Make your ‘Halo 5’ Spartan into a 3D-printed trophy
Halo 5‘s campaign is hot garbage if you’re playing through it solo, but the multiplayer suite is pretty much the opposite if you’re into competitive shooters. It’s a likely reason why Microsoft is shifting its latest ad and PR focus around the mode — pre-release hype centered on the game’s flaccid story. The latest step in that? Bringing your customized Spartan soldier into the real world via 3D printing. Redmond has aligned with custom 3D printing house Sandboxr and printer manufacturer 3D Systems to put your unique Slayer combatant (sorry, Kerry King) in the palm of your hand. Using the web interface, Xbox Wire says you can choose from 175 armor and helmet options, over 30 color variants and five different poses with a quintet of weapons. The classic “teabag” pose isn’t one of the available selections, however, but you can make an 18-character moniker for the statue.
Source: Xbox Wire, Halo Waypoint
New York’s anti-terror reporting app could easily cause problems
New York state is understandably more anxious than ever about terrorist threats, and it’s hoping that some mobile technology will bolster its defenses. Governor Cuomo has launched a campaign that encourages New Yorkers to use See Something, Send Something, a smartphone app that helps you report suspicious activity to officials. While the software is already in use in five states, this promises to be its biggest test yet. It’s coming to one of the most populous parts of the country, and one where terrorist attacks have been all too real.
Via: New York Daily News
Source: Governor Cuomo, App Store, Google Play
Tesla’s cheapest Model X is priced at $80,000
If you don’t mind waiting on delivery, the Tesla Model X is now on sale to the public. Like the Model S before it, there’s three different versions to choose, but the 70D starts at $80,000 — before incentives like federal (and possibly state) tax credits. The 70D has an estimated range of 220 miles and a top speed of 140 mph, while the 90D runs to 257 miles, with a 155-mph top speed. The P90D (the first Model X that’ll arrive in early 2016), reduces the range to 250 miles, but will hit 0-60 mph in 3.8 seconds (or 3.2 if you’re feeling Ludicrous). While we don’t have the pricing on all the models, Tesla has shared some of the configuration prices. They’re all outlined after the break, but regardless of you make it your own, expect the cheaper 90D and 70D models to land mid- and late 2016.
Via: Autoblog
Source: Tesla
LG Watch Urbane 2 LTE was recalled over a faulty screen component
Remember when we told you that LG was recalling the Watch Urbane 2 LTE but they didn’t disclose why? Well, there still aren’t specific details, but LG has confirmed that a component in the screen of the wearable device didn’t live up to their standards, as it would eventually burn out and reduce image quality on the watch.
It’s good that there weren’t any safety concerns with the watch. That means there’s a chance that we’ll see it come back to market, if LG can secure a capable component to replace the one that’s not holding up under aggressive testing. There’s obviously no timeline here, but hopefully LG figures out a solution soon. Android Wear needs its LTE flagship.
source: Telegraph
Come comment on this article: LG Watch Urbane 2 LTE was recalled over a faulty screen component
Sprint offering Black Friday deals that bundle LG TVs, Amazon Prime, and cheap Samsung phones
Sprint is preparing some great Black Friday deals for new and existing customers, and you’ll get more than just a smartphone with what the carrier is planning.
If you’re interested in a new phone, they’re cutting the price of the Galaxy S6 in half on a leasing plan. This offer is good for new and existing customers, and will knock the monthly price down to $9. That’s the only Samsung Galaxy phone with a cash discount, but if you activate any of Samsung’s 2015 flagship devices on Sprint, you’ll score a free year of Amazon Prime. That includes the GS6, GS6 Edge, GS6 Edge+, and Note 5.
If Samsung isn’t your thing, Sprint will bundle in a free 24-inch TV with the purchase of a new LG G4. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a phone/TV bundle like this before, but it sounds like a pretty great deal for anyone that’s going to buy a G4 anyway. This offer is also available to new and existing customers.
Outside of the phones, Sprint is marking down Fitbits and LG Tone Pro headset with varying discounts. Those are good for any phone on any network, obviously, and make great stocking stuffers.
source: Sprint
Come comment on this article: Sprint offering Black Friday deals that bundle LG TVs, Amazon Prime, and cheap Samsung phones
‘Nomophobia’ is the new name for the fear of being without your smartphone
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Losing your smartphone is never a good thing, though some people apparently freak out more than others and there is now a term to describe this psychological state: nomophobia. Derived from the phrase “no mobile”, nomophobia is denoted as feeling panicked when you realize you don’t have your phone, result in feelings of disconnectedness. Sure, it might not be an actual psychological condition, but it can’t be denied how big a role smartphones play in some people’s lives – in fact, a recent study in the UK identified that 41% of the people surveyed felt anxious when away from their smartphone.
While nomophobia is a concern for some, it’s smartphone addiction in general which is probably the thing we have to worry about more. Reports of people using their smartphones during intimate and menial moments alike should be more concerning – if sex is a place where smartphone use is prevalent (one in five one study says), what is sacred enough to stop us using our devices? Even if this isn’t you, it’s probably worth looking at your own smartphone tendencies and figuring out whether or not you should be reducing the time you spend on your mobile devices – we could all afford to disconnect a little more.
What do you think about nomophobia and smartphone addiction? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Source: Psychology Today via Phone Arena
The post ‘Nomophobia’ is the new name for the fear of being without your smartphone appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
Bangladesh blocks Facebook and chat apps to stop ‘crimes’
To call things tense in Bangladesh would be an understatement: the country recently executed two high-profile leaders for decades-old war crimes, and ISIS (aka Daesh) claims to have killed an Italian priest. However, its government may have gone overboard in attempting to silence this unrest. The country’s officials have blocked Facebook and multiple chat apps (including Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp and Viber) on the grounds that they’re being used to “carry out crimes.” Just what those activities are isn’t clear, but Bangladesh silenced messaging apps earlier this year to discourage protests. It wouldn’t be surprising if officials are once again treating online censorship as a national security tool — cut the internet chatter and the protesters (both for and against executions) potentially go away.
Via: Gizmodo, Global Voices
Source: BBC
What’s on your HDTV: ‘Beyond: Two Souls,’ ‘The Walking Dead,’ ‘Drunk History’
If you’ve already binged through Jessica Jones and The Man in the High Castle (no spoilers please, I’m taking it slow), there’s still a few things to look forward to on the holiday weekend. Now that a particular plot point has been settled, The Walking Dead has one last episode before it takes a midseason break. Beyond: Two Souls is back with a new version on PlayStation 4, and Drunk History has its season finale this week. Blindspot and Castle are also ready for winter break, while Dancing with the Stars and Black Jesus are wrapping up their season runs. Look after the break to check out each day’s highlights, including trailers and let us know what you think (or what we missed).
This ‘Plant Lamp’ uses bacteria to generate electricity
Maintaining infrastructure in the rainforest is a pretty tall order — the area is dense with vegetation and prone to intense moisture and flooding. Villages like Nuevo Saposoa in Peru have had their electrical grids disabled or destroyed by the elements, leaving residents at the mercy of daylight or the fumes of kerosene lamps to work, read or study. Researchers at Peru’s Universidad de Ingeniería y Tecnología have created a novel solution: an LED lamp powered by a houseplant.
Source: UTEC
LG Urbane 2nd Edition smartwatch pulled off shelves due to screen issues
The LG Urbane 2nd Edition smartwatch gained fame because it was the first Android Wear device to arrive with LTE connectivity. Prior to the second generation Urbane, all Android Wear devices required a Bluetooth connection to a smartphone or WiFi to fully utilize the features. It was the first Android Wear device that could make calls and send texts directly from the watch independant of a smartphone.
And then LG gained notoriety for that same LTE watch just a week later. The LG Urbane 2nd Edition smartwatch was available in AT&T stores, online to both AT&T and Verizon customers, and then LG abruptly pulled the watch off the shelves and quietly cancelled any new sales. Customers who purchased the available watches were left dumbfounded as to what the reason could be. Most of those customers only had good things to say about the LG Urbane 2nd Edition, including me. I thought it was the best Android Wear watch of 2015 and boy was I WRONG.
LG finally notified The Telegraph of the reason:
“For competitive and supplier relations reasons we are not in a position to communicate the specifics of the issue that led to this decision. However, what we can share is that the hardware issue was related to a new advanced component that we had incorporated in the device that had never been used in an LG wearable device before,” the company said. “During aggressive testing over thousands of hours under severe conditions, it was revealed that this component failed to meet LG’s quality standards and could potentially impact our image quality over the life of the device.”
Apparently the cancellation was due to the faulty nature of new components in the display. Hopefully that means if the device isn’t used under “severe conditions” that the display should hold up over time with normal usage.
Due to the abrupt nature of the cancellation, I am sure LG is still figuring out what to do for those devices that have already been sold. Some owners of the Urbane 2nd Edition have taken to ebay where the device is selling for two to three times the original price of $299. As of right now, LG has yet to recall or offer a clear path on what to do with the watch, so keep your eyes peeled if you own one. I seriously hope LG fixes the issue and releases this watch again – it really is one of the best Android Wear devices to be released in 2015, outside of the hardware issue.
Source – The Telegraph UK
The post LG Urbane 2nd Edition smartwatch pulled off shelves due to screen issues appeared first on AndroidGuys.
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