Bowers & Wilkins goes gold with Burberry T7 Bluetooth speaker
Bowers & Wilkins has announced a partnership with Burberry to create the T7 Gold Edition compact Bluetooth speaker.
The Bowers & Wilkins T7 is already an established Bluetooth speaker that, it says, is its most portable design to date. That connectivity means streaming is possible from a connected phone, tablet or computer easily.
The Burberry involvement also means the company has created a leather travel case for the new speaker. This will be a limited edition release of only 200 and will be available at Burberry stores as well as at the Bowers & Wilkins website. The case is hand-finished in Italy and is detailed with a Burberry logo in a gold-finish metal.
Music also comes to the special edition speakers but it sounds like that not included as part of the deal. Four live EPs were recorded by Burberry Acoustic musicians George Cosby, Fenne Lily, Rosie Carney and Ten Tonnes. These EPs will be available to buy and download on Society of Sound, the B&W HD music streaming service.
The speaker can manage up to 18 hours of playback from full. It comes in two finishes of either black embossed bridle leather or tan suede.
The Bowers & Wilkins Burberry T7 Gold Edition will be available from September.
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READ: Panasonic DMP-UB900 review: Ultra-HD Blu-ray master class
OnePlus 3 camera photos shown off by CEO, check them out here
The OnePlus 3 is close to being officially announced but before we see the phone we’ve been teased photos taken on its camera.
The OnePlus CEO, Liu Zuohu, shared the photos on his Weibo social account. He said the photos were taken on the new handset, suggesting the camera will be a big part of the smartphone’s appeal.
Few details were included with the photos but according to the EXIF data the shots were 16-megapixel stills, giving away the sensor size early. Lots of the shots are of food with just one of faces, likely on the selfie snapper. In each the background blur is decent suggesting the camera will work well at creating an SLR style effect.
While specs weren’t leaked with these photos the rumour mill has so far suggested that we can expect a 5.5-inch 1080p display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 CPU with a hefty 6GB of RAM. The cameras are now very likely to be 16-megapixles in the rear and 8-megapixels in the front.
OnePlus is expected to unveil the OnePlus 3 flagship smartphone on 14 June in a virtual reality event that users of the Loop headset can take full advantage of. Pricing has not been announced yet but expect this to be an affordable handset for the flagship level specs.
READ: OnePlus 3: What’s the story so far?
Gigabyte Aero 14 preview: Well spec’ed ultrabook for gamers
Gigabyte was showing off its gaming ultrabook range at this year’s Computex and they were eye-catching to say the least. Fantastic specs combined with super long battery life make for real competitors in this area.
The Gigabyte Aero 14 leads these are nifty little workstations with a 3K 14-inch, QHD 2560 x 1440 IPS screen and a wide viewing angle.
It has a slimline design and while it’s not the thinnest ultrabook on the market at 19.9 mm, bear in mind that this is also a device designed for gaming. As such, its 1.9kg weight is attractive, and undercuts the Razer Blade, its obvious competitor.
The machine runs on an Intel Core i7 processor – 6700HQ – with Nvidia cards for gaming graphics, made up of a 3GB GTX 970M or 2GB GTX 965M. There is also Intel’s HD Graphics 930 on board and up to 32Gb of RAM. Two M.2 PCLe Nvme SSD storage solutions promise lightning fast read and write speeds.
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The keyboard is a backlit chiclet and there’s a Macro hub to the left for games duties. It’s a generous keyboard with excellent travel.
READ: Weird and wonderful tech of Computex 2016: Crazy gadgets and gizmos you must see
The matte finished trackpad is responsive and again well-sized. Gigabyte has popped the huge 94.24Wh battery under the wrist rest and although the models on display weren’t exactly blasting through anything hardcore, the Gigabyte rep assured us that this doesn’t lead to toasty wrists.
Gigabyte puts the battery life at up to 10 hours, which is pretty damn impressive for a machine with such power, and an important consideration when you’re looking for productivity potential too.
You’ve got all the usual ports, including an SD card reader and USB Type-C. There are also three USB 3.0 inputs.
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The chassis is all metal and we have to say that it felt nice to the touch. There are three colours on offer – neon orange, charcoal grey and a rather odd vivid green. Perhaps they drew their inspiration from the similarly named chocolate bar? At least they are distinctive.
On a purely practical note the Aero has great specs and super portable weight and dimensions. If you’re keen to be able to enjoy a bit of gaming while you’re out and about (or pretending to be hard at work in the office) this could very well be the device for you.
The Gigabyte Aero 14 should be out around the middle of June and prices start at just over £1,000.
Keep an eye out for our full review when we get hold of one to play with later this month.
Xbox summer update 2016: Here’s what your Xbox One can do now
Last November, Microsoft pushed what was perhaps the biggest update to any of its consoles yet, with the Xbox One user experience switching to one based on Windows 10.
New features have arrived since then, with some having significant effects on how users get to content or keep in touch socially, but none have quite the impact of what is in store with the Xbox One summer update. It offers a number of key changes and improvements that make it one of the biggest software releases for the console.
We’ve seen it in action, so here’s a few of the major new features and enhancements that you can look forward to in the next month or so.
When will I get the Xbox One summer 2016 update?
The summer update is now rolling out to those on the Xbox Preview program. It is rolling out in waves, so you might not get it quite yet. It’s on its way though and you’ll see it appear in the next few weeks. The Xbox app for Windows 10 will also be updated.
Xbox One owners not on the Preview program will get the update in a month or so.
Xbox One summer 2016 update new features
Cortana comes to Xbox One
When Microsoft switched the Xbox One’s operating system to Windows 10, it was touted that Cortana – the voice assistant used by many on PC and Windows Phone – was also coming to the console. Now she’s finally arrived.
For those who already use voice commands with their console, there will be significant changes. For a start, you now have to say “Hey Cortana” before commands rather than “Xbox”. That includes when you turn the Xbox on or off.
However, as Cortana understands contextual speech, there is far greater variety in what is understood. For example, to turn off the console you could say, “Hey Cortana, turn off my Xbox One.”
She can also be used as a personal assistant, a la Windows 10 PC, rather than just understand gaming commands. You can ask her what the weather is, say, or even if you need to wear a coat today.
She will also learn your habits and needs, based on your Microsoft profile. So if you support Liverpool and Windows 10 knows that, you could just say, “Hey Cortana, how’s my football team doing?” She’ll show the current status of Liverpool FC in a sidebar on your TV.
Microsoft
Cortana available through headsets
As well as through the Kinect, Cortana can be used through a headset with a microphone.
While that might be useful if you’re watching a film late at night through headphones, it will come into use more for gamers who can bark commands during gameplay. Starting a party, for instance.
Microsoft
My Games & Apps rejigged
As well as move the My Games & Apps tile to the top right of the homescreen – making it much easier to access – the whole section itself has been revamped.
It now scrolls vertically rather than horizontally, and games are listed under alphabetical sub-heads. Games can also be sorted now by last used or size, rather than just alphabetically.
The list of games ready to install now appears on the lift sidebar, along with the games, apps and installation queue.
And when games are downloading, you can now see how fast the download speed is, as well as how much is left to download.
Facebook friends easily added
There is now the ability to easily find and add Xbox One owners among your Facebook friends. Facebook Friend Finder was available as part of the Xbox app on PC but is now part of the Xbox One system too.
As more people link their Xbox Live and Facebook accounts, you’ll also get new recommendations of people to add.
Sharing is easier on Xbox One
A setting has been added to halt automatic sharing of achievements, video clips and screengrabs. While those who are keen to do so will find the process slightly simplified. There are less steps to undertake in order to share content.
Microsoft
Xbox Store improved
The store is now under a single tab on the main screens and has a number of key improvements to make it more like the Windows Store on PC. It is now geared for the flood of Windows apps that will be released for the Xbox One over the coming weeks and months.
One of the main changes is that game discounts, as part of an Xbox Live Gold membership, will be shown on the storefront pages underneath related titles. They will also detail whether you already own a game, so you don’t have to go into their specific page to find out.
Microsoft
Windows 10 Xbox app improved too, with game DVR recording changes
If you record a video on either PC or Xbox One, you can now edit it on a PC before posting to the community. That can also be done with third-party Windows editing software, not just the built-in basic editor.
You can also manage your clips from your profile and post 60fps footage through the “very high” setting in the Xbox app.
Other PC games appear in Xbox Live feed
As well as the games sold by Microsoft, other PC games you have on your system will now appear in the Xbox app, with full metadata and details. Also, if you or your friends are playing a PC game, you can even see what game it is across all devices, including the Xbox One.
Google’s Deepmind AI will play Go against the world number one
After it beat Korean grandmaster Lee Sedol by four games to one earlier this year, Google’s AlphaGo has become the Go player to beat. Even while the series was still being played, 18-year-old Chinese Go champion Ke Jie remarked that he could beat Google’s Deepmind computer. Now he has his chance. At the 37th World Amateur Go Championship in Chinese city of Wuxi this weekend, a spokesman for the Chinese Go Association revealed that representatives have been in contact with the team behind AlphaGo and will set up a match before the end of the year.
It’s an interesting turn of events, particularly after Ke once said he didn’t want to play Google’s Deepmind computer because it would learn his playing style. “I don’t want to play against AlphaGo because I can tell from its performance that it is weaker than me,” he told Chinese media. “I don’t want it to copy my patterns and learn from me.”
Those emotions changed when 33-year-old 9th dan professional Lee Sedol was finally defeated by AlphaGo. The win is considered a huge milestone for artificial intelligence given the complexity of the Chinese board game.
Although Ke is also a 9th dan player and currently the world’s number one (beating Sedol on his way to a championship win earlier this year), the Korean is considered the Roger Federer of Go and was chosen for the Deepmind showdown based on his experience. Ke now has the chance to prove he’s not all talk and cement his reputation as the game’s best player.
Source: GB Times
‘Outcast’ trailer forces you to keep your eyes closed
Cinemax’s new show Outcast debuted on Friday. If the regular trailer didn’t convince you to tune in, maybe this interactive one will do. Created by digital marketing agency SapientNitro, the trailer uses eye-tracking and 3D audio to let you experience a “demonic possession.” (Outcast is very much about demons, both literal and figurative).
The setup is simple: the trailer is hosted on its own site, and requires a pair of headphones and a webcam. With your permission, it uses your webcam to detect whether your eyes are closed or open. With your eyes closed, you hear narration, creepy noises and the like; with your eyes open, you’ll see flashes of visions mostly pulled from the regular trailer and first episode. It essentially forces you to keep your eyes closed in order to progress, and makes sure everyone that watches it gets into the right frame of mind to do so.
A word of warning: before I could view the trailer, I had to rectify a couple of problems. First, I have way too much hair, and second, I wear glasses at my computer. Those things combined meant the eye tracking didn’t really work. With my glasses off and using my headphones as a makeshift hairband, though, the eye tracking worked just fine. For what it’s worth, a colleague with glasses and a more reasonable haircut also experienced issues.
The interactive trailer is great promotion for the show. If you didn’t know, Outcast is based on the comic of the same name, which was created by The Walking Dead writer Robert Kirkman and artist Paul Azaceta. As TV show launches go, Outcast’s has been fairly innovative: the pilot episode streamed on Facebook Live outside of North America, and was the first TV show to do so. It airs Fridays on Cinemax at 10PM, and worldwide on Fox.
Source: Cinemax
Virgin Trains has its own free on-board streaming app
The beauty of the English countryside is so overrated. Luckily, the next time you journey on a Virgin train, there’s a chance you won’t have reason to look up from your phone or tablet at repetitive foliage for even a second. Today, Virgin debuted Beam, a new app-powered entertainment service available initially on West Coast Pendolino and East Coast routes, with all Voyager trains catching up by September. Through the Beam Android and iOS apps, passengers can access roughly 200 hours of TV and film for free during their journey, from Captain America: Winter Soldier to House of Cards, or Peppa Pig for the littluns.
The streaming catalogue will vary slightly from route to route, and when you’ve had enough of Frank Underwood’s questionable politicking, there are plenty of free games and digital magazines to check out too. In the same way several airlines are able to offer in-flight streaming to passenger’s devices, Beam pulls content from an on-train server, keeping your monthly data allowance safe and making your long-haul journey that bit less tedious.
Via: Gizmodo UK
Source: Virgin Trains (1), (2)
Huawei manager says it’s making another Nexus device
It’s now been seven months since Huawei began selling its first (very well made) Nexus smartphone and consumers are already looking at what Google has planned for its 2016 refresh. The search giant typically keeps its manufacturing partners close to its chest, so it’s fallen on the Chinese company to start teasing a future device on its behalf. In an interview with Gear Burn, Charlene Munilall, General Manager of its South African consumer business group, has suggested that Huawei is building another Nexus device, telling the gadget site “we’re doing the Nexus again this year, by the way.”
Huawei was one of two Nexus smartphone partners last year, with LG supplying the Nexus 5X. Google has said it will do the same thing this time around to cater for fans who like the option of a core Nexus handset or something more high end. Huawei could be placed to fill one of those spots, but early rumors have suggested that HTC is on board to make both Nexus smartphones, which are reported to be codenamed Marlin and Sailfish.
If that is the case, there is also the possibility that we’ll see a Huawei-made tablet. Google may want to follow up the release of the Pixel C — the first tablet that it designed completely in-house — with another Surface-like slate, and Huawei could be the one to provide it. That is if Huawei’s regional executive isn’t speaking out of turn, of course. We’re still a few months away from a potential Google event but we’ve reached out to the companies involved to clarify the manager’s statement.
Via: Pocket Lint
Source: Gear Burn
Tribeca Shortlist now streams movies on Android devices
Last year, Tribeca Shortlist arrived on the video-streaming scene touting quality over quantity. At launch, the service was only available for iPad and the web, but it has since expanded to iPhone, Roku, Fire TV and, most recently, Apple TV. Now, Tribeca Shortlist is announcing support for Android devices, giving Google’s mobile users access to over 150 movies on demand. In addition to that content, you can also watch exclusive interviews with actors, directors and other members of the film industry.
Naturally, you’ll have to pay $5 per month if you’re interested. That said, Tribeca Shortlist is trying to tempt people by offering a free Chromecast to those who sign up for six months ($30). Can you handle another streaming service, though?
Cortana is coming to the Xbox One this summer
Microsoft announced the first big update to Windows 10 — known as the “anniversary update” — earlier this year. And now that the Xbox One is technically a Windows 10 machine, it’ll be getting some new features as far of the fun. It’s not near as radical an update as what we saw last year, but a handful of new features will make the console a bit more user-friendly.
The most notable addition here is full Cortana integration. The Xbox One has been notorious for the voice commands Microsoft tried to push with the Kinect, but the company is promising a less strict, more fluid and conversational experience with Cortana. Now, to turn on your console, you’ll say “Hey Cortana, Xbox On.” All of those same Xbox commands that previously were supported will still work, but you’ll need to say “hey Cortana” to get the assistant’s attention first and then tell it what you want to do.
Probably more significant is how Cortana’s intelligence comes into play when using voice commands. In a demo, I was able to say “hey Cortana, I wanna play Killer Instinct.” The assistant was smart enough to look through my library of installed games, which contained several Killer Instinct titles, and then ask me which one I wanted. Saying “the first one” launched the first title in the list.
That’s a definite improvement over the current system, which requires you to say the exact title to launch the appropriate game — something that can get a little unwieldy. The system is also smart enough to parse conversational phrases like “I wanna.” It’s also smart enough to let you string multiple commands together into one phrase. You can say “hey Cortana, invite Terry to a party” and it’ll both start the party and send the invite — two distinct commands that it can parse as one.
Microsoft said that it was primarily focused on getting Cortana working with game-related functionality first and foremost, but some of its other features are included. If you have location settings turned on, you can ask it to show you nearby restaurants and get results from Bing, for example. And if you’re logged in to the same Microsoft account you use for Cortana on other platforms, your history and Cortana notebook will all come along to the Xbox One.
Other improvements include a new navigation system to go through your game library. It’s a lot simpler and cleaner than before, with a large scrolling grid showing everything in your library, whether it’s installed on your console or not. From there, you can short by letter to quickly find a specific game. And there’s also a new queue showing your most recent purchases. It’s nothing revolutionary, but it’s definitely a cleaner look at your library and what’s installed than before.
The games store has also been cleaned up a bit — it’s easier to see what games are on sale, with a strikethrough on the old price and more bold text indicating when something has had a price drop. You’ll also see more clearly what games have deals through the Xbox Live Gold and EA Access programs, as well.
Microsoft is also getting the console ready for Windows 10 universal apps. Right now, developers like Netflix need to write apps specifically for the Xbox One, but soon universal Windows apps will be supported on the console — so you can write the app once and have it work across PC, Xbox and Windows Phone (for what that last one is worth).
Lastly, the Xbox Live app for Windows 10 computers has been updated to more closely link the PC and console together. If you’re into recording gameplay footage and editing it, you can now import things you’ve recorded on your Xbox One to your Windows PC, edit it using whatever tools on your PC you choose, and then re-upload the new copy. The app also pulls in more of your Windows PC gaming activity into your social stream. If you’re playing games on your PC from Steam or any other Windows-based gaming platform, your activity will show up for your friends. The idea was to give a more comprehensive view of you as a gamer and not keep things limited to just your Xbox activity.
Again, none of these changes on their own are revolutionary, but it’s good to see Microsoft continue to polish the gaming experience for users, regardless of whether they’re on a console or PC. If you want to check out the new Xbox software, a preview version rolls out this week, with a final version planned for later this summer. And Microsoft teased one more big update before the end of the year, but there’s no word yet on what’ll be included.
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