MacRumors

A week after announcing the "Osmo+" handheld gimbal with integrated zoom, DJI today is debuting another member of the Osmo line, called the Osmo Mobile, which acts as a stabilization system for compatible smartphones "that turns them into intelligent, precision camera systems." As with previous products, the iPhone will work with the Osmo Mobile, including the iPhone 5, iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, and iPhone 6s and 6s Plus.

Like in previous Osmo models, the Osmo Mobile uses the company's three-axis gimbal stabilization to increase precision down to 0.03 degrees of accuracy. Combined with its "SmoothTrack" technology to smooth out any shaking, the Osmo Mobile produces clearer and higher-quality shots compared to using a smartphone by itself.

“DJI continues to revolutionize the way we capture and share memories,” said Frank Wang, DJI CEO and founder. “The Osmo Mobile combines the best of DJI’s beloved Osmo smart stabilization technology with the robust DJI GO app. This is a breakthrough, allowing smartphone users unprecedented control of and creative possibilities for their devices.”

Used in conjunction with the DJI GO app [Direct Link], users can live stream and instantly share photos and videos on social media. Within the app, "ActiveTrack" lets users tap a subject on the smartphone's screen, which the Osmo Mobile will then intelligently follow and record without any further input needed from the camera holder. ActiveTrack can be used on the front-facing camera as well.

The Osmo Mobile comes in cheaper than the $649.00 Osmo+, which includes a full-featured camera with zoom capabilities, so anyone interested can get the new gimbal system for $299.00. There's also a collection of Osmo accessories, like an external battery and tripod, to add onto the camera system.

Just six days before Apple is expected to announce the iPhone 7 without a headphone jack, Libratone has introduced new Q Adapt in-ear noise-cancelling headphones with a Lightning connector in lieu of a standard 3.5mm audio jack.

The headphones feature a battery-free design with four levels of active noise cancellation, drawing power from the iPhone or iPad they are connected to through the Lightning connector.

The pair have in-line controls for volume, playback, phone calls, and Siri, and one for the four active noise cancellation settings and talk-through.

The earbuds have a fabric-covered cable available in four colors: elegant nude, cloudy white, stormy black, and rose pink. They also are equipped with three sizes of interchangeable rubber earpieces.

Apple introduced new MFi Program specifications in June 2014 that allow third-party manufacturers to create headphones that connect to iOS devices via a Lightning cable, with features such as passthrough power and active noise cancellation.

Libratone says the Q Adapt headphones will be available in mid-September for $179 and will ship to customers at the beginning of October.

Other Lightning-equipped headphones released to date include, among others, the Philips Fidelio M2L and Fidelio NC1L.

Personal media collection app Plex today announced a new bonus for users subscribed to its "Plex Pass" service, introducing a DVR function that can record shows on free digital broadcast channels. The company calls DVR an expansion of its footprint in streaming media, and hopes it makes the premium tiers more enticing for its customers who might be unsure of upgrading from the free service.

To work properly, Plex DVR requires a digital antenna and an HDHomeRun digital tuner, giving users access to free over-the-air channels with "86 of the 100 most popular shows in the United States in 2016." In addition to major networks like ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, and The CW, users will also be able to tune into and record local stations, news, and sports.

“We’ve put a lot of time into this release, and the result is a really elegant DVR, which takes advantage of all the power and intelligence of Plex,” said Scott Olechowski, Co-founder and Chief Product Officer of Plex.

“Plex rounds out the cord cutting experience with a beautifully organized, easy-to-navigate interface that makes all your content available wherever you go. Now you can view TV in a living room or on your phone, using a streaming stick in a hotel, or even on a plane when you’re offline. The addition of DVR allows our customers to make Plex the heart of their media experience. No other solution comes close.”

Thanks to Plex's multitude of apps, users will be able to record and watch their shows from any device they have Plex downloaded on, including OS X, iOS, and Apple TV. Plex will continue to populate shows with artwork and plot descriptions, but the new DVR can also gather information on show descriptions, episode synopses, and season information.

Plex DVR also supports offline viewing, upgradable functions with the chance to add more tuners (to record more shows at once) or additional storage, and picture quality that "far surpasses the picture quality of cable and satellite." Over time, the Plex DVR will begin recommending shows for users to watch based on the series they've viewed and recorded most.

Plex Pass can be subscribed to for $4.99 per month, $39.99 per year, or $149.99 for a lifetime subscription. The cost for DVR features comes in addition to the price of the tuner and antenna needed for the service to work properly. Current Plex Pass subscribers can join in on the beta for the DVR feature right now, but the company didn't mention when it will launch to a wider audience.

Logitech released its Logi Circle home monitoring camera last September, but up until now, it has offered only 24 hours of storage, leaving users with no way to store multiple days of footage.

That's set to change with the debut of the new Logitech "Circle Safe" subscription-based video storage plan that will let users keep and replay video footage beyond 24 hours.

Circle Safe will allow Logi Circle owners to store and access video footage for a full 31 days, keeping important moments available for a much longer period of time.

Alongside Circle Safe, Logitech is debuting improvements to Day Briefs, so subscribers will be able to create time lapse videos for the past day, week, or month. It also supports the creation of Day Briefs for specific user-inputted time frames.

Pricing for Circle Safe starts at $9.99 per account per month, and Logitech is providing all Logi Circle owners with a free 31-day trial. Introductory pricing options are also available.

Logitech's Logi Circle home camera, which includes features like night vision, activity alerts, battery support, and two-way communication, is priced at $199.99 and can be purchased from the Logitech website.

Back at CES 2016, Sphero debuted a prototype version of the "Force Band," a wearable that allows users to motion control the iPhone-controlled BB-8. While the Force Band can mostly be used to control BB-8 without an iPhone, it has some select features that need an iPhone and Sphero's Star Wars app (via Engadget).

The band comes with five modes, two of them for motion controlling BB-8 and other Sphero robots. The three other modes are Force Training Mode, Combat Training Mode and Force Awareness mode. Force Training makes the user follow commands from BB-8 to master Force abilities, allowing the user to "become" a Jedi Knight. Combat Training mode is designed to make the user feel like they're using either a lightsaber or blaster to battle, playing the appropriate sounds based on hand movement.

Force Awareness mode plays like a simplified version of Pokemon Go, with the band pinging a user when they're nearing a Holocron, which look to be some sort of digital collecting card displaying Star Wars characters and items in the app. When a user is out in the world and they are physically near a Holocron, the band alerts the user. They can then take out their iPhone, look at the app, and see what Holocron they obtained. However, it's unclear whether Force Awareness mode uses a mapping system similar to Pokemon Go.

Sphero also announced a special edition battle-worn edition of BB-8 that looks slightly dirtier and worn out. Both the Force Band and battle-worn BB-8 will be available on September 30. The Force Band will be available for $79, but there'll also be a special bundle with both the battle-worn BB-8 and Force Band for $199. Both the droid and Force Band will be available on Sphero's website and select retailers.

A small but noticeable update has hit Instagram today, with the company launching the ability to zoom in on photos within the iOS app. With pinch-to-zoom support, users can get better close-up views of Instagram posts within their feed, on other users' profiles, and in the Explore tab.

Users will be able to zoom in on videos in each of these locations as well, but the update is only rolling out to iOS Instagram users right now, with no word yet regarding when it might debut on Android. You can download Instagram from the iOS App Store for free. [Direct Link]

Bang & Olufsen recently unveiled a pair of new wireless speakers, the BeoSound 1 and BeoSound 2, which provide 360-degree sound displacement in cone-shaped aluminum exteriors with the added bonus of support for AirPlay (via Engadget). The speakers are priced at a premium for their sound quality and top-shelf construction, with the BeoSound 1 running for 1,295 euros (about $1,450) while the BeoSound 2 costs 1,695 euros (just under $2,000).

The difference between the two speakers lies in their size, with the BeoSound 1 acting as a more portable alternative with a rechargeable battery that lasts up to 16 hours. The higher-quality BeoSound 2 requires an AC power outlet for all of its functions. Both include 360-degree sound projection to ensure high quality music playback wherever the speakers are located, but the BeoSound 2 also packs in a "sonic power" feature that produces "goosebump-inducing" sound.

Besides AirPlay, for streaming music each speaker supports Bluetooth, Google Cast, and DLNA, as well as the ability to connect multiple Bang & Olufsen speakers into a multi-room, synchronous listening experience. Hidden on the aluminum body are a set of touch controls that let users access music playback options without needing to open a smartphone.

Combined with each speaker's integrated cloud connection to services including Spotify, Deezer, QPlay, and TuneIn, the company says smartphone battery life will be preserved, and any calls, texts, and games can continue without interrupting the music. The connected BeoMusic app supports music control and the ability to setup the speaker's multi-room listening feature. While each speaker includes AirPlay integration for hassle-free playback from an Apple device, Bang & Olufsen's app itself lacks Apple Music integration, but an Apple Watch extension to the app is also available.

The company says the design of the speaker allows for the bass to emerge from the bottom, while the opening at the top generates better acoustics. Aluminum was chosen as a material for the speakers' construction due to its "acoustic properties," as well, which are said to include: "material stiffness, avoidance of dissonance from joints and corners, and the elimination of distortion."

The BeoSound 1 is available to purchase now, but the BeoSound 2 won't ship until sometime in October. Although the company has a few cheaper alternatives for wireless music playback, many of their products are known for being high quality accessories at top-tier prices.

Tile has introduced a slimmer version of its popular lost-and-found tracker that is as thin as two credit cards.

Tile Slim can be attached to MacBooks, iPhones, iPads, passports, and other important items, or placed inside items like wallets and purses, to help you locate them in the event they are lost. Unlike the original Tile, which remains available for $25, the Tile Slim does not have a circular cutout to attach it to a keychain.

By tapping a button in the companion iOS app, the Tile Slim will deliver an audible chime to help you locate an item by sound when it's within a range of up to approximately 100 feet but out of sight. Or, if you lost the iPhone itself, simply tap the button on the Time Slim and the iPhone will start chiming, even in silent mode.

If you still cannot find your Tile-affixed item, you can use the Tile app to check its last known location on a map. If your Tiled wallet comes within range of any other Tile, for example, its location will automatically be updated within the iPhone app.

The tracker uses Bluetooth LE and has a built-in unremovable battery that is rated to last one year, at which point customers can participate in the reTile program to purchase a new Tile Slim for a discounted price of $21, or a four-pack for $84.

Tile Slim is available now for $30, or a four-pack can be purchased for $100. Tile ships to the United States, Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, and most countries in the European Union, excluding Cyprus, Croatia, and Malta.

After introducing a standalone mode for the DxO ONE Smartphone Camera earlier in the year, the camera manufacturer today announced an update to its DxO ONE lineup that'll bring waterproofing to the accessory, as well as an all-new Wi-Fi remote control. The latter feature will be available to all DxO ONE users through a 2.0 software update coming to the connected iOS app [Direct Link], while the former will manifest as a separate hardware accessory available for any existing DxO ONE.

The Wi-Fi remote control will streamline the Wi-Fi setup process on the accessory thanks to a Lightning adapter connection that allows an iOS device to "seamlessly pass its Wi-Fi authentication credentials from the iPhone to the DxO ONE." The enhanced communication between the camera and the iPhone allows for users to retain control over every setting in the DxO ONE without needing to return to the smartphone, along with "the ability to easily view, edit and share their content to social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube."

“Last year, we revolutionized mobile photography by packing DSLR-quality into a camera design so incredibly small that it could always be available in our pocket,” said DxO CEO and founder, Jérôme Ménière. “And now, thanks to WiFi Remote Control and our new accessories ecosystem, all our users can take the DxO ONE with them absolutely anywhere, without restrictions, and extend their creativity even further.”

In addition to the Wi-Fi upgrade, the 2.0 update will introduce an automatic lighting feature called Mobile Smart Lighting, battery management enhancements, an auto-focus mode, and an underwater white balance for better submerged images. The update is expected to hit sometime in the second half of September.

On the accessory side of things, DxO touts the stainless steel Outdoor Shell as an "extremely rugged" add-on that's still easy to attach and remove at a whim. Attachable to the shell are two waterproof back doors, one that is splash proof (IP67) and one that is "fully submersible and immersion proof" up to 150 feet. In addition to water resistance/proofing, the shell protects from dust and basic accidental drops, while still providing access to the camera's buttons and modes.

The company is also launching a line of other new accessories, including an optical adapter and a stand, both selling for $24.99. For the $59.99 Outdoor Shell, customers can choose from seven different colors: yellow, lagoon, lime, coral, black, khaki, and white. As with the 2.0 update, the accessories are expected to begin shipping later in September. The DxO ONE camera itself sells for $499.00.