Google loses court appeal in Russian Android anti-trust case

Google may have to face a fine and change the way they distribute Android to device makers in Russia. A court in that country has denied Google’s appeal in its anti-trust case against Russia’s local search engine Yandex.

Yandex filed a complaint with the country’s privacy watchdog, the Federal Antimonopoly Service, in early 2015, claiming that Google had violated Russia’s anti-trust laws by requiring the pre-installation of certain applications on devices that used Android. The FAS concluded in September that Google had in fact violated the country’s regulations.

According to Reuters:

“Google filed an appeal, but FAS said on Monday the court had fully supported its decision. The company now has to amend its contracts with smartphone manufacturers in order to comply with the ruling, and pay a fine.”

There’s no word yet on how much Google will be fined by Russia in this case.

Five multiplayer Gear VR apps to share with friends

Virtual Reality does not have to be a solo experience.

Samsung has been hard at work shipping Gear VR units to folks who got them free as part of the Galaxy S7 pre-order, and that means there is now a massive surge in people trying this headset out for the first time. If you’ve been fortunate enough to watch the Oculus Store grow and improve in the Gear VR, you know there’s a ton of things to do in this VR world right now, which is fantastic. No matter how much experience you’ve had in the Gear VR, there’s a good chance you haven’t had a ton of opportunities to enjoy multiplayer gameplay with the Gear VR.

Here are a few games to get you started with multiplayer Gear VR gaming.

• Shooting Showdown 2 — This game is essentially a really advanced target practice sim in VR, with a ton of options for what to shoot and what environments to shoot it, but the real fun comes in when you jump into multiplayer. The game allows for head-to-heat shot counters to see who is the best with their finger on the -trigger- plastic button on the side of your head. It’s good for quick fun, and a great way to introduce someone to immersive VR.

• Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes — This game doesn’t require multiple Gear VR headsets, but it absolutely requires multiple people. The person wearing the Gear VR needs to disable a complex explosive before the time runs out, but the only way to know exactly what to do is rely on the second person with the manual. The person not in VR land has a massive bomb diffusal guide to sort through based on the first player’s description of the bomb, and as long as both players work together everyone lives.

• AltSpace VR — This is currently a beta that you install separate from the Oculus Store, but the experience is all about interacting socially with the rest of the VR world. A big part of that experience is simple tabletop gaming and watching videos, and at least one of those things is a lot more fun to do with someone physically near you. If you’re into trying something that isn’t quite finished with your fellow Gear VR users, this is a lot of fun.

• VR Karts: Sprint — Racing with friends is something every generation of gamer has done, and in the Gear VR you can look to your left and right and see your fellow racers from a unique perspective. VR Karts: Sprint is vaguely reminiscent of Mario Kart in nature, and with the right controller you can have a lot of fun with this setup.

• Oculus Social — While not technically a game, Oculus Social users have been doing some fun things to shake up the overall experience as Oculus perfects the features. Live Twitch streaming has turned into impromptu Karaoke sessions on more than a couple of occasions, which is is a lot more fun than it sounds when the person singing before you is a weird floating head that tracks the real human’s movements.

It’s strange to think about being social and play in a multi-user space when you’re wearing something that removes your ability to see the person sitting in the room with you, but the experiences being created here are too much fun to pass up. If you have the opportunity to enjoy one of these apps with someone else, give it a shot. In the mean time, if we left a killer multiplayer experience from this list you should share it with us in the comments section below.

Samsung Gear VR

• Gear VR review
• Five Gear VR games that shouldn’t be missed
• Inside Samsung’s Gear VR web browser
• Gear VR vs. Google Cardboard
• Where to buy Gear VR

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Removing System Tuner UI from your Android N Settings

Sometimes a new feature isn’t always a must-have feature. This one can be turned off.

Why would you want to make Android N’s System Tuner UI go away? It has tons of options you can play with. You can clean up your status bar with it. You can turn on and tweak that awesome Night mode with it. You can even re-calibrate your display with it. But you’re not gonna use any of that, are you? Okay, to each their own.

Here’s how to turn it off.

System UI Tuner is not visible by default; in fact, most phones running Marshmallow won’t even give you the option to make it visible and accessible. This is for very good reason: it holds a lot of settings that can jank up your status bar and your quick settings, and not everyone needs to be in them. System UI Tuner is playing host to more features this year, and those features and this menu can change or disappear over the course of the Developer Preview. Nothing is final until N ships in the fall, after all.

If you added System UI Tuner to your Settings poked around, and decided you don’t need any of this awesomeness, you can take them back off the visible menu in Settings quite easily. As a quick reminder: if you remove System UI Tuner, you can’t use Night mode, and any default status bar items you may have toggled off will be turned back on.

Open System UI Tuner. Tap the menu button in the top-right corner. Select Remove from Settings. Tap Remove in the popup that asks you if you really want to remove System UI Tuner from your settings and stop using all the settings therein.

Whether you turn it off or keep it on, be content knowing that if you get fed-up with it, you can banish it to its invisible corner of the system from the Settings menu.

Android N Developer Preview

The Android N Developer Preview is just that — a developer preview. It is not intended for daily use. That doesn’t mean it’s not cool, and that you shouldn’t poke around. But know that things will break. Tread carefully. (And have fun!)

• What’s new in Android N
• All Android N news
• About the Android Beta Program
• Download system images
• Android N easter egg
• Join the Discussion

Streaming music? Google is where it’s at

In last week’s poll we asked what is your favorite streaming music service? There are tons of options out there from Google Play Music to Pandora. With so many options it can be hard to stick with just one. That’s why we wanted to know who had your loyalty, when it came to getting your tunes wherever you might be.

Google Music lead the way in last week’s poll, grabbing first place with a whopping 40 percent. Not far behind at 32 percent of the vote, was Spotify. In third place was Other, with only 8 percent of the vote. Pandora slid into fourth place, with 7 percent. Amazon Prime Music managed to snag 5 percent of the overall vote, and Apple Music had another 4 percent. In seventh place with only 2 percent of the vote was Slacker. Tidal and Rhapsody tied for eighth place, with only 1 percent of the vote each. Our last place was also a tie of 0 percent for both R.dio and Last.Fm.

Was your favorite streaming service on our poll? Let us know why it’s your favorite in the comments!

Sky Q review: The future of multi-room television?

The Sky Q service has been a number of years in the making. Now that it’s here we’ve had it installed in the home and, over the past two weeks, we’ve had plenty of time living with the ecosystem.

For the purpose of this review we’ve got the Sky Q Silver box with a Sky Q Touch Remote, two Sky Q Mini boxes in separate rooms, the Sky Q Hub powering it all, and the Sky Q app on an iPad for watching content elsewhere in the house, or on the go. We already had a Sky Fibre broadband internet connection from an earlier install. As such we’ve not tested the standard Sky Q box, but that is simply a cut-down version of the Silver box (read our Sky Q Silver vs Sky Q feature), so the experience will be similar.

Now Sky Q it is available to buy, here’s what you can expect. Is it worth that upgrade?

Sky Q Silver box review: The big daddy box 

The Sky Q Silver box is at the top of the Sky Q food chain, yet is still housed in a box that is slimmer and less boxy than the Sky+HD hardware – at about half the size. It has a staggering 12 TV tuners inside and is 4K Ultra High Definition compatible, so when 4K content becomes available – potentially later this year – it will be able to handle that.

The Silver box is also the storage hub of the home – even though the router is technically named as such, as it (or the standard Sky Q box) is required to make the whole system work.

The Sky Q Silver box has a 2TB hard drive inside for recordings or to store downloaded shows and movies. And that HDD can be accessed by all other connected devices around the home, including Sky Q Mini boxes, Android tablets or iPads.

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The 12 TV tuners can’t all be utilised for recordings (that would be insane). Instead, one is used to provide the live TV broadcast, one for picture-in-picture view of another channel while looking at the on-screen mini-EPG, and four are for recordings to allow four simultaneous different channel recordings at once, while watching another. There are two tuners set aside for connected tablet devices, and two for Sky Q Mini box connections, so they can all watch content live from the box, plus a network tuner. The final remaining tuner is set aside for future use.

The standard Sky Q box similarly splits its eight tuners, but three are for recordings rather than four, while only one is utilised for external tablet use, and just the one for simultaneous viewing on a Sky Q Mini box. Ultimately that means less simultaneous recordings/viewings from the standard box. Both Sky Q boxes also have a HDMI input as well as out, which could be used in the future – although that functionality isn’t available at launch.

All Sky Q devices will eventually be able to talk to each other over powerline connections, which means that if they cannot detect a Wi-Fi signal or that’s not fast or strong enough, they look to transmit and receive network signals through your home’s existing electrical cables instead. However, that feature isn’t enabled at launch, much to the chagrin of our installers.

You can use a direct Ethernet cable for connection – we have for our setup – but again, Sky engineers have been told they shouldn’t at the moment, and even then you have to have a direct cable from one box to another, or if it must go through a network switch, a decent network switch. We tried with a cheap offering at first, and it didn’t work.

Sky Q Touch Remote review: Buttons and touch-control

Both Sky Q Silver and Sky Q boxes come with a Sky Q Touch Remote. The build isn’t as “spongey” as the previous remote, but functionality has been vastly improved and a plethora of buttons you probably never used have been ditched. It really adds something different to the TV experience by adding swipe controls to the usual button-press experience.

Connected via Bluetooth rather than infrared – so you don’t have to have direct line-of-sight to the Sky Q box – it’s an ideal connection if you want to hide the box in a cupboard out of view. Plus, if you lose the control down the side of the sofa then a quick press of the “Q” logo on the Sky Q box will force it to beep so you can attempt to try and track it down – with three kids in the house, we’ve already used this feature a lot. 

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On the remote itself is a large, round touch-panel that we’ve used the most. It works in a similar way to the latest Apple TV remote – in that swipes and occasional presses on the pad replace almost every other function you’ve previously needed a button for. A click of this touchpad brings up the on-screen electronic programme guide (EPG), which can then be navigated through using the touch functionality.

The touch features don’t just extend to the black circle on the remote, as the silver dial to the top of the dial can be used with swipes to control the speed of fast forward and rewind, although you can still tap if that feels a little too “futuristic”. We like that the rewind and forward functionality can be manipulated by swiping your thumb or finger around the top of the circular strip; move it more towards either edge and the zipping back and forth through video speeds up or slows down respectively.

There are still plenty of traditional buttons, though, including a red record button to make sure you won’t miss a programme, but gone is a direct button to the TV guide (no, really). Newly welcomed additions are a dedicated button to your recordings, search, and a HDMI input switch so you can finally ditch your dedicated TV remote once and for all. There’s also a three-dot button used to jump to the app side-bar and a voice-control button that is currently defunct awaiting that feature to go live.

Meanwhile the standard Sky Q Remote, which comes with the Sky Q Mini boxes, has mostly the same functionality, albeit minus the Touchpad which is replaced instead with dedicated selection of buttons. The experience is akin to the remote Sky HD customers will be used to, but with the functionality of some of the new buttons detailed above. This remote is infrared rather than Bluetooth too, so you will need a direct line of sight to the Mini box – a shame as that means you won’t be able to hide them away like you can the main Sky Q box.

And before you ask, no you can’t use the older Sky remotes with Sky Q. You can, however, use the Sky Q Touch Remote to control a Q Mini – not that such a remote comes with it, but you can buy extras separately if you really want.

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Sky Q Mini review: TV in other rooms 

Even though the Sky Q Mini is essentially a media streamer only, it clevery acts almost exactly like the Sky Q or Sky Q Silver box that feeds it. You will barely know the difference, with little or no lag in video streaming between them.

The one thing we have noticed on the user interface that was different to that on the main set-top-box is you don’t get the picture-in-picture feed on the pop-up EPG or access to the apps like YouTube or Vevo. Other than that everything – all recordings and streamed shows – are instantly accessible in the same way as they are on the main box.

It is super quick in operation too, having the same tech inside as the Sky Q box, save for the tuners. That means 1080p “Full HD” output quality.

Multiple Sky Q Mini boxes can be situated around a home, but only two can be used concurrently. They will also act as Wi-Fi extenders if you have the Sky Q Hub broadband router, working to boost your Wi-Fi signal around the house.

Sky Q Hub review: The source of entertainment?

Dual-band, with 2.4GHz and 5GHz bandwidths working concurrently, Sky Q has Gigabit Ethernet support, but only two sockets rather than the four previously found on the Sky Hub.

That’s a huge pain, especially if you’ve got lots of other devices needing a connection and a surprise given the amount of smarthome connected devices requiring a bridge to connect directly to your router these days. For us we’ve had to get a network switch (NetGear) to cope with “connected bridges” for Philips Hue and Honeywell Evohome, as well as move away from a wired Xbox One and PS4 to Wi-Fi only.

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The other perhaps strange move from Sky is that currently you need to use the Sky Q Hub router to be able to talk to the Sky Q box and any Sky Q Mini boxes you have. Start using another router and the system knows and won’t work. Sky clearly wants you to stay within the Sky system.

This above point is likely to change, but at the moment your network will be powered by Sky broadband and connected via the Sky Q hub with Sky Boosters and nothing else. For most that won’t be a problem, but those who want more out of their networking capabilities will be disappointed.

Sky Q review: A new user experience 

The hardware aside, the user experience is by far the most important part of the Sky Q setup. Yes, those TV tuners are necessary and the multi-room features exciting, but the main menu system and smart abilities of the software are what make Sky’s new tech next-generation. It’s like the Sonos of TV, or Sling box if you can remember that far back, taking many of the features other streaming services have adopted as standard and applying that to all your TV stations.

It all starts with the homepage (Top Picks), which will come as a revelation to those who already use a Sky box. Although the user interface (UI) on those boxes have been refined to within an inch of their lives, this is a bold new step in the right direction, with a layout that makes it so much easier to navigate – although it does encourage more scrolling and adds a number of additional cool features to initally figure out.

Rather than a top bar of tabs on the conventional Sky boxes, navigation in Sky Q is through horizontal planes, which run from left to right. On the left, there’s a picture-in-picture view of the current channel. On the right-hand side you always see the relevant information of content for a specific section. It’s initially complex but after some learning it’s easy to understand. Flick through menus in a similar way to media apps such as Plex, by selecting subject headings in simple to access lists. They are all meticulously thought out, so that the content you most want to get to quickly is available through as few swipes on the touchpad as possible.

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The other thing you immediately notice about the Sky Q UI is it’s very picture based and content rich. All films and shows are represented by cover art, whether they are your own recordings, streamed/downloaded shows, or content available on the internet (such as YouTube or Vevo videos). And that’s also key to Sky’s philosophy behind the new system: it needn’t ever matter to the end user; it is about presenting the shows you want to watch when you want to watch them, regardless of the source. The new UI really showcases the depth and breath of Sky’s offering.

The menu system has new highlights sections: Top Picks an example of showcase featured shows, or, for example, the Kids section which is even broken down as far as “shows on Milkshake”. The upshot is that we’ve already watched a number of programmes we didn’t know even existed.

There are additional software tools that help aid that goal too, including the My Q section of the homepage. This is split into several sub-categories, with curated content suggestions, suggestions of programming based on other shows and films you’ve enjoyed in the past, and perhaps most excitingly, a function whereby additional episodes of series you are currently watching automatically appear in your collection as they become available.

Watch episode five of Supergirl, for example, and episode six will appear in your My Q section as soon as it has been broadcasted, while things you’ve got half way through watching are ready to watch where you paused them. It’s like the “You’re watching” feature in Netflix and makes things a lot easier to pick up where you left off.

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Sky Q review: Fluid Viewing, not for live TV

Which is handy because that’s one of the big selling points of Sky Q: Fluid Viewing. This feature lets you pick up where you left off on devices around the home. Start watching a recorded show in the lounge and if you want to go and curl up in bed you can simply fire-up the Sky Q Mini and carry on. It’s the same on a tablet too.

Perhaps somewhat misleading is that this is not possible with live TV. There is a work-around, by recording the show before you move locations, but nonetheless something that confused us at the start. Also don’t expect to stream personal videos, Netflix, or Amazon Prime to your TV through the box – because you can’t.

It’s not just about jumping from device to device though. If you click on the touchpad  during a TV show that is either recorded or streamed, you get an option to scroll through other episodes and subsequently download them, all while you continue to watch the one that is currently being played. And if you do the same with a film, you can see recommended similar films.

Music is now heavily catered for too. There’s a dedicated section in the UI that highlights the broadcaster’s Sky Arts coverage a lot better, while music channels, national radio, and now Vevo all get equal billing. Vevo offers three 24-hour music channels along with the ability to create your own radio station based on the starting artist similar to Spotify Radio. When you’ve given up trying to work out what to listen to from the various channels and services from Sky you can Bluetooth or AirPlay music from your own device to the TV. Then send the track to all boxes around the home, synchronising them if you’re having a house party. Sonos who? Multi-room eat your heart out.

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On the whole the new Sky Q software experience is a good one. It’s picture rich, easy to find your way around and comes with new features like the ability to share Facebook pictures or even go as far as check your bill. In terms of parental settings it’s as good as you would expect, giving you peace of mind if you’ve got kids.

This system isn’t always perfect though. There’s no quick way to get to the TV guide, for example. Instead it’s a lengthy process involving four steps. That’s partly down to Sky trying to promote that the box is so much more now, and perhaps a response to how we’ve all changed the way we watch televisions – but those keen to see what’s on TV quickly will find it laborious.

Then there are strange tweaks that make sense but that will be alien to most current Sky users. Pressing “i” on the remote while watching a show or movie brings up the information card, but pressing it again as you used to on Sky HD doesn’t dismiss it – you have to use the dismiss key instead. Likewise you now press down to go up the channels, rather than pressing the up key. That’s logical for many competitor EPGs, but it’s the reverse of what Sky has used for so long – we suspect many long-time Sky subscribers will be initially baffled. Things like this aren’t going to destroy the experience, but you should expect there will be some learning to do, and more so than we expected.

Sky Q review: Apps make for more than just TV

Aside from the new EPG to master, Sky has introduced Apps within the Sky Q experience. There are two types of apps: ones that you can slide load while watching television like Sky News or the weather; and more traditional ones that provide content.

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The first apps that you will get with Sky Q initially are for music and video services Vevo and YouTube. There is currently no Netflix or Amazon Prime Video. They are both as in-depth, smooth-to-run and intuitive as equivalent apps on any other platform. It’s worth noting, though, that YouTube is not capable of 4K video streaming, even on the Sky Q Silver box. Whether that changes in future is yet to be seen, but for now it is capped at 1080p. It is rare to get 4K streaming with YouTube on separate set-top-boxes, though, typically it’s internal TV apps that are 4K-capable – but with Sky Q pushing the future of TV, you might have expected such a feature straight out of the box. 

Sky has secured content deals with other video sources, but rather than present them as separate applications, it places the video clips in one of its own homepage menus, with similar styling to the rest of the Sky Q experience. There’s plenty to discover, with different categories (including “cute”) and we anticipate many more content partnerships to be struck in the future.

Sky Q iPad app review: Sky Q on the go

The Sky Q app – we’re using the iPad – offers a similar experience to the main UI, but on a mobile device. Much of the offering will be familiar to users of Sky Go – albeit with a different styling – but there is the headline feature, something nobody else has managed before: remote access to recordings as long as you are on the same Wi-Fi network.

Not only can you watch your recorded shows streamed from the Sky Q Silver or Sky Q boxes elsewhere around the home, but you can download them for offline viewing. Yes, relaxing in the bath, you can finally watch all those shows you’ve got recorded on your Sky Q box downstairs. For Sky customers who’ve wanted to do this, but have never been able to, it changes everything.

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Move away from the home network and you’ll have to make sure you’ve downloaded what you want to watch before you leave the house though. Not all content is available to download because of rights deals, but the vast majority will be, and we’ve already enjoyed Sky Q on a plane.

Of course, on-demand content will be available for download and to watch offline too, so the app really will be the one-stop shop to watch pretty much anything you want, at home or away, and is perfect for travelling.

Verdict

Having spent two weeks using Sky Q at home it feels like Sky has created a device to suit all tastes and needs, with a strong multi-room focus and a modern outlook on household entertainment desires.

The new user interface is vast and has the power to change how you watch television, encouraging you to watch more content when, where and how you want to. There’s still live TV aplenty, but it’s almost been pushed to the background. Of all the features it’s being able to watch our recordings remotely that we’ve been waiting on for years, which is finally here.

With pricing being within affordable rather than other-worldly levels – certainly compared to previous Sky pricing, although some will certainly disagree – we have to say that Sky Q has all the potential of being the best TV service we’ve ever had.

However, currently it’s very much the version one experience, without the 4K content that the service can and will deliver in the future, and with some small issues to still iron out. But the good news is that the service will get better over time as more and more features are added.

Microsoft shows how you tell stories with HoloLens

When Microsoft started taking pre-orders for its HoloLens developer headset, it teased a digital storytelling app named Actiongram. But what is it, exactly, and how does it work? The folks in Redmond are finally ready to explain. In a detailed blog post, Microsoft has revealed that Actiongram is all about letting you create short, effects-laden mixed-reality videos without having to know a thing about 3D graphics. You just have to pick characters and props, place them in the world, and tell your tale. It’s not particularly elaborate, but it shows how augmented reality apps can simplify this kind of creativity — a video that would take days of compositing work could be wrapped up in an afternoon.

Right now, access to Actiongram outside of Microsoft is limited to a handful of the “world’s best social storytellers.” The company is working on a closed beta test program, though, so you might have a shot if you happen to have both the $3,000 HoloLens unit and a penchant for fun. Also, Microsoft notes that this is just the start. It took five people just half a year to create Actiongram. Hopefully, any future home version of the headgear will have more powerful creative tools on hand.

Source: Microsoft Devices Blog

Comic-Con’s streaming service launches in beta on May 7th

San Diego Comic-Con doesn’t take place until July, but when it does, you’ll have an option to stream coverage and gain other “exclusive access” with a new service. Comic-Con is working with Lionsgate on a streaming service that will not only offer coverage of its events, but also populate a library of movies and TV series alongside original shows and commentary. The subscription service, dubbed Comic-Con HQ, will launch in beta form on Comic Book Day, May 7th. During the initial trial period, beta users can expect unlimited access to the service free of charge, including live coverage of this year’s San Diego soirée.

As far as the non-event related content goes, Comic-Con HQ’s slate of originals will feature some familiar folks from G4. X-Play’s Adam Sessler is set to host an interview-based series (among other things) and Attack of the Show’s Kevin Pereira is the executive producer of a late-night talk show of sorts and an entertainment news show. The Verge reports that these will be daily or weekly programs. There’s also going to be a show called Impossible Science that uses new tech to remake magic show effects in addition to a number of other original programs.

There’s no word on what the curated section of movies and televisions shows will include just yet, though. The same goes for exactly which parts of San Diego Comic-Con will be available for streaming via the service. After touting “exclusive access,” that could mean a virtual seat in the highly-coveted Hall H where the most popular panels are held each year. Streaming of those talks and interviews alone could make Comic-Con HQ worth the price of admission.

Via: The Verge

Source: Comc-Con HQ

Verizon upgrade program gets you a new phone every year

Verizon hopped on the annual phone upgrade bandwagon late last year, but only for iPhones — not much good if you prefer Android-flavored devices. Thankfully, it’s widening that circle today. The carrier is launching an Annual Upgrade Program that gets you a new smartphone each year. So long as you buy Samsung’s Galaxy S7 or S7 Edge on an installment plan, you won’t have to shell out more to upgrade to something new. You can upgrade as soon as 30 days after you activate a new phone, although you’ll need to have paid at least 50 percent of the device price first — this isn’t the best choice if you’re prone to buyer’s remorse.

Big Red’s move is really a response to existing programs like Sprint’s iPhone/Galaxy Forever and T-Mobile’s Jump. It’s a way to keep you from switching to other carriers if you’re the sort who always has to have the latest phone in your pocket. With that said, it’s tempting stuff if you’re a Galaxy fan. Provided you’re comfortable with Verizon and don’t mind making device payments on top of your carrier fees, it’s cheaper than either buying new phones outright or paying a hefty premium to upgrade early.

Source: Verizon

AT&T avoids class action lawsuit over unlimited data throttling

Bad news if you were hoping to take AT&T to task for throttling your unlimited mobile data: you probably won’t get much help beyond government regulators. A Northern California District Court judge has ruled that the carrier won’t face a class action lawsuit for allegedly misleading customers by promising unlimited data that could slow down if you used 3GB or more in a given month. The judge claims that affected subscribers all signed contracts that let AT&T send disputes like this to individual arbitration. They can’t sue, in other words.

You may get some relief from the Federal Trade Commission, whose pursuit of AT&T on the subject likely pushed the network to raise its throttling limit and make performance a non-issue for most users. However, this all but rules out any private action. Telecoms often prefer arbitration for disputes precisely because it works in their favor. The payouts are bound to be smaller than they would in a class action potentially representing millions of people, and it’s frequently not worth the cost as a result. Unless the law changes to forbid arbitration clauses in contracts, you might not have much recourse.

Via: Ars Technica

Source: MediaPost

Sulon offers a peek at a true all-in-one VR headset

The ideal virtual reality headset doesn’t need anything else to work its magic: no wires, no tracking sensors, no smartphones. That’s been largely elusive, but Sulon Technologies thinks it’s on the cusp of making this work. It just provided a sneak peek at the Sulon Q, a VR and augmented reality headset that operates entirely on its own. It combines a quad HD OLED display with AMD computing hardware (an FX-8800P chip with Radeon R7 graphics), audio and spatial processing to do everything you need on your noggin. In theory, you only have to don this Windows-based device to start wandering virtual worlds — and you won’t get caught up in cabling while you’re at it.

Sulon isn’t discussing pricing for the Q just yet, but it should be available in late spring. Whether or not it works as well as promised is another matter. How well it works will depend on the software you can use with it. And while the Q is pitched as “lightweight,” strapping a computer to your head is likely to be more burdensome than wearing a focused device like the HTC Vive or Oculus Rift. If Sulon pulls this off, though, it’ll be much easier to understand for VR newcomers who may not relish the thought of buying an expensive PC (or connecting to any device) just to get started.

Source: Sulon Technologies