‘Fable Legends’ will launch after spring 2016
Fable Legends — Lionhead’s free, multiplayer-focused fantasy romp for Xbox One and Windows 10 — is scheduled to launch after spring 2016. It was originally on tap to release this holiday season. The game’s open beta will go live in the spring, ostensibly with the full release close behind. For now, Fable Legends will remain in closed beta, with the studio inviting 100,000 additional players over the coming weeks (sign up for that here).
“To be honest with you, we rather underestimated just how big of a game Fable Legends is becoming,” Creative Director David Eckelberry says in a video posted today. “We’ve really created two games at once: We’ve got a multiplayer RPG on one side and a kind of RTS on the other. On top of that, we’ve built a new world and a whole new story to tell. This is the most ambitious game we’ve ever done at Lionhead and it’s taking more time than we thought.”
Microsoft and Lionhead announced Fable Legends in 2013 — and it’s a shift for the series. The Fable games traditionally include an in-depth single-player campaign, though this one sends players only on multiplayer or AI-assisted missions. As a free game, Legends features microtransactions, though Lionhead says players will be able to complete all quests and storylines without forking over any cash.
Source: Fable Legends
YouTube axes direct video uploads from webcams
If you’re one of the few recording to YouTube straight from your webcam, the video-hosting site will soon get rid of that feature. On January 16th, you’ll no longer be able to capture video straight from the camera connected to your computer and upload it to the web. Google says the feature is “rarely used” and runs on “tech” (read: Flash) that’s no longer supported.
The tool has been around for years, debuting the same year Mountain View nabbed YouTube. Despite the direct upload abilities, it seems the feature wasn’t very popular with folks posting videos on the site. When the time comes, users will need to first save footage on their computer or mobile device before uploading via the web or YouTube apps for Android and iOS.
[Image credit: LIONEL BONAVENTURE/AFP/Getty Images]
Via: The Next Web
Source: YouTube
Meet the firm designing futuristic UI for Iron Man and Samsung
Remember Tony Stark’s glass smartphone and transparent coffee table in the Iron Man movies? Or how about that gorgeous statue rendering of the Avengers in action at the end of Age of Ultron? You’ve got one company to thank for those sequences: Perception, a New York City-based visual design firm. It’s carved out a unique spot building forward-thinking design concepts for films and major tech companies, including the likes of Samsung, Microsoft and Ford. Perception’s work makes it clear we’ve moved on from the days when interface design was merely an afterthought for movies, and when few tech companies brought cinematic depth and emotion to their products. Now, there’s a sort of virtuous cycle of design, where movies lift from tech, and tech companies find inspiration in films.
Perception started in 2001 as a high-end motion graphics firm founded by Danny Gonzalez and Jeremy Lasky. It initially served broadcast studios, ad firms and just about anyone looking for spiffy visual effects. “When you see holograms, or fantastical interfaces in blockbuster movies, we deliver our version of the future to those films,” said John LePore, Perception’s creative director. “And we spend the other half of the time creating concepts for next-generation technologies or particular user interfaces.”
After working with Marvel on a few of its direct-to-video animated films, the studio was brought in for its first major film project: Iron Man 2. At first, it was tasked with generating an interface for a massive screen at the Stark Expo early on in the movie. But as they were meeting with Marvel, they also heard some rumblings about a “glass phone” that Tony Stark would be carrying throughout the film.
Starting with that kernel of an idea, the Perception team mocked up their vision for a glass phone interface back at the office. As LePore tells us, they had a slab of glass cut out in the shape of a phone and used that to produce a demo video for Marvel. In the end, it was so well received that Perception wound up producing the interfaces for Stark’s bevy of gadgets, including his transparent coffee table and omnipresent household screens.
You’ll notice a common style throughout all of those interfaces: They’re dynamic and somewhat ostentatious, but at the same time they’re also surprisingly pragmatic. Basically, exactly what you’d expect from an egotistical playboy super genius who managed to build a suit of robot armor in a cave (with a box of scraps!). Perception isn’t only crafting pretty graphics; it’s also trying to give us some insight into the people who use those interfaces.
Iron Man 2 was an auspicious start for the company, as Marvel ended up tapping it for a variety of other projects. In Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Perception developed the windshield interface for Nick Fury’s car, as well as the montage sequence that (spoiler) revealed the depths of Hydra’s infiltration into world governments. It was also responsible for designing the elaborate supercomputer housing Arnim Zola’s personality, which was powered by old-school tape drives and displayed on green monitors.
“It’s almost like his soul was inside the machine,” LePore said. “To be able to do that in a way that was both low-fi, and make it feel he was taxing these systems as much as they could possibly handle. … It was a really interesting instance where we’re not just making UI that follows the personality traits of the person that’s using it, but the UI itself is the personality.”
Perception’s high-profile film work attracted a bevy of technology clients, most of which you’ve probably heard of. Samsung tapped it to work on some next-generation interface concepts, and the Korean company ended up using some of its ideas in its TouchWiz interface. They were even brought on to work on augmented reality concepts for HoloLens by Microsoft before Perception even knew what that product was. (Unfortunately, it can’t say what, exactly, it built for HoloLens.) And who can forget the Grid 10 tablet from Fusion Garage, whose only redeeming quality was an intriguing grid interface that Perception built from scratch?
While much of the company’s tech contributions remain under wraps, Perception’s work has been featured in some recent high-profile announcements. Its dashboard interface sits at the heart of Ford’s 2017 GT supercar, as well as recent SpaceX streams. It’s also working with IBM, Intel, Mercedes-Benz and BMW, among others.
If you’ve ever heard anyone compare an interface to Steven Spielberg’s Minority Report, you’re probably well aware that there’s a pretty close relationship between techies and sci-fi films. LePore says that’s particularly true for the Perception crew. “There’s certainly a lot of people from the tech world who say, ‘I’d like to take what we saw in this film and make it a reality,’” he said. Similarly, Perception’s experience working with real-world tech helps to bring a dose of reality to films. Working with SpaceX, for example, comes in handy when designing aeronautical interfaces for movies.
It makes sense for movie studios to enlist extra design help, but it’s surprising that so many tech companies are doing the same. You can chalk that up to the rising emphasis on distinctive design. While Apple has always emphasized aesthetics, that hasn’t been a driving force for competitors like Microsoft and Samsung. So they look to companies like Perception for the equivalent of a creative booster shot. Just compare what Samsung’s TouchWiz UI looked like a few years ago to today, where it’s now influenced by Perception’s designs.
While there’s no shortage of motion graphics firms out there, for the most part they focus on film and television. Only a few dabble in technology projects. Perception’s ability to straddle those two worlds is a sign of our maturing design tastes. Most of us are carrying touchscreen computers in our pockets, and our mobile apps look years beyond the blocky desktop programs we used to rely on. Bad design simply can’t cut it anymore when we’re used to something better.
Check back soon for our in-depth story on how Perception designed the Avengers monument from Age of Ultron.
Google Maps for iOS displays gas prices along your route
As if Google Maps wasn’t useful enough already, the application is getting yet another handy feature. Today, Google updated its iOS version of the app to show gas prices when people search for stations, making it easy to see how much each location charges for Regular, Midgrade, Premium and even Diesel.
The new functionality, which is currently limited to the US and Canada, will display you that information based on up-to-date pricing, all with a simple tap. It’s worth noting Maps for Android has had this since last month, but now iOS users can start taking advantage of it as well.
Via: MobileSyrup
Source: App Store
MacRumors Video Gift Guide by Matt: Inateck iPad Sleeves, Jaybird X2 Earbuds, Moko Apple Watch Bands, and More
We’ve been sharing a selection of gift guides on MacRumors, featuring Apple-related accessories hand-picked by the MacRumors team from some of our absolute favorite products. Our latest gift guide comes in video format and was created by our videographer, Matt.
Matt doesn’t write posts, but he does handle most of our videos over on YouTube, so make sure to subscribe to our channel to see more of Matt’s awesome work. Matt’s video is below, as are links to each of his picks.
Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.
- Inateck iPad Air Felt Sleeve ($12.99)
- Inateck Sleeve Case for iPad Pro and MacBook ($21.99)
- Jaybird X2 Wireless Earbuds ($179.95)
- MoKo Apple Watch Sport Replacement Bands ($14.99)
- BlueLounge Jimi iMac USB Port Extender ($14.95)
- Click and Grow Smart Herb Garden ($64.90)
We have a reader curated master gift guide drawn from the MacRumors forum, so if you have favorite products you want to share with others as gift ideas, make sure to add them there. For more ideas, check out the rest of our gift guides:
- Juli’s Gift Guide: Philips Hue, UE Roll Speaker, Pressed Flower iPhone Cases, Canvas Smart Desk, and More
- Joe’s Gift Guide: 64GB iPhone 6s on T-Mobile, V-MODA Crossfade Wireless Headphones and More
- Mitchel’s Gift Guide: Pad & Quill Accessories, HoverBar for iPad, Beats Pill, and More
- Marianne’s Gift Guide: Elevation Dock, Fluxmob Bolt, and More
- Eric’s Gift Guide: SteelSeries Nimbus Controller, Apple Watch Dock, BB-8, and More
Discuss this article in our forums
HTC One A9 international unlocked variant receives OTA: no Android 6.0.1 or December security patch present
The HTC One A9 has managed to be quite a successful device for Taiwan’s perennial OEM. After a botched recovery due largely to the One M9 and it’s failure to ignite solid sales, the newest flagship has seen sales soar.
For those customers in the USA opting for a carrier free, unlocked variant, firmware updates have been promised within 15 days of Nexus roll-out. The same was not, unfortunately, promised for phones sold under other conditions. Some worried that the international unlocked variants might be subject to deliberating delays. Just hours ago, a system update was pushed to one of our international devices:
The new firmware release, software update 1.27.709.15, weighs in at 295.58MB and lists the following:
- System stability improvements for the 3rd party game applications
- System enhancement
To our surprise, the update does not contain either Android 6.0.1 or December’s Android Security Patch. The former would bring with it new Emoji and a fix to Google’s time trouble bug, and the latter enhanced security measures. Even more disappointing, the download process itself took close to an hour to download – on Wi-Fi no less – presumably due to a slow sever situation.
On a positive note, performance on the device is noticeably quicker after the update. Scrolling is smoother, loading and lag has been reduced. In general, everything feels much snappier and better optimized. It is likely that HTC has further refined Sense to make better use of the limited amount of RAM (2GB) for the international A9.
Please note that this update can currently be confirmed only for the A9u variant, which contains only 2GB of RAM and 16GB of storage. It remains to be seen just when other territories and variants, such as those sold in the UK and India, receive the update.
It’s difficult to not be a bit disappointed with this new build version. While stability patches and device performance enhancements are always a welcome addition, initially it looked as if HTC was going to push out the major updates in very close proximity to those in the USA. Alas that does not seem to be the case.
Have any of you with an international One A9 also received this new update? Have you noticed any specific improvements or changes? Please hit up the comments section below and sound off!
Inbox by Gmail gets updated with improved Trip Bundles and mobile attachments
Google today announced that Inbox by Gmail is getting improved Trip Bundles–a feature added earlier this year–and better mobile attachments. The new version of Inbox by Gmail with these new features will be rolling out to users over the next week or two.
Have you ever needed to find some information about a trip your taking, but it seems to be buried in your hundreds, maybe thousands of emails, making it nigh impossible to find? Trip Bundles fixes that by bundling all of your trip emails together. Now, that experience is getting some improvements, allowing you to share your Trip Bundles with family and friends. With just a quick tap of a button, someone else can have all of your Trip Bundle information, too!
That’s not the only thing getting improved in this new update, though. You can now manually add emails to your Trip Bundles by using the Move To selection. You can now view Trip Bundles offline as well.
Finally, Inbox by Gmail has gotten a few improvements to mobile attachments, which gives you quick access to all of your photos and lets you attach multiple at a time.
Once again, the update will be rolling out over the next week or so, but if you don’t have Inbox by Gmail yet, be sure to give it a try at the download link below.
source: Google
Come comment on this article: Inbox by Gmail gets updated with improved Trip Bundles and mobile attachments
5 last minute tech gifts for under $50
Man, it really seems like the holidays snuck up on us this year. If you’re anything like me, then you might not have even started shopping for gifts yet. We’ve all got a lot of tech fans in our lives, and let’s face it: technology can be expensive. Can you save Christmas without breaking the bank?
Quest accepted. We scoured the internet for some of the best tech gifts we could find for under $50. When you’re shopping on a budget like this, you’re probably not going to blow anyone’s mind with bleeding edge technology, but we tried to pick things that were fun, useful, and which could make good gifts for technophiles and luddites alike.
Keep in mind, these are just a few ideas. Also be sure to check out our best gift guides for even more:
1. Chromecast and Chromecast Audio
The Chromecast is one of those devices that, when you don’t own one, you don’t know why you would want one. Then, after you get one, you don’t know how you ever lived without it. The ultimate YouTube binge session device for groups and all around house party facilitator, the Chromecast lets you stream and queue up content from your phone to your television.
Chromecast Audio is slightly different. It lets you stream music from your phone to any speaker in the house. Each of these devices run for $35, but you can get both for $55. If you’re shopping for two people, that’s two gifts for $27.50 each: more than enough reason to include this bargain on our list.
See also: Chromecast 2015 and Chromecast Audio Review
Buy at BestBuy ($30)
Buy at Google Store ($30)
2. CB3 Ultra Slim Bluetooth Speaker
Starting off our list, we have the CB3 Ultra Slim Bluetooth Speaker. It’s a sleek, almost steampunk looking device that offers some pretty killer audio. Its compact, ultra slim and light design make it easy to grab and slip into a pocket or backpack, so you can take your music anywhere. The battery life is solid at around eight hours of play time, so you can use it all day before needing a recharge.
3. Kindle Fire
This one took some finagling to make the list, but it’s just so good for what you’re paying that we had to include it. The Kindle Fire is a simple tablet that’s incredibly powerful for its $49.99 price tag, and it’s the perfect gift for an avid ebook reader. If you’ve got a bookworm in the family, this is a hard item to pass on. It doesn’t have the Google Play Store, but it does come with Amazon Underground, an alternate store that offers many paid apps for free.
There’s a catch on this one, though. As it currently stands, it looks like the Fire may not be back in stock until just after Christmas. Don’t worry. There’s an old pioneer trick to solving this problem. Simply order the tablet now, then print out a picture of the Kindle Fire and wrap it in a box. When they open their gift on Christmas morning, tell them a renegade drone stole their gift but that Amazon is shipping a replacement ASAP. When the Fire arrives a couple of days later, it’ll be like the Christmas that kept on Christmasing. Works every time.
4. iDeaUSA 5200mAH Portable Battery Charger
This plucky little portable battery charger usually runs for almost $40. I went to add it to my list expecting it to still have that pricetag, but it turns out it’s on sale now for $9.99. What’s more, we found a coupon code that knocks it down to $6.99. If that’s not a deal, I don’t know what is.
The iDeaUSA Portable Battery Charger is great for the constant smartphone or tablet user on the go who is constantly frustrated that they have to recharge their device in the middle of the day. Fits perfectly in a purse, but is a little bulky for your pocket. Order it now and use the coupon code IDPME44L to get one for $6.99. Heck, get five of ‘em and you’re still under budget.
Buy at Amazon ($6.99 – with coupon)
5. Tile (Gen 2)
You know that family member who has to look for their keys every time they leave the house? What about that friend who has a couch that devours TV remotes like a ravenous giant amoeba? The guy whose wallet always seems to go missing when the check arrives? This is the gift you’re looking for.
The Tile is a tiny tab with a hole for a keyring. The sturdy and unassuming little device is actually a Bluetooth tracker that pairs with an app on your phone. When you attach Tile to your keys or any other item, you can pull up that object’s last known location on a map or activate the Tile’s beeping function to locate it by ear. Lost your phone but have your keys? Press on the Tile’s surface to make your phone ring even if it’s on silent! This genius little solution to an everyday problem runs for $24.99, but buying in packs of 4, 8, or even 12 offer ever-increasing savings.
Next: Holiday survival guide
Two Xperia Z6 models coming from Sony next year
The mobile division at Sony hasn’t been very successful in recent years, but the company still tries to be a big player in the industry. Sony continues to release waves of new products, sometimes with odd variations that don’t have a clear place in the world while largely ignoring the United States and only sending aged devices there for no one to buy. Because of its struggles, a new focus has been put on image sensors. Both Softkinetic Systems and Toshiba’s entire image sensor business have been purchased in 2015. And as we’re approaching a new year, a report shows that Sony will not be slowing down its efforts to flood the world with new hardware.
Since the company will keep its mobile division operating for the foreseeable future, you can expect to see the Xperia Z6 launch in 2016. CnBeta is claiming that Sony plans to release two Xperia Z6 models with an emphasis on metal being prominent in their design. This would be a departure from practically ever other Xperia device released that is a plain slab of glass. Inside, the source says that Sony is going with Qualcomm’s upcoming Snapdragon 820 processor. But it’s unknown if we’re looking at a Compact, Mini, Ultra, or Premium models in addition to a regular Xperia Z6.
It doesn’t look like we’ll be any of Sony’s plans for the Xperia line at CES 2016 next month, though. The invite to the company’s press conference and booth place no emphasis on phones or anything from the Xperia line.
Come comment on this article: Two Xperia Z6 models coming from Sony next year
Pandora introduces Thumbprint Radio for extremely personalized recommendations
Pandora is building on its music discovery features with a new, unique Thumbprint Radio. If you’ve ever used Pandora, you probably know that you can “thumbs up” or “thumbs down” a track so Pandora will play more relevant music on whatever particular station you’re listening to. This new Thumbprint Radio goes a step further and uses all of the music you’ve liked and builds a radio station based on your overall music tastes.
The station is constantly updated as you continue to like more music, so it’s much more than just a playlist of your favorite songs. And one of the coolest new things Pandora has added is the ability to share your radio station with your friends, so they’ll always be able to listen in on your constantly-updating Thumbprint Radio.
Come comment on this article: Pandora introduces Thumbprint Radio for extremely personalized recommendations
AIVAnet 