Instagram says advertisers more than double in six months

Facebook's Instagram said on Thursday its advertising base more than doubled to exceed 500,000 in the last six months.

nstagram, the popular picture-sharing app that uses Facebook's ad technology to target highly specific audiences, has gained traction as the preferred platform used by ad agencies for social media campaigns.

The app, which has more than 500 million users, also said more than 1.5 million businesses had switched to its Business Tools program in the two months since its launch earlier this year.

The program allows businesses to promote posts and create custom profiles on Instagram that allows potential users to contact them by phone, e-mail or text messages.

The company, which was bought by Facebook for $1bn in 2012, is expected to generate $1.5bn in advertising revenue this year, according to research firm eMarketer.

Instagram said in February that it had more than 200,000 advertisers.

Source Independent.ie

FACEBOOK NOW HAS TO CONFRONT THE DARK REALITY OF LIVE VIDEO

Facebook is currently facing new questions about its policies for live video content following a live stream in the moments after Philando Castile was shot in Minnesota. Castile was killed by police during a traffic stop and the video which was taken by Castile’s girlfriend shows his blood-stained body in the moments after the shooting.

Originally the video was removed for an hour and then resurfaced with a graphic content warning. Facebook says that it was a technical glitch and that the video was restored as soon as possible. Questions are now being raised as to what Facebook’s policies are regarding content of this nature.

Many people may not realise it, but photos and videos which depict violence are not actually banned on Facebook – even if it is extremely graphic content. Guidelines do prohibit “photos and videos that glorify violence or attack an individual or group.”

The video has been spread widely across social media and on TV. It has been viewed millions of times on Facebook and has been shown on multiple news outlets on TV. More and more people are getting their news through social media with more than 81% of Americans following news primarily online.

Facebook CEO, Mark Zuckerberg wrote on his Facebook page on Thursday that videos such as Castile’s shooting “shine a light” on societal issues:

“While I hope we never have to see another video like Diamond’s, it reminds us why coming together to build a more open and connected world is so important — and how far we still have to go.”

People will have varying opinions about the video that was taken by Castile’s girlfriend as he was tragically dying. Different people will react in different ways, it is not for us to judge or pass comments on how people act in these kinds of situations.

However, what we did see last week is just how powerful the set of tools in our pocket has become. The rise of smartphones, live streaming and social media has provided people with new powerful tools and helps them access the world faster than ever before.

At the moment, when a video showing graphic violent content goes viral on Facebook, it is always likely that someone will report it. One report is enough to trigger a review and then it is up to whoever sees the report to decide what action should be taken.

It is also not uncommon for Facebook to take content offline, review it and then restore it with a warning which is what could have happened to this video when it briefly vanished for an hour.

Facebook has been making big investments in video recently, Facebook wants video to be as accessible as possible and as widely viewed as possible. However, with different types of content that can also provide complications down the line.

The social network now has the difficult job of handling real-time violence on its live streaming platform while still allowing freedom of expression and content.

Courtesy of Irish Tech News AND MARK DALTON

Spotify tackles streaming’s big problem: discovering new music

Spotify just added a new feature that's going to make it a lot easier to find new music.

The company introduced a new type of playlist called "Release Radar" that automatically curates weekly playlists of new music based on a user's tastes. The playlist will be available to all Spotify's users regardless of their subscription.

SEE ALSO: This pillow streams music, but doesn't wake your partner

Release Radar, which you can find now in Spotify's "Discover" section, is a playlist updated each Friday that "gives you up to two hours of the newest drops from the artists you follow and listen to the most, sprinkled in with some new discoveries based on your recent listening habits," Spotify says.

Spotify has offered personalized playlists in the past but Release Radar is geared more toward new releases than previous efforts.

That's an important distinction for Spotify as it looks to differentiate from competing services like Apple Music. Discovering new music, particularly from artists you're not familiar with, is a big challenge for any streaming service (think of how many times you listen to the same albums or playlists because you don't know what else to listen to.) 

And, if Spotify can crack the code to discovery, it may have a better chance of outlasting some of it competition.

To find your Release Radar playlist, head to Discover from Spotify's "Browse" section, and scroll down to "new releases for you."

TOPICS: APPS-AND-SOFTWARE, APPS AND SOFTWARE, SPOTIFY, TECH

Courtesy ofKarissa Bell and MashableUK

This Google Photos ad is all about the pain of having a 16GB iPhone

Apple might be getting rid of the 16GB iPhone in September, but we're not quite there yet, and in the meantime Google has created a fantastic Google Photos commercial that showcases the app's "free up space" feature. The ad features one missed photo after another — selfies, graduations, birthdays, Bigfoot sightings, etc. — all because of a phone that has run out of storage. (And yes, this is a headache that some Android users also face.) Google wants you to know that it's come up with a solution to this potential crisis: once they've been backed up to the cloud, Google Photos can erase the local copy of photos and videos captured with your smartphone.

That's an incredibly useful feature, especially when paired with the unlimited storage you get if you choose the "high quality" backup option in Google Photos. It's also the type of convenience that could easily lock you into sticking with Google Photos long into the future. Because moving photos from one online service to another is a miserable experience that we should only have to experience once or maybe twice in this life.

Apple can also automatically back up your memories to iCloud to clear up built-in storage, but you'll likely have to pay for more cloud space if you're someone who opens the camera app regularly. Anyway, this is a pretty great ad all around — even if it's weird that after all those iPhone warning prompts, the commercial pulls back to reveal... a Nexus 6P.

Courtesy of The Verge

• SOURCEGOOGLE PHOTOS (YOUTUBE)

Another major security flaw has been discovered on Android phones

FOUR NEWLY DISCOVERED security flaws have been discovered in Android devices with a Qualcomm chip could allow an attacker to take complete control of an affected device.

The vulnerabilities, called Quadrooter, affects over 900 million smartphones and tablets. An attacker can exploit them by using a malicious app, which doesn’t require any special permissions to take advantage of these vulnerabilities.

That means it can be possible to take over a device without raising any suspicion from the user’s end, say security firm Check Point whose researchers discovered the flaw.

The problem comes from Qualcomm’s software drivers that come with its chipsets, which is incorporated into Android devices when manufacturers are building them. There is no evidence that these flaws have been exploited by anyone yet.

A large number of devices are affected by it including:

• BlackBerry Priv
• Blackphone 1 and 2
• Google Nexus 5X, 6 and 6P
• HTC One M9 and HTC 10
• LG G4, G5, and V10
• New Moto X by Motorola
• OnePlus One, 2 and 3
• Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge
• Sony Xperia Z Ultra

Check Point handed over the information to Qualcomm earlier this year. The chip maker is said to have created a fix for the problems, but it’s not clear how many companies have issued software updates with the fix yet. 

Part of the reason for the delay is down to fragmentation, an issue among Android devices. While the core software is designed by Google, it must go through the chipmaker and phone manufacturers as well who will make their own changes to the software. Because of this, it can take weeks or months for an update from Google to reach certain phones

Courtesy of The Journal.ie

A solar road surface is being tested on Route 66

It was revealed this week that an Idaho startup named Solar Roadways will be testing a solar road surface on a stretch of Route 66 in Missouri.

The new modular roadway will be powered by solar energy and will include LED lights for lines and signage, reducing the need for any paint.

It can also be used to generate heat to prevent snow and ice accumulations according to the company.

It includes a number of microprocessors that allows the modular panels to talk to each other, and even to vehicles that are driving on the road surface.

Thanks to the modular capabilities, it can also be repaired easily, without needing to disrupt traffic too much.

Solar Roadways explains more :

Our goal is to modernize the infrastructure with modular, intelligent panels, while producing clean renewable energy for homes and businesses,” the company says on its website. “We’ll be able to charge electric vehicles with clean energy from the sun, first on our solar parking lots and when we have enough highway infrastructure, while driving.

The Colas panels took 5 years to develop and consist of 7 millimeter thick strips glued to the road surface. The strips use a thin film of polycrystalline silicon to make electricity from sunlight. Colas says they have been tested extensively and can withstand the weight of a 6 axle truck. They are also said to be skid resistant.

It’s quite possible that this could be the future of road surfaces, however, at the moment, it is just in a trial phase.

Via: The Verge

Source: News Tribune

9 in 10 iPhone users won't buy iPhone 7 without redesign, survey finds

A new survey by Quartz reveals that if Apple doesn't dramatically alter the iPhone 7 from the iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus, nearly 90 percent of iPhone users will not upgrade.

It's probably not the news Apple wants to hear since iPhone sales are on the decline. But now that we all have iPhones, and after nearly 10 years of using them, it's no surprise there's fatigue. Not only that, but the iPhone 7 in particular looks truly underwhelming.

The online survey, which involved 525 respondents through SurveyMonkey, showed that nearly 63 percent of users would be interested to see a revamped iPhone.

But less than 10 percent would be "very likely" or "extremely likely" to line up for the iPhone as it is. 

Rumors about the new iPhone hint at tiny changes most of which look super annoying (RIP, headphone jack). There are also fears of restricting all of the worthwhile updates to the 7 Plus/ Pro. 

Then again, CEO Tim Cook has said that 60 percent of iPhone users own a version older than iPhone 6. And iPhone is testing out a new program that lets users pay off a new phone on credit, and then update once a year. So who knows, things could change dramatically come November.We'll see soon enough. 

TOPICS: Courtesey of MashableUK

Want bigger emojis? Then the new Whatsapp update is for you

There is a new Whatsapp update and it is sure to leave you with a ‘smiley face’/

The update, available now for iOS users, will make emojis appear bigger than they did in past versions of the app.

Previously it was only the heart emoji which appeared larger.

There is also good news for those of you who like to share video via the app, as the update allows users to zoom in and out while recording.

To do this, simply slide your finger up and down the screen.

Whatsapp has also made a number of changes which make it easier to read, archive and delete new messages. Individual chat threads will now also be quicker to load.

Before you download the update, it might be worth noting that it's over 70MB, so ensure you've plenty of date or are connected to Wi-fi.

Courtesy of Independent.ie

DRONE CAPABILITIES IMPROVING RAPIDLY. YUNEEC TYPHOON H DRONE REVIEWED BY IAN KIELY

Delighted to bring you a review of the Yuneec Typhoon H by Ian Kiely, founder of Drone Expo, see more here about him. Anyone looking to invest in a drone at this level whether professional or enthusiast should definitely consider the Yuneec Typhoon H.

Flying the new Yuneec Typhoon H at the Battle for the Bay in Dublin. Pure Magic

I have had it for almost a week now and I love it, we took it to the Battle for the Bay in Dublin last weekend where we put it through its paces with a couple of guys from FPV Leinster, I also allowed some novice fliers from our office have a go and see what their thoughts were. It’s very easy to learn as a 16GB micro SD-card with instructions is included and a 32GB memory stick.

Up to this point I have been mostly using DJI products and I would liken the Typhoon to the Phantom 4 but you get a lot more bang for your buck at €1450 with lots of extras included, it is a really nice looking machine, well thought out and precisely engineered with a modular system to replace parts and accessories.

The Machine Itself

It weighs about 1.8 Kilos with battery and camera so it must be registered with the IAA in Ireland. There are a lot of functional features such as retractable landing gear manually operated to improve camera performance and it looks cool.

The H offers six rotors compared to its predecessor and rivals with quick-loc propellers and a second set included, in the event that you lose one rotor its ability to fly remains quite stable. This is not the only advanced safety feature, it comes equipped with sonar sensors for collision avoidance, we tested this and it does what it says on the tin unlike the P4 which uses camera technology but unfortunately cannot recognise a flat wall painted white or black as I witnessed it crash twice recently. The machine also has foldable arms with button release for compact storage. (A number of people have referred to it as a spider when folded). I think a well-placed handle for carrying could be a good addition at a later stage.

The Flight

As RPAS go it is not that noisy even facing into the wind which it does without any problems. In April we were using a test model at the RDS for Drone Expo Ireland it was fairly windy and was also lightly raining which did not seem to bother performance at all.

A stable flight is guaranteed with lots of modes including orbit me, curve cable cam, watch me/follow me and point of interest. You can easily adjust the settings to vary flight sensitivity.

When in flight my first thought was that it’s like picking up a fancy pen that you immediately want to put in your pocket compared to the standard Bic biro.

The Battery

It was with dismay that I only received 1 4s lipo battery in the pack (Based on RRP in the UK they will retail here at around €140) however they do last the advertised 22 mins with a little wiggle room. They are easy to install/remove and take about 2 ½ hours to charge. The charging station is a little cumbersome and has no indicators but it will charge the battery and ground station at the same time and we liked this, it also comes with a car charger. The battery is well packed but as with any lipo do not leave it unattended when charging.

The Camera

The 12 megapixel 4K camera is a dream, it is very stable with a 3-axis gimbal, 360o rotation and no landing gear in the way, slow motion capture with full HD and lots of modes to choose from. The picture quality is sharp with no noticeable curvature and in general very user friendly.

It is awkward to access the micro SD slot but an added advantage is that you can have a second SD in the ground station as a back-up, the telemetry will also inform you if you forget to put it in. The lens cap doubles as a gimbal clamp, it is very easy to remove and replace but be wary if it is not facing to the front it will not fit back into the box and you could damage it.

The physical camera is quick release and has no wires to be concerned over.

The Ground Station

Intel have put a lot of investment and Yuneec a lot of thought into the control mechanisms. For starters there is a built in 7” HD touchscreen with a HDMI port for an external monitor. This is a big saving on having to buy an independent screen and it allows you to review captured images and video while airborne. Detailed telemetry feeds to the same screen with multiple options for adjusting the camera and other facilities.

As it is Android it takes a few minutes to bind with the drone and is a little slower that other offerings on the market. It is a very attractive piece of hardware that comes with a neck strap and sunshade which are usually extra. The neck strap is very practical and connects in four places, this is important as the controller is quite large. The sunshade is great to have and packs away neatly, it is a little bit flimsy and does not connect very well with the device, with some practice it is now a little more secure.

There is a start stop switch, built in battery with a pretty good life, tilt and pan modes, obstacle avoidance and a selection of flight modes all within reach of your fingers while in flight, access to the camera controls is also practical.

The Wizard

I have not had much experience with this but it is a great piece of technology, similar to a TV remote control it comes with a water resistant pouch and strap for your arm, you can operate the drone with this by holding it at different angles, you can also point to a certain position and the UAS will fly there at the set altitude. This feature is excellent if you want to have a separate camera operator just switch to team mode or you can set a pre-determined course with a number of points and operate the camera yourself.

Transport/Packaging

Everything you need to perform a job fits into a hardened polystyrene box that is moulded for all of your items, it is compact, robust and lightweight, fully packaged with all the bells and whistles it weighs 7.1Kg, it will fit into an optional back pack at around €140 again based on UK prices.

I had the pleasure of meeting some of the Yuneec team while getting some demo time, they are excellent pilots, know their product inside out and are always willing to engage on improvement ideas.   There’s lots more I could say about the Typhoon H but you should just go out and buy one or at least convince a friend to let you have a go of theirs.

SIMON COCKING Irish Tech News

New video of purported iPhone 7 shows larger camera, redesigned antenna lines, no headphone jack

As we get closer to the expected launch, sometime in early September, the leaks for the iPhone 7 just keep coming. Following a brief clip last week, a poster on Weibo has uploaded an extended videoof a purported iPhone 7 unit — we’ve embedded it after the jump.

The video shows an iPhone 7 casing (4.7 inch model) that corroborates previous rumors: new larger camera, redesigned antenna lines, missing headphone jack in lieu of an additional speaker grille. The video compares the purported iPhone 7 design to an iPhone 6s, with which it shares many design characteristics …

The iPhone 7 dummy unit is encased in a Space Grey metal that matches the 6s and includes the same camera bulge as a leaked photo released last week. The new camera component is embedded into the metal body with a curved, smooth, edge. It is also positioned closer to the corner of the device, unlike the existing iPhone 6s where the camera is offset horizontally. The size of the camera hole is also about 25% larger, suggesting that significant upgrades to camera quality are in the cards.

The larger 5.5 inch iPhone 7 model, not pictured in the video, is expected to feature a dual-camera featuring two 12-megapixel sensors. The video once again shows the lack of a headphone jack (although a mute switch is present), instead replaced by an additional speaker grille which Apple may market as ‘stereo’ sound.

The new antenna lines can also been seen in the video which are sleeker than the current design. Rather than stretching across the back of the phone horizontally, the new antenna lines only trace the top and bottom edges leaving the metal back itself unadorned, aside from the Apple logo and camera.

In terms of dimensions, the iPhone 6s and iPhone 7 appear identical with negligible changes to height, width and thickness. The removal of components like the headphone jack will also enable Apple to make the iPhone 7 fully waterproof and dust-proof, according to some rumors.

Naturally, what these leaks don’t show is the internal upgrades. It is logical to expect the iPhone 7 to include a new generation of Apple’s processor, dubbed the A10, for improved graphics and compute performance.

There have also been rumors of an increase in RAM from 2 GB to 3 GB and many sources agree that Apple will finally ditch the 16 GB base storage. Apple’s iPhone 7 lineup will instead start at 32 GB with a 256 GB high-end option.

The Weibo poster also uploaded a handful of photos, comparing the iPhone 6s to the iPhone 7:

Courtesy of 9T05Mac Benjamin Mayo 

Bose’s QuietComfort headphones go wireless without missing a beat

Bose took its damn time.

It’s not always the wisest policy in this fast-moving world of consumer electronics, but as countless competitors pushed past to bring wireless noise cancelling headphones to market, the audio company whose name has long been synonymous with active noise canceling bided its time.

Announced among a trio of new products, the QuietComfort 35 is the product Bose fans have been waiting for. Not the QuietControl 30 earbuds or the Jaybird-like SoundSport. The 35s are the Boseist of the bunch, a Bluetooth update to the company’s iconic line of airplane ubiquitous over the ear headphones, a wireless take on the popular QuietComfort 25.

While a number of eager travelers have no doubt jumped ship for faster-to-market companies like JBL and Samsung, diehard Boseheads will be happy they waited.

At a Glance

• First wireless QuietComfort headphones
• Active noise-cancelling
• 20 hours listed battery life

Pros

• Good sound, great noise cancelling
• Comfortable
• Good battery

Cons

• Pricey
• Heavier than wired model
• Only one noise-cancelling setting

Comfortably familiar

Bose’s first wireless noise-cancelling headphones (last year’s SoundLink did the wireless thing without the noise-cancelling bit) look, well, familiar to anyone who’s ever spotted a pair of the company’s headphones dangling from a rock at one of their local airport’s 45 Hudson News locations. And that’s not a bad thing. Beats and innumerable other companies have you covered if you’re looking for something flashy. Bose’s QC line is designed to look equally appropriate with a business suit or the pair of flannel pajamas you wore to the airport in anticipation of a redeye flight.

The QC35 ships in either black or silver – the company sent us the former, the even more understated of the two. The ear cups are large and offer a healthy amount of cushioning that should sit comfortably around most ears. They’re connected to the headband with a hinge that pivots more than 90 degrees, both to assure a better fit and to help the headphones collapse down to fit into their compact carrying case.

All of the buttons are positioned on the right cup, including a power switch on the side and volume up and down flanking play/pause button on the bottom. Bose opted not to go with the touch functionality favored by companies like Parrot, and while it feels a bit more old fashioned perhaps, there’s a lot less likelihood of triggering a function by accident.

Just below the trio of buttons are two lights displaying the status of Bluetooth connectivity and battery life. Below that is the microUSB charging port, with an auxiliary input jack in the same spot on the other cup for when the battery runs out – or you find yourself needing to plug in to a system without wireless transmission (like, say, your in-flight entertainment system).

At 10.9 ounces, the QC35 comes in at four ounces more than its wired predecessor, owing at least in part to the addition of Bluetooth radios. Even so, the headphones are fairly lightweight, and all said, quite comfortable, more than living up to their name. It’s easy to imagine donning them for a cross-country flight without thinking twice.

Staying alive

Pairing is a cinch. You can either do it through the standard methods or using the Bose Connect app, which exists for the sole purpose of connecting the company’s headphones and swapping between devices.

As for battery, the company has it rated at 20 hours. Unlike past QuietComfort models, this one is rechargeable. That’s mostly good news, as you won’t be dealing with the pain, cost, and environmental fallout of cycling through AAAs. The downside in the recharge every couple of days – and the fact that you can’t swap out batteries yourself.

But there’s plenty of juice on-board. I would, say, be able to get from here to Hong Kong without running out of charge. And, if I did, there’s good news on that front, too – you can just plug the headphones in and listen that way after the battery peters out.

Worth the wait

They’re not exactly cheap, but between the good sound quality, excellent noise canceling, extreme comfort and long battery life, these are exactly the pair of headphones fans have been waiting for Bose to deliver.

Courtesy of TechCrunch

POKEMON GO IS GETTING EVERYONE TO EXERCISE AND COULD IMPROVE MENTAL HEALTH

In case you may not have noticed, there is a new game which is completely blowing up right now. Its all over social media and it is getting everyone a lot more active. Pokemon Go is a new augmented reality game which challenges you to “catch em all.”

Pokemon Go was released last week for iPhone and Android. It is not available worldwide yet as demand has been so high that the developers are trying to stop the servers becoming too overwhelmed and are running a slow roll out. At the moment the game is not officially available in Ireland however users have been cunning about getting their hands on it. Personally I used my US iTunes account to download.

You are tasked with chasing down and catching Pokemon in virtual gyms and outdoor spaces. You capture them by throwing Poke Balls and the entire experience is played out through augmented reality on your device through the camera.

Exercise

You are literally going out into the world to chase Pokemon down and the game has been a big hit due to the level of interactivity.

You physically have to run around to catch Pokemon, the hours can pass when you are trying to find Squirtle or Pikachu. Sounds like it is for kids, right? Not so much. Pokemon Go has had adults running around in public like crazy people. People have become addicted and suddenly exercise doesn’t seem like a chore.

My dear mother has spent the past number of days proclaiming the world has gone mad, we are all nuts and we need to get a life. My question is, how can it really be a bad thing if people are putting more steps on their FitBits in one week since they first got them?

Neal ‏@aka_Neal  Jul 11

@jesss_clarke my fitbit has never experienced such high numbers

Collin Thorp @CollinThorp

Pokemon Go is slowing becoming the most popular fitness app. Yes, I said fitness app

Nalana @nxlana

My feet and legs are so sore from Pokemon go today. I got an hour of sleep but I took over a gym and gained 5 levels so it was pretty good

That is not all, people have also been tweeting about the social aspect of Pokemon Go as they are meeting new people at Pokestops or virtual gyms.

Of course Pokemon Go is not the first game to encourage exercise. Wii Fit was released in 2007 and was focused on sports but the key difference is that Pokemon Go is not about getting fit. It is about enjoying the game and having a good time playing. There is no focus on getting exercise, it just sneaks up on you.

Mental Health

Another massive benefit which doctors and psychologists are heaping praise on Pokemon Go for is the positive effect it is having on mental health. Gamers have been taking to social media to praise how the game has had a positive impact on their mental health just days after release.

The game is giving people an incentive to go outside and the combination of exercise and fresh air while spending time outdoors is doing wonders for their brain.

Yo! @jasonjarmoosh

Pokemon Go is literally making people with depression and anxiety and agoraphobia leave the house and explore the world and socialise.

Drew Dale @drwdal

#PokemonGO is going to do wonders for my mental health, providing me with purpose and reason to go outside at last.

As an avid gamer, it has always been painful to see people label video games as being associated with laziness – an introvert tucked away in a dark room surrounded by junk food with a headset on for hours on end. That is just not the reality of how it happens.

Pokemon Go seems to be reinventing the way people view gaming. It is providing people with a much needed mental break and a healthy form of escapism from the pressures and the grind of daily life.

Who cares if this is what it takes to get people out to exercise? The point is that we have found something which is going to motivate people to get out and exercise. People have a reason to leave their home and engage with others who are also playing the game – face to face.

Be careful

When you do get your hands on it, please remember to be careful when you are out in public playing the game. The game does load with a warning which reminds you to always be aware of your surrounds.

Always be aware of what is happening around you, there has been a number of reported incidents in the US since the game launched such as robberies. Also, just like when you are texting or tweeting when walking down the street, playing the game in public can be just as dangerous as so much of your attention is fixed on the screen.

When you do download the game and start to play, remember to be cautious of everything that is happening around you. Getting too lost in what you are doing on your phone while in public can make you an easy target for criminals.

Courtsey of MARK DALTON Irish Tech News

Futuristic Concept Smartwatches for Smart Cars

Andrea Ponti made an attempt to design smartwatches especially designed to be integrated with smart cars. There are concepts: Smartwatch A and Smartwatch B, both are dedicated to work with smart platforms such as phones, tablets, computers, including smart cars. This integration makes it possible to link smart objects with a web of connectivity, this creates better connection between the driver and the car. 

These concept watches have been designed for a leading electronic car manufacturer, when worn, this watch would monitor both the driver and the car. It’ll be able to read driver’s physical condition, allowing the car to respond appropriately, or give the driver feedback of the car’s condition. The contrasting design elements such as aluminum knobs and digital touch screen provide more interactive feedbacks and easy-to-use features. 

Designer : Andrea Ponti 

Smartwatch A 

Smartwatch B 

Futuristic Concept Smartwatches for Smart Cars is originally posted on Tuvie - Modern Industrial Design 

Drone-ovic has been helping Virgin Active serve up a perfect return just in time for Wimbledon

In time for Wimbledon and in a bid to promote Virgin Active’s Racquets clubs across the country, we launched (well, invented and then launched), Drone-ovic.

Who knows, maybe Sam Querry used it to crush the world number one?

Anyway, if he did, he’d have known that it was invented to enable Virgin Active members to practice their smashes just like the man himself. Dropping a ball from many metres up, it recreates perfectly the sensation of playing against the man himself – while at the same time training them to smash like a grand slam pro.

A cheeky video meant featuring Drone-ovic itself found its way across the media with an agency highlight being a spot on mashable – a sure sign that your story has captured attention (the piece was shared over 800 times at the point of writing. Then there was the Daily Mirror, there was the Independent, The Irish Examiner, Yahoo Video, Aol. as well as The Memo, BT.com, Engadget and a host of others.

Here’s the film, in case you’re interested …

Courtesy of Hope&Glorey  

This student-made gadget can detect fonts and capture colors

Some people take photos of designs they see out in the world that inspire them. Others create mood boards for tracking inspiration. But having a photo of something isn't the same as being able to it in your own work. Knowing this, Fiona O'Leary, a student at the Royal College of Art, developed a prototype called the Spector, so she could capture any font and color she sees in the world. If she loved the font London uses on its subway maps, for instance, she could use this device to capture that font and load it into Adobe InDesign. Spector takes a photo of the font and uses an algorithm to translate that image into information about the shape of letters and symbols. It then cross-references that information with a font database to correctly identify it. The Spector also captures colors and breaks them down into CMYK/RGB values.

Spector from Fiona O'Leary on Vimeo.

The prototype recognizes seven different font families and can identify type size, kerning, and leading. Font identification tools already exist, but not in a physical gadget, like how the video above shows a user walking around capturing bits and pieces of the world around her. This could be our eventual reality! Spector isn’t yet available for sale, but we can dream.

• VIAWIRED
• SOURCEFIONA O'LEARY

European Commission approves new investment in cybersecurity

The European Commission signed an agreement today that'll have member states funding and working together with private groups on cybersecurity. The specifics are a little vague right now, but the gist is this: the EU has put together €450 million, which will be distributed in the coming years to businesses, universities, and other researchers who are interested in investigating pressing cybersecurity problems. The commission says the measure is designed to "nurture cybersecurity industrial capabilities and innovation in the EU."

€1.8 BILLION IN NEW CYBERSECURITY INVESTMENT IS EXPECTED BY 2020

The recently founded European Cyber Security Organization will work together with everyone from tech companies to local governments to determine where the funding should go. The current plan is for the partnership to put out its first call for proposals in early 2017. The commission expects that, throughout the course of this partnership, private sources will end up investing in cybersecurity "three times more" than the initial €450 million in public contributions, for a total of up to €1.8 billion in new investment by 2020.

The commission identifies a number of areas that the partnership might focus on, including securing identities online, training workers on cybersecurity best practices, and developing new protections for cloud infrastructure. "Cybersecurity incidents cause major economic damage of hundreds of billions of euros each year to European businesses and the economy at large," the commission writes in a memo. It notes that over €600 million has already been directed to cybersecurity projects, but that "more work is needed to address the increasing number and complexity of cyberthreats."

Investing in new cybersecurity projects is only one part of the commission's plan to address those growing threats. The Network and Information Security Directive, which will likely be adopted by the European Parliament tomorrow, is meant to encourage communication throughout Europe in the event of a cyberattack. "We call on member states and all cybersecurity bodies to strengthen cooperation and pool their knowledge, information, and expertise to increase Europe's cyber-resilience," Günther Oettinger, the commissioner for digital economy and society, says in a statement.

One of the specific steps the commission outlines is making it easier to offer cybersecurity solutions throughout the EU. It hopes to establish a certification framework that'll allow products and services to be certified once and then offered in any member state.

•  Courtesy of The Verge
• Jacob Kastrenakes

The PowerTime charging dock is a throne fit for your Apple Watch

For all its perks, the Apple Watch can be a pain to charge. Though it easily attaches to the charging mechanism, it’s certain to scratch if left unprotected.

The PowerTime Apple Watch Charging Dock is one solution. This compact device offers a small podium to keep your watch safe, allowing it to rest upon a soft silicon surface. With three extra USB ports included for charging other devices, it’s the perfect power station for all your gadgets.

This premium dock neatly stores your regular charging cable, coiling it within the stand to help you avoid dealing with tangles. It also holds your watch’s magnetic connector in place, providing a secure resting spot for your Apple Watch. And at just 3.5 square inches, the Powertime is compact enough to fit anywhere you put it.

Christine Erickson, The Daily Dot 

Dell dumps their Android tablets in favour of Windows 10 hybrids

In a blog post Dell has announced that they will be discontinuing their Venue line of Android tablets in favour of 2-in-1 devices, which they explained were more suitable for enterprise. They note that they believe 2-in-1s are starting to become the preferred device for those in the workplace who occasionally want to operate the device in tablet mode, which is why they were investing in that space, while beginning to divest from the slate tablet market.

They said that the 2:1 trend was catching on globally detachable tablets reached an all-time high of 8.1 million devices in the fourth quarter of 2015 and more than doubled their shipments since the fourth quarter of last year, while traditional tablets experienced their greatest annual decline to date of -21.1 percent last quarter, according to the IDC.

Dell noted that their 2-in-1 devices offered:

• Productivity: 2-in-1s should focus on being a laptop first, then a tablet, which is the only way they fit in a commercial environment. Dell notes their newest Latitude lineup boasts business-class features like Intel’s latest processors, large and rich screens for viewing content, full-size ports and keyboards and more, all to help you work on the go.
• Flexibility: while the standard issued work device is typically a laptop or desktop, it can be nice to have a tablet for some business functions – but is it worth carrying two systems? Our fully flexible lineup of Dell 2-in-1s are designed to go wherever work takes you.
• Value: on-the-go professionals and corridor warriors will love the way 2-in-1s enhance their workflows, but IT decision makers can truly appreciate the value in a system that can be both a laptop and tablet. Gone are the days of purchasing multiple devices for workers, or compromising by choosing only one.
• Security, Manageability & Support: Our commitment to customers is to deliver the most secure, most manageable and most reliable solutions in the industry. The Dell Data Protection | Endpoint Security Suite Enterprise is now available and encompasses encryption, authentication and now greater advanced threat protection. And with ProSupport Plus for PCs and tablets, Dell is the only OEM to provide automated proactive and predictive support capabilities across PCs, tablets, servers, storage and networking.

Dell put forward their Dell Latitude 12 7000 Series 2-in-1 as the perfect hybrid device for enterprise, noting it was slim, light and versatile, while still offering full-sized ports and a good keyboard.

While the move is good news for Microsoft and its Windows 10 ambitions, it still important to note that the hybrid market is still smaller than the tablet market, and that Apple’s iPad Pro was a major factor in the recent improved stats. It is however clear that for enterprise a Windows 10 2-in-1 is much more suitable than an iOS device, which will hopefully drive the whole Windows ecosystem to be more successful in the coming years.

Courtesy of Tech NBC

This drone claims to be the world's smallest Meet the Wallet Drone, a tiny quadcopter that tucks into its wallet-size controller so you can set the skies abuzz no matter where you happen to be.

A drone and controller combo so small it can fit in your pocket? That's the promise of Wallet Drone, a new mini-quadcopter and controller/docking station combo on Indiegogo that's no bigger than a typical wallet.

The idea of a mini-quadcopter isn't new -- there are several such devices already available -- but the company claims the Wallet Drone is the world's smallest. The drone itself measures 1.57 inches by 1.57 inches by just over half an inch (4 centimeters by 4 centimeters by 1.75 centimeters), and the remote and docking station isn't much larger at 4.23 inches by 3.35 inches by 1.1 inches (10.75 centimeters by 8.5 centimeters by 2.8 centimeters).

The Wallet Drone is a cheap hobby gizmo that could be fun to fly around, plus it's small enough to be pocketable so you can take it to the park without needing to carry any extra gear. Like most micro-quadcopters, the Wallet Drone doesn't have a camera, so if you're looking for aerial photos, you should probably look elsewhere.

The Wallet Drone has a flight time of five to seven minutes on a 20-minute charge, and it can be charged via the included USB cable (or, if you're on the go, the controller doubles as a docking station that charges the drone thanks to four AA batteries onboard). The device has three preset speeds, 360-degree rotational yaw, six-axis gyro-stabilization and a trick mode that lets the drone do rolls and flips more easily.

For a size comparison, here's the Wallet Drone with other items commonly found in pockets.

courtesy of cnet.com 

Is iOS 10 ‘Dark Mode’ Only For iPhone 7?

#iOS10 #iPhone7 – Is iOS 10 ‘Dark Mode’ Only For iPhone 7? : Developers are finding all sorts of stuff in the the newly released (to them) iOS 10. When I say developers in this case , I mean Andrew Wiik who was using iOS 10 beta running in Xcode, when he seems to have discovered a “dark mode” (disabled) that could see users have an “easier on the eyes” viewing mode once it’s opened up by Apple.

“Dark Mode” only for iPhone 7?

People have mixed feelings about iOS 10, nothing introduced atthe WWDC on Monday really jumped out at those in attendance, but that’s not to say people will not warm to it and possibly rave about it when it’s introduced in full to the public in September with a beta preceding that release by a couple of months.

Siri is certainly meant to be smarter and more useful, Apple Music got an overall upgrade, users can now get rid of the pre-installed apps like Stocks and Weather that have never been as good as third-party apps if weather or stocks is your thing and, the ability to use your iPhone as an Apple TV remote is also nice and there were certainly a few other nice additions..but again, nothing groundbreaking.

Some are concerned that this “dark mode” may only be available to iPhone 7 users when both the handset and the final version of iOS 10 are both released in September(?).

You wouldn’t think that would be the case, while there are iPhones and iPads that won’t be able to use iOS 10, most new models will so you would expect that those eligible phones would all be given that option as it was found on the software side, but there is certainly no guarantee of that being the case.

Apple is not encouraging you to download the beta version of iOS 10, as it’s, well, a beta. That said, if you simply can’t wait to install it, go ahead when the beta is released as Apple has made it “easy” to downgrade back to iOS 9.

Again, Apple is calling it its biggest update iOS update, perhaps, the keynote just wasn’t long enough especially sharing the spotlight with macOX Sierra, and once it’s released it will truly impress.

Dark mode was not specifically mentioned during the unveiling but now that developers have begun digging through the beta code there is a good chance that more unannounced features will be found. Source: Valuewalk