We’ve caught glimpses of Google’s new image-rich bookmarks system for Chrome a couple of times in the past, and now it’s back with a new name, but not much in the way of new features. The extension formerly known as Google Stars is now simply (and blandly) listed on the Chrome Web Store as “Bookmark Manager.” It still grabs images from the page you starred to show in the manager tab, and it easily lets you choose the most appropriate folder for the website through the small window that pops up whenever you add a new bookmark to your list. This window also lets you sync the website you just starred with your Android bookmarks.
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London’s Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) has completed a 20-week study in a bid to more accurately predict whether specific gang members are likely to commit violence. The software, developed by Accenture, pulls data together from systems already used by the MPS and runs it through an analytics engine. It’s looking at geography, past offenses, associations with other criminal and even social media postings. An MPS spokesman told the BBC that the system would record and analyze threats or negative comments made by gang members on social media, for example.
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There are some smartwatches out there like Will.i.am’s Puls that can make voice calls without having to connect to a phone. But have you ever heard of an analog watch with the same capability? No? Well, now you will: the GPS-equipped Limmex emergency watch looks like a perfectly old-fashioned Swiss timepiece, except it has an emergency button you can press that calls preprogrammed contacts. You don’t even need to wear an earpiece to use it, as it comes with built-in mic and loudspeaker. In case you’ve saved more than one number to call during emergency, the device rings ‘em all up in sequence until someone picks up. Also, the watch automatically sends your contacts a text message with a link to a map that shows them where you are. The device is currently available in a handful of European countries with prices ranging from $570 to $950, though it sounds like the company plans to release it in other locations in the future.
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Many individual American movie theaters are already hostile to guests who use wearables like Google Glass, and they’ve now made that opposition official on a national level. Both the Motion Picture Association of America and the National Association of Theater Owners have instituted a “zero-tolerance” rule that bans recording-capable wearables during showings. While the policy doesn’t say exactly what qualifies, it’s clearly targeted at Glass and other headgear. It could technically include camera-equipped smartwatches like the Gear 2, although you probably won’t have to worry about stowing your timepiece.
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Google wants even third-party Android apps to be able to do searches using “Ok, Google” voice commands, so it’s now making it easier for developers to integrate the feature. Now, all devs have to do is add a few lines of code to their AndroidManifest.xml — they can even copy and paste those lines straight from the company’s post in the Android Developers Blog. After that, users can issue vocal commands to make a query (for instance: “Ok Google, search for hotels in Maldives on TripAdvisor”) from within the app. They can even do that from any screen on their phones, so long as they activate hot-word detection. Cool, right? Unfortunately, this feature also has limitations: it will only work for folks with phones running Jelly Bean and above, and only for those in English-speaking locales.
If you have dreams of recording your own aerial footage of a baseball game using a drone, you’ll want to put them on ice. The FAA has issued a warning to all pilots that they’ll be fined or imprisoned if they fly remote-controlled aircraft too close to large sports venues (specifically, within 3 miles and under 3,000 feet) during events. The heads-up is ultimately an extension of an existing no-fly notice, but it represents the first time that the FAA has explicitly outlined criminal penalties for flying drones in restricted airspace — it’s not just promising tougher rules. You probably won’t object to these particular guidelines if you like your sports distraction-free, but the notice suggests that other crackdowns might be coming soon.
[Image credit: Leon Halip/Getty Images]
At a briefing earlier today, Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata explained that the company was now developing a device to monitor sleep and levels of fatigue. However, it didn’t sound like it would be a wearable device — even though it’s the done thing. According to a Reuters report, the device would track you from your bedside and is currently being co-developed with Resmed. The US-based company typically makes products for people with sleep disorders. It will form part of its new healthcare division inside the gamesmaker, marking a return to wellness hardware: something it has already touched on, way back, with the Wii Fit board. For an idea of what it all could do, we’ve added a video from Resmed’s sleeping tech. Exactly how this will dovetail with our Tomodachi Life village remains to be seen.
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Xiaomi, the smartphone of choice in China, just had a really good few months selling phones. According to Strategy Analytics, it reckon the new phone maker is now the third largest smartphone maker in the world, trailing only Samsung and Apple. Its shipments have tripled in the space of a year, now up to 18 million in Q3 2014, while its share of the smartphone has also more than doubled, shifting from 2.1 to 5.6 percent. Those sales also make it the 5th largest phone manufacturer (including cheaper feature phones). While Samsung (24.7 percent) and Apple (12.3 percent) still dominate, LG’s recent good run, selling a record number of phones, has also moved it to fourth. Barring making it big in India, we’re looking to see what Xiaomi’s going to do next.
Lenovo seems to be coming full circle. After knocking our socks off with the original Yoga, a 13-inch Ultrabook whose screen could fold all the way back, the company followed up with a spinoff product called the Yoga Tablet. Today, the lineup includes both Android and Windows tablets, mostly in the 8- and 10-inch range. Now, though, Lenovo is blurring the lines: Its new 13-inch Yoga Tablet 2 is the same size as its ultraportable laptops, except it has a kickstand that folds out of the back, and the optional keyboard doesn’t attach to the device.
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It looks like the curtains have been raised early on Microsoft’s attempt to join the wearable game. Windows Central points out that sync apps have appeared in the Mac and Android app stores (update: and Microsoft’s), set to personalize and track data for your “Microsoft Band.” Rumors had pointed to a fitness tracker more than a watch that could debut within weeks, and judging by the apps that’s just what we’ll get. According to the Google Play, Windows Phone Store and iTunes listings, the device itself has more in common with Nike’s FuelBand than the what we’ve seen from Apple and Google so far. That includes tracking steps, heartbeat, calories burned and sleep quality. 9to5Mac linked a privacy agreement that goes into even deeper detail about what else it can do, namely display notifications from your mobile device or take notes and set reminders with Cortana.
Update: Microsoft confirmed that the Band will go on sale for $199 Thursday in its online and physical stores, to US customers only, in “limited quantities.” Designed by Quentin Morris (who also developed the Xbox One controller), it carries ten sensors onboard to measure things from heart rate to UV exposure to stress levels, and can last as much as 48 hours on a single charge. As indicated by the apps, it’s ready to work with whatever mobile platform you bring to the table, but with its built-in GPS, you can go running without a phone and still track your workout.
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