Want to catch up with what happened in the digital world this week? Our weekly Cheat Sheet fills you in on everything you missed while you scrambled to meet deadlines and put out fires.
Read about Amazon’s new payment service, Comcast’s new partnerships, a Wi-Fi kettle you can control from your phone, the FiLIP smartwatch for kids and how Vibrado can help you with your perfect shot.
1. Comcast partners with Twitter to let users watch TV via tweet
Comcast has recently announced its partnership with NBCUniversal and Twitter, which will allow users to watch and record their favorite TV shows through simple tweets. NBCUniversal plans to embed a “See It” button when tweeting about select shows so that Xfinity customers can immediately tune in and watch them live. In addition, users will also be able to set reminders for upcoming shows, set their DVR and buy theater tickets through Fandango. With Twitter becoming the center of conversation for TV entertainment, this new feature will provide a way to make that experience more interactive and direct for users.
2. Amazon launches its own payment service
Earlier this week, Amazon launched a new service called Login and Pay with Amazon that enables partner sites to give consumers the option to pay with Amazon — much like PayPal. The service will streamline how consumers interact with online merchants; they can avoid having to sign up for individual accounts for every online retailer they purchase from. For businesses, Login and Pay with Amazon comes with free fraud protection and no monthly fee, but it will collect a fee for each transaction it processes.
3. iKettle messages you when it’s done boiling
The typical household kettle starts whistling when the water is boiling. The iKettle, on the other hand, will send a message to your smartphone to alert you when the water is ready. At $160, the iKettle connects to your home’s Wi-Fi network and has an accompanying mobile app you can download in order to control all the functionality of the kettle. The iKettle can start boiling water before you get out of the bed, boil water to specific temperatures and alert you when the water is ready. It can even ping you when you walk in the door from work and offer to start a fresh brew.
4. FiLIP: A smartwatch for kids
Having a child go missing can be one of the worst things that can happen to a parent. To avoid the experience of a child disappearing, FiLIP Technologies is planning to launch its first product — a GPS and mobile-enabled watch that keep parents in contact with their children. FiLIP has partnered with AT&T as the device’s network provider, distributor and billing service. The FiLIP smartwatch has yet to hit the market but consumers can expect for the device to launch sometime next year at a cost of less than $200.
5. Vibrado can help you nail your hoop shots
Think you got what it takes to be the next LeBron James? You might want to check out a new basketball sleeve that can help you nail perfect shots on the court. Vibrado is a wearable sleeve that can analyze a player’s shot by tracking his or her arm movements. The sleeve has accelerometers that can read the exact angle, arc and momentum of the arm when a player shoots the ball. It can also provide instant feedback through a series of lights and beepers in the sleeve’s sensors. A user can also download a companion smartphone app to get detailed information on his or her performance.
