Month: May 2024
‘Clash of Clans’ developer releases first video game in years, despite troubles in gaming industry
The developer of the free-to-play mobile game Clash of Clans, Supercell, has finally released its first title in over five… Continue reading ‘Clash of Clans’ developer releases first video game in years, despite troubles in gaming industry
The post ‘Clash of Clans’ developer releases first video game in years, despite troubles in gaming industry appeared first on ReadWrite.
The developer of the free-to-play mobile game Clash of Clans, Supercell, has finally released its first title in over five years despite the industry slowdown after a decades-long winning streak.
The Finnish company has officially released the video game Squad Busters which combines characters from all its previous games. Teams are formed and the characters fight it out in four-minute contests.
The mash-up idea has been in the works for some time but is now available for all to play. On the Google Play Store, the game has had over one million downloads so far.
In an interview with the Financial Times, the co-founder and chief executive Ilkka Paananen told the journalist that preparing for the launch was “stressful.”
“We haven’t released a game in a very, very long time. That’s because our teams have very high standards. We kill lots and lots of games [before they are released]. Now finally we have our game that has exceeded that quality bar.”
Tricky time to launch games as industry is in a decline
The Clash of Clans developer Supercell is also known for the hits Hay Day, and Clash Royale. While the company saw success with hitting peak sales of €2.1bn and €917mn profit in 2016, revenue has declined in the following years.
The gaming industry as a whole has seen sales slump and interest wane which has led to a year of mass layoffs. In 2023, US gaming revenue fell 2.3% over the previous year and gaming usage is down too.
Consumer spending on mobile gaming declined last year and Data.ai predicts low single-digit growth in 2024.
Paananen expanded on his thoughts about the current situation: “The industry at large, and us included, should probably take more risk, to do things that haven’t been done,” he said. “What needs to happen is more innovation, more risk-taking. That is the only way to grow the market.”
Featured Image: Via Deviant Art
The post ‘Clash of Clans’ developer releases first video game in years, despite troubles in gaming industry appeared first on ReadWrite.
Enabling face to face collaboration in a hybrid era
Paul Scott, CTO at Matrix Booking discusses the role of technology in encouraging employees to work from the office.
Which is most effective, working from home or working in an office? This debate is raging in the working world and doesn’t show any signs of stopping.
For employers, working in an office brings with it the benefits of face to face collaboration, yet for employees, working from home allows for far greater flexibility. So, what’s the answer? As much as everyone would love for this to be black and white, the end of the dispute lies in compromise. And it’s a compromise enabled by technology that promotes in-person collaboration without taking away employee autonomy and control.
With fewer office days in a week, it’s essential to make every face to face minute with the team count. Employees don’t want to waste time searching for space in a crowded office, or struggle with inadequate AV setups for hybrid meetings, let alone dealing with no-shows and last-minute cancellations.
A game-changer for office life
It’s time to create a world where the office works for employees, where the chaos of booking resources and finding workspaces is replaced by ease and efficiency. It’s no longer just about reserving a desk or securing a meeting room but about crafting an effortless office experience.
For organizations that implement workspace management platforms, employees get a clear picture of who’s in the office, the resources at their disposal and the best times for collaboration. No more aimless wandering in search of a workspace or a locker. It ensures workers are informed, making each office day productive and simple to navigate.
But the capabilities go beyond simple desks or room bookings. Easy access to popular office amenities—such as the perfect monitor for design tasks, a standing desk for wellness, or a collaborative space for team brainstorming sessions—is made easier. This incentivizes office visits and provides organizations with insights into the resources that employees actually use and value, informing future allocation.
This is how we can bring the comfort and flexibility of a home office into the workplace. The visibility and ease of use not only empower employees in their daily decisions but also make the office a place they want to be. It turns the office into a destination, encouraging regular visits and building a more vibrant, connected workplace community.
Effortless team meetings
Yet, the flexibility and freedom of hybrid work come with its own set of challenges, especially when coordinating team gatherings. Planning a meeting in the hybrid era can often feel like herding cats, with inevitable forgetfulness or last-minute changes throwing a spanner in the works. The time has come to transform chaos into order.
Imagine you’re gearing up for a brainstorming session. Gone are the days of endless emails and last-minute scrambles. With the right platform in place, you’re clearly shown the available spaces, each with its specific size, amenities and location. You find the perfect spot, and with a click, it’s reserved for you and your team.
But this doesn’t end with just a booking confirmation. Everyone gets automated timely reminders about the upcoming meeting with clear instructions on where and when things are happening, ensuring no one misses out. In addition, the time slots in the attendees’ diaries are booked out to reduce scheduling conflicts. For the team members who may have doubts about joining, the ability to see when your colleagues are attending the office is the digital equivalent of seeing friends check into an event on social media – they feel that pull to join in, encouraging them to make that leap from remote to in-person interaction.
This approach focuses on enriching the team experience. It creates an environment where meetings aren’t just scheduled—they’re anticipated. By choosing the right space that meets the team’s needs and using technology to keep everyone in the loop, the office becomes a space where creativity, collaboration, and camaraderie thrive.
Winning at work
Creating an inviting office environment goes beyond just making workspace bookings and team meetings easy. With insights into how and when staff prefer to use office spaces, organizations can tailor events and activities to match these preferences. This could mean scheduling lunch and learn sessions, guest speaker talks, workshops, or hackathons at times when they’re most likely to be well-attended and impactful.
For some organisations, incorporating gamification would introduce a fun, competitive element to office attendance. They could set up a system where employees earn points for each day in the office. These points could then be redeemed for tangible rewards, creating a leaderboard that tracks and rewards office presence. Such an approach would draw people in while building a community feeling at work.
The key is to understand what employees need and value and actively engage them through feedback loops. This way, organizations can align office life with the real interests and schedules of their workforce, making the office more than just a place to work.
The challenge ahead
Striking the right balance between in-office collaboration and remote flexibility is crucial. In this respect, technology isn’t simply facilitating a compromise between working from home and the office. It’s redefining the purpose and value of the office itself.
By providing clear insights into office attendance and resource utilisation, workspace management software empowers organisations to create a dynamic, responsive, and employee-centric work environment. It’s about enriching the office experience, making it a place where employees want to be, not where they have to be.
Moving forward, the challenge will be to use this technology to its fullest potential, ensuring the office remains a hub for innovation, collaboration, and community. The future of work is hybrid and with the right tools and mindset we can create a work environment that is flexible, efficient and, above all, geared towards employee wellbeing and productivity.
We’ve featured the best WFH app.
This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro’s Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro
CARROT Weather Gains Updated Design With Garden Layout and More
Popular weather prediction app CARROT Weather was today updated to version 6.0, introducing a refreshed design with changes to the user interface and feature set. The app now features a garden, which is the new default look of the app.
The garden is designed to grow and change over time, with little robots pruning trees, watering plants, and delivering supplies throughout the day. The garden resets at the start of each month for a dynamic experience throughout the year. While the garden is the default design, premium users can opt to keep their current layouts.
CARROT Weather includes a new Hourly Forecast with a data point picker for selecting weather data that will show up on the main screen, plus there are more than a dozen layout options available in the Settings section of the app. Premium users can choose new styles for Weather Alerts, Minutely Forecast, Hourly Forecast, and Daily Forecast.
The app includes weather news that provides insight into major weather events that are happening around the globe. Articles are sourced from Accuweather and stories for the local area will appear higher up in the layout. CARROT Weather is also gaining yesterday’s temperature, which is a new popup that compares the current daily temperature with yesterday’s weather when the app is first opened in the morning.
CARROT Weather can be downloaded from the App Store for free, but unlocking additional features requires the premium version, priced starting at $20/year. [Direct Link]This article, “CARROT Weather Gains Updated Design With Garden Layout and More” first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums
Popular weather prediction app CARROT Weather was today updated to version 6.0, introducing a refreshed design with changes to the user interface and feature set. The app now features a garden, which is the new default look of the app.
The garden is designed to grow and change over time, with little robots pruning trees, watering plants, and delivering supplies throughout the day. The garden resets at the start of each month for a dynamic experience throughout the year. While the garden is the default design, premium users can opt to keep their current layouts.
CARROT Weather includes a new Hourly Forecast with a data point picker for selecting weather data that will show up on the main screen, plus there are more than a dozen layout options available in the Settings section of the app. Premium users can choose new styles for Weather Alerts, Minutely Forecast, Hourly Forecast, and Daily Forecast.
The app includes weather news that provides insight into major weather events that are happening around the globe. Articles are sourced from Accuweather and stories for the local area will appear higher up in the layout. CARROT Weather is also gaining yesterday’s temperature, which is a new popup that compares the current daily temperature with yesterday’s weather when the app is first opened in the morning.
CARROT Weather can be downloaded from the App Store for free, but unlocking additional features requires the premium version, priced starting at $20/year. [Direct Link]
This article, “CARROT Weather Gains Updated Design With Garden Layout and More” first appeared on MacRumors.com
Discuss this article in our forums
Our only mission at Venus may have just gone dark
A jealous planet guards its secrets closely?
Enlarge / Processed image of Venus captured by the Akatsuki spacecraft.
(credit: JAXA/ISAS/DARTS/Kevin M. Gill)
JAXA, the Japanese space agency, confirmed Wednesday that it has lost communication with its Akatsuki spacecraft in orbit around Venus.
In its update, the space agency said it failed to establish communications in late April after the spacecraft had difficulty maintaining its attitude. This likely means there is some sort of thruster issue on the spacecraft that is preventing it from being able to orient itself back toward Earth.
“Since then, we have implemented various measures to restore service, but communication has not yet been restored,” the agency stated. “We are currently working on restoring communication.” JAXA added that it will announce further actions, if any, as soon as they’ve been decided upon.
Fitbit Ace LTE hands-on: Wearable gaming to make exercise fun (but not too fun)
Google is crossing genres with its latest wearable for kids, combining a gaming system and an activity tracker in the Fitbit Ace LTE. The company is pitching this as a “first-of-its-kind connected smartwatch that transforms exercise into play and safely helps kids lead more active, independent lives.” Basically, think of it as a Nintendo Switch pared down into an activity tracker for children aged 7 and up, with a few safety and connectivity features built in.
The main idea here is to get kids up and moving, in exchange for progress on the Ace LTE’s onboard games. But there are also basic tools that let parents (and trusted contacts) stay in touch with the wearer. Through the new Fitbit Ace app (that adults can install on iOS or Android), guardians can set play time, monitor activity progress and send calls or messages. On the watch itself, kids can also use the onscreen keyboard or microphone to type or dictate texts or choose an emoji.
The Fitbit Ace LTE’s hardware: Basically a Pixel Watch 2
Since the Fitbit Ace LTE uses essentially the same hardware as the Pixel Watch 2, it’s pretty responsive. One major difference, though, is that the kid-friendly tracker uses Gorilla Glass 3 on its cover, in addition to the 5 ATMs of water-resistance that both models share. Google does include a protective case with each Ace LTE, and it doesn’t add much weight.
There are also other obvious differences because the Pixel Watch 2 has a circular face while the Fitbit Ace LTE has a “squircle” (square with rounded corners) with two large buttons on the right side. The latter’s band is also a lot narrower, and it comes “with technology built in,” according to Google’s vice president of product management Anil Sabharwal. That’s just a fancy way to say that the Ace LTE recognizes when you swap in a new strap and each accessory comes with unique content.
Cherlynn Low for Engadget
The company is calling these straps “Cartridges” — another reminder of how the Fitbit Ace LTE is a gaming console wannabe. When you snap a new one on, you’ll see an animation of all the bonus material you just got. They include new backgrounds and items for your Tamagotchi-esque pet called “eejie.” Separate bands also add unique cartoony strips, called Noodles, that make their way around the edges of the watch’s display every day which chart the wearer’s progress towards daily goals, similar to Apple’s activity rings.
I’m dancing around the main part of the Fitbit Ace LTE’s proposition, because I wanted to get the hardware out of the way. The most interesting concept here is the idea of a wearable gaming system. The Ace LTE’s home screen looks fairly typical. It shows you the time and the Noodle activity ring around it, as well as some small font at the very bottom showing the number of points collected.
To the left of this page is what Sabharwal called a “playlist” — a collection of daily quests. Like on other iOS or Android games, this is a bunch of targets to hit within a dictated time frame to ensure you’re engaged, and achieving these goals leads to rewards.
Eejie: Like Tamagotchi but less cute
Most of these rewards are things you can use to jazz up your digital pet’s home over on the right of the home screen. Google calls these things “eejies” — that name doesn’t actually mean anything. Some engineers in a room looked at the letters “I” “J” and “I” and sounded them out and thought sure, why not. (No, those letters don’t actually stand for anything, either.)
Cherlynn Low for Engadget
According to Google, “Eejies are customizable creatures that feed off daily activity — the more kids reach their movement goals, the more healthy and happy their eejie gets.” When daily activities are completed and each child earns arcade tickets (or when a new watch strap is attached), they can exchange them for new outfit or furniture items for their eejies.
Even though they’re supposed to be “customizable creatures,” the eejies are anthropomorphic and look like… well, kids. Depending on how you style them, they sort of look like sullen teenagers, even. Don’t expect a cute Pikachu or Digimon to play with, these eejie are two-legged beings with heads, arms and necks. I’d prefer something cuter, but perhaps the target demographic likes feeding and playing with a strange avatar of themselves.
When multiple Ace LTE wearers meet up, their eejie can visit each other and leave emoji messages. Of course, how fun that is depends on how many of your (kid’s) friends have Ace LTEs.
Gaming on the Fitbit Ace LTE
Even without that social component though, the Ace LTE can be quite a lot of fun. It is the home of Fitbit Arcade, a new library of games built specifically for this wearable. So far, I’ve only seen about six games in the collection, including a room escape game, a fishing simulator and a Mario Kart-like racer.
The first game I tried at Google’s briefing was Smoky Lake, the fishing game. After a quick intro, I tapped on a shadow of a fish in the water, and flung my arm out. I waited till the Ace LTE buzzed, then pulled my wrist in. I was told that I had caught a puffer fish, and swiped through to see more information about past catches. I earned five arcade tickets with this catch.
I gleefully tried again and caught what I was told was the “biggest pineapple gillfish” acquired that day. Other hauls the Ace LTE I was wearing had acquired included a “ramen squid” and a “blob fish,” and tapping an icon on the upper left brought up my library of things that had been caught.
Cherlynn Low for Engadget
I then played a round of Pollo 13, a racing game where I played as a chicken in a bathtub competing in an intergalactic space match against my arch nemesis. There, I tilted my wrist in all directions to steer, keeping my vehicle on track or swerving to collect items that sped me up. Just as I expected based on my prior Mario Kart experience (and also my general lack of skill at driving in real life), I sucked at this game and came in last. Sabharwal gently informed me that this was the poorest result they had seen all day.
I didn’t get to check out other titles installed, like Galaxy Rangers, Jelly Jam or Sproutlings but I was most intrigued by a room escape game, which is my favorite genre.
Google doesn’t want to encourage obsession or addiction to the Ace LTE’s games, though. “We don’t want kids to overexercise. We don’t want kids to feel like they have a streak and if they miss a day, ‘Oh my God, the world is over!’” Sabharwal said.
To that end, progress in each game is built around encouraging the wearer to meet movement goals to advance to new stages. Every two to three minutes, you’ll be prompted to get up and move. In Smokey Lake, for instance, you’ll be told that you’ve run out of bait and have to walk a few hundred steps to go to the bait shop. This can be achieved by walking a number of steps or doing any activity that meets similar requirements. Google is calling this “interval-based gaming,” playing on the idea of “interval-based training.” After about five to 10 sessions, the company thinks each wearer will hit the 60 to 90 minutes of daily required activity recommended by the World Health Organization.
Cherlynn Low for Engadget
The idea of activity as currency for games isn’t exactly novel, but Google’s being quite careful in its approach. Not only is it trying to avoid addiction, which for the target age group is a real concern, but the company also says it built the Ace LTE “responsibly from the ground up” by working with “experts in child psychology, public health, privacy and digital wellbeing.” It added that the device was “built with privacy in mind, front and center,” and that only parents will ever be shown a child’s location or activity data in their apps. Location data is deleted after 24 hours, while activity data is deleted after a maximum of 35 days. Google also said “there are no third-party apps or ads on the device.”
While activity is the main goal at launch, there is potential for the Ace LTE to track sleep and other aspects of health to count towards goals. Since the device has all the functionality of a Pixel Watch 2, it can technically track sleep and prompt the wearer to log their moods and feelings. Parts of the Ace LTE interface also appeared similar to other Fitbit trackers, with movement reminders and a Today-esque dashboard. But from my brief hands-on, it was hard to fully explore and compare.
Though I like the idea of the Ace LTE and was definitely entertained by some of the games, I still have some reservations. I was concerned that the device I tried on felt warm, although Sabharwal explained it was likely because the demo units had been charging on and off all day. I also didn’t care for the thick bezels around the screen, though that didn’t really adversely impact my experience. What did seem more of a problem was the occasional lag I encountered waiting for games to load or to go to the home screen. I’m not sure if that was a product of early software or if the final retail units will have similar delays, and will likely need to run a full review to find out.
The Fitbit Ace LTE is available for pre-order today for $230 on the Google Store or Amazon and it arrives on June 5. You’ll need to pay an extra $10 a month for the Ace Pass plan, which includes LTE service (on Google’s Fi) and access to Fitbit Arcade and regular content updates. If you spring for an annual subscription, you’ll get a collectable Ace Band (six are available at launch) and from now till August 31, the yearly fee is discounted at 50 percent off, making it about $5 a month.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/fitbit-ace-lte-hands-on-wearable-gaming-to-make-exercise-fun-but-not-too-fun-140059054.html?src=rss
Google is crossing genres with its latest wearable for kids, combining a gaming system and an activity tracker in the Fitbit Ace LTE. The company is pitching this as a “first-of-its-kind connected smartwatch that transforms exercise into play and safely helps kids lead more active, independent lives.” Basically, think of it as a Nintendo Switch pared down into an activity tracker for children aged 7 and up, with a few safety and connectivity features built in.
The main idea here is to get kids up and moving, in exchange for progress on the Ace LTE’s onboard games. But there are also basic tools that let parents (and trusted contacts) stay in touch with the wearer. Through the new Fitbit Ace app (that adults can install on iOS or Android), guardians can set play time, monitor activity progress and send calls or messages. On the watch itself, kids can also use the onscreen keyboard or microphone to type or dictate texts or choose an emoji.
The Fitbit Ace LTE’s hardware: Basically a Pixel Watch 2
Since the Fitbit Ace LTE uses essentially the same hardware as the Pixel Watch 2, it’s pretty responsive. One major difference, though, is that the kid-friendly tracker uses Gorilla Glass 3 on its cover, in addition to the 5 ATMs of water-resistance that both models share. Google does include a protective case with each Ace LTE, and it doesn’t add much weight.
There are also other obvious differences because the Pixel Watch 2 has a circular face while the Fitbit Ace LTE has a “squircle” (square with rounded corners) with two large buttons on the right side. The latter’s band is also a lot narrower, and it comes “with technology built in,” according to Google’s vice president of product management Anil Sabharwal. That’s just a fancy way to say that the Ace LTE recognizes when you swap in a new strap and each accessory comes with unique content.
The company is calling these straps “Cartridges” — another reminder of how the Fitbit Ace LTE is a gaming console wannabe. When you snap a new one on, you’ll see an animation of all the bonus material you just got. They include new backgrounds and items for your Tamagotchi-esque pet called “eejie.” Separate bands also add unique cartoony strips, called Noodles, that make their way around the edges of the watch’s display every day which chart the wearer’s progress towards daily goals, similar to Apple’s activity rings.
I’m dancing around the main part of the Fitbit Ace LTE’s proposition, because I wanted to get the hardware out of the way. The most interesting concept here is the idea of a wearable gaming system. The Ace LTE’s home screen looks fairly typical. It shows you the time and the Noodle activity ring around it, as well as some small font at the very bottom showing the number of points collected.
To the left of this page is what Sabharwal called a “playlist” — a collection of daily quests. Like on other iOS or Android games, this is a bunch of targets to hit within a dictated time frame to ensure you’re engaged, and achieving these goals leads to rewards.
Eejie: Like Tamagotchi but less cute
Most of these rewards are things you can use to jazz up your digital pet’s home over on the right of the home screen. Google calls these things “eejies” — that name doesn’t actually mean anything. Some engineers in a room looked at the letters “I” “J” and “I” and sounded them out and thought sure, why not. (No, those letters don’t actually stand for anything, either.)
According to Google, “Eejies are customizable creatures that feed off daily activity — the more kids reach their movement goals, the more healthy and happy their eejie gets.” When daily activities are completed and each child earns arcade tickets (or when a new watch strap is attached), they can exchange them for new outfit or furniture items for their eejies.
Even though they’re supposed to be “customizable creatures,” the eejies are anthropomorphic and look like… well, kids. Depending on how you style them, they sort of look like sullen teenagers, even. Don’t expect a cute Pikachu or Digimon to play with, these eejie are two-legged beings with heads, arms and necks. I’d prefer something cuter, but perhaps the target demographic likes feeding and playing with a strange avatar of themselves.
When multiple Ace LTE wearers meet up, their eejie can visit each other and leave emoji messages. Of course, how fun that is depends on how many of your (kid’s) friends have Ace LTEs.
Gaming on the Fitbit Ace LTE
Even without that social component though, the Ace LTE can be quite a lot of fun. It is the home of Fitbit Arcade, a new library of games built specifically for this wearable. So far, I’ve only seen about six games in the collection, including a room escape game, a fishing simulator and a Mario Kart-like racer.
The first game I tried at Google’s briefing was Smoky Lake, the fishing game. After a quick intro, I tapped on a shadow of a fish in the water, and flung my arm out. I waited till the Ace LTE buzzed, then pulled my wrist in. I was told that I had caught a puffer fish, and swiped through to see more information about past catches. I earned five arcade tickets with this catch.
I gleefully tried again and caught what I was told was the “biggest pineapple gillfish” acquired that day. Other hauls the Ace LTE I was wearing had acquired included a “ramen squid” and a “blob fish,” and tapping an icon on the upper left brought up my library of things that had been caught.
I then played a round of Pollo 13, a racing game where I played as a chicken in a bathtub competing in an intergalactic space match against my arch nemesis. There, I tilted my wrist in all directions to steer, keeping my vehicle on track or swerving to collect items that sped me up. Just as I expected based on my prior Mario Kart experience (and also my general lack of skill at driving in real life), I sucked at this game and came in last. Sabharwal gently informed me that this was the poorest result they had seen all day.
I didn’t get to check out other titles installed, like Galaxy Rangers, Jelly Jam or Sproutlings but I was most intrigued by a room escape game, which is my favorite genre.
Google doesn’t want to encourage obsession or addiction to the Ace LTE’s games, though. “We don’t want kids to overexercise. We don’t want kids to feel like they have a streak and if they miss a day, ‘Oh my God, the world is over!’” Sabharwal said.
To that end, progress in each game is built around encouraging the wearer to meet movement goals to advance to new stages. Every two to three minutes, you’ll be prompted to get up and move. In Smokey Lake, for instance, you’ll be told that you’ve run out of bait and have to walk a few hundred steps to go to the bait shop. This can be achieved by walking a number of steps or doing any activity that meets similar requirements. Google is calling this “interval-based gaming,” playing on the idea of “interval-based training.” After about five to 10 sessions, the company thinks each wearer will hit the 60 to 90 minutes of daily required activity recommended by the World Health Organization.
The idea of activity as currency for games isn’t exactly novel, but Google’s being quite careful in its approach. Not only is it trying to avoid addiction, which for the target age group is a real concern, but the company also says it built the Ace LTE “responsibly from the ground up” by working with “experts in child psychology, public health, privacy and digital wellbeing.” It added that the device was “built with privacy in mind, front and center,” and that only parents will ever be shown a child’s location or activity data in their apps. Location data is deleted after 24 hours, while activity data is deleted after a maximum of 35 days. Google also said “there are no third-party apps or ads on the device.”
While activity is the main goal at launch, there is potential for the Ace LTE to track sleep and other aspects of health to count towards goals. Since the device has all the functionality of a Pixel Watch 2, it can technically track sleep and prompt the wearer to log their moods and feelings. Parts of the Ace LTE interface also appeared similar to other Fitbit trackers, with movement reminders and a Today-esque dashboard. But from my brief hands-on, it was hard to fully explore and compare.
Though I like the idea of the Ace LTE and was definitely entertained by some of the games, I still have some reservations. I was concerned that the device I tried on felt warm, although Sabharwal explained it was likely because the demo units had been charging on and off all day. I also didn’t care for the thick bezels around the screen, though that didn’t really adversely impact my experience. What did seem more of a problem was the occasional lag I encountered waiting for games to load or to go to the home screen. I’m not sure if that was a product of early software or if the final retail units will have similar delays, and will likely need to run a full review to find out.
The Fitbit Ace LTE is available for pre-order today for $230 on the Google Store or Amazon and it arrives on June 5. You’ll need to pay an extra $10 a month for the Ace Pass plan, which includes LTE service (on Google’s Fi) and access to Fitbit Arcade and regular content updates. If you spring for an annual subscription, you’ll get a collectable Ace Band (six are available at launch) and from now till August 31, the yearly fee is discounted at 50 percent off, making it about $5 a month.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/fitbit-ace-lte-hands-on-wearable-gaming-to-make-exercise-fun-but-not-too-fun-140059054.html?src=rss
Fitbit Ace LTE Looks Like a Game-Infused, Phone-Enabled Delight for Kids – CNET
Hands-on thoughts: available to order now, it looks like a great alternative to the Apple Watch.
Hands-on thoughts: available to order now, it looks like a great alternative to the Apple Watch.
Once a Sheriff’s Deputy in Florida, Now a Source of Disinformation From Russia
In 2016, Russia used an army of trolls to interfere in the U.S. presidential election. This year, an American given asylum in Moscow may be accomplishing much the same thing all by himself.
In 2016, Russia used an army of trolls to interfere in the U.S. presidential election. This year, an American given asylum in Moscow may be accomplishing much the same thing all by himself.
Google and Fitbit’s reentry into kids smartwatches merges activity and gaming – but comes at a high price
Google’s reentry into kids’ smartwatches is the $229 (USD) Fitbit Ace LTE, which features on-wrist games to encourage movement.
It’s been about three years since the Fitbit Ace 3 hit the market, and as an activity tracker designed for kids, it didn’t stray too far from the working formula – both in terms of price at $79.95, and in terms of feature set.
Google and Fitbit clearly see the potential in the children’s fitness tracker and smartwatch category, though. And after a few years without a release and countless other options, including Apple’s School Time mode for the Apple Watch, we’re getting the Fitbit Ace LTE.
It’s a new $229 smartwatch built from the ground up for kids with built-in games that encourage movement and getting activity, a rewards system, parent-approved messaging, and the feel of the full-fledged smartwatch. It’s only available in the US at launch, but Google has confirmed that the Fitbit Ace LTE will launch in additional countries next year.
The price, though, is a big one. As the name suggests, the Fitbit Ace LTE needs a network connection. This comes in the form of the Fitbit Ace Pass, a $9.99 monthly subscription that’s required.
Looks like a regular smartwatch, but with a kid-centric interface
(Image credit: Future/Jacob Krol)
Like the Fitbit Ace 3, which resembled other Fitbits, the Fitbit Ace LTE resembles a Versa 3. It is a rounded square build with a vibrant, sharp touch screen in the middle and two buttons on the left side. With a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass over the screen, it should be rugged enough to handle accidental bumps and potential falls when worn by a child. Considering the $229 price, you’ll be happy to know it’s made of stainless steel and plastic.
Google is even shipping it with a bumper in the box so you can get a raised lip around the screen out of the box. You can also pick from two styles: Mild Pebble or Spicy Pebble. There will also be collectible bands which, when used and attached to the Ace LTE, will unlock content on the smartwatch.
Like Animal Crossing on the Switch or any game featuring an avatar, the Fitbit Ace LTE aims to gamify the activity-tracking experience. The main watch face offers the time in the middle and your total number of points – essentially your aggregated health data – at the bottom, but around it is what Fitbit has dubbed a “noodle.” It’s a fun animation that will move around and eventually be complete when you hit your goal. I saw a “rock-on” noodle and a spooky one in a demo. The whole idea for children is to celebrate and track their goals.
It’s quite similar to closing your rings on an Apple Watch, albeit a bit more animated. The goal here is also to get 60 minutes of activity daily. Noodle encourages this, but Google has also built mini-games into the device.
These aren’t meant to distract you from being active but instead designed to be used as “interval-based gaming.” In one game, I would raise my wrist around and see a lake, tap the screen, and then throw my arm out to cast the line – I’d wait for a haptic buzz and then see what fish I caught. It’s kind of an activity, but the Fitbit Ace LTE will then give a task, something along the lines of you needing to walk 200 steps to recharge, and then you can come back. The reward is hitting your points and unlocking something in the game.
A look at the Eejies on the Fitbit Ace LTE kids smartwatch. (Image credit: Google)
And that’s where the “eejie” comes in, and it’s essentially the avatar that is fully customizable and lives within the Fitbit Ace LTE. So yes, Google and Fitbit integrated gaming here. For parents, between interchanging collectible bands and an avatar that feels a little like a Tamagotchi, it might be a nostalgia-fueled ride. The idea is to unlock clothing and other elements from pairing a new band with the Fitbit Ace LTE and as rewards for other activities. If your child has a friend with a Fitbit Ace LTE, their two “eejies” can also hang out and visit each other’s virtual homes.
Truly, that is where Google and Fitbit aim to rethink the kids’ smartwatch space – they are striving to create a compelling experience on the wrist that does not discourage activity but rather encourages it. The hope clearly is to get a lot of these on kids’ wrists and build a sense of community, maybe even through sharing the collectible bands.
The technology powering the device is pretty sound as well. The Fitbit Ace LTE has the same processor as the Pixel Watch, and it felt pretty snappy in my demo. I was able to quickly jump between viewing health statistics, opening up the “eejie’s” home, and then navigating to a game. Like any other smartwatch, it has an array of sensors, including an accelerometer, gyroscope, altimeter, and even an optical heart rate sensor. Google also promises “all-day” battery life of up to 16 hours (less than an Apple Watch Series 9), and it’s powered by a 328mAh battery cell inside. It also charges with the same charger as the Pixel Watch 2.
The Ace LTE is separate from the rest of the Fitbit ecosystem, including the Pixel Watch. The Fitbit Ace LTE lives in the Fitbit Ace app on Android or iOS, aka the parent’s phone running either operating system. It’ll be set up there and monitored, but that is also where it syncs when connected. A parent or guardian will be able to set up to 20 contacts to allow the child to message or call from the Fitbit Ace LTE, and the parent will be able to see the location of the smartwatch.
From a privacy perspective, only a parent or guardian can access the location of the Fitbit Ace LTE within the companion app on Android and iOS, with location history being deleted after 24 hours. There are no advertisements or third-party apps on the smartwatch itself, and data activity is only stored for a maximum of 35 days.
Fitbit Ace Pass is required and is $9.99 a month for the LTE connectivity as well as more content. It gives the Ace LTE access to the “eejie,” all of the games in the Fitbit Arcade, future content drops, and the communication aspects of the smartwatch. It’s either $9.99 a month or $120 for the year, and while a free trial doesn’t come with the purchase, you can get 50% off the annual plan and a band for free. You’ll just need to opt in and sign up by August 31, 2024.
The outlook
Google and Fitbit are certainly trying a different approach with their children’s smartwatches. It’s built from scratch and purposely designed for kids, complete with a more durable design and an interface, ethos built around encouraging activity. The games were fun in a demo, and I think if the rewards and quests are variable enough, it could stand out as an entertaining experience for kids.
The question arises, though, on price – $229 USD is far more than competing kids’ smartwatches, closer to the cost of a Pixel Watch and just $20 shy of an Apple Watch SE 2nd Gen. The Fitbit Ace LTE also requires a subscription plan for connectivity and content access, and while that’s on par with a mobile plan for a connected watch, this is a much higher price of entry than past Fitbits (or even most past smartwatches) designed for kids.
We’ll need to go hands-on and further test the Fitbit Ace LTE to see if it stands up to the price tag and whether the collectible, gamified Tamagotchi or Pokemon Go-esque elements can add any value here.
In the meantime, Google is already taking orders for the Fitbit Ace LTE, which will be available for $229 in Spicy Pebble or Mild Pebble from the Google Store and Amazon. It will begin shipping on June 5, 2024, and will be available only in the United States at launch – but come 2025, Google has confirmed it will launch in additional countries.
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Google’s newest Fitbit kid watch plays motion games and is also a phone
Google’s newest Fitbit kid watch plays motion games and is also a phone
The Fitbit Ace LTE is like a Nintendo smartwatch for kids
This is the Spicy Pebble with the Moovin’ Band, with a bumper attached for extra durability. | Photo by Victoria Song / The Verge
When Fitbit invited me to a demo of the Ace LTE, its new tracker for kids, I didn’t expect much. The previous Ace trackers were pared-down Fitbit bands that didn’t do much and lacked GPS. Other smartwatches for kids tend to be boxy, glorified GPS trackers, designed to appeal more to parents than kids. But the Ace LTE? This is a kids smartwatch that feels like it might actually be fun to wear. I kind of wish there were something like it for adults.
The $229.95 Ace LTE has a squarish case that’s reminiscent of the Fitbit Versa. The main difference is that the materials are more appropriate for kids. (Think plastic and Corning Gorilla Glass instead of sapphire crystal and titanium.) There’s also an optional bumper for extra durability. However, if you flip it upside down, the sensor array looks nearly identical to the Pixel Watch 2. A neat perk is that if you have a Pixel Watch 2, this uses the same charger.
It gets about 16 hours of battery life, but fast charging means you get 60 percent in 30 minutes.
The Ace LTE’s whole schtick is exercise should be a form of play. In fact, it’s more like a game console strapped to your wrist than a traditional smartwatch. Instead of apps, the watch comes with a bunch of preloaded video games. The concept is instead of interval training, where you sprinkle bits of high-intensity suffering into a workout, the Ace LTE employs interval gaming. Once they’ve played a certain amount, kids are prompted to add to their step count to earn more playing time.
There’s also an Eejie, a Tamagotchi-like buddy who lives in the Ace LTE. This, too, is a bit like Animal Crossing in that you can buy an Eejie in-game items, rooms, clothes, and other accessories. But instead of microtransactions using real-life money, you have to buy those items using arcade tickets. Those, in turn, can only be won by making progress on daily goals or by playing games.
There’ll be six collectible bands to start, each costing $35.
The special connector acts as a “game cartridge,” holding exclusive items for Eejies, a Tamogatchi-like buddy.
Each Ace LTE band is also a collectible. Once popped on, a band unlocks new outfits for the Eejie, exclusive collectibles, and a themed noodle — the animated ring that represents your daily progress. Additional bands cost $35 and have their own themes. The idea is that kids can trade bands to get items, much in the way us ancient nerds traded POG slammers and Pokémon cards.
I got to try two games: Smokey Lake and Pollo 13. The former is a fishing game that reminded me of how you collect fish in Animal Crossing or Stardew Valley. It involves viewing your virtual environment, casting your arm out to catch a fish, and pulling it back to reel it in. Pollo 13 was a Mario Kart-esque game where you play as a chicken racing in a bathtub, collecting eggs to get powers. You race by tilting your arm, and the aim is to best your archnemesis, Kim. (I don’t know what Kim did, but she ate my dust.) After playing a bit of both, I was prompted to take around 500 steps so I could play more.
But the gaming is only one aspect of the Ace LTE. The other is to help kids stay connected to their parents. While previous Fitbit Ace devices didn’t have GPS tracking, this one comes with LTE built in. That enables calling, messaging, and location sharing. The bad news is getting those features requires a $9.99 monthly or $120 annual subscription to the Ace Pass data plan. The good news is you don’t have to go through a carrier, nor does a kid need their own phone.
Everything is controlled through the Fitbit Ace companion app, which works on both iOS and Android. The app is where parents can set trusted contacts, send and receive messages, view their child’s real-time location, and monitor how their child is doing with regard to their activity goals. There’s also a school time mode, which disables gaming during school hours. Later this year, Fitbit says that it will also add Tap to Pay.
It looks a lot like a Fitbit Versa on the wrist, but the internal hardware is closer to a Pixel Watch 2.
Kids smartwatches always raise an extra question of privacy. Fitbit told me at the demo that only parents can access location data, which is deleted after 24 hours. Activity data is deleted after 35 days and will not be used for Google ads. The Ace LTE also will not include third-party apps or ads. Of course, this is what Google, which owns Fitbit, says upfront. If you’re worried about the fine print, concerned parents should also look at the Fitbit Ace privacy policy.
We’ll have to test the Ace LTE to see how well it works — both as a means of encouraging kids to move more and as a tool for parents. That said, this is a significant update to the Ace lineup and one of the more fun approaches to a smartwatch for kids that we’ve seen in a while.
The Fitbit Ace LTE is available starting on June 5th for $229.95, with an Ace Pass priced at $9.99 monthly or $119.99 annually. Annual subscribers get an extra collectible band, and those who buy it by August 31st will get 50 percent off the subscription cost.
This is the Spicy Pebble with the Moovin’ Band, with a bumper attached for extra durability. | Photo by Victoria Song / The Verge
When Fitbit invited me to a demo of the Ace LTE, its new tracker for kids, I didn’t expect much. The previous Ace trackers were pared-down Fitbit bands that didn’t do much and lacked GPS. Other smartwatches for kids tend to be boxy, glorified GPS trackers, designed to appeal more to parents than kids. But the Ace LTE? This is a kids smartwatch that feels like it might actually be fun to wear. I kind of wish there were something like it for adults.
The $229.95 Ace LTE has a squarish case that’s reminiscent of the Fitbit Versa. The main difference is that the materials are more appropriate for kids. (Think plastic and Corning Gorilla Glass instead of sapphire crystal and titanium.) There’s also an optional bumper for extra durability. However, if you flip it upside down, the sensor array looks nearly identical to the Pixel Watch 2. A neat perk is that if you have a Pixel Watch 2, this uses the same charger.
It gets about 16 hours of battery life, but fast charging means you get 60 percent in 30 minutes.
The Ace LTE’s whole schtick is exercise should be a form of play. In fact, it’s more like a game console strapped to your wrist than a traditional smartwatch. Instead of apps, the watch comes with a bunch of preloaded video games. The concept is instead of interval training, where you sprinkle bits of high-intensity suffering into a workout, the Ace LTE employs interval gaming. Once they’ve played a certain amount, kids are prompted to add to their step count to earn more playing time.
There’s also an Eejie, a Tamagotchi-like buddy who lives in the Ace LTE. This, too, is a bit like Animal Crossing in that you can buy an Eejie in-game items, rooms, clothes, and other accessories. But instead of microtransactions using real-life money, you have to buy those items using arcade tickets. Those, in turn, can only be won by making progress on daily goals or by playing games.
There’ll be six collectible bands to start, each costing $35.
The special connector acts as a “game cartridge,” holding exclusive items for Eejies, a Tamogatchi-like buddy.
Each Ace LTE band is also a collectible. Once popped on, a band unlocks new outfits for the Eejie, exclusive collectibles, and a themed noodle — the animated ring that represents your daily progress. Additional bands cost $35 and have their own themes. The idea is that kids can trade bands to get items, much in the way us ancient nerds traded POG slammers and Pokémon cards.
I got to try two games: Smokey Lake and Pollo 13. The former is a fishing game that reminded me of how you collect fish in Animal Crossing or Stardew Valley. It involves viewing your virtual environment, casting your arm out to catch a fish, and pulling it back to reel it in. Pollo 13 was a Mario Kart-esque game where you play as a chicken racing in a bathtub, collecting eggs to get powers. You race by tilting your arm, and the aim is to best your archnemesis, Kim. (I don’t know what Kim did, but she ate my dust.) After playing a bit of both, I was prompted to take around 500 steps so I could play more.
But the gaming is only one aspect of the Ace LTE. The other is to help kids stay connected to their parents. While previous Fitbit Ace devices didn’t have GPS tracking, this one comes with LTE built in. That enables calling, messaging, and location sharing. The bad news is getting those features requires a $9.99 monthly or $120 annual subscription to the Ace Pass data plan. The good news is you don’t have to go through a carrier, nor does a kid need their own phone.
Everything is controlled through the Fitbit Ace companion app, which works on both iOS and Android. The app is where parents can set trusted contacts, send and receive messages, view their child’s real-time location, and monitor how their child is doing with regard to their activity goals. There’s also a school time mode, which disables gaming during school hours. Later this year, Fitbit says that it will also add Tap to Pay.
It looks a lot like a Fitbit Versa on the wrist, but the internal hardware is closer to a Pixel Watch 2.
Kids smartwatches always raise an extra question of privacy. Fitbit told me at the demo that only parents can access location data, which is deleted after 24 hours. Activity data is deleted after 35 days and will not be used for Google ads. The Ace LTE also will not include third-party apps or ads. Of course, this is what Google, which owns Fitbit, says upfront. If you’re worried about the fine print, concerned parents should also look at the Fitbit Ace privacy policy.
We’ll have to test the Ace LTE to see how well it works — both as a means of encouraging kids to move more and as a tool for parents. That said, this is a significant update to the Ace lineup and one of the more fun approaches to a smartwatch for kids that we’ve seen in a while.
The Fitbit Ace LTE is available starting on June 5th for $229.95, with an Ace Pass priced at $9.99 monthly or $119.99 annually. Annual subscribers get an extra collectible band, and those who buy it by August 31st will get 50 percent off the subscription cost.