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– via The Verge
Samsung’s earnings this past quarter have been exactly as downbeat as the company predicted: operating profit is down 60 percent and income from sales is now 20 percent smaller than a year ago. In other words, Samsung’s spending more money to generate smaller revenues. This has all been down to Samsung’s most lucrative and important mobile devices business, which has been struggling to adapt to a new competitive environment. Addressing the need for radical change, Senior VP Kim Hyun-joon from Samsung’s mobile division has today expressed the company’s intention to “fundamentally reform [its] product portfolio.” Seeking greater cost efficiency, Samsung will look to standardize components used across devices and will continue to compete “for each price tier.”
Sony recently announced plans to also reorganize its mobile efforts, though its focus appears to be on more premium, high-end devices whereas Samsung looks set to maintain a wide portfolio while taking a different approach to how it structures it. Kim admits that Samsung’s “high-end smartphone sales result was somewhat weak” in the past quarter and the company’s earnings report describes the impact of the new Galaxy Note 4 as only “marginal.” There’s plenty of work ahead for Samsung, but if the company lives up to the promise made today, 2015 will be a fundamentally different year to the repetitively iterative products the company has been serving up in recent times.
– via The Verge
It’s all touch all the time.
Microsoft has been experimenting with projectors for years, but HP is bringing a PC to life today complete with a built-in projector and multi-touch capacitive touch mat. Sprout is HP’s latest PC design, and it ditches the mouse and keyboard in favor of a system that is built purely for touch interactions. There’s a traditional 23-inch touchscreen display, but at the base of Sprout is an interactive touch mat that you use to control projected objects and applications.
The projector itself hangs over the top of the all-in-one like a desk lamp and it’s equipped with a 4-camera system thanks to Intel’s RealSense 3D camera, a 14.6-megapixel high-resolution camera, a HP DLP projector, and an LED desk lamp. The system will let people scan and manipulate 2D and 3D objects directly into the PC, and you can even use a stylus to draw on the touch mat and move scanned objects around. You can type onto the mat with a software keyboard projected on your fingers within touch-optimized apps, and the majority of interactivity starts with the mat. HP has created a number of apps for Sprout, and it appears the system supports gestures and the ability to manipulate multiple layers within apps. Behind the scenes it’s all powered by Windows, 1TB of storage, and an Intel i7 processor, so it’s a regular powerful PC.
Sprout adapts its projections on the touch mat based on the app from anything like manipulating photography to playing on projected piano keys. HP invited a number of creatives on stage today during its device announcement, showcasing different ways to use the rather unique PC. It’s clear Sprout is aimed directly at the creative industry, just weeks after Microsoft and Adobe teamed up to make Photoshop a lot more touch friendly. HP has worked closely with Microsoft, 3M, Intel, and Texas Instrument for various components of the system, and the PC maker has obviously invested a great amount of time in Sprout. HP is launching its Sprout PC on November 9th for $1,899.99, and the system will be demonstrated at select Best Buy and Microsoft Stores this weekend.
– via The Verge
No official announcement & Lenovo pops a wearable quietly.
Everyone wants a piece of the fitness tracker pie. Lenovo has quietly revealed its entry into the market, a Fitbit Flex-like device called the “Lenovo Smartband SW-B100.” It appears that the product has accidentally hit the web — there’s no official announcement from the company. Instead, a small product page has just popped up on the Chinese computer giant’s website. The page is somewhat transparent about the company’s goals for the device: “the Lenovo Smartband is for young people who take care of their personal health and are interested in new tech trend products.”
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From the product listing, the Lenovo Smartband offers a similar set of features as other fitness wearables. It will track your steps, distance traveled, calories burned, and heart rate. It can also keep tabs on your sleep habits. Unfortunately, this is not an Android Wear device. It appears the only notifications it show from your phone are phone calls, text messages, and calendar appointments. And the screen’s tiny enough that you likely won’t be able to see the text message itself on the device. There is, however, a neat little feature that will automatically unlock your PC when you bring the device near it.
There’s no word on price or availability — Lenovo didn’t immediately return a request for comment — but going off of Lenovo’s history, it’s very possible that this fitness tracker may never come to the US. Where ever it does go on sale, we know it’ll sync with Android and iOS apps, and it’ll come in both orange and blue. We’ll let you know when we find out more.
– via The Verge
Don’t Burn your hand, the LEDs project flames on pans
Since the dawn of man, we’ve associated flames with heat. But since induction stovetops don’t emit any flames, it seems like they’re just waiting to roast your hand. That’s why Samsung’s latest induction range has “Virtual Flame Technology.” A set of blue LEDs around the edge of each burner projects “flames” onto the side of your pots and pans. In addition to letting you know that the burner’s on, the “flames” actually increase in size to give you an idea of the relative heat. And, of course, since it’s an induction range, the burners only get hot if you actually have a metal pan on them. You will have to pay for the privilege, however: the range is part of Samsung’s pricey Chef’s Collection, and starts at $3,699.
– via The Verge
It’s Huge, it’s great and its near to PERFECT. And above of all it won’t BEND
After watching Apple unapologetically release the gigantic iPhone 6 Plus and Samsung release the fourth iteration of its massive Galaxy Note, getting a 6-inch phone from Google seems almost par for the course. Huge phones are the new normal, but the Nexus 6 somehow manages to feel supersized even by today’s surreal standards. The basic stats are already known: a Quad HD screen, a powerful Snapdragon 805 processor, a 13-megapixel camera, and a battery big enough to power it all. But the stats don’t tell the real story. The real story is simple: this Motorola-made phone was code-named “Shamu,” and it’s entirely appropriate. Even in this age of big phones, the Nexus 6 is a whale.
It looks very much like an oversized Moto X, with metal edges and a hard plastic back that actually feels pretty good, like a very hard and unbreakable eggshell. Like the Moto X, it has a curved back that adds a little more thickness than you may want in a phone this size — but that’s likely a bigger problem for your pocket than it is for your hand. It actually feels really natural once you get used to the size. The edges are not exactly curved, but they’re not too sharp either, so you can almost believe you can use this thing with one hand in a pinch. Almost.
We’ll have more to say about Android Lollipop in the coming days and weeks, but for now suffice to say it looks great on the Nexus 6. I’m especially happy with the new multitasking and notification options — they’re really a lot more clever than you might expect. It also runs fast on this device. Even face unlock seems to work better than it used to, thanks to some software trick that has it running in the background while you look at your notifications.
Google’s also added other small touches like a feature that redacts certain information from incoming notifications that may include sensitive items, so that someone won’t get the whole story if they glance at your phone. Another feature uses NFC pairing and then Bluetooth to let you transfer the entirety of your old Android device into your new one while they sit side by side. One other hardware trick is Turbo Charging, which will get a nearly dead battery back up to 6 hours of life with 15 minutes of charging at an increasingly higher voltage.
THE BIGGEST THING TO GET EXCITED ABOUT IS THE NEXUS 6’S CAMERA
But the biggest thing (besides the screen, of course) to get excited about with the Nexus 6 is the camera. We’ll obviously need to spend a lot more time with it to give it a proper review, but at first blush the 13-megapixel setup here is wildly better than last year’s Nexus. The shutter is instant and the results — if only on this bright AMOLED screen — are really solid.
Photography by Josh Lowensohn.
– via The Verge
New changes rolling out to preview members now
Microsoft promised deeper Twitter integration for Xbox One back in June, and the company is now planning to deliver it next month. Microsoft’s November Xbox One update adds TV features that highlight what’s popular or trending nearby alongside live tweets from Twitter users discussing individual shows. It’s one of the more unique uses of Twitter for TVs, and tweets will even show up on a new MiniGuide feature on the console.
Twitter integration on Xbox One doesn’t stop at just TV features, though. Microsoft is also adding the ability to link an Xbox Live account with Twitter to share game DVR clips directly to followers. It’s not an automatic process that will spam followers, but another share option for game clips after they’ve been recorded. Other TV improvements include recent and favorite channels in the MiniGuide, and a new “what’s on” section on the home screen of the dashboard. What’s on includes YouTube staff picks, trending TV, and Twitch broadcasts. Microsoft describes it as a section designed for when you stop gaming and want to switch to entertainment.
THE NUMBER ONE FAN-REQUESTED FEATURE IS CUSTOM BACKGROUNDS
Aside from the entertainment and Twitter features, Microsoft is also adding the number one fan-requested feature: custom backgrounds. Xbox chief Phil Spencer confirmed this functionality was coming soon in a recent podcast and it’s now due to debut in the November update. Achievements can be set as backgrounds and an upcoming update to the Media Player app will allow Xbox One owners to set any image as the background in future. This is a feature that the Xbox 360 supported for years, and Microsoft is also bringing back bio and location settings to Xbox Live profiles with the upcoming update. Gamer profiles will also include a new showcase section where Xbox One owners can highlight achievements or game clips they’re particularly proud of.
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Continuing the trend of making Xbox One easier to navigate and use without Kinect, Microsoft is also altering Internet Explorer so you can snap the browser from the address bar with a controller.
Store pages have also been updated to make it easier to browse with a controller and find content, and the SmartGlass Store now has its own separate apps section to improve navigation. Microsoft’s November Xbox One update is rolling out to preview members today, and should be available to all Xbox One owners in the coming weeks.
– via The Verge
You’ll need to purchase a subscription to stream songs
Microsoft is closing its free Xbox Music streaming service effective December 1st. The company will continue to offer music streaming through its Xbox Music service, but users will need to purchase an Xbox Music Pass to do so, at a monthly price of $9.99.
The company doesn’t specify why it’s removing the free, ad-supported streaming option, but says it’s “focusing Xbox Music to deliver the ultimate music purchase and subscription service experience for our customers.” Microsoft has updated Xbox Music a number of times since launch, producing versions for its newest Xbox One console and latest Windows Phone operating systems, but it still lags behind competitors such as Spotify in terms of social features.
YOU’LL NOW NEED TO PAY $9.99 A MONTH TO STREAM FROM XBOX MUSIC
Xbox Music originally launched alongside Windows 8 in October 2012, and came pre-installed on all devices running the operating system. It allowed users three ways to use the service: by paying $10 a month for an Xbox Music Pass, by downloading individual songs at set prices, or for free on PC, with ad support. Microsoft says this latter option is being shuttered, but users who purchased and downloaded songs will still be able to find them on their Windows PCs, tablets, and phones.
For Xbox Music FAQ: XBOX MUSIC SUPPORT
– via The Verge
Hendo is a $10,000 hoverboard that wants to change the world
As I push off for my first time on an actual working hoverboard, the first thought in my mind is not how different it is from how Michael J. Fox did it in Back To The Future Part II — which is obviously just a movie. It’s whether or not I’m going to immediately go face-first into this large, copper-lined floor. It’s also sinking in that this highly experimental skateboard required signing a liability waiver, and that there are several people positioned around me whose sole job it is to make sure I and their $10,000 prototype don’t go flying out of control.
This is the Hendo, the namesake of an inventor named Greg Henderson, and it’s really more of a technology demo than something that’s going to get you to work in the morning. Right now it’s effectively a parlor trick, and it apparently only works in parlors lined with a one of a small set of metals. But Henderson, who co-founded the hoverboard’s parent company Arx Pax with his wife Jill, imagines the technology that’s inside it could become a solution for keeping buildings from getting destroyed in floods and earthquakes by simply lifting them up. They also say that it could serve as a replacement for the systems that currently levitate maglev trains.
Those ambitions are the opposite of humility, but Arx Pax seems like a humble company, situated in a nondescript office park in Los Gatos, California. Also humbe: the small square white box that floats just a few centimeters above metal surfaces, designed as a technology demo that will be made available to Kickstarter backers. It’s just like an air hockey table, but in reverse, where a large object is simply floating just a few millimeters above, and adrift. But there’s no air, just a barreling thrum of whatever is going on inside the “white box.” Inside it are a group of what Henderson refers to as hover engines, and the oversimplified explanation of how they work involves a little electromagnetism and Lenz’s law. Scale this up a bit and you get the hoverboard I’m on. Go even bigger and you can hold up cars, trains, and even buildings. Or at least that’s the idea.
“A magnet has an electromagnetic field. It is equal in all areas. It has a north and a south pole,” Henderson explains. “What if you were able to take that magnet, and organize the magnetic field so that it was only on one side? And then you combine that with other magnetic fields in a way that amplifies and focuses their strength? That’s magnetic field architecture.” When used on a material like the copper floor that I’m standing on, the entire unit floats a few centimeters off the ground. Goodbye friction, and hello hoverboard.
How that works with a human on top of it is fun, but not elegant. I used to skateboard quite a bit, but hopping on Hendo’s hoverboard is something else. The easiest way to describe it is like getting on a snowboard that’s just been pulled out of an oven. Any sort of lateral control you’d have with a skateboard goes out the window. Instead, you’re floating, and often spinning as your body pushes certain parts of the board, adjusting its direction. “You should just stay on the board and let us push you,” one of the safety attendants says to me after my first few trips across the demo space. I happily agree.
Henderson says the technology is “completely safe,” and that there’s no measurable field strength above it, where whatever’s on top of it is being carried. “It is very safe particularly relative to other forms of maglev,” he adds.
While “completely safe,” it’s far from silent. Where the white box sounded like a loud desktop computer, the sound coming out of the hoverboard prototype is like a high-pitched screech. This will be dampened by the time the company has a more polished version of the hoverboard ready by this time next year, Henderson promises, but for now it’s a cacophony of squeals when you get on. The word “Banshee” comes to mind.
Was it fun? Unequivocally. Pushing off for the first time, and even later runs was a thrill. For the first time ever, I felt like it was OK for some electronic device to have a blue glowing light on it. It’s just too bad there wasn’t more space to ride on. The small demo area actually made it more difficult to get momentum, and stabilize myself as I glided gently into the waiting arms of my spotting team.
Arx Pax also built a modest half-pipe, which I did not volunteer to try, but was given a brief demo of how this could work. The point here is that the board will work on a surface that isn’t entirely flat, but it also makes for a good demonstration the difficulties of controlling something that is not touching the ground. After losing his balance on a second run, Hendo’s brave stuntman leaned too heavily on one of the edges of the board, causing a chunk of the protective covers over the “engines” to snap off and go flying across the floor. That’s why we’re all wearing safety glasses, and why this is still in development.
This is not the beta version of the product as much as a proof of concept — even if you could convince your local city council to pave the sidewalks in copper, commuting on this hulking beast is not going to be a viable option. Arx Pax is trying to raise $250,000 through a Kickstarter campaign to turn this into something beyond a prototype that runs for seven minutes before the batteries die. The company’s offering backers small engine packs so that they can use the technology to build their own creations. It’s also giving up to 10 people “production” versions of its hoverboard, which cost well over $10,000 a pop, but $10,000 is the most that Kickstarter will allow people to pledge. Ultimately, Henderson says, the price will come down, but for now he wants to offer the core technology to other people who might have a clearer purpose of what to do with it.
THIS HOVERBOARD WILL COST YOU $10,000
“Our goal is inspiring co-creation with the entire community of tinkerers and makers and outside thinkers,” Henderson says. “I guarantee one thing: we’re going to be surprised at the results. They’ll come up with all kinds of uses: planes, trains, automobiles, factory automation. Those are some of the easy ones.”
Henderson also believes that larger companies might want to license the technology for use in commercial applications. “Planes may be not so obvious, but maglev assisted takeoff is something all of the big airplane manufacturers are looking at because takeoff is where all the energy is used,” he says. “There’s this virtuous cycle that if you can shrink payload of fuel down, and take away all those pounds of fuel, the wings can get smaller, and then that means that we get less fuel, etc.”
Underlying that is the very real fact that electronic magnet suspension technology has been used for years, most notably in high-speed trains. Electromagnets lift the train into the air, and keep it from touching the tracks, which means less wear and tear, a smoother ride, and less friction from the tracks. Henderson sees his company’s technology as a more versatile solution since you could theoretically put it on individual train cars instead of relying on the tracks, making them easier to move around train yards.
But Henderson doesn’t want to stop at trains, or even hoverboards. He envisions it as something that could be useful for lifting a building off its foundation. In fact, that was the premise of the company before it was even talking hoverboards. A patent Henderson filed for the company last March envisions a three-part system that would put the hover engines in the very foundation of a building, lifting it up and out of the way of danger.
When I ask how you could handle 10 feet of water when this small white box and hoverboard lift up just a few centimeters, Henderson says the scale can go way up, and lift things even higher. The tricky part is keeping them from going out of control, which the company is still working on. That could keep the hoverboard from going bananas when you shift your weight the wrong way, and hopefully scale up to keep taller objects from toppling over.
To demonstrate that it can take this technology and actually steer with it, Arx Pax has developed a prototype it’s calling the Manta Ray. It’s a cylinder the size of a Roomba vacuum that has multiple engines on it, and can be adjusted to steer its direction and turn, though it doesn’t do it on a dime. It was plenty stable, though maneuvering it had a steep learning curve.
What Hendo is working on is very much a work in progress. I got a fun — albeit very loud — hoverboard ride out of it, but the ambition to put this beneath something like a house or an airplane seems utterly unfathomable at the moment. Even if you grant that the science is as innovative as these scrappy inventors claim, this company seems ill-equipped to get the technology there on its own. There are insanely big problems to solve, like getting this into a smaller, quieter package that lasts for more than a few minutes before running out of power. It also needs to work on more types of surfaces, and cost less than a decent used car. And most importantly, it needs to work in a way where people won’t easily fly off. The potential payoff is saving buildings, lives, and untold amounts of money. Until then, the whole hoverboard part is still something that’s perhaps best experienced at the movies
-via Gizmodo
Brand new design, better battery life, seamless device switching! The newest version of Android brings a lot to the table. But its best feature is a little further under the surface: Smart lock screens that will let you be super secure without ever entering a PIN again.
Teased back at Google I/O but now appearing in the developer build of Android Lollipop, the new feature works like this: Pair a gadget with your phone—maybe a watch or a speaker or a pair of bluetooth headphones—and Android will ask you if it’s a “trusted device.” If you say that it is, you can set up your lock screen to disable whenever your phone and that device are paired. So when your phone is close to the fitness tracker on your wrist or connected to the speaker in your bedroom, there’s no lock screen. But if there’s nothing familiar around, lock screen engage! Phones like the Moto X have had features like this before, but now the functionality is coming to stock Android.
It’s a simple little change, but one that can make all the difference for security. Yeah, we all know we should have lock screens—preferably passwords over PINs—to stay safe, but it’s easy for convenience to win out. I’m ashamed to admit I haven’t had a lock screen on my phone for months, and I love every second of it. With this new feature I can—and will—set up some wildly obnoxious password that’s insanely secure, but that I’ll almost never have to type in. Strong security I never have to see! It’s the same logic behind phone-unlocking NFC tags like Motorola’s Skip (or whatever insane DIY setup you can gin up), except it works with the gadgets I already have.
The catch, of course, is that its utility is limited to how many Bluetooth devices you have and use. Folks without a smartwatch or other Bluetooth wearable will get way less use from this than nerds who are all gadget-ed up. That and constant Bluetooth connections will gnaw away at your battery life ever-so-slightly. The alternative is to disable the lock screen when connected to trusted Wi-Fi, but that still takes a little tweaking. Still, this is a step in the right direction: More secure and less annoying. Now if only two-factor authentication could be this smooth. [h/t Android Police]
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