| Bluetooth SIG releases certifications for fitness devices aimed at runners and cyclists Aug 28th 2012, 03:11  Fitness gadgets are great, but you never quite know what you're going to get when it comes to calorie counts, or a reading of how many miles you've run. That could change, though, thanks to a set of standards the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) is adopting with regard to fitness devices. These two certifications, which apply to running and cycling gadgets, respectively, affect the way data (e.g., cadence, speed, distance) is transmitted to paired devices like smartphones, sports watches and cycling computers. As far as SIG is concerned, too, more standardization means OEMs will have an easier time bringing new products to market -- not that there's any current shortage of options to choose from. Continue reading Bluetooth SIG releases certifications for fitness devices aimed at runners and cyclists Filed under: Wearables, Wireless Bluetooth SIG releases certifications for fitness devices aimed at runners and cyclists originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Aug 2012 23:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink  GigaOm | | Email this | Comments | | University of Victoria's Mano underwater robot to prowl Arctic waters for legendary ships Aug 28th 2012, 02:41  Canadians well-versed in their history are very aware of Sir John Franklin's ill-fated 1845 expedition to find the Northwest Passage: a British voyage that set out to establish a sailing route through the Arctic and ended with the untimely, mysterious deaths of its two ship crews. No human ever found the abandoned ships, which makes it all the more fitting that the next best shot at discovery might come through a just-launched autonomous underwater vehicle from the University of Victoria and Bluefin Robotics. Meet the Mano, a new sonar-toting robot that can produce detailed undersea maps all by its lonesome while keeping a steady altitude above the ocean floor. It can only operate for 12 hours at a time, which will keep humans in the area, but its ability to run untethered below storms and cold Arctic winds should dramatically expand the territory that researchers can cover during their share of a larger five- to six-week journey. There's no guarantee that the Mano will hit the jackpot, or find something recognizable even if it does. Still, any mapping should improve navigation for modern boats -- and hopefully prevent others from sharing Sir Franklin's fate. Filed under: Robots, Science, Alt University of Victoria's Mano underwater robot to prowl Arctic waters for legendary ships originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Aug 2012 22:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink |  CBC | Email this | Comments | | Samsung trademarks Ativ Tab and Ativ S names, may give a peek into its Windows (Phone) 8 world Aug 28th 2012, 02:07  Everyone knows that Samsung is making a big Windows 8 push at IFA, but there's new signs emerging that it might shake up its naming scheme in the process. We now know through SamMobile that Samsung has quietly snapped up a pair of trademarks with the Ativ badge that would let its branding venture beyond the Galaxy. Ativ Tab is the most conspicuous: unless Samsung is planning a shakeup of its Android slates, there's a distinct chance we're looking at the future name for one or more Windows 8 tablets. Ativ S is slightly more nebulous, although that very familiar oversized S raises the possibility of a high-end Windows Phone 8 smartphone like the Odyssey. Whether or not Samsung wields these trademarks later this week, or at all in the near future, is still up in the air -- it may be holding on to names as a precaution rather than previewing a course of action. If the Ativ label makes its way into stores, though, it may give Samsung a much catchier (if not entirely intuitive) name for its Windows devices than Series 5 Hybrid PC. Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets Samsung trademarks Ativ Tab and Ativ S names, may give a peek into its Windows (Phone) 8 world originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Aug 2012 22:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink SamMobile (Twitter) | Justia, Trademarkia | Email this | Comments | |
