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Fitbit faces ill-timed lawsuits over haptic feedback
Fitbit is facing hard times between slowing fitness tracker sales and a reportedly floundering smartwatch project. Unfortunately, there's more bad news to add to the pile. Immersion is suing Fitbit in China and the US for allegedly violating multiple patents (three in each country) for haptic feedback. Supposedly, devices ranging from the original Flex to the Blaze all borrow Immersion's approach to vibrating a device in response to commands and for alerts. Fitbit rebuffed "numerous attempts" to strike a licensing deal, Immersion claims, so this is considered a last resort.
Lyft nixed its surge cap and didn't tell riders
Surge pricing is an expensive fact of life for Uber and Lyft riders, but Lyft's policy was to cap their "Prime Time" surge prices at 3x normal. In February Lyft informed drivers it was removing the surge cap — but nobody told the riders. So much for disclosure.
Fitbit Surge and Charge HR automatically detect and log exercises
Just in time to entice holiday shoppers, Fibit is updating its Surge and Charge HR fitness trackers with a handful of new features. First, a SmartTrack feature automatically recognizes exercises during your workouts and records them in the Fitbit app along with details on duration, calories burned and heart rate. SmartTrack can determine if you're on the elliptical, outdoor biking, running, walking or doing one of a few aerobic workouts (Zumba, cardio-kickboxing , dance, etc.). It can also detect if you're playing sports like tennis, basketball and soccer. You can personalize the activity recognition too, telling the tech which movements you want logged as exercise and how long you want to be moving before it starts to track them. By default, you'll need to be in motion at least 15 minutes before the recording starts. When it comes to heart-rate tracking, the two wearables are getting improved PurePulse performance for those more intense workout sessions. By using Exercise Mode on the Charge HR and multi-sport modes on the Surge, the gadgets will provide a better "experience" during and after those high-energy activities like Zumba.
You can only watch YACHT's music video when Uber surge pricing hits LA
The band YACHT has a new record coming out next month, and it's debuting a new music video to tease a new single. However, you won't be able to click over to YouTube to watch. The video for "LA Plays Itself" can only be viewed when Uber's surge pricing goes into effect in Los Angeles. Increased demand for the ride-sharing service unlocks the song so the city (kind of) plays itself. What's more, when surge rates hit two times the norm, the band will spin a remix version of the track. As the band states, it's certainly a new take on the traffic jam.
Fitbit Surge update delivers running alerts and improves battery life
During his time with the Fitbit Surge, our own Terrence O'Brien was quite pleased with the wearable's tracking abilities. Thanks to a software update, the device aims to get even better. Fitbit is giving Surge users running alerts that'll keep you informed of time and distance marks, helping with pacing and overall training goals. The company has also improved battery life, so you can go a bit longer between charges when keeping tabs on running, hiking, biking and more. There's also a new timer/stopwatch tool when workouts require carefully timed intervals. Even with the new features, the Surge is still a tough sell at $250, especially in a space that's crowded with GPS-packing entries from Garmin, TomTom and others.
Uber study finds that Uber surge pricing is Uber good
Unless, of course, you're the one paying for it.
Here's what our readers think of the Fitbit Surge
Even as other companies plow ahead with their plans to put a smartwatch on every wrist, Fitbit is staying focused on fitness tracking via simpler wearables like the Flex and the Charge/Charge HR. But that doesn't mean the company is content with being outshone. With the Surge, Fitbit upped its game not just by including standard activity and sleep tracking, but also by packing in a GPS radio for more serious runners. However, despite those ambitions, we found it mildly cumbersome and lacking compared to more robust options from Polar, Garmin and TomTom. Indeed, we recommended it mostly for users "willing to sacrifice some style and comfort in the name of best-in-class step counting and sleep tracking." But judging from the reviews on the Surge's product page, it hasn't quite mastered the latter either.
Uber 'reviews' its own app to justify London surge pricing
Uber often defends its "surge" price increases by explaining capitalism, but it took a new tack after a controversial surge in London. The city was gripped by a tube strike yesterday that brought train service to a standstill, forcing commuters to find other ways to get to work. The sudden demand for buses, taxis and ridesharing services kicked Uber's app into surge mode, causing fares to triple at one point. That produced a lot of righteous anger in social media and the press, prompting the company to release an article "reviewing" its own app against others to show that surges are a good thing.
Fitbit's Surge fitness watch will soon track your bike rides
The Fitbit Surge is now useful for tracking more than just your running when you're outside. An April update to the GPS fitness watch will let it track outdoor bike runs, so you'll know if you beat your previous best time or got your heart thumping on that uphill route. On the mobile app, you'll also have a history that shows whether or not that last ride was as intense as you thought it was. And Surge cycling isn't the only big Fitbit update in the works -- you can finally link multiple trackers to a Fitbit account as of this week, so you don't have to wear your exercise gear to the office just to maintain an accurate step count.
Fitbit Surge review: a top-notch tracker with a flawed design
Confession time: I'm a bit of a wannabe when it comes to self-quantification. The idea of counting every step I take, every calorie I eat, every day I don't have a cigarette and every minute I lie in bed restlessly tossing and turning sounds great. I want to be able to look at my life as a series of easy-to-understand numbers that I can act upon to improve myself. And every time I review a new wearable or fitness tracker I think, "This'll be the one to make it stick." The latest in the long line of would-be life-changers is the $250 Fitbit Surge. The combination of GPS running watch, step counter and sleep tracker appeals not only to the number nerd in me, but also to the semi-serious runner as well. It also appeals to the "someone trying to cut down on the clutter in their life" part of me. Why do I need a separate pedometer, GPS running watch and a regular watch? But the big question is: Can the Surge lock me into not just an ecosystem, but also a system of life-tracking and life-changing habits?
Engadget Daily: Amazon's Fire TV Stick, Fibit's new fitness trackers and more!
In case you were confused, Nintendo did re-release its original GameCube controller. Why? Three words: Super Smash Bros. But that's not all we have for you this fine evening -- read on for our news highlights from the last 24 hours, including Amazon's streaming dongle, Fitbit's new wearables, and more.
Fitbit announces three new activity trackers, including a GPS watch
The last year has been a bit rough for Fitbit. The biggest thorn in its side has obviously been the allergic reactions to, and the subsequent recall of, its Force fitness tracker. Despite having spent the better part of 2014 without its flagship model on store shelves, the company still holds a lead over its competitors in market share. And now it's hoping to extend that lead with an all-out assault on the activity tracking market. Today the company is announcing not one, but three new devices that are set to be released over the next several months.
Fitbit's new wearable looks like a watch, crams in GPS and a heart rate monitor
It's been a while since we've seen a new Fitbit product, but according to a leak obtained at The Verge, that's because the company's been working on something a little special. The Fitbit Surge is a "fitness superwatch" that houses two must-haves for serious running types: GPS tracking and a heart-rate monitor. Crucially this would mean the wearable can monitor your activity without having to haul around your smartphone. (The likes of the Galaxy Note 4 or iPhone 6 Plus aren't all that well-suited to a jog in the park). The leaked marketing materials also suggest it will priced at $249 and will still be able to monitor all the less intense calorie burning done on stairs and your commute to work. Borrowing from the smartwatch category, the Surge is also promising smart notifications for calls and texts, as well as music controls. According to The Verge, the watch is rumored to launch in three colors (black, slate and tangerine) in the next few weeks, likely alongside the pair of more lightweight Charge fitness trackers - also leaked in marketing materials. C'mon guys, tighten up that security. We've reached out to Fitbit for more.
Elliptic Labs demonstrates its touchless user interface for iPad (with video)
As promised a while back, we got to chat with Elliptic Labs here at CES, and CEO Stian Aldrin walked us through the touchless gesture technology his 15-person Norway-based company is developing as a prototype. The whole thing is based on ultrasound, it turns out -- a small speaker kicks out frequencies higher than the ear can hear, and a set of microphones listens in on the reflections, using an algorithim to calculate where your hand is at as you wave it through the air. The result is a gesture-based control system for touchscreen devices, but without the actual touch. Aldrin told us that the system is already in use in a Norwegian hospital, where surgeons control touchscreen tablets without having to take their sanitized gloves off during surgery. Currently, the system only allows for a few simple gestures (swiping up and down, or left and right), but that's just a limitation of the demo units Elliptic Labs has created. Potentially, such a system could not only recognize the placement and speed of your hand passing by (and indeed, one of the demos in the CES booth could monitor both proximity to the screen and speed, flipping on-screen content faster if you pushed your hand by faster), but it could also calculate multiple points of movement, doing things like multi-touch gestures in the air. You do have to be pretty close in to the screen to operate the device -- rather than a big cone like a Kinect, the system monitors a sphere around itself, so you've got to have your hand enter that sphere for it to register. But Elliptic (who already plan to be back at CES with an even bigger booth next year) suggests that the system could be used for lots of things, from quick music controls to car controls, or anything else where you need to make a touch-style gesture without actually touching the screen. We've got exclusive video after the break of Aldrin demoing a dock version of the system, connected via Wi-Fi to an off-the-shelf iPad running a custom-made app.
Officers' Quarters: The fall surge
Every Monday Scott Andrews contributes Officers' Quarters, a column about the ins and outs of guild leadership.Back in June, I wrote about surviving the summer, when raider interest wanes and many players go AFK for weeks on end. Now that fall is back in full swing, all those players are back. Many guilds find themselves with a renewed roster of raiders clamoring for suddenly limited slots. This week, one reader asks how to handle all the extra bodies. Scott, I lead a casual raiding guild. We have 1 25-man a week and about 3 10-mans a week including ToC 10 and Ulduar 10. I don't force anyone to raid. I tell them that they can sign up for whatever they want but if they sign up and don't show up, then they are penalized. My problem is that since I allow anyone to sign up and I don't have set groups, what do I do when I have more people signed up than I need?
Rogers signs up for the Nokia Surge?
It shouldn't come as a surprise that leaked lineup documents suggest Rogers has an eye on Nokia's Surge; Rogers has a pretty good relationship with Nokia, after all, and the Surge is the kind of device that pretty much any text-savvy carrier with an established rapport with Nokia would be looking into. What might be more of a surprise is that they'll apparently be launching it as the 6790 Surge -- Nokia's global designation for the device -- as opposed to the simpler "Surge" preferred by AT&T. After AT&T's move we'd taken 6790 as more of a European branding, but hey, props to Rogers for keeping it real and letting Nokia roll with its traditional scheme. No word on availability yet, but we'll allegedly be looking at CAD $89.99 (about $83) on a new three-year agreement when it finally does launch.
Nokia Surge review
Some might say that the phone you're peering at above is the most un-Nokia-like Nokia device produced in quite some time (if not ever), but remember, this one was custom made for US consumers and AT&T's audience -- something that's not true for too many Espoo-sourced handsets. Once known as the Mako, Nokia's Surge (or 6790 in international speak) is certainly unorthodox in design, though the actual specs list is fairly familiar. We get the feeling that Nokia was aiming to hit a very specific niche with this device, somewhere in-between the text-happy handsets adored by tweens and the smartphone desired by Mr. Suit. Care to see if we think Nokia accomplished said goal? Then head on past the break, vaquero.
Nokia takes Surge global with 6760
Nokia's North American product portfolio dude had mentioned in a recent interview that AT&T's Surge would end up seeing global duty, and sure enough, here it is. Known as the 6760 around the world (which complies with Nokia's typical four-digit naming scheme, by the bye), the phone's specs are basically identical to its Yankee cousin: 3.2 megapixel cam, 2.4-inch QVGA display, AGPS, S60 3.2, microSD expansion, and a side-sliding full QWERTY keyboard. "Typical Nokia" is not a phrase we'd use to describe the 6760, but here's the million-dollar question: can a phone clearly designed with AT&T's needs (and North America's needs) in mind sell elsewhere? Look for it to launch around Europe in this quarter for €199 (about $283) unlocked, with black, red, and white versions becoming available on a region-by-region basis.
Nokia talks shop about its revised US strategy, but is it enough?
The old adage goes "be careful what you wish for; you just might get it." After years of bellyaching (we're as guilty of it as anyone) that Nokia was giving Europe first dibs on its hottest handsets over North America, we're now seeing perhaps the most dramatic, positive shift in North American strategy in the company's history -- in fact, they're straight-up saying that they want to push all the way to number 1 in the local market. But is it enough of a shift to fend off aggressive moves from Samsung, LG, Apple, and the rest of the gang across every conceivable market segment?Nokia's product portfolio manager for the region, Ira Frimere, sat down with Computerworld recently to discuss the renewed push, admitting that the company has had to rethink some fundamental things about its products and its business model to help its cause in the States; one small example is the fact that the Surge is launching without the typical four-digit model number or Nseries / Eseries code that is found on virtually every Nokia sold worldwide, ostensibly because Americans apparently prefer names to numbers (it'll launch as the Surge 6790 internationally, it turns out). Additionally, the company has dedicated a facility in San Diego to working with its North American carrier partners -- AT&T and Verizon, most prominently. It's still early on, but the labor there seems to already be bearing fruit, considering that AT&T will be stocking three S60 devices once the Surge launches -- a record -- and Verizon's rumored to have some interesting stuff in the pipeline.Frimere adds that Nokia believes services are key to winning American hearts and minds, an area the company has been putting extensive R&D into lately with its Ovi line (unfortunately, so is everyone else -- and getting to iTunes and App Store-level acceptance with Nokia Music and the Ovi Store is going to be an uphill battle, to say the least). Ultimately, the conclusion seems to be Nokia's reluctant admittance that breaking into the US market requires a willingness to give carriers far, far more respect than they deserve by bending and breaking to their somewhat odd demands -- and that's going to be an ongoing problem for consumers, whether you're a Nokia fan or not.
Nokia's Surge official on AT&T, ships July 19 for $79.99
We've known about Nokia's so-called Surge for months now, but at long last, AT&T has done its duty by making things official and giving us a price and release date to consider. The Symbian S60-based smartphone is aimed squarely at social media freaks, boasting a full QWERTY keyboard, a browser with Flash support (imagine that, right?), a pre-installed JuiceCaster app for easily updating your Facebook / Twitter status and a price tag that's sure to turn heads. For just $79.99 after rebate, you'll also get a 2 megapixel camera, AT&T Navigator, AT&T Video Share and the pleasure of handing over at least $30 per month for a required data plan (if you want the $50 rebate, anyway). If you're sold already, you can get yours on July 19th.%Gallery-67837%
