One third of our life is spent in bed. Sleep is vital to a healthy and relaxed life and the technology today comes to bring even more comfort in the bedroom. The latest is the invention of Italians Matteo Franceschetti and Massimo Andreasi Bassi, the Luna mattress cover. Luna is a smart device that will start shipping in August 2015 after having raised $552,153 of a $100,000 goal on Indiegogo crowdfunding website. In fact, the project sounded so exciting to supporters that the goal amount was gathered within 6 hours. Everybody dreams of a good night sleep. The mattress cover is made out of 5 layers: top and bottom fabric layers, a sensor layer, a batting layer, and a temperature control layer. It comes in 4 sizes: full – 54in x 75in; queen – 60 in x 80in; king – 76in x 80in; California king – 72in x 84in, and weights only 7lbs. It is made almost entirely out of polyester and can be machine-washed. Its intelligence is provided by a series of sensors: sleep phase sensors, biometrics sensors (temperature, respiratory, and heart rate), ambient temperature and humidity sensor, ambient light sensor, plus a microphone. It has Wi-Fi-enabled integration with other devices in your home. Its low voltage system is powered through a 90W power supply. Let’s have a look at how it watches over our dreams. Luna is designed to slip over your mattress, as a fitted sheet does. Its sensors collect information and send it to your smartphone where you can view how well you’re sleeping at night; over time, the information forms profiles of your sleeping behavior. An exciting aspect is its dual zone technology that lets you set different temperatures for each side of the bed. Once it learns how...

As soon as the first smart home device launched, I’ve started wondering: who was going to put a leash on what we now call The Internet of Things. Surely all with an interest in this age of ultra-connectivity and smart devices have had at least one vision where all these things around us turned against us and took over. Sounds scary, no? Just recently, Stephen Hawking’s warning regarding artificial intelligence and how it could end humankind made international news. The first test space for the internet of things and artificial intelligence is the “smart home.” We are now witnessing the evolution from building and home automation to smart homes: this evolution is driven by the progressing maturity of the Internet of Things and the use of artificial intelligence. Current significant technological challenges revolve around the immaturity of home intelligence and the means and ways to “educate” it. Romanian antivirus firm Bitdefender strives to do just that, although not directly. Bitdefender BOX is a physical network device described as “the security solution for the Internet of Things,” but not only that. The BOX is claimed to be a defense against all security layers, usually sold only to businesses, such as botnets, phishing, data theft, or everyday malware. The hardware piece took over one year of assiduous work to be complete was designed to secure not only PCs, but also tablets, smartphones, smart TVs, smart fridges, lighting systems, and alarm systems connected to Wi-Fi. Bitdefender BOX is a fascinating hybrid between a router, network firewall, and intrusion prevention system. Its specifications are far from impressive – single-core 400 MHz MIPS microprocessor, 16 MB Flash memory, 64-MB DDR2 RAM, two 10/100 Ethernet ports and a wireless chipset that supports the 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi needs, capable of speeds of...

The future of computing, in Microsoft’s vision, is way beyond the mouse, keyboard, and touchscreen. Will this extraordinary vision of personal computing be strong enough to walk side-by-side Apple and Google? Time will tell. Let’s take a look at Microsoft’s pitch. Many had given up hope when picturing Microsoft’s future in the world of OSes, after the launch of 8 and 8.1.  But the vast majority of us has at least one device running on Windows OS, typically a PC or laptop. The press event which took place last week in Washington made spectators wonder: is this really a Microsoft conference? It was indeed Microsoft, and it made 2015 be the year that science fiction becomes real. Windows 10 will arrive in fall 2015 as a free update to Windows 7, 8, and 8.1 and will run on phones, tablet, laptops, on a massive conference-room TV, and a mind-blowing holographic headset.  Opening the session, Joe Belfiore reminded attendees what the company showed off last September regarding Windows 10. Then, news started flowing. Cortana Enters the PC Platform The witty Cortana has outgrown the Windows Phone platform and now finds a home in  Windows 10, aiding with the system’s search features. She sits nicely right next to the Start button on the desktop’s taskbar, able to perform any basic trick she does in the Windows Phone, whether she’s asked vocally or via text. Thanks to Microsoft’s cloud-based Bing brains, she is able to advise whether or not you’ll need a coat the next day by checking the forecast. She can dig on your local machine, OneDrive account, and even your business network, to find files or respond to commands through natural language queries: Belfiore asked her to find some specific PowerPoint slides and to show...

The era of wearables shone bright at the International Consumer Electronics Show this year. Slowly, the bulky, unattractive gadgets make room to elegant and fancy ones. Here are some of the most stylish pieces that stole the spotlight in Las Vegas. Stelle Audio Earbud Locket. The creators of the design-focused audio products befriended high-end fashion with wearable necklaces and earbuds. The relationship materialized into a beautiful Bluetooth earbud system shaped into a lovely crystal necklace. This gives the headphones an extreme makeover – they roll up nicely into a crystal locket necklace that look great even while not in use. Set up is side-aided by voice prompts guiding the user through the Bluetooth pairing. The controls are on the locket itself, eliminating the trouble in finding the cord that has the set of controls. It has a built-in microphone which allows for hands free calls with the sound quality is standard with 6mm drivers. The rechargeable lithium-ion battery is said to last through 10 hours of use. The necklace comes in two colors: onyx and seabreeze. It will become available in February at $199. Swarovski x Misfit Shine – they formed a team that designed the Swarovski Shine collection, a fancy set of fitness- and sleep-tracking jewelry. The collection features nine pieces that include watches, pendant necklaces, and bracelets with Swarovski’s looks and Misfits’ brains, able to detect steps taken, calories burned, distance walked, and sleep quality. The sparkling tech-jewels require no charging and have a battery lifetime of up to 6 months. The collected date syncs with your smartphone by simply placing the Swarovski Shine Activity Tracking Crystal on your smartphone touch screen. The preorders start at $169.99 and go up to $249.99. Bang & Olufsen premiered BeoPlay H8, the wireless headphones with...

Winter sports fans, this one is for you. The white powder sparkles from the top of the mountains and you can’t wait to get there and slide down, over and over again. The next generation skiing and snowboarding is here powered by the most exciting wearable technology existing on any mountain anywhere. One of the most popular devices out there is the action cam GoPro Hero 4 Black Edition. It offers stunning image quality and powerful new features that takes the cameras’ industry to a whole new level. The camera itself is a tiny box with a powerful processor able to record amazing video quality. The Hero4 Black displays incredible high-resolution 4K30 and 2.7K50 video and high frame rate 1080p120 video. Its features include built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth with super upload speed that sends your ride-videos up on various channels of social media. To help you find easier those cool moments without having to go through hours and hours of video, Hero4 Black has on its right side a ‘Hilight Tag’ button, which when activated, puts a tag on them and helping you find them faster when viewing the footage in GoPro’s free mobile app or desktop Studio software. On its left side is an easy-to-lose removable cover that protects Micro-HDMI and Mini-USB ports and the microSD slot that supports cards of up to 64GB. The Mini-USB port is used to charge the device and transfer the content off your microSD card, but can also be used with an optional 3.5mm stereo mic cable so you can attach a studio-quality external mic. The device doesn’t have a built-in touchscreen, but it has a Hero port on back that allows you to attach GoPro’s LCD Touch BacPac or the Battery BacPac. Unlike Hero3+ Black, Hero4...

Looking back at the course of innovation in technology throughout 2014, it’s clear that wearables have gained a lot of traction. Watch after watch, bracelet after armband, the French are now introducing the wristband – Cicret. The first thing to know about this little wonder is that the prototype is still in the works and if you want to spend some money on it now, the only way to do it is to donate for the development of its first prototype on the Cicret website. Back to the description. The Cicret Bracelet is a small wristband that supposedly has the ability to turn the wearer’s arm into a touchscreen. It sounds pretty cool to be able to give up your smartphone in an era dominated by them. The device works through a tiny embedded pico projector and a row of 8 proximity sensors built into the bracelet that point towards the user’s forearm, reminding of the technology behind projected keyboards. These enable the Cicret system to detect the location and movement of the user’s fingers, turning the surface of the skin into a touchscreen. The regular gestures apply: tap, swipe, and pinch. Cicret will operate as a standalone device and, when activated with a twist of the wrist, projects an Android interface onto the arm. The proximity sensors detect where the user’s fingers are and allow them to interact with the interface as they would on any Android device. Furthermore, the device features an accelerometer and a vibration module, as well as an LED for notifications. Connectivity is provided by way of WiFi, Bluetooth and a Micro USB port. The bracelet will also have its own onboard storage of 16GB and 32GB. The bracelet will allow users to send and receive emails, browse the...

Canadian startup Thalmic Labs blew people’s minds back in 2013 when they presented an armband that empowered the wearer to control several kinds of technology using simple hand gestures. The Myo armband changes the way we interact with everyday computing devices. Seeing how it works is like glimpsing into the future, or at Iron Man Tony Stark’s gesture-controlled hollo-computer.   What is Myo? Myo is the most natural way yet to merge technology and people. Myo seems to be the next step after we’ve hit the limits of today’s form factors, whether they are personal computers, tablets, or smartphones. Thalmic Labs’ armband is a gesture control device that is placed around the widest part of the forearm. A piece of software displays a series of training gestures to get you accustomed to the interface. The gestures are simple: bend the open hand left or right, sweep the forearm left or right, spread out the fingers, clench into a fist, press the thumb against the pinky. The last gesture is the one that awakes and puts Myo to sleep. Also, when slipping it off your forearm it automatically goes to sleep, saving the battery life. You might need to reposition either your arm or the armband to have it recognize the gestures, but once you figure it out, it’s easy to use. In case you worry that if won’t fit your forearm, Thalmic Labs say that the armband was created using a comfortable flex technology which allows for one-size-fits-all design, and it comes equipped with 10 sizing clips. Myo comes in black and white. It weighs 93 grams, 0.45 inches thick. It’s expandable between 7.5 – 13 inches (19 – 34 cm) forearm circumference. How does it work? Myo uses Bluetooth Smart technology to connect...

More than 37 million U.S. apartment residents receive enormous numbers of holiday packages every year. A load that large requires more than mere tracking numbers. For that reason, one in four apartment communities use specialized software to manage residents’ packages on site. These are among the findings from the National Multifamily Housing Council (NMHC) and Kingsley Associates’ 2014 Package Delivery Survey. The survey was fielded in October of this year, with 2,758 community managers from 28 leading firms responding. The survey also found that during the holiday season, a typical apartment community can receive double the typical 100 packages received weekly. After all, consumers spent $2.3 billion on Cyber Monday in 2013 alone. In more than three-quarters (77 percent) of apartment buildings surveyed, package carriers try to deliver to the door, as opposed to going to the manager’s office, but the number drops to one in five (20 percent) in high rises. If residents aren’t in, carriers take packages to the management office 70 percent of the time. This results in an enormous number of packages for the community manager to handle. “Managing deliveries is a real issue facing the industry,” says David Smith, chief operating officer and vice president, San Francisco-based Kingsley Associates. “There is inherent risk and valuable time associated with sorting, storing and notifying residents of package deliveries at the community level. Senior executives are clearly taking note of the escalating staff hours spent managing the process, particularly during the holidays.” Many apartment companies are increasingly adopting software solutions to help them get a handle on packages. Almost one-quarter, or 24 percent, of properties utilize software to track packages and notify residents. Among high-rise apartment communities, 60 percent are relying on specialized software. Apartment managers are as likely to notify residents...

Every once in a while, Microsoft and Apple reignite the classic Mac vs. PC battle through cleverly designed ads. The latest attack launches Microsoft’s latest notebook, the Lenovo Yoga 3 Pro, placed head-to-head with Apple’s famous 13-inch MacBook Air. The ad starts by comparing the 17mm ‘thickness’ of the MacBook Air with the 13mm ‘thinness’ of the Yoga 3 Pro, continuing with a series of moves that flaunt the flexibility of the tablet, showcase the touchscreen and tent modes of Lenovo’s latest convertible, while the Air is failing to “dance” in funny comparisons. The dance performance ends with the MacBook Air declaring ‘game over’ and closing its lid. The ad is a light sting at Apple, but it does reveal the direction the Microsoft is taking and where its marketing focus lies. Apple recently moved into the top five PC makers for the first time, thanks to an increase in Mac sales of 8.9 percent in the last quarter; that is translated into 5.52 million Mac sales over a period of three months. Besides the amusement these ads bring, it’s hard to determine whether or not they are effective. Surface sales more than doubled in the last quarter, but there are things left unsaid in the above ad about the powerful Air, advantages that Microsoft chose to not even mention with its latest ad campaign, more precisely price and battery life, and not necessarily in this order. Price-wise, there is a 30 percent differential: Apple’s laptop starts at $999 and Lenovo’s at $1299. This $300 difference is partly because of the high-resolution touchscreen display on the Lenovo. However, Apple’s choice to use an inferior screen on the MacBook Air helps it run for 13 hours without charging, while Lenovo’s Yoga 3 Pro 5,200mAh battery...

Today’s professionals can’t afford to miss a beat. Fulfilling client expectations often requires constant connectivity and reliable mobile access. We’ve narrowed down some of the best laptops for professionals that deliver the power, durability, and advanced features that you need to stay on top of the competition. Best Overall We hear so much about the Apple MacBook Air that we figured tech magazines must be getting some sort of kickback. Truth is, the MacBook Air family has earned its reputation. The ultralight, 3lb machine is effortless to lug around, which comes in handy when you’re running through airport terminals or dashing to a cab. Professionals can choose from 11” and 13” monitors, both offering quality displays at a wide variety of angles, perfect for quick meetings or demos around the machine. A sensitive touchpad makes navigation quick and easy. Both MacBook Air models come with a 1.4-GHz Intel Core i5 processor, which is powerful enough to get you through most work functions, though not the best available in its class. With 4GB of RAM and 512GB SSD you’ll enjoy speedy, robust operations even with multiple programs running. The FaceTime HD camera provides crisp, clear images so that you can get the most out of your web conference. With a battery life of 12 hours, you can complete the average workday without being tied to an outlet. Best Ultrabook While MacBooks are receiving their due, the Dell XPS Series—with screens ranging from 12”-18”—is causing a rumble of its own. It offers a matte aluminum casing that’s lightweight, durable, and exquisitely designed. The contoured keypad makes content creation more comfortable on the wrists and hands. The responsive touchpad facilitates easy operation, though with an optional Quad HD+ (3200×1800) touch display you may not need a touchpad...

The map of U.S. cities wired with Internet super-speeds is growing steadily. Providers have diversifed: in addition to Google, AT&T is bringing a flashy-fast fiber-optic network to towns throughout the country. Recently San Marcos, Texas-based Grande Communications announced plans for a 1 Gigabit network in already-wired Austin, while AT&T continues to grow its U-verse, heading for San Antonio after setting up in Austin. AT&T’s U-verse network is capable of providing upload and download speeds of up to 1 gigabit per second, to both consumers and businesses. The speed, explained in simple terms, means that 25 songs could be downloaded in one second, the customer’s favorite TV show in less than 3 seconds, and a high-definition online movie in less than 36 seconds. The Wi-Fi speeds will increase and the users will have the ability to schedule DVR (with greater storage capacity) recordings and watch TV on over 30 models of smartphones and tablets, as well as PCs. For businesses, whether they’re startup companies or veterans, this access to high-speed networks means the ability to develop innovative products that will boost the economy. This will give them the opportunity to compete on a global scale with other countries that already have much faster networks in place. Faster speeds means faster upload, download, and large data files sharing, cloud back-up, and seamless videoconferencing with suppliers, business partners, and customers. The AT&T GigaPower network launched in Austin in December 2013 and the result exceeded expectations: the demand was much higher than anticipated. As result, the company announced to expand its ultra-fast fiber network to approximately 100 cities and municipalities across 25 markets throughout the country. “Similar to previously announced metro area selections in Austin and Dallas and advanced discussions in Raleigh-Durham and Winston-Salem, communities that have suitable...

Berlin –  The recent Samsung Unpacked’ event showed the world the products that will drive sales through the holidays and into 2015. Was it enough to put an end to the three straight quarters of falling returns and regain some mobile technology traction? Here is a quick look at the new Samsung Lineup. Galaxy Note 4 The new Galaxy Note 4 is the big-screen flagship for Samsung. It didn’t grow in size (thankfully), remaining at 5.7 inches, but it retains the plastic faux-leather backing even though it shoots for a classier look by removing the fake stitching mold and by adding the metal frame to a higher-res display. If you haven’t been a fan of previous versions, this is not your next phone. The device has a heart-rate monitor and the S5’s fingerprint scanner integrated into the home button. The back cover is removable, allowing access to the battery and microSD card slot; a downside is its lack of water resistance feature existent in the Galaxy S5. The Galaxy Note 4 presents the Super AMOLED display with a “quad HD” resolution translated into 2,560 x 1,440 pixels; the pixel density reaches new heights through the boost from 1,080p to quad HD resolution. The S Pen became more sensitive, seeking to mimic natural handwriting, and was given some function inspired by the computer mouse: minimizing the app windows and dragging them around for multitasking, copy/paste, and define words that appear on the screen. Interestingly, and somewhat disconcerting, is the fact that the app windows were treated like standard PC windows – the fact that they don’t always scale in size can clutter space pretty fast.  The drag-and-drop window design demands some work until you get used to it. The Note 4 has with it the...

New York City’s Hudson Yards marks the beginning of a new era in urban design. Developed by Related Companies and Oxford Properties Group on the West Side of Manhattan, the $20 billion project is being touted as the largest private real estate development in the U.S. history and a model of responsible development. Everything about Hudson Yards is impressive; from the massively heavy, incredibly strong platforms that will serve as a foundation for the premier district, to the innovative infrastructure systems and state-of-the-art buildings that will redefine the area’s vibe and skyline. But what’s fascinating about Hudson Yards are not just its grandeur and advanced engineering. The mega-development puts people first; it promises to build a nurturing environment with emphasis on livability, sustainability and occupant well-being. To accomplish this, the developers have launched a series of interactive programs, including the “Quantified Community” project, a joint venture with New York University’s Center for Urban Science and Progress (CUSP). The partnership aims to create the nation’s first “Quantified Community” – a fully-instrumented urban neighborhood that will measure and analyze key physical and environmental attributes at Hudson Yards. With this new project, Related and Oxford seek to deliver an enhanced experience for both tenants and residents while improving operational efficiencies and productivity at the complex. “The ability to conceive of and develop an entirely new neighborhood creates tremendous opportunities. Hudson Yards will be the most connected, measured, and technologically advanced digital district in the nation,” said Jay Cross, President of Related Hudson Yards. “Our cutting-edge commercial tenants are drawn to Hudson Yards for its state-of-the-art infrastructure featuring unprecedented wired, wireless, broadband, and satellite connectivity; and energy optimization through on-site power generation and central waste systems. Through our partnership with CUSP we will harness big data to continually...

J Turner Research analyzed 10,000 customer satisfaction surveys from multi-family communities throughout the nation to determine the top resident complaints. The results reveal that renter satisfaction does not depend on a slew of custom features and amenities. Rather, four out of five complaints depend solely on how onsite staff manages priorities: 1. Rental rates 2. Poor grounds/common area upkeep 3. Disorganized staff/lack of communication with staff 4. Quality of response to maintenance requests 5. Overall customer service experience Yardi clients weigh in on how they handle multi-family’s most ubiquitous complaints. Rental Rates There is little that onsite staff can do to influence long term rent rates. That’s why it’s important for staff to hone in on the assets around them, reminding residents that they are paying for the unit and all that the location has to offer. Larry Busgeon, Controller at Landmark Realty of San Francisco, has no issue with marketing exceptionally high rents. The prices are a great value because the city has so much to offer. “It’s a wonderful place to live and you have to pay to live in a highly desirable area,” says Busgeon. He’s ready with a list of the city’s best features: restaurants, culture, cutting edge environmental programming, a unique political atmosphere, great schools, natural beauty, and moderate weather year round. Finding ways to forge a direct relationship between the property and what the community has to offer will add value for residents. Staff may create alliances with local businesses, sending customers their way in exchange for discounted goods and services. Maintenance Crews Whether landscaping and maintenance technicians are hired in house or through a third party vendor, they are still representatives of office management. As such, it’s important for onsite staff to make sure that technicians are staying...

Statistics show that over 95 percent of the people over 75 years of age prefer to stay at home rather than move to assisted living residences or nursing homes. It’s a perfectly natural desire to remain independent, but for their children this translates into a source of worry – that they may fall, forget to take their meds, or simply just need assistance day to day. In recent years, technology has provided new options to adult children and their parents, revolutionizing the opportunity to stay at home, safely. The new technologies, although still a young industry, not only reduce worries, but enhance family relationships and reduce costs. These technologies vary from very basic to sophisticated. The technology in development can be broken down into two camps: one for monitoring and surveillance with electronic devices keeping track of a person’s medical condition, and automatically alert health care staff when intervention is required. Sensors are also used throughout the home and will alert the designated person if, for instance, someone has not left the bathroom after a certain period of time, a sign that something may have gone wrong. Philips Lifeline is a monitoring system with a basic set of features: in case of emergency, users push the button of a pendant they wear on themselves, thus alerting the Lifeline call center. An operator calls on a speakerphone to check on the problem and if no one answers caregivers and emergency medical personnel will be announced. The system has a fall-detection feature that contacts the call center immediately once a fall is detected. MedMinder is a medication management system that acts like a computerized pillbox. It doses the different medications the user needs to take on a daily basis and when the time comes to take...

If you ever played with electric slot cars as a kid, this idea may resonate. An inventive couple has reimagined the world’s roads as the source of solar/electric power for vehicles. Think the idea is out there?  Read on to find out what they’ve envisioned. With global warming in mind, Scott Brusaw (right, driving a tractor on a prototype parking lot built using the technology) and his wife Julie started working on the idea of replacing petroleum-based asphalt and concrete surfaces with a material that would capture solar energy. The hope was to find a way to reduce and eliminate coal-fired power plants.  The result of their efforts is the Solar Roadways project. The focus was on building solar panels that could be walked upon and driven on, essentially producing solar-powered cases containing photovoltaic cells, with an exterior strong enough to protect the sensitive electronics inside. These unique panes would also store the collected solar energy. They’d be used to re-pave the roads, or any surface that soaks in the sun all day long,  and would need to have some fantastic features: –          to withstand the weight of an 18-wheeler; –          to melt ice and snow; –          to capture and send the extra energy to the cities. The answer? Perhaps surprisingly: Glass. Tempered and laminated glass with textured surface to avoid sliding. Furthermore, these cases would have LEDs to illuminate road signage and to advice the driver to slow down on the portions with increased risks, as well as heating elements to withstand snow and ice. Solar Roadways | Michéle Ohayon from Focus Forward Films on Vimeo. This might seem unrealistic, but the idea has been taken seriously. It received awards and nominations from GE, the World Technology Award, Google and the IEEE Ace...

FirstService Residential is the largest third-party manager of homeowner’s associations in the United States, with more than 6,000 properties – and another 600 or so in Canada. So it makes sense that the Dania Beach, Florida-based company would be think big about how to deliver technology solutions specifically for the HOA lifestyle. Whether you’re a resident or owner of a home in a master planned community, a community manager of an HOA or a member of a community board of directors, FirstService is thinking about how to improve your experience, and give you mobile applications to obtain information and complete neighborhood-related tasks. “Whatever we can do to make the community manager’s life easier, and do that in an effective way, translates into a better experience for the resident,” said Alan Missen, recently appointed CIO for FirstService. “That’s such a big part of our culture, making a difference in every resident’s life every day.” Missen talked about the various apps FirstService is developing and how they hope to make the HOA experience more mobile-friendly for everyone involved. Tell us about your existing resident service portal. Missen: FSRConnect is our core property management solution. It’s focused on helping the associates to service the property and has a lot of information around the residents, the properties, and it aids in managing much of the activity around amenities. In the HOA world, there’s lots of documents that need to be put in the hands of residents, so we handle document management with this solution. We manage work orders, violations, architectural modifications, and we also provide some financial data that residents can touch. We’re generally more cautious around that, the financial data being more sensitive, so we keep a lot of that back in our accounting solutions. But we...

The world of wearable technology is still in its early stages. After wristbands, glasses, and watches, an Indian start-up firm, Ducere Technologies, has introduced the smartshoe. These Bluetooth enabled shoes called Lechal (‘take me there’ in Hindu) will sell for $100-$150 a pair, and are scheduled to hit the market next month. The product has already received 25,000 pre-orders, and the company expects to sell 100,000 by March 2015. Originally designed in 2011 with the goal of assisting the visually-impaired with directional cues, Krispian Lawrence, co-founder and chief executive of the company, then realized the product could be of interest to joggers, mountain bikers, and tourists as well. The Lechal smartshoe is designed in India but manufactured in China. The shoes are developed in two models: a complete pair of shoes with Lechal insoles or a package of two insoles that can be used in the customers’ own shoes. They are powered by removable and rechargeable lithium-polymer batteries that should be good for a few days of use. Lechal smartshoes have been designed to have the same weight, to be as comfortable as the typical running shoes, and able to support up to 500 kg per shoe. The smartshoe is designed to connect to the iOS, Android, or Windows Phone device via Bluetooth. The insole has the typical slew of sensors that you’d expect from a wearable, allowing the user to accurately track the numbers of steps taken, calories burnt, and distance traveled. What sets Lechal apart from a fitness band is that each insole can vibrate. When you first put on a pair of Lechal smartshoes, you pair it with a companion app on your smartphone. The app takes care of the health tracking part – calories burnt, setting targets, mapping the itinerary...

Apple and IBM share a past, and recently announced plans to share a future, as both look to continue growth in their respective market niche. The news brought back memories from 30 years ago, when a partnership between the two companies was unimaginable. The goal of the partnership, according to an Apple press release, is to “redefine the way work will get done, address key industry mobility challenges and spark true mobile-led business change.” The move acknowledges the unique strengths  of each company – IBM will contribute its big data and analytics expertise and Apple will offer the “elegant user experience of iPhone and iPad.” The enterprise market is not untouched territory for Apple, as plenty of Fortune 500 businesses have already deployed iOS devices. The current corporate customer list includes NASA, Nestle, Deutsche Bank, American Airlines, Cisco Systems, Johnson Controls, Luxottica, and GE. The BYOD trend (bring your own device) in the workplace has been beneficial to Apple as companies have gradually allowed employees to use their personal devices for work email and to access needed data. IDC research firm shows that iPhones accounted for 82 percent of smartphones in use at U.S. corporations and 36 percent globally, while iPads accounted for 73 percent of tablets in the U.S. corporate environment and 39 percent around the world. A new category of mobile apps will become available, debuting in 2015, announced the two companies. These will be tailored to meet the needs of specific industries like “retail, healthcare, banking, travel, telecommunications, and insurance.” IBM’s cloud infrastructure will be heavily used in correlation with Apple’s iCloud service. AppleCare for Enterprise will be added to the customer service domain, providing IT departments and users 24/7 support. “We’re good at building a simple experience and in building devices,” Tim...

SAN FRANCISCO – The 2014 Apple keynote, delivered here earlier this month, revealed some incredible updates for iOS and OS X, due this fall when the accompanying hardware will be unveiled. The main theme this year is Continuity, which urges users to imagine how much better their digital life would be if the phone, tablet, and laptop all had the Apple logo. It’s now true that a superior operating system for laptop or smartphone performance is no longer sufficient. Apple is pushing the advantages of adopting a cohesive family of devices, hoping that current Apple users have no need to jump ship, and new converts are tempted to completely embrace the Apple culture. Why sell one device when you can sell two or three? With continuity, the user can seamlessly start a task on one of the Apple devices (the iPhone, for example) and pick right where he/she left off to finish it on another device (the Mac), simply by clicking an icon that automatically appears. An iPhone owner with a Windows PC or a Mac owner with an Android phone won’t be able to do this. OS X Yosemite & iOS 8 Since Continuity is the link between the two OSs, the majority of the updates apply to both. Actually, the latest version of OS X is reminiscent of last year’s iOS due to the attention spent on design. Flat design, translucent panels, no gradients, and textures of iOS 7 could be spotted throughout the new OS; app icons have flatter designs, the dock and windows have sharper corners, and a new system font was created for an improved readability. A “dark mode” that dims the entire interface was added to help focusing better while working – “clarity, but also utility”, as Senior...

“A tablet that can replace your laptop” was the catchphrase that introduced Microsoft’s Surface Pro 3 at its launch event. The world was waiting for Microsoft to enter the 8-inch tablet fray and launch a pure consumer device, without the Windows 8 interface (Desktop and Metro). Instead, the company went in the opposite direction. They decided to transition from tablets to notebooks via a device that runs on hardware too powerful for a tablet, but with a much thinner profile than a laptop. “Everything we’ve done up to this point is manifested in this product. This is our best device — we’re super proud of it,” said Steven Bathiche, in charge of the Applied Sciences Group at Microsoft.  The shiny Surface Pro 3 has a few impressive features as well as some less positive aspects. The hardware – a roaring 4th generation Intel Core processor ranging from i3 to the mighty i7, 4 to 8GB of RAM, and storing options that go from 64GB to 512GB; The display – the screen aspect ratio closer to 3:2 compliments the tablet-face, being much better than the 16:10 that most Android tablets chose, and adds to web usage (16:9 and 16:10 are more suited to video) also on the tablet side Surface has the multi-touch feature and a vivid resolution of 2160 x 1440; Windows RT excused – removing this confusion is constructive; Battery life – the nine-hour battery life (on paper) puts it in the “all day device” category; Weight and thickness – we like our devices light and thin these days and Surface Pro 3 holds the award for the thinnest Intel Core product so far – 11.5” x 7.93” x 0.3”; it weighs 2.42lbs with keyboard attached; Target market – Surface Pro 3 doesn’t...

As the digital storehouse of sensitive data grows, the quest for secure authentication continues. Heartbleed jarred many of us. Data on our most popular (and presumably better protected) sites was exposed and, in some cases, compromised. The introduction of biometrics was a step in the right direction but Heartbleed reminded us that biometrics only protect a device; currently, such technology doesn’t fend off hackers from laptops, desktops, and the individual websites and apps that we use each day. Most of our data is still protected via password and even the cleverest passwords meet their match when hackers are intent to crack them. This poses a huge hurdle for companies whose user passwords protect countless pieces of sensitive client information. Fast Identity Online Alliance (FIDO), whose members include the likes of Google and PayPal, seek ways to decrease dependency on passwords. Its goal is to develop “technical specifications that define an open, scalable, interoperable set of mechanisms that reduce the reliance on passwords to authenticate users.” In other words, create simpler, stronger authentication. One of FIDO’s most recent innovations is a piece of hardware, simply called the authenticator, that may replace individual passwords. The hardware will communicate directly with the websites that you’re visiting, creating a distinct digital key for each digital lock. No access information is stored remotely, reducing hackers’ access to pools of passwords and the information that they protect. The hardware itself may rely on biometric access to prevent misuse if lost or stolen. FIDO’s authenticator is still under development but its business potential is evident. Employers could issue the hardware to employees, limiting potential human errors. Employees would not have to worry about changing passwords every 90 days, creating weak passwords, forgetting or sharing their credentials. Even if a device is a...

Technology firms such as IBM, Microsoft, and Cisco have created software that transforms inanimate infrastructure into seemingly animated characters. Pipes identify their own leaks. Streets alert police of accidents and traffic jams. Buildings submit maintenance requests. The innovations offer endless possibilities. Fears of a high-tech dystopia, however, overshadow their efforts. Technology leaders must overcome public fears before their technologies can be adopted on a large scale. The Dawn of Smart Cities IBM has risen as a leader in smart city technology. The company hosts more than 2,500 smarter cities around the world. The goal of these experimental sites is to promote sustainable economic growth by providing the data leaders need to take proactive measures against mounting problems and make the most efficient use of resources. In an economic environment where revenues are tight in many countries, smarter cities could not have come at a better time. Many of the decisions made by leaders in smart cities are driven by collected data. Data sources include cameras, sensors and meters in public spaces as well as resident feedback–voluntary and involuntary–via apps and programs. The technology is already at work in creative ways. In New York, a collaboration between Center for an Urban Future and NYU’s School of Public Service allows the local hospital to decrease emergency room expenses. A “hotspotting” program identifies emergency room regulars, often locals suffering from chronic ailments and substance abuse. Based on the data compiled, outreach teams are dispatched to provide preventative assistance to at risk populations at homeless shelters and the streets. Emergency room costs are expected to decrease significantly. In Chicago, data for performance metrics, energy usage, crime, public health, transit, and more are accumulated and stored in an open-access website. To date, the city has 851 open data sets...