VR is the prize at the bottom of your cereal box
A virtual reality (VR) headset now costs the same as a box of breakfast cereal, provided you’ve got a decent smartphone lying around. In New Zealand, Kellogg’s is promoting packs of Nutri-Grain by bundling instructions that transform the box into a Google Cardboard-style device. As a photo by Geekzone shows, the piece with the two lenses is contained separately, and with a little assembly you’ll have a makeshift headset that uses your smartphone as the display. Scanning the QR code on the box will send you to the “NG Bolt” app in the App Store or Google Play, where you can watch one of three videos — a wingsuit flight, a mountain bike ride and a downhill longboard session. Sure, it’s nothing like the Oculus Rift, but like Google Cardboard it’s a creative way of bringing VR to the masses.
Filed under:
Misc
Via:
The Verge
Source:
Nutri-Grain (Facebook)
Tags: cereal, cerealbox, googlecardboard, virtualreality, vr, vrheadset
Dear Veronica: Fear of famous people!
Hello, advice fans! This week, I’m really excited to welcome onto the show my friends from My Brother, My Brother and Me. Their show is hilarious (and also doles out advice), so I think between my show and theirs you’ll probably have all of your advice bases covered for the rest of your natural (and unnatural) lives. Since they’re very famous podcasters, they’ll be tackling a question on how to deal with famous people IRL.
We also take a look at why NFC payment stations are so hard to come, even in our post-Google Wallet and Apple Pay world. The last time I was in Japan, I could pay for almost anything via NFC. What’s the holdup, America?
Remember, you can subscribe to all our shows via iTunes and RSS. If you enjoy it, leave a review! Of course, we wouldn’t have a show without your questions, so keep those coming via email, or on social media using the hashtag #DearVeronica. See you soon!
Filed under:
Cellphones
Tags: apple pay, google wallet, NFC, NfcPayments, video
Here’s how to watch Apple’s iPhone event
It’s that time of the year again. Apple has a new set of iPhones to show off and, if the rumors are correct, a large “iPad Pro” and Apple TV too. If you’re interested in streaming the keynote, you’ve got a few options to consider. From an iOS device, you can watch the reveals live by pointing Safari to apple.com/live. The same holds true if you’re on a Mac, and this time around Windows users can keep up using Microsoft’s new Edge browser on Windows 10. Finally, if you have a second or third-generation Apple TV nestled in your media cabinet, you’ll be able to access the livestream through the “Apple Events” channel. All of the action is due to kick off at 10am PT/1pm ET/6pm BST — Engadget will be there in force, so keep one tab here for our liveblog and rolling coverage throughout the day.
Filed under:
Cellphones, Apple
Source:
Apple
Tags: apple
eBay 4.0 launches on mobile devices
eBay has officially launched their next major update, version 4.0, for their mobile apps. eBay describes the update as providing a “more browsable design” to help customers wade through the more than 800 million listings available on their service. The new eBay 4.0 platform adds new tools to make it easier for sellers to use the mobile app and is supposed to be more customizable, personalized, and simplified for all users.
For regular sellers, they will find they have access to a new dashboard to make it easier to see activity updates with a quick glance. eBay has also changed the information presented during the process of listing an item in an effort to help first-time and new sellers successfully list their goods.
You can check out a short video below showing some of the new look and features. If you want to grab the new eBay 4.0 app from the Play Store, use the link below. Let us know in the comments what you think of the new eBay app and how it compares to the last version.
Click here to view the embedded video.
source: eBay
Come comment on this article: eBay 4.0 launches on mobile devices
Samsung Galaxy S7 may come in two size variants
It’s only September and we are already hearing rumors about the next generation Galaxy smartphone. According to a new report from Asia Today, Samsung might be prepping two different size variants of the Galaxy S7. The smartphones are expected to launch at the MWC expo in early March of next year. However, recent rumors have pointed out that the smartphone(s) could be announced as early as December of this year.
Reportedly, the Galaxy S7 will come in two different screen sizes, a standard 5.2-inch variant and a larger 5.8-inch version. The larger of the two might be designed to compete with Sony’s all-new Xperia Z5 Premium smartphone which includes a 4k resolution. As most of you can infer, Samsung hates falling behind in terms of specifications. Interestingly, if Sony sticks with its six month refresh cycle, we could see the next iteration of the Xperia lineup pop up around then.
At this point in time, it’s unclear whether Samsung will include the 4k resolution on both smartphones or just the larger of the two. We should find out more in the coming months.
Source: Asiatoday
Via: Sammobile
Come comment on this article: Samsung Galaxy S7 may come in two size variants
MixRadio gets a interface overhaul in new update
A new update is available for MixRadio, overhauling the application’s user interface into something more new and user friendly. As with every update, there’s been quite a few bug fixes, performance enhancements, and some added features.
MixRadio is an application that learns your tastes, and then curates music to give you a personalized experience. It’s always learning, so the more you listen, the better MixRadio gets.
Here’s a rundown of what’s changed:
- We now have a completely new look with funky animations and more.
- You can now swipe to the left to skip tracks in the Player screen.
- We’ll automatically offline My Mix so you’ll never be without music (download only happens over Wi-Fi).
- If you completely lose your network connection when streaming a mix, we’ll start playing an offline mix to keep the music flowing.
- There’s now no need to enter your username or password when registering or signing in with a Facebook or Google+ account.
MixRadio in this new update has become a more seamless music experience, with smooth online/offline playlist transitions coupled with a gorgeous new UI.
If you haven’t gotten the update yet, be sure to hit the download link below.
Come comment on this article: MixRadio gets a interface overhaul in new update
Connected devices come to your lawn and garden thanks to GreenIQ and AT&T
GreenIQ and AT&T announced the launch of new devices to help consumers grow their gardens and lawns while leveraging the power of 3G connectivity. The primary components of the new GreenIQ devices are new Hub flow meters that are 3G and Wi-Fi capable. The meters can be setup and managed through GreenIQ’s smartphone app, available for Android later this year.
Although individual consumers can take advantage of the new GreenIQ technology, expect most buyers to be companies offering professional services like lawn care companies. With the new support for connected Internet of Things devices, lawn care professionals will be able to manage multiple client lawns much more efficiently.
The Smart Garden Hub will give users the ability to enable volumetric watering, irrigation scheduling, earlier leak detection, and better usage monitoring to help control water bills. With the new support for 3G connections, exclusively available through AT&T, large green spaces like golf courses, football fields or other properties can be managed.
GreenIQ CEO Odi Dahan says, “our mission is to be the household name for the smart garden. We are committed to outdoor ecosystem innovation, so our customers can benefit from the ultimate smart garden experience, while protecting the planet and saving money at the same time.” AT&T’s Chris Penrose says the company’s decision t be the first and only wireless carrier to support GreenIQ is because “we share a vision with GreenIQ. We want to bring greater connectivity to the home — both indoors and outdoors — so customers can lead a more connected life. We’re proud to be the only U.S. wireless network provider for the GreenIQ connected product.”
GreenIQ’s Hub technology was recognized earlier this year with a Best of CES 2015 award. The new 3G-enabled Hub is expected to be available before the end of 2015.
Come comment on this article: Connected devices come to your lawn and garden thanks to GreenIQ and AT&T
“Halfbeak” could be HTC’s first Android Wear smartwatch
A new report coming from the folks at Phandroid says that HTC is working on its first Android Wear smartwatch, codenamed “halfbeak.”
Android Wear was first announced last year with HTC listed as a partner, but thus far, we haven’t seen even a hint of a smartwatch from the Taiwanese-based company.
Phandroid‘s sources say the smartwatch will have a round display with a resolution of 360 x 360. While that’s not a lot of leaked information, it’s exciting to hear that HTC might have something up their sleeves yet.
The company has an event set for September 29 where HTC is rumored to announce a “double flagship.” While some are expecting the new HTC One A9 and Butterfly 3 to be announced, this could hint at an HTC One A9 and smartwatch pair, similar to what Samsung has done with the Gear in the past.
Either way, we’ll hopefully hear more on the “halfbeak” soon.
source: Phandroid
Come comment on this article: “Halfbeak” could be HTC’s first Android Wear smartwatch
Lollipop adoption on the rise at 22% however KitKat still reigns King
With Android Marshmallow coming sometime within the next month or so, the Android Developers Blog has shared the current OS breakdown. These numbers space across any devices running Android 2.2 or higher, due to the fact that the latest Google Play Store app is compatible all the way back to Froyo.
Leading the pack is still Android 4.4 KitKat, with just over 39%, however Lollipop is slowly creeping up on that number. Currently, Lollipop is sitting at 21% combined between Android 5.0 and Android 5.1. These aren’t really that surprising considering the slow roll out that has surrounded Lollipop, and that there are still some relevant devices that have yet to receive the update from KitKat.
Wedged in between KitKat and Lollipop is Jelly Bean, accounting for 31.8% of the pie. That’s a little surprising considering that it’s been a couple of years since Jelly Bean was relevant. But maybe it’s those lower end devices that can’t be upgraded to KitKat/Lollipop.
Hopefully, once Android Marshmallow is released, the roll out won’t be as painstaking as the Lollipop roll out was. Only time will tell, however, if previous experiences are anything to look it, the horizon is looking grim. Unless you’re lucky enough to have a Nexus device, then everything should be peachy.
Drop us a line and let us know what’s the oldest Android OS that can be found on any of your devices.
Source: Android Developers Blog
The post Lollipop adoption on the rise at 22% however KitKat still reigns King appeared first on AndroidGuys.
The Amazon Fire Phone is officially off the shelves
After finally admitting defeat, Amazon’s Fire Phone is no more. Last month, Amazon revealed that the Fire Phone was a flop and started discounting the device to prices as low as $130. With a free year of Prime attached, you were essentially getting the device for only $30.
Regardless of the price cut, Amazon has seemingly run out of stock, and is officially discontinuing the Fire Phone from being sold. Amazon had big hopes to change up the mobile device market, but instead, they barely made a dent. Sub-par specs and an awkward user experience made the Fire Phone a head-scratching release.
The pricing of the Fire Phone started at $649 off contract, or $199 for two years through AT&T, but as sales took a dive, so did the price. In conversations amongst us here at AndroidGuys, we were still hesitant to pull the trigger, even at the price point of $130.
However, Amazon hasn’t given up completely on offering everyone new devices to try out. Reports have surfaced surrounding a new tablet that Amazon is gearing up to release for the Holiday season. In regards of this device, the reports are stating that it will be a 6-inch device, and will cost around $50 or less. However, it’s too early to know whether this will be another product in their Kindle Fire lineup, or something different altogether.
Sound off in the comments below about whether you picked up the Fire Phone before it went on the discontinued line.
Source: Android Central
The post The Amazon Fire Phone is officially off the shelves appeared first on AndroidGuys.
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