ICYMI: Take-home laser razor, IKEA-building bot and more
Today on In Case You Missed It: A Kickstarter campaign for a razor has us all riveted. Rather than the cold, hard metal we’re all used to, it uses a laser-beam to cut hair. Meanwhile roboticists at the Nanyang Technological University in Singapore are working on the next frontier of using robots– how to get one to build a complicated piece of IKEA furniture. No, we are not joking. Use it for fodder for every argument you’ve ever had upon stepping into that hell-hole. If the robots can’t do it, we can always look to the future with this kids game that uses slot cars to also teach them how to code.
We’ve also included this amazing virtual reality video that harkens back to The Matrix but then makes it even cooler.
If you come across any interesting videos, we’d love to see them. Just tweet us with the #ICYMI hashtag @engadget or @mskerryd.
TrueCrypt Windows encryption app has critical security flaws
If you’re still using TrueCrypt to protect your Windows disks, even though its developers abandoned it and said it was “not secure” last year, you may want to stop that. Google Project Zero researcher James Forshaw found two “privilege elevation” holes in the popular software that would give attackers full access to your data. Worse yet, TrueCrypt was audited earlier this by a crowdfunded team of iSec security researchers and found to be error-free. Google’s James Forshaw said on Twitter that the miss was understandable, though: “iSec phase 1 audit reviewed this specific code but Windows drivers are complex beasts (and) easy to miss.”
Forshaw hasn’t disclosed the bugs yet, saying he usually waits seven days after a patch is released. He and other researchers agree that the vulnerabilities — which can reportedly be exploited by “abusive drive letter handling” — weren’t deliberately installed. And they won’t, of course, be fixed in the original program’s code.
@v998n @VeraCrypt_IDRIX I don’t tend to open up security bug reports until 7 days or so after the release of the patch, just in case 
— James Forshaw (@tiraniddo) September 27, 2015
However, if you’re using TrueCrypt because “free” is a good price, there are other options –VeraCrypt and CipherShed are open source forks of TrueCrypt, and VeraCrypt has already patched the bugs. Suffice to say, you should stop using TrueCrypt within the seven day window before Forshow releases the exploitable code. Even if you do, however, we likely haven’t heard the end of this type of Windows vulnerability. VeraCrypt’s Mounir Idrassi gold Threatpost that “These are the kind of vulnerabilities that exist in (lots of) software on Windows,” and that will be (and have been) used by hackers for years.
Via: PC World
Source: James Forshaw (Twitter)
AmazonFresh grocery deliveries come to the UK via Birmingham
While we’ve known for a while that Amazon will bring its “Fresh” grocery delivery service to the UK, details regarding its launch plans have been scarce — at least until this week. Retail Week reports that the company has quiet begun offering around 50 chilled products to selected customers in Birmingham in what appears to be a small test ahead of a nationwide rollout. Amazon introduced its same-day service in the US last year and it was believed London would play host as its first UK region. It won’t be long until customers can arrange deliveries in the capital, however, as the retailer has earmarked the city for its next expansion in the coming weeks.
In order to compete with the likes of Ocado, Tesco and Sainsbury’s, Amazon has leased a 257,855 sq ft warehouse in Leicestershire and a an even bigger 304,751 sq ft site in London. Customers are able to schedule a delivery via the Prime Now app, which launched in Birmingham in early August, and have chilled or frozen products (as well as other household items) delivered within an hour. Retail Week suggests that if everything goes to plan, AmazonFresh will fully launch “in February or March” next year, putting traditional supermarkets on immediate notice.
Source: Retail Week
Android Marshmallow will arrive on the Nexus 5, 6, 7, 9 and Player next week
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A lot was announced today by Google, but there is really only one thing that Google promised it would be announcing the availability of at its press conference – Android Marshmallow. For many a Nexus device owner, the real question is when they can expect the latest version of Android to arrive on their devices, and Google was happy to oblige with a relatively vague answer. That answer was “next week” and would encompass the Nexus 5, 6, 7, 9 and Player, which roughly fits in with what we’ve heard about Nexus device update schedules from carriers like Telus.
We’d also expect factory images to go up very soon too, so if you’re the type of person who likes to get ahead of the game – or at least, ahead of over-the-air updates – then keep a look out for those. We’ll let you know as soon as we know something.
What do you think about Android Marshmallow’s schedule for updates? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Source: engadget
The post Android Marshmallow will arrive on the Nexus 5, 6, 7, 9 and Player next week appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
Apple Music and iTunes Movies hit China today
Folks in China don’t have access to the record-breaking iPhone 6s until October, but Apple’s making sure they they’ll be able to get their hands on iBooks, Apple Music and iTunes Movies ahead of that. Those services are available starting today, and Music in particular is getting some very region-specific special treatment. The streaming catalog includes work from Eason Chan, Li Ronghao, JJ Lin and G.E.M.. Apple writes that there will be a raft of movies from Chinese studios too, saying that this is the first time that its customers in the country will be able to jump into the ecosystem. There’s a three-month trial period, which gives way to a 10 RMB/month subscription. Family plans are part of the deal as well. And if you don’t own an Apple handset but still want in on its music service, Music will hit Android phones later this fall.
Source: Apple
Nauto’s dash cam promises to make old cars a little smarter
As much as we would love a self-driving ride with fancy pedestrian detection technology, nobody thought to add it to our ’96 Dodge Stratus. Thankfully a new startup called Nauto is hoping to remedy this issue with a plug-in kit that, when it launches, will provide you with some of the perks that come with buying a new car. Effectively, the Nauto is a dash camera that monitors the surrounding vehicles as well as your face, keeping track of your eye movements and making sure you’re being safe.
As Re/code reports, the system is launching today with a limited trial where the gear will be installed in some private taxi, bus and limo fleets across San Francisco. Once connected, the devices will inform its siblings about potential hazards, traffic jams and other such useful information designed to making driving less stressful. If that sounds like your bag, then ordinary folks are likely to get their first chance with the tech in the Fall of 2016 — with the Nauto camera costing $400, plus a monthly subscription fee. No matter which way you slice it, that’s a damn sight cheaper than buying a brand new Tesla Model X with all the trimmings.
Via: Re/code
Source: Nauto
Chromecast Audio competes with Sonos for a tenth of the price
The Chromecast Audio is pretty smart. Here’s the elevator pitch: You plug the little hockey puck in the image above into a power outlet, and then connect it to your speakers using the provided 3.5mm-to-3.5mm cable, or a third-party 3.5mm-to-optical cable or the equivalent RCA converter. Then, Google says, you’ve got a smart speaker. I checked that claim out for myself at the company’s event, and it does what it says, but I still don’t know if it does it well.
You can cast music from a number of sources including Google Play Music and — at last — Spotify. The former also acts as a good casting option for those that like to keep their music files local rather than streaming. While the regular Chromecast got a new discovery app today, the new Audio version behaves more like the Chromecast of old, which is a lot like an open version of Apple’s AirPlay. It’ll support your phone, tablet or laptop — essentially anything that runs Chrome or Android — and over the coming months multi-room support will roll out.
So… Sound quality. “Okay” tells you everything I know at this point. Problem is, I listened to all three of the setups, but I listened to them in the middle of a vast hall filled with people who weren’t about to be quiet and let me work out how good the audio quality was. So, instead of an actual opinion, I can tell you that I’ve heard Tove Styrke’s “Borderline” seven times and there wasn’t a stutter, glitch or streaming issue at all. Also I am still somehow not tired of that song.
Using WiFi streaming is a much better option than Bluetooth, both in quality and range, but the parts inside the Chromecast Audio are going to make all the difference. I asked a Google spokesperson if they could give me any more details on sound quality, and they told me the Chromecast has a “world-class DAC” (Digital to Analog Converter), but refused to disclose what company makes the part. That makes me nervous. Video processing in the original Chromecast is pretty ropey. It won’t be long until someone pulls this apart and tells us how good the DAC is, but without that information, and without even a basic subjective listening test, we’ll have to wait for a verdict on the audio quality for now.
Sonos, which is probably the leading name in home audio streaming, sells almost the exact same product as the Chromecast Audio. It’s called the Sonos Connect, and it basically turns your regular speakers into Sonos speakers. It costs $350. The Chromecast Audio costs $35, and it lets you use the apps you want to use to control your music. If Google’s got the audio quality even at an adequate level, then it’s difficult to see this not catching on.
Get all the news from today’s Google event right here.
Tim Cook: Apple won’t merge iOS and OS X
Now that Apple is blurring the lines between its mobile tablets and PCs with the iPad Pro, it’s tempting to imagine iOS and OS X merging into a single operating system (Windows 10-style) that works on virtually every device the company makes. You’ll want to put any such ideas on hold, though. In a chat with Box’s Aaron Levie, Apple chief Tim Cook dismissed the prospects of unifying iOS and OS X. It “subtracts from both,” he said, arguing that you “don’t get the best experience from either.” This isn’t a completely new idea from Apple (it once explained in detail why OS X doesn’t have touch), but it’s clear that Cook doesn’t feel any pressure to follow in Microsoft’s footsteps on this front.
Not that Cook and crew are giving Microsoft and its ideas the cold shoulder — just the opposite, in fact. The exec said he doesn’t believe in “holding grudges” against Apple’s frequent rival, and that the two tech giants can “partner on more things” than they compete in. Witness the slew of iOS-friendly Office updates that were unveiled in tandem with the iPad Pro and iOS 9, for example. The enterprise crowd, Cook adds, would rather see Apple and Microsoft collaborating than fighting.
On that note, the CEO contended that Apple isn’t nearly as work-phobic as it used to be. The company is big on enterprise deals (it made $25 billion in enterprise revenue in the space of a year), and that there’s no real distinction these days between personal and office-focused devices. You don’t buy enterprise smartphones any more than you buy enterprise cars, he said. We’re sure that BlackBerry won’t be happy with that last statement, but it’s hard to dispute — with occasional exceptions, software is the only thing distinguishing an off-the-shelf smartphone from a locked-down corporate handset.
[Image credit: Michael Short/Bloomberg via Getty Images]
UK pricing for the Nexus 5X, Nexus 6P, Pixel C and new Chromecasts
It’s Android day today, with Google announcing a whole host of new products including the Nexus 5X, Nexus 6P, Pixel C and two new Chromecasts. Whether you’re interested in some, or all of the company’s latest devices, we’ve got all available UK pricing right here.
Nexus 5X
That’s right, LG is back with another Nexus device: the 5X. It features a Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 processor, 2GB of RAM, 12.3-megapixel rear-facing camera with laser-assisted autofocus, dual flash and can capture 4K video. Of course, it’ll ship with Android 6.0 Marshmallow and includes Google’s new Sensor Hub chip inside that’s designed to deliver notifications and keep background processes updated without drawing too much power. There’s a USB Type-C port for faster charging data syncing and a fingerprint sensor in the back to authenticate payments and other app processes. LG’s stuffed a 2,700mAh battery inside and it comes in 16GB and 32GB versions. As for colours, you’re looking at black, white and ice blue.
| 16GB | 32GB | Pre-order date | Release date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nexus 5X | £339 | £379 | Today | October 16th |
Nexus 6P
While LG is back with a Nexus device, we’ve also got a new entrant: Huawei. It’s launched the Nexus 6P, featuring a 5.7-inch screen running at 1440p resolution (or 518 PPI). It’s powered by a Snapdragon 810 chip with 3GB of RAM and like the Nexus 5X, the 6P includes a 12.3-megapixel rear-facing camera with the same autofocus and f/2.0 aperture, 8-megapixel front facer with a f/2.4 aperture and can shoot slow-motion video at 240fps as well as capturing footage in 4K. It’ll be available in 32GB, 64GB, and 128GB configurations in frost white, aluminum and graphite.
| 32GB | 64GB | 128GB | Pre-order date | Release date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nexus 6P | £449 | £499 | £579 | Today | October 26th |
Pixel C
In previous years, Google has unveiled a Nexus tablet to complement its new smartphones. The same happened this year, but it’s not a Nexus device, it’s called the Pixel C. It’s the first tablet that Google has built completely on its own and comes with a full-size keyboard that attaches magnetically and USB-C charging. Think of it as Google’s answer to Microsoft’s Surface. The 10.2-inch device is powered by NVIDIA’s Tegra X1 with 3GB of LPDDR4 RAM, features an extra-bright 308 PPI display and comes in both 32GB and 64GB variants. Unfortunately we don’t have a UK price for the Pixel C yet, but we do know it’ll cost $499 (£329) for the 32GB model and $599 (£395) for double the storage when they launch in November. As for the attachable keyboard, that’ll set you back $149 (£98).
| 32GB | 64GB | Pre-order date | Release date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pixel C | £N/A | £N/A | N/A | November |
Chromecast and Chromecast Audio
Smartphones and tablets aren’t the only devices Google announced today. There’s the new circular Chromecast and Chromecast Audio, giving you improved video and audio streaming over the original stick. According to Google, the improved antenna in the Chromecast allows it to stream higher-resolution videos faster with less buffering and “Fast Play” allows you to get streaming even quicker. The Chromecast Audio, however, is a bit different. It sits between your old audio system and your speakers — via RCA jacks, standard 3.5mm auxiliary and optical input — allowing you to output music via supported music streaming services. The good news is that both devices are available to buy via the Google Store for £30 today.
Source: Google Store
Spotify will finally beam tunes to Chromecast
If you’ve been itchin’ to use Spotify alongside Google’s streaming dongle, you’ll soon get that chance. The music streaming service will finally be available for use on Chromecast. As you might expect, Spotify will play nice with the new version of the streaming accessory and you can also play songs with the newfangled Chromecast Audio, too. Before now, Spotify users weren’t privy to Google’s Cast tech for speakers, having to use Bluetooth or the service’s own Connect feature to wrangle wireless connectivity directly from its app. Chromecast compatibility is set to arrive via a firmware update “over the next few weeks,” so you should be able to use the duo together soon enough.
Source: Spotify
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