Microsoft’s never-released ‘McLaren’ phone gets a review
Remember Microsoft’s Nokia-branded McLaren smartphone? It was supposed to carry the torch for Windows Phone in late 2014 through its exotic 3D touch input (which Apple wouldn’t have until 2015), but it was cancelled just months before launch for reasons unknown. However, the ill-fated device is finally getting its moment in the spotlight. Windows Central has reviewed a McLaren prototype, and it’s clear that the Microsoft mobile team was on to something… if not as much as it first thought. Its proximity sensor-based 3D touch not only works, but showcases a few clever tricks. Live Tiles could expand into sub-tiles as your finger got closer, and it could keep the screen awake so long as you held the phone in your hands.
Certain parts of McLaren can’t really be tested, such as the 20-megapixel camera (its early software limits it to 8 megapixels without advanced control). However, it’s not entirely surprising why Microsoft gave it the chop. WC sources claim that users couldn’t wrap their heads around the 3D touch concept, and the McLaren wouldn’t have been very competitive outside of that feature. Its 5.5-inch 1080p display was fine, but its then year-old Snapdragon 800 processor wasn’t. It would have trailed the performance of virtually every other high-end phone at the time. McLaren was really an iteration on the earlier Lumia 1520 and Lumia 930, neither of which did much to turn around Windows Phone’s fortunes.
The McLaren’s design and premature demise both shed light on a reason why Windows smartphones are in such dire straits today. There would have been precious little reason to get McLaren outside of its touch feature, but cancelling it also left Microsoft without a range-leading Windows handset for the all-important holiday season. What were enthusiasts supposed to buy when they were due for an upgrade, and they didn’t want a repurposed Android phone? Simply put, McLaren was the definition of squandered potential — things might have been different if the Microsoft mobile team had pushed for a larger upgrade that revolved around more than one feature.
Source: Windows Central
Razer’s second OSVR devkit is now available for pre-order
If you’ve been looking for a lower-cost alternative to the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive that doesn’t skimp on hardware, you’re in luck. Razer has officially started taking pre-orders for the OSVR HDK2: its second generation Open-Source Virtual Reality hardware development kit. The company announced this upgrade last month at E3. It features a higher resolution 2,160 x 1,200 low-persistence OLED 441 PPI display, a winder, 110-degree field of view and a 90Hz refresh-rate — specs on par with what you’ll find in other commercial VR headsets.
Razer is pitching the HDK2 as a competitor to HTC and Oculus’ headsets at a fraction of the cost. The new OSVR rig will set you back $399, compared to the $799 and $599 pricetags affixed to mainstream hardware — but that doesn’t mean it’s necessarily a better value. For one, we found that both the HTC and Oculus rigs have a better build quality than Razer’s HDK2. There’s also a small gap in accessories and features: the single-point tracking of the OSVR headset’s IR camera tracking can’t quite live up to the room-scale VR offered by the HTC Vive.
On the other hand, Razer’s kit is technically a development kit — one that’s not only affordable, but now features display specs that match consumer hardware. It’s not the best option on the market, but it’s definitely the most affordable for gamers and developers on a budget. Plus, it comes with two free games: Decent: Underground and Radial G: Racing Revolved.
Via: VRFocus
Source: Razer
Apple Likely Acquired Cloud-Based Music Provider Omnifone
One of Apple’s latest acquisitions appears to be cloud-based music provider and Omnifone, according to an inside source that shared knowledge of the purchase with MacRumors. Earlier this month, a Music Ally report suggested UK-based Omnifone’s tech business and assets had been purchased by a mystery buyer for $10 million, and it seems that buyer is Apple.
According to documents covering the sale, Omnifone’s alluring patent portfolio was not purchased by Apple, nor were debts or investments, but terms included a “royalty bearing license” that Omnifone says will help it determine the value of its full range of patents. Omnifone has a number of patents relating to downloading music, digital rights management, and generating recommendations that are potentially appealing to streaming music companies.
Omnifone operated a cloud platform powering its own MusicStation service and serving as the backbone for music services launched through partnerships with mobile carriers like LG, Samsung, Vodafone, BlackBerry, Sony, and more.
Omnifone, for example, powered Samsung’s Milk music service in certain locations and it was licensed by PonoMusic to power the PonoMusic Store, which is temporarily unavailable as of today following Apple’s purchase of Omnifone. Following its acquisition, Omnifone has abruptly ended all of its partnerships.
One of our key infrastructure partners – Omnifone – has recently been acquired by a large company. An impact of this purchase is that all Omnifone’s supply relationships are being terminated, effectively immediately. Omnifone has been the exclusive content provider for PonoMusic.
Omnifone was placed into administration in May after it became clear the company could no longer pay its debts following the loss of clients like Sony and BlackBerry when Music Unlimited and BBM Music were shuttered. A total of 71 staff members were laid off as it sought a buyer for its technology assets.
Apple was believed to be interested in Omnifone’s assets early on, with sources in May telling Music Ally Apple would make the purchase.
Tags: Apple acquisition, Apple Music, Omnifone
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Corning Debuts Gorilla Glass 5 With Improved Drop Protection
Corning today unveiled its next-generation Gorilla Glass product, Gorilla Glass 5. The new glass, designed to be used in mobile device displays, offers improved protection against breakage from accidental drops.
Building on previous generations of Gorilla Glass, Corning’s latest product survives 80 percent of the time when dropped face-down from 1.6 meters (5.2 feet) onto a rough surface during lab tests. According to Corning, Gorilla Glass 5 survives drops four times better than competing glass products.
“With each successive generation of Corning Gorilla Glass, we have taken cover glass technology to new levels. Gorilla Glass 5 is no exception, extending Corning’s advantage in drop performance over competitive glasses,” said John Bayne, vice president and general manager, Corning Gorilla Glass. “With many real-world drops occurring from between waist and shoulder height, we knew improving drop performance would be an important and necessary advancement.”
Corning’s Gorilla Glass 5 will begin making its way into products starting later in 2016, and it is a prime candidate for inclusion in either the 2016 iPhone 7 and/or the 2017 iPhone 8. Corning has been a long-time supplier for Apple, with Apple using its Gorilla Glass for its iPad and iPhone lineup. Corning’s last Gorilla Glass product, Gorilla Glass 4, came out in 2014.
Tags: Corning, Gorilla Glass
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Sonos App Now Supports Streaming Music From Plex
Plex and Sonos today announced a new partnership that will see Sonos’ speakers supporting Plex music playback through the Sonos Controller app. Starting this afternoon, Sonos users can access their full Plex music libraries and discover new music via Plex using the Sonos app.
For Plex customers who have a Plex Pass for premium Plex features, music collections are automatically organized by metadata and sonic fingerprinting.
With our brand new Sonos service, you can now browse and play your entire Plex music collection on any Sonos device, right from the Sonos app. This means you’ll benefit from our awesome library and discovery features, and your personal music will look better than ever on Sonos. Even if your collection is a total mess, with sonic fingerprinting for our Plex Pass users and metadata for everyone else, you’ll end up with a beautifully organized library.
Plex for Sonos is in beta and thus can be accessed through the Sonos Labs section of the Sonos desktop app or the “Add Music Services” option on a mobile device after signing up for the Sonos Public Beta Program.
Sonos’ wireless speakers are available from the Sonos website and start at $199. The Sonos Controller app can be downloaded from the App Store for free. Plex is a free service available from the Plex website, but premium features require a Plex Pass, priced at $4.99 per month.
Tags: Plex, Sonos
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Facebook Messenger exceeds 1 billion monthly active users worldwide
Facebook has revealed that its Messenger service now has over 1 billion monthly active users worldwide.
Facebook stated that it will celebrate this new milestone in an interesting way:
We’re grateful for all the people who are sending billions of messages every day and we hope to send 1 billion thank yous in the form of a new floating balloon gift that everyone can use to celebrate. Just send a balloon emoji to your friends to add a touch of whimsy and delight to any conversation.
Facebook announced in April that Messenger had reached the 900 million monthly user level, which means that the service added over 100 million new active users in just over three months.
Android Auto rolls into 8 additional Kia models
Kia has announced that it will roll out Android Auto to select 2014 to 2017 model year vehicles via a software update. Specifically, Kia says the free update will be available for “eligible vehicles when equipped with a compatible navigation system4 or UVO35.” There are a number of vehicles from Kia that already support Android Auto, but it is great to see the company bring it to even more models.
Here’s the rundown of models that are eligible for the update, from Kia:
- Forte (MY17)
- Optima (MY15-16)
- Optima Hybrid (MY15-16)
- Sedona (MY15-16)
- Soul (MY14-16)
- Soul EV (MY15-16)
- Sorento (MY16)
- Sportage (MY17)
According to Kia, registered owners should receive an email by the end of July, sending them to Kia’s UVO website, where step-by-step instructions on updating are available.
Don’t own a Kia? Be sure to check out our full list of vehicles that support Android Auto to see if your vehicle is currently supported.
Swiftmoji from SwiftKey will try to predict your next emoji
SwiftKey has launched its first product since its acquisition by Microsoft, Swiftmoji. An all-new emoji keyboard, Swiftmoji helps you find the perfect emoji for your messages by predicting them based on what you type.
Here’s what Swiftmoji brings to the table:
- Find the emoji you want FAST – no more slow searching!
- Be CREATIVE & use emoji you forgot existed
- No more switching to emoji, let them come to you!
- Get emoji INSPIRATION right when you need it
- Always have the latest emoji available
Swiftmoji for Android also comes with a standard keyboard, offering a row of predictive emoji as you type. Note that, for now, the keyboard only supports English. You can grab the app from the Google Play Store right now.
Digivolve your home screen this Wallpaper Wednesday
Don’t let your home screen fall into a rut — switch out your wallpaper!
You don’t have to pull out a complex new theme like Spider-Man to bring a breath of fresh air to your home screen. A new wallpaper can do wonders, and launchers like Action Launcher can re-theme your entire home screen around a good wallpaper. In our effort to help brighten your device — and maybe your day — we’re compiling some wallpapers for you to try out.
If you’ve got a wallpaper you use everywhere, share it in the comments below! We’re always looking for something new. Now get your wallpaper picker ready and see what’s in store this week.
Gabumon by WeelJustWeel
Gabumon’s shy, relentlessly devoted, and clever. He’s also a vaccine-attribute Digimon, meaning he’s the Digimon I’d want around my systems. This wallpaper shows that fierce protection and loyalty as Gabumon prepares to defend his friends. The glow also adds a beautiful depth to it.
Gabumon by WeelJustWeel
Minimalistic Digimon Wallpaper Collection by Ferecium
There’s a lot of digimon we all wish were partnering with us, and while I wish I could showcase every one of them here, I don’t have the space for them. Luckily, this gallery from Ferecium features all our favorites from Digimon Adventure in a beautiful minimalist style. From Koromon to Paildramon, you can showcase them all on your desktop.
Minimalistic Digimon Wallpaper Collection by Ferecium
Fairymon by moremindmoremel0dy
There are a lot of strong women in the ranks of the digidestined, and in Digimon Frontier, they went beyond helping their partner digivolve: they became digimon and fought themselves. And while Frontier only had one female digidestined, Zoe Orimoto was awesome. She was smart, she wasn’t afraid to call out the boys, and her digimon was graceful while still kicking serious digital butt. Oh yeah, and did I mention the awesome outfit and the wings? Could I get a pair of those?
PS. Digimon Frontier had the best theme song.
Fairymon by moremindmoremel0dy
Makino Ruki by Riza23
And speaking of kick-ass girls with awesome outfits, Ruki Makino from Digimon Tamers (or Rika, for those of us who grew up on the dub), has the market cornered on cool digidestined. Her single-minded determination, her dry wit, her simple but killer outfits, and the coolest Rookie partner ever, Ruki can shut down opponents with a single look, and if not, a Diamond Storm will take care of things in short order.
Makino Ruki by Riza23
Choose Your Partner by moremindmoremel0dy
While your starter doesn’t quite so much in Pokemon (and even less so in Pokemon Go), in Digimon, your starter well and truly becomes your partner. Another perk of Digimon over it’s more popular cousin, while Pokemon evolve and stay evolved, digimon will regress back to their lower levels to conserve energy, make travel easier, and gosh darn it, they’re just cuter! I mean look at those mon! LOOK AT THEM!!
Choose Your Partner by moremindmoremel0dy
You can now grab the second public beta for iOS 10 and MacOS Sierra
Apple has released the second public beta for not only iOS 10 but MacOS Sierra.
Two weeks after releasing the first iOS 10 public beta to anyone willing to test the unfinished mobile operating system update and just a few days after seeding a third beta for developers, the Cupertino, California-based company has begun rolling out the second iOS 10 public beta as an over-the-air install, meaning you can update to it by tapping Settings > General > Software Update.
The second public beta of iOS 10 is likely the same as the third developer beta. That means you should get a new keyboard sound, haptic feedback when locking your iPhone, improved Quick Actions for sharing apps, and a new Accessibility option for using Touch ID, among other things. In general, iOS 10 brings many new features, such as a new Lock screen experience and more, which you can read all about from here:
- Apple iOS 10: Release date and everything you need to know
As for the second public beta of MacOS Sierra, it also comes two weeks after the release of the first MacOS Sierra public beta and a few days after the release of the third developer beta. Again, it likely has all the same features found in the third developer beta. To get the operating system update for your Mac (as long as you’ve already installed the first public beta), simply use the Software Update tool from the Mac App Store.
- Apple MacOS Sierra: New features and everything else you need to know
In order to be a beta tester, you must be signed up for Apple’s beta testing program. It’s free and gives you access to both the iOS and OS X betas. Keep in mind betas are not stable and may include bugs, so you should only try unfinished software like betas on a secondary device that you don’t really need. You can read all about how to become a beta tester for iOS 10 and MacOS Sierra in these step-by-step guides:
- How to get iOS 10 right now and get it working on your iPhone and iPad
- How to get MacOS Sierra right now and get it working on your Mac
The final, consumer versions of iOS 10 and MacOS Sierra are due this autumn.
AIVAnet 