HERE ARE THE BEST OF
WHAT'S NEW for the year 2016
The United Nations of Mobile Networks, “Project Fi”
Google’s Project Fi, an experimental cellular network that
rolled out this past spring, fills in those connectivity gaps. Instead of
relying on one carrier’s towers, Project Fi connects to the strongest signal
from among T-Mobile, Sprint, US Cellular, and a number of international
partners. When the connection from one of Google’s 1 million trusted Wi-Fi
hotspots is stronger, the call, webpage,
or video stream—will go from cellular to Wi-Fi completely uninterrupted.
data-hungry consumers can try it out on one of the company’s
flagship Nexus and pixel phones.
An A.I. Bot for the Countertop, “Jibo”
Query-answering
virtual assistants are nothing new. (Right, Siri and Alexa?) But an A.I. that
can recognize who’s talking, swivel in response, and emote with humanlike
features is rare. Add on top of this the ability to take messages, video chat,
shoot family photos, and serve up calendar reminders, and you have Jibo.
Welcome to the era of the social robot.
Apps
On Your Keychain? “Pebble Core”
When
dashing out the door for a quick run or to grab some eggs, the Pebble Core,
announced in May, and launching in January, lets you leave your phone behind.
Equipped with cellular, GPS, 4 gigs of storage, and the ability to play Spotify
songs stored on the device, the 1.5-inch dongle keeps the essentials in tow.
Fire up Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant to hear the weather, get a news
briefing, or to summon an Uber or Lyft to whisk you away.
Unfortunately, the Pebble Core may never see the light of day.
FitBit recently acquired the maker of this product and doesn’t currently have
plans to bring it to market.
In-Ear MP3 Player, “Samsung
Gear Icon X”
Wireless,
heart-monitoring fitness earbuds are a completely self-contained music system.
Four gigabytes of onboard storage hold your workout playlist—go for a run
without your smartphone.
Portable 3D Scanning, “Eora 3D
“
DIYers
looking to copy parts have had a tough choice: Buy an expensive industrial
scanner or settle for a low-res scan of stitched-together photos. The Eora 3D
is a quality, compact scanner that connects a phone via Bluetooth. The
soda-can-size device uses a laser to capture 8 million depth readings, while
the phone’s camera takes over 1,000 images. Eora 3D’s app merges both into
formats compatible with CAD software and 3D printers.
Wi-Fi
For Huge Houses, “Securifi Almond 3”
Most
wireless routers struggle to deliver consistent, fast Wi-Fi to every corner of
our McMansions. The Almond 3 can blanket an entire 5,000-foot house with
powerful Wi-Fi. With one unit set up as a base and establishing the
network, two additional Almonds act as Wi-Fi extenders. The router also doubles
as a smart-home hub, communicating with connected devices like lights and
thermostats.
“Here
One”
The
world is a noisy place. And traffic, jackhammers, planes, and trains aren’t
only annoyances, they can also do real harm to your eardrums. The Here One
earbuds let listeners tune out the noise. Paired with a smartphone app, the
’buds allow users to raise or lower specific sounds from the environment around
them and better hear exactly what they want. Turn down the roar of the subway
and crank the Kanye to 11.