Your iPad can double as a smart home hub with iOS 10

Source: https://www.engadget.com/2016/06/14/ipad-as-smart-home-hub-in-ios-10/

No inclination to get the latest Apple TV just to give yourself a hub for your HomeKit devices? If you have a reasonably recent iPad hanging around, you won't have to. Apple tells SlashGear that iOS 10 can use your iPad as a smart home hub as long as the tablet is both plugged in and connected to your network. It seems like an odd move, but Apple says it's all about increasing HomeKit's reach -- you can't buy the new Apple TV in countries like China, so the iPad offers that remote home automation instead. Either way, you probably won't want to try this in a multi-person household. You don't want to lose out-of-home control over your thermostat just because Junior wants to play Hearthstone.

Source: SlashGear

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Philips camera monitors baby vitals from afar

Source: https://www.engadget.com/2016/06/10/philips-camera-monitors-baby-vitals-from-afar/

Sure, junior looks fine sleeping on the baby-cam, but do you know her or his oxygen level, heartbeat and breathing rate, you monster? Of course not (don't worry, you're a good parent), because there's no way of monitoring such things short of hooking the poor tyke up to a pulse oxymeter. At least, until now. Philips has revealed a camera that can detect all those things from afar, without touching the patient. The fruit of the companies contactless monitoring project, it can get a pulse rate, breathing rate and blood oxygen level by detecting changes in skin color that are invisible to the naked eye.

Monitoring breathing and heartbeat (even through walls) isn't new, but Philips says it knows of no other studies focused on remote blood oxygen monitoring. The results are accurate to within two percent of traditional measuring methods, according to Philips, though it depends on several factors including the patient's skin color. "For patient populations with specific conditions, managing their care in a less intrusive way is critical in order to avoid unnecessary distress," says Philips Patient Care CEO Carla Kriwet. So far, the company hasn't revealed any plans for a product, but calls the results "promising" for the future of contactless monitoring.

Via: CNET

Source: Philips

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ASUS' ZenBook 3 vs. the updated MacBook: Which packs more punch?

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2016/06/04/asus-zenbook-3-apple-macbook-compared/

The 12-inch MacBook is attractive and compact, but not without compromises. When the original came out last spring, our reviewer Dana Wollman took issue with its lackluster performance and lack of ports outside of a USB-C connection. Still, the MacBook was good enough to warrant a refresh in 2016 that delivered more battery life and improved performance. Now, ASUS is getting in on the minimalist act with its new ZenBook 3. At a glance, the new MacBook and ZenBook 3 seem quite similar indeed, with small, lightweight designs and, well, not many ports. While we'll certainly put the Zenbook 3 through its paces in a full review, a quick peek at the specs reveals two machines similar in profile, but with the potential for very different performance.

	ASUS ZenBook 3	Apple MacBook (2016)
Price	$999 / $1,499 / $1,999	$1,299 / $1,599
Dimensions	296 x 191.2 x 11.9mm (11.65 x 7.53 x 0.47 inches)	280 x 196.5 x 13.1mm (11.04 x 7.74 x 0.52 inches)
Weight	910g (2 pounds)	920g (2.03 pounds)
OS	Windows 10	OS X El Capitan
Display	12.5-inch LED-backlit LCD	12-inch LED-backlit LCD with IPS
Resolution	1,920 x 1,080	2,304 x 1,440
Processor	Intel Core i5 6200U or Core i7 6500U	Intel Core m3 (1.1GHz) or Core m5 (1.2GHz)
Memory	4GB / 16GB	8GB
Graphics	Intel HD Graphics 520	Intel HD Graphics 512
Storage	256GB / 512GB / 1TB SSD	256GB / 512GB SSD
Ports	USB-C	USB-C
WiFi	802.11ac with WIDI	802.11ac
Battery	40 WHr	41.4 WHr

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MSI's Backpack PC is an imperfect solution to VR wires

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2016/06/03/msi-backpack-pc-hands-on/

One of the problems with the current crop of non-smartphone VR headsets is that they need to be connected to PCs via thick, heavy cables. These might hamper your movements when you're busy playing a game, or worse, you could trip over an errant wire and fall face flat on the floor. Well, a few companies have come up with an interesting solution: VR backpacks that carry a full-fledged PC, enabling you to move around unencumbered. MSI's version is called the Backpack PC. Since it was on display here at Computex 2016, so I took a few minutes to try it out for myself.

Equipped with an Intel Core i7 processor and a GeForce GTX980 graphics card, the entire rig weighs in at around 10 pounds. That sounds pretty hefty, but to my surprise it actually didn't feel too heavy when I strapped it on. This particular backpack was attached to a HTC Vive, which the helpers at the MSI booth then fitted to my head. I then played a game demo that had me shooting at flying robots, which shot back tiny red energy balls that I was supposed to avoid. If I didn't dodge those bullets, my "ship" would be destroyed.

As a result, I found myself moving around a lot, bobbing and weaving as much as I could. Compared to the normal Vive experience, I have to admit the lack of wires feels pretty freeing. Instead of worrying on whether I was about to wrap myself around in cables, I could just enjoy the game. Still, wearing a backpack feels pretty silly, plus its battery life is only around an hour before you have to charge it again.

MSI hasn't announced pricing or availability for its Backpack PC just yet, but the company says it should be out later this year. I don't imagine this will be too popular for normal home use, but I could see it being useful for perhaps in-store demonstrations or amusement parks where wires lying around could be a real hazard. Or, you know, if you want to feel like you're one of the Ghostbusters.

Stay on top of all the latest news from Computex 2016 right here.

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Google's new software lets anyone make interactive displays

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2016/06/02/googles-new-software-lets-anyone-make-interactive-displays/

Google has created an intriguing new piece of open-source software in the form of AnyPixel.js, where anyone can create their own large, interactive displays. "Big and unusual" are the key operators here, and that seems to be exactly what Google has done as its first project.

While brainstorming ideas for something interesting to put in the NYC office, Google came up with an interactive light-up arcade button installation, taking over six thousand buttons and coordinating control via web page, opening up the panel of buttons to developers to create something fun. The result is an awesome-looking set of light-up buttons that you can press on your own for colorful, swirling designs or patterns you can watch over and over.

Google wants to put that kind of power in your hands, so you can create your own similar setups, whether you choose balloons, lightboxes, or a myriad of other components to bring your ideas to life. Before you get started you can take to Google's browser previewer as well to get some sort of idea of how your project will look when it's completed, so you don't have to be in the dark throughout the creative process.

If you're interested in working with AnyPixel.js, you can grab it from GitHub right here.

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