Apple May Soon Stop Selling Fitbit Devices In Stores

Apple May Soon Stop Selling Fitbit Devices In Stores

Lauren Goode

Re/code

Apple may soon stop selling the popular Fitbit devices, as it clears way for its own wearable technology product set to launch sometime next year, according to sources.

It’s unclear exactly why Apple will no longer sell the devices, which track steps and other health metrics, in its retail stores. But the move comes a week after Fitbit issued a statement saying it was still “evaluating integration with HealthKit,” Apple’s new software application that acts as a central repository for health and fitness data on iPhones.

Many other health and fitness app makers, including Strava, Withings, iHealth, Jawbone UP and MyFitness Pal, have willingly updated their apps to give users the option to send their data to HealthKit.

According to the NPD Group, 3.3 million fitness-tracking devices were sold in the U.S. between April 2013 and March 2014. Fitbit, which had an earlier start than others, has claimed nearly 70 percent marketshare, while Nike FuelBand and Jawbone UP make up the majority of the rest of the sales.

All of that could change, of course, with the introduction of more “smart” watches and activity-tracking products.

Following Apple’s announcement of its sleek Watch, which will start at $349 and could get very expensive for the higher-end models, Fitbit founder and CEO James Park underscored Fitbit’s agnostic approach, pointing out that Fitbit works on iOS, Android and Windows devices.

But Fitbit is not the only wearable product Apple sells, and it’s unclear whether Apple will continue to sell other competing devices, including the Nike+ FuelBand. Nike has always had strong ties to Apple and its iOS mobile operating system. Until recently, Nike didn’t offer a FuelBand app for Android users. Apple CEO Tim Cook, who sits on Nike’s board of directors, has often been seen wearing the wristband.

However, this past spring Nike reportedly reduced resources in the FuelBand division of the company, in what some believed was a strategic move ahead of Apple’s own wearable announcement.

Apple declined to comment, saying that it doesn’t talk about its vendor partnerships.
In a statement to Re/code, Fitbit’s Park said the company still “looks forward to a robust holiday season as the connected health and fitness category continues its rapid growth.” He noted that Fitbit is still sold in over 37,000 retail stores worldwide, including Amazon, Best Buy, Bloomingdales, Kohls, Target and Walmart

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Google's Nexus 6 is a giant phablet designed for Android Lollipop

Google's Nexus 6 is a giant phablet designed for Android Lollipop

Jacob Kastrenakes

The Verge

Google is today introducing the Nexus 6, the latest in its line of smartphones designed to show off the capabilities of new Android releases. This is the biggest Nexus phone that Google has released yet, adopting a 6-inch display — bigger than both the iPhone 6 Plus and Galaxy Note 4. Like the Note 4, Google's Nexus 6 also uses a Quad HD display, which means that text and images on the phone should still be really sharp, despite its large size. The phone also includes a 13-megapixel rear camera and two front-facing speakers.
It's the Moto X made way bigger

Nexus phones have always been lightly modified versions of existing smartphones — the Nexus 5, for instance, was based off of the LG G2 — and there's no hiding here that the Nexus 6 is a blown up version of Motorola's updated Moto X. Just like the Moto X, the Nexus 6 features metal trim around the outside, a circular flash ring, and even a dimpled Motorola logo. That's by no means a bad thing, though: the Moto X is a very nicely made phone, so the more cues the Nexus 6 takes from it, the better.

The Nexus 6 comes running Android 5.0 Lollipop, which is also being launched today. Lollipop was first demonstrated back in June, when Google showcased a brand new design style for Android that adopted a playful and colorful look based around simple shapes and sheets of paper. Lollipop is also said to include a battery saving feature that can extend a phone's life by up to 90 minutes. On top of that, the Nexus 6 also includes one of Motorola's Turbo Chargers, which can charge the phone back up to six hours worth of battery life in 15 minutes — so Google clearly wants you to be able to keep this thing going.

The Nexus 6 will be available to preorder on October 29th, and it'll be available in stores beginning in November. You'll be able to buy it unlocked or on a monthly contract. Google hasn't provided us with the Nexus 6's full specs, pricing, or carrier availability, but we'll update this story with more detail when they're available. Google also hasn't said whether the Nexus 5, which was release last year, will be sticking around — it's currently listed as out of stock on the Play Store.

In addition to the Nexus 6, Google is also releasing the Nexus 9 tablet today. This is the second large tablet to bear the Nexus name, with Google previously trying out large tablets with the Nexus 10 nearly two years ago. You can read our full article on the Nexus 9 for more coverage. Google is also announcing a streaming media box called the Nexus Player, which is the first device to run Android TV.

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Apple steals its own iPad thunder with web photo ahead of event

Apple steals its own iPad thunder with web photo ahead of event

Tim Higgins

Bloomberg

The masters of suspense in Cupertino took the surprise out of their big iPad introduction tomorrow.

Apple., known for its strict secrecy ahead of product announcements, posted images and some details about its newest iPad tablets on its iTunes website briefly today, quickly grabbing the attention of company enthusiasts on the Internet before the information was removed.

The company is holding an event tomorrow at its headquarters in Cupertino, California, where it is set to introduce a new version of its 9.7-inch (24.6-centimetre) iPad and the smaller iPad mini, a person familiar with the plan has said. Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook is aiming to reinvigorate the iPad line after sales of the tablets, Apple’s second-biggest product by revenue, have declined for two straight quarters.

“Usually there is always a Vietnamese blogger or a Taiwanese blogger who will find a blueprint of the device days before it launches, but for Apple to make a mistake is rare", Jean Philippe Bouchard, an analyst at IDC, said in a telephone interview.

The images posted indicate the next version of the 9.7-inch device will be called iPad Air 2, while the smaller model will be dubbed iPad mini 3. Both will come with Touch ID, the fingerprint scanner introduced last year on Apple’s iPhone 5s.

Trudy Muller, an Apple spokeswoman, didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

The company hasn’t introduced a new iPad since last October, and consumer tastes have been shifting toward smartphones with bigger screens. The new iPads’ rollout follows the release of Apple’s latest iPhones, the 6 and 6 Plus, which have larger displays than the company’s older devices. The phones were unveiled in September, along with a smartwatch and new mobile-payment system, as Cook seeks to build out the company’s key products and move into new categories.

Apple also is adding a gold color option for its full-size iPads, people familiar with the plans said earlier this month.

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Kylie Jenner Moves Out of Her Mom's House After Major Fight

The 17 year old has been dealing with major problems at home. Just recently, she got into a serious fight with her mom and ended up moving out of Kris Jenner's house!

According to RadarOnline, Kylie feels like her mom just doesn't care about her.

“Kylie is constantly arguing with her mom because Kris acts like Kylie doesn’t even exist,” a source close to the family said. “She hates how her mom has destroyed their family unit and traded her soul for fame.”

The reality TV star has taken refuge at her older sister Khloé Kardashian's house. Apparently Khloé and Kylie both feel like they're overshadowed by their siblings and have bonded over it.

“They both feel like they are the odd-ones out,” the source said. “In the same way that it is the Kim Kardashian show for the Kardashians, it is the Kendall Jenner show for the Jenners.”

Yikes! We hope Kendall and Kylie's relationship hasn't been affected!

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5 Seconds of Summer's Ashton Irwin Is in the Hospital

GETTY IMAGES

Sad news for 5 Seconds of Summer fans! Ashton Irwin was rushed to the hospital today and diagnosed with appendicitis, causing him to need immediate surgery. The guys had to cancel their plans to attend the BBC Radio 1 Teen Awards this weekend as well as their scheduled trip to Japan.

They just recently announced the news on their website writing:

"Hi guys, we have some news for you today. Ashton has come down with a case of appendicitis and had to have an operation. He’s doing great and will be back up & running in no time, but he’ll need to rest up for the next week or so… Unfortunately this means that we’ll no longer be able to fly back to the UK this weekend for the BBC Radio 1 Teen Awards. We will also be postponing next week’s trip to Japan (more info to come soon).

We are so sorry to everyone that had planned on seeing us. We were so excited to come see you all and we never want to make any of you sad… We hope you understand!

Thanks so much for supporting all we do, we love you. Can’t wait for us four lads to get back on the road (minus one band appendix) and rock out with you all again soon!

Ash, Cal, Mikey & Luke x"

We feel so bad for Ashton and hope he has a speedy recovery!

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Find Out Why Taylor Swift's Fans Are Furious

Taylor Swift dropped her new single "Out of The Woods" yesterday in the US, but apparently it's not available overseas quite yet. Frustrated, her UK fans lashed out on Twitter and relentlessly expressed their anger towards the situation. Since nothing ever goes unnoticed by Taylor (especially when it has to do with her fans), she made sure to clear everything up.

She took to Tumblr and wrote:

"To all my wonderful UK fans,

I realize that you are not yet able to get ‘Out Of The Woods’ due to a new strategy my record label is working on in the UK. I’ve never been one to hold my music back from any of you so I will be watching closely to see if this is ultimately a better experience for you, the fans.

My good friend Ed Sheeran utilized the same strategy with ‘One’ in the UK and he seemed very happy with the feedback from his fans.

But, ultimately, it’s down to you. Let me know.

Peace out. Taylor/Natalie/Becky"

For Ed's X, he gave fans "instant grat" when they preordered the album — meaning that they were able to download his new single before his full-length record was available without having to pay extra for it. It sounds like Taylor's going to try doing something similar for 1989!

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Is Selena Gomez Leaving Social Media For Good

GETTY IMAGES

Selena Gomez has been extremely open about her health struggles lately and seems to be trying her hardest to focus on bettering herself. However, with all the online haters who are constantly bashing her, she's been having a hard time coping.

"I get picked on by grown adults all the time. It's grown-ups and I don't get it. It just baffles me," she said to E! News. "Trust me, it's hard. I've had my moments where I've let them get to me but I refuse to let them win."

The haters have definitely made the "Come and Get It" singer want to leave social media on multiple occasions, but her fans keep her going.

"Maybe when I'm older [I'll quit social media], but I think right now I want to be that person for those girls and for my fans. It's nice to be able to connect with my fans. I'm a part of it. I'm totally involved."

We're so happy that Selena's not letting her online haters bully her off of social media!

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Did Niall Horan Bleach His Hair Blond Again

Hair makeover alert! Niall Horan has totally switched up his hairstyle! The One Direction singer was spotted hanging out backstage at his friend Ed Sheeran's concert, and new photos taken by fans reveal that he bleached all of his hair a light blond color.

Niall sported a much darker hairstyle with only white-blond bleached tips while he was on the "Where We Are" tour with 1D, but it looks like he decided that the end of touring was a perfect opportunity to freshen up his style!

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App turns a smartphone into a speech translator for the deaf

App turns a smartphone into a speech translator for the deaf

Mariella Moon

Engadget 

Even deaf people who excel at lip reading need a bit of help when it comes to meetings or group conversations. The developers of a new app called Transcense claim it's the hearing impaired's answer to understanding hard-to-follow chit-chats where everybody's talking almost all at once. How? Well, Transcense can translate speech into written words and transcribe it on screen in near real time. To make that possible, the app connects to several phones and activates their mics to capture what everyone's saying, then it uses voice recognition to assign each person in the group a color for their speech bubbles. Also, the user can ask the program to speak for him using a digital voice or get everyone's attention through the app when he wants to say something.
The software's currently in private beta for Android devices, but its developers (including one who's deaf and another born into a deaf family) have launched an Indiegogo campaign to raise 25 grand for its continued development. They hope to use to use the money to create an iOS and a web version, in order for more people (both the deaf and their friends/co-workers) to be able to use it. If the crowdfunding campaign succeeds and the program becomes available, it'll cost $360 per year unless you pledge $150 for a year-long membership on Indiegogo now.
Transcense joins other ongoing projects and products already out on the market meant to help make communication easier for the hearing impaired. These include MotionSavvy, a gesture control-enabled tablet that can translate sign language, and SpeechTranslate, an app similar to Transcense meant for Windows mobile devices.
Source: Transcence

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Does Harry Styles Hate Taylor Swift's New Song "Out of The Woods"?

Taylor Swift released her new single "Out of The Woods" yesterday and almost immediately the One Direction fandom was up in arms. Though the song, which definitely seems to be about Harry Styles, doesn't include any of her usual vengeful lyrics, she does sing about their private moments together — even telling the world that Harry cried after his snowmobile accident. So how does the 1D guy feel about the song?

According to HollywoodLife, Harry has been extremely supportive and has even been defending Taylor to all his friends.

"All [Harry's] friends are making fun of Taylor over this, calling her names like ‘Bunny Boiler’ and ‘Cray Tay,'” a source said. “Harry doesn’t want to be mean to her, he genuinely feels bad that he hurt her, so now he’s defending her."

While Harry doesn't seem to be too upset about the song, the source said that it has made things a bit "awkward" for him because he feels like he has to stick up for her. Since their relationship ended almost two years ago, we can imagine that he's sick of talking about it — it's been over for so long!

The good news is that now that we know Harry doesn't mind the song.

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Live soccer scores are now just an iPhone swipe away

Live soccer scores are now just an iPhone swipe away

Matt Brian

Engadget

If you're a keen soccer fan, chances are you already use an app to keep up with all of the latest scores while you're out and about. However, many apps rely on you opening it each time to get a quick rundown on matches, or bombard you with push notifications when a goal goes in. Now that Apple's added widget support to iOS 8, Forza Football is putting all of that important information just a swipe away. As part of its latest update, the app now lists goals, scorers and times of goals in the "Today" screen inside Notification Center, allowing you to catch up with the matches that are only relevant to you. To get started, simply add the new widget to your Notification Center and then follow your favorite team(s). You can also add individual matches to the app's calendar, giving you an at-a-glance look at how your team's rivals are performing during crunch match days.

Source: Forza Football (App Store)

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Japan toymaker unveils tiny talking, singing humanoid

Japan toymaker unveils tiny talking, singing humanoid

AFP

Japanese toymaker Tomy on Wednesday unveiled a multi-talented humanoid robot, named "Robi jr.," which can converse using some 1,000 phrases and belt out about 50 songs, as well as move its limbs and head.

The company said it will put the Japanese-speaking humanoid, designed by well-known roboticist Tomotaka Takahashi, on the market early next year at a price of 15,000 yen ($140) apiece at stores and online in Japan.

Its Chinese-speaking siblings will also debut in Taiwan and Hong Kong at around the same time, a company official said, after Robi jr. was unveiled at the Japan Robot Week exhibition in Tokyo.
The googly-eyed, 20 centimetre (7.9 inches) high robot was designed to resemble a six-year-old, according to the firm, which says it is equipped with voice recognition and calendar functions so it can respond when owners ask it for the time.

When asked to sing a song, the robot will answer, "Okay. Then let's sing along together" or "No. Ask me later because I am busy", depending on "its mood".
Tomy plans to sell 50,000 Robi jr units a year in its home market.

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