The Morning After: Thursday, February 9 2017
Poppin Slime.
Welcome to Thursday morning. Android Wear 2.0 lands on two new LG smartwatches, Adidas has beef with Tesla, and the next iPhone could be expensive. I mean, more expensive.
Android Wear 2.0 was worth the long wait
Google's wearable update is the platform's biggest one since the birth of Android Wear, three years ago. "With 2.0, we really looked hard at what people are using their watches for," said Android Wear VP David Singleton. "We saw that usage was really focused around watch faces, messaging and fitness. So we really optimized 2.0 for those things." But Google improved a lot of other aspects of Wear as well, including the user interface, navigation and notifications. We took a closer look.
Adidas thinks Tesla's old Model 3 logo is a little too familiar
Would you confuse the Tesla Model 3's three-bar logo with Adidas' signature stripes? No? Did you know that was the upcoming Tesla's logo? Maybe not. But don't tell that to Adidas. The apparel giant has filed a challenge to prevent Tesla from registering the Model 3's logo as a trademark. It's similar enough to Adidas' stripes that it's "likely to cause confusion" and suggest the two brands are connected, according to the filing. That said, the EV maker quietly changed the logo to the numeric "3" weeks ago, well before Adidas filed its notice.
NBA and 2K team up for the first eSports league owned by a US pro league
Next year, you could realistically expect to become an NBA draft pick. We weren't expecting that either, but it's a possibility because the NBA and Take Two have teamed up to create the NBA 2K eLeague. It will launch with 8 - 12 teams that are all owned by existing NBA franchises, and recruit online players to go 5-on-5 in the NBA 2K video game. NBA commish Adam Silver says there will be broadcasts via internet and TV, as it seeks to attract people who otherwise might not think they could ever play in the league.
Special edition 'anniversary' iPhone could be pricey
Since this year will be the tenth anniversary for Apple's iPhone, people are expecting something special. The latest rumor from Fast Company indicates that while an incrementally upgraded iPhone 7s is on the way in 4.7- and 5.5-inch sizes, there will also be an iPhone 8 with all new features like an OLED screen, no physical home button and maybe even 3D-sensing technology. All of those parts come at a cost, however, and its price (unlocked) could start above $1,000.
Lenses made from nanomaterials get closer to replacing glass
Researchers recently showed off breakthrough nanomaterial "metalenses" that could replace bulky glass optics. Unfortunately, these only worked on a single color at a time, meaning your hypothetical smartphone camera of the future would only be able to do arty, monochromatic photos. However, the same team at Harvard's School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS), has now unveiled a new material that works on a spectrum of colors from blue to green -- making it a more realistic proposition for substituting in for lenses and other optical tech. The material is lighter and thinner than glass, meaning that metalenses could change cameras, smartphones and even our own specs in the future.
Review: LG Watch Sport with Android Wear 2.0
LG's Watch Sport is the more impressive of the two smartwatches launching with Android Wear 2.0, and for the most part it's a very respectable showing. Beyond the seriously snappy performance, the big Android Wear update brings a load of design tweaks and new features that the platform has needed for a long time. It's not perfect, but the software helps soften some of the watch's shortcomings: the body will be still too chunky for some, and we wish the battery lasted much longer
Review: LG Watch Style with Android Wear 2.0
The LG Watch Style is sadly underwhelming in comparison to the pricier Sport. Despite its name, the Style has a bland design and only meets Android Wear 2.0's minimum hardware requirements. On the bright side, Google's new operating system is faster and more intuitive than before. Too bad the Style isn't a great vehicle for showcasing said new software.
Corsair teases its first whole computer
You probably know Corsair as a computer parts and peripherals manufacturer. It makes all those DRAM modules, flash drives, PC cases, SSDs, keyboards, mice and the rest. Now it's trying to put it all together. An ad published in Maximum PC's March issue, revealed that the company has become a full-fledged PC maker. Its first ever whole computer is fittingly called Corsair One.
Pink creatures will invade 'Pokémon Go' this Valentine season
Pokémon Go's latest seasonal promotion is all about Clefairies, Jigglypuffs and other pink-hued monsters. Like prior promotions, you'll also bag double the amount of candy when you catch, hatch or transfer a Pokémon to the Professor. Oh, and you may want to hold onto those lures until the event begins -- each one will keep attracting Pokémon for six hours instead of the usual 30 minutes.
DHS could demand social media passwords of US visitors
The Department of Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly, told Congress on Tuesday that his agency is considering a new vetting measure for US visitors from Trump's banned nation list: forcing them to hand over passwords for their social media accounts."We want to get on their social media, with passwords: What do you do, what do you say?" Kelly told the House Homeland Security Committee. "If they don't want to cooperate then you don't come in."
