‘Rise of the Tomb Raider’ comes to the PS4 on October 11th
Rise of the Tomb Raider has spent much of the last year as one of the best Xbox One exclusives out there, but soon PlayStation 4 owners will get in on the fun. As part of a 20-year Tomb Raider celebration, it was just announced that Lara Croft’s latest adventure will come to Sony’s console on October 11th. As is often the case with delayed releases like this, the game will feature a bunch of extra content to help make up for the wait.
Most significant among the new stuff here is the inclusion of a virtual reality mode. A new DLC story chapter called “Blood Ties” will work with the PS VR system; it’ll also work as a standalone chapter without the VR headset. There’s also a second new story mission called “Lara’s Nightmare” and a co-op addition to the game’s “endurance” mode. That co-op mode lets two players team up and try to survive as long as possible to get onto the game’s leaderboards.
Another new addition to the game is an even harder difficulty level for the single-player campaign known as “extreme survivor.” All of the game’s checkpoints have been removed, so the only way to survive is to find enough resources to light campfires where you can save your game.
There are a few other extras included, mostly just new visual outfits to pay homage to the way Lara Croft has evolved over the years. Somewhat hilariously, you can replay the main story with five different low-fi polygon-based character models, which will surely look goofy as hell next to the more realistic, high-resolution characters and environments.
Naturally, all of the game’s previous DLC is included, as well — that includes another three-hour story mode expansion, and a bunch of custom outfits and weapons. And if you bought the season pass for Rise of the Tomb Raider on the Xbox One or PC, you’ll get all of this new content for free, as well.
Source: PlayStation Blog, Xbox Wire, Tomb Raider Blog
Amazon Singles Classics brings stories from magazines to Kindle
If you’re looking for some new reading material on your Kindle or inside Amazon’s reading app, you’re in luck. The online retailer announced Singles Classics: a collection of essays and stories from “well-known authors” that were published in “top magazines and periodicals.” In fact, some of the selections will be available digitally for the first time. The articles are priced at $0.99 and up, but Kindle Unlimited subscribers are privy to the content at no extra charge.
Singles Classics follows Amazon’s Kindle Singles that launched some time ago and features shorter selections of both fiction and non-fiction. For the debut of Singles Classics, expect over 140 essays and stories from the likes of Susan Orlean, Norman Mailer, Gloria Steinem, Lawrence Wright, Margo Jefferson and Gay Talese alongside best-selling authors like John le Carré and Kurt Vonnegut. In terms of publications the articles are pulled from, that list includes TIME, Vanity Fair, The New Yorker, Rolling Stone, Esquire, The Atlantic and Playboy. Singles Classics are available to read and download on Kindle and Fire tablets as well as the Kindle app for Android, iOS, PC and Mac.
Source: Amazon
iPhone SE Estimated to Grab 16% of U.S. iPhone Market in Launch Quarter
Apple’s newest 4-inch iPhone SE has taken a 16 percent share of the overall United States iPhone market in its launch quarter, according to new survey data shared by Consumer Intelligence Research Partners and UBS analyst Steven Milunovich. The data shows that the iPhone SE has been successful in “flushing out” older phones, with 26 percent of iPhone buyers in the quarter moving up from an iPhone 4s, up from 16 percent in the previous quarter.
The strong entry of the iPhone SE naturally came at the expense of Apple’s other phones in model share, with the iPhone SE helping to prop up overall iPhone sales as the other models begin showing their age by serving as an enticing upgrade option for more frugal customers and those unwilling to upgrade to a larger screen.
The percentage of plus models sold fell by 6 points in the June quarter following a 9 point increase in March. The success of the iPhone SE could demonstrate pent-up demand for a smaller screen and price sensitivity in the installed base.
In the same vein, CIRP’s data points to a slight shift towards the preference of lower storage capacities across every model in the iPhone family, as more frugal-minded consumers enter the market at the end of the current iPhone cycle. Although the research firm has seen a slow uptick in higher storage options over the last three quarters (62 percent of iPhone buyers opted for higher capacities in the March quarter, increasing 11 percent year-over-year), compared to the year-ago quarter average storage per smartphone dropped a total of 10 percent. The iPhone SE with only 16 GB and 64 GB options undoubtedly contributed to this decrease.
Close speculation has surrounded not only the current iPhone sales numbers, but the prediction of how well the iPhone 7 will do come September as Apple tries to regain momentum following the first year-over-year decline in iPhone sales since 2003. Concerns over potential “lack of innovation” is at the root of some doom-and-gloom sales predictions, although, as CIRP corroborated today, Apple has continued to ramp up production of the iPhone SE in the wake of “very strong” demand.
Related Roundup: iPhone SE
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Apple Watch Sales Remain Steady After 15 Months Despite Lack of Next-Generation Model
Nearly fifteen months after the Apple Watch launched in the U.S. and eight other countries on April 24, 2015, new data shows that sales of the device have yet to experience an overly precipitous decline so far this year.
Swiss bank UBS has issued a research note that projects Apple Watch sales totaled 1.7 million units in the June quarter, a somewhat surprising increase of 100,000 units compared to its estimate of 1.6 million sales in the March quarter.
Apple Watch sales have remained steady throughout the first half of 2016, despite the formation of an elongated refresh cycle that will likely reach at least 17 months — the so-called Apple Watch 2 is rumored to launch in the third quarter, possibly alongside the next iPhone in September. The new Apple Watch could feature a FaceTime video camera, expanded Wi-Fi capabilities, cellular connectivity, and other internal upgrades, while new models and bands are always possibilities.
UBS forecasts that Apple Watch sales will rise to 2 million in the September quarter, contributing to a total of 10.35 million units in the 2016 fiscal year. If those estimates are accurate, that would make Apple Watch the most popular smartwatch for the second consecutive year, ahead of Samsung among smartwatches and only behind Fitbit and its cheaper fitness trackers in the broader wearables market. Apple Watch commanded a leading 52.4 percent share of the smartwatch market in the first quarter, well ahead of Samsung at 14.3 percent, according to Strategy Analytics.
Apple does not disclose Watch sales in its quarterly earning results, instead grouping the device under its Other Products category alongside iPods, Apple TVs, Beats Electronics, and accessories. Without official data, analysts are forced to estimate, but predictions can vary between research firms. Strategy Analytics, for example, estimated Apple Watch sales actually totaled 2.2 million in the March quarter, which is significantly higher than UBS’ estimate of 1.6 million sales for the same quarter.
Regardless, it is clear that consumers remain interested in the original Apple Watch in the months leading up to an alleged new model. The device’s relative success can conceivably be attributed to, among other factors, its new product category, customizability, and sales and price drops offered by third-party resellers. watchOS 3 will also give the Apple Watch a breath of fresh air, with a dedicated Breathe app, a dock with favorite apps that instantly open, a redesigned Control Center, and more.
Related Roundups: Apple Watch, watchOS 2, watchOS 3
Tag: Apple Watch 2
Buyer’s Guide: Apple Watch (Caution)
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iDevices Socket review – CNET
The Good The iDevices Socket works pretty well as a dimmer and nightlight.
The Bad Its design is bulky and inefficient, and its price is absurd.
The Bottom Line The Socket is a gadget you want to hide, but in so doing, you lose its primary appeal — the ability to display unique light bulbs. Why anyone would shell out $80 for this product, I cannot imagine.
Visit manufacturer site for details.
Lighting is one of the easiest and most affordable entry points into smart-home gadgetry. Connected LEDs, switches and plugs typically slide in around or under 50 bucks. But now a new type of device is available — a retrofit Socket that lends smarts to any bulb screwed into it. Sure, crowdsourcing hopefuls have proposed similar products in the past, but this is different. iDevices is an established company, and the Socket integrates with Apple HomeKit and Amazon Echo.
On its surface, the Socket functions as advertised: it smartens up almost any standard bulb, adding dimming, scheduling and voice-activated controls with both Apple’s Siri and Amazon’s Alexa. It even includes an RGB color changing nightlight. But there’s a fundamental question I’ve been unable to answer: When is the Socket consistently more useful than a smart switch or bulb? The $80 price tag only adds to my befuddlement, since you can easily find more feature-rich lighting devices for considerably less cash.
Until I find a unique use case that justifies the Socket’s otherwise outrageous asking price, I can’t recommend iDevices’ newest product.
This smart Socket gives a dumb lightbulb…
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What it gets right
Taken as it is, the Socket actually works pretty well. The iDevices app has always been one of the better third party HomeKit apps out there, and it continues to support its devices with an intuitive interface and easy setup process. Getting the Socket up and running takes barely a minute, and operating its dimming, scheduling, and nightlight capabilities is slick the whole time.
EzeeCube review – CNET
The Good EzeeCube ably serves as a media center and easy backup option for your photos and videos. It offers expandable storage and other optional add-ons with a sleek, stackable design. It operates on the versatile Kodi platform.
The Bad The base unit and add-ons are expensive. It’s not 4K capable and is sometimes tricky to use. The remote is infrared instead of Wi-Fi, which means you can’t tuck the unit away.
The Bottom Line The innovative EzeeCube personal cloud storage device and media player offers plenty of good features, but they don’t come cheap.
There are plenty of media players and backup devices out there, but EzeeCube offers something quite different: the ability to stack up additional modules on top of the base unit. You can add more storage, a Blu-ray drive, and other new add-ons are likely to come in the future. If that sounds cool, it is.
Adding additional hard disk space is as simple as putting the new module on top of the EzeeCube base player. And if you add on the Blu-ray drive, a feature that lets you rip DVDs is also enabled automatically. However, the additional modules don’t come cheap, costing $199 (£150 or AU$260) for either a 2TB drive or the Blu-ray drive. The base unit itself will set you back a cool $499 (£380 or AU$660) for the 2TB version. A cheaper 1TB option is available for $399 (£300, AU$525).
EzeeCube stacks up to offer more features
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That said, you’re not just paying for a normal backup device. The EzeeCube is also a fully functional media player. It uses Kodi as its operating system (formerly known as XBMC) but skinned with a much nicer design, and features a personal cloud service that syncs with your iOS or Android device. You’re able to backup your videos and photos and access them from anywhere without having to worry about your phone’s limited amount of space or pay extra for cloud storage. On the other hand, if the hard drive of the EzeeCube crashes, you’re out of luck.
While it sounds simple on paper, I did find the EzeeCube a tad frustrating to learn how to use, compared to the ease of plug and play devices such as the Roku 4. Kodi is pretty flexible and lets you do a lot of things, but its various options can be overwhelming for a first time user looking for something simple.
The EzeeCube easily played all the video formats I threw at it without a hitch. But it can’t play 4K video — unlike the much less expensive Nvidia Shield, which also supports Kodi, Plex and external/networked hard drives for storage. EzeeCube can download add-ons for watching YouTube or live Twitch streams, for example, but the selection of apps can’t compete with that of the Roku or Nvidia Shield.
The EzeeCube is quite the swiss army knife of home media centers, and its expandable tech is very cool, but its audience is limited given its expensive retail price.
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Aloysius Low/CNET
Sony Xperia X Performance and XA are now available in the U.S.
Should you be waiting for Sony to launch the Xperia X Performance or Xperia XA in the U.S., you’re in luck as the two handsets are now available for purchase at participating retailers. Amazon, Best Buy, and Regan Wireless are among the supporting partners who will stock the new Sony hardware in the U.S.
As an added bonus, both smartphones come with a free microSD card. The Xperia XA has a MediaTek Helio P10 processor, an octa-core chip using ARM’s low-power Cortex-A53 cores. It’s also packing 2GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage, 2,300mAh battery, and a 13-MP rear shooter. As for the X Performance, Sony has packed in a Snapdragon 820, 3GB of RAM, 32GB of internal storage, 23-MP rear camera, and a 2700mAh battery.
Here are the Amazon links for both the Sony Xperia X Performance and Xperia XA to get you started:
- Buy the Sony Xperia X Performance at Amazon
- Buy the Sony Xperia XA at Amazon
Where to buy the Sony Xperia XA and X Performance in the U.S.
Snapchat adds support for adding Bitmoji in chat or photos
Snapchat has announced a new partnership with Bitmoji that will allow users of the popular personalized emoji app to use it in chats or images in Snapchat.
Snapchat also confirmed today previous rumors that it has acquired Bitstrips, the company behind Bitmoji. Its official blog revealed the acquisition, and the integration of Bitmoji with Snapchat, in a Bitmoji-based comic strip. The specific financial details of the acquisition were not revealed.
The comic reveals that people who download the Bitmoji app and create their own personal accounts can now be linked in Snapchat. The personal Bitmoji can then be used within Snapchat. If any Snapchat friends have Bitmoji, users can “‘Friendmoji’” and use their personal emoji as well.
These are the best iPhone photos of 2016: Look what your phone is capable of
The winners of the 2016 iPhone Photography Award have been announced and here are the winners. They showcase incredible smartphone photography from around the world over the last year.
Curated by IPPA founder Kenan Aktülün, there were 61 winning photos in total, 4 overall top winners, and first, second and third prize category winners.
The Grand Prize Winner Photographer of the Year Award went to Siyuan Niu of China for his entry “The Man and the Eagle”.
According to an interview with TIME magazine, Niu, who is based in the Xinjiang Province, was photographing the snowy landscape when the man came towards him on horse with the eagle on his right arm.
“The eagle must have noticed me as it started flapping its wings and screeching, very agitated and vigilant,” Niu said. “The old man used his hand and his voice to calm it down. They were touching face-to-face. With my iPhone in hand, I took the shot.”
Shot with an iPhone 5s, Niu used no lens attachments or other gadgets. He only post-processed the winning picture on Snapseed, applying a VSCO filter.
First, second and third place Photographer of the Year Awards go to Patryk Kuleta of Poland for his image from the series “Modern Cathedrals”, Robin Robertis of the United States for her entry “She Bends with the Wind”, and Carolyn Mara Borlenghi, also from the US, for the image as part of her series “Wonderland”.
Robin Robertis
“I was on an iPhone workshop and reunion with a friend and teacher in Cape Cod,” said Robertis. “We all went out to photograph the the perfect sunset. I tend to bring a few things when I travel, one being this wonderful red umbrella. When others shoot the sunsets and beautiful scenery, I like to photograph some human aspects in these scenes.”
You can see their photos and the rest of the competition winners by flicking through our gallery above.
There were 19 categories in total: abstract, animals, architecture, children, flowers, food, landscape, lifestyle, nature, news-events, panorama, people, portrait, seasons, sunset, and trees.
Thousands of entries were submitted by iPhone photographers from 139 countries around the world.
To qualify, their photos had to be shot on an iPhone or iPad. They could not be altered in Photoshop or any desktop image processing program.
The Grand Prize Winner Photographer of the Year Award winner received an iPad Pro. The first, second and third Place Photographer of the Year Award winners each won an Apple Watch Sport. The first place winner in each category was awarded a gold bar and the second and third place winners got a palladium bar from the most recognisable private gold mint in the world.
Samsung Odyssey is company’s rival to Oculus Rift
It has been thought for a while that, as well as refresh its Gear VR headset with a new USB-C model, Samsung is working on a standalone device to rival Oculus Rift, HTC Vive and PlayStation VR.
Now more details on it have emerged, including a name: Samsung Odyssey.
According to brand trademark and logo registration applications that were submitted by Samsung in Korea, the company is looking to secure the name Odyssey for a product. One of the applications is also for a logo around the letters “VR”, which more than suggests that virtual reality will be in the mix.
Another looks boxy, even like the visor of a VR headset perhaps.
- Samsung Gear VR 2 tipped for Galaxy Note 7 launch
- Samsung Gear VR Consumer Edition review: The stepping-stone to Oculus proper
- Best Samsung Gear VR Oculus apps 2016
- Best VR headsets to buy in 2016, whatever your budget
The fact that they were all filed within a two-day period last week is a good indication that they are all related.
GalaxyClub
The Samsung Odyssey headset is believed to be of its own manufacturer and not part of the deal with Oculus. Oculus designed the current Gear VR models and is thought to be involved in the latest Gear VR 2 as well.
However, it would seem strange that the Facebook-owned firm would be happy to build a direct rival to its own device for another brand.
We will have to wait and see though. It is unlikely this will be part of Samsung’s 2 August launch for the Note 7, even though the Gear VR 2 is expected to debut that day too.
AIVAnet 