Nextbit Robin to start shipping on February 16th

Bucking the usual trend of gadgets taking too long to ship on crowdfunded sites, Nextbit has just announced they plan on starting shipment for its Robin handsets on February 16^th. The Robin is touted as the first “cloud-first” smartphone, meaning it’ll offload apps and data to a free 100GB cloud storage bucket when not in use. These bits of information will then be restored when you need it. Of course, we can’t say how smoothly this could work in real life just yet.

Early backers get first dibs, of course, so the first 1,000 should get their phones first. These are the GSM versions though. The CDMA models will come out at a later, unspecified date.

Source: Kickstarter | Via: Android Police

CES 2016: L’Oreal gets into the wearable tech game

L’Oreal isn’t a brand you usually associate with the Consumer Electronics Show. But they are here this year to show off new wearable and internet-connected products. Their first device is made in partnership with manufacturing and logistics company PCH. It’s a UV-sensing stretchable patch worn on the skin that will then be scanned using a smartphone app to tell the strength of the sun’s rays. This My UV Patch is meant to educate the public about the effects of too much sun exposure. It can be worn around five days and it’ll be given away for free. It’ll be launching in 16 countries and is seen as a way for the company to help develop new products in the future.

Source: BBC

CES 2016: Bang & Olufsen introduce all-in-one soundbar

What does it mean for a soundbar to be an all-in-one device? Well, it won’t just be able to boost the audio from your TV. In the case of high-end audio maker Bang & Olufsen, its new BeoSound 35 supports music streaming services like Spotify and Deezer so you can already get your music going from there. It also supports Google Cast, Bluetooth connectivity, and AirPlay. Access to it is easy because you can use any B&O remote to control it or even use the BeoMusic app. And, of course, it works with the company’s other audio gear. It promises to beam audio 180 degrees, which is said to be enough to fill a room.

The unit has its own OLED display with on-board touch controls. And it steps a bit away from the usually boxy soundbars with a more pentagonal shape. It has the loud speaker at the center and its tweeters on the ends. Plus, it’s made with an aluminum outer shell to make it look even more striking (and it helps heat management, too). You can opt to wall-mount this or place it on a stand. Of course, this comes with a steep price tag at US$2785 or almost $4,000 when it sells starting April.

Source: Engadget

Toyota’s AI initiatives now headed by former Google exec

Toyota has gotten itself a capable individual to head its artificial intelligence initiatives. James Kuffner, the former head of robotics and one of the key executives of Google’s driverless car efforts, is now head of Toyota’s US-based AI research lab. Kuffner believes Toyota’s business down the line could one day be concentrated or at least mainly work with robots. Toyota is promising US$1 billion in funding for the lab in its first five years, showing just how important this initiative is for the carmaker.

Toyota takes a different approach to how Google wants AI-assisted driving to work. Toyota believes humans should stay at the wheel for a longer transition period as they are aided in increasing degree by automation. The company aims to create vehicles and machines that can help its ageing population, such as finding ways to increase car access for the elderly and handicap as well as create new forms of mobility indoors.

Source: Financial Times