StarVR is a QHD headset with an ultra-wide field of view
Starbreeze, the game developer behind Payday 2, Syndicate and Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons, is getting into VR. The company has acquired hardware startup InfinitEye and is developing its prototype VR headset under a new name: StarVR. The device is unique because it offers a super-wide 210-degree field of view, which is more than double the 100 degrees found on the Oculus Rift. The headset also boasts two 5.5-inch Quad HD (2560×1440) displays, coupled with a fresnel lens design to give players an immersive VR experience. Motion tracking is handled with fiducial markers on the headset (not shown) and a combination of gyroscopes, accelerometers and magnetometers.
Starbreeze believes it can stand out with a hardware and software “integrated vision.” The first example of this is The Walking Dead, an upcoming game developed by its internal studio Overkill. The company is entering an already crowded space, but with a few exclusives it could stand a slim chance of competing with HTC, Sony and Valve.
Filed under: Gaming
Via: PCGamesN
Source: StarVR
Sony comments on Xperia Z3+ overheating issues
Comments around the thermal management have been plaguing Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon 810 chipset ever since it was announced and these issues have passed through to handsets running the next-generation processor. The metal-clad HTC One M9 ran hot on intensive tasks and the Sony Xperia Z4 and Xperia Z3+ have also suffered from overheating with the processor.
Qualcomm has previously come out and called reports of the overheating issues ‘rubbish’ while Japanese carrier NTT DoCoMo has put advisory warnings on handsets running the processor. HTC has released an update for the One M9 and Sony has now finally responded to the heating issues that are plaguing its newest flagships.
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Dutch website GSMinfo.nl found that their Xperia Z3+ sample would overheat frequently and apps such as the camera and other games would automatically close due to overheating. Responding to these issues, a statement from Sony read:
“The Xperia Z3+ is a high-performance 64-bit octa-core device with advanced camera technology, in some cases, additional heat can cause functions to stop. Enabling applications can also be felt by the user through the glass on the back. This is normal for the unit and should cause no concern.”
Sony then went on to confirm that, like HTC, it would be releasing a software update later this summer to address the thermal issue but there are worries that Sony will throttle the processor in order to keep the heating issues to a minimum. Until the update rolls out, Sony says that customers who are unhappy with the handset’s thermal management can contact its service centre in their country to discuss their options.
HTC’s One M9 is powered by the Snapdragon 810
The Xperia Z3+ is essentially the same handset as the Xperia Z4 but sold under the Xperia Z3 Plus name in markets outside of Japan. The reason for the name change is that the modest upgrades offered by the Xperia Z4 – which include the advanced 64-bit octa-core processor, higher LTE speeds and a lighter, thinner build – are enough to be worthy of a new model number in Japan but not so in other markets.
The overheating issues in the Snapdragon 810 chipset may have resulted in Samsung switching to the Exynos 7420 in its Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge flagships this year but others have still stuck by Qualcomm. LG worked closely with Qualcomm to optimise the Snapdragon 808 for its G4 flagship while Google is working with Qualcomm on a Snapdragon 810-powered Project Tango smartphone.
Snapdragon flagships:
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The jury’s out however on whether Qualcomm and its OEM partners can fix the thermal issues without impacting on the performance and with its Snapdragon 820 chipset not far away, Qualcomm will be hoping to rid itself of the very-public 810 thermal issues.
iOS 9 iPad Keyboard Scales to Larger Size, Hinting Towards ‘iPad Pro’
iPhone developer Steven Troughton-Smith has discovered that the new iPad keyboard on iOS 9 beta is capable of scaling to a larger size with rearranged keys, providing further evidence that Apple could be planning to release the much-rumored 12.9-inch “iPad Pro” in the future.
UIKeyboard view on iOS 9 scales to a larger iPad size (Image: Twitter/Steve T-S)
At a larger resolution, the UIKeyboard view automatically adjusts with repositioned keys to fill the extra screen space available. Specifically, the new keyboard has wider keys, a new row of symbols at the top, Caps Lock and Tab keys on the far left and some other moved keys.
The secondary keyboard view has also gained the new chiclet-sized row of symbols and has enough room to fit all symbols and characters on one page, potentially eliminating the need for a tertiary keyboard view normally accessed by tapping the “#+=” button on the left or right.
iOS 9’s new Slide Over, Split View and Picture in Picture features on iPad Air 2 further suggest that Apple may be working on a larger iPad, as the new split-screen multitasking views would be ideal for a larger screen and take advantage of the tablet’s extra processing power.
The so-called “iPad Pro” is rumored to feature a 12.9-inch flexible display with increased pressure sensitivity, built-in NFC chip, Force Touch, USB-C port and possibly a pressure-sensitive Bluetooth stylus. The tablet would also likely have an A9 processor with 2GB of RAM and Touch ID.
Android 5.1.1 OTA is rolling out to Galaxy S6 and S6 edge on T-Mobile
If you are the proud owner of a T-Mobile Galaxy S6 or S6 edge smartphone, it would seem you are about to receive a second helping of Lollipop goodness in the form of an update to Android 5.1.1. It’s an Over-The-Air (OTA) update and you should be receiving the notification anytime soon.
The OTA’s have a build date of June 11th and changelog number 90673209. The Galaxy S6 (SM-G925T) firmware will be bumped to G925TUVU2COF6 while the Galaxy S6 edge’s firmware will become G920TUVU2COF6.
Besides the usual bug fixes, the update is said to improve performance, give you the option to remove the S-Finder and Quick Connect buttons from the notifications shade, the wallpaper parallax effect and a new exposure control system for the camera. So it’s worth your while to see if Android 5.1.1 is available for your device.
As usual, you can either choose to wait for the update to reach your device or you can move things along by connecting your compatible handset to Samsung’s Kies software on your computer to download and install the firmware. Let us know in the comments if the Android 5.1.1 update has reached your Galaxy S6 or S6 edge yet, and if there are any bugs or unexpected features.
Source: SamMobile
Come comment on this article: Android 5.1.1 OTA is rolling out to Galaxy S6 and S6 edge on T-Mobile
Xiaomi has sold more than 6 million Mi Band fitness trackers
Xiaomi’s Mi Band fitness tracker is one of the most affordable wearables around, coming in with a price tag of just $15 from its Mi Store, and that has certainly helped it along in terms of sales. Xiaomi has today announced that it has managed to sell more than 6 million Mi Band up until June 10th.
The impressive number of sales means that Xiaomi is the second largest wearable manufacturer, with a 24.6% share of the global market. Xiaomi is said to be working on both a second generation of the Mi Band as well as its first smartwatch thought to sport a round dial.
Source: XiaomiToday
Via: PhoneArena
Come comment on this article: Xiaomi has sold more than 6 million Mi Band fitness trackers
World’s fastest car to make ‘slow’ debut in the UK
We’ve waited years to see the Bloodhound supersonic car in action, and at last the promised day is starting to draw near. The team has revealed that the monster motor will make its world debut at the Newquay Aerohub in Cornwall this November — however, it’ll be limited to just 200mph. That’s still ferociously fast, but the jet and rocket-powered car is ultimately designed to break the world land speed record at 1,000mph. Construction of the historic vehicle is still underway, and the tests in Southern England will be conducted before the airbrakes and winglets have been fitted. The current plan is to begin high-speed testing in South Africa next summer, during optimal weather conditions. The results will determine when driver Andy Green finally attempts to power into the history books.
[Image Credit: Bloodhound]
Filed under: Transportation
Via: Gizmodo
Source: Bloodhound
HTC denies possibility of a merger with ASUS
Last week ASUS caused a bit of stir by suggesting that it hadn’t ruled out acquiring HTC, although the company later clarified that it had not put a formal bid forward for the rival smartphone manufacturer. HTC has now come out with its own statement, flatly denying that any acquisition by ASUS had ever been on the cards.
“We strongly deny the news. We didn’t contact Asusteck and will not consider the acquisition. As an international brand, HTC will continue to design world-class innovative smart devices through its pursuit of brilliance brand promise,” – HTC
Although a deal was incredibly unlikely as this stage and under these circumstances, talks of a merger have once again highlighted HTC’s precarious position within the smartphone industry. The prominent Android manufacturer has seen its market share, revenues and profits tumble in recent years.
HTC has undergone further shake-ups in the past twelve months. Company Chairwoman Cher Wang replaced co-founder Peter Chou as CEO back in March, as it looks to a new generation of connected products and services for additional revenue. The company suffered its worst monthly financial result in 6 years back in April and saw a slump in Q1 2015 profits. HTC has subsequently written off $93 million of unused production capacity and expects to post another loss for Q2 2015, which could be 30 percent lower than previously thought.
This year’s flagship HTC One M9 smartphone has had its share of ups and downs too. Despite mostly positive reviews and top of the line hardware, consumer interest just doesn’t appear hot enough to produce the sales volume that HTC needs or expected.
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In a bid to diversify away from the competitive smartphone industry, HTC has recently embarked on a small selection of spin-off products. The HTC Re standalone camera launched last year, followed by a partnership with games industry giant Valve to produce the Vive virtual reality headset.
It seems that HTC is determined to carry on fighting its corner in the smartphone industry, at least for now. HTC still has plenty of resources as its disposal, but this might not be the last that we hear about acquisitions if the company fails to turn its revenue around in the future. With a worldwide recognised brand name, IP portfolio and a strong Android legacy, HTC probably looks quite appealing to some of the industry’s faster growing manufacturers.
HTC refutes Asus takeover rumours in strongly worded statement
Last week saw reports that the takeover of struggling local rival, HTC, had been discussed internally at Asus. The chairman of Asus had even gone so far as to say that it hadn’t ruled out the possibility of such a takeover, thus causing many articles to be written about the possible takeover. In response, HTC has today released a statement to its investors saying that such a takeover is not on the cards. Basically, HTC has stated that they have not initiated any contact with Asus and that they will not entertain the idea of such an acquisition. The full statement as such is below:
To be honest, it was probably an unlikely scenario in the first place, but the fact that HTC felt the need to deny that it had anything to do with even the idea of Asus taking it over, says something about how vulnerable HTC (and its investors) must be feeling at the moment thanks to the plummeting share price. So, while HTC has denied it contacted Asus, I wonder if there were any contact initiated by Asus?
In the meantime, HTC has promised to continue designing world-class, innovative smart devices. Hopefully, the Taiwanese handset maker will refrain from wasting its resources on further distractions such as its Project INK campaign. What do you think? Are you disappointed that HTC has strongly rejected the idea of being taken over by Asus?
Source: HTC
Come comment on this article: HTC refutes Asus takeover rumours in strongly worded statement
Nintendo brings ‘Earthbound’ prequel to Wii U
Hippies beware! Nintendo has just revealed that Mother, the 1989 NES console game, has finally come to the Wii U Virtual Console under the title Earthbound Beginnings. The paranormal Japanese role-playing game was never officially released in North America, despite the fact that Nintendo had localized it back in the NES days. The news (revealed at Nintendo World Championships 2015) came as a surprise to gamers, many of whom are hoping that Nintendo might also re-release Mother 3 — the final and most-loved title in the three-part series. In the meantime, you’ll be able to download Earthbound Beginnings from Nintendo’s eShop tonight at 6PM PST.
Via: Kotaku
Source: Nintendo (YouTube)
Virgin Media’s free WiFi app finally comes to iOS
One of the perks of being a Virgin Media customer is gaining access to the company’s suite of mobile apps. They let you make landline calls and watch TV on your smartphone, but also connect to thousands of free WiFi hotspots all over the UK. Unfortunately for iOS users, WiFi Buddy, the provider’s dedicated wireless app, has been Android-only since launch. That’s now changing after Virgin Media finally deemed Apple fans worthy of free WiFi and has made the app available on the App Store too. Once installed, you’ll get access to over 22,000 The Cloud hotspots (thanks to Virgin Media’s deal with Sky) in places like Marks & Spencer, Wetherspoon, WH Smith, Pret A Manger, Greggs and other popular locations — useful, if you’re trying to save your mobile allowance or you find yourself in an area with poor signal.
Filed under: Cellphones, Internet, Mobile
Via: ISP Review
Source: WiFi Buddy (App Store)
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