Google making high-res video on Chrome suck less
Trying to make YouTube’s new super-high-res 4K 60fps video work? Good luck with that — not only does such video require very fast internet, but also a super-charged computer. Google’s new VP9 video codec helps with the connection speed part, but to make 4K60, 4K or 1080p60 videos play with fewer hiccups, it’s built a new video rendering algorithm for Chrome. To try it out, you’ll need to set a flag in the latest experimental Chromium build, as detailed in Googler Francois Beaufort’s post. That said, an Intel Celeron-equipped PC from 2007 probably still won’t cut it. To put your own machine to the test, try the UltraHD 60fps video below and let us know how that goes.
Source: Francois Beaufort
ASUS ZenWatch 2 coming in Q3 after all, will be unveiled at Computex
ASUS has been teasing the successor to its rather nice ZenWatch for a while now and last month ASUS CEO Jerry Shen told reporters that the ZenWatch 2 would be launching next year, with two versions designed specifically for men and women. It turns out that there was a bit of a “misunderstanding” about the release date, the ZenWatch 2 will land in stores early in the third quarter of this year, as originally planned.
Speaking at an earnings conference yesterday, Shen confirmed that the launch time frame for the new smartwatch “remains unchanged”, meaning a release early in the third quarter of this year. The ZenWatch 2 will also be officially unveiled at the Computex Taipei trade show, which is scheduled for June 2 – 6, just a few weeks away.
Few other details were given out about the watch, although Shen did note that the hardware won’t quite match the initial hope of seven days’ worth of battery life. Instead, Shen suggested that it would last less than four days on a single charge, but should still outperform the original ZenWatch’s two day battery life. He also suggested that the company would ship less than one million smartwatches this year and that the market is not expected to be a big earner for ASUS, at least not yet.
It looks like we won’t have to wait long to find out all the details about the new watch. Are you looking forward to the ASUS Zenwatch 2?
A retro-gamer’s survival guide: 7 games to feed your nostalgia
Just last week, a friend and I were reminiscing of the so called glory days of gaming, i.e. the 8-Bit and 16-Bit days. In particular, I offered the point that what was once the last bastion of old-school, portables, had now reached a state that they were little more than handheld versions of the “next gen” hardware we used just a decade ago. In short, software programmer’s prerogative to do more with less has been done away with, and now developing something as “simple” as a Nintendo 3DS game takes considerable effort if someone wants their product to be seen as “good”. This goes double for smartphone and tablets, where specs rival those of many PCs.
As a self-proclaimed “retro gamer”, I am endlessly on the lookout for anything and everything that might spur a flashback to the extraordinary imaginative worlds that once existed. Not on screen mind you, but in my mind: games like the original Metroid were anything but “detailed”, yet the simplicity allowed you to fill in the details. While there are some fantastic products on the Google Play Store, if you are like me, chances are you’ve seen all the “big names” and either played through them or else skipped them entirely.
What I am about to share, then, may be of great interest to all those who are dissatisfied with the mainstream market. I have created a list of games that are oddly obscure despite being so darn awesome. With that, I give you the list.
Evoland ($4.99)
This game is nothing short of a masterpiece. In many ways, the concept behind it is similar to the “Gaia Trilogy” on the SNES, specifically Soul Blazer and Terranigma, yet it is also a pastiche of the entire JRPG genre, from past-to-present. The game begins with a small rectangle of black-and-white visibility akin to something you would find back on the original GameBoy. As the game progresses, you find treasure chests that slowly but surely evolve the world into a modern game. 16-bit colors, 3D graphics, monsters, magic, NPCs, dungeons… it’s literally as if you were playing a graphic version of a game development timeline.
I was absolutely blown away with the amount of effort that was put into this product, and couldn’t recommend it more. The price tag might be a bit steep for those more apt to the freemium model, but suffice to say it’s well spent. Several of the comments mention the game’s short length, but the ability to relive your childhood and the evolution of the RPG genre itself is something that can only be described as priceless.
You can find Evoland here.
Space Expedition ($0.99)
This sci-fi game has a typical setup: the main character is sent to a seemingly innocuous planet to investigate what happened to a research team gone missing. The adventure itself is relatively simple but contains some tension and challenge while offering a story that develops as the mission progresses, and even includes hidden items to find. Though it looks like the app would make for a pretty mean Metroid-clone, it’s much more straightforward. Fortunately the next game…
You can find Space Expedition here.
Super Space Adventure (Free, IAP)
Perhaps the single-most true homage to Metroid that has ever been made, this game can only be described as incredible. The main character begins the game with nothing more than a jet pack. Just as with Metroid, you must find various power-ups along the way to allow access to larger and more expansive parts of the world. The only down side is the lack of music (sound effects are present, however), though it shouldn’t be too difficult to search for “Metroid Soundtrack” and set up some adequate background music.
The game allows you to play the first portion absolutely for free, after which there will be an IAP to allow access to the remainder of the world map.
Get your Metroid homage on by clicking here.
VVVVVV ($2.99)
This diamond in the rough was just discovered last night, and indeed I’m still smirking over it. Picture, if you will, the recent spade of “gravity” based games, the likes of which usually consist of an endless runner scenario. Now imagine this concept as applied to a “Metroidvania” world map and featuring music in the style of Mega Man. You are the Captain of an interstellar ship. After a disaster occurs, you must rescue your crew who have all been scattered around the area. There are no enemies, but there are instant deaths. Thousands of them. The game’s very title is a reference to the spikes that litter most of the rooms in the game.
Start your spike insanity by downloading it here.
Super Gravitron (Free)
This game isn’t so much “epic” as it is a novelty. Similar to how iOS has “The Last Rocket” and its semi-sequel “Flip’s Escape”, Super Gravitron is a “spin-off” of sorts to VVVVVV. In the vein of a classic arcade game, you must avoid an endless stream of obstacles that come at the Captain from either side. I’ve yet to survive longer than 4.5 seconds despite playing for a good ten minutes. The incredible chiptune music ensures that you want to keep playing to hear more, and the presence of awards for reaching survival accomplishments (the first being 5 seconds) means you are always almost there.
You can download Super Gravitron here.
DLB (Free)
The third game by Terry Cavanagh, this app is somewhat akin to an “endless runner” type setup, as evident by the name, “Don’t Look Back”. The graphics are reminiscent of the early NES-days, and for some reason “Bart Simpson’s: Escape from Camp Deadly” for the original Game Boy comes to mind. Very simple controls and gameplay make for a very nice bit of nostalgia.
Find DLB here.
8bit Doves ($2.99)
This is a game that is heavily inspired by some serious love of the Game Boy. It’s actually very cute while at the same time being incredibly difficult. The goal is to guide your player character along the various maps, but due to the control set-up, things are anything but easy: the crux of the game play revolves around your being a “bird” and thus having to fly. If you had trouble with Flappy Bird, this isn’t going to be a ride in the park either, though at least the nostalgia factor present is enough to justify the purchase. A more “basic” version called “Endless Doves” is also available, and for free at that.
8bit Doves can be downloaded from the Play Store by clicking here.
So, there you have it. 7 games that you probably had never heard of, yet all will (hopefully) tickle the old-school gamer in your heart. Be sure to leave a comment below with any feedback or other suggestions for anything I might have missed.
LG G4 retail price revealed in carrier give-aways
The expected retail price of the LG G4 has been revealed a little early, thanks to a pair of give-aways being run by Sprint and T-Mobile. The handset will cost around $600.00 up front. This isn’t the first time that we’ve seen rough retail prices leak in competition T&Cs, and it probably won’t be the last.
The estimated Approximate Retail Value (“ARV”) of each prize is $600.00. – Sprint
7 LG G4 mobile devices. Approximate Retail Value (“ARV”): $600.00 each – T-Mobile
This leaves the LG G4 looking like it will be marginally less expensive than its flagship rivals, but only by around $50. The closest equivalent Samsung Galaxy S6 with 32GB of memory costs $648, as does the new 32GB HTC One M9 from Sprint.
As for the competitions, both companies are giving customers who pre-register for the LG G4 the chance to win one for free. Sprint is giving away eight free phones, while T-Mobile has 38 up for grabs over four entry periods. You can check out further details from the source links below.
It will be interesting to see if there are any major differences between the contract offers for the G4 and its rivals. Is a $50 saving enough to temp you, or is your money earmarked for another handset this year?
Google’s Android-for-all program comes to Europe
Google’s bid to democratize Android just reached Europe. The internet giant has announced that Turkey will get its first Android One smartphone, the General Mobile 4G, on May 15th. The device is strictly middling given its 5-inch 720p display, Snapdragon 410 processor, 13-megapixel rear camera and 5-megapixel front cam, but it will be the first Android One device to offer LTE. It’s fairly affordable, too, at about $263 contract-free. There’s no mention of where Google’s initiative will go next, but the company hints that Turkey might not be the last European nation to get an Android One phone — you may eventually find one sitting in a shop near you.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Google
Source: Google Turkey
YotaPhone 2 gets whiter, cheaper and Lollipopier
The YotaPhone 2, with AMOLED on the front and E Ink on the back, is already quite a striking handset thanks to its dual-screen design. Though not striking enough, apparently, or at least not as openly eccentric as the new, white version of the device launching today. And a different color scheme isn’t the only thing Yota Devices has to announce this morning. The price of the YotaPhone 2 is also dropping significantly in Europe from today, regardless of what model you’re eyeing up, and all current owners will be pleased to hear that an update to Android 5.0 Lollipop has begun rolling out. In addition to Google’s improvements, the new version also includes a bunch of YotaPhone-specific tweaks that let you do more with the E Ink display.
The new, white YotaPhone 2 isn’t just a straight reversal of the all-black model. In fact, only the plastic on the rear and sides of the device have changed hue. The front panel has remained black for a number of reasons. Firstly, prototyping told Yota that a black front is just easier on the eye, especially when framing an AMOLED display since it accentuates the high level of contrast. And second, the company didn’t care to blindly reskin the handset. It wanted to create something a little bit different, which is part of the reason the YotaPhone 2 exists in the first place. And different, it is.
A switch from black to white plastic is obviously the most apparent change, but a couple of other parts have been tweaked to make the new color scheme work. The power key and volume rocker are now brushed metal, as is the detailing around the primary camera, and the small YotaPhone logo on the E Ink side is now silver instead of white. I can’t deny it’s a more eye-catching build, especially with the juxtaposition of the black face, but it’s a bit too ostentatious for my liking. In my opinion, the all-black model is pleasantly understated in comparison, and I’d be worried the white plastic would show signs of wear and tear much quicker.
I can easily see, however, how the more extravagant white version might take your fancy. And Europeans after a new YotaPhone 2 are in luck, as it’s receiving a significant price cut today. Both the black and white models are now on sale in the UK for £440 (£115 off the launch price), and elsewhere in Europe for €599 (€100 less than at launch) through Yota’s online store. The white version can also be purchased online in certain CIS and Middle Eastern countries where the black model is available, but at full price, though Yota hopes to extend the price drop to these markets as soon as possible. If you’re wondering about US availability, I’m told the plan is to launch an Indiegogo campaign sometime this month to facilitate a North American launch in July.
In addition to the new exterior, Yota has been working on improving the software side of things, too. One development that’s already available on the all-black model, even if you haven’t spotted it yet, is a new “white theme” for the E Ink display. Quite simply, it’s an inverted version of the YotaPanel UI that runs on the E Ink side, so what was black is now white, and vice versa. It was created so that YotaPanels looked better and more natural on the new white version of the handset, but you can use either theme on both models.
More importantly, though, the YotaPhone 2 is being updated to Android 5.0 Lollipop. The white model comes with the latest version as standard, but all-black units currently out in the wild will start receiving it from today. It’s being issued OTA in stages, mind, so it might take up to 10 days to reach your specific handset. In addition to all the good stuff that comes with Google’s latest mobile OS version, Yota has taken the opportunity to overhaul its own software that runs on the E Ink side (when you’re not in full Android mirror-mode). And I’m told almost all the improvements are the direct result of user feedback.
The company’s custom software used to be layered, with what’s called a YotaCover up front, and widget-filled YotaPanels beneath (you might want to check out my full review of the YotaPhone 2 to brush up on the old layout). The YotaCover used to function as kind of a lockscreen, showing background images the user selects and an overview of unread notifications if you allowed it. You’d switch between the YotaCover and YotaPanel UI using an on-screen key, but this was apparently thought to be confusing and unintuitive. So, YotaCovers and YotaPanels are now on the same level rather than tiered, letting you swipe between them, and that onscreen key is now a home button. Thus, you can select any Cover or Panel to be your E Ink “home screen.”
Setting up YotaCovers is a tad easier in the latest iteration of the YotaHub app, which is what you use to manage everything that happens on the E Ink side. YotaCovers can pull images from the device, Facebook, Instagram and Google+, and change them automatically as quickly as every five minutes (you can still have multiple Covers with different rules and different image sets). Before, this was a cumbersome process. You’d have to select an individual service, and then the pictures you thought appropriate to broadcast on the back of your phone. Now, all sources feed into a central gallery, meaning you only need to thumb around the one screen to pick a bunch of images you want. Exploring all your pictures on any given service still requires a few more taps, though.
There are new Cover options, too, some of which are more like full-sized widgets that won’t fit into any of the YotaPanel grid layouts. These include Facebook, Instagram and Twitter YotaCovers that poll your social networks as often as every 15 minutes and display the latest post. Currently, it’s only the one post, but Yota is planning to expand them to include more of your feed. They are also interactive, so you can like and retweet content without having to enter the apps on the AMOLED side. That’s indicative of what this software update is all about: giving users more information and more flexibility to do things with the E Ink display that they’d otherwise have to unlock the phone and load up an app for.
Other new YotaCovers include YotaRemote, a smart TV remote that works over WiFi and is compatible with the majority of recent Samsung and LG TVs from the get-go, and YotaFit, which is a basic pedometer app (though I’m told two high-profile partners are working to integrate data from their own fitness apps into this Cover). There are plenty of new widgets that slot into the YotaPanel grid layouts, too, most notable of which is the new Gmail widget that was apparently one of the most requested features. You’ve also got YotaSports (powered by EuroSport), which pulls live match scores and other sporty information (primarily for soccer lovers), and the simple to-do list and note-taking app YotaNotes, which can sync with Google Drive.
“Yotagram,” a special version of the Telegram app built with an E Ink widget in mind, and subscription e-book service Bookmate, which has a native mirror-mode when its Android app is pushed to the E Ink side, round out the notable new additions. Not everything is working quite as intended yet, I must add. On the handset I’ve been playing with, the Facebook YotaCover isn’t functioning properly, and the YotaNotes widget won’t populate with lists I’ve made in the corresponding Android app.
Making a comeback from the first-generation YotaPhone is “emotional messaging.” What this feature does is scan the contents of SMS messages, pick out keywords and display an appropriate image alongside the notification on the E Ink side. It’s sometimes wildly inaccurate and only works well with short messages, but that’s supposed to be part of the fun. The YotaEnergy low-battery notification has also been tweaked so it’s persistent, hard to ignore and gives you more information on how long your phone’s got left with or without battery-saving mode enabled.
Yota hopes that by adding more functionality to the E Ink display, consumers will see more value in the quirky and niche device. The company doesn’t want to do all the work itself, though, and has launched a new SDK it says is simpler than the last and encourages developers to build widgets that allow for quick interactions on the E Ink side, without needing to overhaul the way their apps work.
The final slice of news today is the launch of the YotaPhone Wireless Power Bank accessory, which is essentially a reskinned, white-label portable charger with built-in Qi wireless charging plate. The Power Bank is on sale now for £35 in the UK and €49 in the rest of Europe.
Filed under: Cellphones, Software, Mobile
Free mobile plans are coming to the UK in July
Sure, mobile plans are getting cheaper by the day, but what if you could enjoy voice, texts and mobile data without having to pay a penny? That’s what mobile carrier FreedomPop will offer when it launches in the UK in July. After finding success in the US and announcing its plans to expand almost a year ago, the company has set its sights on this side of the pond, noting that it will provide 200 minutes, 200 texts and 200MB of data free on its very first SIM-only plan. Basic, but perfect for someone who uses their phone sparingly. To further discourage the competition, FreedomPop will also offer free international calling to over 60 countries and allow free calls and texts to anyone on one of its plans.
If you’re unaware of what FreedomPop is, it’s a US-based provider backed by Skype founder Niklas Zennstom that has made its name offering free wireless service. While the core service is free, it attempts to make its money from bolt-ons, which are basically more fully-featured tariffs. These include the option to roll over unused data to the next month, anonymous browsing and the ability to add a second phone number to your account. If that wasn’t enough, the carrier is also launching Jetsetter, a free global roaming SIM that provides 100MB of data per month. It’ll initially be available in the UK, Spain and France before making its way to 20 more countries.
FreedomPop has already opened up its UK website, which allows you to see if you qualify for its free SIM. Like Carphone Warehouse’s iD network, the carrier is piggybacking Three’s spectrum, which may explain how it is able to offer international calling and free roaming, but also why it’s taking its time to expand the service.
Via: BBC News, FreedomPop Blog
Source: FreedomPop
Marshall’s Kilburn speaker packs even more guitar amp aesthetics
If you like your portable audio gear to match your guitar rig, Marshall’s new Bluetooth speaker fits the bill. The Kilburn not only handles music-playing duties via the aforementioned wireless connection, but its design resembles one of the company’s guitar amps. From the speaker grill to the outer shell, gold-accented controls and guitar strap handle, the device looks just like a miniature version of what you’d see on stage. Sure, Marshall’s been selling speakers for a while now, but this is its first portable option. Inside, a 4-inch woofer, a pair of 0.75-inch tweeters and three amps (two 5W and one 15W) handle those playlists for up to 20 hours before needing a charge. It won’t arrive until next month, but when it does, the Kilburn will set you back $300.
Filed under: Portable Audio/Video
New York’s getting 500 solar-powered food carts this summer
Street food is an celebrated (and inescapable) facet of New York City culture but many of those gas-fired mobile food stalls aren’t exactly environmentally friendly. “I breathe it in, I get the fumes, I get the smell of the food,” Don Ward, a Manhattan shoe shiner who works next to a cart, told the Wall Street Journal. “I get home and my clothing smells like gas.” So to help combat air and noise pollution this summer, Queens-based MOVE Systems plans to distribute 500 “green” vendor carts. They’ll be outfitted with solar panels and rechargeable batteries in addition to sinks, refrigerators and grills. The carts, dubbed MRV100 Hybrids, measure roughly 5 feet wide by 10 feet long and reportedly can be adapted to serve a wide variety of cuisine.
The program is funded entirely through donations and private partnerships and, as such, MOVE is offering the carts free of charge. 100 of the carts are already earmarked for disabled veterans. There’s no immediate word, however, on how the 400 remaining carts will be distributed among the 3,000-plus permitted vendors operating in NYC. Either way, Meeks expects the carts to start rolling out by Memorial Day.
Filed under: Misc, Transportation
Via: Eater NY
Source: Wall Street Journal
Android One: now in Turkey
Android One’s entry into Turkey marks the expansion of the initiative to a continent other than Asia for the first time. Overall, Turkey is the seventh market to be supported by the program. Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Nepal, the Philippines, and Sri Lanka are the others.
According to 9to5Google, General Mobile will be the first in the country to carry Android One smartphones, but they will come at a higher cost. It has received word from Re/code that these devices will cost about $260, which is more than twice as much for Google’s target price for hardware.
Nevertheless, Android One devices will cost around a fourth of the price of flagships, and they have the benefit of receiving OS updates for up to two years.
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