Andy Serkis whispers about the devil in this live-action ‘Volume’ vid
Volume isn’t a movie, though it does feature a major film star, a popular YouTube personality and a BAFTA award-winning voice actor. Not bad for the sequel to Thomas was Alone, an adorable video game about basic shapes and friendship. Volume stars Andy Serkis (Gollum in The Lord of the Rings), Danny Wallace (the narrator in Thomas was Alone), and Charlie McDonnell (a long-time YouTube star with 2.4 million subscribers). It’s a Robin Hood-inspired stealth game set in a technologically advanced future — and it’s out today, August 18th, for PlayStation 4, PC and Mac. It was supposed to hit Vita today as well, but that version has been delayed, creator Mike Bithell announced on his blog.
“Unfortunately, we unexpectedly had to make the decision to hold off on the Vita version for a couple weeks to get it where we want it,” Bithell writes. “It’s so very nearly ready, but it needs a little more love. A few personal problems and issues have slowed down our submittal, so even though the game is ‘done’ on Vita, we still have some QA process to go through (because that stuff matters).”
There’s no launch window for the Vita version, but it sounds as if it’s not too far off. Volume is a Cross-Buy game for PlayStation platforms, so anyone who buys it on PS4 will get it on Vita at no extra charge.
Tags: AndySerkis, charliemcdonnell, DannyWallace, hdpostcross, Indie, MikeBithell, mikebithellgames, RobinHood, volume
Sony’s ‘Metal Gear Solid V’ devices flaunt your stealth action fandom
Are you a Metal Gear Solid fan? So much so that you bought an MGS edition PS4, and have no trouble making sense of the series’ frequently intricate plots? You’ll want to hit up your favorite Japanese exporter, then. Sony has unveiled a legion of limited edition Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain devices, all of which come with game-themed cases, engravings, sounds and wallpaper. Some are more extravagant than others, though. The Xperia J1 Compact phone, Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact and Xperia Z4 Tablet we can understand, but there are also Phantom Pain versions of the Walkman A16 and audiophile-oriented Walkman ZX2. Yes, you too can demonstrate your fondness for stealth action by buying a soon-to-be-obsolete MP3 player — something tells us that these models won’t be wildly popular.
The whole lot will arrive in Japan on September 2nd, in sync with MGS5 itself. It’s not clear how much the phone or tablets will cost, but you’re looking at ¥28,000 ($225) for the Walkman A16, and an eye-watering ¥140,000 ($1,125) for the ZX2. None of the products are known to be reaching the US, as you might imagine. We could understand snagging the A16 for those morning runs, but you have to be very, very committed to Hideo Kojima’s alternate history (not to mention well-off) to get that ZX2. We’d suggest rolling that money into a new TV or speaker system that will do better justice to the game.
Filed under:
Cellphones, Portable Audio/Video, Tablets, HD, Mobile, Sony
Via:
G for Games
Source:
Sony (translated)
Tags: hdpostcross, metalgearsolid, metalgearsolidv, MetalGearSolidVThePhantomPain, mobilepostcross, smartphone, sony, thephantompain, walkman, xperia, xperiaj1, xperiaz4tablet
Sony commissions Metal Gear Solid smartphone ahead of Phantom Pain release
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Video game themed smartphones are pretty few and far between, so when we heard that Sony was commissioning a Metal Gear Solid smartphone to celebrate the launch of Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, we got a little excited. True, it’s not the flagship Sony Xperia Z4/Z3+ that is getting the Metal Gear treatment – it’s going to be the Sony Xperia J1 Compact – but that Outer Havens logo on the back almost makes up for the lesser specifications. The Xperia J1 Compact will also be customized to have Metal Gear Solid themed wallpapers, ringtones and will come with an art book from the franchise as well.
In fact, it’s not just that smartphone that Sony has had themed: you can also get the Xperia Z4 Tablet and the Xperia Z3 Compact, but only with a themed case rather than a full Metal Gear makeover. Sony has even got a Metal Gear version of the $1,000+ Walkman that it is apparently still selling. If that has your heart racing, you’ll need to be ready to shell out ¥59,800, or about $480 USD, for the Xperia J1 Compact TPP (The Phantom Pain) edition when it becomes available for preorder on September 2nd.
What do you think about this Metal Gear Solid smartphone? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Source: Sony via Phones Review
The post Sony commissions Metal Gear Solid smartphone ahead of Phantom Pain release appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
Good luck trying to use Samsung Pay on Verizon Wireless
So it turns out that Big Red is playing the bad guy, yet again. After spurning Google Wallet and using their own version with ISIS SoftCard, and becoming one of the last carriers to rid their customers of two-year contracts, Verizon is catching a bit of flak.
Earlier today, Samsung spilled the beans, via Twitter, about the fact that Verizon would not be supporting Samsung Pay. Obviously, this isn’t as bad as not supporting Android Pay once it rolls out, but with the increasing number of Samsung users, this move make almost no sense.
@tcraig1226 Hello, Tom. Thanks for reaching out to us. We are happy to answer your question.Verizon isn't part of Samsung Pay & we (con)
— Samsung Support USA (@SamsungSupport) August 18, 2015
Samsung users are growing, which is evident with the release of the Note 5, in regards to how some think the newest device in the Note line seems to stray from its roots. Regardless of that, Samsung Pay has a lot of upside for their users once it’s fully rolled out.
Although the use of NFC has been a topic of hot debate, since the release of the OnePlus 2 and exclusion of an NFC chip, it’s obvious that more and more vendors are moving to “Tap-To-Pay” options. With the release of Google Wallet and Apple Pay, then the announcement of both Android Pay and Samsung Pay, there should be no question as to whether carriers should cooperate.
We can only guess that Verizon will catch enough flak for this, that they reverse their decision and include Samsung Pay support. The only question that remains is, when will that occur? Let us know what you think about this bone-headed move from Big Red in the comments below.
Source: Sam-Mobile
The post Good luck trying to use Samsung Pay on Verizon Wireless appeared first on AndroidGuys.
RootMetrics ranks Verizon Wireless network #1 for overall performance
According to a study carried by RootMetrics that ran from January through June 2015, Verizon has once more been ranked as America’s most reliable network. This marks the fourth consecutive time Verizon’s wireless network has been ranked as the leading U.S. carrier in overall performance.
The study evaluated all four major U.S. service providers including AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile, testing six network performance categories; overall, reliability, speed, data, call, and text performance. RootMetrics uses scientific methods to conduct its testing process. Using special off-the-shelf smartphones, RootMetrics’ staff drove nearly 238,000 miles across the U.S. to measure and analyze key performance indicators in order to provide an unbiased overview of network factors. In addition, RootMetrics conducted the research in more than 7,300 indoor locations to test performance in areas where full network signal might be hard to get. Finally, RootMetrics tested networks in 49 event venues, 12 college campuses, and six transit stations for this year’s testing.
Verizon has spent over $10 billion to improve its network which covers 98% of the U.S. population. This was done by installing new technologies such as small cells, distributed antennas systems and XLTE to double 4G LTE network bandwidth in cities across the U.S., bringing faster peak speeds and greater capacity than before. Verizon finished first or tied in 47 states for overall performance, 44 states for network reliability, 44 states for network speed, 46 states for data performance, and 45 states for call performance.
Source: Verizon
Come comment on this article: RootMetrics ranks Verizon Wireless network #1 for overall performance
Android Auto version 1.2 introduces improved home screen shortcuts
How many of you are rocking Android Auto already? If you are one of the lucky ones, you may notice a new update has reached the Android Auto app, upgrading it to version 1.2. Aside from the usual “bug fixes and improvements”, this update offers some functionality upgrades, mainly to the home screen.
The new improvements make the music and navigation cards slightly larger. This is not only for aesthetic purposes, though. The larger size allows Google to fit a little something extra. The Navigation card now features an arrow button, while the music card displays a play/pause toggle.
These new functions will allow you to interact with content without having to launch specific apps. It’s all accessible straight from the home screen! This is likely only the beginning of this feature. Don’t be surprised if more apps and developers start adopting similar home screen shortcuts soon. After all, the idea of Android Auto is to interact with the interface as little as possible, so as to keep your driving safe.
Just head over to the Google Play Store and download the new Android Auto update if you have a compatible in-car system. And don’t forget to hit the comments to tell us what you think of these new features. If you don’t use Android Auto yet, you may want to start considering it for your next car purchase! Read our Android Auto review on the Hyundai Sonata to get more educated on the new platform.
Download Android Auto from the Google Play Store
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Hackers dump stolen Ashley Madison data onto the Dark Web
Impact Team, the hacking collective that recently made headlines by absconding with the personal data of some 37 million customers, has made good on previous threats to release the information. On Tuesday, the group dumped 9.7 GB worth of data onto the Dark Web, a semi-anonymized corner of the Internet only accessible using a special Tor browser and Onion router. The data set appears to include account details and log-ins as well as credit card and payment transaction details. The hackers reportedly pulled the data from Ashley Madison’s servers despite the company offering a $19 “Full Delete” service that supposedly scrubbed former users’ data from the site.
“Avid Life Media has failed to take down Ashley Madison and Established Men,” Impact Team wrote in a statement Tuesday. “We have explained the fraud, deceit, and stupidity of ALM and their members. Now everyone gets to see their data … Keep in mind the site is a scam with thousands of fake female profiles. See ashley madison fake profile lawsuit; 90-95 of actual users are male. Chances are your man signed up on the world’s biggest affair site, but never had one. He just tried to. If that distinction matters.”
The hackers also has some condescending advice to users whose information has been leaked. “Find yourself in here? It was ALM that failed you and lied to you. Prosecute them and claim damages. Then move on with your life. Learn your lesson and make amends. Embarrassing now, but you’ll get over it.” See? The Impact Team isn’t the bunch of asshats you think they are — cowards who will willingly disrupt the financial and personal lives of 37 million people just to make a point about a website they don’t like — the situation is actually all just one big teachable moment.
[Image Credit: AFP/Getty Images]
Filed under:
Internet
Source:
Wired
Tags: AshleyMadison, hack, hacking, ImpactTeam
Aftershokz adds a titanium twist to its bone-conducting headphones
Like many companies these days, Aftershokz just launched an Indiegogo campaign to support its latest offering, a set of bone conduction headphones called Trekz Titanium. If you’re unfamiliar with the tech, it works by sending audio as vibrations through the cheekbone to the inner ear, bypassing the ear drum. Having wireless headphones that don’t block your ears is especially useful for activities like biking, where situational awareness is key, but you still want to enjoy some tunes. These are the newest in the company’s line and come right on the heels of an announced update for the existing $100 Bluez2 model with audio-enhancing PremiumPitch+ technology. The Trekz Titanium offer a nearly identical feature set including Bluetooth, hands-free calls, IP55 dust/sweat resistance and a six-hour listening time. However, the rigid plastic of the Bluez2 was traded for a more flexible exterior with a titanium frame inside making them more resilient and easier to pack away. Many of the early-bird deals have already sold out, but if you’re quick, you can still reserve a special edition set for the full price of $129. Otherwise, you’ll have to wait for the retail release in January 2016. Slideshow-313577
Filed under:
Wearables
Source:
Indiegogo, Aftershokz
Tags: aftershokz, aftershokz bluez2, bluetooth headphones, bluez, bluez2, bone conduction
Tesla starts testing its autopilot features with Model S drivers
As promised, Tesla’s latest autopilot features are out in the wild. A handful of Model S drivers are now testing the electric car’s upcoming semi-autonomous tech, including highway autosteer (which tackles lanes, passing and vehicle distance) and automatic parallel parking. Ideally, these vehicular pioneers will find the last remaining quirks in both the autopilot’s behavior and its interface — those edge cases that tend to creep up only in the real world.
It’s not clear exactly when everyday Model S owners will get their turn, but it’s important to temper expectations. The technology isn’t really a peek at a future dominated by self-driving cars… at least, not yet. You’ll still need to flick the turn signal to pass cars (to indicate intent and absolve Tesla of liability), and the additions won’t help much when you’re stuck in city traffic. Think of this more as a step up from the lane and braking assists that you see on other cars. They’ll eliminate more of the monotony of driving, but there’s no point at which you can completely glaze over.
Filed under:
Transportation
Via:
Autoblog
Source:
IEEE Spectrum, Teslarati
Tags: autopilot, car, electriccar, electricvehicle, ev, models, semi-autonomous, tesla, transportation
DisplayMate test runs the Galaxy Note 5 and S6 Edge+ displays, and surprise: they’re awesome
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When new devices are released, screen technology specialists, DisplayMate, like to get their hands on one to test just how good the screen is. Samsung is a common fixture on DisplayMate’s list of top smartphone displays, and after its test of the Galaxy Note 5 and S6 Edge+ displays, it appears that hasn’t changed. Thanks to indepth tests that involved testing colour accuracy, brightness, contrast, viewing angle and screen resolution, DisplayMate determined that the “Galaxy Note 5 is the best performing smartphone display that we have ever tested.” Of course, none of this is particularly surprising seeing as the previous holder of this crown was the Galaxy Note 4, but it’s good to know Samsung hasn’t let up in this regard despite its other hardships.
Reading between the lines of DisplayMate’s analysis, it would appear the S6 Edge+’s display is also very good – it shares the same resolution (2560×1440) and size (5.7-inch) as the Galaxy Note 5 display – but presumably flexible display technology is yet to be on par with its flatter brethren. What we can also glean from the analysis is that the Quad HD slate on the Galaxy Note 5 shows a 21% power efficiency bump over the Galaxy Note 4’s, and we’re assuming this is a big reason why the Galaxy Note 5 is able to outpace its predecessor in battery life.
There’s a bit too much technical mumbo jumbo in the remaining analysis for me to pretend I know what I’m talking about, so if you’re interested in reading the analysis for yourself, you can read DisplayMate’s report here.
What do you think about the performance of the Galaxy Note 5 and S6 Edge+ displays? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Source: DisplayMate via SamMobile
The post DisplayMate test runs the Galaxy Note 5 and S6 Edge+ displays, and surprise: they’re awesome appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
AIVAnet 