Fitbit Introduces Live Tracking (with a little help from Apple)

This week’s Fitbit iOS app update brings with it a welcome feature, in live tracking. Along with tracking steps throughout the day via one of their many trackers, new live tracking functionality relies on the iPhone’s GPS to monitor and provide real-time feedback on your exercise.

Fitbit has always been one of the fastest companies to allow 3rd party apps to update your stats. You have been able to import exercises through Runkeeper or MapMyRun for quite some time, but this is the first time that Fitbit it tackling this feature head on.

How Live Tracking Works

When you want to begin a new exercise, you simply open the Fitbit app and scroll down to the exercise entry.

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TiVo Launching "My Shows Categories"

As we revealed last month, TiVo’s summer update will bring a third column to the DVR interface. And, now via TiVo’s YouTube channel, we’ve got a name in “My Shows Categories” along with high res imagery and training. Beyond the new presentation, and in-guide recording detailed here, we’re told the TiVo Roamio UI will also make its way to Premiere … Read more

Silicon Dust Brings Live Television To Android TV

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During Google’s annual developer conference today, Android TV was formally introduced as the successor to Google TV. As conveyed to me at CES and scooped by GigaOm back in March, Android TV is pretty much what we expected — rather than an Android fork, this more or less features the core Android OS with a simplified leanback UI layered atop. While it remains to be seen if the world needs yet another television-based app platform, Sony, Asus, and others have signed on to produce both set-top boxes and smart TVs.

In Google’s favor, and in the wake of Aereo’s demise, is recruitment of Silicon Dust as an early partner. Via HDHomeRun network tuners, Android TV can access both live over-the-air or cable television programming. In fact, as worded, Google and Silicon Dust may actual expose these hooks to other developers for all sorts of interesting mashups (or DVR?):

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Philips Hue Tap Light Switch Nears Release

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With the Philips Hue app update yesterday that introduces support for the Hue Tap, retail available is nearly upon us.

The Tap extends control of your connecting lighting beyond the virtual and into the physical realm. As with everything Hue, the Tap light switch is downright pricey at $60. Yet it brings a subtle, sleek elegance as it meets a practical need with some nifty technology. And most impressive is the Taps nearly infinite battery life, rated at 50,000 taps, powered by your finger’s clicky kinetic energy. Beyond that, the small puck ships with four customizable buttons, which can be linked actions, scenes, and recipes… giving you, your spouse, child, or pet sitter a means of control without a smartphone or tablet app.

Each Hue Bridge is capable of supporting up to 32 of these, enough for every wall in the house. As for me, I’m on the fence if I’ll be picking up a single Tap up… I suppose it depends if I expand my Philips smart lighting collection once the less pricey all-white Lux bulbs hit.

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Next Gen Netgear Nighthawk X4 AC2350/R7500 Detailed

Via an overseas briefing and FCC filing, details of the next generation Netgear Nighthawk wireless router have begun to clarify. The Nighthawk X4 AC2350/R7500 builds upon the success of the existing Nighthawk, as cited by Wirecutter, with additional horsepower, more finely tuned QoS, quad-stream wireless, and a pair of USB 3.0 ports and eSATA to … Read more

Save With Xbox One Costco Bundle

Should you be in the market for an Xbox One, Costco may have the deal for you… assuming that you’re a member of the warehouse shopping club. For just $50 above retail, the online Xbox One bundle includes a year of Xbox Live Gold, an additional controller, and Forza 5. Of course, the Xbox One isn’t … Read more