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Nest Protect updates bring new Pathlight controls and Steam Check, but no return of Wave feature

Sep04
by on September 4, 2014 at 1:00 pm
Posted In: Around the Web, Gadgets, Insider, Product Updates

nestprotect_02

Nest, the Google-owned company behind the ‘conscious’ in-home thermostat and Nest Protect smoke alarm, has announced today that a range of new features will soon start rolling out to Nest Protect users around the world. Among the new features is a 10-day history of your Protect use, which details exactly what happened (and when) day-by-day and displays higher-level data using graphics to help you get a better understanding of your home. The idea being that you can learn how to avoid triggering alarms by accident. There’s also a ‘steam check’ feature, which the company says will cut down on the number…

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Ollie is a phone-controlled robot toy that does tricks and goes as fast as 15 miles per hour

Sep04
by on September 4, 2014 at 12:30 pm
Posted In: Around the Web, Gadgets

ollie-1

Robotics company Orbotix has followed up last year’s Sphero toy with Ollie, a cylindrical robot that cruises at speeds of up to 15 miles per hour. The device costs $99 and will begin shipping on September 15th. The Sphero robo-ball was a fun toy with some interesting apps built for it, but it had issues with wireless charging and Bluetooth connectivity. Ollie addresses some of these by returning to wired charging and utilizing Bluetooth LE for easier pairing. To get started with Ollie, you simply open the app and tap your phone to the device. The process is noticeably quicker…

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Homejoy launches its first cleaner-booking app for iPhone

Sep04
by on September 4, 2014 at 12:00 pm
Posted In: Apps, Around the Web, Insider, Product Launches

Homejoy, a service for booking a cleaner in the US, the UK and Canada, has today launched its first native iPhone app. Users simply input their cleaning requirements and select a preferred date to receive a cost estimate based on how long it should take. To help make estimates a bit more accurate, it also allows for the addition of specific tasks, like cleaning the oven, doing laundry or cleaning the refrigerator. While the service as a whole is operating in London in the UK, the app is currently only available to download in the US and Canada, although we’d expect to…

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a couple of laughzillas on a blue diamond background

Homejoy launches its first cleaner-booking app for iPhone

Sep04
by on September 4, 2014 at 12:00 pm
Posted In: Apps, Around the Web, Insider, Product Launches

Homejoy, a service for booking a cleaner in the US, the UK and Canada, has today launched its first native iPhone app. Users simply input their cleaning requirements and select a preferred date to receive a cost estimate based on how long it should take. To help make estimates a bit more accurate, it also allows for the addition of specific tasks, like cleaning the oven, doing laundry or cleaning the refrigerator. While the service as a whole is operating in London in the UK, the app is currently only available to download in the US and Canada, although we’d expect to…

This story continues at The Next Web

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Angry Birds Stella brings its all-female cast to iOS, Android and other platforms

Sep04
by on September 4, 2014 at 11:15 am
Posted In: angry birds stella, Apps, Around the Web, rovio

Screenshot 2014-09-04 18.01.30

Those Angry Birds are back, after Rovio’s newest game — Angry Birds Stella — hit iOS, Android and other mobile platforms. The game is a female-focused variant of Rovio’s globally famous Angry Birds franchise, as fans of the series will already know. All in all, Angry Birds Stella is available for five different mobile platforms — Apple’s App Store, Google Play, Amazon Appstore, BlackBerry World and NOOK Apps. (Yes, Windows Phone users are not on the list… yet.) So what is it like? Don’t expect anything wildly different from what you’ve come to know from Angry Birds. The all-female cast is battling to save…

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