Ford, Toyota, and more form alliance to prevent Apple and Google from taking over the in-car experience
A report from Bloomberg today takes note that Ford and Toyota have joined forces with four other automakers and some electronics suppliers to form the SmartDeviceLink Consortium. The alliance has shared its main goal of creating more choice for connecting smartphones with vehicles, which in turn could create some friction with Apple, Google, and their visions for integrating and controlling the user interface inside of cars.
Filed under: Apple
Chamberlain is bringing Apple’s HomeKit to MyQ garage door openers this year
Chamberlain was one of the original companies committed to HomeKit when Apple introduced the smart home framework a few years ago, and this year Chamberlain is finally delivering with two new HomeKit-enabled products for its line of MyQ garage door openers. The first is an upcoming bridge hub that will work with HomeKit for future installations, and the second is a bridge that will upgrade current MyQ Garage installations to work with HomeKit.
Filed under: Apple
DJI intros new Osmo products for iPhone, iPad app for autonomous flights, ultra-bright monitor & more
Popular drone and accessory maker DJI is showing off some new and updated products this week at CES 2017, including a new GS Pro aerial mapping app for iPad, a special edition Phantom 4, and new handheld gimbal products for iPhone users as part of its Osmo line. Head below for all the details: more…
Filed under: Apple
LaCie upgrades Rugged portable & d2 desktop drives with USB-C, more capacity, faster speeds
With Apple having gone all-in on USB-C, it’s no surprise that third-party manufacturers are scrambling to meet demand for compatible accessories – but LaCie is no stranger to the new port. The company began offering USB-C drives back in 2015, recently announced drives using the same super-speed SSDs used in the new MacBook Pro and has today announced USB-C versions of two of its most popular drives …
Filed under: Apple
Elgato’s new Thunderbolt 3 Dock packs two TB3 ports, three USB 3.0 ports, more
Elgato debuts Eve Extend for expanding Bluetooth HomeKit range, new Eve Aqua wireless irrigation controller
Comment: OWC’s ‘DEC’ attachment highlights the portability progress Apple has made with the MacBook Pro
Amid protests from some professional users of the MacBook Pro that they need the ports Apple dropped from the 2016 models, OWC has announced a solution in the form of a tailor-made accessory called the DEC.
Attaching to the underside of the 2016 MacBook Pro, and said to exactly match both the footprint and the aluminum finish of the machine itself, the DEC adds 4TB of storage, an SD card slot, a Gigabit Ethernet port and an unspecified number of USB-A ports.
One thing really stands out about the DEC …
Filed under: Apple
Garmin’s latest in-car satnav units use iPhone connectivity for live traffic, parking & tracking
Garmin has announced new versions of its Garmin Drive range of in-car satellite navigation devices, using Bluetooth connectivity to an iPhone or Android phone to provide additional functionality. Most are available in a choice of 5- and 6.95-inch models, somewhat confusingly indicated by 51 and 61 suffixes.
The entry-level Garmin Drive 51/61 adds free real-time services, such as live traffic, for select models when wirelessly paired with a Bluetooth-enabled smartphone. After pairing to a smartphone, drivers can also enjoy live parking information from Parkopedia, the world’s leading parking service provider. Parkopedia conveniently provides pricing and availability trends for on-street public parking as drivers approach a destination. Other real-time services such as LiveTrack allow drivers to share their location with friends – a useful feature to track family members or loved ones during a road trip.
Three additional models add further functionality and design features …
Filed under: Apple
Apple Watch store-in-a-store in London’s Selfridges closes as Galeries Lafayette expected to follow suit
Upmarket London department store Selfridges has closed its Apple Watch store-within-a-store. The dedicated area was part of its Wonder Room, a room devoted to watches and jewellery and described by the store as ‘a unique destination that plays host to the world’s most desirable brands.’
Filed under: Apple
Earin introduces new M2 wireless earbuds with touch controls & same 3 hour battery life, higher $249 price
Totally wireless earbuds are expected to be one of the biggest trends at CES this week, thanks in large part Apple’s new AirPods and decision to ditch the headphone jack with the iPhone 7. The AirPods weren’t the first pair of completely wireless earbuds to hit the market, though. For instance, we reviewed the Earin M1 earbuds back in September and now, Earin has announced the Earin M2…
Filed under: Apple