Kickstarter project of the week: Olmose turns your old smartphones into a home security system
There’s a reason everybody and their mom is throwing all their money at Kickstarter projects. The place is teeming with innovation and creative ideas, but it’s definitely a hit or miss venture. While some Kickstarter campaigns are awesome, some definitely leave us scratching our heads.
The ‘Kickstarter project of the week’ series is an attempt to put together a curated selection of our favorite tech funding campaigns. Today we are taking a look at a Kickstarter project that will keep your home safe, protect your vehicle and re-purpose old technology.
Other featured Kickstarter projects:
How many of you have old smartphones laying around the house? These are often in perfect working condition, and we all know how annoying it is to try to sell them at worthy prices. Why not just keep them and turn them into a versatile and affordable security system?
Remember, these are pretty much portable computers, with all the tools to become self-sustained systems. Olmose is trying to harness this idea and turn it into the security solution for everyone. It offers a full-fledged experience without the expenses of a dedicated kit.
So, what is Olmose all about? There is the Dog Station (dock), which has infrered sensors and charging capabilities, but that is not what Olmose revolves around. The company is selling you the service, really.
The whole thing consists of two apps. Olmose Guardian turns any phone into a dedicated security camera, while Olmose Remote allows the user to monitor Guardian devices.
It’s a simple, yet effective concept. Using the Olmose Remote app, you can monitor any Guardian device in your home. It supports both video and audio surveillance, and you can activate or deactivate surveillance mode at your will.
When activated, Olmose will send a notification when any suspicious activity takes place. This does include night-time events, as the Dog Station has an integrated infrared sensors. To make matters more interesting, you can even leave a Guardian-equipped phone in your car and track it in real time.
But if this is not about the product, how is Olmose making money? As mentioned above, they pretty much sell you the service. Here are the prices:
You do get a discount and special treats if you back the Kickstarter project, and you can sign up for as low as €20. Interested? Just hit the Kickstarter page and look more into it. I think this is a very resourceful way to reuse all those old gadgets. It sure beats piling up those landfills! I suppose it’s time to dig into my old boxes and find my old phones.
New Apple Store Set to Open in China’s Largest Luxury Shopping Mall
Apple has announced that its 31st retail store in China will open in Qingdao, a port city bordering the East China Sea, on Saturday, January 30 at 10:00 a.m. local time. The store will be located in the new MixC luxury shopping mall, the largest in China, on 6 Shandong Road in the city’s coastal Shinan District.
A render of the MixC shopping mall in Qingdao, China
MixC Qingdao is an expansive plaza with over 400 popular fashion stores, dining restaurants, cafes and entertainment facilities, including an indoor theme park with a rollercoaster. The mall also includes an Olympic size ice skating rink and the most expensive cinema in China with IMAX and 4D.
The new store will be open between 10:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. local time on weekdays, and between 10:00 a.m. and 10:30 p.m. on weekends.
Apple has aggressively expanded in China under the leadership of retail chief Angela Ahrendts, with new stores in Xiamen on January 14, Shenyang on January 9, Nanning on December 12, Beijing on November 28 and Chengdu on November 21. Apple also opened stores in Chongqing, Hangzhou, Hong Kong, Nanjing and Tianjin in 2015.
China is Apple’s second biggest market by total revenue after the Americas. The company experienced 99% year-over-year revenue growth in Greater China, which includes China, Taiwan and Hong Kong, in the fourth fiscal quarter of 2015. China will likely eclipse the U.S. as Apple’s biggest market by 2017 if the growth continues.
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Watch how ‘Star Wars’ turns people into CG characters
Heads-up: spoliers ahead. It’s not shocking to hear that the frequently practical visual effects of Star Wars: The Force Awakens are still loaded with computer graphics, but you might be surprised to know just how much effort went into blending real people with virtual characters and worlds. Both IAMAG and FXGuide have posted clips showing the work involved, and it’s clear that there’s a whole lot more involved than green screens. The highlight by far is the rendition of barkeeper Maz Kanata. Lupita Nyong’o wore a special, patterned suit to let her perform on-set, and performed separate motion capture sessions (using a stereo head rig) to get her expressions down pat. The team also used software to tweak Maz’s facial features after the fact.
There’s more to the videos than that, of course. They show how computer-generated visuals were incorporated into more scenes than you might expect (Finn searching the TIE Fighter crash site, for example). Also, it reveals how even brief moments require numerous effects passes and extreme detail, such as Rey’s scavenging and a dramatic pull-out shot that starts in an X-Wing cockpit. Whether or not you’re a big fan of The Force Awakens‘ approach, it’s evident that the team was pushing the limits of what modern CG can do.
Via: The Verge
Source: IAMAG, FXGuide (YouTube)
Sprint gets ballsy in latest ad
Based on the major wireless carrier ads that are running during this afternoon’s NFL game, it takes some balls to compete in the market. The latest carrier to jump in the mix is Sprint which released their own version of ads currently running by Verizon and Sprint.
The marketing team games between the carriers started with Verizon when they decided to launch an ad campaign that used the imagery of different balls rolling down a ramp to demonstrate some points that Verizon wanted to make about their network.
T-Mobile took exception to some of the claims and launched their own ad using balls going down a ramp to point out issues with Verizon’s claims. T-Mobile leader John Legere also launched the coyly named #BallBusterChallenge to demonstrate T-Mobile’s superiority to Verizon.
In the new spot that was released this weekend, Sprint joins the train of rolling balls with a claim that their LTE network is faster than any of the other carriers. In the ad, Sprint says this is because they have been building the network of the future. Sprint also renews their campaign to offer data plans that are half the cost of the plan a customer may be porting over from with a competitor.
You can check out Sprint’s new spot below if you have not already seen it playing during a game on TV.
Click here to view the embedded video.
Come comment on this article: Sprint gets ballsy in latest ad
Twitter is reportedly losing some of its top executives
It’s not a good day if you’re part of Twitter’s top brass. Recode sources claim that multiple executives are leaving the social network, including senior engineering VP Alex Roetter, global media VP Katie Jacobs Stanton, product VP Kevin Weil and Vine leader Jason Toff. The reasons for leaving vary, but some departures are believed to be more voluntary than others — Stanton may be one of the few exiting on her own terms. If the leak is authentic, you’ll get the full details as soon as Monday (January 25th).
The departures would be sudden, but not unexpected. Twitter is still having problems attracting new users, and recently installed CEO Jack Dorsey has been cleaning house in a bid to turn things around. This would just be the first time that his axe falls on management in a big way. There’s no telling whether or not this will work, but it’s safe to say that this won’t look good to outsiders — while some new hires may be on the way, it’ll look like a loss of internal confidence.
[Image credit: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images]
Source: Recode (1), (2), (3)
Beat the cold and stay connected with these five tech accessories
The great blizzard on the east coast just dropped a massive amount of snow. The sun is now shining and it’s time to dig out from under that snow. Going outside in the snow and ice is not only painful, but it’s a must with work and school tomorrow. We have selected five products that can help keep you warm, connected and safe.
Caseco Blu-Toque Dual Layered Bluetooth Knit Slouch Hat with Built-In Headset – LINK
- Wear your Blu-Toque while walking the dog, working outside, commuting, or going for a jog.
- Knit from soft synthetic wool, Blu-Toque is lightweight, warm, and water resistant.
- Blu-Toque is universal?it works with any Bluetooth device.
- Take calls and listen to music right from this integrated beanie. No more headphones, no more wire
iGotTech 3300182 Texting Gloves for Smartphones – LINK
- TEXTING GLOVES ~ Decide to type smart in the cold! No more numb fingers in the name of wintertime texting.
- SMART TOUCH GLOVES ~ You’ll LOVE the luxurious, soft feel of this premium material and brushed interior.
- SMARTPHONE GLOVES ~ Buy a couple pairs now! Everyone in the family gets cold outside, but who can let their phone go? You’ve got ’em covered.
- WINTER TOUCHSCREEN GLOVES ~ Our latest “Touch-nology” is all wrapped up in your fingertips for smart, fun, warm smarphone love oudoors
OtterBox DEFENDER Cell Phone Case
The cold sucks the power out of your batteries. Keep your phone insulated with a heavy duty case from OtterBox. The added protection will help keep your smartphone from developing moisture while keeping it protecting from the severe cold.
- Multi-layered case equipped with maximum protection for your daily adventures
- Incorporated screen protector guards touchscreen from harm
- Port plugs allow for easy access while locking out dust and debris
- Polycarbonate inner shell
- Internal foam padding
OtterBox for Samsung Galaxy Note5 – LINK
OtterBox DEFENDER SERIES for Samsung Galaxy S6 – LINK
OtterBox Defender Case for LG G4 – LINK
Syma X5C Explorers 2.4G 4CH 6-Axis Gyro RC Quadcopter With HD Camera – LINK
Need to check the snow build up on your roof? Rather than get the ladder out and climb in icy conditions, now is the perfect time to consider using a drone with a built-in camera. You can check your roof from the bottom floor of your house while staying safe.
- Equipped with HD camera and 2GB Micro SD card
- Perform flips at the press of a button with 360 degree eversion
- Wind resistant and can be flown indoors or outdoors
- 6-axis Gyro stabilization system ensures maximum stability during flight
- 7 Minute flight time and 100 minute charge time.
Bosch PSJ120L-102 Men’s 12-volt Max Lithium-Ion Soft Shell Heated Jacket- LINK
- 100% Polyester – Wind and Rain Resistant
- Imported
- Three Quick Warming Heat Zones – Two chest zones and one back zone start warming in a matter of seconds
- Three-Level Heat Controller – High (Red), medium (Green) and Low (Blue) for Maximum Control and Comfort
- Up to 6 Hours Heated Runtime – Maximum runtime with Bosch 12-Volt Max batteries on low setting
- USB Charging Option for Most Personal Electronics – While in Jacket Pocket (5V/1A Max Output)
- High Quality Water and Wind Resistant Design with Adjustable Sleeves and Waist – Maximum Comfort While Working
The post Beat the cold and stay connected with these five tech accessories appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Order the Letv 1s 5.5″ Android Lollipop 1080p octa-core smartphone for just $200
Letv has a sweet phone for just $200 with free shipping and a 30-day guarantee from everybuy.net. The Letv 1s is on sale for a limited time and it comes in a gorgeous all metal build with a fingerprint reader on the back of the case. Usually with budget smartphones you get budget cameras, but the Letv 1s puts the camera in its focus by putting in a 13MP sensor.
The Letv 1s is fully unlocked and comes with dual SIM capability for use on GSM networks like AT&T and T-Mobile. It also comes with a 64-but octa-core processor, 3GB of RAM and 32GB of base memory. These are quite impressive specs and are all packed into an all metal build.
Letv 1s – LINK
Main Features:
Display: 5.5 inch 1920 x 1080 FHD Screen
CPU: MTK6795 64bit Octa Core 2.2GHz
GPU: PowerVR G6200
System: Android 5.0
RAM + ROM: 3GB RAM + 32GB ROM
Camera: Dual Cameras, front camera 5.0MP camera, back camera 13.0MP
Sensor: Gravity Sensor, Proximity Sensor, Ambient Light Sensor and Fingerprint Sensor
Bluetooth: 4.0
Features: GPS, A-GPS, Glonass, Beidou
SIM Card: Dual SIM dual standby, one Nano SIM Card, one Micro SIM Card
Network:
2G: GSM 850/900/1800/1900MHz
3G: WCDMA 850/1900/2100MHz
4G: FDD-LTE 1800/2100/2600MHz
The post Order the Letv 1s 5.5″ Android Lollipop 1080p octa-core smartphone for just $200 appeared first on AndroidGuys.
The VR arcade of the future will look something like this
I knew I was on solid ground. I knew that no matter if I misstepped, I wouldn’t fall hundreds of feet, plummeting to my death in some CG-Egyptian ruin. And yet, I was shaky, desperately reaching out for a handhold to steady myself, unable to calmly place one foot in front of the other as I attempted to cross a chasm bridged by a collection of meager wooden beams.
“Don’t look down!” my partner shouted from closely behind me, a tall, bald woman not unlike Sigourney Weaver’s Ripley in Alien3, with solid birthing hips and a gruff voice that belied her exterior. We’d met only minutes before when ‘she’ was a physical he in the real world, an older, white-haired gentleman of 6’3″ who happened to be wandering through Sundance’s New Frontier exhibit just when I needed a second player to join me in Real Virtuality: Immersive Explorers.
Together, we’d located magical crystals and traveled through time to soar through a futuristic city on a hovercraft, explore ruins by torchlight and overcome treacherous obstacles — all within the darkened confines of the exhibit space.
“It’s basically a full body VR immersion system,” says Sylvain Chagué, co-founder and technology director of Artanim, the Swiss motion capture research institute behind Real Virtuality. “It’s a two-player experience. You are completely immersed in the virtual world. You can see your own body. You can see the other one. You can collaborate together … pass objects from one to another and things like that.”
To pull off this convincing sense of virtual co-op play, Chagué and his partner Caecilia Charbonnier, Artanim’s research director, eschewed the ready-made, room-scale tracking solution provided by HTC’s Vive VR platform and opted instead to build a custom solution. Using 12 Vicon infrared cameras spaced throughout the room, the duo is able to track the small sensors dotted across the Oculus Rift headset, and on the player’s hands and feet; as well as physical objects, like the torch and crystals. A lightweight, hard plastic backpack, also covered in sensors and worn by either player, carries a battery-powered computer that communicates wirelessly, so that you can freely roam in the space without fear of getting tangled in wires.
Artanim’s Sylvain Chagué (at left) and Caecilia Charbonnier
“You basically have two things,” says Chagué of Artanim’s hybrid solution. “You have some data on the Oculus which is very fast data, but doesn’t have position information and it drifts over time. But it’s very low latency. And on the other side, you have the motion capture data which is very accurate, but has slightly more latency. So we combined the two kinds of data by fusing them in order to have both a low latency system and an accurate one.”
The result is a shapeshifting virtual playground that plays on your fear of heights (and spiders) and conforms to the space you and the other player are wandering in. It’s an experience Chagué likens to being in the ‘holodeck’ from Star Trek and for good reason: Artanim has plans to commercialize Real Virtuality by installing it in theme parks across the world.
“The plan is to have almost 100 or 200 square meters (approximately 1,000 or 2,000-plus square feet) so that you have really full spaces to play with,” says Charbonnier. “Of course, the first interest will be for entertainment — theme park attraction. We have a lot of interest for this. … We just started a collaboration with different institutions, for instance the Futuroscope, which is one of the technological parks in France. But some other players in Russia and Qatar, as well.”
LG V10 International Giveaway!
Welcome to the Sunday Giveaway, the place where we giveaway a new Android phone or tablet each and every Sunday!
There is still a few hours left in our Opera Max Nexus 6P, Pixel C, BB8 International Giveaway. Get your entries in.
This week we are giving away the LG V10!
With its larger display, fingerprint scanner, great design, durable build quality, camera that excels in video recording and high quality audio, the LG V10 is an incredibly solid offering that earned itself our Editor’s Choice Award!
Enter Giveaway
LG V10 International Giveaway!
https://js.gleam.io/e.js
Winners Gallery
Winners Gallery on Google+
Terms & Conditions
- The giveaway is an international giveaway (Except when we can not ship to your Country.)
- If we can not ship to your country, you will be compensated with an online gift card of equal MSRP value to the prize.
- We are not responsible for lost shipments.
- You must be age of majority in your Country of residence.
- We are not responsible for any duties, import taxes that you may incur.
- Only 1 entry per person, do not enter multiple email addresses. We will verify all winners and if we detect multiple email addresses by the same person you will not be eligible to win.
- We reserve all rights to make any changes to this giveaway.
- This giveaway is operated by Android Authority.
- The prize will ship when it is available to purchase.
10 best offline Android games
A lot of Android games depend on a mobile data connection. Whether it’s downloading stuff from the server like Clash of Clans, or using it for DRM protection like most Final Fantasy games, it seems like virtually every game is asking you to be within close proximity of a web connection just to make the game run. Not everyone has that luxury so here are ten of the best offline Android games that don’t require a connection to play. If none of these are floating your boat, Google Play has lists for offline games, offline action games, offline simulation games, offline puzzle games, offline casino games, and offline sports games for your convenience. Of course, if we missed your favorite offline Android games, tell us about them in the comments!
- All emulators on Android are offline and here are the best ones
- Looking to play offline with a friend? Here are the best Android games with local offline multiplayer
BADLAND
[Price: Free with in-app purchases]
BADLAND is first on our list and this is about as great of a time waster as you can get. It’s a 2D runner where you must progress forward faster than the screen or else you’ll be consumed and lose. The game features silhouetted graphics and colorful backdrops which look fantastic. There is also a local multiplayer, a sizable single player with over 100 levels, and there is even a level creation tool to let you make your own levels that you can share. There’s a lot here and it’s worth a play.
Get it now on Google Play!
Final Fantasy III, IV, and V
[Price: $15.99 each]
Square Enix has been back and forth when it comes to online DRM checking, but you can play a few Final Fantasy games offline provided that you’ve logged into them at least once with an Internet connection. Final Fantasy games offer more than 20 hours of game play per title along with deep story lines, various types of character development, and more. They’re not the most exciting games, but fans of the series generally play them for their stories. They cost $15.99 each which is rather steep, but you’re definitely getting a lot of content from each game.
Get it now on Google Play!
Kingdom Rush Frontiers
[Price: $1.99]
Kingdom Rush Frontiers is the latest title in the popular tower defense franchise and probably the best one as well. It includes a ton of missions that you can complete over three difficulties and three different game modes (Classic, Iron, and Heroic), boss fights, over a dozen towers and heroes, upgrades, and the game even includes a built-in encyclopedia to help your strategies. It’s a fun experience and a must have for tower defense fans looking for offline Android games.
Get it now on Google Play!
Limbo
[Price: $4.99]
Limbo is a unique, 2D puzzle game where you must use elements of your environment to solve puzzles and progress forward as you look for your sister in the world of Limbo. The graphics are creepy, silhouetted, and monochrome which adds to the ambiance of the game. You’ll likely be killed a lot by bullets, water, electricity or some combination of all three and it’s a great way to spend an afternoon. The only potential downside is the length of the game because it’s not all that long.
Get it now on Google Play!
Minecraft Pocket Edition
[Price: $6.99]
Minecraft may not have story lines, but if you want the biggest bang for your buck then it’s probably this game. You can create whole worlds and play in them offline either in creative mode or survival where you can build stuff, mine stuff, kill bad guys, and do pretty much whatever you want. It’s not as big and immersive as the computer version but the developers have been closing the gap by adding things like Redstone for more unique building. It’s $6.99 but there are no in-app purchases.
Get it now on Google Play!
See also: 15 best Android games of 2016
Smash Hit
[Price: Free / $1.99]
Smash Hit is one of the beautifully done infinite runners out there. It’s a first-person runner where you must throw balls to break obstacles in your path. The catch-22 is that the number of balls in your inventory is also your life total and you lose balls when you’re hit by anything. The muted, smokey colors and unique mechanics give this a wholly different feel from similar games in the genre. It’s free to play with $1.99 being to unlock extra goodies like saving, stats, and more.
Get it now on Google Play!
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
[Price: $9.99]
Star Wars: Knighs of the Old Republic is an action RPG that was ported to Android from PC. The mechanics are a little stiff, but it has a very long story line complete with all kinds of goodies to collect and alternate endings depending on the decisions you make while playing. The graphics are pretty decent, it has support for third party controllers, and the game also comes with Google Play Games achievements. It’s as big game with a lot of content and it should last you a long time.
Get it now on Google Play!
The Room 3
[Price: $4.99]
The Room 3 is the latest iteration from The Room franchise and it’s the best one yet. It has crisp, gorgeous graphics, unique puzzles, and new elements added to help you solve puzzles that weren’t present in older games. It is a bit short, but this time around the developers have added things like alternate endings which add replay value to make the game longer than prior titles. It also doesn’t have any in-app purchases, supports Google Play Games features (cloud saving and achievements). Do be warned, though, that offline players won’t be able to use the Google Play features.
Get it now on Google Play!
World of Goo
[Price: $4.99]
World of Goo is a unique puzzle game where you must build bridges using bits of goo in order to make it to the end. The challenge is using your goo to its fullest potential and getting enough of it across to the other side to earn a 3-star rating all while getting around the game’s physics. There is also a freestyle mode where you try to build the tallest tower that you can and your results are stacked up against players from all around the world. It’s a simple puzzle game, but it’s hard to complete and the mechanics are solid. Best of all, there are no in-app purchases.
Get it now on Google Play!
XCOM Enemy Within
[Price: $9.99]
XCOM: Enemy Within is a tactical strategy game where you must move around the map taking down aliens that are trying to kill you. The graphics are really good and the game play is easy to learn. The game itself is rather difficult and should provide a decent challenge in order to complete the whole thing. You’ll also get to research alien tech in order to make yourself stronger and you can upgrade and recruit new team members as well. There is also multiplayer for when you get a web connection again. There are no in-app purchases with XCOM.
Get it now on Google Play!
Related best app lists:
- A lot of board games are offline as well and you can find the best Android board games here!
- Short on cash? Here are the best free Android games!
If we missed any of the best offline Android games, tell us about them in the comments! To see our complete list of best app lists, click here.
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