Weather app Sunshine buys PressureNet; Android version to come
App maker Sunshine, creator of the iOS weather app also named Sunshine, is buying the app PressureNet and plans to make an Android version.
From PressureNet’s website:
“Sunshine is making the best weather service anyone has ever made. We believe in a connected world, where we’ll all be able to be prepare for unexpected events. It’s a pleasure to join the Sunshine team and to continue the increasingly important work of helping people receive accurate and useful weather forecasts.
What’s next for PressureNet? We are integrating our software and services with Sunshine to work together seamlessly. We are using the strengths from both companies to create the best weather experience we can for your smartphones.”
Sunshine is seeking to capitalize on PressureNet’s use of Android phones’ barometric sensors to predict hyperlocal weather before it happens.
At the moment, Sunshine is only available for iOS. But PressureNet promises an Android version and says customers can get in on the beta version of it by emailing android@thesunshine.co. No timeline for when either a beta or full version of Sunshine for Android will be available was given.
Source: PressureNet
Come comment on this article: Weather app Sunshine buys PressureNet; Android version to come
Android Wear nabs new gestures and phone call features
Google today introduced Android Wear 1.4, the latest version of its wearable platform. This one’s not a minor update with bug fixes and patches; indeed, there’s plenty of new and cool stuff to found.
Key among the features is the ability to make and take calls via Bluetooth connectivity. Available for the Huawei Watch and ASUS ZenWatch 2, the capability is coming to more wearables in time.
To take advantage of the calling, the watch must include a speaker. Those that do will also be able to listen to audio messages from apps such as Glide.
Additionally, Android Wear has baked in some new gestures. For instance, users can expand cards, open the app drawer, or return to the home screen via pushing, lifting, and shaking – respectively.
Last, but not least, Android Wear users can now use voice more actively as part of the experience. It’s now possible to use your voice to send messages from apps like Google Hangouts, Nextplus, Telegram, Viber, WeChat, and WhatsApp.
The post Android Wear nabs new gestures and phone call features appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Honor 5X vs Nexus 5X vs OnePlus X
A prominent, and understandably well-received, trend last year was the availability of relatively inexpensive smartphones without the compromise in quality that used to be seen. The number of fantastic smartphones that you can get your hands on priced around or below $300 is certainly impressive, though some stand out more than others. Three of the most intriguing budget-friendly phones on market right now are arguably the Honor 5X, OnePlus X, and the Nexus 5X.
The first two phones stand out primarily for pushing build quality farther than you’d expect given their low price tags. As for the Nexus 5X? It stands out both for its pricing, and for the fact that it is, well, a Nexus. All three of these handsets offer different experiences (as well as their own pros and cons), but in this in-depth look will we aim to give you a better idea of how these smartphones compare.
Design
We start off with the Honor 5X that was introduced recently during CES 2016, and while we know that the device is priced at $200, that’s certainly not the price point you’d expect when you first look at this phone. Featuring a metal unibody construction, you get a premium looking device that offers a solid feel in the hand, with the brushed hairline finish really adding to the overall aesthetic. The slightly curved back and flat sides makes for a phone that is comfortable to hold, and for a device that is made primarily of metal, it is surprisingly light, and not slippery either.
Another feature that isn’t usually expected from an affordable smartphone is a fingerprint scanner, but one is to be found with the Honor 5X, which works surprisingly well. It may not be the fastest fingerprint reader Huawei has put on a smartphone, but it is fast and accurate enough to not cause any problems at all.
On the other hand, the Nexus 5X is a complete opposite in terms of build materials and the feel it offers in-hand. The Nexus 5X continues where its spiritual predecessor, the Nexus 5, left off, touting a minimalist design that is completely plastic-clad. The plastic build and smooth matte finish doesn’t compare favorably when pit against the phones that feature metal or glass, but the plastic body is actually quite sturdy. The matte finish allows for a very soft and nice feel, and given its overall size, the one-handed handling experience of the Nexus 5X is very comfortable.
Just like the Honor 5X, the Nexus 5X also comes with a fingerprint scanner on the back, and Google really did an amazing job with Nexus Imprint. The setup process requires just a few taps to register a fingerprint, and once you are up and running, the scanner is extremely fast and accurate. It is very reliable, and you can pretty much have your smartphone unlocked even before completely pulling it out of your pocket. You also get USB Type-C with the Nexus 5X, which is slowly and surely becoming the new standard, even if the other devices seen in this comparison continue to utilize the older microUSB standard.
Finally, there is the OnePlus X, an even more affordable alternative to the already budget-friendly OnePlus 2. However, despite its low price tag, OnePlus has managed to offer a high quality experience with the OnePlus X. The device features a familiar sandwich design with glass on the front and back held together by a metal frame, and with it being smaller than the Nexus 5X, the handling experience is far more comfortable with one hand. The metal frame also features a series of micro cuts that allow for a better grip of the phone, and helps alleviate any concern with the glass construction resulting in a slippery phone. It has to be said that the glass is prone to fingerprints though, but it won’t be as noticeable with the white version of the phone.
Unlike the other two devices in this comparison, there is no fingerprint scanner to be found here, but the OnePlus X does have at least one of its own unique additions with its Alert Slider. a feature that makes its way over from the OnePlus 2. It allows for a quick and simple way to easily toggle between the various notification priorities, and even though it isn’t a feature seen with other Android smartphones, it certainly should be, given how useful a feature it is.
Display
All three of the devices feature displays with 1080p resolutions, but that is all that is common between them, as differing screen sizes and underlying technologies translate into very different experiences for each of the phones.
The Honor 5X is the largest of the group, boasting a 5.5-inch IPS LCD display, resulting in a pixel density of 401 ppi. If you like big screens, the Honor 5X may be the way to go, and you get really nice and vibrant colors, very accurate looking whites, and good viewing angles. You’re not going to get very deep blacks, but it gets the job done in most aspects, and is a pretty enjoyable display for your multi-media experience.
The Nexus 5X comes with a 5.2-inch IPS LCD display, with a pixel density of 423 ppi. While both the Nexus 5X and Honor 5X feature LCD screens, the display of the former unfortunately doesn’t offer colors that are quite as vibrant, with whites that are a little bit pink in comparison, along with a visibly lower overall brightness. It is still a decent looking panel, but as seen, it certainly isn’t the best 1080p screen out there.
Moving on to the OnePlus X, it comes with a 5-inch AMOLED display, resulting in a pixel density of 441 ppi. This display is my personal favorite of the lot, and as is expected from any AMOLED screen, you get vibrant and saturated colors that pop, and solid viewing angles, along with the deep inky blacks that you simply won’t find with an LCD display. In this media-consumption age, the 5-inch display may be too small for some, but for those who are looking for smaller devices that help with aspects like one-handed usability, the OnePlus X certainly fits the bill.
Performance and hardware
Qualcomm processors are the order of the day with all these devices, with the octa-core Snapdragon 615 processor powering the Honor 5X, backed by the Adreno 405 GPU and 2 GB of RAM, while the Nexus 5X comes with the hexa-core Snapdragon 808 processor, backed by the Adreno 418 GPU and also 2 GB of RAM. Finally, under the hood of the OnePlus X is the older quad-core Snapdragon 801 processor, backed by the Adreno 330 GPU and 3 GB of RAM.
When it comes to performance, none of these devices are really going to blow you away in terms of raw power or benchmark test results, but they are not really meant to, given the fact that these are budget devices. As far as handling everyday tasks go, all these devices perform admirably well though, and while the Snapdragon 801 is the oldest of the lot, it still remains a very capable processor. You will notice some slowdown if you try to push these devices too hard, but the phones handle gaming pretty well, including those that are more graphically intensive.
Despite packing very different Qualcomm chips, for the most part, I haven’t noticed much difference between these three smartphones as far as real world performance is concerned.
If NFC is a part of your requirements from a smartphone, the Nexus 5X is the only choice here, but if storage is a more prominent concern, the Honor 5X and the OnePlus X are the way to go, with the availability of expandable storage. Of course, the lack of a microSD card slot with the Nexus 5X isn’t particularly surprising, as that has been the case with Nexus smartphones for several years now.
One really important aspect that needs pointing out is that the Honor 5X and OnePlus X lack full LTE support in the US, more so in the case of the OnePlus X, which is missing support for both band 12 and band 17 on a hardware level. This doesn’t mean that you won’t get access to high speed data, but it isn’t going to be as reliable as you may like, and in some areas you may be stuck with HSPA+ speeds.
As far as battery life goes, you can’t expect anything more than a full day’s worth of battery out of any of these devices, but the way they go about achieving that are all very different.
The Honor 5X relies on a large 3,000 mAh battery to give itself enough juice to get you through the day. There are, however, Huawei’s standard power saving features built-in that adjust CPU and network usage for longer battery life, including an ultra power saving mode that disables most things, except for basic functions like calls and messaging. This, of course, can be really useful in those times when you just can’t get to a charger and you need to stretch out those last few percentages for as long as possible.
With the Nexus 5X, you’re getting a slightly smaller 2,700 mAh battery, and battery life during normal usage is pretty good, but where the 5X really shines is in standby. This is due to Doze, one of the newest features of Android introduced with Android 6.0 Marshmallow, which puts the phone in a deep sleep and limits unnecessary app activity anytime the phone is idle for long time. It makes a huge difference, and you can really see how little power is being consumed when looking at the battery life statistics. Something else that the Nexus 5X has is fast charging capabilities, which isn’t available with the Honor 5X or the OnePlus X.
The OnePlus X has the smallest battery out of the bunch, with a capacity of 2,525 mAh hours, but the smaller 5-inch AMOLED panel is much more battery life-friendly compared to an LCD screen, and the OnePlus X comes with a system wide dark mode that is enabled by default, to help you get the most out of your battery life.
Camera
On paper, the cameras of all these smartphones seem pretty close to each other, purely in terms of numbers, with the Honor 5X and the OnePlus X featuring 13 MP rear cameras, while the Nexus 5X comes with a 12 MP rear shooter. However, we all know that megapixels aren’t everything, and the actual quality of the sensor, pixel size, and image processing are some of the aspects that make a big difference.
Nexus 5X camera samples
When comparing the quality of the images side by side, there is really not much of a competition here. The Nexus 5X easily overshadows the Honor 5X and the OnePlus X. Of course, this may not be much a surprise, considering the fact that the Nexus 5X features the exact same camera setup as the flagship Nexus 6P. In normal to good lighting conditions, the Nexus 5X consistently produces sharper images, with better color accuracy and dynamic range.
OnePlus X camera samples
The OnePlus X takes hold of the second spot, with decent color reproduction and good amount of detail seen in images. However, dynamic range is still lacking, even if it isn’t nearly as bad as seen with the Honor 5X, that comes a distant third. What you get is a lot of overexposed highlights and crushed shadows, with many of the images taken with the Honor 5X camera having a noticeably warm cast.
Honor 5X camera samples
The story remains largely the same when taking pictures in low light conditions. The Nexus 5X does a really good job in these situations, making for images that are well detailed and with very little noise, and highlights that aren’t overexposed, as is the case with the Honor 5X and the OnePlus X. The Honor 5X is also quite slow in poorly lit situations, and images can come out slightly blurry if you don’t maintain a perfectly steady hand. The camera does try to add some sharpening in post processing to bring out more detail, but with photos being muddy and soft as is, it doesn’t make much of a difference.
Software
These are all Android smartphones, but as is the case with most other Android smartphones out there, the software experience will vary, sometimes greatly, depending on which device you pick.
The Honor 5X is running Android 5.1.1 Lollipop, with Huawei’s Emotion UI on top, and if you find the experience similar to what is found with iOS, you wouldn’t be entirely wrong. Like iOS, the interface is filled with a lot of very colorful icons, wallpapers, and transparency effects, along with the lack of an app drawer, which can take some getting used to, and leaves users dependent on folders to stay organized. Emotion UI does bring a few interesting features to the software package, but for the most part, it feels like it is interfering with the Android experience, instead of adding to it.
If you are looking for the purest Android experience out there, a Nexus smartphone has always been the way to go, and that certainly remains the case with the Nexus 5X. With the Nexus 5X, not only are you getting the latest features introduced with Android 6.0 Marshmallow, such as Doze, Google Now on Tap, and user defined permissions, but you will also be first in line for future software updates. Stock Android is generally faster and more responsive when compared to its skinned counterparts, so if you are looking for a smooth, streamlined, and clean user experience, stock Android is going to be your best bet.
If you are a fan of the stock Android look, but are interested more in terms of customization and features, that is exactly what you get with the OnePlus X, with it running Oxygen OS, based on Android 5.1.1 Lollipop. Oxygen OS comes with a lot of interesting and useful features baked in, such as the system-wide dark mode and various gesture controls, like double tap to wake, drawing an O to launch the camera, and so forth. You also get custom app permissions here as a part of Oxygen OS, despite it being based on Lollipop.
One of the biggest features of Oxygen OS is called Shelf, a pane that lives to the left of your main home screen, and stores your frequently used apps, favorite contacts, and any app widgets of your choice, which can make a big difference in keeping things organized. The biggest downside here is the fact that there is a lot of bloatware to deal with, including anything from speed boosters to junk file cleaners, along with a plethora of other apps that produce notifications that are often difficult to swipe away.
Specs comparison
| Honor 5X | Nexus 5X | OnePlus X | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Display | 5.5-inch IPS LCD display 1080p resolution, 401 ppi |
5.2-inch IPS LCD display 1080p resolution, 423 ppi |
5-inch AMOLED display 1080p resolution, 441 ppi |
| Processor | 1.5 GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 Adreno 405 GPU |
1.82 GHz hexa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 Adreno 418 GPU |
2.3 GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 Adreno 330 GPU |
| RAM | 2 GB | 2 GB | 3 GB |
| Storage | 16 GB, expandable via microSD card up to 128 GB | 16 GB, no expansion | 16 GB, expandable via microSD card up to 128 GB |
| Camera | 13 MP rear camera 5 MP front-facing camera |
12 MP rear camera 5 MP front-facing camera |
13 MP rear camera 8 MP front-facing camera |
| Battery | 3,000 mAh | 2,700 mAh | 2,525 mAh |
| Software | Android 5.1.1 Lollipop | Android 6.0 Marshmallow | Android 5.1.1 Lollipop |
| Dimensions | 151.3 x 76.3 x 8.2 mm 158 grams |
147 x 72.6 x 7.9 mm 136 grams |
140 x 69 x 6.9 mm 138 grams |
Gallery
Final thoughts
So there you have it for this in-depth look at the Honor 5X vs Nexus 5X vs OnePlus X! When it comes to making a choice between these, the important question is with regards to what is important for you from your smartphone experience. The Honor 5X offers a solid metal build quality and a fast and accurate fingerprint scanner, along with expandable storage, while the Nexus 5X brings to the table NFC, a fantastic camera, a stock software experience, and a very reliable fingerprint reader as well. Finally, the OnePlus X also features a great build quality and a software experience that overshadows stock Android in certain aspects.
With sub-$300 price points across the board, it would be unfair to expect perfection from this lineup of devices, but in most cases, any shortcomings won’t be completely off putting. For those looking to save some money, it’s also worth noting that the Honor 5X is the most affordable at $200, with the OnePlus X next in line at $250. Finally, we have the Nexus 5X, priced at $299.
See also: Best cheap Android tablets (January 2016)
Get the Honor 5X
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Get the Nexus 5X
PSA: You can download the Marshmallow update on T-Mobile’s LG G4 via LG Bridge
Those who own an LG G4 on T-Mobile’s network can now download Marshmallow through the LG Bridge PC software. Many folks over at Reddit are reporting that they’ve been able to successfully upgrade to Marshmallow through the tool, though status on an OTA update remains to be seen.
T-Mobile has yet to mention anything about the update; however, if you plug in your smartphone and check for an update via the LG Bridge tool, you should be prompted to download the software.
A quick search on T-Mobile’s website says that Marshmallow is in the “Manufacturer Development” process, though that probably isn’t the case anymore. With the update available through the LG Bridge tool, it’s likely that it’s actually in the T-Mobile testing phase, indicating that a full rollout might only be a couple of weeks out.
Again, there’s been no official word from the carrier, but if you’re wanting to get your hands on Marshmallow early, you can grab the LG Bridge PC tool here to start the process. But, if you don’t mind waiting, that OTA is probably not far off.
As a quick refresher, Marshmallow brings some neat feature like Doze, Google Now On Tap, App Permissions, some improved design elements, and much more.
The LG G4 in Canada began receiving the update to Marshmallow earlier this week.
Have you downloaded the update from LG Bridge? Let us know what you think!
source: Reddit
Come comment on this article: PSA: You can download the Marshmallow update on T-Mobile’s LG G4 via LG Bridge
Gionee Elife S8 takes a run through Geekbench
February is here which means MWC 2016 is just around the corner! Gionee is one of the companies that will be making an appearance at the upcoming trade show along with tens of others. But what will Gionee release you may ask? A new Geekbench listing suggests that we’ll see the new Elife S8 smartphone.
The Gionee Elife S8 will be among many smartphones to be showcased at this year’s show. The handset will replace the older Elife S7 model from last year and will the company’s first release of the 2016 year. We aren’t expecting Gionee to show off any other products at the event so the Elife S8 should get all the attention.
The Elife S8 or GN9011 made an appearance on Geekbench this week thus giving us a sneak peek at what’s in store for later this month. The handset will be powered by the MediaTek MT6755 SoC aka the Helio P10 processor. This is nothing abnormal because of all the recent Elife models which also ran MediaTek processors. 4GB of RAM will be included as well as Google’s latest Android 6.0 (excluding the minor 6.0.1 update). In the test, the handset was able to produce a multi-core score of 3148 and a 851 single-core score. Based on past leaks, the handset is also expected to include a pressure sensitive screen and new camera features.
Gionee has already confirmed an event to take place on Monday, February 22. That’s when we expect to find out all the official details regarding the new handset. We’ll keep you posted on all the latest news heading into the conference. It should be an exciting month! Stay tuned!
Source: Geekbench
Via: GSMArena
Come comment on this article: Gionee Elife S8 takes a run through Geekbench
Apple TV Universal Search Feature Expands to FOX NOW, FXNOW, and NAT GEO
Universal search, which allows users to find content across multiple apps and services using text or Siri voice search, is one of the most useful features on the new fourth-generation Apple TV. At launch, universal search worked with iTunes, Netflix, Hulu, HBO, and Showtime, but Apple promised to expand the feature to include additional content sources over time.
Apple has made good on that promise. As of today, searching for content on the Apple TV will encompass the aforementioned apps along with FOX NOW, FXNOW, and National Geographic. Apple also expanded universal search to include PBS and PBS Kids in January.
Apple maintains a full list of apps that are included in the Apple TV’s universal search feature in a dedicated support document. The new channels aren’t listed yet, but should be added to the document in the near future.
Universal search across iTunes, HBO GO, HBO NOW, Hulu, Netflix, PBS, PBS Kids, Showtime, Showtime Anytime, FOX NOW, FXNOW, and NAT GEO is limited to Apple TV users who are located in the United States. Content from these apps will be displayed when a user asks Siri to find a movie or television show or conducts a text-based search.
In Australia, Canada, France, Germany, and the UK, universal search only encompasses movies and TV shows on iTunes and Netflix, and with all other countries, search is only available for movies in iTunes.
Apple plans to continue opening up its universal search API to additional apps going forward.
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Apple Updates Final Cut Pro X, Motion and Compressor With Bug Fixes, Minor Feature Enhancements
Apple today updated Final Cut Pro X, Compressor, and Motion, its software designed for professional video editors. Today’s updates, the first since September, add a couple of new features and introduce a long list of bug fixes.
Final Cut Pro X now includes a Customizable Default Effect that allows users to choose a video and an audio effect to assign to a keyboard shortcut, a 4K export preset for creating video files for Apple devices, and the option to share video to multiple YouTube accounts. It also includes the following bug fixes and feature enhancements:
– Customizable Default Effect lets you choose both a video and audio effect that is assigned to a keyboard shortcut
– 4K export preset to create video files for Apple devices
– Improves speed when opening libraries on a SAN
– Resolves an issue that could affect the timecode display in the Dashboard on OS X El Capitan
– Import Canon XF-AVC including video files from the Canon C300 Mark II
– Ability to share video to multiple YouTube accounts
– Resolves an issue in which a disabled video effect could appear as Missing Effect when opening the project or when sharing to Compressor
– Addresses an issue in which black frames could appear in imported iPhone video clips that were trimmed on iPhone
– Fixes an issue that could cause the playhead to jump ahead when editing short titles
– Fixes an issue that could cause the timeline to stop playback when switching views in the Browser
– Fixes an issue in which points on a Bezier shape could incorrectly switch from Linear to Smooth
– Fixes an issue in which some objects within Motion templates render with soft edges
– Adds iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPad Pro, and Apple TV (4th generation) to the Apple Devices compatibility list in the Share window
Compressor includes the same 4K export preset for creating video files for Apple devices and several bug fixes:
– 4K export preset to create video files for Apple devices
– Fixes an issue in which Closed Caption files could be incorrectly labeled as SDH subtitles when creating an iTunes Store Package
– Fixes an issue in which the Navigation window fails to display the source clip when the Preview Window is zoomed
– Launch screen displays correctly on OS X El Capitan
– Adds iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPad Pro, and Apple TV (4th generation) to the Apple Devices compatibility list
Motion received a long list of bug fixes and stability improvements:
– Improves stability when adding Photoshop files to a project
– Improves stability when searching in iTunes and photo libraries
– Improves stability when using the Undo command after ungrouping a parent group
– Correctly saves percentage-based parameters in the Checkerboard generator after closing and reopening a project
– Correctly saves the preview movie for Motion templates created in German, Japanese, and Chinese
– Fixes an issue in which points on a Bezier shape could incorrectly switch from Linear to Smooth
– Fixes an issue in which some objects within Motion templates render with soft edges
– Adds iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPad Pro, and Apple TV (4th generation) to the Apple Devices compatibility list in the Share window
Today’s minor update comes nearly a year after Apple introduced the last major update to its video editing software in April of 2015, adding new features for motion graphics and enhancements to speed up video editing, packaging, and delivery.
Apple has also updated its Final Cut Pro X microsite to include information on FCP Exchange and Videomaker, both of which offer workshops and tutorials on using the editing software.
Final Cut Pro X can be downloaded from the Mac App Store for $299.99. [Direct Link]
Compressor can be downloaded from the Mac App Store for $49.99. [Direct Link]
Motion can be downloaded from the Mac App Store for $49.99. [Direct Link]
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Panthers linebacker gets 3D-printed brace for Super Bowl
During the first quarter of the NFC Championship game nearly two weeks ago, Carolina Panthers All-Pro linebacker Thomas Davis broke his arm making a tackle. Immediately after the game, Davis said he had every intention of playing in Sunday’s Super Bowl, and it looks like he’ll be able to do so with the help of a 3D-printed brace. Whiteclouds, a 3D printing company, engineered the brace in about 8 hours last week, after receiving a 3D scan of Davis’ forearm. What’s more, when he takes the field this weekend, Whitclouds says it will be “the first time an NFL player has used a 3D-printed piece of equipment on the field.”
Whiteclouds worked with Charlotte-based 3D Elite on the design, a company that specializes in braces and casts for sports. The brace is made printed out of a composite blend of plastic and rubber materials. This makes it rigid to stabilize the arm, but flexible enough to absorb any impact. It also has holes to make it breathable and to cut down on any extra weight. The inside is printed with a spongy material that not only increases comfort, but also improves the ability to withstand a collision. In all, the brace took 30 hours to print with a Stratasys Connex machines.
After suffering the injury, Davis underwent surgery to have a metal plate and a dozen screws put in his broken arm. He tried four different braces during the week of practice leading up to the big game, but the Whiteclouds/3D Elite solution ended up being the best option. For the Super Bowl, Davis will wear the brace under a layer of protective foam that will be taped to match the team’s uniforms. Having No. 58 on the field will certainly help the Panthers try to spoil what’s expected to be Peyton Manning’s final game.
Create VR experiences within VR itself using Unreal Engine
Epic Games has been teasing “the future of VR development” recently, and the team is finally ready to tell everyone what that is: Creating virtual reality content within virtual reality itself, using the full version of its Unreal Engine 4. Epic cofounder Tim Sweeney says that while the company’s been supporting the likes of the Oculus Rift from the outset, the irony is that, up to this point, the experiences we’ve seen so far have been developed using the same tools as traditional video games. “Now you can go into VR, have the entire Unreal editor functioning and do it live,” he says. “It almost gives you god-like powers to manipulate the world.”
So rather than using the same 2D tools (a keyboard, mouse and computer monitor) employed in traditional game development, people making experiences for VR in Unreal can now use a head-mounted display and motion controllers to manipulate objects in a 3D space. “Your brain already knows how to do this stuff because we all have an infinite amount of experience picking up and moving 3D objects,” Sweeney says. “The motions you’d do in the real world, you’d do in the editor and in the way you’d expect to; intuitively.”
Imagine walking around an environment you’re creating in real time, like a carpenter surveying his or her progress while building a house. Looking around, you notice that the pillar you dropped in place earlier is unexpectedly blocking some of the view through a window you just added. Now there isn’t a clear line of sight to the snowcapped mountain on the horizon. Within the VR update for Unreal Engine 4, you can pick the pillar up with your hands and adjust its placement until it’s right.
“You get far higher-quality content coming out of it because people are able to engage their brains in a much more natural way,” Sweeney adds.
This all feeds into Epic’s mission to demolish the barriers of entry to its nearly ubiquitous Unreal Engine (like making it free to use), and could further empower VR content creators of any ilk. Considering that so much of what’s available to “play” with today in the medium was made by the community itself and not professional developers, that’s a pretty big deal.
Sweeney likens it to Minecraft. He says the building tools in Mojang’s blocky game are “primitive” compared to a traditional game engine, but the game has introduced some 50 million people to creating their own 3D worlds. “I’d say the top half, or a quarter of [Minecraft players] would, in time, migrate to building 3D worlds using more advanced tools,” he says. “[Unreal Engine in VR] creates a much more intuitive path away from the game experiences into being a content creator yourself.”
NYC mayor wants a streetcar to connect Brooklyn and Queens
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio is once again trying to make an impact on transportation — but this time it’s with streetcars, not taxi apps. Later today during his State of the City speech, de Blasio plans to announce a $2.5 billion streetcar project that would run 16 miles from Brooklyn to Queens, the New York Times reports. The aptly named “Brooklyn Queens Connector” (BQX) would run aboveground, right alongside traffic, connecting the neighborhoods of Astoria and Sunset Park. For the most part, it would cover a route that isn’t accessible by subways (though it does appear to encroach on the much-maligned G train’s route a bit).
While expensive, the NYT notes that the BQX would be far cheaper than implementing a whole new subway line. And even though the cars would run a mere 12 miles per hour, they would still make the trip between the neighborhoods of DUMBO and Greenpoint in 27 minutes, faster than current bus or subway options. Another plus for de Blasio, since it’s an above ground project, he wouldn’t need to get approval from the state, a good thing since his relationship with Governor Cuomo isn’t exactly friendly. Construction of the BQX could start as soon as 2019, and it might be up and running by 2024.
Unlike NYC’s never-ending development plans for the Second Avenue Subway, the BQX is something that could be implemented relatively easily. Still, we’ll have to see how a streetcar system could affect traffic in busy downtown Brooklyn. One arm of the BQX will also head to Atlantic Center terminal, which is already a nightmare when it comes to traffic.
“This is a big deal for NYC and a big deal for the NYC tech sector,” wrote NYC venture capitalist Fred Wilson. “Fixing the transportation problems into these developing neighborhoods will bring people and jobs and new vitality to these waterfront neighborhoods.”
Source: New York Times
AIVAnet 