Microsoft is closing its Xbox Live Indie Games program
After nine years, Microsoft has decided to call time on its Xbox Live Indie Games service. In an email to developers, the company says it has begun “the sunsetting process” for the program, which encourages anyone without a studio or dedicated business to create games for the Xbox 360, by locking down new signups ahead of a late-2017 shutdown. What does that mean for you? Well, developers have been told they have exactly a year to get their games ready for publishing. You’ll then get an extra year after that to enjoy their projects (as well as the ones already published), before the indie store is closed forever. You will still be able to download and play the games you’ve bought in the past, though.
When Microsoft introduced the Xbox One and it didn’t feature the Indie Games channel, the Xbox Live Indie Games’ fate was effectively sealed. Xbox One developers are encouraged to sign up for the ID@Xbox program instead, which allows them to work directly with Microsoft to publish new titles to the console. While the Xbox 360 is now considered an old console, 84 million of them have been sold since 2005 and will still be present in living rooms and kids’ bedrooms all over the world. Gamers can maybe find solace in the fact that the majority of blockbuster games for the platform will now cost a lot less.
Filed under:
Gaming, Microsoft
Via:
Gamasutra
Source:
Xbox Forums
Tags: microsoft, xbox, xbox 360, Xbox Live Indie Games. indie, xbox360
Pebble update gives smartwatches standby and ‘Quiet Time’ modes
Following the arrival of the pricey Time Steel, Pebble is updating its line of smartwatches with some handy new features. First, a new Quiet Time mode makes sure you’re not disturbed during an important meeting or dinner date. The feature can be toggled on manually, set for a specific time every day, keep the wearable quiet during events in your calendar or used to only allow calls through. Next, a standby mode automatically switches off Bluetooth when the watch is stationary for 30 minutes or more. Pebble says this addition will use 50 percent less power, and when the wearable senses movement, it turns Bluetooth back on. The stand-by mode is currently a beta feature, but with the new firmware update, you’re free to take it for a spin. There’s also support for French, German and Spanish for Pebble’s watches, too.
Filed under:
Wearables
Source:
Pebble
Tags: app, pebble, pebbletime, pebbletimesteel, quiettime, software, standby, update
Quantum Dot is promising for more than just displays
Quantum Dot technology is shaping up to be the next big step forward in LCD display technology, although we are yet to see our first smartphone implementation yet. The technology will likely be appearing in more devices over the coming years, but the science behind these new displays also boasts promising properties for other applications. We’re going to take a quick look at image sensors and spectrometry.
What is a Quantum Dot?
Before we begin, a quantum dot is a small nanocrystal made from various conducting materials, typically in the range of between 2 to 10 nanometers in diameter. They exhibit semiconductor properties and are most widely known for their ability to emit light of different colors. This was first studied by Michael Faraday back in 1857.
Properties, such as light emission, are directly linked to the size of the nanocrystal. This is useful to know when it comes to displays, cameras, and light detection technologies, as it allows for a quantum dot to be manufactured at a specific size in order to work with a very specific frequency of light. This allows for the creation of the RGB colors required for displays and could also be leveraged to create color detecting pixels for image sensors.
The size of QD nanocrystals determines the color emitted by the colloidal. Source.
New use cases
Although displays may have grabbed much of the early attention with Quantum Dots, the technology is also highly suitable for a variety of sensor implementations. By configuring Quantum Dots as absorptive filters with specific bandpass ranges, it is possible to use them to detect specific wavelengths of light, turning the use case from a display to a light sensor.
As a Quantum Dot produces one color from a light source of a higher power, it essentially acts a filter. In other words, blue light can activate a red QD as it has more power, but a red light could not activate a blue QD. Using a series of known filters and light detecting sensors, it is possible to figure out what frequency of light is pointed at the sensor. Examples have already been prototyped into an image sensor using 195 different broadband QD filters.
Don’t be fooled by the marketing terms. The LG G4’s Quantum Display does not make use of Quantum Dot technology.
Quantum Dot filters can be finely tuned across a huge range of wavelengths, from deep violet to near-infrared wavelengths, which would be useful as a spectrometer. While spectrometers are already in use technology, the complex and large nature of the components makes them expensive. Quantum Dot based image sensors could be produced in smaller form factors and at much lower costs, enabling new products for consumer and industrial applications.
Using Quantum Dots as filters can provide information about objects. Source.
Currently, spectrometers are used in biomedical research, forensic science and chemical detection fields. An infrared spectrometer can be used to analyse the elements of a compound though molecular vibrations, while ultraviolet light can be used to detect electronic excitations. The visible spectrum in between applies to what we can see with our own eyes, and spectrometers can detect these levels very accurately too.
Quantum Dot image sensors could lead to compact consumer products. These could include portable medical or self-diagnostic tools to help diagnose skin conditions, analyse urine samples or track pulse and oxygen levels.
Development could also increase access to information for more seemingly mundane tasks, such as evaluating fabric or paint samples in a store to see how well they match up with other colors in your home.
See also: QuantumFilm image sensors explained
Jie Bao, a former MIT postdoc and currently a Visiting Associate in Physics at Caltech, suggests that colloidal quantum dot materials can be applied to a sensor array using a variety of techniques, including ink jet printing or direct printing, which would be quite cost effective. Furthermore, implementation in consumer electronics may not even require the 195 dots already proposed for such a sensor. A reasonable system may be able to get away with a dozen or so dots spread throughout the spectrum, to provide enough information and accuracy for most consumer applications.
If such a Quantum Dot image sensor can be manufactured at a reasonable cost, in the future we may see high-resolution image sensors powering a range of spectrometers found in industrial, scientific and consumer grade products. The technology is suitable for much more than just displays, and TVs are just the beginning.
Droid Turbo 2 allegedly shown off in new leaked image
While the Moto X Style (aka Moto X Pure) and Moto X Play are exceptional devices, we’ve heard a number of rumors that suggest Motorola has a higher-end flagship on its way later this year. For international markets, it is said to be coming under the Moto X Bounce or Moto X Force name. In the states, it could likely end up as a Verizon exclusive under the Droid Turbo 2 name. We have already seen a number of renders depicting what this flagship-level handset will look like, but a new image from @upleaks now shows off the Droid Turbo 2 with Verizon branding in tow.
The image doesn’t show us anything new really, other than it seemingly confirms the Turbo 2 name and shows that Verizon will be placing its checkmark logo in between the split front-facing speakers. On the back, you’ll also note the “Droid” logo but no other Verizon branding seems to be in sight. While the checkmark on the front looks a bit odd, the branding is still uncharacteristically spartan for Big Red.
So what can we expect from the Droid Turbo 2? Based on prior rumors of the Moto Bounce/Force, the handset should be powered by a Snapdragon 810 processor with 3GB RAM. The phone will also offer a 5.43-inch QHD display, 32 or 64GB storage, a 21MP camera (the same as found on the Style), and a hefty 3760 mAh battery. The phone is also supposed to be “shatterproof”, suggesting an MIL-SD rating and a highly durable design.
What do you think of the Droid Turbo 2, if the alleged images and specs prove correct? Let us know in the comments.
Google officially rolling out Android Pay starting today
After months of speculation regarding a possible release date, Google has now officially announced that Android Pay will begin rolling out starting today. With Android Pay, you’ll be able to pay with your Android smartphone at over one million locations across the United States. The service will be able to store your gift cards, loyalty cards and special offers right on your phone, too.
Google says Android Pay will be rolling out to users over the next few days, and more features, banks and store locations will be added to the service within the coming months. To use Android Pay, you’ll need to have an NFC-enabled Android smartphone running 4.4 KitKat or later. The service will work on any mobile carrier, as well. It can support credit and debit cards from American Express, Discover, MasterCard and Visa.
It should be noted that not all banks will be supported at the start. Google says credit and debit cards will work with some of the most popular banks and credit unions such as American Express, Bank of America, Discover, Navy Federal Credit Union, PNC, Regions Bank, USAA and U.S. Bank. Citi and Wells Fargo support will be rolling out in the next few days, and Capital One is coming soon, as well. Unfortunately, if your bank isn’t included on that list, you can’t use Android Pay when it launches. Google will however be adding more and more banks as time goes on.
So, where can you use Android Pay? Google says over one million retailers, restaurants and more are on board, but here’s a good look at some of the most popular businesses already accepting Android Pay:
Security is a big deal for Google as well, which is why Android Pay is supported by industry standard tokenization. What this means is that your actual credit or debit card number isn’t sent with your payment. Google will instead use a virtual account number that provides an extra layer of security. Android Pay also makes it easy to check for suspicious activity, as you’ll quickly be able to view a payment confirmation that shows where each transaction happened.
The company says more Android Pay information will be coming our way soon, so stay tuned to Android Authority for those upcoming announcements. Oh, and to clarify, Google Wallet users will be able to access Android Pay via an update to the older Wallet app in the Play Store. Just yesterday, Google rolled out a completely new Wallet app to the Play Store that puts the focus on transferring money to other users.
We’ll be sure to let you know once the application becomes available.
Moto 360 value version scrapped at last minute
Motorola, as we expected this last week, announced two versions of its new Moto 360 smartwatch.
Now, new information has been brought to light that the company had actually planned to release three versions of the smartwatch, but they cancelled those plans at the very last minute.
The third edition of the 360 was supposed to be a low-cost version of the watch aimed at either younger kids, or for people who want a smartwatch, but didn’t want to pay the somewhat higher price of the new Moto 360.
This model had been equipped with a lower quality band, cheaper design, and a different location of the action button. The value version would’ve likely had a price between $200-$300.
For those who are curious about the design, an image is available below.
This, I’m certain, will leave a lot of questions as to why the third version was scrapped. Why didn’t they either go ahead and announce the lower price model or just let the original model continue to be sold? The price of the first generation Moto 360 was already lower than the value model, so why not continue to sell it?
What do you think? Leave a comment below.
Source: Talk Android
The post Moto 360 value version scrapped at last minute appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Satechi SX20 Portable Energy Station (20000mAh) Review
Last week, I found myself at the park, it was only 10 in the morning and my cellphone was at 20 percent battery life. I was at a beautiful location with horses, trees, and gorgeous wildlife. So of course I was using my phone to take pictures and performing one of my favorite hobbies, using Periscope.
Once I realized that I still had a long day ahead of me and I had no charger in my backpack nor were there any outlets accessible. It was a huge damper to my day not being able to use my device due to fear that it would die at any moment.
I vowed to myself that I would never again leave the house without some type of charging method. Thankfully, Satechi sent over a Portable Energy station for me to review. Continue reading to see how it performed.
Design
The Satechi SX20 (20,000 mAh) was the first Satechi product that I have ever used and I was immediately impressed. As I opened up the packaging I became giddy, all I saw was shiny aluminum glaring back at me. As I removed the portable energy station from its package I had a brief moment of apprehension. The device looked so premium and the shiny aluminum sure looked slippery. I carefully braced myself and grabbed the device and to my delight the device was not slippery at all. The SX20 is aluminum all over except for on the bottom and top which feels like a white smooth hard plastic.The battery indicator and flashlight power button also have the same white plastic. The SX20 feels great in the hand with the textured aluminum and rounded sides that allow a good firm grip.
The front of the SX20 has an LCD battery indicator that goes to sleep automatically after a few seconds of non-usage. Next to the LCD indicator is a power button that you can press to turn on and off the LED flashlight.
On the top of the device are 4 USB charging ports, 2 that are 1A, 1 that is 2.1A, and 1 that is 2.4A. There is also there is a charging port for the device and the LED flashlight.
Performance
As a self-proclaimed tech enthusiast at any moment, I can have 3-4 devices on hand that are consuming battery life quickly. I really wanted to put the SX20 to the test to make sure that it wasn’t just another pretty face.
I grabbed my camera bag along with a few items to charge: Samsung Galaxy Note 4, Samsung Galaxy Tab pro 10.1, Pure Gear Selfie stick and hit the road. I arrived at my photo shoot location and immediately began to take pictures with my Note 4 scouting locations. I launched Spotify on my Galaxy Tab pro, and my selfie stick was in use as my Note 4 steadicam. After about 4 hours of usage, I connected all 3 devices to the SX20. The SX20 immediately dispersed power to all 3 of the devices.
What I really liked about the SX20, is that outside at the location it was hot and humid, and around 98 degrees. Yet, while charging 3 devices simultaneously and in the hot sun the SX20 didn’t get hot at all.
While on the subject of charging I have to admit Samsung has spoiled me with its fast charging option. The SX20 charged my devices, but I did notice a considerable time distance especially with my Tab Pro 10.1 which packs an 8000mah battery. My Note 4 when the charge began was at 24% it took about an hour and 55 minutes for it to reach 88 percent charge. My Tab Pro 10.1 was at approximately 35 percent charge and it was on the charger for about 4 hours while I shot and roamed around and when I came back it was at about 74 percent charge.
I liked that when I took the SX20 out on location that it was a head turner. A lot of different people inquired on what it was that was so shiny and cool looking. Also that it was rugged enough for me to toss to the ground near my backpack and was built tough to withstand drops and minor falls without breaking apart are scratching.
The SX20 on my initial field test performed extremely well: it charged 3 different devices and I still had around 40 percent battery life of the SX20 to use.
What We Like
- Premium design and build quality
- Portable and light weight
- Charge 4 different devices at once and has an LED flashlight
What We Didn’t Like
- The height could be reduced, SX20 is about 7 inches tall
- I Liked the concept to use a Digital battery reading but have to admit I did miss being able to have light indicators to inform me quickly how much power was left on the charging station.
Features and Specs
- Aluminum Body
- 2x 1A, 1 2.1A, 1x 2.4A
- 4 USB Charging Ports
- 2 Amp Output
- LED Flashlight
- 20,000mAh battery
- 7.7×3.1x.8 inches
- Automatic sleep after non-usage
Conclusion
Being without a charging option is never a good thing. The SX20 is a beautifully designed charging station that is lightweight, rugged, portable and allows you to have enough power to charge an average cellphone 4-6 times.
The SX20 has an extremely reasonable price point for the power, performance, and premium quality it provides you can purchase the Satechi® SX20 Aluminum Portable Energy Station Extended Battery Charger Pack (20000mAh) from Satechi for only $39.99
The post Satechi SX20 Portable Energy Station (20000mAh) Review appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Periscope Now Supports Landscape Broadcasts Ahead of New Apple TV App
The Twitter-owned live-streaming app Periscope today updated its app with a much-requested feature that will let users broadcast and view live streams in landscape mode. The move comes a day after the Periscope app was seen on stage during the “Hey Siri” event as an upcoming app for the brand new Apple TV.
Today’s update also introduced Facebook connectivity, allowing users to post the link to a current live broadcast, or the replay video of one that’s over, to their Facebook wall from directly within Periscope. The team has also tweaked the app’s social features and added in some accessibility modes, as well.
What’s New in Version 1.2
– Landscape: When a broadcaster holds their phone in landscape, the video will now be oriented properly for all viewers. Viewers can continue holding their device in portrait, or match the broadcaster’s orientation to maintain full screen video. Either way, you’ll never need to watch sideways video again!
– Share Indication: When someone you follow shares a broadcast, it appears in your home feed. In this update, we’ve added an indicator beneath the broadcast title explaining who shared it with you.
– Share on Facebook: You can now share the link to a LIVE broadcast or replay on Facebook. To see this option, you’ll need to log in to Facebook from the iOS Settings app on your device.
– Accessibility: We’ve heard from a lot of people that Periscope needs to be more accessible. In this version we’ve made large steps toward fully supporting our VoiceOver users.
Although there’s been no talk of the Apple TV app yet, that version of Periscope will no doubt allow users to view current live-streams and watch older re-plays with UI tweaks for the bigger-screened experience. Periscope can be downloaded for free from the App Store [Direct Link].
Apple Registers Web Domains Related to ‘Magic Keyboard’
Alongside its slew of product announcements yesterday, Apple registered several new web domains related to the term “Magic Keyboard”, including applemagickeyboard.com, applemagickeyboard.net, and applemagickeyboards.com.
Apple’s Smart Keyboard for iPad Pro
While Apple did announce a new keyboard cover for the upcoming iPad Pro at yesterday’s event, the product is called Smart Keyboard. It is possible Apple is simply looking to secure domains similar to the Smart Keyboard name, but perhaps a more likely possibility is that it is the name for Apple’s upcoming wireless keyboard revealed in regulatory filings last month.
Apple already offers a Magic Mouse and a Magic Trackpad, and last month’s FCC filings revealed a “Magic Mouse 2” name for the upgraded accessory, so it seems reasonable Apple could be looking to introduce a “Magic Keyboard.” The publicly released portion of the filing for the keyboard did not, however, reveal any new “magical” features as it only showed a bottom view of the accessory for the purpose of illustrating where regulatory labels would be displayed.
Image from Apple’s FCC filing for new wireless keyboard
Aside from the newly registered domains, we’ve been unable to find any other references linking Apple to the “Magic Keyboard” name. Searches of trademark databases for many countries did not reveal any such filings that could be plausibly linked to Apple.
It remains to be seen when Apple will introduce its new keyboard and mouse revealed in the FCC filings, but it could possibly come alongside new 21.5-inch Retina 4K iMacs that are just going into production ahead of a release later this year.
Apple Registers Web Domains Related to ‘Magic Keyboard’
Alongside its slew of product announcements yesterday, Apple registered several new web domains related to the term “Magic Keyboard”, including applemagickeyboard.com, applemagickeyboard.net, and applemagickeyboards.com.
Apple’s Smart Keyboard for iPad Pro
While Apple did announce a new keyboard cover for the upcoming iPad Pro at yesterday’s event, the product is called Smart Keyboard. It is possible Apple is simply looking to secure domains similar to the Smart Keyboard name, but perhaps a more likely possibility is that it is the name for Apple’s upcoming wireless keyboard revealed in regulatory filings last month.
Apple already offers a Magic Mouse and a Magic Trackpad, and last month’s FCC filings revealed a “Magic Mouse 2” name for the upgraded accessory, so it seems reasonable Apple could be looking to introduce a “Magic Keyboard.” The publicly released portion of the filing for the keyboard did not, however, reveal any new “magical” features as it only showed a bottom view of the accessory for the purpose of illustrating where regulatory labels would be displayed.
Image from Apple’s FCC filing for new wireless keyboard
Aside from the newly registered domains, we’ve been unable to find any other references linking Apple to the “Magic Keyboard” name. Searches of trademark databases for many countries did not reveal any such filings that could be plausibly linked to Apple.
It remains to be seen when Apple will introduce its new keyboard and mouse revealed in the FCC filings, but it could possibly come alongside new 21.5-inch Retina 4K iMacs that are just going into production ahead of a release later this year.
AIVAnet 