Meet BatteryBox: The Portable Battery Backup For Your Macbook and Mobile Devices

 BatteryBox Macbook and Mobile Device Charger

If you regularly work away from your desk, you’ll know the tension of trying to finish before your battery runs out. With enough juice to power a Macbook Pro for 5-7 hours or a Macbook Air for 12-13 hours, the BatteryBox should make for a more relaxing schedule. Right now, you can pick one upat a 28% discount.

We’re not talking about a power brick here, either. The BatteryBox is under four inches long, and pretty much self-contained. It comes with a custom, compact cord for charging your Apple machine, although it can also charge any USB device. It utilizes a special management system, known as BatteryOS, to eek out the power as long as possible, and it automatically shuts off when not in use. As a result, it can sustain a Macbook Air for over 12 hours, or an iPhone 6 for 75 hours — that should be enough to get any presentation sent off. Meanwhile, the BatteryBox itself recharges via micro-USB. 

WonderCube accessory provides emergency charging and storage in one

The WonderCube is a versatile keychain accessory that aims to provide emergency charging, storage, and much more

WonderCube is a 1-inch (2.5 cm) cube keyring that’s designed to function as a numerous accessories for your iOS or Android smartphone. The product, which is currently the subject of a crowdfunding campaign, promises to function as an emergency charger, a storage solution, an LED torch and more.

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While the WonderCube packs a whole lot of functionality, its primary focus is keeping a user's smartphone charged. It’s flexible 3-inch (7.6 cm) foldout cable is available in both micro-USB and Lightning varieties, making it compatible with both the Android and recent iOS smartphones. The idea is that the device replaces the user’s charging cable, giving them one less thing to carry around.

Of course, it's sometimes not possible to plug your smartphone in to juice it up, but the WonderCube has you covered there as well. Opening up the top of the accessory reveals an adapter for a standard 9V battery. Clip one in, plug in your phone and you're promised another 3.5 hours of talk time.

The second major component of the WonderCube is its ability to provide users with extra storage via the inclusion of a microSD reader, supporting cards up to 64 GB. Direct file transfer between a smartphone and the accessory is currently only available with Android devices, but the crowdfunding campaign includes a stretch goal for the development of an iOS app.

As if that functionality wasn’t enough, the little device also packs a flashlight (3 mm or 0.1 inch wide LED with a 3 V button cell) and has a micro-suction cup plate on one side, meaning you can fix it to the back of a smartphone and use it as a stand. Lastly, there’s a full-sized USB connector, meaning the WonderCube can be used as a bridge to connect a smartphone to a computer for backing up or transferring files.

As the WonderCube is a crowdfunding effort, there’s no guarantee that it'll make it to market. However, if you’re interested in the little cube becoming a reality, you can make a pledge over on Indiegogo, where the project is aiming to raise US$50,000.

The $30 super early bird pledges are already sold out, with single WonderCubes now starting at $45. The team is targeting a $69 final retail price for the accessory, and assuming the campaign is successful, aims to ship initial units in August.

Flexible patches could act as mobile input devices

Computer scientists from Saarbrücken University, in collaboration with researchers from Carnegie Mellon University in the US, have developed touch sensitive flexible silicone stickers featuring electrically conducting sensors. The stickers, which can be worn on the skin, can act as controllers for mobile devices.

"The stickers allow us to enlarge the input space accessible to the user as they can be attached practically anywhere on the body," said Martin Weigel, one of the Saarland researchers.

Silicone allows the sensor patches to be flexible and stretchable. "This makes them easier to use in an everyday environment," said Jürgen Steimle, head of Saarland's Embodied Interaction Group. "The music player can simply be rolled up and put in a pocket. They are also skin friendly and users can decide where they want to position the sensor patch and how long they want to wear it."

Users can also design their own patches; all that is needed is a simple graphics program.

While the sensors are currently connected using a cable, integrating chips into them may allow the patches to communicate wirelessly.

- See more at: http://www.newelectronics.co.uk/electronics-news/flexible-patches-could-act-as-mobile-input-devices/74724/#sthash.zFqNSZva.dpuf

Sony announces four new FE full frame E-mount lenses

Sony has given its line-up of FE full frame E-mount lenses a significant boost with four new lenses and two new converters

While Sony's full frame mirrorless cameras like the A7 II and A7S have impressed us with what they are capable of, there's no disputing the lack of lenses designed for the system has been a major draw-back. Sony is now addressing this with the launch of four new FE full frame E-mount lenses including two wide angles, a telephoto macro, and a travel-focused zoom.

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Potentially the most interesting is the Distagon T* FE 35-mm F1.4 ZA from Zeiss. The 35-mm lens is the first E-mount offering to feature a F1.4 aperture, and has a 9-bladed circular aperture for smooth bokeh. It also features a Direct Drive SSM (DDSSM) system for quiet precision focusing, and its dedicated aperture ring can be set for smooth or click-stop operation depending on whether you're shooting video or stills. It will go on sale in April for US$1,600.

The Zeiss Distagon T* FE 35-mm F1.4 ZA

The second wide angle prime is the considerably more affordable Sony FE 28mm F2, which is also smaller and lighter. This lens also has a 9-blade circular aperture for smooth bokeh, and it uses three aspherical lens elements, including one advanced aspherical element, and two ED glass elements to ensure image sharpness. It will be available in May for about $450.

Designed for shooting close-ups and portraits, the FE 90-mm F2.8 Macro G OSS is a medium telephoto macro lens. It uses Optical SteadyShot (OSS) image stabilization, to reduce blur, and will be available in July for $1,100. Meanwhile, with a 10x zoom, the FE 24-240-mm F3.5-F6.3 OSS is Sony’s new "all-in-one" full frame E-mount lens aimed at photographers who want to travel light. It also features OSS and will cost $1,000 when it arrives later this month.

The Sony FE 28mm F2 with the Fisheye Converter attached

Finally, Sony also announced a pair of converters for use with the Sony FE 28mm F2. The Ultra-wide Converter will give the lens a 21-mm angle of view with a F2.8 maximum aperture, while the Fisheye Converter gives a 16-mm F3.5 fisheye. Both converters will be available in May for about $250 and $300, respectively.

Google DeepMind AI learns to play games

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Google has developed artificial intelligence software capable of learning to play video games just by watching them.

Google DeepMind, a London-based subsidiary, has trained an AI gamer to play 49 different video games from an Atari 2600, beating a professional human player’s top score in 23 of them. The software isn’t told the rules of the game – instead it uses an algorithm called a deep neural network to examine the state of the game and figure out which actions produce the highest total score.

“It really is the first algorithm that can match human performance across a wide range of challenging tasks,” says DeepMind co-founder Demis Hassabis.

Deep neural networks are often used for image recognition problems, but DeepMind combined theirs with another technique called reinforcement learning, which rewards the system for taking certain actions, just as a human player is rewarded with a higher score when playing a video game correctly.

Flex Charger charges up to five devices at a time

Flex Charger features wireless charging, two cables, a dock and a USB 3.0 port

Charging devices is, for many people, just a part of their daily routine. We have smartphones, tablets, laptops, portable game consoles, and all kinds of other devices that need some juice. With that in mind, there's no shortage of devices that aim to make charging easier and more efficient. A new player in the game is the FlexCharger, a versatile device that can charge five things at one time – and it does it in style.

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At its core, the FlexCharger is just a device that allows you to charge five things at once, and that's useful in and of itself, but it's the extra features and goodies that make this thing stand out from the crowded charger market. One useful feature doesn't even pertain to charging, and that's the Wi-Fi repeater, which lets users extend the range of their Wi-Fi network.

The device plugs directly into a wall outlet, and users jack their devices into it from there. There's a dock on top of the Flex Charger, along with a retractable 6.6-foot (2-m) cable, a short 3.9-inch (10-cm) tray cable, and wireless charging for devices that support it. The fifth charging options comes from the USB 3.0 port on the bottom, which allows users to plug in their own cables and charge anything that doesn't work in the default options. The front of the charger folds down, allowing users to run the cable through the opening, creating a second docking area strong enough to support the weight of a tablet.

The cables come with microUSB heads, with the option of putting Lightning adapters on top for iPhone and iPad owners. The back of the device has a little storage nook for holding said adapters, which will let users maintain the clean look.

All of the charging ports are rated at 8.4 amps, which promises to give it enough power to handle all kinds of devices while also charging quickly.

For travelers, there's exchangeable power adapters that allow FlexCharger to be used around the world.

The FlexCharger team is seeking funding on Indiegogo. It started with a modest US$10,000 goal, and it has passed that in a short period of time. There's a range of early options for backers to preorder, but the final price for the Flex Charger W/R comes in at $149. The team intends to ship devices to backers in October.

There are more affordable models for buyers not interested in the wireless charging or Wi-Fi repeater, as well. The Flex Charger W/R is the full model with all of the options, while the Flex Charger W drops the Wi-Fi repeater and the Flex Charger S drops that and wireless charging.

NASA study looks to the ionosphere to improve GPS communications

NASA's new study, which focused in part on the pictured auroral region, will help allow scientists to predict when and where ionosphere irregularities will occur (NASA/JSC)

A new NASA study focusing on irregularities in Earth’s upper atmosphere may help scientists overcome disruptions in GPS communication. The findings provide an insight into the causes of the disruptive regions, and represent the first time that such observations have been made from space.

The ionosphere is a barrier of charged ions and electrons, collectively known as plasma, produced by a combination of impacting particles and solar radiation. When signals pass through the barrier, they sometimes come into contact with irregularities that distort the signal, leading to less accurate data.

The NASA observations, carried out by the Canadian Space Agency’sCascade Smallsat and Ionospheric Polar Explorer (CASSIOPE) satellite, focused on the Northern Hemisphere. They compared turbulence in the auroral regions – narrow, oval-shaped areas outside the polar caps that are bombarded with particles from the magnetosphere – with that observed at higher latitudes, above the Arctic polar cap.

It was found that irregularities tend to be larger in the auroral region – where they were measured to be between 1 and 40 km (0.62 to 25 miles) – than at higher latitudes, where they measured between 1 and 8 km (0.62 to 5 miles).

The study surmised that the variation between the two regions can be attributed to outside factors, with the auroral regions being exposed to energetic particles from the magnetosphere, while the polar cap region is affected by solar wind particles and electric fields in interplanetary space. This is important information in understanding and mitigating the effects of the irregularities.

Given the issues they cause – from the distortion of radio telescope imagery to disruption in aircraft communications – obtaining a greater understanding of the irregularities is an important endeavor, and will help researchers to predict when and where they will occur.

One example of the usefulness of such predictive abilities relates to NASA’s Deep Space Network (DNS), which monitors the positions of spacecraft from Earth. The system is routinely affected by the ionosphere, but this could be mitigated by the findings, with the team able to measure the delay in GPS signals caused by the disruptions in ionosphere, relaying the information back to the DNS team.

"By understanding the magnitude of the interference, spacecraft navigators can subtract the distortion from the ionosphere to get more accurate spacecraft locations,” said JPL supervisor Anthony Mannucci.

Source: NASA

DARPA wants machines to have better communication skills

DARPA's Communicating with Computers (CwC) program is aimed at improving human/machine communications (Image: Shutterstock)

DARPA’s new initiative, known as the Communicating with Computers (CwC) program, aims to improve the ability of machines to communicate effectively with their human counterparts. The agency has two initial experiments planned, focusing on the somewhat differing fields of improved conversational skills and better cancer detection.

It’s difficult to miss DARPA’s intent to create more technologically advanced war machines, with initiatives such as the Ground X-Vehicles Technologies program aiming to make smarter, more agile vehicles. However, the agency is also aware of the importance of making machines communicate better with their human overlords, and that’s where the CwC program steps in.

Two-way communication with machines is a significantly more difficult proposition than it might first seem. A simple conversation between two people involves constant assimilation and contextual understanding of information – a process that’s second nature to humans, but represents a huge challenge for machines.

DARPA program manager Paul Cohen commented on this, stating, "Human communication feels so natural that we don’t notice how much mental work it requires. But try to communicate while you’re doing something else – the high account rate among people who text while driving says it all – and you’ll quickly realize how demanding it is."

The goal of the CwC program is to develop computers that think more like people, and are therefore better able to communicate as people do. The team will work to develop a system that’s capable of completing tasks that require effective communication, the first of which will be collaborative story-telling.

For the experiment, the two parties (one human, one machine) will be required to complete subsequent sentences to complete a story. This will require the machines to keep track of the ideas presented by its human counterparts, before creating their own ideas based upon established data – similar to a normal human conversation.

The second initial CwC task approaches the same problem from an altogether different direction, building computer-based models of the molecular processes that cause cells to become cancerous. While machines are better at reading large quantities of data, their ability to autonomously process said information falls short. The project will tackle this, aiming to develop a system that’s better able to judge the biological plausibility of proposed molecular models.

The CwC program is very much in its infancy, with the above being just the first of many experiments aimed squarely at the goal of improving machines’ communication skills.

Now you can use a key to get into your Google account

Google's new USB Security Key provides a secure and convenient means of two-factor authentication

There's an increasing recognition that passwords alone are not going be an adequate form of online security in the future. Two-factor authentication can vastly improve security, by simply introducing a second means of verification alongside a password. Google's new USB Security Key does just that.

There are various possible alternatives to using passwords or passwords alone for security. Google already offers a number of different two-step methods. Users can be sent codes via text message or phone call to input in addition to their password, they can generate a code via a mobile app, use back-up one-time-use codes or register a regularly-used computer or device as a second means of verification.

Google says that the Security Key pairs with its Chrome browser to offer even stronger security than its existing methods. It is also more convenient. Users simply insert the key into a USB port on their computer and press a button on it when prompted.

In addition to providing a second means of authentication, the key also verifies that the site requesting the password is actually a Google site and not a fake. As it is a USB key, the device is highly portable and avoids the need to rely on receiving codes or even having mobile connectivity available.

The Security Key uses the FIDO Alliance's open Universal 2nd Factor (U2F) protocol, which utilizes a standard public key cryptography approach. FIDO U2F will work with other websites as well as Google's and the company says that, in the interests of standardization, it hopes other browsers will add FIDO U2F support.

Cardless Cash Access lets users withdraw money from ATMs using their phone

Users of the system get a QR code sent to their phone, which they scan at the ATM..any time,any where without ATM cards

Although not all of us may think of ATM use as something that needs to be sped up, banking technology company FIS has developed a system that is claimed to streamline the cash-getting process. Known as Cardless Cash Access, it allows people to get money from ATMs within seconds, using nothing but their smartphone.

To use Cardless Cash Access, a client's identity is first verified using an app on their phone – this can be done anywhere, up to 24 hours before they plan on getting the money. They then select the account, the amount that they wish to withdraw, and the ATM location at which they wish to pick the cash up.

When they get to that location, the money will be there waiting for them. To get the machine to dispense it, they just use the ATM to scan a one-time-use QR code that has been sent to their phone's screen. An electronic receipt is subsequently sent to their phone, eliminating the need for a paper version.

According to FIS, the system should decrease incidences of card skimming and fraud, plus it also ought to shorten wait times at bank machines. People worried about getting robbed while using ATMs will probably also appreciate spending as little time at them as possible.

Users' account information is stored in a secure cloud-based server, so even if they lose their phone, no one else will be able to access that information without their password.

The system has been already been utilized in pilot projects in three US cities, and FIS recently announced that three more such projects are planned to take place using City National Bank ATMs in Los Angeles, New York City and San Francisco.

Lapdeck laptop stand lets you escape the desk

Lapdeck lets do well for easy to using laptops in their tasks

A large number of people spend a lot of time using their laptops at home, whether to work or for entertainment. Every single one of these people will likely understand the desire to combine the comfort associated with sitting on the sofa and the good posture and productivity levels associated with sitting at a desk. Lapdeck allows you to do both, while incorporating a couple of other notable features.

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While there are already plenty of lap desks on the market, Lapdeck is a collapsible desk made from a single sheet of corrugated fiberboard. As with the others, it's designed to lift the weight and heat of your laptop off of your legs, enabling you to sit up straighter than you would when trying to balance the laptop on your knees. However, Lapdeck can also be folded flat for transport, and be recycled when it reaches the end of its life.

While Lapdeck is made from cardboard, and consequently weighs in at just 12 oz (340 g), it's strong enough to support devices weighing up to 8 lb (11.3 kg). This is more than enough to support any laptop up to 18 inches (45.7 cm) in size.

Lapdeck is reportedly easy to put together and can be assembled and disassembled multiple times with no problem. When folded flat it will fit inside a standard #7 padded envelope, making it perfect for travelers. Its inventors claim Lapdeck will last between 4-12 months before needing to be replaced.

Such a short lifespan would be unacceptable if it wasn't for the Lapdeck having such a low asking price, with a pledge of US$10 securing one on Kickstarter (with $2 shipping inside the US, $14 everywhere else). The money raised by the campaign will pay for the tooling, production and shipment of Lapdeck, assuming all goes according to plan.

The video below shows Lapdeck being used in a variety of situations, as well as being assembled and disassembled.

Ultra security claimed for IoT applications

Atmel says its latest CryptoAuthentication product – the ATECC508A – is the first to integrate the Elliptic Curve Diffie–Hellman (ECDH) security protocol, an ultra secure method to provide key agreement for encryption/decryption. The part, which also features Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithm (ECDSA) authentication, is targeted at IoT applications. 

Atmel says its latest CryptoAuthentication product – the ATECC508A – is the first to integrate the Elliptic Curve Diffie–Hellman (ECDH) security protocol, an ultra secure method to provide key agreement for encryption/decryption. The part, which also features Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithm (ECDSA) authentication, is targeted at IoT applications.

The ATECC508A is the second device in Atmel's CryptoAuthentication portfolio to offer advanced Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC) capabilities. It is compatible with any MCU or MPU and requires only a single general purpose I/O over a wide voltage range.

Rob Valiton, general manager of Atmel's Automotive, Aerospace and Memory business units, said: "It is the first device of its kind to apply hardware based key storage to provide the full complement of security capabilities; specifically confidentiality, data integrity and authentication. We are excited to continue bringing ultra secure crypto element solutions to a wide range of applications."

With a guaranteed 72bit unique ID, the device includes a 10.5kbit EEPROM for secret and private keys and is available in UDFN, SOIC, and three lead contact packages.

- See more at: http://www.newelectronics.co.uk/electronics-news/ultra-security-claimed-for-iot-applications/73972/#sthash.hL53oMbe

Buhel SoundGlasses let you take calls, hands- and earphone-free demo video

Zorloo crams DAC and amp into Z:ero earphones inline control unit

The Zorloo team says that it's managed to integrate a headphone amp and DAC into the 8 x 34 mm PCB of the inline playback and volume controller

Though certainly convenient, listening to music through earphones plugged into a smartphone is not always a satisfying experience. Some music lovers, like myself, prefer to carry around a dedicated high quality audio player, while others who like to groove on the move might give the source audio a welcome boost by using a mini middleman like Cambridge Audio'sDacMagic XS. Either way, higher quality comes at the expense of increased pocket bulk. The folks at Hong Kong-based Zorloo claim that they've managed to shrink down a digital-to-analog converter, headphone amp and control board to dimensions small enough for integration into the inline playback/volume controller of the company's upcoming Z:ero earphones.

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Rather than plug the Z:eros into a smartphone's 3.5 mm audio jack and rely on the mobile device's own amp to deliver the tunes, these earphones grab the source audio direct from the micro-USB port. This essentially takes the audio processing strain away from the smartphone and insodoing is said to result in the delivery of higher quality sounds to the listener.

The Zorloo team says that it's also managed to integrate a headphone amp and DAC into the 8 x 34 mm PCB of the inline playback and volume controller. This is reported to boost source audio output power to a max of 27 mW at 32 ohms, more than double that of many leading modern smartphones, and "frees up any deficiency in the mobile audio implementation and re-create high fidelity music to your ears."

The Z:ero earphones feature neodymium drivers housed in aluminum casing coated in glossy red or gold, promising responsive and vibrant audio, 20 Hz - 20 kHz frequency response and a total harmonic distortion of 0.02 percent.

The development team advises that only a limited number of smartphones have been tested for compatibility at present, but the testing program continues apace. As such, the earphones are currently only guaranteed to work with seven smartphones from Samsung, three from Sony, two from LG and one from Google. Though the makers say that compatibility can be extended to other USB OTG-sporting models by downloading and installing certain apps from the Play Store.

The Zorloo team has hit crowdfunding platform Indiegogo to bring the DAC-packing earphones to market. The US$16 super-cheap early bird special has already gone, so backers will now need to stump up at least $25 to join the Z:ero digital revolution. If all goes to plan, delivery is expected to start this coming April.

If you're an iOS mobile user and want in on the Z:ero action, the team says that, thanks to a stretch goal being achieved, an iPhone-friendly (Lightning) version is on its way (though this will be subject to a separate crowdfunding campaign and not an extra reward for this Indiegogo outing).

Buhel SoundGlasses let you take calls, hands- and earphone-free

Buhel's SG05 SoundGlasses relay calls using bone conduction technology

There are already plenty of ways of taking hands-free phone calls, although most of those involve wearing some sort of earpiece. Not everyone enjoys having something continuously stuck in their ear, however, plus such devices lessen the user's ability to hear other sounds through that ear. Buhel's SG05 SoundGlasses take a different approach. They relay sound to the user via bone conduction, leaving their ears open to hear the world around them.

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SoundGlasses communicate with the user's iOS, Android or Windows smartphone via Bluetooth 4.0. Phone call audio (or music from the mobile device's library, or from a Bluetooth-enabled MP3 player) is played back through two transducers, one located in each arm of the glasses. As withother bone conduction devices, the vibrations from those transducers travel through the bone in the sides of the user's skull to their inner ear, where they're heard as sound.

Not only does this leave the ear canal open to hear other sounds such as oncoming traffic, but it also allows for the use of hearing protection in overly-noisy environments.

Users hold up their end of the conversation using a bidirectional noise-canceling mic in the bridge of the sunglasses, plus a multi-function button can be utilized to place and end calls, or to activate Siri/Cortana. One 3-hour charge of the glasses' lithium-ion battery should be good for about three hours of talk time, or around 300 on standby.

SoundGlasses come with multiple interchangeable Category 3 UV-certified lenses, along with an adapter for allowing users to mount their own prescription lenses. Buhel's parent company Atellani is currently raising production funds for the glasses, on Kickstarter. A pledge of US$160 will get you a set, assuming all goes according to plan. The estimated retail price is somewhere over $270.

Buhel, incidentally, already offers ski goggles with similar functionality.

LG's new Android Wear smartwatch, the Watch Urbane, has an all-metal body

LG's G Watch R was one of the more fashionable-looking smartwatches of 2015

In the long-term, Android Wear isn't likely to be about just a small handful of watches. Fashion and individuality often go hand-in-hand, and now we're starting to see some of the early Android Wear watch-makers reflect that, making different smartwatches for different styles. The latest? LG's all-metal take on the G Watch R, the LG Watch Urbane.

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The LG Watch Urbane (no "G" this time around) takes the same 1.3-in P-OLED display we saw in the G Watch R, and puts it on a stainless steel body. While it carries the same basic design language as its cousin, the LG Watch Urbane loses the diver watch-inspired dial in favor of a cleaner aesthetic.

Curiously, LG describes the Watch Urbane as having a thinner profile than the G Watch R, but its specs suggest otherwise. The press release lists the new model at 10.9 mm (0.43-in) thick, while our records have the G Watch R coming in at 9.7 mm (0.38-in) thick. Typo, perhaps?

(update: LG's press release also mentions "narrower bezels," so we're guessing "thinner profile" is, somewhat misleadingly, referring to that)

The company is boasting that the new model is better suited for fashion, and can be worn by either men or women (the G Watch R was quite the masculine-looking gizmo). The new model ships with a leather band, but, like many smartwatches, that can be swapped for a standard 22 mm band.

Of course it runs Android Wear, and everything else appears to be identical to the G Watch R on the inside. Same screen, same Snapdragon 400 processor and same battery capacity. Ditto for its heart rate sensor. It could have just as easily been called "LG G Watch R: Stainless Steel Edition."

No word yet on pricing, but we wouldn't be shocked if the all-metal watch rings up for a bit more than its predecessor's US$300 price tag. LG will be showing off the fashionable Urbane at Mobile World Congress early next month, where Gizmag will be on the ground.