts.

The Verge

The manual suggests Hero 5 will be cloud-connected, so you can plug your camera in to let it charge, and then it will automatically upload all your footage to your GoPro Plus account. There was no talk about cellular connectivity, so we’re assuming Hero 5 uses Wi-Fi and therefore doesn’t support live-streaming capabilities. From there, you can download the footage for editing.

Editing software

While many see GoPro’s success as being entirely hardware based, the company itself envisions a future where both its software and hardware are the key pillars of its business. Its tiny mount-everywhere cameras are market leading, thanks to being feature-rich, easy to use and having a strong portfolio of mounts and accessories. GoPro also spent $105 million on two video-editing apps.

The Verge – based on the PDF file of that leaked user manual posted to Reddit – said users will be able to download their Hero 5 footage to something called Capture, which could be a new version of the GoPro mobile app. From there, their footage can be edited on any device using either GoPro’s Quik or Splice mobile apps or a new software that’ll be called Quik for Desktop.

GoPro Hero 5: How will it differ from other GoPros?

Check out Pocket-lint’s handy guide that compares all the action cameras available from GoPro:

• Which GoPro should you choose?

GoPro Hero 5: When will it be available?

This part is unknown, for now. The company has only said it plans to release its next flagship in 2016.

GoPro Hero 5: How much will it cost?

Again, this part is unknown. But the current, top-of-the-line Hero costs $499.99 (or £409.99).

What to expect at Apple’s September 2016 event: iPhone 7 and more

Apple typically unveils a new iPhone in September.

With its next iPhone event just around the corner, we at Pocket-lint thought we’d round up all the rumours and information about what Apple might announce during its keynote. While a new iPhone running iOS 10 is a given, there are remaining questions about how many iPhone models are in store and whether the company plans to introduce a new MacBook Pro, etc.

Here’s everything we know about Apple’s September 2016 event.

Apple’s September 2016 event: When is it?

Apple will reportedly unveil its next iPhone on 7 September, Bloomberg reported. That lines up with the timing of Apple’s previous iPhone events, as the iPhone 6S debuted on 9 September last year. Well-known leakster Evan Blass also claimed pre-orders for the next iPhone will open 8 September, and that they would go on sale on 16 September, all of which fits 7 September.

If Apple does have an event that day, it’ll also be the final day of IFA 2016 in Berlin, and it’ll also have to compete with Sony’s PlayStation event, where we expect to hear more about the souped up PS4K/Neo console.

Apple’s September 2016 event: What can you expect?

Martin Hajek

iPhone 7

Apple launched the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus in September 2015, followed by the smaller iPhone SE in March 2016. In fact, every year, normally in September, a new iPhone is released, and every year the new device is speculated upon and leaked months and months in advance of its actual release. This feature rounds up all the leaks and rumours surrounding the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus:

• Apple iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus: Everything you need to know

The iPhone 7 will drop the headphone jack, include a new home button with haptic feedback, and look lot like the 6S. You’ll have to wait until next year for a completely redesigned iPhone. There has also been talk of an iPhone 7 Pro that will apparently sit above these two devices. It’s thought to have better photo-taking capabilities – like a dual-camera setup – and more, which we have rounded up in this feature:

• iPhone 7 Pro: What’s the story so far?

Pocket-lint

iOS 10

Apple always debuts a new iPhone running the latest, major version of its iOS mobile operating system, and this year will likely be no different. The company already previewed iOS 10 at its Worldwide Developer Conference earlier this year, and since then, it’s released several beta builds to both developers and the public, giving us a good idea of what to expect from the final software.

The new iOS will sport a number of new features designed to enhance your iPhone even more beyond what the company launched in iOS 9 last year. Claiming to be the biggest update yet, there will be at least 10 major features, including a HomeKit Home app as well as changes to Siri, the lock screen, and photos. You can read all about these features and more in this round-up feature:

• Apple iOS 10: Release date and everything you need to know

Pocket-lint

iPad Pro

Last year, Apple combined what would normally be two events into one giant event, where it announced the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus alongside the 12.9-inch iPad Pro on one day (a 9.7-inch version was unveiled months later). Apple may choose to do that again and announce new iPad models during the same event – maybe even a second-generation 12.9-inch iPad Pro.

However, according to noted analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple will refresh its iPad lineup in 2017, with three new iPads ranging from 9.7 inches to 12.9 inches. According to Kuo, Apple plans to introduce a new 10.5-inch iPad Pro model next year to go along with a 12.9-inch iPad Pro 2 and a “low-cost” 9.7-inch iPad model. If this is the case, Apple will keep its September event focused on iPhone.

Martin Hajek

MacBook Pro

Everyone thought Apple was going to update its MacBook Pro line at WWDC 2016, but now the world is expecting refreshed models to come out this autumn instead. Keep in mind there are two sizes of MacBook Pro: a 13-inch model that was last updated in March 2015, and a 15-inch model that was last updated in May 2015. So, nobody can imagine Apple going two full years without rolling out MacBook Pro models.

Rumours suggest new ones are on the way. What’s more, the upcoming laptops won’t simply have faster processors and thinner bodies, which we all pretty much expect. They are also heavily tipped to feature an OLED touch panel and a Touch ID sensor embedded in their keyboards. This feature rounds up all the leaks and rumours surrounding the new MacBook Pro:

• New MacBook Pro (2016): What’s the story so far?

However, Bloomberg reported in August that the new computer will be a no-show at Apple’s 7 September event.

Apple’s September 2016 event: Is that it?

It looks like it. That being said, a second-generation Apple Watch is expected to debut sometime in 2016, likely late in the year. Nearly 17 months after the Apple Watch launched in the US and eight other countries, there have been no rumours to suggest a new version will debut at Apple’s 7 September event. But here’s Pocket-lint’s rumour round-up on the upcoming watch anyway:

• Apple Watch 2: What’s the story so far?

Want to know more?

Check out Pocket-lint’s Apple hub for the latest and breaking news.