Hace años, yo trabajé en un negocio minorista auriculares para juegos (Entre otras cosas) durante la era PS3. Incluso entonces, me molestó que la mayoría de los fabricantes de auriculares tuvieran versiones casi idénticas de los mismos auriculares, que sólo se distinguían por si eran compatibles con Xbox o PlayStation. Puede que el SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5X Wireless no sea el primer auricular que pone fin a este molesto problema, pero es mi favorito.
El quid de esta cuestión se reduce a cómo los diferentes fabricantes de consolas manejan el audio inalámbrico. Bluetooth es el valor predeterminado para audio inalámbrico en la mayoría de los dispositivos, pero hay suficientes problemas de latencia como para que los jugadores lo noten. Especialmente si juegas juegos competitivos en línea, donde la sincronización de una fracción de segundo es importante.
Microsoft y Sony tienen sus propios sistemas de audio inalámbricos para solucionar este problema, pero, sorprendentemente, no son compatibles entre sí. Peor aún es que generalmente Agregar soporte para ambos dispositivos en un solo auricular es muy costoso, ya que la mayoría de los jugadores tienden a tener un dispositivo u otro. Afortunadamente, Auriculares inalámbricos Arctis Nova 5X Tiene una solución útil para este problema.
Inserte el dongle
Los auriculares Arctis Nova 5X están diseñados para la serie Xbox. Puede utilizar este auricular con PlayStation 5, interruptor de nintendoPC e incluso tu teléfono con solo conectar a este pequeño.
Foto de : Eric Ravenscraft
Este no es el primer auricular SteelSeries que tiene esta función; mi recomendación anterior sobre los mejores auriculares para juegos para Xbox. Arctis Nova 7X, incluido el mismo adaptador. Sin embargo, todavía es inusual que la mayoría de los auriculares inalámbricos para juegos admitan una gama tan amplia de dispositivos. La mayoría de las veces, Xbox es la extraña en la lista de compatibilidad.
Además, Arctis Nova 5X Wireless tiene conectividad Bluetooth independiente, por lo que puede emparejarlo con su teléfono u otros dispositivos para responder llamadas, escuchar música o reproducir su podcast favorito. Y mientras que el 7X puede reproducir audio tanto desde Bluetooth como desde 2,4 GHz al mismo tiempo, el 5X sólo te permite escuchar uno u otro, aunque hay un práctico botón en el auricular derecho para cambiar entre ellos. En mi experiencia, la entrega fue casi instantánea. Si bien esto no te ayudará a escuchar música mientras juegas, es increíblemente útil para realizar tareas cruzadas.
Mas energia
El Arctis Nova 7X Wireless ha sido un fuerte contendiente durante un tiempo, pero la duración de la batería del 5X lo avergüenza. SteelSeries anuncia una duración de batería de aproximadamente 60 horas con una sola carga (en comparación con menos de 40 horas en los auriculares 7X), aunque esto puede reducirse significativamente si cambia al modo Bluetooth. En mis pruebas, pude conseguir cerca de 40 horas de uso mixto, que sigue siendo más que la mayoría de los auriculares (aunque sigue siendo mejor). no todo) Auriculares para juegos en el mercado.
Los auriculares también admiten carga rápida a través de USB-C y obtienen un kilometraje impresionante con solo 15 minutos de carga. SteelSeries afirma que obtendrás seis horas de juego con una sesión de carga tan corta. Puse mi unidad en el cargador y me alejé el tiempo suficiente para hacer un sándwich y ver un episodio rápido de un programa. Cuando regresé, la carga estaba cerca del 50 por ciento, más que suficiente para pasar el resto del día y algo más.
El Arctis Nova 5X es también el primer auricular SteelSeries compatible con su nueva versión. Aplicación complementaria móvilDigo “primero” no porque SteelSeries prometiera admitir otros auriculares, sino porque desearía mucho que así fuera. Aplicación SteelSeries GG para PC La aplicación complementaria puede ser una herramienta poderosa para personalizar el sonido de tu juego, pero encontré que la aplicación complementaria es más simple y divertida de usar.
Cualquier día de estos, la gente mirará hacia arriba y verá una estrella distante explotando.
Aunque los terrícolas podrán observar este evento celestial como si acabara de suceder, la catastrófica explosión ocurrió hace unos 3.000 años, probablemente en la época de Salomón, el rey que construyó el primer templo en Jerusalén. Durante la Edad del Hierro, la Edad Media y la Revolución Industrial, la luz de una explosión lo atravesó espaciosólo para llegar a las puertas de este planeta ahora.
Estos restos estelares son interesantes porque sufren explosiones periódicas. Los expertos han determinado que explota aproximadamente cada 80 años. Esto significa que hay personas vivas que podrían haber presenciado esto. La última erupción fue en 1946.. Pero hoy en día es difícil para cualquier adulto vivir para ver el próximo.
“Normalmente, no vemos una explosión repetida en la vida humana, y es raro que esta explosión esté relativamente cerca de nuestro sistema”, dijo Rebecca Hounsell, científica investigadora asociada especializada en supernovas en el Centro de Vuelos Espaciales Goddard de la NASA. un permiso.
Aquí encontrará todo lo que necesita saber sobre este extraordinario evento.
La llamada “nova” es un tipo de explosión estelar, que no debe confundirse con un estallido estelar. excelenteEstrella nuevadestruyendo una estrella masiva antes de colapsar en una Agujero negro o Estrella neutrón.
a Estrella nuevaNecesitas una enana blanca, el cadáver fulminante de una estrella muerta de tamaño mediano. Si una enana blanca pudiera robar material estelar de una estrella viva cercana, El hidrógeno se acumulará. En la superficie de una enana blanca, que aumenta su temperatura y finalmente se enciende como una bomba.
La nova no destruye la enana blanca, sino que la explosión expulsa al espacio elementos como el carbono y el hierro.
Normalmente, las enanas blancas son demasiado débiles para ser vistas a simple vista, pero el destello de esta reacción nuclear desbocada es tan enorme, La estrella muerta debe brillar Exponencialmente. El fenómeno recibió el nombre de nova, que significa “nueva” en latín, porque parece como si una nueva estrella apareciera repentinamente en el cielo, para desaparecer en la oscuridad días después.
T Coronae Borealis consiste en una enana blanca que orbita alrededor de una estrella gigante roja. La enana blanca se convierte en supernova periódicamente, aproximadamente cada 80 años. Crédito: Ilustración de Goddard de la NASA
¿Qué es la T Corona Boreal?
T Corona Borealis es una nova de A Sistema estelar binario A unos 3.000 años luz de distancia en nuestra Vía Láctea. Es creado por una pequeña enana blanca del tamaño de la Tierra que orbita a su alrededor. estrella gigante roja – Cualquier estrella parecida al Sol en sus primeros años se queda sin combustible nuclear.
Velocidad de la luz triturable
Las gigantes rojas aumentan de 100 a 1000 veces su tamaño original a medida que se acercan a la muerte. Como una gigante roja Se deshace de sus capas exteriores.Una enana blanca acumula materia. Se espera que el Sol, central de nuestro sistema solar, se convierta en una gigante roja en aproximadamente 5 mil millones de años.
Walter “Will” Golay, estudiante de posgrado en Centro Smithsonian de Astrofísica de HarvardNo todas las novas son recurrentes, pero T Coronae Borealis, o T CrB para abreviar, está en un ciclo interesante, dijo a Mashable.
“Dado que la transferencia de masa (de la estrella compañera) es más o menos constante durante muchos años, lo que eso significa básicamente es que se acumulará, se acumulará, se acumulará, explotará, explotará toda esa masa, y luego todo comenzará”. Otra vez”, dijo.
Una explosión de nova no destruye completamente la estrella enana blanca. Crédito: gráfico Goddard de la NASA.
¿Cuándo se irá Nova?
Los astrónomos creen que T CrB está a punto de convertirse en una nova. Esperan que esto suceda en algún momento entre ahora y septiembre de 2024. La última nova ocurrió en febrero de 1946.
“La forma en que sabemos que va a suceder pronto es justo antes de la última erupción en 1946, cuando el sistema se apagó un poco, y eso simplemente sucedió”, dijo Golay, quien planea estudiar el evento utilizando telescopios submilimétricos en Hawaii. . “Una vez que se notó que la luz era tenue, la gente se puso alerta”.
“Una vez que se notó que la luz era tenue, la gente se puso alerta”.
La NASA y otras organizaciones planean publicar actualizaciones sobre el avistamiento, incluso desde el sitio web. universo de la nasa Cuenta en X, anteriormente Twitter.
Después de alcanzar su brillo máximo, la nova seguirá brillando durante algunas noches más. Luego, durante aproximadamente una semana, la gente podrá verlo con la ayuda de binoculares.
Los investigadores se están preparando para observar la nova utilizando telescopios. Crédito: NASA Goddard
¿Existe alguna posibilidad de que la nova no brille?
Los astrónomos advierten que incluso con evidencia de una nova inminente, no hay garantía de que T CrB aumente su brillo este verano. Las novas son, por naturaleza, impredecibles y contradictorias, dijo Koji Mukai, investigador astrofísico de la NASA Goddard.
“Justo cuando crees que no puede haber ninguna razón para que sigan un determinado patrón, lo hacen, y tan pronto como empiezas a confiar en que repitan el mismo patrón, se desvían de él por completo”, dijo Mukai en un comunicado. “Veremos cómo se comporta la T CrB”.
La enana blanca se enciende, creando una bola de material de nova expulsado que se muestra en naranja pálido. Crédito: Ilustración del Centro de Vuelos Espaciales Goddard de la NASA
¿Dónde estará la nova en el cielo?
Aparecerá una explosión de nova en Corona Borealuna pequeña constelación semicircular A su alrededor están Botas y Hércules. En el cielo del norte. Si no eres navegante, puedes descargar una aplicación de mapa estelar interactivo en tu teléfono para orientarte.
el Aplicación gratuita de la NASA, por ejemplo, tiene una vista del cielo básica en la pestaña Destacados que utiliza datos de ubicación para identificar estrellas clave. La nova estará en algún lugar de la región entre las estrellas designadas Vega y Arcturus. La aplicación favorita de Golay para encontrar fuentes se llama Paseo de las estrellasque puede tener tarifas dentro de la aplicación.
Cuando esto suceda, no parpadeará ni centelleará, sino que simplemente parecerá una nueva estrella que nunca antes existió. Se espera que la explosión sea tan grande que este efímero punto de luz se vuelva más brillante que Polaris, también conocida como estrella del Norte.
La nova estará en algún lugar de la región entre las estrellas Vega y Arcturus. Crédito: NASA
Por lo general, las personas que viven en zonas rurales tienen la ventaja de contemplar las estrellas. Pero en este caso, un poco de contaminación lumínica en la ciudad podría ayudar a reducir el campo, filtrando todos los objetos excepto los más brillantes: la nova debería estar entre los objetos destacados.
Es un espectáculo único en la vida y los científicos están ansiosos por aprender de él.
“Digamos que la mitad de las estrellas son estrellas binarias. Esto significa que la mitad de los exoplanetas tienen estrellas binarias. Es importante en la búsqueda de otros mundos habitables entender cómo se comportan sus estrellas anfitrionas”, dijo Joly. “Obviamente no quieres vivir en un exoplaneta alrededor de una estrella que explota cada 80 años”.
Esta historia se publicó originalmente el 20 de abril de 2024. Se actualizó con información adicional de la NASA.
Brad Winderbaum insinúa un proyecto de acción en vivo de Nova para Marvel Studios, ya que está emocionado de desarrollar nuevos programas como este.
Marvel Studios tiene algunas ideas geniales para el héroe popular.
El Universo Cinematográfico de Marvel continúa expandiéndose con nuevos proyectos como Nova, poniendo el listón muy alto en cuanto a contenido de calidad.
La próxima adaptación en acción real de Estrella nueva El Universo Cinematográfico de Marvel finalmente recibe una nueva actualización de un ejecutivo de Marvel Studios. The Multiverse Saga se centra en desarrollar héroes y villanos conocidos, así como en presentar caras nuevas del universo Marvel Comics. Con Marvel Studios casi a la mitad de la Fase 5, el MCU verá más sangre nueva en las próximas películas y programas de televisión.
En una entrevista exclusiva con Pantalla gritandomientras aplasta X-Men '97 Al concluir la temporada 1, se le preguntó a Brad Winderbaum, presidente de Televisión, Streaming y Animación de Marvel Studios, sobre la tan esperada serie. Estrella nueva Un proyecto de acción real que lleva un tiempo en proceso. Dado que recientemente han surgido rumores de que Nova tendrá su propio programa de Disney+, es de suponer que el elenco se centrará en una versión más joven del personaje.se le pidió a Winderbaum que dejara las cosas claras sobre lo que está sucediendo con el debut en vivo del icónico héroe.:
Es un territorio nuevo para nosotros, ya que estamos desarrollando más ofertas de las que producimos. Nova es definitivamente emocionante para nosotros, tenemos algunas ideas geniales en proceso. Creo que hay mucho potencial ahí. También amo a Nova en los cómics, especialmente en la era de Richard Ryder… veremos qué pasa. Como dije, hay muy pocos períodos de lanzamiento en el cronograma, pero queremos asegurarnos de que todo lo que hacemos sea lo mejor posible. Pero diré que este es un proyecto particular que nos entusiasma y nos entusiasma desarrollar.
Por qué Marvel Studios tiene derecho a tomarse su tiempo con Nova
Marvel Studios necesita sentirse plenamente comprometido con el desarrollo de Nova.
También vale la pena tener en cuenta que si no se apresuran, también podrían tener un mayor éxito en el casting, especialmente si eligen un nombre importante que podría estar disponible para Marvel Studios cuando se pongan manos a la obra. Estrella nueva .
Si bien el tiempo dirá a quién elegirá el MCU como Nova, Marvel Studios hace bien en no apresurar el proyecto de acción en vivo de Richard Ryder. Una gran influencia que se ve en The Multiverse Saga es el objetivo inicial de Disney de centrarse más en la cantidad que en la calidad.De ahí la respuesta tan variada a la Fase 4. Sin embargo, desde el regreso de Bob Iger como director ejecutivo de Walt Disney Studios, esto se está corrigiendo ampliamente.
Relacionado
10 películas del MCU que nos gustaría ver en el proyecto Nova de Marvel
Marvel actualmente está desarrollando un proyecto para Nova. Mientras deciden dónde encajar en el MCU, probablemente también estén planeando algunas películas de Marvel.
Con un héroe tan grande como Nova y su historia cómica original, vale la pena ver que su programa se haga realidad una vez que Marvel Studios se comprometa por completo con su visión. como Hay muchas películas y programas de televisión de MCU que aún están en proceso.Algunos de ellos aún no han comenzado a filmar. Estrella nueva Puede que tarde más en salir. También vale la pena tener en cuenta que si no se apresuran, también podrían tener un mayor éxito en el casting, especialmente si eligen un nombre importante que podría estar disponible para Marvel Studios cuando se pongan manos a la obra. Estrella nueva.
Con suerte, las actualizaciones sobre la oferta de MCU de Nova llegarán más adelante este año, especialmente si Marvel Studios comienza a hacer más planes para la Fase 6, ya que en este momento solo se han anunciado un puñado de películas y series. Dado que Richard tiene algunas historias realmente convincentes en su mito de Marvel, hay muchas instrucciones divertidas para que Marvel Studios lo acompañe. Estrella nueva. Pero por ahora, el mundo tendrá que esperar pacientemente. Estrella nueva A medida que el MCU se acerca a finalmente incorporar a Richard al redil.
X-Men '97
La temporada 1 ahora se transmite en Disney+.
Universo cinematográfico de Marvel
$29 $35 Ahorra $6
Marvel Cinematic Universe es una franquicia multimedia de superhéroes que comenzó en 2008 con Iron Man de Paramount, protagonizada por Robert Downey Jr. La franquicia creció rápidamente en popularidad, y Disney finalmente compró Marvel Entertainment en 2009. El MCU consta de docenas de películas y programas de televisión, sobre todo Avengers: Endgame, WandaVision y Loki.
Smartwatches have become ubiquitous in society. Certainly spearheaded by the arrival of the Apple Watch, you now can’t go anywhere without seeing a digital display on someone’s wrist. It could be argued that until we had the smartwatch, we didn’t know we needed it and we were perfectly content with a classic analog wrist watch to simply tell the time.
Withings has championed a combination of past and present with all of its watch releases – something it has dubbed as a ‘hybrid’ design – and the ScanWatch Nova is the latest model (alongside the ScanWatch 2) that combines analog looks, health and fitness tracking and a few smartwatch niceties into one elegant package.
Using the previous ScanWatch Horizon as its starting base, the ScanWatch Nova takes what we considered to be a winning formula, and makes aesthetic and technological improvements to make this one of the best smartwatches for those who prefer classic looks, but who are also intrigued by sensors to track their overall health.
As with its predecessor, a quick glance at the ScanWatch Nova doesn’t immediately give away the fact it has digital sensors for a brain instead of a traditional watch movement. Its polished chrome body, analog hands with glow-in-the-dark LumiNova coating and rotating crown, give the impression this could be something straight out of Switzerland.
Look a little closer though, and instead of a traditional chronometer or seconds-hand ticker, you’ll notice a small OLED display at 12 o’clock and a second dial at 6 o’clock that displays your progress towards your health goal in the form of 0 to 100%. The previous ScanWatch Horizon exhibited essentially the same design, but Withings says the resolution of the OLED display has been improved this time around and the watch itself is sleeker in design.
I’d have to agree. Having worn both (and still owning the Horizon) the Nova’s case has more rounded edges and the lug around the crown has been reduced. When wearing the Horizon, I found it could occasionally dig into my wrist when I bent my hand, but with the Nova, that’s been resolved. The display is definitely a tad sharper as well, and scrolling text across the display moves at a readable speed and is clearly legible.
On the rear is a quartet of sensors to track your heart rate, 24/7 temperature, ECG and blood oxygen levels. As before, interacting with the crown doesn’t adjust the time or date, but instead brings the OLED display to life, whereby you can then scroll through the various menus and data.
In the ScanWatch Nova, Withings is once again putting a firm focus on your health. You can use it to track workouts and it will display notifications from your smartphone apps, but this is a watch that ultimately wants to keep an accurate record of how your body is performing and all data is presented in the thoughtfully designed HealthMate companion app. It can also be exported to (and imported from) your phone’s native health app.
Battery life is once again excellent with Withings accurately claiming 30 days of use, and what I particularly love about this new model is the charger. The charger that came with the ScanWatch Horizon was terrible; it didn’t magnetically attach to the watch which meant it could easily fall off. The new charger is like a cradle you have to physically insert the ScanWatch Nova into, where it’s held in place.
As my US colleague Lance Ulanoff said of the ScanWatch Horizon, the ScanWatch Nova is the perfect smartwatch for those who don’t want one, or who at least want to be more inconspicuous in owning one. It collects a vast amount of data with accuracy, presents it well in a companion app and lasts forever on a single charge. For me it’s the perfect smartwatch and so I encourage everyone to give it a try.
Withings ScanWatch Nova: Price & availability
The Withings ScanWatch Nova launched on December 5, 2023 and was available from Withings in the US and UK directly on the same date for $599.95 / £549.95. It arrived in Australia in March 2024 for AU$799 at third-party retailers.
This does make it more expensive than the Apple Watch Series 9 and not a huge amount cheaper than the Apple Watch Ultra in comparison. iPhone users will get more use from the Apple Watch and there’s a huge amount more in the way of customizing how it looks, but the Apple Watch’s battery doesn’t last nearly as long.
Withings ScanWatch Nova: Specifications
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Price
$599.95 / £549.95 / $799
Dimensions
42 x 12.8mm (diameter x thickness)
Display
0.63-inch, 282ppi
GPS?
No
Battery life
Up to 30 days
Withings ScanWatch Nova: Design
Slimmer than previous ScanWatch Horizon
Improved display resolution
Looks and feels like a traditional diver’s watch
The Withings ScanWatch Nova employs a 42mm watch face and a design reminiscent of traditional diver’s watches. If you’ve always looked at other smartwatches but haven’t admired their use of all-digital displays then a hybrid smartwatch such as the Nova is ideal. I’m personally in this camp myself.
I used to own an Apple Watch Series 3 about five years ago, but stopped wearing it because I wasn’t using it to its full potential, and preferred to wear a traditional watch instead. Because the Withings ScanWatch Nova combines this traditional look with health-tracking capabilities, it makes it the perfect smartwatch in my opinion.
While the Nova employs a similar design to the Horizon, Withings has made some notable improvements. It’s slimmer in the body (and 1mm narrower on the watch face) and has gone on a weight loss kick, shaving its weight down from 72g to 52.6g. This makes a huge difference for everyday wear. The ScanWatch Horizon didn’t necessarily feel heavy, but in comparison it’s like wearing an anvil tied to your wrist compared to the featherweight nature of the ScanWatch Nova. The lighter design also makes it more comfortable to wear to bed at night, which is something you should do, since it can track your sleep and present you with a sleep performance score the next morning (more on that later).
Withings shipings the ScanWatch Nova complete with a second sport strap and tools to add or remove links. (Image credit: Future)
Withings ships the ScanWatch Nova with everything you need to get the perfect fit too, including spare links for the oyster metal bracelet should you need to make it larger, and a plastic holder and metal hammer to help you in adding or removing links as required. Finding the perfect fit is paramount to ensuring the ScanWatch Nova records accurate data. When we reviewed the ScanWatch Horizon we found this tricky to do, especially with the metal bracelet. I don’t think anyone should have too much issue getting a good fit with the Nova though as you’re able to remove full-size or half-size links from the bracelet.
There’s also a fluoroelastomer sport brand included which matches the color of the dial – it’s available in black, green and blue – which is soft and flexible and should provide a more secure fit if you struggle with the oyster metal bracelet. Both wristbands have a quick release function to make switching easy, although I found them easier to remove than to put back on, since they require you to compress some tiny pins that my chubby fingers had a bit of trouble with. In the UK and US you can choose from a variety of other sports and leather wristbands when buying directly from Withings, but customers in Australia are limited to just the two that come in the box.
(Image credit: Future)
At 12 o’clock you’ll find a 0.63-inch digital display which is the clearest indicator that this isn’t a traditional analog watch. It’s slightly larger than the Horizon’s 0.5-inch screen and Withings says it has increased the resolution to improve legibility too. I have to agree, as comparing the two side by side does reveal a clear improvement in the Nova’s display. Text is that little bit clearer, sharper and more legible. I certainly had no issues reading the display and thanks to an ambient light sensor, it will automatically adjust the brightness when required. If you want to view the display but the hands are covering it, a press of the crown will see them both immediately move out the way and settle at the 10 and 2 positions. If neither of the hands are covering the display, they’ll remain where they are when you press the crown.
The way you interact with the ScanWatch Nova is similar to how you would an Apple Watch in the fact that you scroll the crown to cycle through menus. But there’s no touchscreen option here and the menus are black and white only. I like this more basic approach, I found it to be incredibly intuitive and there’s no risk of selecting the wrong app or option.
Withings ScanWatch Nova: Features
Sensors to track a range of health metrics
Automatic sleep and workout detection
Single-line app notifications
There are four sensors on the back of the ScanWatch Nova for heart rate, SpO2, electrocardiogram (ECG) and a new TempTech24/7 module which is the main upgrade over the previous ScanWatch Horizon. You’ll find the same set of sensors on the recently released ScanWatch 2 as well. The main difference between the ScanWatch 2 and the ScanWatch Nova is their design, with the former taking on a more dress watch style appearance.
Using these sensors and obtaining data is incredibly easy and when you first connect the ScanWatch Nova to your phone and the companion HealthMate app, you’re presented with tutorials for each to get you up to speed.
Your heart rate and 24/7 temperature run continuously in the background and you only need to scroll to either of them in the menu to view the current reading. For SpO2 and ECG readings, you need to cover the watch face with your other hand for 30 seconds since the watch face doubles up as a sensor. Naturally, you’re not going to be able to see when the 30 seconds is up, so the ScanWatch Nova provides a rather lovely vibration to let you know the time is up. As soon as a reading is taken, you’ll get a pop-up notification on your phone directing you to view the results.
(Image credit: Future)
I had no issues obtaining an ECG result (mine was normal) but on the first few tries the Nova wasn’t able to record an SpO2 reading. I have to put this down to me not putting my hand on the watch face correctly (somehow) as on the third try it worked fine (and I was normal, again).
The Withings ScanWatch Nova isn’t the only smartwatch to offer this functionality of course – although it is the first health wearable to offer the 24/7 temperature tracking – but it is one of the few that is clinically evaluated and developed in collaboration with doctors and health professionals (Withings does say the SpO2 sensor is non-medical grade). Withings claims the 24/7 temperature tracking, which provides “baseline fluctuations of day and night body temperature,” can help to indicate the onset of an illness or other health conditions. You can also share your health reports directly with doctors via the HealthMate app.
More features are due in 2024 including irregular heart rhythm notifications and your respiratory rate.
Data recorded is displayed clearly in the HealthMate app although it somehow recorded two sets of sleep data on the first night I wore it to bed. One gave a sleep score of 20 and the other a score of 89. I’m taking the latter as being the more accurate. The ScanWatch Nova automatically detects when you go to sleep by the way, so no need to activate any settings before you nod off.
The Withings ScanWatch Nova’s screen (top) is much clearer than the ScanWatch Horizon’s screen (below) it replaces (Image credit: Future)
If you want to use the ScanWatch Nova to its full potential then it can also track a range of workouts. Your options are limited to running, walking, swimming, cycling and “other”. New for the Nova is the ability to automatically detect workouts – something the Horizon couldn’t do – but if for whatever reason it doesn’t, you’ll need to navigate to the workout type and press the crown to begin. A long press of the crown will pause the workout and a further long pause will restart, or you can scroll to the square stop icon on the screen and long press to end.
When you start a workout, you’ll also find start and stop actions, along with live data in the app. The ScanWatch Nova doesn’t have built-in GPS either, but can use the GPS capabilities of your phone to accurately track your workouts. This of course means you can’t leave your phone at home, but if you workout with music, you’ll likely have your phone with you anyway.
I don’t mind this stripped back approach, not least because I’m not exactly the workout type but because when I see other fitness trackers offering support for things like yoga and pilates, I have to wonder exactly what they’re tracking. But, it would be fair to say that the ScanWatch Nova is a health tracker first and a fitness tracker second. If you’re a triathlete or ultra marathon runner, then this likely won’t be the watch for you, although you will no doubt benefit from the accurate and insightful health data.
Finally, because it is also a smartwatch, the Withings ScanWatch Nova will display messages and notifications from apps installed on your phone. You can choose which apps you do and don’t receive notifications from within the HealthMate app. I personally just kept notifications from messaging apps turned on and everything else turned off. When I receive a message, it’s displayed on the small OLED screen, with text scrolling across in a single line.
Some people may prefer to see an entire message and also to be able to reply to messages from their watch. That’s not possible with the ScanWatch Nova, but again for me, I like it. My opinion towards smartwatches is that they’re simply an extension to a phone, not a replacement for one. If I see a message come through on my watch, my first instinct is to then get my phone out of my pocket to read it fully and respond, I’m not going to be someone who speaks into their watch to dictate a message. It could well be this interaction, or lack thereof, that will persuade someone to buy the Withings ScanWatch Nova. It is a totally different product to something like the Apple Watch, which does offer a lot more in terms of interactivity.
Withings ScanWatch Nova: Performance
Accurate measurements from sensors
Impeccable battery life
A few niggles with automatic sleep and workout detection
In relation to its fitness tracking capabilities, the Withings ScanWatch does a very good job of recording accurate measurements when you select a workout as well as automatically recording when you go to sleep. I say very good, rather than great, because there are a couple of niggles.
Starting with sleep, in general the Nova does indeed notice when I’ve gone into full sleep mode and the morning after it displays the various stages of sleep in the HealthMate app. However, the night before writing this section, I happened to get very lucky and fall asleep at 4.30pm. I woke up at around 12.30am before managing to get back to sleep for another few hours. Following on from my initial observations earlier, the ScanWatch Nova once again only tracked the first period of sleep but for some reason didn’t pick up the second stage. The most recent tracked sleep falls under a “Last Night” banner, as opposed to the day of the week it occurred, so I have to wonder if it only assumes there can be one period of “Last Night’s” sleep.
With regards to workouts, the ScanWatch Nova does automatically detect when you’re performing an activity, although when I looked in the app to view data, it had detected seven cycling sessions which is strange, since I don’t even own a bike, let alone cycle. All it could show was the duration of time and the day they occurred. No distance or speed. This is, however, likely because at the time I didn’t have GPS enabled on my phone.
The morning of writing this section of the review I decided to walk to work, since I was feeling so refreshed from the 16 hours or so of sleep from the night before. To ensure it would accurately record my walking data, I selected ‘Walking’ from the workout menu on the watch itself and enabled GPS. When you have a workout mode enabled, the screens you scroll through change from the default options. The first screen still shows the time in digital format, but underneath you’re also shown the distance travelled.
(Image credit: Future)
Interestingly, the map data recorded within the app showed a black screen with the route I took. Selecting it did bring up a view within Apple Maps and my walking workout data overlayed, so I’m going to put this down to an app issue. Also interestingly, walking data recorded later the same day by automatic detection didn’t show any GPS map route. It seems the only time you’ll see that kind of data is when you actually select a workout on the watch.
When you scroll, you can view your heart rate, pace and body temperature. Of course, on something like an Apple Watch, you can view multiple metrics of data on one screen which will undoubtedly be more useful for real fitness fanatics. But for someone like me who doesn’t pour blood, sweat and tears into keeping fit, I was still grateful for the accurate tracking.
As for health tracking, all recorded data is presented neatly and efficiently in the companion app. Understanding that the average person is unlikely to know what a good or bad ECG or oxygen saturation reading is, the app gives a green tick of approval if you’re in good shape.
Generating data is simple too, as both the watch itself and the app give you instructions for how to record an ECG and SpO2 reading. You’re required to put your hand over the watch face, since this doubles up as a sensor, and the watch will give off a vibration when the 30 second recording period is up.
(Image credit: Future)
Along with choosing which apps you want to display notifications, you can also customize other aspects of the watch from within the app, such as the order of workout options or the order of screens that show up when you scroll through with the crown. I chose to move Walking to the top of the list, since this was the one I was going to be using the most.
The app also lets you know how much battery the ScanWatch Nova has left – after wearing it almost constantly for a week, I still have 54% at the time of writing – and you can also set an alarm to wake you up in the morning. What you can’t do with the app or the ScanWatch Nova, is activate any kind of Find My feature. This means if you lose the Nova somewhere, or simply forget where you put it at home, you can’t enable it to play any sounds to help you locate it. While it could be fair to assume that Withings expects the ScanWatch Nova will be on your wrist almost 24/7 (especially if you want to constantly track sleep) the fact remains you will likely take it off on occasion.
Finally, switching the wrist straps around is a simple affair and I did ultimately find the fluoroelastomer sport band to be the more comfortable of the two, especially for wearing to bed at night. With this strap attached, coupled with the lightweight build of the ScanWatch Nova, I barely noticed it was on my wrist, it was that comfortable.
Withings ScanWatch Nova: Scorecard
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Category
Comment
Score
Value
Not too dissimilar to pricing for a classic diver’s watch, but it’s biggest competitor can be picked up for less
3.5/5
Design
Classic watch looks with health tracking smarts is a win in my book, but might not be everyone’s cup of tea
4.5/5
Features
If you want a smartwatch that tracks basic fitness disciplines, health data and shows you phone notifications, the ScanWatch Nova ticks all boxes
5/5
Performance
Plenty of nicely presented data in the app, but couple of auto-tracking flaws keep it from top marks
When it comes to the world of 3D printing, the Nova 3D Whale Ultra 14K printer has been making waves with its promise of a large build area and the potential for high-resolution output. For those in the market for a new 3D printer, it’s worth taking a closer look at what this machine has to offer and whether it truly meets the needs of a demanding printing environment.
The Nova 3D Whale Ultra 14K boasts a build volume that measures 223 x 126 x 250 mm, which is quite spacious for those tackling big and intricate projects. The standout feature of this printer is its advertised 14K resolution, which suggests it can produce prints with extremely fine detail. However, some experts in the field, like Ross from Fire Hammer Videos, have raised concerns about whether this printer actually delivers a noticeable improvement over 8K printers, questioning the authenticity of the 14K resolution claim.
Navigating the manufacturer’s website to find information about the various models can be a bit of a challenge due to its confusing layout. Once you do find the right model, you’ll see that the printer comes with a built-in heater. This heater is meant to improve print quality by maintaining a consistent temperature. But there’s some doubt about how well it works, as it doesn’t always operate as expected, which could affect the outcome of your prints.
14K Resolution 3D printer
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The design of the printer is straightforward and functional. It features a sturdy ball screw to move the print bed smoothly, and the resin vat is large, capable of holding more than a liter of resin. It even has a handy resin refill feature. These are positive points for those who value efficiency and reliability in their printing processes.
On the downside, the user interface (UI) could be a stumbling block for many. It’s been described as not very user-friendly and suffers from poor translation, which can lead to frustration and wasted time. The touch screen is also not capacitive, meaning it may not always register your touches, potentially disrupting your workflow.
After a print job is completed, the printer automatically deletes the file and asks you to clear the vat. This might be inconvenient for users who need to do multiple prints of the same file. Having to reload the file and clear the vat after each print could be seen as a step back in terms of user convenience.
Voltage:110/220V(Depends on the voltage in your area)
It appears that after taking everything into account, the Nova 3D Whale Ultra 14K printer is a mixed bag. It has a generous build area and a resin refill system, as well as a solid mechanism for moving the print bed. But it’s let down by its user interface, the performance of the built-in heater, and questions surrounding the true resolution it can achieve.
The design and features of the printer could use some improvement. As it stands, the Whale Ultra 14K has potential, but whether it can live up to that potential in actual use is another matter. Those considering this printer should weigh its pros and cons carefully before deciding to invest.
Filed Under: Hardware, Top News
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