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Poco M3 review: Less than the sum of its parts

(Pocket-lint) – The Poco M3 is all about affordability. By dangling that low-price carrot, along with surprisingly well-specified features, a read-through of its spec rundown certainly sounds appealing.

But is it truly appealing in practice? With stiff competition from established players, such as the Moto G series, there’s plenty more to consider if you’re looking for an outright purchase on a budget. Here’s our verdict after living with the Poco M3 as our main device.

Design & Display

Display: 6.53-inch LCD, Full HD+ resolution (1080 x 2340), 19.5:9 aspect ratio
Dimensions: 162.3 x 77.3 x 9.6mm / Weight: 198g
Finishes: Cool Blue, Poco Yellow, Power Black
Side-mounted fingerprint scanner

Poco (or Pocophone as it once was) is an off-shoot of Xiaomi, targeting affordability as its primary focus. As such you’re not going to get ultra-luxe, well, anything. But the balance of build to price found here is fair – ignoring the vibration motor, which is the poorest implementation (complete with accompanying irksome noise) that we’ve seen/heard for some time.

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The M3 certainly wants you to know its a Poco, too. The massive logo emblazoned across the rear camera unit tells you that. We’re not a fan of that look, but each to their own. The rest of the rear is coated in a textured plastic, which looks rather more like a case than it belonging to the phone – sometimes just because of the way lint gets stuck between the camera unit and the main body.

As for the phone itself, it’s fairly large, in part down to the huge battery (it’s a 6,000mAh capacity) tucked away within, in part down to the large-scale display choice. A 6.53-inch panel might not read that massive these days, but it’s actually a smidge wider than you’ll find on many a flagship (the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra being one such example).

But it’s the screen specification where things get rather interesting. For it offers a Full HD+ resolution. And this is a phone that’s on sale for sub-£/€150. That’s rather unusual, because the Moto G9 Power, as one obvious competitive example, has nothing like that degree of resolution.

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Which sets the M3’s screen in pretty good stead. If the software wasn’t so keen to keep it dimmed so frequently then it’d be a solid panel on which to do your day-to-day tasks. The notch isn’t too distracting. Available brightness is more than good enough, once manually adjusted. And the degree of colour from an LCD panel does a fair job too.

Sadly, however, the touch-response of this panel is really poor. Especially towards the edges. It’s often failed to recognise very purposeful touches, which makes interacting and typing frequently just irritating.

Performance & Battery

Qualcomm Snapdragon 662 processor, 4GB RAM
64/128GB storage, microSD expansion, dual SIM
MIUI 12.0.5 software (over Google Android 10)
6,000mAh battery capacity, 18W charging

Even the specification, in context of this price point, reads pretty well. But, somehow, despite 4GB RAM and a Qualcomm Snapdragon 662 processor, there’s just a certain lack of cohesion in use.

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Which, we suspect, is down to the MIUI software. We’ve already pointed out the excessive auto-dimming. The user interface is also sluggish to respond, hesitating sometimes to the point that we’ve tried hitting the same close button three times over. The poor screen touch-response could compound that, too, of course.

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At this price point you really need to have a bar of expectation in what you’d like a phone to do. Because while the Poco M3 can certainly run games and apps without too much a bother, it can’t necessarily run them that well. Take our go-to favourtie, South Park: Phone Destroyer, and while it’ll load up fine, there are often stutters in animation and everything feels laggy and slow to the point that it’s taxing to play.

Sure, this is a budget phone, so it’s not going to be a gaming mecca. But with this kind of processor on board – which we’ve seen elsewhere, such as, again, in the Moto G9 Power – we’d actually expect better. Something just isn’t quite communicating quite correctly between hardware and software, delivering a user experience that’s below par.

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But without an ultra-powerful processor, the power drain is rather efficient – again, in part, down to software – and as there’s a massive 6,000mAh cell inside the M3 lasts and lasts. And then some.

If you’re looking for longevity then there’s no fear of this phone powering through a couple of days – we’d achieved over 24 hours with over 50 per cent battery remaining (partly due to being averse to wanting to game or use the device as much we might a more capable device).

As an “office in your pocket”, for calls and emails, then, the Poco M3 will last out for an age and is worthy of consideration on that front alone. So long as you can tinker with the software sufficiently – because there are various irks from the MIUI (v12.0.5) software that you’ll need to dig into various menus to tweak to your liking.

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It’s the software that’s holding things back in our view. There are battery saver per-app limitations, permissions limitations arranged in various parts of the settings that need attention, and so forth. It’s a maze to find and open things up, and even when you think you’ve got everything sussed there might be a delay in notifications from certain apps.

Just as we’ve said of so many MIUI devices in recent months, it’s the biggest hurdle that’s often holding back potential (especially in Xiaomi’s Mi 11 flagship). And with Poco Launcher here, there are additional bothers, such as the system-wide dark mode often making fields illegible by hiding them away.

Cameras

Triple rear cameras:
- Main: 48-megapixel, 0.8µm pixel size, f/1.8 aperture
  
  Macro: 2MP, f/2.4 / Depth: 2MP, f/2.4
Front-facing selfie camera:
- 8-megapixel, 1.12µm pixel size, f/2.1 aperture

Ignore the massive Poco emblazoned on the rear and your eyes will no doubt be drawn to the trio of lenses available. “Ohh, a triple camera,” we hear you say. Not so much, however, as the depth sensor and macro sensor are effectively pointless – the macro doesn’t have any way to activate it that we can see, while the depth sensor (utilised in Portrait mode) just isn’t necessary at all. It’s a classic case of overselling the cameras because “more equals better”.

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With that said, however, the main camera unit isn’t too shabby. So think of it as a budget phone with one simple camera – no ultra-wide, no optical zoom – and it does the job well enough.

That main sensor is 48-megapixels, but using a four-in-one processing methodology means the M3 produces 12-megapixel results by default. Such images are still large in scale, and as so much data has been drawn in to process there’s ample detail.

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However, the camera app is a little slow, navigating the features is over-complex, and the focus in shots wasn’t always on point in our testing – there’s no optical image stabilisation or other such fancy features here to help out.

Verdict

In terms of specification the Poco M3 seems unrivalled for a phone at this price point. Impressive features such as a Full HD+ screen and massive 6,000mAh battery lead its charge.

But somewhere along the line there’s a breakdown in communication. For the decent spec may read well, but it doesn’t function quite well enough. Software irks, poor touch-response from the screen, stutters in both interface and apps, mean it doesn’t add up to be the dream budget experience.

If all you want is an outright affordable purchase for calls and emails then the Poco M3 will last an age and could serve you well. But the quality of even lesser-specified devices out there for a similar price – which run even better – simply means it’s not one to recommend.

Also consider

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Moto G9 Power

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There’s less resolution, but a far more fluid user experience is what makes this Moto the obvious choice. It’s a little bit pricier as a result, but worth pulling together that little bit of extra cash for the sake of usability.

Read our review

Writing by Mike Lowe.

Moon 680D

Our Verdict

Moon’s 680D network streamer couples refined sound quality and fine build with a generous features set

For

Refined, well-imaged presentation
Articulate and fluid midrange
Fine build and finish

Against

Needs more sonic punch
Bluetooth not aptX HD

If you’re the kind of person who judges hi-fi by its specifications, high-end network streamers present quite a problem. On paper, there’s usually little to separate them from those available at a fraction of their price. The mass-produced budget offerings often lead the way in cutting edge technology, thanks to economies of scale and the sheer buying power of the larger companies that invariably make them.

In order for smaller brands such as Moon to compete successfully, they have to look upmarket to price points where obsessive attention to engineering detail is valued and sound quality takes absolute priority.

Don’t take that to mean that this Moon 680D streamer is in any way a stripped-out purist affair. Music streamers from the likes of Linn and Naim have shown that it’s possible to have an extensive features set and still deliver great sound, and this Moon simply reinforces that.

Features

(Image credit: Moon)

You’ll find no shortage of connectivity here. There’s an impressive array of digital inputs taking in USB, AES/EBU, optical, and coax in both RCA and BNC forms. There are nine inputs in total, though number eight is reserved for the built-in streaming module and input nine is for aptX Bluetooth (though we would have hoped for aptX HD in a newly released product at this level).

Moon 680D tech specs

(Image credit: Moon)

AirPlay 2 Yes

Roon ready Yes

Inputs USB, AES/EBU, SPDIF, optical, ethernet, wi-fi, aptX Bluetooth

Frequency response 2Hz – 100kHz

Dimensions (hwd) 10 x 48 x 43cm

Weight 18kg

While Bluetooth invariably falls short of the hard-wired inputs in terms of performance, we’re still happy that Moon has chosen to include it. Such an input makes the 680D a more inclusive device, allowing a quick listen from a friend’s phone or to provide better sound reproduction from a YouTube video.

You can connect the 680D to your home network wirelessly, but we would recommend taking the wired ethernet route – not that there’s anything innately wrong with Moon’s wireless implementation, more that the cable approach is always the most stable way to go.

The analogue outputs are the usual sets of single-ended RCAs and balanced XLRs. In our set-up, which includes a Burmester 088/911 Mk3 amplifier, paired either to the ATC SCM50 or Wilson Benesch Precision P2.0 speakers, the Moon’s balanced outputs sound bolder and more dynamic. We use the Naim ND555/555PS DR music streamer as our digital source with an Apple MacBook Pro (loaded with Audirvana music-playing software and plenty of hi-res music) providing the USB signal and general back up.

Build

(Image credit: Moon)

Look inside the 680D and it’s hard not to be pleased by the build quality on offer. We’re impressed with the care taken over the circuit layout and power supply arrangement. The 680D uses Moon’s MHP (Moon Hybrid Power) power supply module, as used in the company’s even pricier, reference products.

The MHP module mixes both traditional linear and switch mode technologies to deliver a stable, low-noise and power-efficient energy feed to the signal circuitry. The digital and analogue sections are powered by separate outputs from the supply to avoid unwanted interactions and optimise performance.

Those wishing to boost performance further can add an outboard power supply unit in the form of Moon’s 820S, which at £7200 ($8000, AU$14,000) is a pricey upgrade and would almost double your outlay. We don’t have one on hand for our review, but we can’t help thinking that most potential buyers will think that a jump too far. That said, our experiences with Naim, Nagra and others have shown that such power supply upgrades invariably improve sound quality dramatically.

Each of the nine digital inputs feed into an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) that identifies the file type – whether that’s PCM, DSD or MQA – and re-clocks the signal accordingly. We have no complaints regarding the Moon’s file compatibility, which is up to 32-bit/384kHz PCM and DSD256 files and should, therefore, cover pretty much everyone’s music file collection.

The digital heart of the 680D is based around ESS Sabre’s ES9028PRO DAC chipset. The chip packs no fewer than eight DAC chips, configured so that four combine to create the signal for each channel. The output of each chip is carefully calibrated so that none of them are set to work at the same level. Doing this is claimed to reduce the effect of any distortion that may be common at any specific output level.

Great care has been taken with the digital clocking system, too. It is carefully positioned to minimise jitter effects and has a dedicated precision voltage regulator to ensure a stable power feed. Once the digital music stream is converted to analogue, it passes through a fully balanced output stage that, as expected, is packed with high-grade components.

Sound

(Image credit: Moon)

The Moon 680D sounds pretty good from cold but improves considerably over a few weeks of use. Given time, it becomes clearer and more transparent, gaining an appreciable amount of openness in the process.

We start with the digital inputs, which prove remarkably consistent. In our experience, many high-end companies struggle to make their USB inputs sound as good as the others. We suspect that has something to do with the fact that the USB receiver module tends to be a ready-made unit bought from third-party suppliers that may not match up to the standards of the rest of the DAC circuitry. We’re pleased to report that Moon avoids any such issues.

Regardless of the input chosen, the sonic signature is familiar enough. The company’s products have always been smooth and refined performers and this one is no different. It’s a friendly and accommodating balance – one that isn’t easily provoked by bright or aggressive recordings.

That doesn’t mean the 680D isn’t revealing – this is a wonderfully detailed-sounding product – but rather that its easy-going nature means it doesn’t tend to get ruffled easily. We play Hans Zimmer’s The Dark Knight Rises OST (24-bit/192kHz) and the Moon delivers a large-scale and sumptuous sound.

There’s also a trace of extra warmth to the sound compared with hard-line neutral alternatives, such as the pricier dCS Bartók. That warmth isn’t overdone; it simply adds an attractive bloom to the sound, making it less demanding to listen to over longer listening sessions.

Instrumental textures come through convincingly and it’s easy enough to follow subtle musical strands in the dense production. We’re pleased with the Moon’s composure when pushed hard, as well as its ability to organise all that information into a cohesive and musical whole.

It’s rare to hear a network streamer render such an expansive and layered soundstage while populating it with such tightly focused instruments. Everything stays stable even when the music becomes busy – which, as you’ll know if you’ve heard this recording, is saying something, as Zimmer doesn’t hold back on his trademark bombast.

(Image credit: Moon)

But here, the Moon starts to split opinion. While loving its civilised approach to music making, we can’t help but wish for more muscularity when it comes to expressing dynamic contrasts and punching out crescendos. It’s not that the Moon can’t do these things, more that it sounds a little restrained while doing them.

Restraint is something that shouldn’t suit Kanye West’s Yeezus, yet the Moon’s agility and articulation make listening to this album a pleasure. Sure, a little more directness and rhythmic drive would be nice, but there’s no denying that the Moon can entertain. It conveys the attitude of the music well and there’s never any doubt as to what West wants the listener to feel.

We switch to the onboard streaming module and find it to be a slick performer. There’s a dedicated app, and it works well. Moon has been making streaming products for a number of years now and that experience tells in the consistency and stability of operation.

Over our test period, everything operates as it should, without issue. Alongside the ability to stream music files from a NAS drive on your network, the app also provides access to Tidal Masters, Qobuz Sublime+ and Deezer Hi-Fi. The 680D is AirPlay 2 and Roon-ready too. There really is little to complain about on the features front here.

Sonically, the balance matches what we hear through the digital inputs. There’s the same grace under duress and the kind of sophisticated and cultured delivery that works well across a range of recordings and genres. It’s an engaging listen, though given the expectations of the price point we still have questions over its dynamic punch and ability to communicate the momentum in a piece of music. These shortcomings are more obvious here than when using other digital sources (bar through Bluetooth, of course).

Verdict

The streaming module is essentially the same as that used in the company’s Mind 2 network streamer, which is available for £1950 ($1950, AU$3199) and looks like a good performer for the money. Whether it’s a good enough source to make the most of such an ambitious DAC design is open to question.

Regardless, there’s no denying that the 680D remains a strong performer overall. It’s slick in use, nicely made and built with care. We have no complaints about file compatibility, and we’re huge fans of its refined and articulate sonic nature. At the very least it deserves a place on the shortlist.

SCORES

Sound 4
Features 5
Build 5

MORE:

Read our guide to the best music streamers

Here’s how to add a streamer to your hi-fi system

Read our dCS Bartók review

Microsoft’s new Office app now available on iPad

Microsoft has updated its unified Office mobile app to work on Apple’s iPad devices. The new Office app combines Word, Excel, and PowerPoint into a single application, and originally launched for iOS and Android back in 2019. Microsoft has been gradually improving it ever since, but it always ran in a windowed mode instead of a fully optimized iPad app.

This new update means Office is now a full iPadOS app, with access to all of the regular tablet variants of Microsoft’s productivity suite. The app also bundles in some useful tools designed primarily for mobile tasks. These include the ability to quickly create PDFs or sign documents, converting images to text and tables, and more quick actions.

Microsoft has been simplifying its mobile Office offerings into this single app, but standalone apps for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint are still available and updated regularly. While it took a while for the main Office app to be iPad-friendly, Microsoft has added many iPad-specific features to its Office apps, including mouse and trackpad support recently.

Revel introduces a $99-a-month e-bike subscription for NYC residents

Electric moped rental company Revel is expanding its product lineup to include monthly e-bike subscriptions for residents of New York City. It’s the latest company to try to capitalize on the e-bike boom by shifting to a Netflix or Spotify subscription model for transportation.

For $99 a month, interested customers can get a stylish electric bike manufactured by NYC-based e-bike company Wing delivered straight to their door. The price also includes complimentary maintenance, including flat tires fixes, loose chains repairs, or brake upkeep. Service requests can be submitted via Revel’s smartphone app, and Revel says a repair technician will respond within 24 hours. The company will also supply a bike lock and educational material to help subscribers navigate New York City’s less-than-bike-friendly streets.

In an interview, Revel CEO Frank Reig said he watched his fellow New Yorkers embrace cycling in much greater numbers during the early months of the pandemic, and was determined to meet that demand with a product of his own.

“We’ve been listening to our users to understand what they want and what they need,” Reig said, “and being ready to deliver a vehicle at a time when it couldn’t be more needed for a city like New York.”

It’s an interesting move from Revel, the shared electric scooter company that has been operating in New York City since 2018. But it’s also very much in line with where things are headed for micromobility companies that survived the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Scooter company Lime recently added electric mopeds to its lineup, as well as e-bikes after acquiring Uber’s bike-share company Jump. Bird also dabbled with electric bikes and mopeds before deciding to stick with scooters.

With e-bikes typically costing between $1,400 and $3,000, subscriptions are seen as a more affordable alternative to personal ownership. The founders of SoundCloud recently launched an e-bike subscription service in Germany called Dance. Swapfiets is another service that is well-established in some European markets. The Dutch company just recently added e-bikes to its roster of products and launched in Berlin in July. And in the US, Bird and Lime have been experimenting with subscriptions for its electric scooters, with mixed results. Another company, Unagi, offers its electric scooters for $39-a-month in some US cities.

Subscriptions have been a mixed bag for the auto industry. Ford walked away from its service last fall following low demand. Cadillac shut down its service, Book, in 2018, only to resurrect it several months later with fewer options. BMW recently discontinued its $2,000-a-month Access by BMW service.

Revel’s in the shared moped business; why not something similar for e-bikes? Asked whether Citi Bike’s exclusive contract with the city of New York meant Revel couldn’t have launched a shared e-bike service, Reig said Revel wanted to avoid blocking the sidewalks like most scooter companies. “We don’t want to be on the sidewalk,” he said.

It’s also Revel’s latest effort to grow beyond mopeds. The company recently announced plans to building a DC fast-charging station for electric vehicles in New York City, where it is based. Revel first launched its shared moped service in Brooklyn in 2018, eventually expanding in Manhattan and Queens. And it has been growing ever since landing a $27.6 million investment from a group of backers including Ibex Investors, Toyota AI Ventures, Blue Collective, Launch Capital, and Maniv Mobility.

Now the company is ready to branch out into a new mode of electrified transportation, though not too divergent from its fleet of battery-powered mopeds. Wing has been making and selling e-bikes since 2018, when it first released its stylish, VanMoof-looking Freedom model. Its latest models, the Freedom 2 and Freedom X, are cleaner versions of that original bike.

The Freedom 2 includes an integrated 36-volt battery and a 550W Bafang hub motor. It has a top speed of 20 mph and a range 60 miles, depending on which power setting you’re in. The Freedom X includes the same parts, as well as a hidden digital display and torque sensors that regulate the motor based on how hard you’re pushing the pedals.

Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge

Seth Miller founded Wing after his first e-bike was stolen from in front of his office building. The company that manufactured the bike had disbanded, so he started researching different suppliers. He soon discovered that a majority of the e-bikes sold in the US are just cobbled together from a variety of off-the-shelf Chinese-made parts found in a catalog. It sounded simple, so Miller figured he’d try it himself. (The Verge reviewed the original Freedom in 2019 and found it to be a stylish and affordable ride.)

“We couldn’t be more excited to partner with a fellow NYC company that shares our vision for modernizing and electrifying urban transportation in an environmentally friendly way,” Miller told The Verge. “Simply put, New York is better with bikes.”

Mopeds are arguably a faster way to get around than e-bikes, but they can also be more dangerous, especially for novice riders. Revel was forced to temporarily shut down its service in New York City last year after two customers were killed and one was critically injured while riding the shared electric mopeds. The company eventually resumed service with new protective measures for riders like a mandatory in-app safety test and a requirement that all riders take a selfie of themselves wearing a helmet before they’ll be allowed to ride.

Revel is also partnering with helmet company Fend to offer a discount on its foldable bike helmets. The e-bike subscription service will be called Coast by Revel and interested customers can joining a waitlist, after which Revel will start delivering bikes starting in March.

Here’s a first look at Microsoft’s xCloud for the web

Microsoft has started testing its xCloud game streaming through a web browser. Sources familiar with Microsoft’s Xbox plans tell The Verge that employees are now testing a web version of xCloud ahead of a public preview. The service allows Xbox players to access their games through a browser, and opens up xCloud to work on devices like iPhones and iPads.

Much like how xCloud currently works on Android tablets and phones, the web version includes a simple launcher with recommendations for games, the ability to resume recently played titles, and access to all the cloud games available through Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. Once you launch a game it will run fullscreen, and you’ll need a controller to play Xbox games streamed through the browser.

Microsoft’s xCloud service on the web.

It’s not immediately clear what resolution Microsoft is streaming games at through this web version. The software maker is using Xbox One S server blades for its existing xCloud infrastructure, so full 4K streaming won’t be supported until the backend hardware is upgraded to Xbox Series X components this year.

Microsoft is planning to bundle this web version of xCloud into the PC version of the Xbox app on Windows 10, too. The web version appears to be currently limited to Chromium browsers like Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge, much like Google’s Stadia service. Microsoft is planning some form of public preview of xCloud via the web in the spring, and this wider internal testing signals that the preview is getting very close.

The big drive behind this web version is support for iOS and iPadOS hardware. Apple imposes limitations on iOS apps and cloud services, and Microsoft wasn’t able to support the iPhone and iPad when it launched xCloud in beta for Android last year. Apple said Microsoft would need to submit individual games for review, a process that Microsoft labeled a “bad experience for customers.”

Best gym timers 2021: Clock your interval sessions the easy way

(Pocket-lint) – Performing intervals during workouts are grueling enough without worrying about counting yourself up or down, which is why dedicated gym timers are an essential item for home gyms.

Having a clock on your wall provide time alerts can really help you focus on blasting out those final few reps, with most modern wall options able to be programmed for your specific session through remote control or a smartphone app.

If you prefer to keep things old-school, there are also more classic stopwatch-style or even sand timers to explore, too. Really, it’s all about what your setup requires and what fits your budget.

So, in order to help you level up and do away with the timer app on your phone, we’ve compiled some of the very best gym timers to center your workouts around. Time to explore.

Best gym timers you can buy today

Synergee

Synergee Interval Gym Timer

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Synergee’s wall-mounted gym timer is one of many LED, rectangular options you’ll discover when perusing this area, but it’s important to know that some are more functional than others.

Thankfully, this is a great option to consider for those who need the ability to tweak for HIIT and EMOM workouts. With the included remote, users can customize the number of intervals and the time of each round down to the second, with reminders and counting up or down also available.

For what it’s worth, it’s also a very clear display – and the unit itself is available in a number of different sizes, making it easy to match to your space.

GymNext

GymNext Flex Timer

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GymNext’s Flex Timer is the option to zero in on if you want to easily control your device from a smartphone or tablet.

The 2.3-inch display offers a really clear look at the timer function you’ve set, and you can even sync it up with your music and have the external speakers fade towards the end of each round.

Naturally, those speakers can also give you a buzz at the end of each interval, with the format for your sessions able to saved through the app.

Gymboss

Gymboss Interval Timer and Stopwatch

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If you’re less interested in mounting something to your wall, this tiny Gymboss timer is a great alternative.

Able to keep track of intervals ranging between 2 seconds and 99 minutes, and repeat up to 99 in total, there’s no compromise in timer functionality here.

Really, this is the pick for those who like to have the time clipped onto their waist as they work out. With chimes and vibrations able to bet set for countdowns, as well as a stopwatch and clock view, it’s simple but does everything most users need.

BTBSIGN

BTBSIGN LED Gym Timer

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For those who want a medium-sized timer for their home gym, BTBSIGN’s pick is a great option to consider.

The 10.98 x 3.58 x 1.61-inch unit is able to give you 12-hour or 24-hour time, count-ups or countdowns and custom intervals that you can easily return to. Plus, the remote even has pre-programmed options for Tabata and FGB CrossFit workouts.

Like all good timers, you can receive buzzes and beeps to signal new intervals or countdowns, too.

Seesii

Seesii Interval Timer

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Seesii’s gym timer is another that won’t take up an entire wall, making it a neat wall-mounted option for home gyms.

The overall dimensions rest at 11 x 4 x 1.5-inches, with plenty of the typical functionality you would expect from a gym timer. Through the remote, users can set custom intervals, set countdown or count-up times or have it act as a stopwatch. Up to 10 pre-set interval sessions can be saved, too, meaning you won’t have to go through setup every time.

What’s more, for those who want to train outside, hooking up a power bank via the USB slot will allow you to time yourself in the great outdoors.

Seiko

Seiko QHL062Y

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If you require a tiny gym timer with a bit of character, look no further than Seiko’s QHL062Y – modeled on the brand’s iconic clocks that sit on the edge of the running track.

Instead of logging you smashing world records, this dinky timer can instead be used to provide a stopwatch or countdown timer during your workouts.

We wouldn’t say it’s the most advanced option on this list, but it’s certainly got the most retro charm – and it’s a really great pick for casual use.

Comsmart

Comsmart Sand Timer

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There are undoubtedly more advanced options on this list, but, sometimes, the old ways are still the best for some.

So, if you’re the type to record your personal bests and reps with a notebook and pen, you might also enjoy timing your intervals with sand.

There are six pieces in this affordable and old-school set – giving you options for countdowns of one minute, three minutes, five minutes, 10 minutes, 15 minutes or a half-hour.

Writing by Conor Allison. Editing by Dan Grabham.

Jaguar i-Pace review: The all-electric SUV king

(Pocket-lint) – It was back in 2018 when Jaguar debuted its great future hope – the i-Pace all-electric SUV. As the first of the mainstream premium brands to take the fight to Tesla – specifically as an alternative to the Model X – Jag didn’t just hobble into the fight, it came swinging the punches.

The market has evolved rapidly in the three years that have followed – from the Audi e-tron and Mercedes EQC to the Ford Mustang Mach-E – and is now a hotbed of mid-size premium electric SUV options.

Which is all rather exciting, but it adds to Jag’s pressures. However, with its subtle i-Pace refresh (we’re driving the early 2021 plate here), there’s improved charging, improved tech, and the winning formula that kicked off the series is only stronger. Does it remain the king among premium mid-size all-electric SUVs?

Feast on some tech specs

First up, it’s worth a quick run through the spec sheet. The i-Pace is a full electric vehicle (EV) – there’s no supplementary petrol motor here, it’s all batteries. It comes with a 90kWh rating – whichever spec of trim you choose – that provides a range of up to 290 miles per charge (that’s the WTLP official figure).

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The i-Pace’s batteries feed all four wheels through a pair of electric motors, one on each axle, which produce a total of 400 horsepower and 696 Newton-meters of torque. It’ll cover the benchmark 0-60mph sprint in 4.5 seconds. Which tells you Jaguar isn’t messing around – although the updated Tesla Model X is quicker off the mark, at 3.8 seconds – made all the more impressive considering it weighs 2.1 tonnes.

A bit of an animal

So what’s the i Pace like to drive in the real world? In a word: brilliant. It’s fast, exceptionally smooth, easy to drive and highly responsive.

Pocket-lint

Press the ignition button and it all starts with silence. That’s unnerving at first – although it’s increasingly becoming the norm, for those who’ve tried out plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) or electric vehicles (EVs) – but you’ll soon get used to zipping along without the roar of a petrol or diesel motor.

We don’t think you’ll miss the thrum or the rise and fall of revs as much as you might think either. The car still makes some electrical noise – to the extent that horses really don’t like it, as we unfortunately found out on country roads when one was sent into a Chun-Li-style spinning bird kick – and if you hit the Dynamic button it’ll make some fake engine noise – which, frankly, we firmly dislike. Embrace the electric noise (unless you’re a horse), eh?

With strong aero credentials, the i-Pace is quiet at speed. Road and wind roar are particularly well suppressed – some debris can kick up into the chassis and make excess sound though – and the aura it creates in the cabin is every bit worthy of a Jaguar. It feels rarefied and graceful on the move.

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But it can also be a bit of an animal. Acceleration is savage. Is 0-60mpg in 4.5 seconds classed as fast, any more, when various hot hatches can run these types of figures? It is when there are two electric motors producing full torque from 0rpm, meaning the i-Pace absolutely hurls itself off the line from a dead stop. And then just keeps on going.

Take the big wheels to the race track

Helping the sporty feel is the keen and responsive steering, a body behaving as though it weighs nowhere near 2.1 tonnes, and a firm but comfortable ride. Our test i-Pace launch came with 19-inch wheels, but step up in the range and it’s all 20-inch – nice for the sake of the looks, but likely add a little firmness to the ride.

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Like other EVs, Jaguar has set-up the i-Pace braking system to help you harvest as much energy as you can, through regenerative braking. Rather than applying pad to disc and creating waste heat, energy is recovered and turned into energy for the battery.

This means that if you look far down the road while driving, and think ahead, you start to find you don’t really need to use the brake pedal much at all. Simply lift off the accelerator and the i-Pace slows down. There’s a ‘crawl’ option within the settings, which you can switch off, to help enable this one-pedal driving style even more.

It can take a little getting used to, especially for the uninitiated. But it tastes like the future – and is something the Polestar 2, as one example, does far more aggressively still. Should you really not like the sensation then you can delve into the setup menu and turn off the heavy regeneration mode. But, seriously, don’t do that.

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Overall, the i-Pace drives like a true Jaguar, with the odd hint of Land Rover and BMW thrown in. It’s a deeply appealing drive.

A clean sheet of paper – something special

The i-Pace design is clever and intriguing. It speaks a subtle SUV language, with a slightly raised driving position, yet it’s not too bulky. It has Jaguar cues – the grille, the lamps, the way that details are handled – yet it takes the brand in a very new and ultimately positive direction.

That cab-forward proportion is very new. The chopped-off tail – a product of aerodynamic requirements – with its square edges and cut-back section, is different too. There are several neat details, such as the inner grille which rolls into the section of the car and becomes a scoop through which air is channelled up the bonnet and right over the roof. Oh, and those Velar-derived door handles, which shuttle out to greet you when you unlock the car, are very cool too.

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Step inside, and for what’s not a huge car, there’s plenty of space both front and back. There’s a floating lower centre console that’s complete with a fantastic pair of jewel-like climate control knobs. You use these for cabin temperature, fan speed and seat heating (and cooling, if you have it specified).

Hallelujah for some physical dial controls, eh? We prefer that over all functions being buried deep within a touchscreen menu (yes, we are talking about you, Tesla Model 3). Having everything touchscreen might sound more futuristic, but it’s not always the best approach when eye-on-the-road driving should come first. Besides, Jag’s updated tech in the 2021 i-Pace is rather accomplished.

Step inside Pandora’s box

Around all this tech, there’s useful and well-thought design and storage for real-life use. Six USB ports, five 12V sockets, a slot at the base of the console for your phone, a 10-litre centre bin, and slots underneath the rear seat for stashing and hiding things like tablets and laptops.

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The front seats are thin (the backs are from an F-Type) but comfortable and figure-hugging. The rears will take three people at a pinch, and despite the roofline there’s headspace for people who are over six-foot tall. The seat is set low, though, so despite decent legroom your under-thigh support in the back seat is quite compromised.

Gear selection is controlled by push buttons on the centre console, the indicators and wipers are conventional, while the updated screens of the Pivi Pro infotainment system – a 12.3-inch high-definition virtual instrument cluster, along with 10-inch and 5-inch upper and lower touchscreens – make for an easy-to-use and familiar system.

Moar tech

However, as with most EVs, there’s much more on offer in the i-Pace to help you optimise for its electrifications. You get a smartphone app for remote control – preheating, locking, starting charging, and so forth.

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On-board assist technology is as you’d expect. Autonomous city braking, lane departure warning, 360-degree parking cameras and self-parking – that kind of thing. And the i-Pace has queue assist, allowing the car to steer itself as well as accelerate/brake in a traffic jam.

But Jaguar has added a few, critical and well-judged EV-specific elements into the in-car interface. A power/charge swing-o-meter in the instrument cluster replaces the rev counter of petrol cars, so you can see when recovering energy. And a ‘My EV’ menu in the centre display features a lovely hologram of an i-Pace to show its charge status and range.

There’s also an economy guidance chart (entitled Energy Impact) that shows the impact of various systems – heated seats and aircon, for example – impacting the potential range. It talks to the navigation system, too, as to predict as accurately as possible you how much charge you’ll have at your destination, and where you need to charge.

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In its new-fangled updated form, there’s also now Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration – believe it or not this lacked back in 2018 – and it’s integrated really well. It doesn’t need to take over the whole interface, which is refreshing – a bit like it does in the Ford Mustang Mach-E – and gives you a best-of-both worlds feel for your personal phone-based setup and those aforementioned economic visual cues.

Range… anxiety?

All i-Pace trim levels have the same battery pack, pair of electric motors (giving it four-wheel drive), and the same charging system. So whichever version you choose, your experience of this will be the same. The quoted range of 290 miles is based on the European standard WLTP drive cycle.

What does that mean in reality if you go out and buy one? Well, we lived with the i-Pace for a full week, where it started at 96 per cent charge with 690 miles on the clock, and finished up at 840 miles with 22 per cent charge remaining. That, with a quick bit of maths, is 150 miles achieved with a spare 50 miles or so in the ‘tank’ – so around 35 fewer than the on-board computer’s expected 235 miles.

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But, realistically speaking, you can drive the i-Pace in whichever manner you please – half of our drive time was smashing it around motorways and not thinking economically – and still easily hit beyond the 200 miles mark no problem.

Be a little more delicate and 240 won’t be a bother. The 290 quote, however, we think is only really going to be achieved in Eco mode, with no air conditioning, not smashing the throttle, and probably only in the warmer summer months.

Jaguar is quick to point out that over each 300 mile cycle the car learns not only how you drive but where and in what conditions it’s being driven, to build up a much more accurate range prediction. It’s always adjusting, to give a best possible figure in front of your eyes – which is great.

Charging

A full charge at home, if you install a 11kW wallbox charger, is accomplished in 8 hours and 36 minutes – which is a 4 hour improvement over the 12 hours and 36 minutes of the older 7kW charger from the 2018 model.

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Meanwhile, out in the world of faster public charging points, a 50kW fast charger can provide an 80 percent battery charge in 85 minutes. While the Motorway Rapid (100kW) chargers can manage 80 percent in 40 minutes. Which really starts to make very long journeys in the i-Pace a viable proposition.

Will Carling talks rugby tech, Audi e-tron GT, and more – Pocket-lint Podcast 90

By Rik Henderson
·
15 February 2021

Pity that, unlike Tesla, Jag doesn’t have a network of Superchargers it can guide you to when the time does come to charge. That’s just about the only downside of the i-Pace compared to the competition.

Verdict

The Jaguar i-Pace was the first mid-size all-electric SUV from an established premium automaker. In 2018 we called it a triumph. And that sentiment hasn’t changed – indeed, it’s only gotten better.

It’s a joy to drive, presents an arresting and appealing design, all while employing logical, helpful technology – including Apple CarPlay/Android Auto that’s integrated in a really wonderful way.

It does all this without resorting to show-off doors or jaw-dropping huge screens. The i-Pace is clearly not a product of Silicon Valley’s move-fast-and-break-things approach to innovation, either.

The i-Pace’s feels like an aspirational car for regular people. And that, among other things, is what makes it a true Jaguar. It’s not techy for tech’s sake. Or elitist. Yes, at a starting price of £64k it might not be the car to bring electric mobility to the masses – but of the similar-price rivals from Audi, Mercedes and Tesla, it’s a winning formula.

Also consider

Tesla Model X

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The Tesla is bigger, bulkier, and more expensive. But if you’re considering an i-Pace it’ll probably be on your radar. The Tesla can do faster and brings greater drama than the Jag – the falcon doors and huge centre screen mean that, in many ways, it feels techier – especially as there’s Autopilot to consider too. But the Jag is more complete, much more nimble and feels better made.

Read our review

Audi e-tron Sportback

Pocket-lint

All the quality you expect from Audi, with comfort and sophistication, plus power and performance on the road. The e-tron Sportback is a great car to drive and live with, it has reasonable range, but it’s not the most efficient electric car on the road – and that’s its real sticking point. Which you might prefer the way it looks, the Jag still has the upper hand in our book.

Read our review

Ford Mustang Mach-E

Pocket-lint

An electric Mustang? Really? Whether you think it’s a real ‘Stang or not in this SUV crossover format might be besides the point. But Ford has gone all-out with its first all-electric vehicle, embracing new technologies in a manner that’s often mighty impressive. It’s cheaper than the i-Pace, too, which is where it’ll likely pull most of its success from – and you’re not compromising on range as a result.

Read our review

Mercedes EQC

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The marque’s first serious full-fat all-electric SUV is an obvious rival to Jaguar, and the start of a whole electric EQ sub-brand. Thing is, it’s just not as well-packaged or designed as the i-Pace. So think of it more as a very strong statement of intent for now – maybe the range will bring something truly more competitive to the fore in the future.

Read our review

Writing by Mike Lowe and Joe Simpson.

The Chevy Bolt is now a compact SUV with 250 miles of range and ‘hands-free’ driving

The original hatchback Bolt EV is also getting a refresh

The Chevy Bolt is undergoing a growth spurt. General Motors unveiled two new versions of the Bolt on Sunday: an updated Bolt EV hatchback with longer range and new high-tech features, and the brand new Bolt EUV — essentially a compact SUV — with more legroom room and less range than the Bolt EV.

Due out this summer, the refreshed Bolt EV will sell for $31,995 — or about $5,000 less than the current model year Bolt EV. The Bolt EUV (which stands for “electric utility vehicle”) will also be less expensive, costing $33,995. A limited-edition “Launch” version, with unique wheels, special badging, and an illuminated charge port, will be available for $43,495. The Bolt EV and EUV were expected to go into production at the end of 2020 but were delayed until this year due to the coronavirus pandemic.

First introduced in 2016, the Chevy Bolt was intended to be General Motors’ first stab at a mass-market, purely battery-electric vehicle with 200-plus miles of range and an affordable price tag. But sales have been anemic since the release of the Tesla Model 3 in 2018, which has come to dominate the EV market in the US and abroad. The Bolt’s compact hatchback size is not what most American car buyers are looking for these days. And a recent recall of 2017-2019 model year Bolts related to a flawed battery certainly hasn’t helped GM’s image problems with the EV.

The automaker hopes to lift the Bolt’s fortunes with these two new versions, but that may be difficult given that the technology that powers the Bolt is quickly becoming obsolete. Both the Bolt EV and Bolt EUV will be built on GM’s BEV2 platform, which is distinct from the new “Ultium” battery pack announced in early 2020. The recently unveiled Cadillac Lyriq and the GMC Hummer EV will be the first vehicles to be built on this new architecture. GM has said that Ultium’s advanced battery chemistry will enable its future electric vehicles to travel further on a single charge and re-charge at a faster rate. But the automaker has no plans to move the Bolt over to the Ultium platform, according to Chevy’s lead engineer.

As a consolation for its approaching irrelevance, both versions of the Bolt will come with Super Cruise, the “hands-free” advanced driver assist system that previously has only been available in Cadillac vehicles. The Bolt EV and EUV are the first non-Cadillac vehicles and first electric vehicles to have Super Cruise.

The price helps make up for the Bolt’s shortcomings. When it was first introduced five years ago, the automaker was still eligible for the federal government’s $7,500 tax credit, which effectively made the Bolt a $30,000 vehicle. But in 2019, GM sold its 200,000th EV in the US, triggering a phase out of the tax credit. No longer eligible for that incentive, GM decided to stick with the reduced price for these latest versions, which is encouraging.

GM claims that the Bolt EV’s 65 kWh battery pack will enable 259 miles of range on a single charge, while the slightly heavier Bolt EUV will have 250 miles of range — basically the same as the current year model. The original 2018 Bolt had 238 miles of range, but typically got less due to cold weather or other external factors. Neither vehicles’ range has yet been certified by US or European regulators.

Chevy is also including an active thermal management system that uses coolant to maintain the battery’s temperature. Late last year, General Motors was forced to recall over 68,000 Chevy Bolts manufactured between 2017-2019 after several battery fires were reported. Federal regulators are investigating and a class action lawsuit was filed alleging that the Bolt’s battery is “prone to burst into flames.”

According to Jesse Ortega, chief engineer at Chevy, the new Bolts utilize a different battery chemistry that will help prevent future incidents, the same chemistry that allowed the automaker to increase the range from 238 miles to 250 miles.

Both versions of the Bolt come with a single-motor drive unit that can deliver 200 horsepower thanks to 150 kW of power, and 266 pound-feet (360 Newton meters) of torque. Like previous models, the new Bolts will have regenerative braking and a one-pedal driving mode that is fairly common among EVs today.

The Bolt EUV and redesigned Bolt EV share an architecture, but their designs are unique. No exterior sheet metal parts are shared between the two vehicles, after some owners complained about lackluster sheet metal in previous versions. The EUV is approximately 6 inches longer and will have about 3 inches of extra rear legroom than the Bolt EV.

The grille has been tweaked, swapping the dual-tone look of the previous Bolt with a more monochromatic fascia. Chevy is keeping small ventilation panel rather than embrace the completely flat front-end of other EVs like the Tesla Model 3.

The Bolt’s interior has always been more practical than inspiring, with hard plastic abound. Now the Bolt EV and EUV’s interior has been redesigned to include more screens and sensors, mostly to help power Super Cruise’s promise of “hands-free” driving. Chevy has even ripped out the Bolt’s oft-criticized seats and replaced them with seats that feature a triangular geometric pattern and contrasting color stitching, which the automaker claims is a “premium design that gives a consistent and upscale atmosphere.” Not words you typically see used to describe a $30,000 vehicle.

The main 10.2-inch infotainment screen is still embedded in the dashboard, but is integrated more seamlessly into the center console than the original Bolt’s design. The physical buttons are smoother and less chunky. And Chevy swapped out the gear shifter for a series of electronic buttons to free up more interior space. There’s also a new one-pedal driving button that keeps the system active between drive cycles.

Other new additions include the light bar in the top of the steering wheel and the infrared sensor on the steering column. These are components of GM’s Super Cruise assisted driving system, which uses cameras, radar, and mapping data to allow users to drive hands-free on divided highways. Super Cruise is not a self-driving system, in that it still requires drivers to keep their eyes on the road and engaged enough to be able to take over at a moment’s notice. Notably, the Bolt EV and Bolt EUV will only come with the standard version of Super Cruise, not the enhanced version that includes automatic lane-changing.

EV charging in the US is a bit of a mess, and while Chevy can’t solve some of the more intractable problems, it is doing what it can to make charging a little less of a headache. A dual-level charge cord is included with the Bolt, which Chevy said will eliminate the need for many people to purchase a separate charger for their home. The changeable plug allows customers to plug into a standard 120-volt three-prong outlet for Level 1 charging and a 240-volt outlet for Level 2 charging up to 7.2 kilowatts. Both vehicles are also capable of 11 kW Level 2 charging, but separate charging equipment is required.

As an added perk, anyone who buys or leases a Bolt EUV or Bolt EV will get free installation of a Level 2 charger in their home through GM’s partnership with Qmerit, a home charger installer. For charging on the go, GM is partnering with public charging station operator EVgo to include over 80,000 public chargers in the My Chevrolet app.

But charging times will still be subject to the power levels of each individual charger. When plugged into a normal 120-volt system (ie, most home outlets), the Bolt EV and EUV will only get four miles of range for every hour of charging. Plugged into a 240-volt outlet will get the Bolt to a full charge in seven hours. And a DC fast charger will add up to 100 miles in 30 minutes for both vehicles.

Affordability has always been the Bolt’s strongest selling point, offering a decent size battery and adequate range for under $35,000. Chevy wanted to ensure the Bolt stayed affordable even as it added new features, like Super Cruise, or leveled up to crossover status, said Steve Majoros, vice president of Chevy marketing. Keeping the price low will help spur EV adoption from its current status of only 2 percent of US sales to upwards of 15-20 percent of the overall car market, he said.

“ICE [internal combustion engine] vehicles will be around a long time,” Majoros said. “But the EV movement is real.”

Clubhouse says it will improve security after researchers raise China spying concerns

The developers of audio chat room app Clubhouse plan to add additional encryption to prevent it from transmitting pings to servers in China, after Stanford researchers said they found vulnerabilities in its infrastructure.

In a new report, the Stanford Internet Observatory (SIO) said it confirmed that Shanghai-based company Agora Inc., which makes real-time engagement software, “supplies back-end infrastructure to the Clubhouse App.” The SIO further discovered that users’ unique Clubhouse ID numbers —not usernames— and chatroom IDs are transmitted in plaintext, which would likely give Agora access to raw Clubhouse audio. So anyone observing internet traffic could match the IDs on shared chatrooms to see who’s talking to each other, the SIO tweeted, noting “For mainland Chinese users, this is troubling.”

The SIO researchers said they found metadata from a Clubhouse room “being relayed to servers we believe to be hosted in” the People’s Republic of China, and found that audio was being sent to “to servers managed by Chinese entities and distributed around the world.” Since Agora is a Chinese company, it would be legally required to assist the Chinese government locate and store audio messages if authorities there said the messages posed a national security threat, the researchers surmised.

Agora told the SIO it does not store user audio or metadata other than to monitor network quality and bill its clients, and as long as audio is stored on servers in the US, the Chinese government would not be able to access the data.

Agora did not immediately reply to a request for comment on Sunday, but told Bloomberg in a statement that it “does not have access to share or store personally identifiable end-user data. Voice or video traffic from non-China based users — including US users — is never routed through China.” The company declined to comment on its relationship with Clubhouse.

Clubhouse told the researchers in a statement that when the app launched, developers decided not to make it available in China “given China’s track record on privacy.” However, some users in China found a workaround to download the app, the company said, “which meant that—until the app was blocked by China earlier this week— the conversations they were a part of could be transmitted via Chinese servers.”

The company told SIO that it was going to roll out changes “to add additional encryption and blocks to prevent Clubhouse clients from ever transmitting pings to Chinese servers” and said it would hire an external security firm to review and validate the updates. Clubhouse did not immediately reply to a request for comment on Sunday.

Clubhouse is an invite-only, iOS-only live-audio app that has become popular among many in Silicon Valley, including Tesla CEO Elon Musk, whose Clubhouse debut earlier this month drew thousands of concurrent listeners. The company was recently valued at a reported $1 billion.

How to Build a Raspberry Pi Object Identification Machine

In this tutorial, we will train our Raspberry Pi to identify other Raspberry Pis (or other objects of your choice) with Machine Learning (ML). Why is this important? An example of an industrial application for this type of ML is identifying defects in circuit boards. As circuit boards exit the assembly line, a machine can be trained to identify a defective circuit board for troubleshooting by a human.

We have discussed ML and Artificial Intelligence in previous articles, including facial recognition and face mask identification. In the facial recognition and face mask identification projects, all training images were stored locally on the Pi and the model training took a long time as it was also performed on the Pi. In this article, we’ll use a web platform called Edge Impulse to create and train our model to alleviate a few processing cycles from our Pi. Another advantage of Edge Impulse is the ease of uploading training images, which can be done from a smartphone (without an app).

We will use BalenaCloudOS instead of the standard Raspberry Pi OS since the folks at Balena have pre-built an API call to Edge Impulse. The previous facial recognition and face mask identification tutorials also required tedious command line package installs and Python code. This project eliminates all terminal commands and instead utilizes an intuitive GUI interface.

What You’ll Need

Raspberry Pi 4, Raspberry Pi 400, or Raspberry Pi 3
8 GB (or larger) microSD card
Raspberry Pi Camera, HQ Camera, or USB webcam
Power Supply for your Raspberry Pi
Your smartphone for taking photos
Windows, Mac or Chromebook
Objects for classification

Notes:

If you are using a Raspberry Pi 400, you will need a USB webcam as the Pi 400 does not have a ribbon cable interface.
You do NOT need a monitor, mouse, or keyboard for your Raspberry Pi in this project.
Timing: Please plan for a minimum 1-2 hours to complete this project.

Create and Train the Model in Edge Impulse

1. Go to Edge Impulse and create a free account (or login), from a browser window on your desktop or laptop (Windows, Mac, or Chromebook).

Data Acquisition

2. Select Data Acquisition from the menu bar on the left.

3. Upload photos from your desktop or scan a QR code with your smartphone and take photos. In this tutorial we’ll opt for taking photos with our smartphone.

4. Select “Show QR code” and a QR code should pop-up on your screen.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

5. Scan the QR code with your phone’s camera app.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

6. Select Open in browser and you’ll be taken to a data collection website. You will not need to download an app to collect images.

7. Accept permissions on your smartphone and tap “Collecting images?” in your phone’s browser screen.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

8. If prompted for permissions, tap the “Give access to the camera” button and allow access on your device.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

9. Tap “Label” and enter a tag for the object you will take photos of.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

10. Take 30-50 photos of your item at various angles. Some photos will be used for training and other photos will be used for testing the model. Edge Impulse automatically splits photos between training and testing.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

11. Repeat the process of Entering a label for the next object and taking 30-50 photos per object until you have at least 3 objects complete. We recommend 3 to 5 identified objects for your initial model. You will have an opportunity to re-train the model with more photos and/or types of objects later in this tutorial.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

From your “Data Acquisition” tab in the Edge Impulse browser window, you should now see the total number of photos taken (or uploaded) and the number of labels (type of objects) you have classified. (You may need to refresh the tab to see the update.) Optional: You can click on any of the collected data samples to view the uploaded photo.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

Impulse Design

12. Click “Create impulse” from “Impulse design” in the left column menu.

13. Click “Add a processing block” and select “Image” to add Image to the 2nd column from the left.

14. Click “Add a learning block” and select “Transfer Learning.”

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

15. Click the “Save Impulse” button on the far right.

16. Click “Image” under “Impulse design” in the left menu column.

17. Select “Generate features” to the right of “Parameters” near the top of the page.

18. Click the “Generate features” button in the lower part of the “Training set” box. This could take 5 to 10 minutes (or longer) depending on how many images you have uploaded.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

19. Select “Transfer learning” within “Impulse design,” set your Training settings (keep defaults, check “Data augmentation” box), and click “Start training.” This step will also take 5 minutes or more depending on your amount of data.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

After running the training algorithm, you’ll be able to view the predicted accuracy of the model. For example, in this model, the algorithm can only correctly identify a Raspberry Pi 3 – 64.3% of the time and will misidentify a Pi 3 as a Pi Zero 28.6% of the time.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

Model Testing

20. Select “Model testing” in the left column menu.

21. Click the top check box to select all and press “Classify selected” to test your data. The output of this action will be a percent accuracy of your model.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

If the level of accuracy is low, we suggest going back to the “Data Acquisition” step and adding more images or removing a set of images.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

Model Testing

22. Select “Deployment” in the left menu column.

23. Select “WebAssembly” for your library.

24. Scroll down (“Quantized” should be selected by default) and click the “Build” button. This step may also take 3 minutes or more depending on your amount of data.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

Setting Up BalenaCloud

Instead of the standard Raspberry Pi OS, we will flash BalenaCloudOS to our microSD card. The BalenaCloudOS is pre-built with an API interface to Edge Impulse and eliminates the need for attaching a monitor, mouse, and keyboard to our Raspberry Pi.

25. Create a free BalenaCloud account here. If you already have a BalenaCloud account, login to BalenaCloud.

26. Deploy a balena-cam-tinyxml application here. Note: You must already be logged into your Balena account for this to automatically direct you to creating a balena-cam-tinyml application.

27. Click “Deploy to Application.”

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

After creating your balena-cam-tinyml application, you’ll land on the “Devices” page. Do not create a device yet!

28. In Balena Cloud, select “Service Variables” and add the following 2 variables.

Variable 1:

Service: edgeimpulse-inference

Name: EI_API_KEY

Value: [API key found from your Edge Impulse Dashboard].

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

To get your API key, go to your Edge Impulse Dashboard, select “Keys” and copy your API key.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

Go back to Balena Cloud and paste your API key in the value field of your service variable.

Click “Add”.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

Variable 2:

Service: edgeimpulse-inference

Name: EI_PROJECT_ID

Value: [Project ID from your Edge Impulse Dashboard].

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

To get your Project ID, go to your Edge Impulse Dashboard, select “Project Info,” scroll down, and copy your “Project ID.”

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

Go back to Balena Cloud and paste your Project ID in the value field.

Click Add.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

27. Select “Devices” from the left column menu in your BalenaCloud, and click “Add device.”

28. Select your Device type, (Raspberry Pi 4, Raspberry Pi 400, or Raspberry Pi 3).

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

29. Select the radio button for Development.

30. If using Wifi, select the radio button for “Wifi + Ethernet” and enter your Wifi credentials.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

31. Click “Download balenaOS” and a zip file will start downloading.

32. Download, install, and open the Balena Etcher app to your desktop (if you don’t already have it installed). Raspberry Pi Imager also works, but Balena Etcher is preferred since we are flashing the BalenaCloudOS.

33. Insert your microSD card into your computer.

34. Select your recently-downloaded BalenaCloudOS image and flash it to your microSD card. Please note that all data will be erased from your microSD card.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

Connect the Hardware and Update BalenaCloud

35. Remove the microSD card from your computer and insert into your Raspberry Pi.

36. Attach your webcam or Pi Camera to your Raspberry Pi.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

37. Power up your Pi. Allow 15 to 30 minutes for your Pi to boot up and BalenaOS to update. Only the initial boot requires the long update. You can check the status of your Pi Balena Cloud OS in the BalenaCloud dashboard.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

Object Identification

38. Identify your internal IP address from your BalenaCloud dashboard device.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

39. Enter this IP address in a new browser Tab or Window. Works great in Safari, Chrome, and Firefox.

40. Place an object in front of the camera.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

You should start seeing a probability rating for your object in your browser window (with your internal IP address).

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

41. Try various objects that you entered into the model and perhaps even objects you didn’t use to train the model.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

Refining the Model

If you find that the identification is not very accurate, first check your model’s accuracy for that item in the Edge Impulse Model Testing tab.
You can add more photos by following the Data Acquisition steps and then selecting “Retrain model” in Edge Impulse.
You can also add more items by labeling and uploading in Data Acquisition and retraining the model.
After each retraining of the model, check for accuracy and then redeploy by running x “WebAssembly” within Deployment.

Google updates its iOS YouTube app, the first update to one of its major iOS apps since December

Google has provided a bug fix to its iOS YouTube app, the first update to a major Google iOS app since December, 9to5Google reports. Although there’s been speculation that the reason for the lack of updates to iOS versions of Gmail, Docs, Search, and Photos is an attempt to avoid Apple’s new privacy labels, Google has explicitly denied that was the case. The company said in a January 12th blog post it would add the labels to its apps when updates were available:

As Google’s iOS apps are updated with new features or to fix bugs, you’ll see updates to our app page listings that include the new App Privacy Details. These labels represent the maximum categories of data that could be collected—meaning if you use every available feature and service in the app. The data you provide to Google products delivers helpful services to you, and you can always control your privacy settings by visiting your Google Account or going directly to the Google products you use on iOS.

Apple requires companies to apply the privacy labels, which it launched on December 14th, before they can update existing iOS apps. Some of Google’s other apps— Stadia, Authenticator, Translate, and Classroom, for example— have received iOS updates already.

We’ve reached out to Google to ask if updates for the iOS versions of Gmail, Search, Docs and Photos are forthcoming, and will report back if we learn more.

Intel Snipes at Apple in New ‘Go PC’ Ads

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

Do you remember the Mac vs PC commercials from the mid-2000s? While Microsoft and Apple may have become increasingly buddy-buddy since then, with Windows working on Mac and Mac ceding basic productivity app dominance to Microsoft Office, that doesn’t mean the war between Mac and PC isn’t still raging. The fighters are just different.

Intel’s new ad campaign is taking aim at Apple by promoting PC heavily, a continuation of the company’s recent claims that Intel performs better than Apple’s own M1 chip. While Intel has historically been happy to provide Apple chips in the past, Apple’s decision to move to its own, Arm-based chips seems to have changed Intel’s tune about the company’s entire product lineup.

Intel’s attack campaign has been running on Twitter and across various websites since early February under #GoPC, and makes such biting remarks as “If you can power a rocket launch and launch Rocket League, you’re not on a Mac.” Rocket League was

delisted for Mac

early last year.

Of course, Mac’s substandard gaming ecosystem has been known pretty much since the first Macintosh, and that hasn’t stopped Intel from supporting Apple before. Perhaps more harsh is Intel’s snipe at Apple’s refusal to put a touchscreen on its Macbooks, an oft-requested feature that’s become commonplace on similar PC laptops.

Only a PC offers tablet mode, touch screen and stylus capabilities in a single device. #GoPCFebruary 2, 2021

You could read this as Intel standing behind its new mobile-first Evo certification program, which doesn’t require a touchscreen but is built on mobile-first convenience features that touchscreen laptops frequently pass. By comparison, Intel claims that Macs do not.

Not everyone’s sold on Evo, though, as tests like “Switching to Calendar in Outlook” are pretty specific and generally not taxing for most systems. And again, Intel happily supplies chips to PCs that don’t pass Evo spec as well.

Intel’s also commissioned video for the Go PC campaign, including Tech reviewer Jon Rettinger, whose Intel-sponsored video points out that PC laptops have standard USB ports, touchscreens, and eGPU support, and can easily run with multiple external displays.

Of course, Mac fans are having their own fun with this campaign, including this series of rebuttal images from graphic designer Alex.

And, of course, a reference to the KFConsole that pokes fun at the heat generated by Intel CPUs.

Only Intel processors run so hot they can serve as PC and a fried chicken warmer in a single device. #GoPC pic.twitter.com/hk0MchQ5gYFebruary 12, 2021

The PC and Mac war is unlikely to come to an end in our time (I’m a proud dual-citizen), although it’s an interesting look at the marketplace to see a formerly neutral party take a side. With Apple moving to its own silicon, Intel is now synonymous with PC.

Vaccine rollout won’t be equitable unless health care reckons with racism

The pandemic has been anything but “the great equalizer” that some people called it when it started more than a year ago. Here in the US, COVID-19 has sickened and killed a disproportionate number of Black, Native American, and Latinx people. Vaccine rollout is proving to be inequitable, too. Black and Latinx elders in Los Angeles, for example, have been vaccinated at a lower rate than their white and Asian American counterparts.

Distrust in vaccines has been a challenge across the board. But Black Americans were less inclined than other racial and ethnic groups to want to get vaccinated, according to a Pew Research Center survey from December. To fix a system that isn’t fully serving Black Americans and other people of color, “There really needs to be some healing,” says Melva Thompson-Robinson, executive director of the Center for Health Disparities Research at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

The Verge spoke with Thompson-Robinson about the roots of that distrust and how to heal.

This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.

How does distrust for vaccines in communities of color differ from white celebrities or conspiracy theorists who are anti-vaxxers?

It’s not just a simple matter of, “Oh, I don’t believe that something works because this is what I heard.” This is about that deep-rooted, historical trauma that has been carried down through generations. That distrust comes out of the racism that they experience. When you’re talking about African Americans, in particular, you’re talking about a group of people who are descendants of slaves.

And so it’s a different kind of thing. It’s not “I believe that these vaccines aren’t effective because I heard that’s what somebody said.” This is “I’m not trusting because of the experience that my family has had under slavery.”

A big thing now is people are looking at who’s in charge. Who’s running the vaccine trials? Who’s participating in the trials? They say, “Well, I don’t see people who look like me.” Or “I do see people who look like me.” And all of that is huge. We need to see people who look like us who are involved.

What are some of those historical traumas that have led to distrust of vaccines among some people of color?

When you start to talk particularly about slaves, one of the men who is credited as being the founder of gynecology actually did surgery on Black women because they were considered property. He was doing gynecological surgery with no anesthesia because part of the thought was “Well, they don’t experience pain.”

That’s not true. All people experience pain.

You can jump the Tuskegee syphilis study. You could also even look at the story of Henrietta Lacks, who had cervical cancer. And they harvested her cells at Johns Hopkins and still to this day still use her cells for research.

So people are saying, “Well, you need to trust the health care system.” But health care systems, health care facilities, and health care providers need to act in a trustful manner. You can’t just expect people to say, “Oh yeah, I’ll now trust you” after centuries of mistrust.

How do we see inequities playing out today when it comes to vaccine rollout in the US?

The challenge has been with some of the vaccines that you have to have very specialized storage capabilities, which then has limited where some of these can be distributed. Communities of color don’t always have access to those storage facilities.

For people working in grocery stores or other retail and food outlets, it’s not as simple for them to take time off to go to an appointment. If they don’t have sick leave or they have a limited amount of leave, they can’t go and stand in line for hours at a time.

Another challenge is the messaging that’s going out to people. You already know that you have populations that are concerned about getting the vaccine. So the messaging for that population needs to be different.

There’s no “one size fits all” prescription for how to reach out to different communities of color. But what should solutions or outreach strategies look like?

Here in Clark County where Las Vegas is located, the governor just came out last week with an equity initiative. Because if you look at the data, where the cases are versus where people are who are getting the vaccine — it’s two different places within the same city. It’s not the same group of people. We’re seeing this inequitable distribution of resources. We’re in this perfect storm, and in order to survive it, I think there has to be some relinquishing of power.

There really needs to be some healing and some stepping back. Not rushing, but stepping back and saying: “You know what, we hear what you’re saying. We understand where we’ve done wrong, and we want to do better.”

Here’s what else is happening this week.

Research

The fast-spreading coronavirus variant is turning up in US sewers

Some researchers are tracking coronavirus variants through US sewer systems. For more on sewers and COVID-19, check out Verge Science’s video from last year. (Antonio Regalado / MIT Tech Review)

Doctors and lawmakers call on FDA to address racial disparities in pulse oximeters

Pulse oximeters can measure the amount of oxygen in people’s blood through their skin, but they aren’t as accurate in people of color. Some experts are calling on the FDA to review these devices’ effectiveness. (Erin Brodwin and Nicholas St.Fleur / STAT)

Childhood Colds Do Not Prevent Coronavirus Infection, Study Finds

For a while, some people thought that children might be less vulnerable to the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 because they had been exposed to other coronaviruses that cause colds. This is not the case. A study found that those other coronaviruses didn’t produce antibodies that were effective against the new coronavirus. (Apoorva Mandavilli / The New York Times)

Development

How Merck, a Vaccine Titan, Lost the Covid Race

A look at why a “pharmaceutical giant” dropped out of the vaccine race — and where they might go from here. (Katie Thomas / The New York Times)

AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine has been confusing from the start

Earlier this week, South Africa decided to pause the rollout of the AstraZeneca vaccine after it performed poorly against a widespread variant in a small trial. Later this week, the WHO recommended that the vaccine should still be used. (Nicole Wetsman / The Verge)

Covid-19 vaccination rates follow the money in states with the biggest wealth gaps, analysis shows

States with large wealth gaps, like Connecticut, are seeing huge disparities in vaccination rates. In Connecticut, there’s a 65 percent difference in vaccination rates between the wealthiest and poorest communities. (Olivia Goldhill / STAT)

Perspectives:

“I do my shift, wash my face, change my clothes and then get on the app.”

— Emergency room doctor Daniel Fagbuyi tells Bloomberg about his voluntary second shift: countering vaccine misinformation on social media app Clubhouse.

More than numbers

To the more than 108,030,043 people worldwide who have tested positive, may your road to recovery be smooth.

To the families and friends of the 2,377,268 people who have died worldwide — 479,458 of those in the US — your loved ones are not forgotten.

Stay safe, everyone.

Amazon delivery app Mentor tracks drivers’ locations and measures their performance

Amazon built its own in-house mobile app called Mentor that it uses to track the location and rate the performance of third-party delivery drivers, according to a new report from CNBC. The app tracks a driver’s location at all times and also generates a daily score that factors into performance evaluations, with low scores potentially harming a third-party delivery company’s relationship with Amazon for future contracts, the report states.

Amazon bills the app as a tool for improving safety, but both drivers and privacy proponents cited by CNBC worry the Mentor software is also a tool for surveillance of drivers and as another form of pressure applied on the workers to ensure they’re delivering packages as fast as possible. Earlier this month, an Amazon promotional video posted online revealed a new initiative involving always-on security cameras from a firm called Netradyne that are similarly used to monitor and measure a driver’s performance, causing alarm among privacy advocates.

“Safety is Amazon’s top priority. Whether it’s state-of-the art telemetrics and advanced safety technology in last-mile vans, driver-safety training programs, or continuous improvements within our mapping and routing technology, we have invested tens of millions of dollars in safety mechanisms across our network, and regularly communicate safety best practices to drivers,” an Amazon spokesperson told CNBC.

As its operations have expanded, Amazon has increasingly built out its own delivery infrastructure, part of which is the delivery service program (DPS). This program contracts third-party companies to help with the last-mile delivery that, until a few years ago, was mostly handled by companies like FedEx and UPS. Amazon uses its own drivers to help with cost-cutting measures and to increase the speed and efficiency of deliveries, as part of its broader effort to own and operate more of its logistics chain with the purchases and leases of cargo freighters and airplanes.

There have, however, been issues regarding driver and pedestrian safety. Amazon has, in some cases, skirted direct accountability for crashes, injuries, and even deaths at the hands of drivers delivering its packages to customers’ homes because of the contract nature of the work, according to The New York Times. Still, the company has come under fire for using software and other tools to prioritize the speed of deliveries over potential safety concerns.

As a result, Amazon has reportedly begun exercising increasing control over its drivers by managing their routes and monitoring their behavior at all times with the goal of improving safety. The Monitor app and always-on surveillance cameras are part of those measures, though some drivers are concerned about how invasive these methods are.

CNBC says drivers congregate online and discuss ways to try to game the system. For instance, drivers have tried wrapping their phones in sweaters and storing them in the glove box of delivery vans because of how unfairly they’re dinged for standard procedures on the job that the Monitor app mistakes for reckless driving, like marking a delivery as completed by picking the phone up. “If your device moves at all, it’s going to count against you,” one driver told CNBC.

There are also concerns about the location sharing permissions. Drivers are asked to download the app on their personal devices and to enable “always allow” location sharing, which has some drivers concerned Amazon is overstepping its boundary with regard to driver privacy, CNBC reported.

Quick Look: VIVIFY Arquus 73Ø & Aceso W10 Cables

Introduction

I would like to thank VIVIFY for supplying the sample.

VIVIFY offers a range of HDMI and USB cables and focuses on technical aspects instead of marketing gimmicks. While some brands try to sway you with simply impossible statements like “better image quality” or “more vivid colors” for an all digital format like HDMI, VIVIFY communicates the maximum resolution, data rate, HDMI standard, and more when it comes to their display cables. On top of that, VIVIFY offers LED and RGB-equipped ones, and we get to take a quick look at the Arquus 73Ø and Aceso W10 cables in this article.

Packaging

The VIVIFY Arquus 73Ø ships in a fairly elaborate package meant to be hung on a store shelf. It sports an image of the cable on front and all the really important specifications on the back.

Inside the package is a foam envelope that holds the cable itself. We are taking a look at the variant that is 9 ft long. While you will find classic HDMI cables at much shorter lengths, offering the Arquus 73Ø as such won’t make much sense since the cost is mostly in its ends; it simply would not translate into any tangible savings.

With the cable, you will receive a sticker, warranty information, and a test report of your specific cable.

In addition to the HDMI cable, VIVIFY also shipped us their Aceso W10 USB-C cable. It also comes with a built-in LED, but this one is just in the specific color you buy. In our case, the cable will light up red. It also comes in a full-color package and features a Velcro strip for easier cable management.

A Closer Look

While you are able to buy HDMI cables on the cheap from a variety of sources, the VIVIFY is in a league of its own as it actually houses quite a bit of technology in each connector. On top of that, the Arquus 73Ø utilizes fiber optics to enable lighting across the wire, which keeps it really soft at the same time. To process this, the cable actually comes with its own IC in the source end, for example. This is also where you will find a USB-A plug to power it and allow it to communicate with Razer Chroma or the VIVIFY Vnode software.

On the display end, you will also find a similar connector that actually comes with a built-in LED element of its own. Naturally, both ends are gold-plated for good measure.

VIVIFY Aceso W10

While we are taking a closer look, the Aceso W10 cable actually feels slightly bulkier than most cables out there, which make it a bit harder to use in scenarios like charging a mouse or connecting a headset. Instead, it is more for charging/connecting your portable device from your phone to your laptop, gaming console, or battery pack.

Similarly to the Arquus 73Ø, the Aceso W10 comes with a diffusor strip on the side, which will light up in that single color you have purchased.

Cables in Use

To get the VIVIFY Arquus 73Ø all set up, simply connect the source end to your output—in this case, one of our test systems for case reviews—and plug the USB-A plug in to provide the necessary power. The cable immediately lights up fairly brightly. In the picture above, we turned off the studio lighting as it is way brighter than anything you would ever work with, which makes the strip a bit more prominent. Obviously, in a darker environment, where RGB is meant to really pop, the VIVIFY Arquus 73Ø will actually be nicely visible.

Even the display end of the connector lights up, which means it will be a nice little V-shaped branding touch if the back of your monitor is exposed. Below are some videos of the connector and cable lighting. Even though the cable is 9 ft long, the illumination seems to be controlled on both ends, so there is no visible drop in intensity from one end to the other.

Connecting the Aceso W10 USB-C cable immediately has its edge light up red. This is pretty nice and straightforward, but the loss of brightness is somewhat visible in a bright environment, which is not as apparent in low-light surroundings.

Vivify Software

VIVIFY also offers their own RGB control software which allows for various effects to be triggered for their cables. In terms of the UI, the software is very prominent and flashy right out of the gate. Installing the software does not take long, but you have to click through several on-boarding slides to get to the end as the installer will just sit there at 100% otherwise.

The core of the Vnode application auto-detects connected VIVIFY RGB products and allows you to select up to four different ones. While that may sound like a low number, having a quad-monitor setup is pretty extreme and rare, which should have it suffice in reality. You may go through several lighting modes or trigger a color of your own choice in the software.

VIVIFY also interfaces to the Razer Chroma ecosystem in the settings menu, where you may check a box to allow the Chroma software to recognize the Arquus 73 and control its lighting effect. Interestingly enough, VIVIFY simply copied some marketing text from Razer and stuffed it into the app, which reads oddly, as if VIVIFY owns Razer.

Conclusion

With RGB becoming a firm staple for gamers, cables seem to be the last frontier since we have seen everything from RGB-equipped PC hardware to monitors, speakers, peripherals, tables, and chairs. So VIVIFY is quite the unicorn in that space. On top of that, their HDMI cables are quite capable when it comes to their technical features. While the price tag of $90 (no Chroma support) or $100 (with Chroma support) for a 9 ft HDMI cable is pretty steep, it offers everything you would expect from a high-end fiber optics cable in terms of technical specifications, as well as the unique RGB functionality. With no-name fiber optic HDMI cables selling for around $40, the VIVIFY Arquus 73 offers in-house production and a 2-year warranty on top of the RGB and interface for $60 so to speak. Thus, this cable is clearly aimed at gamers and enthusiasts who want all the lighting possibilities while still getting all the technical capabilities of a high-end cable.

On the other hand, if you want illumination for your mobile devices as well, the single-color LED VIVIFY Aceso W10 cable is a pretty cool cable to have in your pack, especially because of the 2-year warranty and very study construction for $25.