Roku brings small yet powerful Roku Express to Canada

It’s small yet packs a big punch. The new Roku Express promises five times more power than its predecessor but it still keeps things simple for streaming. Retailing for just $39.99, you get the bare necessities in terms of accessories, including a simple-to-use remote and HDMI cable. But don’t discount the Roku Express. Just like its other brothers, it is powered by Roku OS and gives you access to 4,000+ streaming channels, including 150,000 movies and TV episodes. A free Roku app is available for iOS and Android and can also serve as a remote for the box as well as let you stream media from a mobile device. On top of that, you can use it as a keyboard and it has voice search and private listening capabilities. You can find the new Roku Express next month at Best Buy, Walmart, Amazon, Staples, The Source, London Drugs, and other retailers.

This bike light harnesses AI for safer rides

There are many different bike lights available out on the market. But we can’t say there are that many powered by artificial intelligence. Enter this new Kickstarter project from See.Sense. Called the Ace, this new bicycle light that makes use of AI to make sure you’re visible at any time of the day. It gets even brighter when you approach things like junctions, roundabouts, and oncoming cars. With a 150 lumen bulb in front and a 125 lumen bulb at the back, this is meant to be seen from more than a mile away. And with a 200-degree lens, it’s also meant to be seen from the side. You don’t have to worry about biking in the rain as the Ace is IP67-rated for water-resistance. The light can run around 10 hours between charges and has its own smart battery management system. It can detect when you’re done riding or left your bike and turn the lights off.

If you use the accompanying See.Sense app, you can get things like crash and theft alerts as well as custom flash patterns. The project has already met its goal and if you’re interested in getting your hands on one, you just need to pay £44 (around CA$73) for a set of front and back lights. The product is expected to ship starting June 2018.

Source: Cult of Mac

Walt Mossberg to write a book focusing on the personal tech revolution

Photo by James Bareham / The Verge

Renowned American tech journalist Walt Mossberg is bring his many years of experience into one book. Mossberg signed a deal with St. Martin’s Press to write about the ascent of tech in the past 40 years and what we can expect in the coming decade. Tim Bartlett will serve as his editor and he plans to release the book in the early fall of 2019. Mossberg says his final column with The Verge is “not a bad outline” for the book.

It’ll focus on how our important personal tech devices—like laptops, phones, the iPod, and e-readers—has affected “the world at every level, in every walk of life,” despite these being less than 40 years old. The book will also feature stories from the people behind these products, some will be tales Mossberg hasn’t told before. He won’t focus on successes but will also look into products that were flops but were considered important for the industry. He also wants to highlight the responsibility the tech companies have now. Mossberg tells The Verge, “I’ve been preaching privacy, security, and fairness to consumers for a long time. I think you can do that and also say these things are cool and useful.”

Sony releases first OTA update for Xperia XZ1 and Xperia XZ1 Compact

For the first time, Sony has released the first over-the-air update for its Xperia XZ1 and Xperia XZ1 Compact. This update brings the build number to 47.1.A.2.374 from 47.1.A.2.324. It brings with it the latest October 1, 2017 Android security patches. But beyond that we’re not sure what else is being offered in the update. If the OTA update doesn’t show up on your device immediately, be patient. Roll outs for these usually take a bit of time.

Source: GSMArena