Bluetooth 5 will have four times the range, two times the speed and eight times the data broadcasting capacity than previous versions, features which supporters say will make it the optimum wireless standard for ‘connectionless’ Internet of Things (IoT) applications. The Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) says the more robust connection will facilitate numerous indoor and outdoor use cases, while the increased capacity will allow for the transmission of ‘more intelligent’ data.

British automaker Rolls-Royce Motor Cars is preparing to revolutionize the future of mobility. At an event at the London Roundhouse on June 16, the BMW AG subsidiary unveiled its Vision Next 100 plans for the next century, embodied by a “vision vehicle” codenamed 103EX. The Vision Next 100 shows both a lineage with and adherence to the Rolls-Royce heritage and a transformation into a luxury concept that goes beyond automobiles.

IBM today announced that Watson, its AI platform, will be powering a range of services in a new self-driving bus concept named Olli. Designed by Local Motors, Olli is electric-powered, caries up to 12 people and will start operating in Washington DC soon, followed by other cities like Las Vegas and Miami-Dade County by Fall this year. However, Olli’s pilot program to carry passengers will be conducted in Miami before commercial variants are rolled out. Unlike Google, IBM will not assist with self-driving technologies in Olli but will power other services aimed at improving commuter experience. “IBM technology, including IBM Watson …

Nokia recently made its move into the smart healthcare and wearables markets through the acquisition of Withings, and now the Finnish firm has further expanded its portfolio with the launch of a white-label smart home system and network management platform, as it strives to become a major player in the IoT. The Nokia Smart Home product offering includes a central hub which functions as an network terminal and residential gateway which includes dual-band concurrent WiFi and beamforming – a companion to 4×4 MIMO tech which enhances WiFi performance. Two mobile apps are available on iOS and Android for controlling the various …

The list of “skills” that Alexa, Amazon’s voice-enabled virtual assistant, is capable of performing keeps on growing, and now NBC is announcing that it’s the first of the major broadcast television networks to develop and launch on the platform. In a news release shared exclusively with GeekWire, NBC said it wants to give its viewers another way to access up-to-date information on their favorite programs, from “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” to “Saturday Night Live” to “The Voice.” “We are excited to be the first broadcast network to launch a ‘skill’ for Amazon Alexa,” said Rob Hayes, NBC Entertainment’s executive vice …

It may soon be easier to find a shoe rack or shelving system at The Container Store. Employees at all of its stores will soon ditch their walkie-talkies for voice-activated wearable computers made by Richardson startup Theatro. The tiny hands-free wearables answer questions, similar to Siri or Amazon Echo. But the devices — which are about the size of a matchbox — also allow employees to communicate one-on-one or in a group by using software that’s connected to a Wi-Fi network. That means a Container Store employee can search inventory without looking at a computer screen, find a coworker who’s in the stock room and ask …

On Monday, Apple announced that it would make an app called Home available to users soon, allowing them to connect and control all of their HomeKit-enabled smart home devices from their iPads, iPhones or even Watches. Per an earlier TechCrunch report live from the event, the Home app will let users control a Fantasia-like orchestra of smart gadgets from one place, including everything from smart doorbells and locks, to thermostats, light bulbs, humidifiers and entertainment systems. And the app will let users engage Siri to tweak the settings on those devices, of course. But why is Apple intent on becoming a universal remote, or a nerve center, for the smart home? Frankly, …

Andy Rubin, who co-founded Android and jump-started Google's robotics efforts, imagines a future where artificial intelligence is so powerful that it powers every connected device. Speaking at Bloomberg's Tech Conference in San Francisco today, Rubin said a combination of quantum computing and AI advancements could yield a conscious intelligence that would underpin every piece of technology. "If you have computing that is as powerful as this could be, you might only need one," Rubin says. "It might not be something you carry around; it just has to be conscious." It sounds outlandish and theoretical, and it is. But Rubin, with his investment …

An Adidas executive at Intersect Fashion New York 2016 explained that while virtual reality is on the rise, the user experience is currently too lonely and marketers should attempt to create a more inclusive experience in which consumers can interact with others such as peers, friends or brand associates. During the session, Edge of Tomorrow: Reports from the Frontline of Mobile Innovation and Technology, the executive explained how experiences in virtual reality that tie individuals together have a big opportunity for marketers, as the experience right now is so isolated. For instance, as virtual fitting rooms become more prominent, it …

A robot escaped from a testing area in Perm, a city not far from the Urals, and made it on to a busy junction, baffling passersby, but also disturbing traffic. “The robot was learning automatic movement algorithms on the testing ground, these functions will feature in the latest version of the Promobot.” The co-founder of the robot’s maker, Oleg Kivokurtsev, told ura.ru news agency. “Our engineer drove onto the testing ground and forgot to close the gates. So the robot escaped and went on his little adventure.” Kivokurtsev explained.