CRYENGINE adds support for Oculus Rift, Linux and Android TV
Some of you may not have heard about Crytek before, but their engine powers some of your favorite gaming titles (including huge ones like Crysis and Far Cry). They literally changed the game and now they are going to expand their horizon by empowering developers to reach new platforms.
With CRYENGINE’s update to version 3.8.1, the company adds support to Oculus Rift, Linux and Android TV, reaching a whole new spectrum of new and old markets.
Of course, the big deal here is that Crytek is pushing into the VR market, which is expected to be all the hype in the coming years. This update brings full license and Engine-as-a-Service subscribers total access to a new VR tool set for easily putting together, porting and distributing games in multiple platforms. This wasn’t exactly the beginning of their work with VR, as they have also supported AMD’s LiquidVR for some time, but adding Oculus Rift will sure spread their reach much further.
“Since showcasing our own work with VR, we’ve seen an overwhelming response from developers who want to use CRYENGINE for their virtual reality projects as well. Our experience in stereoscopic 3D, combined with the engine’s rendering power and ability to deliver high resolution images at a high frame rate, means CRYENGINE offers a degree of visual fidelity thatmany people feel is foundational to a compelling VR experience.” -Frank Vitz, Creative Director at Crytek
As for Android TV, full licensees can now “put CRYENGINE to work when developing games for Android TV.” This platform is being widely supported and happens to be growing in popularity very fast. Because gaming is an important part of this large screen experience, it only makes sense that Crytek jumps on board sooner rather than later. It could also help the platform grow, with better titles possibly coming to these Android set-top boxes.
Other improvements to CRYENGINE in version 3.8.1 include OpenGL support, 8-weight GPU vertex skinning, improved POM self-shadowing and more. If you are a game developer and want to learn more about Ctytek’s technology, you can always go straight to their website and see what they are all about. Prices start as low as $9.99 a month, so it’s also a tool that won’t really break the bank and will really take your work to new levels.
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Apple invented a material that hides your iPhone’s antenna lines
Not a fan of the iPhone 6’s less-than-flattering antenna lines? Neither is Apple, apparently. The company has filed for a patent on a composite material that looks like anodized metal, but still allows wireless signals to get through. You’d get a cleaner-looking phone (or computer, or tablet) without watching your reception take a nosedive. It could be used to blend other surfaces into a device, too, such as the trackpad on a laptop.
As with most patents, there’s no telling whether or not the folks at 1 Infinite Loop will use the invention in shipping devices. It often has clever workarounds, after all — look at the new MacBook, which is nearly entirely metal despite depending almost entirely on wireless connections. However, you shouldn’t be surprised if future Apple gadgets use this to incorporate wireless technology (such as NFC, a key factor in the iPhone 6’s design) without creating eyesores.
Photo by Will Lipman.
Filed under: Cellphones, Laptops, Tablets, Mobile, Apple
Via: Business Insider, iClarified
Source: USPTO
Study reveals a way to prevent lithium batteries from catching on fire
Lithium batteries are powering most of our devices. From watches, smartphones and tablets to vehicles and even homes. These have proven to be a clean source of energy that is also very efficient, but you do hear of the occasional battery that bursts into flames. This is especially bad when it happens with smartphones, which you carry around and keep dangerously close at all times. Sure, it’s a bit rare for this to happen, but it’s still a factor we need to consider and work on.
Scientists have discovered a way to make lithium batteries much safer in the future. More importantly, it could help the industry speed up the development of lithium-sulfur and lithium-air batteries, which are said to be able to hold about 10 times more energy per weight. Just imagine any phone being able to last about 10 times more energy. We are talking about battery life that could last well over a week. Now, that sounds like a promising future!
What’s the problem with current lithium batteries?
So there seems to be a major set-back in the way lithium batteries currently operate. This discrepancy could also be one of the main reasons why batteries sometimes catch on fire.
Lithium batteries degenerate with time. As the electrode degrades, “fingers” of lithium (otherwise known as dendrites) form in its surface. These can then pierce through the protective separator that keeps the other half of the battery safe. Dendrites getting to the other side can cause issues with short outs, overheating and even fires.
The solution to dendrites in batteries
Doesn’t sound fun, right? There’s ways to make “smart batteries” that would detect “fingers” getting out of hand and alert the user, so he may replace it, but that is hardly a solution… it’s more of a security feature.
By adding a couple chemicals very few of us even knew existed, researchers were able to stop these dendrites from growing on batteries after prolonged usage. Instead of long, thin “fingers” that can pierce through the separator, these batteries were forming wider, round deposits that proved to be much less dangerous. And just in case you were wondering, these chemicals are lithium nitrate and lithium polysulfide.
The method at hand also allows batteries to perform much better in the long run. Tests indicate batteries charged for 150 cycles show significant degradation. By adding these two chemicals to the equation, they were able to charge batteries 300 times and keep 99% efficiency. So not only is this method safer, but it makes batteries much more powerful.
This could bring great changes to our beloved Android smartphones and tablets, but we do need to look further than that. Think about the fact that now smartphones hardly ever come with user-removable batteries. We are not meant to keep these devices for long and usually switch to new ones before the battery degrades significantly. And if you do keep it, there’s no way to easily switch out the battery.
Not all electronics work like that, though. Some products we have to keep longer, like electric cars or home batteries. We wouldn’t want those catching on fire after some time with them, right?
Court wants Comcast to expose commenter sued for defamation
Here’s a reminder that online anonymity can’t always protect you: the Illinois Supreme Court has ordered Comcast to reveal the identity of a subscriber involved in a defamation lawsuit. The case was filed by Bill Hadley who ran for the Stephenson County board a few years ago. In 2011, the Freeport Journal Standard published an article about him, where the defendant (using the moniker “Fuboy”) left a couple of comments, including this: “Hadley is a Sandusky waiting to be exposed. Check out the view he has of Empire from his front door.” Empire an elementary school right across Hadley’s residence.
Hadley filed a lawsuit shortly after that, which started a lengthy and complicated legal dance with the newspaper’s parent company, Gatehouse Media, and Comcast. He had been in possession of “Fuboy’s” IP since 2012, but Comcast required a court order to unveil the commenter’s name and address from the start. The defendant maintains that what he said doesn’t warrant a dafamation suit, since it’s “not a crime to have the last name Sandusky,” and readers wouldn’t associate Hadley’s name with something bad without prior knowledge of “extrinsic facts.”
Illinois’ high court, however, has decided to uphold the lower court’s decision, pointing out that:
…at the time Fuboy’s comment was posted, “the Sandusky sexual abuse scandal had dominated the national news for weeks…” In short, at the time of Fuboy’s comment, numerous men were testifying to the abuse they allegedly suffered at the hands of Sandusky when they were young boys. The general public was mindful of the fact Sandusky was accused of sexually abusing young boys. Stating that Hadley was “a Sandusky” while the scandal dominated the national news, coupled with the reference to Empire Elementary School, conveyed the idea that Hadley was a pedophile or had engaged in sexual acts with children and, thus, had committed criminal conduct
Fuboy and his lawyer have 90 days to escalate the case to the US Supreme Court, before Comcast hands his details to Hadley. The politician, who won the elections by the way, told The Chicago Tribune that finally getting a hold of Fuboy’s identity would be a huge victory — after all, it “practically broke [him] financially.” We suggest you read the court documents (PDF) on the case to fully understand how persistent Hadley has been throughout this whole deal.
[Image credit: Shutterstock / Tyler Olson]
Filed under: Misc
Via: Ars Technica, Chicago Tribune, RRStar
Source: Illinois Supreme Court
Holus brings 3D holograms to the home and office
Can we truly say mobile technology puts the world in our hands, when all we can see is 2D images in a flat (or slightly curved) screen? Technology continues to improve and I say it’s time for the true next-generation devices to hit the store shelves. VR and Augmented reality are the first things that come to mind, but there is another type of display we haven’t been paying too much attention to, other than in movies – holograms.
What is the Holus?
We usually think of holographic projections as some kind of science fiction element, or something we won’t see going mainstream for a long time. The truth is this can go mainstream very soon, and one of the hottest Kickstarter projects around aims to accomplish just that. Enter Holus, the first holographic display planning to reach your homes and offices. No longer do you have to be some Tony Stark-level millionaire to enjoy holographic content!
This intricate contraption can pretty much take content from a computer, tablet or smartphone and turn it into a 3D experience. Its looks are quite odd, but you can bet its functionality will definitely drop your jaw. This thing literally has endless applications. You can do so much with it!
You could play board games, have holographic video conferences, look at planets, take a glance at a design before 3D-printing it or have an artificial intelligence assistant literally take form before your eyes (Cortana, anyone?). This thing will probably become every designer’s dream, as you can even use it with a Leap Motion (as well as other input methods like Kinect).
To make things a bit more convenient, the guys at H+ Technology did include a tablet dock, USB charging ports, motion tracking, WiFi, Bluetooth and speakers. It is a complete solution for mobile holographic content, really.
Different Holus versions
So there’s a couple versions. One is designed for the home, while the “Pro” version is optimized for more serious users. The main differences are that the Holus Pro Edition is bigger, comes with 4 charging ports, has a higher resolution of 1920x1920p (as opposed to 1600x1600p), uses an ambient sensor and comes with an SDK license.
Pricing and availability
So we can all assume this thing won’t be cheap, right? It sure won’t, but it’s also not as inaccessible as you would imagine. Most people will be able to afford one if they really want it. In fact, it costs around the same as your average high-end smartphones. There are still some early bird and late bird specials you can take advantage of, but the regular Kickstarter price for a Holus Home Edition is about $693 USD, and the Holus Pro Edition is about $775 USD.
The campaign ends in 19 days, but the project has been a total success and has already seen its funding goal met. It is nearing $200,000 USD in funding, when their goal was only $40,296. So it’s all backed and there is no turning back now! The Kickstarter page promises these Holus holographic displays should begin shipping in 2016, with the first customers seeing them hit doorsteps in March.
This is truly amazing, guys. Imagine playing Final Fantasy Tactics on this thing? Or maybe a good platformer game. Content will evolve only as far as developers take it, so we hope creators get on board with this. The campaign is looking very popular, so we assume it is off to a great start.
Are any of you guys buying a Holus? It’s a bit pricey for my wallet, but here at Android Authority we will at least make sure to stay on the lookout and tell you everything about it as more information is revealed.
Toronto FC brings Alcatel OneTouch in as its official smartphone partner
It only makes sense for Alcatel OneTouch to increase its visibility in North America by partnering with a professional sports team. Today, the company announced a multi-year partnership with Toronto FC. The move is Alcatel OneTouch’s “most significant brand investment to date” in Canada and it comes at a time when the company will sell its flagship phone in the country. Alcatel OneTouch will work to develop pre-game and in-game experiences along with social media, digital, and advertising campaigns for the Major League Soccer team.
Alcatel OneTouch donated $10,000 (CAD) to the DeRo Foundation, an organization that promotes the sport among local youth.
Hit the break for the full press release.
ALCATEL ONETOUCH ANNOUNCED AS THE OFFICIAL SMARTPHONE PARTNER OF TORONTO FC
As one of the fastest-growing smartphone brands in North America, ALCATEL ONETOUCH backs its commitment to growing its brand with a new MLS partnership
IRVINE, Calif. and TORONTO, Canada – June 20, 2015 – ALCATEL ONETOUCH – the fifth largest smartphone manufacturer in North America* – today announced that the brand will be the Official Smartphone Partner of Toronto FC. The multi-year partnership is the first of its kind for ALCATEL ONETOUCH and represents the company’s most significant brand investment to date in Canada, with an extended reach to a wider North American audience.
The partnership will include a focus on pre-game fan experiences, in-game fan engagement, social media and digital campaigns, in-game brand advertising, as well as in-market promotions.
“We’re excited to announce this new strategic partnership with Toronto FC, delivering on our commitment to build engagement around our brand as we continue to rise as one of the top smartphone manufacturers in the region,” said Steve Cistulli, Senior Vice President & General Manager of North America for ALCATEL ONETOUCH. “The two brands align well as we’re both cut from a common thread, with the focus to deliver a great experience for our fans. As the official smartphone partner, we have a unique opportunity to reach new audiences and deliver on our brand promise to bring value and enable memorable experiences to Toronto FC fans.”
“Toronto FC is proud to be ALCATEL ONETOUCH’s first partner in the Canadian sports market,” said Dave Hopkinson, Chief Commercial Officer for MLSE. “TFC is constantly looking for ways to enhance the fan experience at BMO Field and at home. ALCATEL ONETOUCH, through its innovative, leading edge products like the Idol 3, enables fans to connect with the team and create memories that will last a lifetime. We are excited to introduce ALCATEL ONETOUCH to our TFC fans.
In addition, ALCATEL ONETOUCH was the Presenting Sponsor of the Dwayne De Rosario Testimonial Match held at BMO Field on June 20, 2015, which celebrated the career of Toronto FC’s top scorer. ALCATEL ONETOUCH also presented Dwayne De Rosario with a $10,000 (CAD) donation for the DeRo Foundation.
To learn more about the ALCATEL ONETOUCH in Canada, please visit http://www.alcatelonetouch.ca. You can also learn more about Toronto FC’s 2015 campaign and upcoming fixtures at http://www.torontofc.ca.
*Strategy Analytics – North America Smartphone Vendor & OS Market Share by Country: Q1 2015
About ALCATEL ONETOUCH
ALCATEL ONETOUCH is a brand within TCL Communication, an international multicultural company which designs, develops, and markets globally a growing range of mobile and Internet devices. TCL Communication is a public company listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (2618.HK) and part of TCL Corporation one of the largest consumer electronics companies in the world.
For more information, please visit http://www.alcatelonetouch.ca
About Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (Toronto FC)
Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE) one of the world’s premier sports and entertainment companies, owns the Toronto Maple Leafs (NHL), the Toronto Raptors (NBA), the Toronto Marlies (AHL), Toronto FC (MLS), Air Canada Centre, Maple Leaf Square, three digital channels – Leafs TV, NBA TV Canada and GOLTV Canada and has a partnership with Live Nation – the biggest concert promoter in the world. MLSE has also invested in five of Toronto’s sports facilities – Ricoh Coliseum, home of the Marlies, BMO Field, home of Toronto FC, Lamport Stadium, KIA Training Grounds at Downsview Park, home of Toronto FC’s Academy and the First Team’s practice facility, and the MasterCard Centre for Hockey Excellence, the practice facility for the Maple Leafs and Marlies. MLSE operates and manages events at Ricoh Coliseum and BMO Field.
Come comment on this article: Toronto FC brings Alcatel OneTouch in as its official smartphone partner
Amazon uses machine learning to show you more helpful reviews
Let’s be blunt: Amazon’s reviews sometimes suck. Many of them are hasty day-one reactions, others are horribly misinformed and a few are out-and-out fakes. The internet shopping giant thinks it knows how to sort the wheat from the chaff, however. It just launched a new machine learning system that understands which reviews are likely to be the most helpful, and floats them to the top. The artificial intelligence typically prefers reviews that are recent, receive a lot of up-votes or come from verified buyers. Amazon hopes that this will show you opinions that are not only more trustworthy, but reflect any fixes. In other words, you’ll see reviews for the product you’re actually likely to get.
The learning technology is only active in the US at the moment, and it may take a while before you notice the difference. Also, it’s unclear as to how well the system will work in practice. While it might downplay that impulsive one-star review, it’s not going to know which opinions are the most thoughtful — that’s more likely up to you. And, as Recode suggests, there’s a worry that this algorithmic approach will mess with the joke reviews that have become a staple of Amazon. Who doesn’t want to read feedback on TVs that cost as much as a luxury car, or networking cables that open wormholes?
[Image credit: AP Photo/Mark Lennihan]
Via: Recode
Source: CNET
Facebook and Google get neural networks to create art
For Facebook and Google, it’s not enough for computers to recognize images… they should create images, too. Both tech firms have just shown off neural networks that automatically generate pictures based on their understanding of what objects look like. Facebook’s approach uses two of these networks to produce tiny thumbnail images. The technique is much like what you’d experience if you learned painting from a harsh (if not especially daring) critic. The first algorithm creates pictures based on a random vector, while the second checks them for realistic objects and rejects the fake-looking shots; over time, you’re left with the most convincing results. The current output is good enough that 40 percent of pictures fooled human viewers, and there’s a chance that they’ll become more realistic with further refinements.
Google’s take heads in the opposite direction. Instead of striving for realism, it’s producing art by letting the neural network run wild and decide on the visual elements that it wants to emphasize. If you give the machine a photo of the sky and it thinks there are birds in the scene, it’ll keep amplifying those avian traits until they’re impossible to miss. The finished work is more than a little trippy, especially if you give it random noise as its source material — as you can see above, the results give impressionist and surrealist painters a run for their money. You’re not likely to see these Facebook and Google programs replacing human artists and photographers, but they’re skilled enough to draw images you might enjoy.
Filed under: Science, Internet, Software, Google, Facebook
Via: The Next Web, Singularity Hub
Source: Facebook (ArXiv.org), Google Research Blog
Top 5 Launchers for Android [June 2015]
Launchers offer yet another layer of customization for Android, and there are many different solutions available. Launchers essentially replace your home screen, most of the time with stock Android. For instance, when company’s put promotions in their news aggregators, it’s an easy process to fix by simply picking up a launcher..
What launcher is right for you, though? What are some quality options over the flurry of launchers that are available? We’re going to walk you through that, but first, what is a launcher, exactly?
What is a launcher?
A launcher is a great replacement over installing a ROM. Applying a ROM, such as CyanogenMod, to your smartphone or tablet is a daunting and long process, and there’s no guarantee that your device will work upon completion. Breaking your smartphone or tablet is a high possibility via bricking, and in the event of that, it’s usually not covered under warranty.
Launchers are a much safer option for an alternative Android experience. While they don’t have nearly as many features as ROMs, they do have a lot of their own options and features for better customization.
Many launchers are free, but will sometimes cost a few bucks to give you access to the fully featured version. If you don’t mind missing out on some of the features, all of the basic functionality is usually available at no cost.
So, what launchers are good to use? We’ve listed five of our favorites.
Nova Launcher
Nova Launcher is probably the most popular of the launchers available today, and it just recently came out of beta. It’s also one of the few launchers that gives you a pure, unaltered Android experience. One of the unique things about this launcher is that it has endless amounts of customization.
Between widget customization, app drawer customization, color options, and much more, this is as close to a ROM as it gets. Not only that, but it looks beautiful. And if you want even more features (gestures, more effects) and better support, it only costs $4.99 for the Pro version.
Action Launcher 3
Action Launcher 3 is another fan favorite, opting to be the best launcher as far as design goes. Much like the Nova Launcher, Action Launcher 3 will bring you as close to stock Android as it gets, but it’s much more than that.
Chris Lacy’s Action Launcher 3 lets you take control of your home screen, customizing it any way imaginable. There’s no constriction on staying with the same, old stock Android UI. You can lay everything out differently, making the home screen truly yours, and yours only. And boy, it looks gorgeous.
It’s a magnificent option in a sea of launchers, and is one of the best you can get your hands.
Smart Launcher 3
Smart Launcher 3 is a fun option, although it doesn’t offer the stock Android UI as our past two options do. It’s a unique and innovative launcher, following Google’s Material Design guidelines, but favors a more organized and seamless approach to the UI.
As for features, one thing that makes it stand out is its integrated lock screen, something that you would have to install separately with other launchers. Furthermore, the amount of resources it uses is significantly low, saving more hardware power for yourself. Also, if you’re not a fan of what Smart Launcher 3 offers up front, there’s tons of options for themes, icon packs, and etc. You’re not locked into a preset UI design.
It’s a fun and free launcher, but also sports a Pro version, which touts better features, support, and faster updates.
Apex Launcher
As far as performance and speed goes, Apex Launcher is your best bet. It offers unmatched speed, even with the cluster of features it offers. The launcher allows you to customize a lot, coming with its own advanced theme engine. From icons to themes, Apex Launcher has a lot of flexibility.
Apex Launcher, like many of our favorite launchers, features a Pro version, which unlocks another collection of features, such enhanced folder support, more gesture options, more transition options and more. Probably one of the best features of the Apex Launcher is its backup options, which allows you to backup and restore system settings and important data.
Google Now Launcher
Finally on our list is Google’s very own Google Now Launcher. As the name implies, Google Now is at the center of this launcher, giving your smartphone an upgrade in contextual information. And with the changes to Google Now announced at I/O 2015, it’s bound to get better.
As you might expect with a Google Launcher, it employs the pure Android experience. The only downside is that Google’s launcher is severely limited as far as customization goes. If you want a truly customizable launcher, it’s best to go with one of the other options, as this particular launcher is focused on contextual data over the freedom of customization.
Wrap Up
There are a lot of launchers available, and many of you switch through an array of different options. We’re bound to have left a few fan favorites out, so we’re opening the discussion up to you. What is your favorite launcher? And what do you favor more, the unique design options of Smart Launcher 3 or the wide variety of customization features in the Nova Launcher?
Sound off in the comments!
Come comment on this article: Top 5 Launchers for Android [June 2015]
Apple to replace broken 3TB hard drives in some older iMacs
If you have a 27-inch iMac with a 3TB hard drive that conked out on you recently, check your receipt. Apple might be able to fix it for you, so long as it’s a late 2012 model and was purchased between December 2012 and September 2013. Cupertino has issued a bulletin warning buyers that “a very small number of 3TB hard drives” in the system “may fail under certain conditions,” and is offering to replace affected ones for free. The company didn’t elaborate, but commenters on the MacRumors forum believe some of the model’s HDDs came from a batch of faulty drives Seagate released sometime ago. In fact, Apple has conducted similar programs in the past to replace 1TB Seagate drives.
According to Apple’s announcement, the company has already started notifying customers who registered a valid email address about the hard disk replacement program. If you don’t get anything but believe you’re eligible, make sure to check your iMac’s serial number here. You can then get your HDD replaced — hopefully after backing up the current one, if it’s still accessible — by setting an appointment with a Genius or through an authorized retail store and service provider. In case you’ve already gotten your computer repaired, though, you can try contacting Apple for a possible refund.
Via: MacRumors
Source: Apple
AIVAnet 