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Daily Roundup: Laptop buyer's guide, Apple's gold-colored iPhone, Withings Pulse review, and more!
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Withings Pulse review
Let's face it: the quantified-self movement is all about strapping gadgets to your body and letting them tell you things that you already know. Aside from marathon-running gym worshippers, we're all keenly aware that we could be taking better care of ourselves. Of course, those fancy devices do offer a means to record your data in a way that makes it easy to track your progress, hopefully motivating you to concentrate on getting your activity graph to go up while your weight goes down. We're two or three generations into the market now, and the crude pedometers of yore have been replaced with units packed with altimeters and accelerometers that promise to faithfully track everything from how many stairs you've climbed to how well you slept last night. Withings is a French company that's synonymous with the whole fitness tracker movement; it's perhaps best known for its heart rate monitors and smart scales that push your weight, BMI, body fat percentage, heart rate and even local CO2 levels to the cloud. But until now, it's had a glaring omission in its lineup: an activity tracker that informs you of your progress apart from your early morning weigh-ins. Worse still, both Wahoo Fitness and Fitbit have encroached on Withings' home turf with their own weighing scales; more than ever, Withings needs an activity tracker to keep people locked into its ecosystem. That's where the Pulse comes in. Like the Fitbit One, this rubber brick packs a pedometer, altimeter and sleep tracker, but unlike its rivals, it includes an optical heart rate sensor as well. With both the Pulse and the Fitbit priced at $100, is this extra feature enough to establish the French business as the world heavyweight? I spent a month with this device strapped to my waistband, so follow me as I take you through what it's like to have this as a constant companion.
Withings Pulse hands-on
Just how many activity trackers can this emerging, but admittedly niche market support? We have no idea, but Withings is hoping that there's room for at least one more. The company will be releasing the Pulse tomorrow for $99, and taking on veterans of the scene like Fitbit and relative newcomers like Jawbone. The tiny device counts steps, monitors your sleep patterns and can even measure your heart rate. Unfortunately, it can't do the latter constantly and in real time, though, that might be a slightly unrealistic expectation of any tracker. Like some of Fitbit's products it can also monitor your altitude, which is great for people who want to know how many steps they've climbed. The Pulse itself is quite small, about the size of standard issue pedometer and almost as light. The casing is made of a nice soft touch plastic that feels down right lovely in the hand, which is good since you'll be manhandling the Pulse more than most other trackers. It's a far cry from the glossy piano black finish it sported at CES. %Gallery-192404%
Antec to extend its Bluetooth product range with Pulse, SP1+, SP3 and SPzero (hands-on)
To most people, Antec's probably better known for its desktop-related products, but at Computex, the company made quite a big effort to pimp its A.M.P. (Antec Mobile Products) range of Bluetooth audio devices. You may have already come across the SP1 Bluetooth speaker (pictured above in several colors), but we've been told that an identical-looking SP1+ is coming this October. What's new? Well, the refresh will come with NFC-enabled Bluetooth pairing, as well as CSR's TrueWireless Stereo technology that will let you use one SP1+ as the left channel, and another SP1+ as the right channel (but both drivers in each SP1+ are still active in this case). Do read on to see what else Antec has up its sleeve later this year. %Gallery-191259%
Maingear's Pulse 14 laptop: Haswell and a GeForce GTX 760M starting at $1,299
Haswell-infused devices have been stepping out from behind curtains for the past few days, and now Maingear's ready to unveil its latest gaming notebook with Intel's fresh silicon: the Pulse 14. Each configuration of the rig comes decked out with a quad-core Core i7 processor clocked at 2.2GHz, a GeForce GTX 760M graphics card with 4GB of GDDR5 memory, 2.1-channel speakers and a 14-inch, 1,600x900 resolution display. As for connectivity, an SD card slot, HDMI, VGA, Ethernet and three USB 3.0 ports all come standard with the machine. Extracting $1,299 from your wallet will net you a respectable 8GB of DDR3 RAM and a 500GB hybrid drive. Ponying up $1,399 will nab you a 1TB HDD with a 32GB caching SSD, while shelling out $1,699 brings in 16GB of RAM and two 128GB solid state drives in Raid 0 backed by a 1TB hard drive. Take a gander at the laptop in the bordering gallery or hit the break for more details in the press release.%Gallery-190358%
Withings Smart Activity Tracker hits the FCC with a catchier Pulse name
Withings introduced its Smart Activity Tracker at CES with many details regarding how it worked, but few hints of just when it would reach our belts and wrists. Courtesy of an FCC approval, we now know that it's relatively close. The exercise and sleep sensor has gone through US testing with no real surprises in hardware, but a much simpler branding strategy: the manual suggests the tracker will just be called the Pulse, which could help in a market full of one-word rivals. About all that's left is for Withings to say exactly where and when we can get its new wearable.
Pulse for iOS adds LinkedIn sharing
LinkedIn is quickly settling into its ownership of Pulse: fresh from integrating itself into the news app's Android edition, it's doing the same for iOS. Version 3.1 of the news aggregator largely mirrors the Android refresh and lets users flick a switch to share stories through the extra channel. The update also simplifies saving articles to Evernote, Instapaper and Pocket for those that aren't quite so public with their reading habits. Whichever camp you're in, the Pulse upgrade awaits at the source link.
Pulse casually enables LinkedIn sharing, gets comfy in new HQ
LinkedIn's latest acquisition is giving a nod to its new boss: Pulse users can now share news stories with their professional connections. According to the Pulse blog, the tweak is part of a series of collaborations that started when Pulse moved into LinkedIn headquarters, and more updates are on the way. The changes are subtle for now, though -- the only other addition to the app is the ability to add a LinkedIn Influencers feed to your account, which offers content from select contributors and industry leaders. The update should hit the Google Play store shortly, and is due to launch on iOS soon after.
The Daily Roundup for 04.11.2013
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
LinkedIn acquires Pulse news reader for $90 million
LinkedIn has been pretty clearly repositioning itself as a source for news as of late, and it's now made that shift even clearer with a fairly major acquisition. The company announced today that it has acquired Pulse, maker of news reader apps for mobile devices (in addition to a web-based offering) at a cost of some $90 million. In its own blog post announcing the news, Pulse says that its apps will remain as they are for now, although they will now offer a "LinkedIn Influencer" feed featuring the company's hand-picked contributors. According to Pulse, its apps currently have over 30 million users around the globe, with approximately 40 percent of those outside the US; for its part, LinkedIn recently topped 200 million users.
Fujitsu software uses a smartphone's camera to measure your pulse
There seems to be an unwritten rule that Japanese carriers and smartphone makers need to dedicate R&D spend to bettering the lives of their users. And we certainly can't argue with that. NTT DoCoMo is at the forefront of said innovation, developing breath analyzers, powerful translation apps and even bicycle sharing solutions, but companies such as Fujitsu have items of their own to show off from time to time, including this camera-based pulse-measuring software. The technology, which works by measuring brightness variations in your face, does not require special hardware. Using a camera attached to a computer, smartphone or tablet, the tool can detect your pulse in just five seconds. You need to remain still in order to achieve accurate results -- the software begins measuring once you stop moving, and works by detecting the flow of hemoglobin in blood, which absorbs green light. Readers currently in Gifu, Japan for the General Conference of the Institute of Electronics, Information, and Communication Engineers can test the solution for themselves beginning tomorrow. The rest of you can continue reading up on the development in the press release after the break. Cue DigInfo walkthrough. Update: As readers have pointed out, other solutions have already made their way to market, such as the Cardiio app, which is available for iOS at 3 bucks a pop. We haven't tested the app, but iTunes feedback is quite positive. You can snag it at the source link now.
Pulse: A game where sound reveals the world
We like Pulse, an independent project and IGF finalist from Team Pixel Pi, for a couple of reasons. One, the main character is blind, and the only way to reveal the world around him is through sound. Two, the primary way to create these sounds is to throw adorable critters called Mokos around the environment.As has been proven before, there are few things more satisfying than flinging adorable critters against solid objects. Doing so "illuminates" the world, so to speak, giving the player an idea of their surroundings. It's pretty neat, but you don't have to take our word for it, as a free prototype is available now for both Windows and Mac. We should also mention that, occasionally, you feed Mokos to slavering monsters (only out of necessity, of course).Team PixelPi is currently seeking funding for Pulse on Kickstarter, with the ultimate goal of $75,000. The game will be on display at the IGF Pavillion at GDC, and you can bet we'll be checking it out.
Pulse adds support for social feeds, including Instagram, Facebook and YouTube
Pulse has clearly been working hard at polishing off those iOS and Android applications, but it doesn't look as if the reading service is slowing down its maintenance efforts anytime soon. Via blog post, Pulse announced today that it's now letting users browse through their favorite social feeds within the app, with account support added for Tumblr, Flickr, YouTube, Instagram and, of course, Facebook -- much like Flipboard's been doing for a while now. To go along with that, though, the application's photo and video viewers have both been on the receiving end of a minor makeover, which should make for a much better canvas when looking at those pics or vids posted on some of the aforementioned social networks. Never a bad time to be more social, right?
Pulse 3.0 update for iOS and Android brings new design, better search and more
Pulse might have launched that browser-based app back in August, but most of its customers still use its mobile app. Lucky for them, both iOS and Android versions of the app have been updated to Pulse 3.0. The update promises a sleeker and more user-friendly interface, along with a new category sidebar, a search feature that lets you cull news from a wider variety of sources (from Tumblr, Youtube, Reddit, Facebook, Google, Flickr and Blekko just to name a few), infinite scrolling, and unlimited pages. The new iOS app is now universal and can be used across all iOS devices -- previous versions were divided into iPhone and iPad camps. On the Android side, users get a redesigned Pulse widget that displays top stories in a resizable view. Customizable notifications on both platforms will ensure you always stay on top of the news -- perhaps now you can finally score a win at your favorite pub's quiz night.
Pulse 3.0 newsreader hits iOS with new interface, improved search
Version 3.0 of the popular iOS newsreader Pulse has hit the App Store and remains a free -- but now universal -- app for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. The new release introduces a revamped interface that keeps the clean aesthetic the app is known for, but simplifies it further, introducing the ability to add unlimited content per page and swiping to reveal a new category sidebar. The update also brings with it an improved content search. On top of letting you browse a wider variety of sources to add, it makes finding interesting sites and topics easier with a more App Store-like visual presentation. Are you a Pulse user? Let us know how you're liking the new version in comments. [via TechCrunch]
Researchers create video game that monitors heart rate to keep children's anger in check
Nintendo may have left its Vitality Sensor by the wayside, but researchers at Boston Children's Hospital are using heart rate monitoring in a video game to teach children with anger issues how to temper their emotions. Dubbed RAGE (Regulate and Gain Emotional) Control, the game tasks players with blasting hostile spaceships while keeping their heart rate from exceeding a predefined limit. If a gamer's pulse rises above the ceiling, they'll lose the ability to shoot until they can ease their pulse back down. A group of 18 kids who received standard treatments and played the game for five, 15-minute-long sessions had better control of their heart rate and lower anger levels than a group that only used traditional treatments. Currently, a controlled clinical trial of RAGE Control is underway and there are plans to take the concept a step further with toys and games suited for younger children. Look out below for the full press release or tap the second source link for the team's paper in the Journal of Adolescent Psychiatry. [Image credit: Thirteen of Clubs, Flickr]
Pulse Reader launches browser-based app, you'll need IE 10 for certain gestures
Until now, if you've wanted to use the Pulse reader app for browsing Engadget your favorite blogs you had to own an Android or iOS device. Now, though, the startup is launching a browser-based version of the service, making it accessible on desktops and mobile platforms for which there's no standalone Pulse app. The site will run in any browser, including mobile ones, but there are certain gestures you'll only be able to pull off in IE10, like using two fingers to expose the reading pane. For that reason, Microsoft is promoting this announcement almost as enthusiastically as Pulse (see the source link below if you don't believe us). As for the new website, we could go on about the slick UI and brisk performance, but it's probably easier if you just check out the screenshots below and then peek the quickie demo video after the break.%Gallery-162029%
Sony PlayStation Pulse Wireless Stereo Headset Elite Edition hands-on
Aside from the PlayStation Move Racing Wheel and Wonderbook, Sony has one more accessory to show off at E3 -- the Pulse Wireless Stereo Headset Elite Edition. Naturally, we hunted down this peripheral aimed at all-things audio to check it out for ourselves. The PWSHEE is the company's second full-on PS3 headset to date, expanding on what it offered with its Wireless Stereo Headset from last year. As we're told, the headset is also ushering in a new Pulse moniker for its PlayStation oriented ear-blasters, although there's no word on what we can expect down the line. For now, this unit packs a lot on paper for its $150 price, touting key features like 7.1 virtual surround sound, PS Vita and cellphone compatibility (thanks to a detachable cable with inline remote / mic), BassImpact technology for massive low-end pulse (get it?), audio profiles, higher-fidelity drivers than the WSH and hidden noise-cancelling microphones for chatting. Does it have the potential to live up to its hype and one-up its $80 predecessor? Join us past the break for our initial impressions. %Gallery-157587%
ASUS enlists BlueStacks to run Android apps on Windows PCs, skips all the OS juggling
Turns out that you won't have to buy a Transformer AiO and use two whole operating systems to run Android apps on that ASUS Windows PC -- the Taiwan PC builder has struck a deal to run Bluestacks' App Player for key software on the ASUS@Vibe side of its new Open Cloud Computing service. The code layer will give free rein to play games like Fruit Ninja or Defender as well as run more sober titles like Evernote and Pulse. Apps will be available across every type of PC ASUS makes, including Eee PC netbooks and other models without touchscreens, but they won't always be gratis. ASUS is providing free Android apps for just the first six months of service and will be charging an unspecified rate for unlimited access afterwards, so you may want to opt for that Transformer AiO or a PadFone to run mobile apps the old-fashioned way.
Maingear's 11.6-inch Pulse 11 gaming laptop starts shipping
Alienware's M11x may be history, but as these things tend to go, there's always someone willing to carry the torch. Maingear's recently-introduced 11.6-inch Pulse 11 just so happens to be that rig in this here story, and those that've been waiting won't have to twiddle their thumbs any longer. The company is shipping the bantam gaming rig in the US starting this week, offering a Core i7 CPU (or a Core i5, if you'd rather), NVIDIA's Optimus graphics switching (tied to a GeForce GT 650 'Kepler' GPU), 11.6-inch LED-backlit panel (1366 x 768), up to 16GB of DDR3 memory, 802.11b/g/n WiFi, a 9-in-1 card reader, six-cell Li-ion battery and plenty of ports. It's starting at just $999, but speccing it out all proper like will send the asking price well north of that. (But trust us, it's worth it.)
