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Google Maps may soon offer parking suggestions
Google Maps can already tell you how congested your drive will be, but how about when you arrive? It looks like the app is about to give you at least a decent idea about the parking situation, thanks to a new feature spotted in the latest 9.44 beta by Android Police. Availability of spaces at a selected destination is shown as "easy," "medium" and "limited," with the latter situation highlighted in red. Once you start navigating, it'll give further details in the instructions, indicating that parking around your arrival address is "usually not easy" or "limited," for instance.
Whistle's latest pet tracker is more accurate with better battery life
If you own a pet, you've likely thought about your friend running away at least once. Technologies like microchipping can help get lost pets back, but in the last few years some companies have been using the same tech in our smartphones as a way to keep close tabs on pets. Whistle is probably the most prominent of those: The company first released a health and fitness tracking collar in 2013 and then added GPS capabilities so you can locate a pet from your phone. Today, the company is announcing its latest pet tracker, the Whistle 3. It has the same basic features as the previous model, but some hardware improvements make the battery last longer and help to make location tracking more precise. The Whistle 3 has onboard WiFi in addition to Bluetooth, GPS and 3G cellular data; you can use that to set up "home zones" for your pet. If your dog wanders outside that WiFi home zone, you'll get an alert on your phone and the Whistle's cellular connection will kick on to pinpoint your pet's exact location.
Garmin's newest 'Drive' navigation systems focus on road safety
Whether you're on the open road or just trying to make it to work in one piece, getting where you're going is hassle enough -- even when there isn't traffic to be stuck in. Garmin's latest iterations of its Drive GPS navigation systems will soon be receiving a host of features that will deliver live updates and easier-to-follow directions in hopes of changing driver behaviors for the safer.
Garmin's satellite hand-helds make it really hard to get lost
Garmin isn't just using CES to show off new fitness watches and software updates. The company also used the massive tradeshow to unveil two mobile devices designed for international travelers and backcountry explorers alike. The InReach SE+ and inReach Explorer+ rely on Iridium satellite coverage from Garmin's DeLorme acquisition to provide two-way messaging and worldwide GPS coverage.
US' new stealth destroyer may finally have affordable ammo
To put it mildly, the US screwed up when it decided to carry on with its Zumwalt-class stealth destroyers when they depended on smart ammo the Navy couldn't afford. However, it might have a clever workaround. Officials speaking to USNI News say the Navy is looking at Raytheon's Excalibur, a GPS-guided artillery round, as a substitute for the custom LRLAP (Long Range Land Attack Projectile) shells the Zumwalt's main guns were designed to use. Excalibur has roughly half the range at about 30 miles, but it costs much less -- about a quarter of the $800,000-plus cost per round of LRLAP. It can also hit moving targets where LRLAP couldn't.
GoPro videos can now show native speed and motion data
When GoPro introduced the Hero5 Black, it came with a long overdue feature found on many other action cameras: GPS. The problem was, beyond tagging where your photos and videos were shot, it didn't really add much. That changes today with the introduction of "gauges." As the name suggests, you can add widgets on top of your action videos that show how fast you're going, your GPS path, current height/elevation and G-Force. And while the feature is available starting today (you'll need to download the latest version of GoPro's Quik for desktop), videos you already shot with GPS activated can also make use of the gauges.
Google Maps will show where your next Calendar appointment is
Google has been all about change for its suite of productivity apps this week, and now we're seeing what happens when some of the disparate services combine. On Android, Maps and Calendar are joining forces to give a quick visual reference for where your various appointments will take place. You need to be signed into both apps with the same account, of course, but other than that it all seems pretty easy to set up and use. Just put the event's address in the "where" box when creating a Calendar entry and you should be good to go according to Google's Keyword blog. Maps information has cross-pollinated into Calendar previously, so it's pretty cool to see this go the other way, too.
Dr. Oz wants to sell you a heart-monitoring smartwatch
Perennial snake oil salesman Dr. Oz has found a new way to take your make money: a wearable. The press release promises the iBeat Life Monitor is "lifesaving" smartwatch that "empowers people to live longer lives." The big difference here versus offerings from, say, Apple or Withings, is that the iBeat apparently monitors your heartbeat nonstop, and, in the event of a "life-threatening heart emergency," the wearable will contact relatives, friends and medical professionals.
TomTom's new fitness tracker can analyze your body composition
Today at IFA 2016, TomTom revealed a trio of new wearables, including its first fitness tracker. Unlike other similar devices, the new TomTom Touch has one feature that particularly stands out: it can analyze your body composition. That's something you typically only see on smart scales, so it's interesting to see TomTom bring this over to a fitness tracker. Not only does the Touch show you body fat and muscle percentage, but it also monitors your heart rate continuously, as well as count your calories and steps. Pictured above, the sleek wearable will hit stores in October for $130/£130.
The Power Egg is unlike any drone you've ever flown before
try{document.getElementById("aol-cms-player-1").style.display="none";}catch(e){}Normally, when you think "quadcopter", you think of the standard block-shaped mass of propellers, struts and landing gear. But nothing says they have to look that way. In fact, one drone company from China is taking a radically different approach with a UAV that looks like something from the labs of Capsule Corp.
The next Apple Watch reportedly won't have cellular connectivity
Apple is widely expected to introduce the next generation of the Apple Watch before the end of the year, and today Bloomberg has some details on what to expect -- and what's getting left out. While the next-gen Watch is expected to include GPS capabilities to aid with location tracking and movement without your phone, it'll still require your phone for most everything else. The report indicates that Apple was hoping to include a full-fledged cellular chip so the Watch could run entirely on its own, without needing to be connected to an iPhone, but that won't happen this time out.
Edward Snowden designed an iPhone case to prevent wireless snooping
Edward Snowden is still trying to combat smartphone radio surveillance three years after spilling the NSA's secrets. With help from hacker Andrew "Bunnie" Huang, Snowden presented on Thursday designs at the MIT Media Lab for a case-like add-on device that monitors electrical signals sent to an iPhone's internal antennas.
Server capacity delayed Japanese 'Pokémon Go' launch
Pokémon Go may be a smash hit in the US, Canada, UK, New Zealand and about 20 other countries -- but did you know that nobody is playing the game in the Japan? It's not for want of trying. Despite being the franchise's homeland, Pokémon Go still isn't available to Japanese users. What's the deal? According to Niantic's CEO, Japan's servers just aren't good enough to handle the game.
Garmin's new bike computers track riders in your pack
If you like to bike in groups, you know that it's not always easy to keep everyone together. What if your miniature peloton has to split, or someone wipes out and you don't notice? Garmin wants to put your mind at ease. It's unveiling two cycling computers, the Edge 820 (shown at left) and Edge Explore 820 (right), with a GroupTrack feature that shows where everyone is regardless of how far apart they are. You'll also get a preloaded Cycle Map with bike-friendly data, a 2.3-inch touchscreen (smaller than on the Edge 810) and support for Garmin Varia gear like the Vision headset.
'Pokémon Go' rolls out on Android and iOS (update)
With all the news surrounding Pokémon Go's beta test and wearable, you'd be forgiven for thinking the full game was already out. Until recently, it wasn't, but that's changing if you live in the United States and have an Android device, as spotted by 9to5 Google. Rocking a handset designed in Cupertino? Well, only iPhone owners in Australia have access at the moment so a measure of patience is in order.
Uber will warn its drivers if they're speeding
Uber and safety are two words that can often sound like strange bedfellows depending on who you ask. The company famously refuses to issue basic safety checks to new drivers, with sometimes catastrophic results. Still, the firm is now rolling out an update to its driver-facing app that'll monitor their activity and advise on things that they're doing wrong. For instance, if a heavy-footed chauffeur is constantly edging the speed limit, they'll be warned, as well as receiving a log of excessive braking and acceleration events after the ride. The platform will also know if you're driving and holding your phone at the same time, issuing a reminder to keep it on the window mount. Finally, those who've been working extra-long hours will be advised to take a break before they become a danger to themselves and others.
Microsoft updates Windows Maps as Here support is set to expire
Microsoft's mobile ecosystem is in rough shape, so it didn't help when Nokia sold its Here mapping software to a German auto consortium. That group promptly pulled Windows support, leaving users with few navigation options. However, the software giant is working to improve Windows Maps, the native app for Windows 10 users, and has just issued a big update. It says the improvements go "far beyond directions," but perhaps the biggest one is for guided navigation.
Android can launch apps based on where you are
Google really wants the apps you use to take the context of where you are into account. Thus Nearby, a feature that uses Bluetooth and your device's GPS to deliver you apps based on where you are. The post on Google's official Android blog gives a few examples of how this might work: printing photos directly from your phone when you're in a CVS Pharmacy or using the Mobile Passport app to duck the customs line at certain airports.
Secret military tests in California could affect planes' GPS
This June, the military is conducting experiments at the Naval Air Weapons Center in the Mojave Desert that could affect planes' GPS, the FAA warned pilots. What kind of tests? Well, we don't exactly know. The Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) only described it as "GPS Interference Testing" and didn't go into details -- the Weapons Center also refused to reveal anything to Gizmodo, telling the publication that it's "general testing for [their] ranges."
Pebble adds Alexa's voice controls to its upcoming Core wearable
Pebble announced its 3G-enabled Core device just last week, and even though the gadget won't ship until 2017, the company is already adding features. Amazon's Alexa virtual assistant will be available on the wearable exercise accessory, bringing voice controls to the iPod Shuffle-esque device. With the Core, Alexa can still handle tasks like playing music, reading news headlines, shopping on Amazon, ordering food, controlling smart home tech and more. In terms of more Pebble-specific chores, the virtual assistant can read your Pebble Health summary to keep you up to speed on your daily stats.
