Apr 09
It’s rare that we’ll cover a firearm here on SlashGear, but when TrackingPoint shows off a smart automatic rifle series like the one we’re seeing today, we’ve got to change … Continue reading
Mar 28
Google wants you to know exactly how it deals with U.S. government requests for user data. That’s good! But the company wants to explain it to you with stop-motion wooden toys, like you’re some kind of three year old. That’s . . . weird.
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Mar 06
Wello One-Ups The Galaxy S5 With A Slim, Sensor-Laden Health Tracking iPhone Case
Posted in: Today's ChiliThe next war among smartphone makers will most likely be around health measurement, and the Wello is an iPhone accessory that recognizes that and wants to capitalize early. It offers iPhone users a heart rate monitor on their device, just like Samsung has built into the Galaxy S5, but it also offers up a lot more besides, including sensors to measure your ECG, blood pressure, blood oxygen,… Read More
Mar 03
It appears that at least one police department in Florida has failed to tell judges about its use of a cell phone tracking device because the department got the device on loan and promised the manufacturer to keep it all under wraps. But when police use invasive surveillance equipment to surreptitiously sweep up information about the locations and communications of large numbers of people, court oversight and public debate are essential. The devices, likely made by the Florida-based Harris Corporation, are called "stingrays," and unfortunately this is not the first time the government has tried to hide their use.
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Feb 13
Dash Wireless Headphones, Music Player, Headset & Fitness Tracker: Smart ‘phones
Posted in: Today's ChiliWearable technology is still at a very early stage, but we’re seeing more refined and truly useful examples every so often. Bragi’s Dash is the latest example. Calling this tiny pair of devices “headphones” is as fair as calling the iPhone a “phone.”
Yes, Dash is a pair of Bluetooth in-ear headphones. But it’s also a music player on its own, with 4GB of built-in storage for MP3 and AAC files. It also provides noise isolation, which can be adjusted if you want to listen in on your surroundings. Dash also has a microphone and can be used as a headset. But that’s not all.
Dash is also a fitness tracker. Together with its iOS app, it lets you keep an eye on things like your heart rate, calories burned and body temperature. The app also has a convenient Lost Device Tracker, which I’m sure future owners will eventually need.
It will also keep tabs on performance-related stats like the steps you’ve taken, your speed and even your altitude and drop rate.
While you’ll get the most out of Dash if you use its companion app, you’ll be able to control the device through its touch-sensitive surface.
Dash is also shock- and water-resistant, and it lasts up to 4 hours per charge.
Pledge at least $199 (USD) on Kickstarter by March 31 to get Dash as a reward. That’s not cheap, but assuming it can do all of its functions well then it’s a much better deal than most if not all of the fitness trackers that are currently available.
[via GearHungry]
Jan 31
Apple Said To Be Focusing On Health With iOS 8 And iWatch, Following Exec Meeting With FDA
Posted in: Today's Chili
Apple’s plans for iOS 8 focus on redefining health tracking via mobile devices, according to a new report from 9to5Mac, which has a terrific track record when it comes to rumors it has sourced itself. The report details a new marquee application coming in iOS 8 called “Healthbook” that monitors all aspects of health, fitness and workout information, including vitals monitored via the new iWatch, which is said to pack a bevy of sensors and to be “well into development” according to 9to5Mac’s sources.
The health monitoring app called “Healthbook” will come pre-installed on iOS 8, which, if true, would be a huge blow to third-party apps including those made by Fitbit, Nike, Runkeeper and Withings just to name a few. It would track and report steps, calories burned, distance walked and more, including weight fluctuations, and blood pressure, hydration levels, heart rate and more.
Apple’s focus on health in iOS 8 is given credence by a number of new reports from this week, including the news from the New York Times earlier today that Apple execs met with the FDA late last year to discuss mobile medical applications. Apple also reportedly hired Michael O’Reilly, M.D. away from a position as Chief Medical Officer of Masimo Corporation in July 2013. O’Reilly is an expert in pulse oximetry among other things, which is used to non-invasively take key vitals from a user via optical sensors.
9to5Mac’s report details functionality of the proposed “Healthbook” app, which, as its name suggests, takes a lot of cues from Passbook. It’ll offer swipeable cards for each vital stat it tracks, letting users page through their medical and health information. The report cautions that this functionality could be taken out prior to the final release of iOS 8: With the FDA’s involvement, one concern might be getting the necessary approvals to market the software as a potential medical aid.
As for the iWatch, the new report doesn’t add much in terms of firm details, but it does suggest we could see a release before year’s end, and offers that it could feature sensors that provide data to Healthbook. That app could also use existing third-party monitors and devices designed for iOS to source data, however. One more tidbit about the iWatch suggests that maps will be a central feature of the device, and navigation on the wrist is actually a prime potential advantage of smartwatch devices that has yet to be properly explored.
We’ve reached out to Apple for comment on these developments, and will update if we learn anything more.
Jan 27
Many New Yorkers are still mourning the news that the body of Avonte Oquendo, a non-verbal autistic boy, was found on the banks of the East River. To meet—and partially assuage—the grief, Senator Charles Schumer has an idea: let’s put tracking chips on autistic children.
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Jan 10
Sen.se was here at CES 2014 showing off a monitoring system called Mother. The Mother works in conjunction with sensors which are called Cookies and these can be used to … Continue reading
Jan 10
At this point, nobody’s surprised to hear that the authorities can track your cell phone. But what you might not realize is just how easy and how incredibly cheap it is.
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Dec 22
According to a November survey of 1,000 voters, people are more creeped out by the possibility of a person or group ascertaining their personal information, than the idea that someone might be following their online movements and habits.
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