Arduino sets its sights on enterprise applications with new funding round
Best known for its open source microcontrollers that have been wildly embraced by the developer community, Arduino now has its sights firmly set on the enterprise world. Specifically, the company believes it’s well positioned to gain a foothold among Gen Z and millennial engineers in the work force. Certainly the company’s ubiquity in the maker world over the last decade or so means most everyone in the category is, at very least, familiar with the tech.
“Engineers in [Gen Z and millennial] generations grew up using Arduino boards in STEM programs around the world,” co-founder and CEO Massimo Banzi said in a release “and they’ve become accustomed to the accessibility, simplicity and power of the company’s open source hardware, software and cloud services. They’re now taking those demands into the enterprise as they enter the labor force.”
Propelling this push is $32 million in fresh Series B funding from Robert Bosch Venture Capital, Renesas, Anzu Partners and Arm. The move to enterprise is a bit of a strange one, given the company’s existing track record with hobbyists and education, but there’s certainly a lot of money to be made on the enterprise category, and over the years, I’ve increasingly seen the company’s off-the-shelf boards being integrated into workplace solutions, so it might not be the most unprecedented path for the company moving forward.
“Arduino has a unique opportunity to expand their already robust engineering community to encapsulate the enterprise market,” Renesas SVP Chris Allexandre said in the release. “We are delighted to support them in their plans of broadening their customer base and becoming a disruptive enterprise platform.”
Delivery worker held up in brazen gunpoint robbery in Harlem
The incident unfolded around 1:30 p.m. when a masked man waving a gun ran up to the driver as the victim was making a delivery at 21 E. 129 St. …read more
https://nypost.com/2022/06/07/delivery-worker-held-up-in-brazen-gunpoint-robbery-in-nyc/
In iOS 16, apps can trigger real-world actions hands-free
New functionality arriving in iOS 16 will enable apps to trigger real-world actions hands-free. That means users could do things like start playing music just by walking into a room or turning on an e-bike for a workout just by getting on it. Apple told developers today in a session hosted during the company’s Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) that these hands-free actions could also be triggered even if the iOS user isn’t actively using the app at the time.
The update, which leverages Apple’s Nearby Interaction framework, could lead to some interesting use cases where the iPhone becomes a way to interact with objects in the real world, if developers and accessory makers choose to adopt the technology.
During the session, Apple explained how apps today can connect to and exchange data with Bluetooth LE accessories even while running in the background. In iOS 16, however, apps will be able to start a Nearby Interaction session with a Bluetooth LE accessory that also supports Ultra Wideband in the background.
Related to this, Apple updated the specification for accessory manufacturers to support these new background sessions.
This paves the way for a future where the line between apps and the physical world blurs, but it remains to be seen if the third-party app and device makers choose to put the functionality to use.
The new feature is part of a broader update to Apple’s Nearby Interaction framework, which was the focus of the developer session.
Introduced at WWDC 2020 with iOS 14, this framework allows third-party app developers to tap into the U1 or Ultra Wideband (UWB) chip on iPhone 11 and later devices, Apple Watch and other third-party accessories. It’s what today powers the Precision Finding capabilities offered by Apple’s AirTag that allows iPhone users to open the “Find My” app to be guided to their AirTag’s precise location using on-screen directional arrows alongside other guidance that lets you know how far away you are from the AirTag or if the AirTag might be located on a different floor.
With iOS 16, third-party developers will be able to build apps that do much of the same thing, thanks to a new capability that will allow them to integrate ARKit — Apple’s augmented reality developer toolkit — with the Nearby Interaction framework.
This will allow developers to tap into the device’s trajectory as computed from ARKit, so their devices can also smartly guide a user to a misplaced item or another object a user may want to interact with, depending on the app’s functionality. By leveraging ARKit, developers will gain more consistent distance and directional information than if they were using Nearby Interaction alone.
The functionality doesn’t have to be only used for AirTag-like accessories manufactured by third parties, however. Apple demoed another use case where a museum could use Ultra Wideband accessories to guide visitors through its exhibits, for example.
In addition, this feature can be used to overlay directional arrows or other AR objects on top of the camera’s view of the real world as …read more
https://techcrunch.com/2022/06/07/in-ios-16-apps-can-trigger-real-world-actions-hands-free/
Bob Saget revealed how he came to accept mortality in interview before his death
In an eerie interview that was recorded just months before his death, Bob Saget shared that he came to accept his own mortality. …read more
Column: 5 reasons you probably aren’t voting today in L.A. (but hey, there’s still time)
Low turnout is expected in L.A.’s June primary election. Here’s why.
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-06-07/lopez-column-5-reasons-not-voting-la-today
Bulletproof backpack sales soar in wake of Texas school shooting
Scared parents are reportedly scrambling to buy bulletproof backpacks after 19 Robb Elementary students were killed in a shooting on May 24 in Uvalde, Texas. …read more
https://nypost.com/2022/06/07/bulletproof-backpack-sales-soar-in-wake-of-texas-school-shooting/
Walmart pulls Chaokoh coconut milk from stores amid PETA allegations of forced monkey labor
The decision comes after PETA said its supporters sent 86,000 emails to Walmart to drop the controversial coconut milk brand.
South Africa blasts Ryanair’s Afrikaans test for nationals
South Africa condemns the budget airline over its Afrikaans language test requirement for nationals headed for the UK. Ryanair says the test is being used to curb a high prevalence of fake South African passports. …read more
Video shows 12-year-old robbing gas station, firing gun
A 12-year-old was taken into custody after robbing a gas station at gunpoint in Michigan. The juvenile is facing felony charges, according to police.
https://www.cnn.com/videos/us/2022/06/07/michigan-12-year-old-robs-gas-station-orig-jc.cnn
Jim Seals, half of ‘Summer Breeze’ duo Seals & Crofts, dead at 80
Seals and Darrell “Dash” Crofts emulated the era of 1970s “soft rock” hits including “Summer Breeze,” “Diamond Girl,” “Get Closer” and “We May Never Pass This Way (Again).” …read more
https://nypost.com/2022/06/07/jim-seals-half-of-summer-dreams-duo-seals-and-crofts-dead-at-80/