Author Archives: Matt Burns
Pebble Nabs $15M In Funding, Outs PebbleKit SDK And Pebble Sports API To Spur Smartwatch App Development
Get ready for a whole lot more Pebble. The smartwatch company just announced several software enhancements for the Pebble and a $15M Series A led by Charles River Ventures. Pebble is not going to sit around, scared of iWatch rumors. They're plowing forward on their own accord and committed to providing the best platform possible for developers and consumers.
"We are pledging to support the developers hacking on Pebble," stated Pebble CEO Eric Migicovsky told me in an interview. "We want to make the Pebble the go-to place for developers." And with that the company released its first SDK last month and is following it up today with several big improvements.
Pebble Nabs $15M In Funding, Outs PebbleKit SDK And Pebble Sports API To Spur Smartwatch App Development
Get ready for a whole lot more Pebble. The smartwatch company just announced several software enhancements for the Pebble and a $15M Series A led by Charles River Ventures. Pebble is not going to sit around, scared of iWatch rumors. They're plowing forward on their own accord and committed to providing the best platform possible for developers and consumers.
"We are pledging to support the developers hacking on Pebble," stated Pebble CEO Eric Migicovsky told me in an interview. "We want to make the Pebble the go-to place for developers." And with that the company released its first SDK last month and is following it up today with several big improvements.
Nest Acquires MyEnergy To Boost Its Home Energy Management Tools
Nest proved that energy monitoring can be tantalizing. And it's about to get even better. The company just announced that it has acquired MyEnergy to further enhance its suite of monitoring tools. Terms of deal were not released.
Everyone! Look! Acer!
When was the last time you talked about Acer? Never? Me too. The company, which is the fourth largest PC maker in the world by the way, announced the Acer Aspire R7 this morning. It's a mighty morphing Windows 8 portable. Like the Lenovo Yoga, it features versatile hinges that allow the computer to take different forms.
The Aspire R7 is not the next big thing. No one is going to buy this thing. But that's probably just fine.
The Tesla Model S’ Battery Is Now Covered By A Nearly Unconditional Warranty
Without proper care batteries can wither and die like a delicate tulip roasting in the bright sun from an unseasonably warm spring day -- a fact made exponentially worse when the battery in your $60k vehicle no longer functions properly.
With that in mind, Tesla just unveiled an impressive new warranty for the Model S battery pack. With the notable exception of a vehicle accident or a curious owner opening the battery pack, under this new plan, Tesla will replace the battery pack for any reason including user error and improper maintenance.
The Tesla Model S’ Battery Is Now Covered By A Nearly Unconditional Warranty
Without proper care batteries can wither and die like a delicate tulip roasting in the bright sun from an unseasonably warm spring day -- a fact made exponentially worse when the battery in your $60k vehicle no longer functions properly.
With that in mind, Tesla just unveiled an impressive new warranty for the Model S battery pack. With the notable exception of a vehicle accident or a curious owner opening the battery pack, under this new plan, Tesla will replace the battery pack for any reason including user error and improper maintenance.
Here’s The Next iPad, According To A Mess Of Leaked Images
Yet again, third-party accessory makers have revealed an upcoming iPad design. Alibaba.com is awash in cases for a redesigned iPad. Nearly every case is for a device that has a thinner bezel and slimmer profile. In short, the next iPad will look like the iPad mini — except, you know, just not mini. This is the standard story line for Apple devices. Months before a major product is released, accessory makers start pumping and dumping cases. Most of the time these cases are rebadged and sold under a brand name. This process takes time, which is why the cases are available prior to the device launching. This has happened for nearly every iDevice launch since the iPhone 4. Every iPad — full size or mini — was revealed prior to Apple’s announcement through case makers. And a good chunk of case makers display their wares on Alibaba.com. Apple is part of this cycle, too. A vast accessory ecosystem is part of the iOS magic. A buyer knows that they can purchase the latest iPhone or iPad and customize it to their fitting without any fuss. Even dime stores sell iPhone cases. It’s oft been circulated that Apple releases the dimensions of upcoming devices to accessory makers months before the announcement so the device launches to a full assortment of items. These factories have likely not seen the next iPad yet. Most of the images are physical mockups or renderings. But they know the device’s dimensions. So again, act surprised when Apple reveals the next iPad in the coming months. Pretend like you hadn’t seen it before.
Logitech Turns To Smartphone Apps To Assist Latest Generation Of Harmony Remotes
The TV remote control will not die. And that’s a good thing. Try as they might, startups have yet to provide a true remote control replacement. A dedicated remote is like a trusty pickup truck: It might not be the best looking vehicle but it gets the job done with little fuss. But even though dedicated remotes probably won’t be replaced, that doesn’t mean smartphone apps can’t supplement their existence. Harmony Ultimate, packs the standard Logitech’s Harmony brand has long turned out some of the very best universal remote controls. Their latest is the standard affair of hardware including a multitude of buttons, touchscreens, and easy setup through Harmony’s web-based interface. Logitech also made this $349 system compatible with its Logitech Harmony Smartphone apps, allowing smartphones to fill in when the remote control inevitably goes AWOL. Or, if you just prefer to use a smartphone altogether, the company also just announced the $129 Logitech Harmony Smart Control, a system that puts the smartphone as the primary controller (like the old Harmony Link) but also includes a small physical remote for backup (below left). Both systems are compatible with nearly every home entertainment device ever made including game systems and the Philips Hue lighting system. Using IR blasters and your home’s WiFi network, devices can be controlled from the remote or smartphone even when they’re packed away out of sight. With the rise of the smartphone, many technology pundits put the venerable remote on death watch. But it’s still here. Many smart TVs can now be controlled through a smartphone, but most cable boxes and entertainment systems require extra hardware like the Harmony Smart Control or Griffin’s Beacon. I’ve owned and tested about a dozen high-end universal remote controls starting with an original Harmony before the company was purchased by Logitech. I’ve also tried most of the iOS remotes but find using my smartphone (or tablet) clunky and not nearly as intuitive as a physical remote. A remote control, while often a mind-boggling mess of buttons, is still the best way to control a complex home entertainment system and mindlessly channel surf on lonely Saturday nights. The Harmony Ultimate will hit stores in the U.S. and Europe this month for $349. The Harmony Smart Control will drop in May for $129.
Logitech Turns To Smartphone Apps To Assist Latest Generation Of Harmony Remotes
The TV remote control will not die. And that’s a good thing. Try as they might, startups have yet to provide a true remote control replacement. A dedicated remote is like a trusty pickup truck: It might not be the best looking vehicle but it gets the job done with little fuss. But even though dedicated remotes probably won’t be replaced, that doesn’t mean smartphone apps can’t supplement their existence. Harmony Ultimate, packs the standard Logitech’s Harmony brand has long turned out some of the very best universal remote controls. Their latest, the affair of hardware including a multitude of buttons, touchscreens, and easy setup through Harmony’s web-based interface. However Logitech also made this $349 system compatible with its Logitech Harmony Smartphone apps, allowing smartphones to fill in when the remote control inevitably goes AWOL. Or, if you just prefer to use a smartphone altogether, the company also just announced the $129 Logitech Harmony Smart Control, a system that puts the smartphone as the primary controller (like the old Harmony Link) but also includes a small physical remote for backup (below left). Both systems are compatible with nearly every home entertainment device ever made including game systems (besides the Xbox 360) and the Philips Hue lighting system. Using IR blasters and your home’s WiFi network, devices can be controlled from the remote or smartphone even when they’re packed away out of sight. With the rise of the smartphone, many technology pundits put the venerable remote on death watch. But it’s still here. Many smart TVs can now be controlled through a smartphone, but most cable boxes and entertainment systems require extra hardware like the Harmony Smart Control or Griffin’s Beacon. I’ve owned and tested about a dozen high-end universal remote controls starting with an original Harmony before the company was purchased by Logitech. I’ve also tried most of the iOS remotes but find using my smartphone (or tablet) clunky and not nearly as intuitive as a physical remote. A remote control, while often a mind-boggling mess of buttons, is still the best way to control a complex home entertainment system and mindlessly channel surf on lonely Saturday nights. The Harmony Ultimate will hit stores in the U.S. and Europe this month for $349. The Harmony Smart Control will drop in May for $129.
Making The Perfect Phone Is Not Enough
"The One isn't just the best smartphone HTC has ever made -- it can legitimately lay claim to being the best smartphone ever produced by anyone." That's GDGT's Peter Rojas speaking about the HTC One. Rojas isn't alone in this opinion. The HTC One is a phone nearly universally loved by the Internet. The display, the size, the build quality, even HTC's Android skin is nearly, well, perfect.
But even a perfect phone might not save HTC.