Audeze crammed audiophile tech inside its in-ear headphones

Audeze knows a thing or two about planar magnetic headphones and the company is taking on a new form factor with its latest release. The iSine 10 and iSine 20 are the company’s first in-ear headphones that employ the aforementioned audio technology. In fact, Audeze says that these audiophile earbuds are the first to offer planar magnetic tech in this style.

If you’re not familiar with the term “planar magnetic,” here’s a brief overview. It’s a method for constructing headphones that uses a thin diaphragm and magnets rather than typical cone drivers. It allows for a wider range of sound with less distortion and more bass response — all things audiophiles are looking for when it comes to headphones and other devices. Typically planar magnetic headphones are big and bulky, but Audeze’s Sine that was announced at CES offers a more comfy fit without a lot of heft. The Sine also costs $449, significantly less than a lot of planar magnetic sets.

For the iSine 10 and iSine 20, the idea is to provide that audiophile sound with the super popular in-ear design. The main difference between the two is impedance: the iSine 10 offers 16 ohms while the iSine has a longer voice coil of 24 ohms. Included in the box is Audeze’s Cipher Lightning cable from the regular Sine that features a 24-bit digital-to-analog converter (DAC) and an amp. Yes, those things are built into the cable itself.

Of course, all of that fancy tech means larger earbuds. The iSine is significantly bigger than your everyday 3.5mm in-ear headphones, so you’ll need to consider how much space they demand in addition to the high-quality sound. Both models come with ear locks in addition to the built-in ear hooks to ensure the bigger earbuds stay in place when you’re using them. The Audeze iSine 10 and iSine 20 ship next month for $400 and $600, respectively.

AliceX is a VR service offering the ‘girlfriend experience’

AliceX is a new service that seeks to offer companionship with real models through its virtual reality streaming service.

The new site, which opened today, aims to provide the “virtual girlfriend experience” to anyone with a computer or phone, the internet, and VR headset. Essentially, it’s a 24-hour cam site staffed by models acting as “girlfriends” for each patron who signs on.

From viewing the screenshots and conceptual images, it’s a mixture of customized porn and cam sites, except it seems as though it’d be a whole lot more intimate than simply watching from afar as you would with regular pay-to-view porn operations. Of course, the women are available for straight up companionship as well most likely, even if the official implication of the VR service is for fulfilling sexual fantasies.

Unfortunately, judging by the pack shots provided by AliceX’s PR team (seen above), it seems as though it may be marred by low-quality 3D backgrounds that hardly look appropriate for each model or their surroundings. Why not just let users interact with the models in their own environment such as a bedroom or literally anywhere instead of rendering it instead?

It’s an interesting mixture of real-time, accessible porn that and offering the illusion of having a real girlfriend, but one has to contemplate the implications of spending too much time with the girls and blurring the line between real love and pleasure.

If you decide to give the service a try, new users who sign up right now are being entered into a contest to win a “starter bundle” that comes with a Zeiss VR One headset and 30 free minutes with a girl of their choice. Additional winners will be drawn once a week going forward.

AliceX plans on implementing Oculus Rift support in the future, though right now you’ll need to use a smartphone running Android 5.0 or higher. If you use an iPhone you’ll have to opt for the browser experience instead, as AliceX states that “iOS technology” hasn’t yet been “updated” to support the service.

Source: AliceX

Trapped Florida mosquitoes found to contain Zika virus

After several mosquitoes were trapped and examined in Florida, it was determined that they had been carrying the Zika virus.

This discovery marks the first time the insects have been positively identified as carriers of the rapidly-spreading virus in the continental US, which is of course a reason to be even more cautious than before. The mosquitoes were trapped in a 1.5-square-mile area of Miami Beach that tourists typically frequent that had previously been marked as an “active zone” where the virus had been trasnmitted before.

The mosquitoes were actually part of a special Florida testing program meant to slow the spread of the Zika virus, which can actually be spread via mosquito bites or sexual contact with anyone infected with the disease. It’s just been confirmed via this test, in fact, that mosquitoes are officially carriers.

Florida first saw an outbreak of the Zika virus as early as July, giving way to a mass mosquito extermination campaign in an attempt to stamp out infected insects. The FDA recently called for all blood banks in the US to begin screening donated blood for the Zika virus as well, as transfusion could be another valid form of the virus’s transmission.

While there are several unknown factors floating around out there when it comes to Zika, your best bet while outside no matter where you are in the country is to ensure you’re wearing long sleeves when outside (if possible) and utilizing insect repellant spray. It’s best to take precautions while in its earliest stages now before things potentially get worse.

Via: Popular Science

Source: The New York Times