Nest app now works with Android TVs to show home camera feeds

The Nest connected home hardware company, owned by Google's parent company Alphabet, is making an effort to link to more of its big brother's products. The Nest app for Android now allows people who own its camera products to view their feeds on the big screen, assuming it runs Android TV.

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That means if you own either the indoor or the recently released outdoor camera from the company, the Nest app can now work with Android TV so you can see who is at the door while you are watching the football game. The app also allows users to view previously recorded video from the cam on their Android TV in case they need to check on something later.

In addition, the new update to the app allows customers with a Nest Aware subscription to create an "instaclip" of any video feed or recording from their cameras. The app itself figures out where to begin and end the clip with a special algorithm. If you want to pick where the clip begins and ends, there's the option to do that as well. After it's made, it can be shared with others.

The app update also lets smartphone users view any camera video in full screen without having to rotate the phone by simply tapping the down arrow icon below the camera window. Finally, the new Nest app lets users edit their device notifications settings from the Home settings menu.

If you own these camera products, will you get some extra use from them with this update?

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Huawei’s futuristic vision of an AI-focused ‘Superphone’ will be a “double of you”

Speaking at the World Internet Conference in China recently, Huawei CEO Richard Yu delivered a futuristic keynote speech on artificial intelligence. In that speech, Yu outlined his concept of an AI-centric 'Superphone' that ultimately would be a "double of you".

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Not surprisingly, Yu detailed the ways in which Huawei is already heading in that direction, with investments in four key areas: device, connectivity, the cloud and chipsets. Yu then discussed the emergence of the "information civilization" which he says is "evolving in two areas: richer information and more convenient access".

Touching on the increasing digitization and convergence of information we are now witnessing, Yu quite accurately sees the expansion of the digital world as an overwhelming and ultimately unmanageable trend.

The increasing digitization and convergence of information we are now witnessing is an overwhelming and ultimately unmanageable trend, but it is a problem that AI can solve.

According to Yu, this exponential data growth is becoming incomprehensible to humans, a problem in dire need of a solution. The solution Yu envisions is a smartphone powered by advanced AI: what he calls a Superphone.

As Yu says, "a Superphone goes far beyond making calls and browsing the internet, it's not only your personal, go-to assistant for daily tasks, but even a double of you. The Superphone will introduce a new information-management architecture."

This AI-focused Superphone will no longer be a passive device meant only for interactions between the user and the device, "the Superphone will be special because it will proactively interact with the physical world." Yu sees the Superphone interacting with the real world with "abilities matching or exceeding those of a human's eyes, ears, tongue, nose, body and mind."

Think of it like this: The eyes are computer vision, ears are smart voice, tongues are a taste sensor, noses are an air sensor, other various robotic technologies will represent the body, and the mind is informed local decision-making – not intuitive responses, but well-reasoned decisions. All of these sensors combined with device-based AI will be able to fully replicate the human ability to comprehend the physical world.

It's a pretty compelling vision from one of the leading figures in the mobile industry. But this isn't just navel-gazing futurecasting, Huawei is already committed to creating the Superphone. "In order to realize our vision," Yu concluded his keynote, "we need to continue to create innovative technologies that fuel the development of the Superphone, a goal that is rooted in our lifeblood."

This isn't just navel-gazing futurecasting: Huawei is already committed to creating the Superphone.

As you may recall, one of the main software selling points for the recently announced Huawei Mate 9 is its ability to learn over time and be "born fast, stay fast." The Mate 9 does this through machine learning that picks up on your behaviors and preferences and predicts what you're likely to do and when.

Using this information, the Mate 9 might, for example, prepare an app it thinks you'll use next, periodically defragment your storage for faster access or manage system resources according to your usage habits. This may just be the early stages of an AI-driven Superphone, but the future, at least in Huawei's eyes, is already knocking.

How do you think AI will improve smartphones in future?

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Samsung issues pre-emptive statement on Galaxy S7 batteries

Samsung has issued a slightly odd pre-emptive statement on the batteries found in Galaxy S7 series of smartphones. Stating the company "stands behind the quality and safety of the Galaxy S7 family" the short note goes on to say that "there have been no confirmed cases of internal battery failures with these devices among the more than 10 million devices being used by consumers in the United States."

As you may have seen around the web recently, a few stories of exploding Galaxy S7 and S7 Edges have circulate. But practically all of these have occurred in the aftermath of the Note 7 recall, when any story of a Samsung phone on fire hits the front page of every mobile site or technology section in a newspaper, even if that fire is the owner's fault.

Samsung notes that the company has "confirmed a number of instances caused by severe external damage" – these are likely the S7s you've seen making headlines in recent weeks. But "until Samsung is able to obtain and examine any device, it is impossible to determine the true cause of any incident".

Unfortunately, phones catch fire sometimes. Batteries swell and leak, components short-circuit, things break and butter-fingered owners don't help things along either. But as the statement says, until testing can be done on any damaged devices it's best not to jump to any inflammatory conclusions.

Have you ever had a phone catch fire or a battery swell?

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Deal: Save over $100 on a Samsung Gear S2 for just $159

The Samsung Gear S2 is easily among the best smartwatches available. It's unique circular interface and bezel navigation make it stand out amongst its Android Wear-powered competition and while it has recently been superseded by the Samsung Gear S3, that means the Gear S 2 is now up to be discounted.

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With a regular price tag of $299 and a current best price on Amazon of $233, this $159 deal via Buy Dig will save you a small fortune. Samsung is really pushing the Tizen platform too, offering up big bucks to developers making new apps for the platform and partnering up with Microsoft to expand Tizen.

The Gear S2 specs include the usual mix:  1.2-inch 360 x 360 Super AMOLED display, 1 GHz processor, 4 GB of storage and 512 MB of RAM. There's a 250 mAh li-ion battery in there that should see you through the day and an IP68 rating so you can get and wild with your watch on.

You'll also get a free 2,600 mAh keychain battery pack to charge up your mobile devices on the go. To take advantage of this deal, just hit the link below and push on through to the checkout to see the discounted price and claim your free gift.

• Buy Samsung Gear S2 from Buy Dig

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LG V30 will have no secondary ticker display, according to Evan Blass

Evan Blass has just tweeted to say he has early renders of the LG V30 and that there is no secondary ticker display to be seen. Considering the secondary display is one of the most recognizable features of the V series, it would definitely be a peculiar decision on the part of LG if the claim turns out to be true.

We'll update this post further with any new details or with the renders themselves if Blass reveals them. As far as the rumor mill goes though, basically nothing is known about the V30 specs or anything else.

I will say this: adieu, ticker.

— Evan Blass (@evleaks) November 19, 2016

LG recently announced the LG V34 in Japan, which is a smaller, water-resistant variant of the V20. A European version of this device is rumored to appear soon under the name LG V20 S, but this is not a definite either. Considering the popularity of LG's flagship 'content creator' phone though, there's no doubt the LG V30 is well and truly under construction.

What would you like to see in the LG V30? Would you miss the secondary display?

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Intel may abandon wearables market entirely after laying off most of its staff

Intel's foray into processors for wearables hasn't exactly gone swimmingly. That said, the wearable market's foray into the popular consciousness hasn't gone that well either. Now, according to Tech Crunch, Intel is about to lay off the vast majority of its wearable division staff and may retreat from the market entirely.

According to "sources close to the company," Intel's New Devices Group (NDG) is facing "a large number of layoffs," with more to come from the larger New Technologies Group in which the NDG is included.

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According to Tech Crunch: "The company has already informed a number of employees about the changes, with many expected to lose their jobs before year's end. Reports thus far have been varied, but all point to a large job loss for those in the NDG and the possible shut down of the group altogether."

The news may not come as much of a shock to those that have been following Intel's progress in the wearables space, especially considering its Basis Peak device recall and sales halt in the summer, but it's always disappointing to see a major component maker exit an exciting new market.

What are your thoughts on the future of wearables? Are they a slow starter or a non-starter?

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Huawei Mate 9 Lite revealed: smaller, lighter, weaker and no Leica or EMUI 5?

Remember the Mate 9? And the Porsche Design Mate 9? Oh, and don't forget the Mate 9 Pro for China… Well, the Mate 9 now has another….mate: the Huawei Mate 9 Lite. As you might expect from the name though, don't go expecting a similar specs sheet compared to the larger Mate 9 family. In fact, don't go expecting pretty much anything to be the same.

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The Huawei Mate 9 Lite specs include a 5.5-inch Full HD display, so it's smaller and lighter than the regular Mate 9. It is powered by an octa-core Kirin 655 chipset with four high performance cores clocked at 2.1 GHz and four energy-sipping cores clocked at 1.7 GHz, so it's also weaker than the regular Mate 9.

There are two variants listed on Huawei's website, a 3 GB of RAM with 32 GB of storage model and another with 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of storage. Both of these options come with a 3,340 mAh battery and are running EMUI 4.1 on top of Android Marshmallow, giving them an older version of Huawei's interface, an older version of Android and a smaller battery than the larger Mate 9.

On the camera front you'll still get that fancy dual-camera setup we know from the other Mate 9 options, but it lacks the Leica branding. Depending on how cynical you are though, you may not think that means you'll miss out on anything. Resolution-wise, those cameras drop to 12 MP and 2 MP each, with an 8 MP selfie camera up front.

There isn't a price listed yet and we don't know if the Mate 9 Lite will be restricted to a Chinese launch or if it will also come to global markets. We'll be sure to let you know as soon as we find out, but considering the very short list of similarities the Mate 9 Lite shares with its flagship namesake, this phone is a Mate 9 in little more than name.

How do you feel about 'lite' phones that water down flagship specs? Should they just be called something else?

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