Sundance and Jaunt are looking for VR filmmaking visionaries
Sundance Film Institute has announced a six-month residency aimed at helping budding virtual reality filmmakers turn their ideas into dynamic projects. To make this a reality, the institute has teamed up with VR firm Jaunt, most likely because of the company’s “cinematic VR” platform which consists of a 360-degree camera and specialized tools for editing VR experiences. “We hope their unique voices, diverse perspectives and creativity will help define the potential of this new medium,” said Sundance Institute executive director Keri Putnam. This isn’t the first experience Sundance has had with VR, some directors have already shown completed projects to festival-goers. After giving rise to revolutionary filmmakers like Quentin Tarantino and Ava DuVernay, the institute is now looking to produce stories that are complex, visually stunning and also totally immersive.
Source: WIRED
Who needs stars? Twitter is changing its star icon to a heart
You can say a lot with a heart. “LOL, adorbs, hugs, wow, high five, yes!,” is why Twitter is switching to a heart icon for favorites in place of a star. The star was apparently confusing to new users of Twitter and a heart icon is much more universal.
The heart, in contrast, is a universal symbol that resonates across languages, cultures, and time zones. The heart is more expressive, enabling you to convey a range of emotions and easily connect with people. And in our tests, we found that people loved it. – Twitter
Twitter’s live video streaming service, Periscope, uses hearts to show how you feel. Twitter’s other service Vine is also swapping the star for the heart to keep things consistent across its platforms. If you haven’t seen the heart yet, open up your apps and check because the change occurred today.
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Pre-order the Meizu Pro 5 at Gearbest.com
The recently announced Meizu Pro 5 is available for pre-order at Gearbest.com now. This phone is a BEAST. The processor that came in Samsung’s flagships in 2015, the Exynos 7420(Note 5, S6, S6 edge, etc.)is the heart that powers the Meizu Pro 5 but comes at a much lower price. Other features in the Meizu Pro 5 are an AMOLED 5.7″ 1080p display, dual-SIM capability, 32GB or 64GB, 3GB or 4GB of RAM respectively, a 21MP camera, Android 5.1 a non-removable battery and a gorgeous metal build.
Meizu isn’t well known in the U.S. to the general public yet, but with phones like this, they will be the next Huawei who built the latest Nexus 6P. This is a phone that is really worth checking out. This phone is unlocked and is designed to work on networks such as T-Mobile and AT&T.
If you want to pre-order the Meizu Pro 5 click this link to head on over to Gearbest.com. I’ll be putting in a pre-order myself for this phone. I love the 5.7″ inch AMOLED display and know the Exynos 7420 processor is a powerhouse as I experienced its speed in the Samsung Galaxy Note 5. To top it all off, the Meizu Pro 5 looks stunning in photos. If you’re into premium smartphones, check this one out.
Specifications:
 Basic Information
Brand: MEIZU |
 Hardware
CPU: Exynos 7420 |
 Network
Wireless Connectivity: 3G, A-GPS, GPS, WiFi, 4G, Bluetooth, GSM |
 Display
Screen type: Capacitive, Corning Gorilla Glass |
 Camera
Camera type: Dual cameras (one front one back) |
 Media Formats
Picture format: PNG, JPEG, GIF, BMP |
 Other Features
I/O Interface: Type-C |
 Battery
Battery Capacity (mAh): 3050mAh Built-in Battery |
 Package Contents
Cell Phone: 1 |
 Dimensions
Product size: 15.67 x 7.8 x 0.75 cm / 6.16 x 3.07 x 0.29 inches |
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A4WP and PMA merger AirFuel Alliance will focus on standardizing wireless charging solutions
The Alliance for Wireless Power (A4WP) and the Power Matters Alliance (PMA) have officially merged into a new combined organisation named AirFuel Alliance. This unification will allow the two groups to work synergistically to help develop advanced wireless charging standards and help push out the technology into the mainstream consumer market.
The AirFuel Alliance has the aim of increasing the commercialisation and growth of wireless charging technology, and the development of a shared wireless charging standard for the world. This allow consumers to have a better user experience when using wireless charging technology and reduce the confusion as to which standard to use for a specific device. More info can be found in the official press release below.
November 3, 2015 – The Alliance for Wireless Power (A4WP) and Power Matters Alliance (PMA), industry leaders in wireless charging technology, today announced a new combined organization and brand identity – AirFuel™ Alliance. Now with a unified vision, AirFuel Alliance further strengthens a commitment to improve user experience through the development of advanced wireless charging standards.
Following the A4WP and PMA merger announcement earlier this year, the new consortium continues to accelerate the impact of wireless power transfer technology through inductive, resonant, and future standards to benefit consumers, mobile network operators, consumer-facing commercial and retail brands, and the consumer electronics industry, including its semiconductor and manufacturing partners. With 195 leading member companies, and growing, the AirFuel Alliance brand will soon impact the future growth and acknowledgment of wireless charging.
“AirFuel technology is the next step in fast-tracking the commercialization of wirelessly charged products,” said Ron Resnick, President of AirFuel Alliance. “We embrace a new, inclusive ideal of wireless charging and those member companies within AirFuel Alliance are energized towards bringing wireless power products to consumers globally.”
After a suitable grace period, the brands associated with the former A4WP and PMA identities will be retired. From that point, certified products will carry the AirFuel name and logo, which will become synonymous with fast, convenient, and readily available wireless charging. The new brand allows for a clear, concise idea of what AirFuel Alliance envisions wireless charging to achieve – a better user experience through the development of shared wireless charging standards available on a global scale wherever consumers may go.
“The introduction of AirFuel is a clear step in the right direction for true wireless charging. AirFuel Alliance is committed to bringing to life technology that uses AirFuel while continuing to be open to further industry consolidation,” continued Resnick.
As inductive and resonant technologies advance, AirFuel Alliance continues to support the use of multimode systems – ones that operate with both versions of the standard. The alliance is also developing technologies that go beyond the use of magnetics via the uncoupled working group.
AirFuel Alliance, operating as a unified organization since July, has fully integrated its teams and committees. In October, the alliance hosted the world’s first joint inductive and resonant plugfest, where 14 companies tested over 40 receivers and transmitters to gauge compliance and commercial acceptance.
“AirFuel Alliance aims to unify the global consumer, always on the move with technology that shapes itself around mobility and convenience”, said Mani Parmar, VP Business Development, Duracell Powermat. “Duracell Powermat has supported wireless charging for a number of years. We see firsthand how such a simple, intuitive technology satisfies a wide range of needs for our customers. AirFuel is an ideal descriptor for what this organization promises today and in the years to come.”
“Intel has been a strong supporter of wireless charging technologies that deliver on our vision of removing all wires from client devices. Wires are a major consumer pain point.” said Sanjay Vora, Vice President of User Experiences, Intel. “We are proud to be a member of the AirFuel Alliance to help align the industry on a common wireless charging standard that will help accelerate adoption and availability of wireless charging enabled products.”
More information about the organization can be found at www.airfuel.org.
About AirFuel
AirFuel Alliance is an association dedicated to building a global wireless charging ecosystem based on best in industry inductive, resonant and future wireless charging technology. AirFuel Alliance’s mission is to bring a diverse base of interoperable products to the global market that deliver the best wireless charging experience for consumers. Further, the alliance continues to address future, non-magnetic technologies including RF, ultrasound and lasers that deliver power at a distance.The organization membership is made up of more than 190 leading technology and consumer electronics companies, including board of directors companies AT&T, Broadcom, Duracell, Flextronics, Gill Electronics, Integrated Device Technologies, Intel, MediaTek, ON Semiconductor, Powermat Technologies, Qualcomm Inc., Samsung Electronics, Samsung Electro-Mechanics, Semtech, Starbucks and WiTricity.
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Buyable Pins are on their way to Android, Pinterest reveals
Pinterest today took to its blog to reveal that buyable pins are on their way to Android device after having launched on the iPhone and iPad earlier this summer. Buyable pins will enable users to to purchase specific products straight from the Pinterest mobile app.
In other words, you can purchase products without having to ever leave Pinterest! For some of you, this could be be a potentially alarming situation for your bank account. But, it’s still a neat and convenient feature to have for those that scour the web looking for a product they saw on Pinterest, but cannot actually find the company who makes it or sells it.
Pinterest says that they have over 60 million buyable pins available, meaning that there’s quite a wide range of products available for everyone. With this announcement also comes the introduction of a new digital storefront for the company, the Pinterest Shop. New collections will be added to the shop everyday, all of which are hand selected by the folks over at Pinterest. Here you’ll be able to easily find brands you love, whether that be Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s, and others.
Overall, it’s a nice addition to Pinterest, showing just how quick and convenient online shopping can be. Be sure to keep an eye out for the update rolling out over the next couple of weeks.
source: Pinterest
Come comment on this article: Buyable Pins are on their way to Android, Pinterest reveals
Apple and GT Advanced Reach Settlement on Remaining Sapphire Debt
Apple and its former sapphire supplier GT Advanced have reached an agreement that will allow GT Advanced to absolve itself of the remaining $439 million that it owes Apple, reports The Wall Street Journal.
Under the settlement, GT Advanced will host an auction on November 23 to get rid of the equipment that it contributed to the sapphire making process, with the proceeds being split between the two companies. Equipment that does not sell during the auction will be given to Apple.
While GT intends to hang on to some of the equipment–as many as 600 sapphire-making furnaces–it is prepared to auction what it can and abandon what it can’t cart off, court papers say.
Anything not sold will be handed over to Apple, which has agreed to scrap the equipment and extinguish the loan it made to transform GT from an equipment manufacturer into a supplier of smartphone-screen material.
Following the dissolution of the relationship between GT Advanced and Apple, GT Advanced agreed to sell off its sapphire furnaces to repay the loan Apple had provided to buy the equipment in the first place. Over the course of the past year, GT Advanced has been unable to find a buyer for the sapphire furnaces.
GT Advanced and Apple originally partnered up to produce sapphire displays for the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6s Plus, but the deal soured when GT Advanced was unable to meet deadlines and produce sapphire that met Apple’s standards. GT Advanced filed for bankruptcy in October of 2014, laying off more than 700 employees and shuttering the Mesa, Arizona factory, which Apple is repurposing as a data center.
Apple and GT Advanced’s new agreement is set to be finalized following the approval of a bankruptcy judge.
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Activision is buying Candy Crush developer, King, for $5.9 billion
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In what is probably going to end up being the news of the month, largest-of-all-large video game publishers Activision is buying Candy Crush developer, King, for a positively massive $5.9 billion USD. For comparison’s sake, you might be interested to know that other big ticket purchases saw Facebook shell out $19 billion for WhatsApp and $2 billion on Oculus Rift, while Microsoft bought Minecraft for $2.5 billion.
With this purchase, Activision’s mobile intentions have been made perfectly clear, and we wonder if there will be more collaboration between Activision, it’s other half Blizzard, and King no future mobile games. Of course, Activision Blizzard could always just leave King up to its own devices because it’s clear they know what they’re doing when it comes to earning money – which, let’s face it, is something Activision is also best known for.
What do you think about Activision buying King? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Source: Activision via engadget
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Actually read the iTunes TOS with this graphic adaptation
It’s a little lie you tell every single time you sign up for anything on the internet. “I have read and agree to the terms of service.” You haven’t read them and everybody knows it, but maybe you should read the iTunes Terms and Conditions, just once. Not for legal reasons of course, or on Apple’s website — that would be boring — but in R. Sikoryak’s ‘Unabridged Graphic Adaptation: iTunes Terms and Conditions.’ It’s exactly what it sounds like: two volumes of unwieldy legal jargon juxtaposed with gorgeous comic imagery.
Via: BoingBoing
Source: Bird Cage Bottom Books
Volkswagen also lied about its gas-powered cars
Volkswagen admitted in September that it used defeat devices aimed at fooling emissions tests in 11 million of its diesel vehicles — but now its gasoline models are implicated in the scandal as well. On Tuesday, Volkswagen reported that it understated the level of carbon dioxide emissions of about 800,000 vehicles, including gasoline-powered models. This is the first confirmation that some of Volkswagen’s gasoline-run vehicles do in fact exceed carbon dioxide emissions. The company didn’t provide details in today’s revelation, but it said the conclusion comes after conducting internal emissions tests.
Source: Wall Street Journal
NASA Spacebot, what big eyes you have
Space isn’t exactly the safest of places for squishy meatbags like us, what with the lack of atmosphere and all. But when satellites in orbit break, somebody’s got to fix them. That’s why NASA is developing a robotic remote viewing system called the VIPIR (Visual Inspection Poseable Invertebrate Robot). It leverages an articulating borescope as well as a zoom-lens camera to help Earth-bound engineers troubleshoot external issues aboard the ISS, launch vehicles and satellites. NASA is currently in the second phase of operational testing with the VIPIR. Eventually the space agency hopes to eventually pair these eyes with Dextre, Canada’s dual-armed spacebot that is currently serving aboard the ISS.
Source: NASA
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