Fitbit partners with Google to accelerate digital health and wearables

Fitbit has announced that it has partnered with Google across wearables and digital health. Under this partnership, Fitbit will be using Google's Cloud Healthcare API to provide an interoperability solution to enable users to collaborate on care with their own healthcare providers.  It now connects the user data with electronic medical records (EMR) and by combining the Fitbit data with EMRs can provide patients and clinicians a more comprehensive view of the patient profile, leading to more personalized care. Both the companies will also help in managing chronic conditions like diabetes and hypertension by using Fitbit’s recently acquired Twine Health services. Twine with the help of  Google’s Cloud Healthcare API aims to make it easier for clinicians and patients to collaborate on care, health plans, and hospitals. Google cloud services will help Fitbit with next-generation cloud services and engineering support. Majority of Google Cloud products supporting HIPAA compliance, including Cloud IoT Core. Google’s AI and machine learning capabilities and new predictive analytic algorithms will further help Fitbit to bring more meaningful data and insights to consumers to help them achieve positive health outcomes. Commenting on the partnership, James Park, co-founder, and CEO of Fitbit said: Over the past decade, we have built an incredible foundation as the leading wearables brand, helping ...

Twitter releases new app with refreshed look, push notifications for Windows 10

Twitter app is now available for Windows 10 on the Microsoft Store. It packs most of the essential features like longer Tweets, the Explore tab to find topics relevant to your interests, and the ability to bookmark Tweets to be read later. The new Twitter app also supports Windows features including a refreshed look and feel with taskbar pinning, push notifications in Action Center, and share integration with Windows apps. Night-Mode will be coming soon, says Microsoft. The new app is built on open web standards that is powered by the fast and efficient Microsoft Edge engine in Windows 10. Twitter has also enhanced the in-app experience with unique UWP differentiators like share integration, and more while building from a common core of web code. The new Twitter app replaces the previous Twitter Windows desktop and mobile apps, and users can download the new Twitter app for Windows 10 from Microsoft Store starting today. However, your PC or tablet must be running the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update or Windows 10 April 2018 Update. Source

Google announces .app HTTPS-default top-level domain, early registrations start today

Google today has announced the .app HTTPS-default top-level domain. The company purchased the TLD in 2015 for approx $25 million, and it is launching it today with apps, developers, and security as the primary objective.  With the .app domain name, it’s easy for people to find and learn more about apps. Developers can use the domain as a landing page to share trustworthy download links, keep users up to date, and deep link to in-app content. Google says that the key benefit of the .app domain is security that is inbuilt. The big difference is that HTTPS is required to connect to all .app websites, helping protect against ad malware and tracking injection by ISPs. It also provides safeguard against spying on open WiFi networks. The .app will be the first TLD with enforced security made available for general registration. Furthermore, the .app top-level domain is included on the HSTS preload list. The .app domains will be available for registration as part of the Early Access Program on Google Registry starting today. Early partners include Square’s Cash app and a handful of other smaller startups and services. Google says that the domains will become available to the general public on May 8th. Source

Facebook introduces ‘Clear History’ tool to delete browsing history, Dating service; WhatsApp to get group calling and stickers

At the Facebook F8 event, the company has made some significant announcements to its products. One of them is the new 'Clear History' tool to delete browsing history amidst the privacy concerns.  The Clear History feature will allow you to see the websites and apps that send information to Facebook when you use them. With this new tool, you can delete the data from your account and can even turn off the ability to store the information altogether. Like Instagram, Facebook also lets you share photos or videos from other apps to Facebook. This is aimed at making the sharing experience more easier and smooth. It is bringing a new Groups tab to helps you navigate to your existing groups more easily and interact. Later in the year, it also brings the ability to discover and join new groups through this new Group tab. Facebook is also introducing new Dating services for dating and relationships within the Facebook app. It lets users create a dating profile that will be separate from their Facebook profile. Facebook will start showing potential matches based on dating preferences, things in common, and mutual friends. They’ll have the option to discover others with similar interests through their Groups or Events. However, the activities within ...

Instagram Stories gets GoPro and Spotify integration, Video calls, AR camera effects and more

Instagram today is rolling a bunch of new features including GoPro, Spotify integration, Video calls, AR camera effects and more. Instagram now allows users to post directly to Instagram Stories from apps like Spotify and GoPro, it also mentioned that it will bring the ability to share to Stories to many other apps in the future.  https://youtu.be/TeSpci5pXO0 Starting today, you can directly post a photo or video footage directly to your Instagram story from the GoPro App. It is also bringing tools like trimming, vertical crop a wide shot for the perfect angle, add immersive, close-to-the-action clips adjusted to the exact moment you want to share. Once you are done editing, on your GoPro app select a photo or video and then tap Share and chose Instagram Stories. From there, share your GoPro moment to your Instagram Story, or send it to your crew via Instagram Direct. On the other hand, it also lets you share the song you are listening to Spotify to Instagram without even connecting in order to share to Stories. The company today has announced that it is unlocking the ability for third parties to design unique, interactive camera effects for their followers. If you see a new effect in Stories from an ...

Facebook Messenger for brands gets AR camera effects, Spanish translations

Facebook at the F8 event has introduced a bunch of new features to its Messenger platform. It now brings the ability for brands to incorporate augmented reality into their Messenger experiences and also adds Spanish translations so that buyers and sellers in Marketplace can communicate across languages with M suggestions for translations. With the launch of AR in Messenger, small and big business groups can leverage the Camera Effects to integrate AR into their Messenger experience. When a user communicates with business in Messenger, you can prompt them to open the camera, which will be pre-populated with filters and AR effects that are specific to your brand. It also lets users share the image or video to their story or in a group or one-to conversation, or they can just save it to their camera roll. This also solves real-world problems where the user has to visualize a product before they feel comfortable buying it. However, the feature is rolling out in closed beta and at the time of launch brand with AR include ASUS, Kia, Nike, and Sephora. Asus will bring the "unboxing experience” and a more in-depth look at the phone. Facebook is also bringing translations to Messenger. This makes it easier for brand and sellers in Marketplace to communicate ...

Sneak peek of what the OnePlus 6 camera is capable of

With OnePlus 6 launch around the corner, Vogue has shared a glimpse of 'how awesome the camera quality is' with the release of its cover image for its May issue, also hinting as to what they can expect from the much-awaited upcoming flagship. Vogue India has released its new cover for their May edition featuring popular Bollywood actress Aditi Rao Hydari, which was shot on the upcoming flagship OnePlus 6! It’s worth mentioning that, this is the first- ever try in India to shoot a magazine cover on a smartphone and a global first for Vogue. The amount of detailing , we see in the photo is a clear indication of what the OnePlus 6 is capable of. With the OnePlus 6, the company wants to create a faster, simpler and smoother phone with a seamless experience for the users. The cover photo was shot by fashion and portrait photographer, Errikos Andreou who has also shot several Vogue covers with popular Bollywood actresses likes Deepika Padukone and Kareena Kapoor. [HTML1] According to Errikos Andreou, shooting on the OnePlus 6 smartphone is all about convenience and portability. He also said that the OnePlus 6 ‘pro’ option lets him shoot pictures in 'RAW' file format, which ...

Sony WH-H900N h.ear on 2 Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones Review

Sony has ramped up and defined their range of audio products very well over the last few years. The top of the line model is, of course, the WH-1000XM2, a luxurious noise-canceling model that also delivers perhaps the best audio quality in its category. A little further down the lineup, however, is the h.ear line up that gives you High Res audio support, noise cancellation capabilities and more for a substantially lower price point. There has to be a catch, right? Let's find out in our review. Design Between the WH-1000XM2 and the h.ear on 2 or the WH-H900N as we'll call it for the rest of the review, the design similarities are pretty obvious. The WH-H900N however replaces all the soft touch bits for hard plastic. We've got the grey version with us and it looks handsome enough. Sony is making these in a number of color variants so you should be able to find one that matches your style. The WH-H900N is an over the head type model and like most of their headphones, Sony has got comfort levels sorted out. You can comfortably wear these on long flights for hours on end and feel almost no fatigue. We felt a ...

Oculus Go standalone VR headset launched in 23 countries starting at $199

At the F8 event, Facebook announced that launch of  Oculus Go, the company’s first standalone headset in 23 countries, as expected. It was introduced back in October last year, has a lightweight design and comes with 1,000+ apps like Netflix, Hulu, SHOWTIME, CNN AR, games like Anshar Online, B-Team, Pet Lab, République VR and experiences like Jurassic World: BLUE, MelodyVR, Space Explorers. It has breathable fabrics, adjustable straps and the company says that it has best lenses yet. It is made by Xiaomi and is powered by Qualcomm. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yufoCTBbVic Highlights of Oculus Go 538ppi 2560 x 1440 WQHD, fast-switch LCD display and crystal-clear optics and Oculus' best lenses yet reduce the screen door effect and offer higher resolution than Oculus Rift Spatial audio drivers built into the headset directly that provides dramatic, immersive sound without the need for bulky or tangled headphones. Features a 3.5-mm audio jack Breathable fabrics, injection foam moulding and other advances in wearable materials allow Oculus Go to feel light and comfortable, even during extended periods of use. The soft and adjustable straps hold the headset gently, and securely, in place. Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 chip paired with its automatic Dynamic Throttling feature offers better energy efficiency, for smoother frame rates and a better overall experience. Controller ...

Apple reports $13.8 billion profit on $61.1 billion revenue in FY Q2 2018, 52.2 million iPhones sold

Apple has reported quarterly revenue of $61.1 billion, up 16% over last year with a record Q2 net profit of $13.8 billion, up 25.4% YoY in their earnings for the financial year Q2 2018 that ended March 31, 2018. During earnings call Tim Cook said that the growth was broad-based, with iPhone revenue up 14%, services up 31% and wearables up almost 50%. He said that the company grew in each of its geographic segments, and in Greater China and Japan, revenue was up more than 20%. Customers chose iPhone X more than any other iPhone each week in the March quarter, just as they did following its launch in the December quarter. "Since we split the line with the launch of iPhone 6 and 6 Plus in 2014, this is the first cycle in which the top of the line iPhone model has also been the most popular," said the CEO. Q2 was the company's best quarter ever for services with $9 billion revenue, up more than $2 billion over last year's March quarter. Apple also posted all-time record revenue from the App Store, from Apple Music, from iCloud, from Apple Pay and more. Across all its services, paid subscriptions surpassed 270 million, ...