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The best way to play ‘Untitled Goose Game’ is to dress like a goose
For Twitch streamer Dylan "Rudeism" Beck simply playing a menacing goose in Untitled Goose Game wasn't enough. He wanted to become the goose. In a livestream yesterday, Rudeism put on a homemade goose suit and played the game in a whole new way.
Fitbit is reportedly in the early stages of exploring a sale
Fitbit might be ready to cede some control of its destiny. Reuters sources said the company is talking to investment bank Qatalyst Partners about the possibility of shopping itself around to would-be acquirers. Qatalyst has reportedly been pressing Fitbit to consider the option for weeks, suggesting that Alphabet and private equity outfits might be interested if it did. A move is far from certain, but it's notable that a selloff is even on the table.
North's smart glasses are now available across the US
One of the greatest obstacles to buying North's smart glasses has simply been to find them. They've only been available at the company's Brooklyn and Toronto flagship stores as well as its pop-ups, which isn't much help to, well, most people. You might have a much easier time shopping from now on. North has released a Focals Showroom app that makes the eyewear available to people across the US and Canada. The app takes you through a depth scanning-based sizing experience that previously required an in-person visit. If you're happy with the design and make a purchase, you'll get your glasses (plus instructions for final tweaks) in several weeks.
Facebook may be creating AR glasses with Ray-Ban's owner (updated)
Apple might not be the only big tech company working on an augmented reality headset. CNBC sources maintain that Facebook is partnering with Luxottica (owner of Ray-Ban, Oakley and other brands) on AR glasses nicknamed Orion. The eyewear would be a full-fledged phone replacement, according to the contacts. You could take calls, see information and livestream what you're seeing. In that sense, it would be closer to Google Glass (which also involved Luxottica) than phone-dependent devices like Snap's Spectacles.
iOS 13 code hints Apple may be testing an AR headset
Apple's long-rumored plans for an augmented reality headset appear to be taking shape. MacRumors claims to have seen documentation for an internal iOS 13 build that points to work on AR headset support. They reference a "STARTester" app that can switch to a head-mounted mode, a "StarBoard" shell (a possible parallel to iOS' Springboard) for stereo AR apps and code references to special modes, views and scenes. It even references a codename for one device, Garta, that might be linked to the previously rumored T288 project.
New wristband could predict aggressive outbursts in people with autism
Researchers are hoping a new wearable wristband will help predict aggressive outbursts in people with autism. The device monitors heart rate, sweat production, skin surface temperature and arm movements. It can predict outbursts 60 seconds ahead of time with 84 percent accuracy. While that might not seem like much time, it could give caretakers an opportunity to relax the individual wearing the wristband and make sure everyone is safe.
Fitbit will play a key role in Singapore's public health program
Never mind getting a fitness tracker through your insurance company -- in Singapore, the government will encourage you to get one. Fitbit has unveiled a partnership with Singapore's Health Promotion Board on an initiative, Live Healthy SG, that will spur the city-state's residents to adopt fitness trackers. If you commit to a year's worth of Fitbit's Premium health coaching service and agree to share that data with the Board, you'll get a free Inspire HR tracker. The aim, as you might imagine, is to both keep Singaporeans in good shape and "enrich" the Board's health promos with useful info.
The next Apple Watch may come in titanium and ceramic models
Apple Watch Series 4 appeared to mark the death of the Edition line, but those luxurious models might be ready to come roaring back. iHelp BR said it has discovered animations in the watchOS 6 beta that reference not just the previously rumored return of ceramic models for the next Apple Watch, but a brand new titanium option as well. It's unclear if they would be part of a new Series 5 lineup or just a cosmetic tweak to Series 4, but Apple has historically introduced new materials alongside hardware upgrades.
Blocks ends its modular smartwatch project after running out of money
Blocks' years-long quest to build a modular smartwatch has come to an unfortunate end. The company has revealed (including through a private Kickstarter post) that it's liquidating assets after running out of cash. The company had been looking for investors back in April 2018, but apparently didn't have much success. Backers are receiving "proof of debt" forms, although we wouldn't count on getting money back.
This hip-hugging exosuit uses AI to make walking and running easier
Robotic devices have been used to help people walk or run in rehabilitation settings, but until now, they've been tethered and limited to a single action, like walking or running. In a paper published in Science today, a team of researchers explain how they're going to change that. The researchers -- from Harvard University and the University of Nebraska Omaha -- have developed a portable exosuit that uses AI to assist users with both walking and running.
Snap's Spectacles 3 are made for augmented reality
Snap's Spectacles 2 were functionally better, but not a revolution -- and they were still a bit dowdy. Its latest attempt at smart eyewear might fare better, though. The social service has unveiled Spectacles 3 glasses that include dual HD cameras to capture scenes in 3D and introduce augmented reality Snapchat effects to moments where they weren't previously an option. You can add 3D filters to your walk, take pseudo-3D still shots of your friends and add 3D Lens effects to a bike ride. While you can only record video for up to a minute of continuous video at a time, that's still a tangible improvement over the 10 seconds from before.
Fitbit's Versa Lite sales were 'weaker than expected'
Fitbit's smartwatch-fueled recovery just hit a setback. The wearable maker reported that its smartwatch revenue dropped 27 percent year-over-year in the second quarter as a result of "weaker than expected" Versa Lite sales. While it still lost less money than it did a year earlier ($68.5 million instead of $118.3 million), it had clearly been counting on the Lite to further improve its bottom line.
Samsung's Galaxy Watch Active 2 may have a touch-sensitive bezel
Samsung's Galaxy Watch Active is more compact and less expensive than its sibling smartwatches, but navigation is considerably clunkier without the brand's usual rotating bezel. The company may have a simple solution to that, though -- turn the bezel into a touch surface. SamMobile sources claim the Galaxy Watch Active 2 will implement a "Touch Bezel" that lets you swipe your finger along the side to scroll through the circular interface. We could see that being an issue in some cases (Samsung will hopefully try to minimize accidental input), but it might beat having to obscure the screen every time you want to check the weather or read a text message.
Polar's latest watch knows if you're too tired for a full workout
Sleep tracking and personal fitness gadgets are nothing new, and even the cheapest knock-off wearables will do a decent enough job of monitoring the main criteria, so companies are constantly looking at ways to make their devices even more useful. Polar's latest watch, Polar Ignite, does exactly that by combining comprehensive sleep data with personalized training, helping wearers achieve optimal workouts.
Magic Leap says Nreal founder stole its mixed reality secrets
The founder of Nreal -- the company which debuted its $499 mixed reality glasses at this year's CES -- has been accused of stealing AR secrets from former employer, US-based Magic Leap. The Florida startup, which has been working on a mixed reality device for years, says that ex-engineer Chi Xu exploited confidential information to "quickly develop a prototype of lightweight, ergonomically designed, mixed reality glasses for use with smart phones and other devices that are strikingly similar" to the Magic Leap One device.
Apple's watchOS 6 finally adds an app store
The Apple Watch is about to become that much more independent from your iPhone. Apple has introduced watchOS 6, and its centerpiece is an on-device App Store -- yes, you can download apps to your wrist without having to reach for your handset. There are apps that can exist wholly independently of the iPhone, Apple said. You can also expect a slew of new first-party apps that fill in longstanding gaps in functionality, including Audiobooks, Voice Memos and (at last) a calculator.
Fitbit devices can pay for your NYC bus or subway ride
Add Fitbit to the growing list of device makers that will support tap-to-pay in New York City's mass transit system. When the city's contactless fare pilot program starts on May 31st, Fitbit Pay-equipped wearables like the Versa Special Edition, Charge 3 Special Edition and Ionic will let you pay per ride on the MTA's Staten Island buses as well as the 4, 5 and 6 subway lines running between Grand Central and Atlantic Avenue-Barclays Center. You could use your watch to track your gym session one moment and get a ride home the next, in other words.
Google's next-gen Glass eyewear lasts longer and runs on Android
The third generation of Google Glass has arrived for tech-savvy workers. Google has introduced Glass Enterprise Edition 2 eyewear that largely sticks to the familiar formula on the outside, but should be far more powerful both in hardware and software. For one, it's "built on Android" -- it should be easier for developers to write Glass-friendly apps, and you can even enroll it in Android's enterprise device management to help IT maintain control. Creators might want to write apps for it, too, since there are some big changes under the hood.
Apple Watch may soon get an on-device App Store
It's no secret that Apple has plenty of software updates in store for WWDC, but the biggest improvements may come to one of its smallest devices -- namely, the Apple Watch. Bloomberg sources claim to know many of the software introductions planned for the June developer event, and watchOS would receive major updates that make it considerably less dependent on an iPhone. To start, the Apple Watch would get an on-device App Store -- like Google Play on Wear OS, you wouldn't have to load apps on your smartphone first.
It's not just the Apple Watch powering the smartwatch market's growth
The smartwatch market is still growing at a breakneck pace several years in. Counterpoint Research estimated that smartwatch shipments jumped by 48 percent year-over-year in the first quarter of 2019 -- no mean feat in a season that's typically quiet. The Apple Watch's leading share barely budged at 35.8 percent, although that came precisely because its shipments grew a sizeable 49 percent. The real stars of the show were some of Apple's rivals, though, as they enjoyed success they haven't had in a while.
