Virtual reality’s roller coaster ride to the mainstream
In the early ’90s, four odd-looking arcade games appeared at a rented-out store in my local mall. For about seven dollars, anyone could stop in and play three minutes of a new virtual reality game called Dactyl Nightmare. I paid up, put on the massive helmet… and then the game was over before I’d even figured out what I was doing in the blocky, chessboard-like environment. The whole experience left a lot to be desired and I never went back. It certainly wasn’t the first VR experience (or the most advanced) made available for public consumption, but it sums up how many felt about the ill-fated, first wave of consumer-facing VR projects: all hype and not enough substance. The times and technology have changed, though, and it’s finally time for round two. VR systems are being developed and promoted at a rate that outstrips the previous era, with better graphics and games (and far less queasiness) than ever before. VR, it seems, is just about ready for prime time. So to commemorate its second coming, let’s take a look at virtual reality’s bumpy road to mainstream recognition.
[Image: AP Photo/Mark Cowan]
How to Set Up Apple Pay on Apple Watch [iOS Blog]
Apple restricted Apple Pay to the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus due to the need for an NFC chip that’s not included in older phones, which means Apple Pay has been limited to those with newer iPhones since it debuted in October of 2014.
One of the major perks of the Apple Watch is that it enables Apple Pay for some older iPhones because it has the same NFC chip that’s in the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus. If you have an Apple Watch and an iPhone 5, 5c, or 5s, you can now use Apple Pay and the watch to make secure purchases in retail locations.
For those of you who haven’t had a chance to use Apple Pay, we’ve written up a tutorial that walks through how to set it up on your watch.
Setting Up Apple Pay
Even if you are already using Apple Pay on iPhone 6, you will need to add your credit and debit cards to Apple Pay for Apple Watch. You can add up to eight cards.
- Open the Apple Watch app on your iPhone and then select My Watch.
- Select Passbook and Apple Pay.
- Tap “Add Credit or Debit Card.
- Apple will automatically ask you to enter the security code of the credit card that is on file for iTunes and the App Store. If you don’t want to use this card, select “Add a different credit or debit card.”
- When the camera viewfinder appears, position your credit or debit card inside the frame. The app will scan the card for relevant information.
- If the card does not automatically scan, you can enter the information manually.
Once the card is added, you will see that it is listed as “activating.” When it has been activated, you will receive a notification on Apple Watch that the card is ready for Apple Pay.
Using Apple Pay
When you are ready, head out to one of the participating retail stores. At checkout, simply open Passbook and Apple Pay app on Apple Watch and select the card you wish to use.
When prompted, you will double-click the Side button (the button normally used to access your favorite contacts list). Make sure you are close to the reader so it will register your Apple Watch via near-field communication.
Deleting Credit Cards
You can remove credit cards from Apple Pay through the app on Apple Watch. Tap to select the card, then firm press to delete it from the list. You can also remove a card using the Apple Watch app on the iPhone.
If Your Apple Watch is Lost or Stolen
Since Apple hasn’t yet added Find My Apple Watch, you should probably first start by deleting your credit card information from Apple Watch
- Sign into your account via icloud.com.
- Select Settings, then My Devices.
- Choose Apple Watch and click Remove All.
- You can also put a hold on your cards by calling your bank or credit card issuer directly.
Using Passbook
Within the same app, you can use your Passbook loyalty and gift cards. Set up cards on your iPhone using the Passbook App.
When you are near the location of a store that you have a card saved in Passbook for, you will receive a notification on Apple Watch. Tap the notification to open Passbook and scroll to the relevant card. When ready, show the barcode on Apple Watch to the employee that will be scanning your card.
If you rearrange or delete old cards on Passbook on your iPhone, all changes will be reflected on Apple Watch.
Apple’s contactless payment service uses a security feature that creates a unique Device Account Number that is assigned to cards once they are installed in Apple Pay. These encrypted card numbers, as well as a transaction-specific dynamic security code, are used at payment kiosks instead of your actual credit card numbers. So, not only is your transaction safer from hacking issues, but your personal information is no longer transmitted to the merchant.
Recommended Reading: Why do we hate CGI so much?
Recommended Reading highlights the best long-form writing on technology and more in print and on the web. Some weeks, you’ll also find short reviews of books that we think are worth your time. We hope you enjoy the read.
Why VFX Is Being Vilified
by Raqi Syed & Sonya Teich
Motherboard
By now, you’ve heard someone complain about the prevalence of visual effects in movies. Perhaps you’ve groaned about it yourself. Sure, there are varying degrees of execution, and some of the results that made the final cut have been downright awful. Take Avengers: Age of Ultron for example. The film was a massive success at the box office, but critics griped about the role visual effects played in the bulk of the action. Is all the post-production to blame for ruining movies?
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Letterman’s Musical Legacy David Letterman’s decades-spanning run on CBS’ Late Show came to an end this week, but his impact on music remains. On top of hosting some stellar performances from big-name acts, Letterman also provided a stage that introduced unknown artists to the world. |
Selling the Young on ‘Gaming Fuel’ Can getting hyped up on energy drinks make you a better gamer? The makers of G Fuel certainly think so. The beverage is being marketed as a way to keep focus and increase endurance during marathon gaming sessions. |
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Talking Turntable Remember Turntable.fm? The popular DJ-based music site shut down to focus on live events in 2013 and this interview with creator Billy Chasen offers a look at what went wrong. |
‘Game of Thrones’ has a Pretty Serious Villain Problem this Season Yep, this article contains massive spoilers, so best to avoid it unless you’re caught up. That being said, Ben Kuchera hits on some points about what’s missing this season. |
[Image credit: Marvel]
Ecocapsules are pint-sized solar and wind-powered micro homes
Ecocapsule is a small, egg-shaped abode that could be the perfect home for someone who wants to let it all go like Elsa and live off the grid. Its roof is decked with 600W solar cells and a built-in 750W wind turbine that store the energy they harness into a high-power battery. The structure’s shape also allows its inhabitant to collect rainwater by placing containers around it. Since it measures just 14.6 feet long by 7.4 feet wide by 8.4 feet tall, anyone who isn’t into tiny houses (and we do mean tiny houses) might feel more than a bit claustrophobic inside. Its designers, Nice Architects from Slovakia, made good use of every inch of interior space, though, fitting in a folding bed, a small kitchen, a dining area, a shower and flushable toilet, and even some storage space.
The company doesn’t have a price for the Ecocapsule yet, but it’s presenting one at the Pioneers festival in Vienna later this month and taking pre-orders by the end of 2015. By the looks of it, Nice Architects is willing to ship out the capsules overseas, so long as buyers are willing to pay the rather hefty shipping price (around $2,400 from Slovakia to New York). Once it arrives, the new owner can take the 1,500-pound micro home anywhere he wants.
Filed under: Household
Source: Ecocapsule
Artist adds poop emoji to selfie sticks to remind us of mortality
As depressing as it may be, selfie sticks are inescapable despite how many places ban them. It’s a sad truth of the future we live in. But! An enterprising artist by the name of Pablo Garcia has figured out a way to “reduce vainglory and self-importance” by adding pixely emoji to the reviled smartphone accessory. It’s a bit more difficult than it looks, though. Garcia says he employed elements of anamorphosis, a technique to distort an image so that it’s only visible from a specific angle, to make sure the smiling pile of poop, thumbs up and party horn appear correctly when shot from the smartphone’s extended perspective. Is there some bigger message or implication here? “Perhaps it’s a sober reminder of your mortality in the midst of your vainglory, or simply a pile of poop with eyes,” Garcia writes. There you have it folks: sometimes a rose really is just a (smelly) rose.
https://player.vimeo.com/video/128337329
Filed under: Cellphones, Cameras, Mobile
Via: Kill Screen
Source: Pablo Garcia
Intex’s 5-Inch Cloud M5 II launches in India for Rs. 4,799
The Indian smartphone market is fiercely contested, nowhere more so than the entry-level segment which sees a new entrant from Intex called the Cloud M5 II carrying a price tag of Rs. 4,799 ($75). The Cloud M5 II is available exclusively from the Indian retailer, Flipkart.
Let’s have a look at what the Cloud M5 II has to offer.
- Android 4.4.2 KitKat
- 5-Inch TN display with 845 x 480 resolution (FWVGA)
- Quad-Core Processor @ 1.2GHz (Spreadtrum)
- 1GB RAM
- 8GB Internal storage
- MicroSD card support (up to 32GB)
- 5MP Rear camera with Dual-Flash
- 1.3MP Front camera with flash
- 3G Network
- Dual-SIM support
- Bluetooth/WiFi/HotSpot
- FM Radio
- 2,000mAh Battery
- Dimensions: 71.2 x 144 x 9.1mm
- In the box: Handset, Battery, Earphones, Data Cable, Charger, manual, screen protector.
For the price of just Rs. 4,799 ($75), the Cloud M5 II would appear to be a more than acceptable offering, with its main claim to fame being the front-facing flash, albeit coupled with a 1.3MP camera sensor that means you won’t be entering any photography competitions anytime soon. The Cloud M5 II is available from Flipkart in two colour schemes – white/orange and black/blue. What do you think of Intex’s latest budget smartphone?
Full Press Release:
New Delhi (India) – May 21, 2015: Intex Technologies, the leading Smartphone Company that believes in launching the best innovative products today announced the launch of Cloud M5 II exclusively on Flipkart, India’s largest ecommerce marketplace. The smartphone features a 12.7 cm (5-inch) FWVGA TN display which runs on Android 4.4.2 Kitkat on a 1.2 GHz Quad Core Processor and comes with superior sensor technology. The feature rich Dual-SIM smartphone is priced at INR 4,799.
Commenting on the launch, Sanjay Kumar Kalirona, Business Head, Mobiles, Intex Technologies said, “The Cloud M5 II is yet another innovation of ours, towards improvising our offerings such that the aspirations of our consumers are reached. We believe in providing our customers with products that fit perfectly in the bracket of their needs and their pocket. This new product will be a package of the right design, colors and features at the right price.”
Commenting on this, Amitesh Jha, VP – Retail, Flipkart said, “Intex Technologies is one of the leading players in the Indian mobile market. Known for its new age technology and superior quality products, we are happy to announce the exclusive launch of its latest offering – Cloud M5 II. We are confident that this smartphone will be a hit amongst our customers.”
Focusing on the design, the device comes with a stunning 5MP rear camera with flash and a 1.3MP front camera also with flash that supports clicking selfies, taking panorama shots and continuous shots by using the volume button.
Cloud M5 II also comes with an inbuilt memory of 8 GB, expandable up to 32GB. Additionally, the device has a light sensor that adjusts the screen brightness by detecting the light intensity of the environment. The product has a bunch of pre-loaded apps like Service, Clean Master, Ask Me, OLX etc.
This stunning device will be available in the colour variants of – White+Orange and Black+Blue.
Come comment on this article: Intex’s 5-Inch Cloud M5 II launches in India for Rs. 4,799
Divoom Airbeat-10 Review: A Bluetooth speaker for leisure and the bathroom
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The market for Bluetooth speakers, by now, is extremely saturated – there’s pretty much a speaker in every form factor to suit all needs and lifestyles. One form of speaker that I haven’t tried myself (having only dealt with medium to large speakers) is the small speaker, the kind that you can pocket and take with you anywhere. This is an area that the Divoom Airbeat-10 has staked its claim, so let’s check out just how good it is.
What’s in the box
Most speakers only come with a few extra cables – one for charging, one for attaching auxiliary audio devices. The Divoom Airbeat-10 does this, but also includes a few accessories that could come in handy if you’re someone who likes to take your music with you everywhere – with the Airbeat-10, you’ll also get a suction cup which can allow you to stick your speaker up on smooth surfaces i.e. bathroom walls, and a clip that allows you to mount the speaker on poles, possibly on a bike handlebar or something similar. Both these add-ons have a simple screw thread which allows them to be screwed into the back of the Airbeat-10.
The Airbeat-10 itself is a relatively rugged affair – covered mostly in a rubbery exterior, the Airbeat-10 feels like it would survive in most outdoor situations and only need a wipe down afterwards. It’s also tiny, measuring 87mm tall and 78mm wide when standing up – I may have relatively big hands, but I can grab the whole speaker in one of my hands. It also has a IPX44 rating, which means it’s splashproof, making it perfect for those beach, pool and shower activities. Naturally, this means that all the controls and ports of the Airbeat-10 are very well covered up.
On the side of the device, you’ll find the power button, a play buttons and the volume up and down buttons. Nestled between the play and volume down buttons is the in-built microphone – this allows the Airbeat-10 to also act as a speakerphone, just in case you need to take a call while washing the day away. Hidden behind a swivelling panel are the auxiliary cable output and the microUSB charging port.
How does it perform
Sometimes its hard to judge just how good a speaker of this size should sound given that physically it simply can’t keep up with bigger speakers, however, the Airbeat-10 manages to hold its own quite well. It struggles to get full sounding bass, but otherwise, the treble and mid ranges sound well-rounded and clear playing a range of today’s popular tracks like Mark Ronson’s Uptown Funk and Walk the Moon’s Shut Up and Dance.
As you might expect from the way it looks , the Airbeat-10 is pretty well made – I did (completely accidentally) drop it a few times from waist height and it looked no worse for wear. I will say, however, that while the rubbery exterior gives the Airbeat-10 an incredible sense of insurance, it makes it an absolute dust magnet, though that can be fixed with a quick wipe down with a wet cloth – which you can do, because it’s splashproof.
What I like about the Divoom Airbeat-10
I really like the Airbeat-10 for its size. That might sound like I’ve fallen for the smaller speaker form factor, but it’s more the fact I like the whole package that you get with the Airbeat-10. The rugged exterior, the great sound and the lifestyle accessories make it a compelling choice for anyone looking for a multi-purpose Bluetooth speaker than can survive occasionally outside of the home.
What I don’t like about the Divoom Airbeat-10
Probably my only complaint concerns the battery life of the Airbeat-10. It’s quoted as 6 hours, and while I did experience slightly more than this during my tests, it is still a short amount of time given the kind of activities you might want to attempt with such a rugged speaker. Luckily, this is offset a little by the 2.5 hour charge-up time, and frankly the size of the speaker probably doesn’t allow for any more juice to be crammed into the frame, but that’s just how I felt during the course of this review.
Final thoughts
Like the previous Divoom products we’ve reviewed here at AndroidSPIN, the Divoom Airbeat-10 Bluetooth speaker is a miniature package with plenty to offer the active user. With enough insurance to let you use it in most situations around the house and during leisure activities, and great audio, the Airbeat-10 is a great choice for anyone looking for something that you’re not afraid to take places when you still want music.
If you’re interested in seeing more about the Divoom Airbeat-10, you can visit its product page here, or if you want to skip straight yo buying it, Amazon has actually discounted the Airbeat-10 right now, making it $29.99 USD (down from $49.90 normally) – we have an Amazon link down below if you’re interested.
- Very portable
- Bonus accessories
- Short-ish battery life
4.8Overall Score
The post Divoom Airbeat-10 Review: A Bluetooth speaker for leisure and the bathroom appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
Because all news is good news: Playboy NOW brings you the good bits of Playboy
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You know what they always say: the best part of Playboy are the articles. While I don’t know anyone who has said that, there presumably are quite a few of you out there as Playboy has seen fit to release Playboy NOW on Android and iOS, Playboy’s official app to curate stories of “humor, lifestyle, entertainment and of course, beautiful women”. All of it is, of course, SFW (Safe For Work), otherwise it would have never found its place on the Google Play Store (or Apple’s App Store), and all its content is available for absolutely free.
Judging by the app’s ratings after its first day live, the app is quite well made with a rating of 4.1 (out of 5) – assuming that the ratings were made for the app and not the content itself. If this app is your cup of tea, you can hit the link below to pick it up today:
What do you think of the Playboy NOW app? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
The post Because all news is good news: Playboy NOW brings you the good bits of Playboy appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
Senate blocks NSA reform bill and Patriot Act extensions
The USA Freedom Act aimed at addressing the NSA’s bulk collecting of phone call metadata was approved by the House of Representatives ten days ago, but blocked by the Senate tonight (live video stream here). The Section 215 provisions of the Patriot Act used to enact the program are set to expire June 1st, and it could go away then if nothing else happens. Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky filibustered to push the vote to this late hour, while Sen. Mitch McConnell pushed for a series of extensions to the program, claiming the security of the country could be at risk. The Senate is taking a weeklong Memorial Day break, but will come back on May 31st for more discussion and probably more voting. The voting is done for tonight, but we expect much more discussion over the next week.
BREAKING: USA Freedom fails to advance in the Senate by a vote of 57 to 42.
– EFF (@EFF) May 23, 2015
BREAKING: Now Senator McConnell has proposed his two-month reauthorization.
– EFF (@EFF) May 23, 2015
BREAKING: At the behest of @SenateMajLdr, the Senate will meet Sunday, May 31st in the afternoon, mere hours before Section 215 expires.
– EFF (@EFF) May 23, 2015
Patriot Act filibuster successful and ongoing. Bulk phone record collection set to expire.
– Dr. Rand Paul (@RandPaul) May 23, 2015
[Image credit: Associated Press]
Filed under: Internet
Source: C-SPAN
Researchers find Android factory reset faulty and reversible
Android’s factory reset function isn’t as effective as we’d all like it to be, according to a team of Cambridge University researchers. The group estimates that as many as 500 to 630 million Android devices might not be capable of completely wiping the data saved in their internal disks and SD cards. They came to that conclusion after testing 21 devices running Android 2.3 to 4.3 from five different manufacturers that already went through factory reset. During their tests, they were able to recover at least part of the data stored in each sample device — even if it was protected with full-disk encryption.
The data they recovered includes contacts, images and videos, texts, emails and log-ins for third-party apps like Facebook and WhatsApp. They were also able to retrieve the master token needed to access all Google user data in 80 percent of the phones. There are many possible reasons for reset failure: according to the researchers, manufacturers sometimes don’t load a phone’s software with the drivers needed to completely wipe its internal disk or SD card add-on. Also, flash drives are notoriously difficult to erase.
It’s unclear at the moment if Google or any of the manufacturers whose phones were tested are doing anything about this issue. But if you really want to protect your info before tossing, selling or giving away an old phone, use the most complicated password you can whip up… or, you know, go to town on it with a hammer.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Google
Via: Ars Technica
Source: Cambridge University
AIVAnet 