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Apple's top apps of 2020 highlight quarantine life
The winners include Zoom, Disney+, 'Genshin Impact' and 'Pokémon Go.'
Kris Holt12.02.2020
Three's mobile ad-blocking trial starts today
Three is trialling network-level ad-blocking in the UK today. The experiment, which is sure to put advertisers and publishers on edge, will affect a small number of Three customers that were approached beforehand. It's been described as a "technology test" for Shine, an ad-blocking specialist that Three has recruited to explore the idea.
Nick Summers06.15.2016
Three to trial mobile ad blocking next month
Three will soon trial network-level ad blocking in the UK. Such a move was telegraphed back in February, when the carrier inked a deal with Shine, a company that specialises in the practice. The trial will take place on the week starting June 13th, for 24 hours. Three will contact customers beforehand and they'll be able to sign up through the carrier's website. The extent of the ad-blocking isn't clear, but Shine says it can handle "all of the mobile web," including display ads and display ads within apps.
Nick Summers05.26.2016
UK carrier Three to block ads at the network level
In a landmark move for the UK's wireless industry, Three has inked a deal with Shine that will enable ad-blocking across its network. The decision will, according to Three, give customers "control, choice and greater transparency" over the ads that appear on their devices. It won't, however, eliminate advertising entirely -- just the worst offenders, the pair claim. The controversial technology will be used initially on Three's UK and Italian networks, before a "rapid roll-out" in other markets. The necessary changes have been implemented, however the scheme isn't live just yet -- Three says it'll explain the specifics "over the coming months."
Nick Summers02.19.2016
Misfit's Shine 2 is a thinner, more colorful activity tracker
Misfit took a roundabout approach towards releasing a sequel for its svelte Shine activity tracker: It announced the cheaper, plastic Shine Flash last year, and it stepped into the connected home with the colorful Bolt smart bulb back at CES. Now, we finally have the Misfit Shine 2, and it should look pretty familiar to Misfit fans. Once again, it's made out of smooth aluminum, but it's a tad thinner and wider than the first Shine, which wasn't exactly a clunker in the first place. In addition to tracking your steps and basic sleep patterns, the Shine 2 now has a 3-axis magnetometer for slightly more accurate activity tracking. Misfit also swapped out the white LEDs on the front of the device with 12 colorful lights, and it now supports capacitive touch, which means it should be more responsive to your taps and swipes. You can nab a Shine 2 in either rose gold or black for $100 later in November.
Devindra Hardawar10.20.2015
Misfit teams up with Speedo on a fitness tracker for swimmers
Misfit's Shine activity tracker has been around for a while now, but today the company is giving the wearable new duties. The company has teamed up with Speedo for a new Shine gadget that logs the details for your workout in the water. The duo says that this is "the first device of its kind with swimmers in mind," packing in lap-counting algorithms to tally stats for all stroke types. Keeping its aluminum exterior, the waterproof Speedo Shine sports a lighter shade of silver but it'll still beam all of your lap and distance details to Misfit's Android and iOS software. In the near future, it'll also play nice with the Speedo Fit swim-tracking app. And yes, this Shine still keeps tabs on the rest of your activity and sleep patterns with a watch battery that's said to last six months.
Billy Steele08.18.2015
Misfit's Flash fitness tracker will switch on your lights, shame you for being lazy
Misfit's wearable devices are know for their nice aesthetic, but it's the company's ongoing support, that keeps them joining the rank and file fitness trackers. Today, it's a trio of small, but handy updates to both the Shine and the Flash. Most notably, the introduction of a web interface to view your fitness or sleep data online, so you're no longer tied to the mobile app. Back in January, Misfit announced Flash would join FitBit in working with IFTTT's web automation tools, and also be able to control smart home devices via Logitech's Harmony Home Hub. Both of those features arrive today (though Misfit already had some IFTTT integrations). Last up, one for the iOS users. Misfit already feeds your step-count into Apple's HealthKit, but starting today, your sleep and weight data will (if you wish) be included too. So, we're getting mixed messages here? Misfit's saving you a walk to the light switch, but making it harder to hide from your (now lower) step count. Thanks... we think?
James Trew06.16.2015
European carriers could block internet ads for their own benefit
While advertising has become a necessary evil, some companies have become specialists in helping you rid yourself of it. If you live in Europe, you could soon find help from an unlikely ally, after a Financial Times report noted that some operators are ready to block ads from Google, Microsoft and Yahoo on your smartphone. According to the newspaper, one European carrier has already installed ad-blocking software in its data centers, with the intention of deploying it before the end of the year. Other providers have reportedly indicated that they may do the same and would ask customers to opt-in to the service.
Matt Brian05.15.2015
Misfit's Flash activity tracker will soon control connected devices
We first heard of Misfit's plans to move beyond activity-tracking with its wearables at CES, and today the company took its first step. With the $50 Flash, you'll soon be able to control a range of connected devices with the unit's Smart Button. As you might expect, Misfit's light bulb, Bolt, is top on the list of supported items. But in March you'll be able to play or pause a Spotify playlist, or even set the perfect bed-time temp with Nest. In addition, the company is working on making Flash play nice with over one hundred behaviors through the automation service IFTTT, Logitech Harmony smart home tech, Yo messaging, the August Smart Lock and others. There isn't an exact arrival date for any of those just yet, but you can catch a glimpse of what the wearable will do on the other side of the break.
Billy Steele01.27.2015Misfit's new activity tracker is a cheaper, plastic version of its first
This week, Misfit announced its second wearable activity tracker... or did it? It's called the Flash, and essentially, it's a clone of a product the company already makes: the Shine. Both are small tokens capable of recording steps and sleep, as well as figuring out when you're doing more vigorous activities like cycling, swimming or playing tennis. So, where's the incentive? Well, that lies in the price, as the Flash costs half as much as the Shine at $50 or £50 -- or it will, anyway, when it launches in the US mid-October and in the UK a month later. Catching up with Misfit in London, we had a chance to check out the Flash, which is just that little bit bigger and fatter than the Shine. The front and back are also flat this time 'round, rather than convex, but the main difference is the materials used to make it.
Jamie Rigg09.18.2014
Misfit's wearable Flash tracks your moves and sleep habits for $49
Remember the Misfit Shine? It was yet another in a long line of crowdfunded wearables that won some points for its uber-clean looks and its activity tracking skills (not to mention the Klingon instructions on the box). $99 may have been a bit much to ask in exchange for an intelligent coin that lives on your wrist though, which is why the Misfit team just pulled back the curtain on a $49 version called the Misfit Flash. It packs the same sort of functionality as its more expensive brother -- it tracks your sleep motion, steps and tough-to-measure activities like swimming and cycling -- into a body that's a little less rugged than the original.
Chris Velazco09.16.2014
Misfit Shine teams with Lose It! calorie-counting to keep your diet on course
Just last month, another sleep-tracking option came to Misfit's Shine activity-logging app, and now, users can couple caloric burn with the intake. Thanks to a cooperative effort with Lose It! -- a nutrition monitoring app/service -- you'll be able to log what you consume and keep track of all the corresponding stats across the web, Android and iOS with the diet-minded outfit. From there, send over Shine's collected data to calculate your overall progress. As you might expect, Lose It! offers barcode scanning to enter foods and customized plans to keep things simple, but a $40 annual subscription is required to leverage the skills of the activity tracker (Jawbone's Up line, Nike FuelBand and Fitbit devices are already supported) or a fitness app.
Billy Steele08.18.2014
Misfit's fitness tracker is now available as a Pebble app
We're calling this "wearable-ception." Misfit's Shine is a waterproof fitness tracker. With an accelerometer and 5 ATM rating, so (potentially) is the Pebble smartwatch. Color us surprised then, to find out Misfit and Pebble are partnering to re-imagine Shine as a Pebble app. Misfit's experience and bespoke fitness tracking software is being shoe-horned into a watch-friendly format, and will be available in the Pebble appstore today -- no Shine required. If you already have a Shine, and are an iOS user, an updated app will fold in support for Pebble watches, should you prefer to keep things separate. The updated app also includes some new metrics, such as calories burned, and distance traveled. Pebble already has a number of fitness apps, but the company claims this is the first stage in an ongoing collaboration with Misfit -- so expect even more fitness functionality in the future.
James Trew06.24.2014
Live from the Engadget Stage: Misfit Wearables CEO Sonny Vu
If CES 2014 is the year of the wearable (hint: of course it is), then Misfits Wearables' time has come. The company's Shine device is a beautiful fitness tracker -- something you wouldn't be embarrassed to wear on your person. January 10, 2014 12:30:00 PM EST
Brian Heater01.10.2014
Misfit Wearables releases Shine Android app, outfits Bluetooth 4.0 devices with activity-tracking prowess
Until now, the dapper stylings of Misfit Wearables' Shine activity tracker have eluded the Android faithful for logging steps, calories and sleep. The outfit has announced a version of the Shine app for devices running Google's OS (4.3 and later) that also sport Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity to be used alongside the aluminum-clad gadget. This bit of software allows users to sync the $120 clip-on wearable, set goals and monitor visual summaries of their progress. Now that Misfit's mobile software is no longer iOS only, the holiday shopping list for those looking to quantify daily routines just got a bit more crowded.
Billy Steele12.02.2013
Misfit Wearables Shine activity tracker stands out in the crowd
One segment of the iOS accessory market that is extremely popular right now is connected activity trackers. This segment all started with the original Fitbit and Nike FuelBand, and the segment now also includes a family of Fitbits, an entry from Withings, the Jawbone Up and more. Many of the devices either clip onto your belt or are built into a wristband, but the new Misfit Wearables Shine (US$119.95) stands out as a device that not only looks different, but can be worn on your body in a number of ways. The Shine also stands out in one other unique way; the company that created it was co-founded by a gentleman who should be very familiar to Apple fans -- former CEO John Sculley. Design The Shine is a tiny aluminum disc-shaped unit about an inch in diameter and about a quarter of an inch thick. There are no buttons on the exterior and most of the time, no glowing lights. To wear the activity tracker, you have several choices. First, there's an adjustable silicone wrist strap that the Shine can be slipped into. The Shine has a channel around the exterior that the silicone strap snaps into, and as you'll see that channel also helps with the other mounting methods. There's a small silicone clasp with a powerful magnet on one side that can be cleverly used to attach the Shine to clothing. That magnet is so strong that while fooling around with this device for the review, I attached the Shine to my earlobe and to one nostril... Most of the time, though, it was grabbing the cuff of a long-sleeve shirt. If you're more of a dressy person, you may want the leather strap (optional, in black or natural leather) or the optional necklace. However, I do not recommend using the clasp. On the last day of my testing I misplaced the tiny Shine once, then lost it forever somewhere during the early evening. If something that expensive -- $130 -- cannot stay attached to its owner, then potential buyers either need to have deep pockets and buy a lot of Shines, or use something other than the clasp. The Shine comes in four different finishes; gray and jet, and from Best Buy stores in the US, also topaz and champagne. Unlike a lot of the activity monitors on the market, the Misfit Shine will take a shower or an accidental spin through the washer with ease. The company even recommends it for swimming! For power, Shine uses a single and readily available CR2032 battery cell that will last up to four months, so there's no charging port or any need to obsess about charging the Shine regularly. When it's time to change out the battery it's quite simple to do -- use a tiny pry tool that is included to pop the Shine apart, pull out the battery, and drop another one in before closing it up again. So how do the little white LEDs glow through aluminum? Is it Scotty's transparent aluminum from Star Trek II? No, even better, the LEDs glow through some laser drilled micro-holes that are so small that water cannot get into the case, but light can get out. It's brilliant! Functionality As with most of the newest activity trackers on the market, Shine uses Bluetooth LE to link to your newer iOS devices. Just fire up the app with the Shine nearby (and with the battery installed) and the two will recognize each other quickly. The free app is quite useful and colorful, and includes some clever animations. If you put the Shine atop your iPhone display, it begins to animate the sync process with a series of pulsating rings. Note that you don't need to manually do this to have Shine and your iPhone sync ... but it's a great incentive to see how your activity is going. Let's talk about that activity tracking. Shine doesn't have a built-in GPS receiver, just a three-axis accelerometer. As you move about, the device tracks that information and the app then translates that into a type of motion. At this time, it recognizes walking, riding a bike, running, swimming. The company says that as they begin to recognize profiles for other types of activities -- say, skiing or karate -- they'll send out app and device updates that automatically track those activities. As it is, I'm just happy that it can also track my favorite activity -- sleeping. So how do you use Shine? Just strap it or clip it on, and go. Misfit Wearables suggests putting it on your shoe, sock or ankle if you're cycling, as it won't do too much if you're riding a bike and have it on your wrist. You use the app to set a goal, which corresponds to a certain amount of activity. For example, the review Shine is currently set at 600, equivalent to walking for one hour, running for 20 minutes, or swimming for 30 minutes. To see where you're at during the day, a double-tap on the shine displays an arc of white LEDs that give you a percent complete total. That same double-tap can display the time as well. The Shine has an "up" or twelve o'clock position that is marked on the back; if you know which way is up, then it will display LEDs that give you the approximate time. For example, at 4:12 PM local time the double-tap displayed some dimmed LEDs at the :00, :15, :30, and :45 positions, then brighter LEDs at the :15 and :20 positions to indicate that it was "around" 4:15. A triple-tap can start tracking an activity like sleep, with another triple-tap ending that tracking. All tracked activity is displayed on an intensity scale, and total results during a specific day are visible in the app in terms of points, steps, calories burned, and miles walked or run. If there's any issue I have with the Shine, it's that at this point it doesn't really work well with others. For example, the Fitbit and Nike Plus devices have quite a few services which they can work with, like RunKeeper, MyFitnessPal, and our AOL company favorite, Virgin HealthMiles. Right now, there's no way to share activity data with other services nor can I share my information with friends. Conclusion The Misfit Wearables Shine is a very unique and well-designed activity tracker that should attract a following by those who are looking for a way to track fitness without a plasticky device. Its water resistance and long battery life make it a winner in the activity tracking market. Pros Very solid construction, machined from aluminum Water-resistant -- you can shower or swim with it Unobtrusive user interface that uses taps and cleverly hidden LEDs to show your percentage of total points for a day as well as the time Can be worn any number of ways, with a wristwatch-like leather strap, silicone sports strap, magnetic clasp or necklace Incredible four-month battery life, no recharging required Cons No way to share activity results with other people through social networks or share with other fitness services Magnetic clasp apparently isn't strong enough to keep the device attached to clothing in all situations, making the device quite easy to lose when the clasp is in use Who is it for? The fitness buff who wants more than just a cheesy-looking plastic band for activity tracking.
Steve Sande11.12.2013
Shine for Mac OS adds very realistic lighting effects to your images
Shine (US$9.99 in the Mac App Store) is not the first app we've seen that allows you to add realistic lighting effects to your images, but it is very capable and easy to use. To start, drag and drop an image into the Shine palette, and place a light source. Drag it and rotate it where you want, then adjust size, intensity and color, and you'll have an enhanced image. The app includes undo, auto-saving and restoring. The lighting effects are realistic and natural looking. The danger is that, like any app that modifies an image, you can get carried away. I prefer a subtle hand. My favorite place for photography is Antelope Canyon near Page, Ariz. It's a slot canyon, and you have to be there at just the right time and season to see the light rays come in from above. I always seem to be at the right place at the wrong time, so I was able to add the light rays to my photos after the fact. I liked the results. I've previously reviewed LensFlare studio ($19.99) for the Mac, and also found it excellent. It's twice as much to buy as Shine, and has more effects, but it terms of quality and flexibility Shine is first rate. Shine responds in nearly real time, and was very stable. I like the ability to show the edited and original photo on the same screen. My only complaint is that the app opens to a very small window on my 30-inch monitor, and even though you can enlarge it, the size isn't remembered as you go to work on a new image. That's an easy fix, and I hope it gets made. %Gallery-183346% Adding lens flares is something you won't do on every picture, but it can be very powerful when used appropriately. Shine does what it advertises, and does it well. I've added it to my small collection of permanent apps for post-processing images after they have been sharpened and color balanced in Photoshop. Shine requires OS X 10.6.6 or later. It's well worth the asking price.
Mel Martin03.20.2013
Velocity Micro reveals tech bounty for CES: projectors, tabs and more
Velocity Micro, has just peeled back the curtain on what it'll be parading next week in Vegas. First up is a pair of successors to its budget Cruz T408 tablet. The T507 Android 4.0 slate houses a Cortex-A8 1.2 GHz Processor and 512MB of RAM, which might not get palms sweating, but you will also get HDMI out, a front facing camera and 8GB of internal for your humble $150 MSRP. The T510 is a bigger sibling, but the specs remain largely the same, bar a rear camera and an extra 2.7" of screen to fondle. Two more new releases come in the form of its top-end Xeon E5-2620 Hexa Core powered ProMagix HD6000 PC, which it claims is designed to outperform a Mac Pro, with 32GB DDR3-1600 RAM and an NIVIDIA Quadpro 4000 on-board to help it do that, and a sub $3,500 price tag. If the built-in 120GB SSD and 1TB 7200 RPM drive isn't enough, then you might be interested in the VMUltra Drive which is a simple 500GB external drive, with a few USB ports added in for spice. Last up is the 1280x768, pocket friendly Shine projector. Sporting HDMI and a 1.4:1 throw ratio, ideal for small spaces. Full specs in the PR after the break, but sadly no word on availability.
James Trew01.05.2012
AT&T rumors: LG Secret canceled, Shine 2 and Vu 2 on the way?
Brace yourselves, folks: it looks like one of the more painful incidents in recent memory might be in the process of repeating itself. Remember a while back when AT&T canceled the hotly-anticipated Sony Ericsson K850 at the last possible fricking second? Yeah, well, we're hearing that LG and AT&T may have mutually agreed to put the brakes on the CF750 Secret (which, like the K850, just happens to be a 5 megapixel phone) "due to cost" -- in other words, some guy in a suit thinks the price point wouldn't make sense. He's likely right, but we're going to grumble nonetheless if that ends up being the case. In happier news, the well-traveled Shine looks due to finally be put out to pasture by the end of May "at the latest," while the Vu is scheduled to be euthanized in August -- but don't worry, both models have replacements in the pipeline. Currently, it looks like AT&T expects the Shine 2 and Vu 2 to hit in the third quarter, though we know from countless past experiences that this is liable to slip dangerously close to the holiday shopping season as both manufacturer and carrier realize that neither the hardware nor software are ready for primetime. The Vu 2 is said to have "some new 3D touchscreen that... was very impressive," which we take to mean that S-Class is a strong possibility here. Could the Vu 2 end up being a thinly-veiled Arena or Viewty Smart clone? [Thanks, Kal]
Chris Ziegler04.22.2009
Iron Man contest winner announced!
After weeks of hand-wringing, we've finally settled on a winner of our contest for LG's uber-limited $1,500 Iron Man edition Shine! We asked you to send in pictures of the busted-up pieces of garbage you call "phones," and holy cow, did we get some doozies.Without further adieu, our winner, Mark H., comes to us from Novato, California. Here's his story:"I need a new phone as you can see. I have had this Nokia phone since 2001. I'm in the military service and my friends make fun of my old phone and now they're really on me since my phone was run over by a car and I use electrical tape to keep the faceplate together. I don't get paid enough by the service to buy a nice new phone."Congratulations, Mark! Even if this relic were in perfect condition, it'd still be time for an upgrade. Let's try to keep this one a little less scuffed, because that solid gold battery cover definitely does not live up to the "Iron Man" name. Follow the break for some honorable mentions -- you guys made it really hard to choose!
Chris Ziegler06.30.2008