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Tencent's kids smartwatch is both cute and connected
While there are already a handful of connected wearables for kids in the market, here's one with a more complete set of features. Courtesy of Chinese tech giant Tencent, this QQ Watch comes with a 1.12-inch 128 x 128 OLED screen, IP65 ruggedness, an SOS call button and its very own 2G radio. More importantly, though, the tracking functionality uses GPS, WiFi and cellular triangulation simultaneously for higher accuracy. There's even a 0.3-megapixel camera on board, and since the watch can be hooked up to WeChat, lost kids can send photos to their parents as an extra clue for locating them. Battery life? It's good for up to five days, apparently, after which you can charge up the watch with its magnetic connector. There's no word on the pricing just yet, but a company rep said it'll be "very affordable," and it'll launch in China in October, followed by global rollout before end of the year.
London's police vans are getting fitted with CCTV
London's police forces are adopting cameras and other recording equipment in earnest. Twenty-thousand officers are already in the process of receiving body-worn cameras and soon, every police van will be equipped with CCTV too. The initial target is to have at least one vehicle fitted with the technology -- five cameras, three microphones and two monitors -- in every London borough within the coming months. Roughly 120 vehicles have already been kitted out and the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) says all future vans will come with the gear as standard. Recording begins as soon as the ignition is switched on and all data is overwritten after 22 days. Should the footage be required as evidence in a trial, however, it can be downloaded from the system and stored for longer periods.
Panasonic takes on Dropcam with a 4G-equipped monitoring camera
WiFi monitoring cameras, like Dropcam, are great for keeping tabs while you're away. But what if there were devices that didn't require that connection, or to be plugged in all the time? Meet Panasonic's Nubo: a 4G-equipped security camera that can still keep a watchful eye on situations where there's no power or WiFi signal. The camera's motion sensor detects movement, recording clips in five-, 10-, 30- or 60-second lengths and analyzes the footage to differentiate between humans and your family pets. If your dog or an unwanted guest enters the monitored area, Nubo sends alert to your connected mobile device along with the captured video. What's more, the camera has a built-in speaker and microphone, allowing two-way communication should the need arise. It can be connected to an external USB battery too, so even if there's a loss of power, Nubo is still hard at work.
Two weeks with PulseOn's heart-rate monitoring wearable
Heart-rate monitoring chest straps won't be with us for much longer, as wrist-worn devices are offering optical sensors that do exactly the same job. PulseOn is the latest, and having spun out of Nokia back in 2012, is now offering its first entry into the market, the, uh, PulseOn. Confusing nomenclature aside, the company is now accepting pre-orders through Indiegogo, which was used to help raise awareness as well as cash for the small outfit. We've spent some time with the first model to roll off the production line, so if you're curious if it's worth splashing $170 out on one, read on.
Wearable sensor can tell you when you're dehydrated
Summer is the ideal time to frolic out in the sun, but there's always the risk that you'll neglect the amount of water that you're taking in. Sandia National Laboratories is hoping to put an end to that, after designing a wrist-worn sensor that lets you know when you're dehydrated. An array of micro-needles on the underside of the watch-like device sticks into your skin to measure your interstitial fluid levels -- broadly speaking, the water that sits between your cells. Whenever this figure falls below the safe limit, you'll be alerted to go hit the bar, a technology that could revolutionize sports and military science, as well as help monitor patients in hospitals. The lab is currently touting the sensors for commercial application, so let's start petitioning our smartwatch maker of choice to add it into their next-generation wearable.
PS4 usage terms indicate PSN voice and text monitoring
Sony updated the PlayStation 4's Software Usage Terms with statements suggesting the company may monitor PlayStation Network user voice and text communications, Polygon reports. "Your use of PSN and our community features may be recorded and collected by us or sent to us by other users as described in 13.1," the statement reads. "Any information collected in this way, for example, your UGM, the content of your voice and text communications, video of your gameplay, the time and location of your activities, and your name, your PSN Online ID and IP address, may be used by us or our affiliated companies to enforce these Terms and the SEN Terms of Service, to comply with the law, to protect our rights and those of our licensors and users, and to protect the personal safety of our employees and users. This information may be passed to the police or other appropriate authorities. By accepting these Software Usage Terms, you expressly consent to this." The referenced Section 13.1 of the PS4's Software Usage Terms specifically relates to "grief reporting mechanisms" and "in-game reporting tools," indicating that Sony's monitoring policies may be limited to instances of user-reported player abuse. Sony further notes that "we can't monitor all PSN activity and we make no commitment to do so." Previously, the Xbox One's Kinect peripheral raised concerns over its potential for user surveillance, resulting in the German government classifying it as a "monitoring device." Microsoft later clarified its Kinect privacy policy, assuring that players "are in control of what Kinect can see and hear."
Adidas miCoach X_Cell hits FCC, looks ready to track your sporting life
Judging by a recent FCC application, Adidas is about to add a new player to its miCoach lineup: the X_Cell performance monitor. According to the manual, the wee device can either be worn on your clothing or strapped to your chest for use in sports like football, soccer and tennis. So attached, it'll store seven hours or more of your sprinting speeds, dodging and cutting forces, jump forces, workout times and heart rates. You can then connect via Bluetooth to the miCoach iOS app to monitor your progress or brag about it on Facebook or Twitter. Adidas has yet to announce it, so there's no word on cost or an arrival date -- but when it does come, coasting through practice might be a thing of the past. To see a flip-side image, hit the break.
Autonet Mobile puts a new twist on the car key (video)
Remember Autonet? The company -- which is best known for providing manufacturers like Chrysler with in-car WiFi hotspot solutions -- is launching a new product designed to replace the key fob and enable low-latency remote vehicle control and diagnostics from any smartphone. Of course, this is nothing new -- car makers have been featuring apps to unlock doors, start the engine and monitor vehicles for some time now. Still, most existing solutions rely on satellite or 2G connectivity and often require the car's computer to be fully booted before responding to commands, which makes for a slow and unreliable experience. Autonet's new system combines in-vehicle hardware, mobile software and cloud services to streamline this process for both manufacturers and owners. More after the break. %Gallery-195223%
Insert Coin semifinalist: Observos environmental monitoring sensors hands-on (video)
We first heard about Observos a month ago when it became a participant in our Insert Coin semifinals, but it wasn't until the Hexagonal Research product showed up at Engadget Expand that we were able to see working models of its environmentally aware sensors. Each sensor, which is shaped like a hexagon and is about twice as thick as a hockey puck, is capable of monitoring the temperature, humidity and barometric pressure of virtually any object you can think of. For indoor sensors, a small screen on top displays the desired information of the item you're monitoring, but there's no need to keep a close eye on it -- the information can be relayed to a web interface by communicating wirelessly with a base station hooked into your router. (Outdoor sensors are more rugged to handle external weather conditions and don't have a display screen. You can program the setup to alert you via email or text if something is awry, regardless of where you are, and you'll be able to monitor everything directly from your smartphone; in the future, Observos hopes to expand into a control network that would give you the ability to make changes to environmental conditions remotely. In other words, if your plants get low on moisture, you'd be able to program a flow valve to open automatically. While the company's Expand booth featured only six sensors, up to 40 could be used simultaneously. The Observos team plans to launch its Kickstarter campaign this coming Monday, and backers can grab one indoor sensor and base station together for $175, with the price going up as more sensors are added; outdoor sensors will be a bit more spendy as well. A hacker's board will also be available at $75 for anyone who just wants to tinker around with the goods. Check out our video and full image gallery below for another look. %Gallery-183003%
Verizon brings wireless monitoring service to Lowe's Iris smart home system
If you're haunted by dreams of left-on irons and stoves while trying to holiday, Verizon has announced it'll team up with Lowe's to help you wirelessly correct any carelessness. The operator is bringing a USB modem to Lowe's Iris smart home system, letting you monitor and manage your house remotely from a smartphone, sans WiFi or broadband. That'll let you track family members (or intruders) and control thermostats or appliances via smart plugs. Lowe's kits start at $180, so if you'd rather hear "are we there yet?" instead of "is the house on fire yet?" on your next trip, tap the PR after the break.
Indian official claims BlackBerry eavesdropping standoff is 'heading towards a resolution'
Oh, bureaucracies, the fun in dealing with them is that you're told exactly what they want you to know -- or at least, believe. That's the name of the game in India, where -- as you're surely aware -- the government has been at odds with RIM for years over its insistence that the Waterloo firm provide the means to monitor encrypted emails and BBM messages. In a revelation that may relate to those BlackBerry servers in Mumbai, R. Chandrasekhar of India's Department of Information Technology has asserted, "The issue is heading towards a resolution." While it's difficult to know whether monitoring is already in place, Chandrasekhar added that, "Law enforcement agencies will get what they need." Another unknown is whether RIM played a role in these developments. For its part, the company claims, "RIM maintains a consistent global standard for lawful access requirements that does not include special deals for specific countries." So, if everything is now clear as mud for you, just remember: that's how those in charge like it.
Fujitsu collar monitor proves that all dogs go to the cloud
Sure, you're having a grand old time in the cloud, but what fun is it, really, if you can't bring your pets along? Fujitsu today announced a new collar-mounted device designed to monitor your dog's activity level. This one does more than just filling up a Twitter stream, however, aimed at actually providing helpful health monitoring, including activity, external temperature and the like to a cloud-based health service set to launch later this year. According to Fujitsu, the device is small and lightweight, with minimal power consumption, assuring that your canine can wear it at all times, so you can monitor your pet's activity while you're away. Not much in the way of availability at present, but you can find a bit more info in the PR after the break.
RIM builds BlackBerry server center in Mumbai, right where Indian government wants it
This is the epilogue to a story that started as far back as 2008, when the Indian government first demanded access to encrypted BBM traffic. In 2010, RIM made "certain proposals" that satisfied politicos and averted a ban, and now it's gone one step further -- placing 5,000 BES Enterprise servers directly beneath officials' noses in Mumbai. It's not yet clear if messages will be subject to any more scrutiny than they were before, but N4BB reports that a "team of officers" has already inspected the installation and that "permission for direct monitoring" is "expected to be issued." Looks like those snoops will soon be working double shifts.
Snapstream industrial-strength DVR gets Mac browser client
Snapstream is an enterprise-level TV monitoring service. It's used mostly by news organizations and companies to keep an eye on what's happening on television every night, looking for a certain piece of video or bit of text or speech (the Daily Show famously uses it to keep track of all of that news footage John Stewart makes fun of every night). And despite its popularity, it's only been available on Windows -- until now. Unfortunately, there's still not a dedicated Mac client, but there is a new web interface that Macs can access and use through the browser. The browser client will do everything the full client can, which means even users on Macs can search through TV broadcasts and find what they need. Users can grab that video and transcode it on the server off to a more web-friendly format. If your company uses Snapstream (or has been thinking about using it), but was waiting for a Mac client, now's your chance.
Toshiba's dynadock U3.0 universal docking station and 15.6-inch Mobile LED Monitor make multi-taskers' lives less messy
Let's face it: if you're reading this site, you're probably armed to the teeth with gadgetry. And with that arsenal of tech comes the need to plug it all in somewhere -- inevitably leading to a massively cluttered work station. Well, that's why Toshiba's releasing two laptop accessories aimed at reducing the desktop chaos while further fueling your electronics habit. The dynadock U3.0 universal docking station offers multi-tasking users an array of six USB ports (two USB 2.0 and four USB 3.0) that can charge phones and portable media players without having to turn your computer on or have it actively connected to the dock. There's also a Gigabit Ethernet connection for high speed data transfer and a built-in full HD digital video card that adds support for up to two extra monitors. The dock is slated to hit sometime later this month and will retail for $180. Less exciting, though no less useful, is the company's USB 3.0 Mobile LED Monitor which boasts a widescreen 1366 x 768 HD resolution, anti-glare coating and weighs around 3.6 pounds. No pricing or concrete availability's been announced for this external display, save for a possible April bow. You can check out the PR after the break for all extended details.
IBM wins diet monitoring and reward patent, celebrates with sip of Spirulina
Does your employer offer a "wellness rebate program?" No? Then you can't be working for IBM, which has been bribing its staff to eat healthier since 2004. It's a Watson-worthy idea, because what the company pays out in incentives it recoups in lower healthcare costs. Now, after a decade of toing and froing with the USPTO, IBM has finally patented a web-based system that makes the whole process automatic. For it to work, a person must use a micro-payment network to buy food, which allows their purchases to be monitored and compared against their health records. If they've made the right choices, the system then communicates with their employer's payroll server to issue a reward. Completing the Orwellian circle, the proposed system also interacts with servers in the FDA and health insurance companies to gain information about specific food products or policy changes. You can duck the radar, of course, and buy a Double Whopper with cash, but it'll bring you no reward except swollen ankles. This is IBM we're talking about; they've thought of everything. [Photo via Shutterstock]
WikiLeaks' Spy Files shed light on the corporate side of government surveillance
WikiLeaks' latest batch of documents hit the web this week, providing the world with a scarily thorough breakdown of a thoroughly scary industry -- government surveillance. The organization's trove, known as the Spy Files, includes a total of 287 files on surveillance products from 160 companies, as well as secret brochures and presentations that these firms use to market their technologies to government agencies. As Ars Technica reports, many of these products are designed to get around standard privacy guards installed in consumer devices, while some even act like malware. DigiTask, for example, is a German company that produces and markets software capable of circumventing a device's SSL encryption and transmitting all instant messages, emails and recorded web activity to clients (i.e., law enforcement agencies). This "remote forensic software" also sports keystroke logging capabilities, and can capture screenshots, as well. Included among DigiTask's other products is the WifiCatcher -- a portable device capable of culling data from users linked up to a public WiFi network. US-based SS8, Italy's Hacking Team and France's Vupen produce similar Trojan-like malware capable of documenting a phone or computer's "every use, movement, and even the sights and sounds of the room it is in," according to the publication. Speaking at City University in London yesterday, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange said his organization decided to unleash the Spy Files as "a mass attack on the mass surveillance industry," adding that the technologies described could easily transform participating governments into a "totalitarian surveillance state." The documents, released on the heels of the Wall Street Journal's corroborative "Surveillance Catalog" report, were published alongside a preface from WikiLeaks, justifying its imperative to excavate such an "unregulated" industry. "Intelligence agencies, military forces, and police authorities are able to silently, and on mass, and [sic] secretly intercept calls and take over computers without the help or knowledge of the telecommunication providers," wrote Wikileaks in its report. "In the last ten years systems for indiscriminate, mass surveillance have become the norm." The organization says this initial document dump is only the first in a larger series of related files, scheduled for future release. You can comb through them for yourself, at the source link below.
Brits, your government needs you to solve this puzzle
Spare a thought for the British intelligence services. Every time they come up with a clever recruitment drive, their efforts are hampered by yet another off-putting death scene in a certain long-running spy drama. But relax, this particular ciphered job advert is entirely safe. It's been put out by the UK's monitoring service, GCHQ, which is altogether more 9 to 5 than MI5. You simply need to figure out the keyword buried in that daunting grid of characters, submit it via the 'canyoucrackit' link below, and a happy career in headphones and Herman Miller could be yours. On the other hand, people who claim to have beaten the puzzle seem underwhelmed by the response: all it got them, they say, was a shot at a £25k per year position that was already being openly advertised on the web. But, who knows, maybe those guys only think they cracked it?
Microsoft patent aims to curb your enthusiasm in the office
You might think working for tech royalty out west is all beanbags and 20 percent time. And it might well be. But if your paychecks say Microsoft, you might want to be careful how you spend that extra down-time. A patent with the snappy title Organizational Behavior Monitoring Analysis and Influence describes a system devised by the company to monitor employee interactions. Everything from cutting people off in conversation, to the verbal phrases and mannerisms used over "multi-modal communications" (e-mail, phone and so on) is covered. The aim of the Orwellian system is "defining desired and undesired behaviors for enhancing organizational trust levels" and it's not the first time Microsoft has made such sinister sounding patent applications. OK, so there is nothing saying exactly what this might be for, or if this would ever be used to monitor its own employees. That said, if your parking space isn't there on Monday, you might want to backtrack through the previous week's water-cooler diatribes.
Ask Engadget: best DIY wireless home security (and fire) system?
We know you've got questions, and if you're brave enough to ask the world for answers, here's the outlet to do so. This week's Ask Engadget inquiry is coming to us from Roger, who is just about tired of hearing "ADT." If you're looking to send in an inquiry of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com. "I'm moving into a new place, and I need a good wireless home security and fire system. But here's the thing -- I only have a broadband internet connection and a cellphone. I can't use one of those traditional ADT systems that require a landline, and moreover, the $40+ per month they charge is outrageous. I need a DIY option that monitors both security and fire, and I'm fine paying up to $25 or $30 a month for UL-certified off-site monitoring. SimpliSafe and Lifeshield seem decent, but the former doesn't monitor fire yet. Support for live feeds and alerts on my smartphone would be a huge plus. Thanks!" Looks like SimpliSafe will be the perfect solution when it adds fire support in 2012, but Roger needs help in the here and now. Any paranoid homeowners out there have any other awesome suggestions? Drop 'em in comments below!
