70,000 pictures make up this panorama of Mont Blanc
This is a photo of Mont Blanc, the tallest mountain in the European Union. But it’s not just any photo: it’s actually just a small part of a panorama comprised of 70,000 pictures and 365 gigapixels. In 2014, a team of photographers led by Filippo Blengini spent 35 hours overall within two weeks — in temperatures averaging 14F at an altitude of 11,500 feet — taking as many pictures as they could of the mountain. They used a Canon 70D DSLR with a Canon EF 400mm f/2.8 II IS lens and an extender, all attached to a robotic mount. It then took them two more months to stitch all 46 terabytes of pictures together to create a panorama, which they claim is the world’s largest photo.
According to The Telegraph, if you printed it at 300dpi, it would be as big as a soccer field. The world’s largest photo title’s been unofficially passed around almost every year and was once claimed by a 360-degree panorama of London. You can see the whole Mont Blanc image on its website and zoom in to see cool little details, including people climbing the icy peak.
Source: In2White
‘Evolve’ simplifies the hunt with free deathmatch arena mode
Evolve isn’t a typical multiplayer shooter. The game pits four hunters against a quickly mutating monster, with the first task usually being to find and trap the player-controlled goliath. The experience can be a little bewildering for newcomers, so developer Turtle Rock Studios is throwing in a free Arena Mode that keeps everything simple. In a best-of-three match, the hunters and monster are dropped in a small, pre-determined dome with only one goal; take down your opponent(s). The monster starts at stage two with 50 percent armour, reducing the need to devour local wildlife, and when a hunter dies they’re out until the next round. It’s a bare-bones take on the Evolve formula, stripping away some of what makes the game unique. Still, if you’re interested in shorter rounds where you can easily hone your combat skills, Arena Mode could be a welcome change on planet Shear.
Filed under: Gaming
Source: Evolve
Google Play Store updated to version 5.6.6, brings minor changes [APK Download]
It’s the day before Google I/O 2015 begins, and the Play Store app is the recipient of a minor update, bumping it to version 5.6.6. There are some layout changes as well as some groundwork laid for the rumoured Kids Accounts that is rumoured to be announced in the next day or two.
The changes in layout involve standardising the alert dialog boxes. According to Googler Kirill Grouchnikov, ” it was also time to switch to consistent layout alignment and order of buttons everywhere in the app“. If you take a look at the main image, the older layout is on the left, with the latest layout on the right. It’s a subtle change but noticeable.
As for the rumoured Kids Accounts, Android Police’s teardown of the Play Store app revealed strings of code that show how download limits will be enforced for kids, with searches limited to age-appropriate material. It would also appear that authorisation will be needed every time a purchase is made, this includes IAP’s (In-App-Purchases).
You can download Pay Store version 5.6.6 here if the update hasn’t reached you yet. You can check out the rest of our Google I/O 2015 coverage here.
Source: AndroidPolice
Come comment on this article: Google Play Store updated to version 5.6.6, brings minor changes [APK Download]
Dual battery Gionee M5 passes TENAA with 6,000mAh capacity
While mobile tech innovators are busy trying to find new ways to optimize device battery life, Gionee has decided that a brute force approach might be easier. A new Gionee M5 smartphone has been spotted passing through China’s TENAA, featuring two 3,000mAh batteries for a mammoth 6,000mAh combined capacity.
Early rumors are suggesting that the handset could last up to four days on a single charge. What is even more impressive is that the handset can continue to run with just a single battery inside, leaving you free to charge them up in an alternating pattern for as much juice as you’ll ever likely need.
However this extra capacity does make the Gionee M5 a little bulkier than most other smartphones. The handset measures around 8.5mm at its thickest and weighs in at 213 grams, which is notably heavier than most other handsets in the 5.5-inch market.
Other hardware specifications include a 5.5-inch 720p AMOLED display, a 1.3GHz quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage, an 8 megapixel rear camera with 5 megapixel front facing companion, and Android 5.0 Lollipop installed as standard. Given the more mid-range specifications, the huge 6,000mAh battery capacity should go quite a long way.
We’re still waiting on a launch date and price, but some more details should appear soon.
Google’s Roboto font goes open source
The Roboto font has come to define the look of Google’s Android and Chrome OS platforms since its introduction with Android 4.0 back in 2011. It has been incorporated into a range of Google products and services over the years and is also now a promoted part of the Material Design language. The tech giant is now opening up the font for anyone to make their own, as Roboto has gone open-source.
Google had already made its customized font available for download a long time ago, but by going open-source, developers can now modify the font as they desire. The font is now up on GitHub, complete with a revamped font production toolchain used to design the font, which is also based on open source software. In addition, Google has also updated the font to include all Latin, Cyrillic and Greek Characters.
Developers can go and check out the project at this GitHub link.
The Sony Xperia Z3+ can be pre-ordered for £549 in the UK
Sony launched the Xperia Z4 in Japan just over a month ago and it was a low-key affair and we wondered if this ‘successor’ to the Xperia Z3 would be released globally. Yesterday Sony announced that this ‘Xperia Z4‘ would, in fact, be marketed as the Xperia Z3+ outside of Japan, with the handset becoming available from June 15th. Now we have news that Sony’s latest flagship is already available for pre-order in the UK.
You can pre-order the SIM-free Xperia Z3+ in white, black or copper from the UK online retailer, Clove, for £549 ($845), with stock slated to arrive towards the end of June. We have a recap of the handset’s specifications just below. Are you interested in upgrading to Sony’s Xperia Z3+?
Specifications:
- 5.2-Inch TRILUMINOS™ Display with 1920 x 1080 resolution (Full HD)
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 Octa-Core processor 4 x cores @2.0GHz + 4 x cores @ 1.5GHz (64-bit)
- Adreno 430 GPU
- 3GB RAM
- 32GB Internal storage
- 20.7MP Rear-camera, Exmor RS for mobile, Flash
- 5.1MP Front-facing camera with wide angle lens
- MicroSD card support (up to 128GB)
- Bluetooth 4.1, NFC, WiFi
- Dimensions: 146 x 72 x 6.9mm
- Weight: 144 grams
- Battery: 2,900mAh
- Waterproof/Dustproof: XPX5/8, IP6X
- Cap-less MicroUSB port
Source: Clove
Come comment on this article: The Sony Xperia Z3+ can be pre-ordered for £549 in the UK
Oculus VR bought a firm that reconstructs 3D scenes in real time
I’m willing to bet that one of the best things about having Facebook in your back pocket is that your pocketbook is likely bottomless. How’s that? Well, Oculus has acquired yet another company on its path to a retail model. This time it’s Surreal Vision, a firm focused on “3D scene reconstruction” according to a recent post on the VR outfit’s blog. “Great scene reconstruction will enable a new level of presence and telepresence, allowing you to move around the real world and interact with real-world objects from within VR,” the post reads. So! This acquisition should help out quite a bit when it comes to building out the social spaces and experiences Oculus has been crowing about since Zuckerberg and Co. made their $2 billion purchase.
“We’re developing breakthrough techniques to capture, interpret, manage, analyse, and finally reproject in real-time a model of reality back to the user in a way that feels real, creating a new, mixed reality that brings together the virtual and real worlds,” it continues. We’d typically be skeptical of such lofty claims, but considering one of the Surreal gents also reconstructed scenes in real time with a paltry Xbox 360 Kinect those promises seem a little less like moonshots.
Filed under: Gaming, Home Entertainment, Facebook
Source: Oculus blog
Opera Max adds WiFi data compression and app blocking
Opera is well known for its eponymous browsers, but the Norwegian company also offers a useful data compression service called Opera Max, which just received a big update.
Opera Max combines the functionality of a virtual private network with data compression. Put simply, the service routes your Internet traffic through Opera’s servers, and serves you a compressed version, resulting in smaller data bills and faster loading times.
The latest version of Opera Max (1.0.225) includes WiFi data compression. Previously, Opera Max only worked over cellular connections, but there are times when you can benefit from data connection even if you’re using WiFi – for instance, in a crowded airport or on a stadium. Switching compression on in these cases should give you a faster browsing experience.
Opera Max works with browsers, but also with any app that receives data over an unencrypted connection. The new version adds an app management component, allowing you to see which apps eat up a lot of data or battery.
The update also brings some changes to the UI, which is now more user-friendly, according to the app’s Play Store changelog.
It’s worth noting again that Opera Max does not work with apps that use encrypted connections. So, if most of your data is spent on, say, Facebook, you won’t see a big benefit from using the service. With that said, any saving is welcome when you’re on a tight data allowance, so go check out Opera Max in the Play Store.
Wake up to the smell of money, not farts
If we were rich, we’d pay gourmet baker Richard Bertinet to rouse us every day with the scent of his freshly baked bread. Unfortunately, we’re not, which is why SensorWake’s smell-based alarm clock is such an exciting prospect. Rather than waking users up with the traffic report, the device uses a cartridge of odors to get you out of bed in the morning, from coffee and croissants all the way through to the smell of US dollars.
The project was created by 18-year-old engineering student Guillaume Rolland and was named a “top 15″ invention at last year’s Google Science Fair. Now, the company is taking to Kickstarter to raise cash for an initial production run, with deliveries expected to begin in November. If you’re interested in getting your hands on one of these devices, then early birds can snag one for €60 (around $65), with two capsules of your choice. When a capsule expires, you’ll be able to replace it for $7.50, with each one rated to last roughly two months at a time.
Filed under: Misc
Source: Kickstarter
HTML5 vs Native Android App
A common question asked by mobile app developers is this, ‘Should I build my app with HTML 5, or build native?’. There are a wide range of reasons why you would choose either of these, and the proponents of both have very valid and compelling arguments. With this article, we will explore the various types of app categories, and discuss the pros and cons of both methods.
Definitions
Before we begin, we ought to define the terms, HTML5 app and Native app, to prevent ambiguities, and needless arguments in the comments.
If you intend to develop a graphic intensive game, you almost certainly want to build a native app.
A native app, for the purpose of this article, refers to an application built completely using technologies native to a particular operating system. This could be Android, iOS, Windows, Blackberry, etc. For Android, native apps are typically built using Java, while for iOS, a native app can be built using Objective C or (more recently) Swift.
A HTML5 app, on the other hand, refers to a mobile app built completely using HTML, CSS and Javascript only. HTML5 apps are web apps and they must be run using the underlying OS browser. Note that HTML5 supports offline data as well as rich media, such as audio and video. A well written HTML5 app can be used even when the device is offline, or at the very least, show an error message.
Comparison of HTML5 and Native Apps
Portability
HTML5 apps are portable across different OSes and device types. A HTML5 app written with responsive design methods would also scale appropriately depending on the size of the device it’s currently viewed on. When an update is required, the single app is updated and tested, and is available for all devices immediately.
Native apps, by definition, are unique to each OS, and so, to support multiple mobile OSes, a separate app must be written for each OS. When an update is required, each app must be updated independently, and tested independently. Android apps do not modify the layout to match the size of the device automatically, however, during development, different layouts can be specified for different device/screen sizes and orientations. This usually results in layouts that are more aesthetically pleasing compared to automatic responsive design HTML5 apps, albeit with more effort and planning required.
Winner: HTML5
Cost to develop
HTML5 apps are generally cheaper to develop and maintain than native apps, since just the single app is required for multiple OS support. This single app can be developed by a single web developer. However, native apps for all major mobile OSes would typically require a specialized developer for each OS (Java for Android, Objective C/Swift for iOS, C# for Windows), which would be significantly more expensive than a single web developer.
Winner: HTML5
Speed and Efficiency
Native apps are almost always more efficient, and faster than HTML5 apps. Despite the strides made in increasing the speed of Javascript interpreters, a HTML5 app cannot execute at the same speed as a native app of similar functionality. Apple’s App Store can reject apps for being too slow or not feeling native enough, which is more likely to occur with a HTML5 app than a fully native app.
Winner: Native
Use of Hardware
Native apps can interact with a wide range of the hardware available on a device, including location, camera, accelerometer, speakers, screen and more. HTML5 apps do not have the same ability to interact with the hardware, which can be a major deal breaker, depending on the desired functionality of the app.
Winner: Native
If you need to deliver an app for the lowest cost at the quickest speed on multiple mobile OS types, a HTML5 app is almost always the preferred way to go. However, if your app needs to make use of device specific hardware, or needs to run very fast, you will do better with a native solution.
Hybrid Apps
However, as with most things related to computer, there is more than one solution. There is a third category of apps, called hybrid apps. Hybrid apps are built using on language/framework, and are then wrapped with native specific code for each desired mobile OS. For example, you build an app using HTML5, CSS and Javascript, then generate a wrapper around the app for Android, iOS, and Windows devices. The final product is, to all intents and purposes, a native app for each platform, however, they share a single code base. To the end user, a hybrid app is no different from a native app. Popular hybrid app frameworks include Apache Cordova (formerly PhoneGap), Appcelerator Titanium, Appear IQ, CocconJS and Appzillon among others.
Hybrid apps are not all roses though. There are both pros and cons:
Pros
- Hybrid apps are as portable as HTML5 apps. They allow code reuse across platform, with the framework handling all platform specific differences.
- A hybrid app can be built at virtually the same speed at which a HTML5 app can be built. The underlying technology is the same.
- A hybrid app can be built at almost the same cost as a HTML5 app. However, most frameworks require a license, which adds an extra development cost
- Hybrid apps can be made available and distributed via the relevant app store, just like native apps
- Hybrid apps have greater access to the native hardware resources than plain HTML5 apps, usually through the corresponding framework’s own APIs.
Cons
- Not all native hardware resources are available to hybrid apps. The available functionality depends on the framework used.
- Hybrid apps appear to the end user as native apps, but run significantly slower than native apps. The same restriction on HTML5 apps being rejected for being too slow on Apple’s App Store also apply to hybrid apps. Rendering complex CSS layouts will take longer than rendering a corresponding native layout
- Each framework has it’s own unique idiosyncrasies and ways of doing things that are not necessarily useful outside of the given framework.
While the HTML5 vs native app debate still rages on, it is worth mentioning that there are literally dozens of valid reasons to develop a HTML5, native or hybrid app. However, the most critical question shouldn’t be “What technology should we use to develop?”, but rather “What does the app do?”. The functions the app is intended to perform, when spelled out adequately would often answer what technology is appropriate.
If you intend to develop a graphic intensive game, you almost certainly want to build a native app, in order to give users the fastest and most responsive game play possible.
If you are writing an app for a business that enables executives on the go access company information, you can decide between a hybrid or HTML5 app, especially if your app has no need to use device hardware, and should be available to use on the user’s preferred device.
If you are developing an app that is the core of your business, like Instagram, you might want to build a native app, to provide the best experience for your users, or go hybrid, so that it will be be available to as many users, on as many devices, as possible.
Did we leave anything out? Hit the comments and let us know.
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