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Netatmo's home monitor tracks air quality, humidity and more
While it's far from a new idea, home air quality monitoring has seen something of a resurgence of late. Dyson in particular has been pushing pollution awareness alongside its range of purifiers, and now Netatmo is jumping on the trend. The device pictured above may look just like Netatmo's Welcome connected camera, but instead of a lens, the little tower hosts a quartet of environmental sensors instead. The Healthy Home Coach, as it's called, monitors air quality in real-time, as well humidity, temperature and noise.
Earth's early air weighed half as much as it does today
Scientists have long postulated that the early Earth's atmosphere must have had considerably higher pressure than it does today, since the sunlight was fainter. However, researchers have made a discovery which suggests that this theory is way off the mark. By studying the size of bubbles in 2.7 billion-year-old lava flows, they've found that the air pressure was less than half what it is now -- in other words, the atmosphere was much lighter back then. As there's evidence of liquid water at that time, the Earth must have had less nitrogen and more greenhouse gases (such as carbon dioxide and methane) preventing heat from escaping into space.
uHoo edges out other air quality monitors with extra sensors
We've now gotten to the point where we can rely on pigeons for monitoring outdoor air quality, and there are plenty of conventional options for indoor as well. But there's always room for improvement, which is why we're looking at the uHoo. Impressively, this pint glass-sized device packs up to five air pollutant sensors, thus allowing it to measure the usual dust and volatile organic compounds, as well as carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and ozone -- these three can't be detected by most other monitors in the consumer market. On top of that, the uHoo can also keep an eye on the temperature, humidity and air pressure, which comes in handy as these contribute to our wellness, too. The live data is fed to your iOS or Android device via Wi-Fi, and the app will alert you when the air goes bad in one of the rooms.
Smart purifier tells you what's in the air
With certain exceptions, air purifiers aren't especially smart or powerful. They'll remove some of the nastiness, but it's anyone's guess as to how much there actually is. Sprimo thinks it can change that: it's crowdfunding a purifier that's not only more effective than conventional rivals (reportedly up to 50 times more efficient), but designed from the ground up with intelligence in mind. It'll tell you the basic contents of the air and give you a quality rating to give you a sense how clean that air really is. The device will also give you a sense of what filters to use (say, one geared towards pollen) and tell you when you're likely to need a replacement.
Dyson's latest air purifier measures your air quality
Exactly one year ago, we managed to get our hands on the then new Dyson Pure Cool air purifier and quickly fell in love with it. While folks outside Asia are still waiting for the Pure Hot + Cool, Dyson is offering everyone something more special for the time being: the Pure Cool Link. As you can probably tell from the name, we finally have a Dyson fan that comes with an app (for both iOS and Android). Better yet, it even tracks your room's air quality, and this data is used for automatically adjusting the airflow in order to suppress pollution level; though the app also offers manual control over the fan speed, along with rotation toggle, timer and a night-time auto mode for quiet monitoring plus dimmer LED display.
Google's testing pollution-sensing gear in its Street View cars
A firm that builds environmental sensors is teaming up with Google to turn Street View cars into mobile pollution sniffers. Three of the search engine's mapping vehicles have been equipped with hardware to measure harmful compounds in the atmosphere including carbon monoxide, methane and VOCs. It's early days, but it's hoped that Google will be able to add this information to its maps, enabling people to see detailed air quality reports for their neighborhood. That way, you could plan your next jog to avoid trouble spots and authorities can visualize where they need to direct their clean-up efforts.
This box transmits emotions to your hand
This slightly unwieldy looking machine can apparently deliver emotions to your hand through "mid-air haptics", pinpointing areas on your palm that are attuned to certain emotions, and stimulating them. A study from the University Of Sussex used an Ultrahaptics system to communicate emotions between test groups, with the haptic group stating significantly higher stimulation compared to a test group that was only shown a picture. (Mere optical stimulation? Pssch.) Dr Marianna Obrist, Lecturer at the Department of Informatics, has apparently figured out that stimulating different areas of the hand conveys different things: hot bursts of air to the area around the thumb, index finger and middle part of the palm generate excitement, while sad feelings can be delivered by slow and moderate stimulation on the outer palm and areas around the little finger.
Olympus' new lens camera can be (incredibly) upgraded
This is no DSLR. It's not even a bridge camera. This is actually Olympus' recently announced Air lens camera, tricked out to a (some would say excessive) degree. While the accessories on show here were only for internal testing, we admit we'd like to do some external testing with it. Alongside the DSLR-esque handle and controls (the Air camera handles any micro four-thirds lens), what you see on top is Olympus' eagle-eye viewfinder that projects a laser bullseye that will hover between you and your long-range target of choice. That also explains the telephoto lens which is attached to what was, originally, a petite camera upgrade for your smartphone. Naturally some extra framework is necessary simply to support all that attached glass. Check its ridiculous backside -- where your smartphone would sit -- right after the break.
Apple's MacBook Air is now $100 cheaper and has a slightly faster processor
Been waiting for a MacBook Air refresh? Breathe easy, friend, because one has arrived -- well, sort of. Cupertino has quietly updated its online store with a familiar looking ultraportable, matching last year's model almost spec for spec: 4GB of RAM, 128 or 256GB of flash storage, a 1,440 x 900 resolution display, Intel HD 5000 graphics and a slim wedge frame with all the trimmings -- Thunderbolt and USB 3.0 ports and a SDXC card reader. The laptop's processor, on the other hand, has been upgraded: We're still talking about Intel's Haswell architecture, but the standard 2014 MacBook Air now boasts a 1.4GHz Core i5 CPU. That's only a hair faster than last year's 1.3GHz processor while idling, but it also has a higher Turbo Boost speed (2.7GHz compared to 2.6GHz) and could well have better efficiency too, by virtue of the fact that it represents the best of what Intel's fabs are currently capable of. The other big change is in the price, as these new units are $100 cheaper than the ones you could pick up yesterday (or £100 cheaper, if you're in the UK). The Air now starts at $899 (£749) for an 11-inch model, while the 13-inch version will set you back $999 (£849). If you were looking for some Retina action, however, or a major step-change in battery life, then that's probably still some way off.
Apple announces iPad Air, an all-new iPad
Apple just revealed the next evolution of the iPad, the iPad Air. It's 43 percent thinner than the current model -- which was already pretty thin. It's also a lot lighter, weighing in at a staggering 1.0 lb. The most noticeable change is the new iPad's thinner bezel. Rather than the thick edge that the larger iPads have always sported, the iPad Air's side bezels are noticeably smaller. The Retina display itself remains 9.7 inches and features upgraded backlight illumination. The iPad Air also includes the new A7 chip that debuted in Apple's recently released iPhone 5s. It boasts graphics processing power that is up to 72 times as fast as the original iPad. The new iPad features upgraded WiFi as well, utilizing MIMO (multiple antenna) technology for the first time. This means WiFi speeds could double, depending on your setup. The rear camera remains a 5-megapixel module, with 1080p video recording, while the front-facing camera gets a slight pixel upgrade. The iPad Air comes in silver/white and space gray/black color schemes, and will be available on November 1 for the same pricing tiers as the current iPad: 16GB WiFi-only for $499, 16GB WiFi+LTE for $629.
Apple refreshes the MacBook Air with Haswell CPUs, longer battery life, new models available today from $999
Each June, just like clockwork, Apple refreshes its MacBook Air line -- sometimes with a new design, and always with brand new processors. Well, today is June 10th, and it's the start of WWDC, which means it's time to bring out the 2013 models. The company just unveiled the new 11- and 13-inch Airs, both of which step up to Haswell CPUs and 802.11ac WiFi, and also promise significantly longer battery life. In particular, the 11-inch model claims nine hours of runtime, up from five, while the 13-incher is said to last 12 hours (up from seven). As for processing performance, you get fourth-generation Intel Core i5 and i7 processors, along with Intel HD 5000 graphics, which should translate to 40 percent faster graphics, according to Apple. The one thing we can't glean from Apple's brief tease at WWDC is whether these new models boast higher-res screens than the previous-generation models. (We feel like Apple would make that clear if that were the case, no?) On the plus side, both models now come standard with 128GB SSDs (as opposed to 64 gigs on the 11-inch model). They're available today, with the 11-inch version still priced from $999, and the 13-incher starting at $1,099. Update: The Apple Store is once again live, which means we've had a chance to look at the product page for the new MacBook Air. As we suspected, the screen resolution has not changed.%Gallery-190871% Follow all of our WWDC 2013 coverage at our event hub.
Twitter narrows TweetDeck AIR and mobile app shutdowns to May 7th
Twitter has been warning for weeks that it would shut down TweetDeck's AIR and mobile apps sometime in early May, but it didn't say exactly when loyalists would finally have to move on. The company now has a firm date: May 7th. In just over two weeks, Twitter will both pull the apps from their respective stores and stop existing installs from working as the service's version 1.0 API rides into the sunset. While the persisting native and web-based desktop apps will lessen some of the sting, we'd suggest that you pay your last respects if you have fond memories of TweetDeck's early apps.
Researchers create hollow fiber optic cable, almost reach the speed of light
Fiber optic cables are usually made of glass or plastic but those materials actually slow down the transmission of light ever so slightly. Researchers at the University of Southampton in the UK have created a hollow fiber optic cable filled with air that's 1000 times faster than current cables. Since light propagates in air at 99.7 percent of the speed of light in a vacuum, this new hollow fiber optic cable is able to reach data speeds of 10 terabytes (!) per second. Now that's fast. While the idea isn't new, it's previously been hampered by signal degradation when light travels around corners. This new hollow fiber optic cable reduces data loss to a manageable 3.5dB/km, making it suitable for use in supercomputer and data center applications. Isn't science wonderful? [Image credit: qwrrty, Flickr]
Twitter to drop TweetDeck for AIR, Android and iOS, will also pull Facebook integration
We hope you weren't overly attached to TweetDeck for Android and iOS on mobile, or AIR on the desktop. Twitter has revealed that it's sending those birds the way of the dodo: all three will be pulled from their relevant app stores in early May, and they should stop functioning altogether not long after that point. Facebook integration also won't hang around, the company says. The company argues that web-based versions of TweetDeck (and their native equivalents) will do the job on the desktop, and that expansion of the regular Twitter app should be enough to cover "most" smartphone and tablet users. However, it also acknowledges that there will be at least a few mobile users who'll have no official recourse for a more advanced experience, especially if they value Facebook. Good thing the company isn't limiting access to third-party alternatives... wait a minute.
How would you change the mid-2012 MacBook Air?
Remember when people decried the MacBook Air as a dumb idea when it first launched? Well, given the amount of Ultrabooks that are now floating around the world, we bet they've not shared that opinion publicly too often. The most recent vintage of the unit gained USB 3.0 ports, Ivy Bridge chips and, well, not the one thing that would have made the unit unbeatable -- a retina-class display. No, instead that feature was reserved for a different line, letting rivals like the Zenbook Prime beat it in the resolution stakes. But aside from that notable (and for Apple, lucrative) omission, how have you found these machines? Tell us what you've loved, hated and, most importantly, what would you change?
BBC Media Player to give Android users their iPlayer fix in a mostly Flashless world
Remember how the BBC was asking Adobe to keep Flash for Android on life support for a short while? The broadcaster just removed any doubts as to why with the launch of BBC Media Player, its solution for that day when the mobile plugin is well and truly buried. Starting with iPlayer on the mobile web and moving on to both radio as well as an updated version of the Android app due next week, the BBC will be using close Flash cousin Adobe AIR for streaming playback on Android phones and tablets. It can't quit Flash technology cold turkey given the sheer number of devices still running Gingerbread or earlier, which rules out HTTP Live Streaming for now. Media Player isn't necessarily the most elegant solution -- we're seeing reports of sub-par video and other hiccups -- but it will keep those episodes of Doctor Who rolling on most Android hardware and let the BBC push out updates that address as many of the Google-inclined as possible.
iRobot's AIRarm prototype bot has an inflatable arm for manipulating objects, was built at DARPA's behest
iRobot may be best known for its household automatons, but the company's expertise goes far beyond circular bots built for sweeping and scrubbing floors. Its Warrior and 110 FirstLook bots are built for the military, and now the Advanced Inflatable Robot (AIR) arm model is joining its armed forces brethren. The AIRarm prototype is essentially a Packbot whose metal arm's been replaced with an inflatable version able to lift four times its own half-pound weight. That might not seem like much, but considering most rigid robot arms can only lift a fraction of their own weight, it represents a sizable gain in strength-to-weight ratio. Plus, the arm can get stronger by simply dialing up the air pressure. As an inflatable limb, it can also operate delicately around meatbags -- just as the air pressure is increased for strength, it can be decreased when in close proximity to people so as not to injure them. For its prototype effort, iRobot's going to get a $625,000 contract from DARPA to continue the AIRarm's development, and you can see a bit of what that money will buy in the video after the break.
Engadget's back to school guide 2012: ultraportables
Welcome to Engadget's back to school guide! The end of summer vacation isn't nearly as much fun as the weeks that come before, but a chance to update your tech tools likely helps to ease the pain. Today we're getting down to the very important business of helping you sift through laptops -- and you can head to the back to school hub to see the rest of the product guides as they're added throughout the month. Be sure to keep checking back -- at the end of August we'll be giving away a ton of the gear featured in our guides -- you can hit up the hub page right here! Given their roots -- luxury machines like the original MacBook Air ($1,800) and last year's Samsung Series 9 ($1,649) -- you'd be forgiven if you initially dismissed Ultrabooks as being too extravagant for a college-bound student. Thankfully, though, prices have sunk so low that you can now find a thin, fast, ultraportable laptop for as little as $700. The only problem, perhaps, is a paradox of choice: the selection is already crowded with dozens of contenders, and there are 100-some-odd more models in the pipeline, according to Intel. Fortunately for you, dear readers, we've had the chance to handle or even review many of them, and were able to whittle down the offerings to a handful of promising contenders. Whether you're prepared to spend $750 or $1,400, we have something that'll fit the bill.
Nokia Air promo surfaces, teases what could have been
In some alternate timeline, droves of Nokia fans are enjoying seamless cloud syncing on Symbian handsets. Here on Earth-One, however, we'll have to settle for watching a leaked preview of the syncing service that never was. The Nokia Air promo (after the break) promises a service that lets you "experience everywhere" by serving your devices from the ever-present cloud. "Apps don't require downloading, installing or updating," the narrator boasts, explaining that updates, notification, apps and other content are delivered directly from the cloud to all of your devices. Sound familiar? Don't get too excited though, between Nokia's commitment to Redmond and the ancient Engadget post we spied in the demo's feed, this project was probably scrapped.
The 2012 MacBook Air vs. the 2011 model: what's changed?
No, we didn't get the Retina Macbook Air many of us may have been hoping for, but the Apple ultra-portable did get a significant Ivy Bridge boost, including a pair of USB 3.0 ports. There's also an option to double the flash storage capacity with a 512GB SSD, along with adding up to 8 gigs of 1600MHz DDR3L RAM and Apple's new MagSafe 2 connector on the 13-inch Air. Base model pricing remains the same for the 11-incher, at $999 for the bare-bones configuration, while the larger Air will be available starting at $1199 -- a $100 drop over its predecessor. All of the new Airs will ship beginning today, but that doesn't mean it's upgrade time for you. Click on past the break for our side-by-side comparison and a closer look at what's new.
