EKOO TECH WORLD

The Roomba Now Sees and Maps a Home

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Title: The Roomba Now Sees and Maps a Home
Author: Unknown
Rating 5 of 5 Des:

The Roomba 980 vacuum builds a map of its surroundi...

<section class="body"><aside class="img-left">
  <img alt="" height="640" src="http://www.technologyreview.com/sites/default/files/images/iRobot_Newsx299.gif" width="640" />  </aside>
    <aside class="caption-left">
            The Roomba 980 vacuum builds a map of its surroundings as it cleans a house (shown here at high speed).<br />

</aside>
  
The world’s most successful home robot, the Roomba, is getting some 
new skills. The robotic vacuum cleaner is gaining a camera and 
image-processing software that will let it find its way around an area 
as it cleans.<br />

Up until now, the device from <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" target="0">iRobot</a>
 has relied on a rather simple approach to navigation. It moved more or 
less randomly, using sensors to change direction whenever faced with an 
obstacle or the top of a set of steps. This gets the job done, but it’s 
hardly very efficient or intelligent.<br />

The Roomba 980, announced by iRobot CEO Colin Angle at an event in 
New York today, follows a new approach. It comes with a camera that 
captures images of a room, and software that compares these images to 
gradually build up a map of the robot’s surroundings and determine its 
location.<br />

The 980’s new vision and navigation capabilities allow the robot to 
cover a carpet more efficiently, but they also lay the groundwork for 
more advanced features in future models. Right now the Roomba 980 uses 
its map only to make sure it’s cleaned a room properly; it cannot 
recognize objects or classify different rooms, for example. But such 
abilities are likely in the pipeline.<br />

“Being able to localize in the environment is a foundational 
capability,” says Chris Jones, director of strategic technology 
development at iRobot.<em> “</em>You can imagine the day when a robot in
 the home can perceive and understand salient objects in the 
environment—that’s a couch, that’s my oven—that type of thing.”<br />

The navigation approach used by the 980 is known as simultaneous 
location and mapping, or SLAM, which means it builds a map as it goes 
along and refers back to it. SLAM has been studied in academia for 
decades, but it has recently found its way into commercial research 
efforts and products. Traditionally, however, SLAM has required a 
significant amount of computing power. Getting SLAM to work in a small 
embedded computer system required significant effort to refine and 
optimize the algorithms used.<br />

<div class="story-img">
  <img alt="" height="260" src="http://www.technologyreview.com/sites/default/files/images/iRobot_Newsx519.gif" width="519" />        The Roomba now covers an area methodically, rather than randomly.<br />

</div>
John Leonard,
 a professor at MIT who has done pioneering work on SLAM, says the 
technique is rapidly becoming a valuable commercial tool. Many of the 
automated cars currently being developed by carmakers as well as by 
Google and perhaps Apple use approaches based on SLAM for navigation. 
The technique is also used to help drones navigate, he notes. “It’s an 
exciting time for SLAM researchers,” Leonard says. “iRobot bringing a 
SLAM-based product to market is just further evidence of that.”<br />

The Roomba 980 also performs what’s known as “sensor fusion,” meaning
 it combines data from its various proximity sensors with imagery from 
its camera. This means that it can still navigate if the camera is 
obscured by, say, a cat riding on top of the robot—a <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" target="0">surprisingly common occurrence</a>.<br />

Besides the new sensing and mapping abilities, the new Roomba 
features an improved cleaning system and roughly double the battery 
life. It can also be controlled via a smartphone app for the first time.
 The 980 costs $899, which is $200 more than the current top-of-the-line
 model.<br />

iRobot is conscious of the security and privacy concerns that the new
 camera and connectivity may introduce. A representative explains that 
the maps are not transmitted from Roomba, and they are deleted after the
 robot finishes cleaning a room.<br />

iRobot was founded in 1990 by researchers from MIT’s Computer Science
 and Artificial Intelligence Lab. The company’s first product was a 
remote-controlled machine for the military capable of bomb disposal and 
other tasks. The company got into home robots with the Roomba in 2002. 
Several generations of vacuum cleaner have followed, as well as robots 
for mopping and washing floors and cleaning gutters and pools.<br />

Other companies have introduced competitive products within the robot vacuuming space. Last year the British appliance-maker <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" target="0">Dyson</a>
 demonstrated an automated vacuuming device that also uses cameras to 
navigate, but it hasn’t been released yet. And this year a startup 
called <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" target="0">Neato Robotics</a> began selling a robot vacuum that performs laser mapping as it moves around.<br />

As competition heats up, home robots could become much more capable. 
Jones even hints that we might eventually see a Roomba capable of 
picking up your socks.<em> “</em>Another area on our roadmap is 
manipulation,” he says. “For that you need dense 3-D maps and models of 
the space around a robot, which is similar to the mapping you’re seeing 
here.”</section>

The Roomba Now Sees and Maps a Home

The Roomba 980 vacuum builds a map of its surroundi...

Apple Planing to Take Over

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Title: Apple Planing to Take Over
Author: Unknown
Rating 5 of 5 Des:

The new Apple TV will include an app store and a touch-sensitive remote that can also summon Siri. On Wedne...

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  <img alt="" height="640" src="http://www.technologyreview.com/sites/default/files/images/apple_event_tvx299.jpg" width="640" />  </aside>
    <aside class="caption-left">
            The new Apple TV will include an app store and a touch-sensitive remote that can also summon Siri. <br />

</aside>
  
On Wednesday at a media event in San Francisco, Apple unveiled a 
slate of new products, including one small, slender one with a touch 
pad, a button to access Siri, and a built-in accelerometer and 
gyroscope.<br />

It wasn’t a new iPhone—though that, along with a bigger iPad, was 
among the announcements. Rather, it was a remote control for the new 
version of Apple TV, Apple’s contender for managing living room 
entertainment, which hasn’t been updated since 2012.<br />

That wait may prove a good thing for the company. In the interim, 
consumers have gotten used to the idea of Internet-connected TVs that 
use a variety of apps, including video-streaming services like Netflix 
and Hulu, but no company has really emerged as a leader in tying it all 
together. The newest Apple TV, which will be available in late October 
for $149 with 32 gigabytes of storage or $199 with 64 gigabytes, is 
attempting to do that by combining an interface that has lots of these 
apps for everything from watching movies to shopping and appears easy to
 navigate with the new remote.<br />

The glass-topped touch pad is the most obvious way to navigate with 
Apple TV, as you can just swipe to get from one movie to the next and 
press down on it to select one.<br />

Siri is clearly intended to be a big part of the navigation, too, as 
it gets its own button on the remote. Giving a demonstration of the 
device, Apple senior design producer Jen Folse showed how you can use 
Siri to look for very specific things like “show me that <em>Modern Family</em>
 episode with Edward Norton,” which Siri can find by searching through a
 bunch of services including iTunes, Netflix, Hulu, and HBO (you can 
also filter searches based on factors like cast, directors, and age 
ratings).<br />

Apple is also trying to make apps a big part of Apple TV by adding a 
built-in app store. The device runs on the company’s tvOS, which is 
based on its mobile software, iOS, and developers will be able to make 
their own apps, which Apple is hoping will bring a range of activities 
to the living room. The company showed off several of them on Wednesday,
 including a shopping app from Gilt and a couple of games that rely on 
the new remote as a controller by taking advantage of the accelerometer,
 gyroscope, and buttons (some games will apparently allow multiple 
players if you use an iPhone or iPod Touch as an additional controller).<br />

In a hands-on demo, I found the Apple TV controller easy to use, 
while the menu for finding movies, looking at photos, playing games, and
 so forth is also pretty simple to navigate. A button on the remote is a
 direct link to Siri, and when I asked her to “find some awesome movies 
from the ′90s” she complied with a bunch of suggestions ranging from <em>Jurassic Park</em> to <em>Babe</em> (I guess we have different ideas of what “awesome” means).<br />

The touch pad on the top of the controller worked smoothly, though I 
didn’t get to run it through that many activities. I did try it out with
 a game, though, in which I played a blocky animated chicken trying 
desperately to cross the road (I was quickly hit by a car).<br />

Dan Cryan, an analyst with IHS, says the upgrade shows Apple TV has 
“stopped being a hobby” for Apple, in large part because of the addition
 of the app store. He also says the app store could mean that a lot more
 video services have easy access to your TV.<br />

He says cable’s dominance over home video entertainment is unlikely 
to go away anytime soon, though, adding that while Apple TV is a nice 
upgrade, “it’s unlikely to tip the world on its head overnight

Apple Planing to Take Over

The new Apple TV will include an app store and a touch-sensitive remote that can also summon Siri. On Wedne...

unsubstantial particle called a neutrino is opening a new window on the world.

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Title: unsubstantial particle called a neutrino is opening a new window on the world.
Author: Unknown
Rating 5 of 5 Des:

As far as useful discoveries go, the neutrino didn’t look promising. These ghostly particles are produced by the sun, by radioactive el...

<br />
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As far as useful discoveries go, the neutrino didn’t look promising. 
These ghostly particles are produced by the sun, by radioactive 
elements, and by nuclear reactors, from which they speed outward with 
zero charge, almost no mass, and a nearly complete indifference to 
matter.<br />

Last week, <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" target="0">scientists released a map</a>
 showing what the world would look like if we could see all the billions
 upon billions of neutrinos that emanate from the surface of the planet 
each second. It turns out that neutrinos’ uncontainable nature is 
potentially bad if you’re trying to hide something going on at a nuclear
 plant, but good if you want to monitor other people’s nuclear 
activities. Dark spots on the map indicate nuclear reactors and parts of
 the earth’s crust rich with radioactive uranium and thorium, which emit
 neutrinos when they decay.<br />

The technology to pick up the tracks of elusive neutrinos has 
continued to improve since the first official detection in 1956 at the 
Savannah River nuclear facility in South Carolina. While most detectors 
have been built with the goal of studying the nature and behavior of 
neutrinos, scientists are starting to consider using neutrino detectors 
to probe the earth’s interior and monitor nuclear activities.<br />

<strong>See also: <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" target="_blank">“How International Monitors Spot Nukes and Other Rumblings”</a></strong><br />

The map, published in <em>Nature Scientific Reports</em>, was created
 using neutrino signals captured in two detectors, one in Italy and one 
in Japan, says William McDonough, a geophysicist at the University of 
Maryland and a coauthor on the paper. The rest of the map was 
constructed using data about the composition and density of the earth’s 
crust and the location of the world’s reactors.<br />

Dark patches appear around mountain ranges where there’s a lot of 
naturally occurring radioactive decay, he says. The Himalayas are 
responsible for a massive dark patch over southern Asia. Some of the 
dark spots are reactors, especially around France. (Technically, the 
ones from nuclear power plants are called antineutrinos—the antimatter 
counterpart to neutrinos—but the differences between the two types of 
particles are still being worked out.)<br />

What renders neutrinos detectable at all is the fact that there are a
 lot of them. The detectors employ apartment-building-size tanks of 
mineral oil, through which trillions of neutrinos pass unobstructed each
 second. But every once in a while, one of them hits the nucleus of a 
hydrogen atom just so, annihilating a proton and leaving behind other 
particles—a positron and a neutron—that will register a signal.

unsubstantial particle called a neutrino is opening a new window on the world.

As far as useful discoveries go, the neutrino didn’t look promising. These ghostly particles are produced by the sun, by radioactive el...

Paying for Solar Power

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Title: Paying for Solar Power
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Rating 5 of 5 Des:

Paying for Solar Power

Imaging tool lets scientists look inside brain at nanoscale resolution

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Title: Imaging tool lets scientists look inside brain at nanoscale resolution
Author: Unknown
Rating 5 of 5 Des:

The human brain contains more synapses than there are galaxies in the observable universe (to put a number on it, there are perhaps 100 ...

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The human brain contains more synapses than there are galaxies in the
 observable universe (to put a number on it, there are perhaps 100 
trillion synapses versus 100 billion galaxies), and now scientists can 
see them all – individually. A new imaging tool promises to open the 
door to all sorts of new insights about the brain and how it works. The 
tool can generate images at a nanoscale resolution, which is small 
enough to see all cellular objects and many of their sub-cellular 
components (so for the biology-literate, that's stuff like neurons and 
the synapses that permit them to fire, plus axons, dendrites, glia, 
mitochondria, blood vessel cells, and so on).<br />

Developed by researchers at the Boston University School 
of Medicine and Harvard University, the imaging method employs an 
automated tape-collecting device equipped with a diamond knife to obtain
 ultra-thin brain sections, which are then scanned under an electron 
microscope. Different colors are used to identify different cellular 
objects using software developed by study co-author Daniel Berger.<br />

To demonstrate their new tool the researchers peered 
inside the brain of an adult mouse. They imaged a very small piece of a 
mouse's neocortex at a resolution that made individual synaptic vesicles
 visible (these are tiny spheres of less than 40 nm diameter that store 
neurotransmitters, or chemical signals, for release from a synapse into a
 "target" neuron). The specific area they imaged is involved in 
receiving sensory information from mouse whiskers, which are much more 
sensitive than human fingertips.<br />

<div class="inline-item">
    
        <img alt="" src="http://images.gizmag.com/inline/brain-imaging-tool-nanoscale-resolution-1@2x.jpg" />
    
	
	<div class="caption caption--inline">
	    A medium resolution 3D construction of the area imaged for the 
researchers' demonstration gives a sense of the scale – this tiny sliver
 of a brain contains, at a size smaller than you can see, the section 
studied<br />

</div>
</div>
Noting significant redundancies in the synaptic 
connections, the researchers analyzed how axons and dendrites connect. 
An axon is a nerve fiber; it transmits electrical impulses like a fiber 
optic cable. You can think of dendrites as being like the input sockets 
on your electronics; they're the branches that jut out from a neuron, 
receive the impulses from axons, and convert that information into a 
signal the neuron understands.<br />

It had previously been thought that the connectivity 
between axons and dendrites could be inferred from their locations – a 
concept called Peters' Rule, despite the fact that the man responsible 
for the idea disputes it. The researchers proved this is not the case. 
There is a more complex relationship between axons and dendrites, which 
causes multiple synapses to form on some dendrites but not on others. 
The best predictor of synapse formation turns out to be the presence of 
another synapse between that same axon and dendrite pair.<br />

<div class="inline-item">
    
        <img alt="" src="http://images.gizmag.com/inline/brain-imaging-tool-nanoscale-resolution-2@2x.jpg" />
    
	
	<div class="caption caption--inline">
	    Zoomed in further from the previous image, the cylindrical 
object in the middle of this image is a 3D reconstruction of the area 
imaged for the demonstration<br />

</div>
</div>
The researchers take this as evidence that imaging at 
super-fine detail will be necessary for neuroscientists to fully 
understand the brain. On the downside, it seems that more data is going 
to mean more questions and not necessarily more insights, but the 
researchers draw an optimistic conclusion from this – "there is no 
reason to stop doing it until the results are boring," they write.<br />

Further, study first author Narayanan "Bobby" Kasthuri 
says that the complexity of the brain is far greater than anyone had 
imagined. "We had this clean idea of how there's a really nice order to 
how neurons connect with each other," he explains, "but if you actually 
look at the material it's not like that. The connections are so messy 
that it's hard to imagine a plan to it. But we checked, and there's 
clearly a pattern that cannot be explained by randomness."<br />

Nanoscale imaging of the brain means that in every square
 micrometer of tissue we can see things we've never seen before. It 
promises huge opportunities for discovery and exploration, and it 
promises that someday, in the far flung future, we may have our answers –
 we may learn everything there is to learn about how the brain works.<br />

Many scientists see the work as a waste of time and 
money, senior author Jeff Lichtman notes – it is simply too enormous an 
undertaking to yield much value. But surely we as a species must 
continue to dream big, to chase the impossible, because history has 
taught us that the journey, the striving for more answers, proves as 
rewarding and fruitful as the goal that we may never reach.

Imaging tool lets scientists look inside brain at nanoscale resolution

The human brain contains more synapses than there are galaxies in the observable universe (to put a number on it, there are perhaps 100 ...

Moto X Play vs. Moto G (3rd generation)

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Title: Moto X Play vs. Moto G (3rd generation)
Author: Unknown
Rating 5 of 5 Des:

This year, Motorola opted to launch two Moto X smartphones in the place of one. With a lower resolution display and not quite ...

This year, Motorola <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" target="_blank">opted to launch two Moto X smartphones</a>
 in the place of one. With a lower resolution display and not quite 
high-end internals, the Moto X Play is the lesser of the two, but how 
does it stand up against the company's budget wonder, the third 
generation Moto G?<br />

<h2>
Size</h2>
<div class="inline-item">
    
        <img alt="" src="http://images.gizmag.com/inline/moto-x-play-moto-g-3rd-gen-comparison-6@2x.jpg" />
    
	
</div>
Despite the difference in display size (more on that 
later), the two handsets have a similar footprint, with the Moto X Play 
measuring in just 4 percent taller and wider than its lower-end sibling.
 On the other hand, this year's Moto G is 6 percent thicker than the 
Play. <br />

<h2>
Weight</h2>
<div class="inline-item">
    
        <img alt="" src="http://images.gizmag.com/inline/moto-x-play-moto-g-3rd-gen-comparison-1@2x.jpg" />
    
	
</div>
The Moto X Play is 9 percent heavier than the Moto G.<br />

<h2>
Build (frame)</h2>
<div class="inline-item">
    
        <img alt="" src="http://images.gizmag.com/inline/moto-x-play-moto-g-3rd-gen-comparison-2@2x.jpg" />
    
	
</div>
Though less premium than Motorola's other Moto X handset 
(known as the Style or Pure Edition depending on your region), the Play 
still sports a metal frame, besting the Moto G's plastic offering.<br />

<h2>
Build (back)</h2>
<div class="inline-item">
    
        <img alt="" src="http://images.gizmag.com/inline/moto-x-play-moto-g-3rd-gen-comparison-3@2x.jpg" />
    
	
</div>
Both devices offer plastic rear covers. <br />

<h2>
Colors</h2>
<div class="inline-item">
    
        <img alt="" src="http://images.gizmag.com/inline/moto-x-play-moto-g-3rd-gen-comparison-17@2x.jpg" />
    
	
</div>
The 2015 entry in the Moto G line marks the first time 
prospective users have been able to customize the smartphone via the 
company's Moto Maker service. That means that you'll be able pick back 
cover and accent colors on either device.<br />

<h2>
Display size</h2>
<div class="inline-item">
    
        <img alt="" src="http://images.gizmag.com/inline/moto-x-play-moto-g-3rd-gen-comparison-4@2x.jpg" />
    
	
</div>
While the two handsets have pretty similar footprints, 
the Moto X Play packs a larger panel, offering 21 percent more screen 
real estate.<br />

<h2>
Display resolution</h2>
<div class="inline-item">
    
        <img alt="" src="http://images.gizmag.com/inline/moto-x-play-moto-g-3rd-gen-comparison-5@2x.jpg" />
    
	
</div>
That larger screen brings with it a higher resolution, 
with the Moto X Play packing 37 percent more pixels per inch than you'll
 find on the Moto G's panel. <br />

<h2>
Fingerprint sensor</h2>
<div class="inline-item">
    
        <img alt="" src="http://images.gizmag.com/inline/moto-x-play-moto-g-3rd-gen-comparison-8@2x.jpg" />
    
	
</div>
Neither device offers a fingerprint sensor. <br />

<h2>
Storage</h2>
<div class="inline-item">
    
        <img alt="" src="http://images.gizmag.com/inline/moto-x-play-moto-g-3rd-gen-comparison-9@2x.jpg" />
    
	
</div>
The Moto G's storage options tops out at 16 GB, while the Moto X Play is available in a more expansive 32 GB variation.<br />

<h2>
MicroSD</h2>
<div class="inline-item">
    
        <img alt="" src="http://images.gizmag.com/inline/moto-x-play-moto-g-3rd-gen-comparison-10@2x.jpg" />
    
	
</div>
Either device allows you to expand available storage via a microSD card. <br />

<h2>
Processor</h2>
<div class="inline-item">
    
        <img alt="" src="http://images.gizmag.com/inline/moto-x-play-moto-g-3rd-gen-comparison-11@2x.jpg" />
    
	
</div>
Neither processor here is top-of-the-line, but the Moto X Play's octa core chip is the more capable of the two. <br />

<h2>
RAM</h2>
<div class="inline-item">
    
        <img alt="" src="http://images.gizmag.com/inline/moto-x-play-moto-g-3rd-gen-comparison-12@2x.jpg" />
    
	
</div>
The amount of memory you'll find in the Moto G is linked 
to how much storage you opt for. The 8GB option ships with 1 GB RAM, 
while the 16 GB version packs a more capable 2 GB memory.<br />

<h2>
Battery</h2>
<div class="inline-item">
    
        <img alt="" src="http://images.gizmag.com/inline/moto-x-play-moto-g-3rd-gen-comparison-13@2x.jpg" />
    
	
</div>
One of the standout features of the Moto X Play is the 
high capacity of its battery – it's actually bigger than the one you'll 
find in the more premium Moto X Style (Pure Edition).<br />

<h2>
Removable battery</h2>
<div class="inline-item">
    
        <img alt="" src="http://images.gizmag.com/inline/moto-x-play-moto-g-3rd-gen-comparison-14@2x.jpg" />
    
	
</div>
You won't be able to swap out the battery on either of Motorola's new smartphones.<br />

<h2>
Water resistance</h2>
<div class="inline-item">
    
        <img alt="" src="http://images.gizmag.com/inline/moto-x-play-moto-g-3rd-gen-comparison-23@2x.jpg" />
    
	
</div>
While the Play will stand up to the odd splash, the third
 generation Moto G actually features some solid water resistance tech. 
With an IPX7 rating, it should hold up to being immersed in up to 1 m 
(3.3 ft) of water.<br />

<h2>
Camera megapixels</h2>
<div class="inline-item">
    
        <img alt="" src="http://images.gizmag.com/inline/moto-x-play-moto-g-3rd-gen-comparison-15@2x.jpg" />
    
	
</div>
There's a big difference in megapixel count when it comes to rear shooters, but both handsets pack 5 MP cameras up front.<br />

<h2>
Camera aperture</h2>
<div class="inline-item">
    
        <img alt="" src="http://images.gizmag.com/inline/moto-x-play-moto-g-3rd-gen-comparison-16@2x.jpg" />
    
	
</div>
Both rear cameras feature an ƒ/2.0 aperture.<br />

<h2>
Software</h2>
<div class="inline-item">
    
        <img alt="" src="http://images.gizmag.com/inline/moto-x-play-moto-g-3rd-gen-comparison-18@2x.jpg" />
    
	
</div>
One of the best things about Motorola's modern 
smartphones is the stock Android experience they provide. Both the Moto X
 Play and 2015 Moto G ship with <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" target="_blank">Lollipop</a> installed. <br />

<h2>
Release</h2>
<div class="inline-item">
    
        <img alt="" src="http://images.gizmag.com/inline/moto-x-play-moto-g-3rd-gen-comparison-19@2x.jpg" />
    
	
</div>
The Moto G is available to purchase right now, while the 
Play is expected to arrive later this month. There is a big caveat here 
though – unlike the Moto X Style (or Pure Edition), the Moto X Play 
isn't scheduled for release in the US. <br />

<h2>
Starting price (full retail)</h2>
<div class="inline-item">
    
        <img alt="" src="http://images.gizmag.com/inline/moto-x-play-moto-g-3rd-gen-comparison-22@2x.jpg" />
    
	
</div>
Motorola hasn't announced an official price point for the
 Moto X Play just yet, but it has said that it'll launch around 
US$300-400 less than competing flagship handsets.<br />

</div>

Moto X Play vs. Moto G (3rd generation)

This year, Motorola opted to launch two Moto X smartphones in the place of one. With a lower resolution display and not quite ...

Parrot MINIKIT Neo 2 HD hands-free phone system for your car

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Title: Parrot MINIKIT Neo 2 HD hands-free phone system for your car
Author: Unknown
Rating 5 of 5 Des:

Like many people who try (not) to use a mobile phone while mobile in an auto, I have sound- and device-management issues. That's wh...

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Like many people who try (not) to use a mobile phone while mobile in 
an auto, I have sound- and device-management issues. That's why I 
welcomed the chance to try out the Parrot MINIKIT Neo 2 HD, a sleek 
hands-free calling and speaker system that uses either Bluetooth or NFC 
to connect up to two mobile devices at a time. Useable with or without 
its app and either iOS or Android devices, it's a good choice for those 
who can't afford a complicated stereo overhaul for their car and need to
 support multiple phone operating systems.<br />

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<img alt="A lime green MINIKIT Neo 2 HD in profile, showing its clip for fitting around a car's sunshade to be easily placed to make and receive phone calls" border="0" src="http://images.gizmag.com/gallery_tn/minikit-neo-2.JPG" title="A lime green MINIKIT Neo 2 HD in profile, showing its clip for fitting around a car's sunshade to be easily placed to make and receive phone calls" /><img alt="The app associated with the MINIKIT Neo 2 HD allows users to choose what kinds of calls to be be voice activated with magic words" border="0" src="http://images.gizmag.com/gallery_tn/minikit-neo-13.png" title="The app associated with the MINIKIT Neo 2 HD allows users to choose what kinds of calls to be be voice activated with magic words" /><img alt="MINIKIT Neo 2 HD has a flexible clip for connecting to a car's sun visor" border="0" src="http://images.gizmag.com/gallery_tn/minikit-neo-7.jpg" title="MINIKIT Neo 2 HD has a flexible clip for connecting to a car's sun visor" /><img alt="A MINIKIT Neo 2 HD from the angle it should be installed in your car (though upside down), with microphone tilted towards the seat" border="0" src="http://images.gizmag.com/gallery_tn/minikit-neo-1.JPG" style="cursor: move;" title="A MINIKIT Neo 2 HD from the angle it should be installed in your car (though upside down), with microphone tilted towards the seat" /></div>
The Neo 2 is an upgrade over previous MINIKIT Neo models,
 with always-listening voice commands, a new smart phone app, and sound 
improvements over its speaker which takes up most of the flat front 
surface.<br />

I started my test of the device already owning an 
aftermarket car stereo that similarly uses a microphone and speakers 
(the car's) to create an ad-hoc hands-free speaker phone, yet I never 
want to place calls through it. Who wants the whole car to hear a phone 
call in full stereo? So I was curious what I would think of the Neo, 
knowing that I could only have one Bluetooth connection active at a 
time.<br />

Physical controls include two buttons, green and red, 
that light with LEDs when interacting with menus while accepting or 
canceling actions. A clickable jogwheel scrolls through menu choices and
 adjusts volume. The on/off switch can trigger a verbal announcement of 
the battery's charge. Finally, a mini-USB port both charges the device 
through an included USB cable and charger for your car's auxiliary power
 port (aka cigarette lighter) and provides a connection to a computer 
for software updates.<br />

Both the finish and construction of the Neo 2 felt familiar after playing with Parrot's <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" target="_blank">Bebop quadcopter</a>,
 similarly sturdy and with a simple but sophisticated matte aesthetic. I
 received a lime green and black version, but it's also available in 
other vivid shades including red and blue, or simply all black.<br />

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        <img alt="" src="http://images.gizmag.com/inline/minikit-neo-7@2x.jpg" />
    
	
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Pairing over Bluetooth and importing my contacts into the
 Neo 2 was simple, as was initiating and receiving phone calls. However,
 I never managed to pair with its advertised NFC compatibility – I 
couldn't determine if it was my phone or the Neo 2 to blame.<br />

While the Neo 2 can theoretically connect with 10 devices
 and hold their address books, for those with big families or lots of 
gadgets, it can only simultaneously sync and direct calls for two 
phones. I only connected two phones, a Nexus 5 and an iPhone 5s.<br />

While two phones are connected, the Neo 2 HD is in "dual 
mode." While it can receive calls inbound to either phone, only one 
phone can place calls or interact with the "magic words" voice commands,
 though this is easily switchable through the jogwheel.<br />

iOS users can interact hands-free with Siri via the voice
 recognition, but Android users are currently out of luck using "OK 
Google." However, the MINIKIT Neo 2's own voice commands are available 
in many European languages in addition to English.<br />

These commands primarily center around initiating and 
accepting phone calls, with a sample conversation starting with saying 
"MINIKIT" and when prompted, responding with the name of the person 
you'd like to call. If your address book is a jumble of incomplete 
entries as is mine, you'll need to do a little reorganization to make 
the interaction easier. If MINIKIT got confused by my contact request, 
it stopped interacting with me rather than prompting for a follow-up 
clarification.<br />

However, as magic words for outgoing calls relies heavily
 on battery use to always be listening, the user can turn off magic 
words for outgoing calls, instead just initiating a call by pushing the 
green button. MINIKIT Neo's 1,000-mAH battery is described as lasting 
long enough for 10 hours of talk time, or enough to standby for six 
months.<br />

The associated app, available for free for either iOS or 
Android, adds additional features to the hands-free kit, many relying on
 the information available from the proximity between the Neo 2 HD and 
its connected mobile devices. For example, the app can warn you of how 
long you've been driving, automatically note how long you've been parked
 at a parking meter, or save the location of where you parked. The Neo 2
 has a motion sensor that wakes it up when you enter the car, as well.<br />

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        <img alt="" src="http://images.gizmag.com/inline/minikit-neo-12@2x.png" />
    
	
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The app also allows you to send automated SMS messages 
(Android) or play a personalized voice message (iOS) if you reject a 
call while driving informing your caller that you're unable to answer.<br />

The Bluetooth connection between a phone and the Neo 2 
allows – nay, forces – all of your phone's audio to be streamed over the
 Neo 2's speaker, treating your car to the sounds of map navigation, 
game sound effects, or notification sounds. The HD sound of the MINIKIT 
Neo 2 produces clear phone calls, for both sender and receiver, and map 
directions and podcasts were handy to have projected louder than my 
phone's own speaker. However, music was not made better by playing it 
over such a tiny speaker.<br />

Which brings me to my multiple Bluetooth audio device 
dilemma. In the end, while I was happy to have a convenient and more 
appropriate solution for hands-free calling, I couldn't give up my car 
speaker system. However, like many other automobile owners, I haven't 
found an aftermarket stereo solution for my other car whose stereo panel
 is more awkward and tricky. But the MINIKIT Neo 2 is perfect in that 
second car, as it might be for many other mobile device junkies who find
 it difficult to stop touching their phones while driving. Just clip the
 Neo HD 2 onto a visor and have access to a fully voice-activated system
 that's operating system-agnostic.

Parrot MINIKIT Neo 2 HD hands-free phone system for your car

Like many people who try (not) to use a mobile phone while mobile in an auto, I have sound- and device-management issues. That's wh...

What to expect from this week's Samsung Unpacked (Galaxy Note 5) event

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Title: What to expect from this week's Samsung Unpacked (Galaxy Note 5) event
Author: Unknown
Rating 5 of 5 Des:

We're only a few days away from Samsung's next Unpacked event . And while we never know exactly what events will hold, multiple l...

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We're only a few days away from <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" target="_blank">Samsung's next Unpacked event</a>. And while we never know <em>exactly</em> what events will hold, multiple leaks have combined to paint a pretty clear picture of what to expect at this one.<br />

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<img alt="The Galaxy Note 4's S Pen" border="0" src="http://images.gizmag.com/gallery_tn/note-5-rumor-roundup-2.jpg" title="The Galaxy Note 4's S Pen" /><img alt="Expect the Galaxy S6 Edge Plus to be a larger version of the curved Galaxy S6 Edge (pictured)" border="0" src="http://images.gizmag.com/gallery_tn/note-5-rumor-roundup-3.jpg" title="Expect the Galaxy S6 Edge Plus to be a larger version of the curved Galaxy S6 Edge (pictured)" /><img alt="The Galaxy S6's glass back and aluminum frame" border="0" src="http://images.gizmag.com/gallery_tn/note-5-rumor-roundup-5.jpg" title="The Galaxy S6's glass back and aluminum frame" /><img alt="The Gear VR for S6" border="0" src="http://images.gizmag.com/gallery_tn/note-5-rumor-roundup-4.jpg" title="The Gear VR for S6" /></div>
The centerpiece should, of course, be the Galaxy Note 5, 
the next version of Samsung's stylus-laden phablet. Every other Galaxy 
Note was announced at IFA in early September, but Samsung is bumping the
 launch up this year, reportedly to create some distance from the iPhone
 6s launch (<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" target="_blank">expected on or around September 9</a>).<br />

According to <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" target="_blank">SamMobile</a>, the Galaxy Note 5 will keep the same key display specs from the <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" target="_blank">Note 4</a>:
  5.7-inches, Super AMOLED, with Quad HD (2,560 x 1,440) resolution. The
 Note 4 was already doing great in that department, so we shouldn't have
 any complaints there.<br />

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        <img alt="" src="http://images.gizmag.com/inline/note-5-rumor-roundup-5@2x.jpg" />
    
	
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	    The Galaxy S6's glass back and aluminum frame<br />

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</div>
The new phablet will, however, get a new premium build that basically matches the <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" target="_blank">Galaxy S6</a>,
 including aluminum edges and glass back. The last two versions of the 
Note lineup had faux leather backs with either aluminum (Galaxy Note 4) 
or plastic (<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" target="_blank">Note 3</a>) frames, so this will make for a higher-end feel.<br />

The Note 5's S Pen (stylus) will also reportedly be 
easier to yank out of the phone. Expect an auto-eject feature, where it 
pops (partially) out of the handset when you press against its top. One 
of the top items on our Note 5 wish list was a metallic S Pen, but we 
don't yet know whether the company will do that or stick with plastic.<br />

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        <img alt="" src="http://images.gizmag.com/inline/note-5-rumor-roundup-2@2x.jpg" />
    
	
	<div class="caption caption--inline">
	    The Galaxy Note 4's S Pen<br />

</div>
</div>
Other alleged Note 5 specs include 4 GB of RAM, an 
entry-level 32 GB internal storage and a 64-bit octa-core Exynos 
processor. The handset will also reportedly have a 16 MP rear camera and
 5 MP front sensor, along with wireless charging like in the GS6.<br />

Samsung's second big announcement should be the Galaxy S6 Edge Plus (try saying that ten times in a row). Unlike last year's <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" target="_blank">Galaxy Note Edge</a>, the new phablet reportedly <em>won't</em> have a stylus, instead settling for being a plus-sized <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" target="_blank">Galaxy S6 edge</a>. Or, if you prefer, a more direct rival to the <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" target="_blank">iPhone 6 Plus</a>.<br />

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        <img alt="" src="http://images.gizmag.com/inline/note-5-rumor-roundup-3@2x.jpg" />
    
	
	<div class="caption caption--inline">
	    Expect the Galaxy S6 Edge Plus to be a larger version of the curved Galaxy S6 Edge (pictured)<br />

</div>
</div>
Otherwise leaks point to the Galaxy S6 Edge Plus' specs 
lining up almost identically with the Note 5's, apart from 3 GB of RAM 
in place of the Note's 4 GB. Your choice should then come down to stylus
 and flat screen vs. no stylus and curved screen.<br />

Samsung should have at least a couple of wearables 
arriving in 2015, but we aren't sure if we'll see those on Thursday. The
 company is working on a round-faced smartwatch (reportedly called the 
Gear A) that improves on the company's Tizen software, but the 
relatively few or significant leaks we've seen about it could point to a
 later-in-2015 announcement.<br />

</div>
</div>
We also still expect the the first <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" target="_blank">full consumer</a> version of the <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" target="_blank">Gear VR virtual reality headset</a>
 sometime in 2015 (despite being sold in Best Buy stores, the previous 
versions were branded as "Innovator Editions" for developers and early 
adopters). We'd bet on this announcement also coming later in the year, 
but it's always possible we'll hear something this week.<br />

Despite the positive critical reception to the Galaxy S6 
and S6 edge, Samsung's flagship sales this year haven't quite lived up 
to its (or investors') expectations. The Korean company is hoping its 
new phablets, and their extra time in the spotlight before the new 
iPhones steal their thunder, will buck that trend.

What to expect from this week's Samsung Unpacked (Galaxy Note 5) event

We're only a few days away from Samsung's next Unpacked event . And while we never know exactly what events will hold, multiple l...

Body Dryer offers an alternative to the yucky ol' bath towel

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Title: Body Dryer offers an alternative to the yucky ol' bath towel
Author: Unknown
Rating 5 of 5 Des:

the Body Dryer team has announced that it will not be bringing the Body Dryer to market despite gathering pledges six times the campaign...

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<img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL_NjInm4vRfSgN1U_4SZRxIZ4-2qf-I2jdCUgE5yCIZvqUnWu6Ctmn377V7fnu8ezKhUeKn51A_cFDikzC-XxV3149dPPBix6HC_BPz3Y9YZben2ShkeS5OB7cL65V1bltn-6797QwJ8/s640/bodydryer-4%25402x.png.jpg" width="640" /></div>
<em>the Body Dryer team has announced that it will not be bringing 
the Body Dryer to market despite gathering pledges six times the 
campaign goal amount. The corporation launched to manufacture the Body 
Dryer is being shut down and assets sold. Contributors will not receive a
 full refund, but according to the company they will receive a 100 
percent refund for shipping costs, with the remaining money being shared
 equally. It is estimated this will see contributors refunded about 
US$45 for each unit pledged towards.</em>

<br />
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<img alt="The Body Dryer’s air stream and angles can be personalized through different shaped air nozzles on the footplate" border="0" src="http://images.gizmag.com/gallery_tn/bodydryer-2.jpg" title="The Body Dryer’s air stream and angles can be personalized through different shaped air nozzles on the footplate" /><img alt="The Body Dryer  features strategically angled vents to provide optimal water removal" border="0" src="http://images.gizmag.com/gallery_tn/bodydryer.jpg" title="The Body Dryer  features strategically angled vents to provide optimal water removal" /><img alt="The Body Dryer is reportedly capable of drying a damp person in 30 seconds using compressed, ionized air" border="0" src="http://images.gizmag.com/gallery_tn/bodydryer-0.jpeg" title="The Body Dryer is reportedly capable of drying a damp person in 30 seconds using compressed, ionized air" /></div>
From <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" target="_blank">Dyson’s Airblade</a>
 to more straight-forward designs, hand dryers are run-of-the-mill these
 days. Now a team of designers out of the US has turned the idea upside 
down to create the Body Dryer.
            
        
            According to Tyler Overk from the Body Dryer Team, the 
body dryer is designed out of a need to “replace bacteria filled and 
environmentally harmful bathroom towels.”<br />

The Body Dryer is sturdy enough to support a 325 lb (170 
kg) person and is reportedly capable of drying a damp individual in 
approximately 30 seconds using compressed, ionized air. It has 
strategically angled vents to provide optimal removal of the water and 
the air stream can be personalized through different shaped nozzles on 
the footplate that develop a cylindrical tunnel of air around the user. 
There's also the option of hot or cold air and a digital scale is built 
into the unit<br />

The Body Dryer team has already more than doubled its US$50,000 crowd funding goal through <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" target="_blank">Indiegogo</a>. It's anticipated the unit will sell for US$250 should it make it to market.

Body Dryer offers an alternative to the yucky ol' bath towel

the Body Dryer team has announced that it will not be bringing the Body Dryer to market despite gathering pledges six times the campaign...

WalkCar electric vehicle is like a laptop that you ride

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Link Author

Title: WalkCar electric vehicle is like a laptop that you ride
Author: Unknown
Rating 5 of 5 Des:

We've seen some highly-portable electric vehicles before, including diminutive scooters and skateboards . Cocoa Motors' new Walk...

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<img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC_GHbq-DtS1qC3Tx_G5IqTrloTnh_ToSbdXkb0pnWqxnFOvfo-UMVip99pceyrr1QgezQgsFatPMbks66BuQBSnc3WFmHlzp28zfMY7n9GGQKpm5KRevbYcO3JP5dt-9gmwsjvu2gUFA/s640/walkcar%25402x.jpg" width="640" /></div>
We've seen some highly-portable electric vehicles before, including diminutive <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" target="_blank">scooters</a> and <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" target="_blank">skateboards</a>.
 Cocoa Motors' new WalkCar, however, makes those gizmos look huge. It's 
used more or less like a Segway, but it's not much bigger than a laptop.<br />

The WalkCar has four tiny wheels, an aluminum body, and is intended to be carried in an included bag when not in use.<br />

Steering is achieved by shifting your weight, while 
acceleration and braking happen automatically when you step on or off. 
Its top speed is 10 km/h (6.2 mph) and its built-in battery takes three 
hours to charge via USB, providing a range of 12 km (7.5 miles). <br />

Although it looks pretty puny, the WalkCar is reportedly 
powerful enough to push a person in a wheelchair up an incline, and it 
can handle payloads weighing up to 120 kg (265 lb).<br />

We've reached out to its Japan-based designer for more details, but are still waiting to hear back. One thing we <em>do</em>
 know, however, is that it's slated to be the subject of a Kickstarter 
campaign beginning in October. It's hoped that a production model will 
be out by next spring (Northern Hemisphere), priced at around 100,000 
yen (about US$800).

WalkCar electric vehicle is like a laptop that you ride

We've seen some highly-portable electric vehicles before, including diminutive scooters and skateboards . Cocoa Motors' new Walk...

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Parrot MINIKIT Neo 2 HD hands-free phone system for your car

What to expect from this week's Samsung Unpacked (Galaxy Note 5) event

Body Dryer offers an alternative to the yucky ol' bath towel

WalkCar electric vehicle is like a laptop that you ride

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