weave
Latest
Google makes it easier to get Internet of Things devices online
It's relatively easy to build your own Internet of Things hardware, but the software is another story. How do you connect it to cloud services, push updates or just write code? Google might help. It's trotting out a developer preview of Android Things, a toolbox that theoretically makes connecting IoT devices as straightforward as writing an Android app. Think of it as a more mature, more accessible Project Brillo. You're not only using ordinary Android developer tools (Android Studio and the official SDK), but tapping into Google Play Services and Google Cloud Platform. In theory, most of the heavy lifting is done for you -- future versions in the months ahead will even grab regular updates (both from you and Google) and use Google's ad hoc Weave networking.
Nest gets more smart home devices talking to each other
Getting your connected-home gear to actually connect with one another can be a pain. Nest is trying to alleviate at least some of that hassle by adding Weave, its ad-hoc networking system to Works with Nest, it's third party development platform. Weave lets items talk to each other without relying on a home network. The company is also introducing APIs for the Nest Cam with basic camera controls and access to motion and sound events. Plus, it launched a Works with Nest store with hardware that, well, work with Nest. Finally, it showed off a new lock from Yale that works with the fancy new features it just announced.
Weave app brings Tinder-style swipes to job hunting
Tinder's swipe-able interface is such a hit, that a lot of new apps are copying it. One new, notable app among them all is called Weave, which is essentially (there's no other way to describe it) a more boring Tinder to find fellow professionals instead of Friday-night dates. In fact, it's so promising that its developers have just raised $630,000 in seed funding. If you're thinking, "But I already have LinkedIn!", well, it works a bit differently from the more traditional social network. To use the iOS or Android app, you'll need to log in using your LinkedIn credentials, after which it'll pair you with professionals in your area. Just like in Tinder, just swipe left to pass, or right to initiate a chat or express interest in meeting up.
Weave from Intuit is a free and powerful project tracker
Weave is a simple iPhone app (free) for managing those personal and business projects all in one place. It's kind of a super to-do list, and while there are plenty of those on offer both free and paid in the App Store, there is plenty to like about Weave. The app is from Intuit, the company that makes Quickbooks and Quicken as well as other financial apps. Those folks know their way around money and time. Weave can be used for around the home projects and chores. You can share projects with other people through Facebook. You can also track money spent or collected on projects, and prioritize projects so for easy management. The app can also be used to help run your small business. %Gallery-172250% A few features require an account, but that's a no-charge option. The account lets you assign projects or chores to others, share progress and it lets you back up your data in the cloud. If you want to just run the app for yourself, no account is needed. When you first start the app you get a quick tutorial, but really it's pretty simple. If there is any weakness to Weave, it is that I couldn't find any way to allow recurring projects or events. I have a lot of deadlines, and many are regular. With Weave, I have to enter them each time which seems an undue burden. For those events, I default back to the Apple Calendar, but it has no integration with Weave. I'm hoping a future update will fix this issue. Weave is very clever, exceedingly easy to use and worth your attention. The app can increase your productivity without burying you in complexity. Weave is iPhone-only at this point, and is optimized for the iPhone 5. It requires iOS 4.3 or greater.
HD Guru evaluates 125 HDTVs in the resolution loss test
Motion blur has been a big topic in the world of HDTV for as long as we can remember, but it wasn't until recently that someone figured out a way to test it in a non-subjective way. Our friend Gary Merson -- aka the HD Guru -- actually got his hands on 125 2008 model HDTVs and not only ran them through all the more traditional tests like 3:2 pull-down, and de-interlacing, but also tried out his resolution motion loss test that indicates how many lines of resolution a set is capable of displaying when there is motion -- yeah, so like most of the time. For the most part Pioneer plasmas ruled the charts at about 900 lines, as expected, but the real surprise is that the ultimate winner was the Samsung LN-46A950 -- in fact it was the only 1080 set to actually display all 1080 lines when there was motion (but only in one specific setting, other settings were as low as 330 lines!). What's more of a reason for 46A950 fans to rejoice in is that most 120Hz LCDs were closer to 600 lines, so it really is in a league of its own in regards to LCDs. These stats are fun and all, but we'd like to remind you while you download the PDF and check ou the specs on the latest sets, that specs seldom ever tell the whole story, so we still recommend buying with your eyes instead of a spec sheet.
