Microsoft Research has two types of touch for VR haptics
Virtual reality is one of the most immersive technologies available today. That is until the illusion shatters when you instinctively reach out to touch something and are met with a one-size-fits-all haptic response or no feedback at all. Microsoft Research (PDF) might have the solution to that. Rather than air-based haptics like we’ve seen before, “NormalTouch” and “TextureTouch” use handheld devices to simulate touching things while in VR — no bodysuit required.
The handheld devices use mechanical actuators and a 4×4 grid of pins to convey what it feels like to touch different objects, even taking surface hardness among different objects into account. In the video embedded below, you can even see someone flicking a ball and cube around using the admittedly hacky-looking gizmos. The team admits that despite the successes presented here it still isn’t sure how much haptic feedback is needed to be convincing:
“On several occasions we observed people trying out our devices when they were not well calibrated (e.g., NormalTouch would render a surface normal in a drastically different direction than it was supposed to). To our surprise, people often claimed that the device accurately rendered the surface when in fact it was obviously incorrect. While anecdotal, this points to the need to further evaluate whether or not it is important to precisely match the haptic rendering in order for it to be considered realistic and high fidelity.”
So, ultra-high fidelity might be overkill, much like pushing for photorealism in VR. The brain doesn’t need “perfect” accuracy to be effectively tricked into thinking what it’s seeing and sensing is real, the experience just needs to be “good enough.”
If you want to dig deeper, the source research paper is surprisingly easy to digest and has a ton of additional details.
Source: Microsoft Research (1) (PDF), (2) (YouTube)
Apple Says It’s Out of the Standalone Display Business
Alongside the new MacBook Pro, Apple introduced a 27-inch 5K UltraFine Display made in partnership with LG, calling into question future plans for an Apple-branded display product.
While rumors have suggested Apple is working on a Thunderbolt Display replacement powered by an integrated GPU, Apple’s LG partnership seems to indicate that Apple may have shelved plans to build a new display, something that’s been confirmed by The Verge’s Nilay Patel. According to Patel, Apple told him it is out of the standalone display business.
Good notes by @jsnell. I can add that Apple told me it’s out of standalone display biz. https://t.co/6t1KqQODwD
— nilay patel (@reckless) October 28, 2016
The last rumors about an Apple-branded display came in June of 2016 from BuzzFeed’s John Paczkowski, a reliable source, so if Apple has ceased work on its own display product, it’s a decision that may have been made rather recently.
In lieu of its own display, Apple is selling the aforementioned 5K display product from LG and a second LG-branded 4K display, both of which have been designed with input from Apple and optimized for Apple products. As pointed out by Jason Snell of Six Colors, the brightness and settings of the LG display can be adjusted from the Mac, suggesting a deeper level of hardware integration than you’d get with a standard 5K display.
Priced at $1,299.95, the 5K LG UltraFine display uses multi-stream transport and connects to the new MacBook Pro using a single Thunderbolt 3 cable. Because it requires Thunderbolt 3 connectivity, it’s only compatible with the MacBook Pro (and any future Macs equipped with Thunderbolt 3).
LG’s 21.5-inch 4K UltraFine display is more affordable at $699.95, and because it doesn’t require Thunderbolt 3, it’s compatible with any USB-C Mac, including the new MacBook Pro and the less powerful MacBook.
Both displays offer charging capabilities, support for wide color gamut, built-in stereo speakers, and include additional ports on the back for connecting accessories. The larger 5K display also includes a camera and a microphone, offering all of the features that might have been included in an Apple-designed display.
Related Roundup: Thunderbolt Display
Buyer’s Guide: Displays (Don’t Buy)
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New MacBook Pros Don’t Include Backlit Apple Logo or Power Extension Cable
Apple’s “Hello Again” event has come and gone, leaving us with an abundance of Apple-related news and updates heading into the weekend. Below, we have shared some of the more interesting tidbits that have surfaced over the past 24 hours.
Image Credit: Edgar Alvarez, Engadget
Backlit Apple Logo Removed: As it did with the 12-inch MacBook, Apple has removed the backlit Apple logo on new MacBook Pro models. In its place is a glossy Apple logo in black on the Space Gray model and in white on the Silver model. Apple’s 13-inch MacBook Air is now its sole notebook with a backlit Apple logo that remains available for purchase. Apple’s first notebook with a lit-up Apple logo was the third-generation PowerBook G3 released in 1999.
No Power Extension Cable: In line with the 12-inch MacBook, new MacBook Pro models do not come with Apple’s Power Adapter Extension Cable in the box. Previous MacBook Pro models included the extension cable in the box for several years. The extension cable, which provides extra length between the power brick and wall outlet, can be purchased as a standalone product for $19.
Touch Bar Has Automatic Brightness: Jason Snell at Apple blog Six Colors spent time with the new MacBook Pro yesterday and discovered the Touch Bar’s brightness is not manually adjustable. Instead, the mini Retina display’s brightness varies based on lighting conditions, using the MacBook Pro’s built-in ambient light sensor. Apple calls this feature Automatic Brightness on iOS devices. “I wasn’t able to try and trick it or confuse it, but the entire time I was using it—in a dark room and in a much more brightly lit one—it seemed to match the keyboard well,” he explained.
Price Changes: Apple’s price changes extend beyond the United Kingdom. The 12-inch MacBook, for example, has increased $100 in price in Canada, where the 256GB model now sells for $1,649 and the 512GB model retails for $1,999. Meanwhile, the reverse has happened in Norway, where 12-inch MacBook prices have dropped by 1000 kroner for each model. Likewise, in New Zealand, 12-inch MacBook prices are now $200 to $250 lower depending on the model. These adjustments are common as Apple keeps its pricing in foreign currencies in line with the U.S. dollar.
1Password Shares Touch Bar Concepts: AgileBits was so excited about Apple’s MacBook Pro event yesterday that it has created some mockups of how 1Password could work with the Touch Bar. 1Password users will be able to unlock the app with Touch ID, for example, while Touch Bar will make it easy to switch between password vaults, select new item types, and create website logins. 1Password also anticipates allowing users to slide their fingers across the Touch Bar to generate a strong password.
Know of an interesting Apple-related tidbit? Send an email to tips@macrumors.com or contact us on Twitter or Facebook.
Related Roundup: MacBook Pro
Tags: 1Password, Touch Bar
Buyer’s Guide: Retina MacBook Pro (Buy Now)
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‘Naked Case’ Protects iPhone 7 With XPEL Car-Grade Scratch-Resistant Skin
The Naked Case, a new Kickstarter project, aims to protect the new scratch-prone Jet Black iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus with car-grade materials.
Naked Case creator JP Richards plans to use XPEL Ultimate Paint Protection films, known in the car world as offering excellent protection from rock chips and other road abrasions, to create skins designed for Apple’s newest devices. The Naked Case measures in at 0.2mm thick, and it is guaranteed to be resistant to yellowing for up to 10 years.
XPEL makes highly scratch-resistant paint protection films that are able to heal themselves from scratches. Because they’re designed for use on cars, the films are rugged and high quality, offering protection without causing damage to the finish or marring the look of the vehicle.
Those same qualities transfer well to skins for the iPhone, and the Naked Case delivers car-grade scratch protection that will keep the Jet Black iPhone 7 looking pristine. According to the Naked Case Kickstarter, while the product was designed for the Jet Black iPhone 7, since it’s clear, it can be used with any iPhone 7.
Naked Case has even developed a special version for the Black iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, which have a matte finish. The standard shiny finish of the XPEL film ruined the look, so for those devices, customers can order a Naked Case made from “Stealth” XPEL film designed for high-end cars with black matte finishes.
It should be noted that the Naked Case isn’t going to be easy to install. On cars, XPEL films are generally installed by professionals. On the iPhone, the installation process requires water, soap, a hair dryer, and a whole lot of patience.
Naked Cases already has the XPEL film on hand, which will be custom cut to size for the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus at the conclusion of the Kickstarter project. Estimated delivery is listed as October, so backers should receive their skins quite soon.
The Naked Case for the iPhone 7 can be ordered for $30 CAD ($23 USD), while the iPhone 7 Plus version is available for $35 CAD ($26 USD).
Tag: Kickstarter
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Cat Torrent: A torrent client in need of some updates (review)
Torrents have been available since around 2001, and the main purpose was to facilitate file transfers among different locations. However, since its inception, it’s been mostly used for shady, illegal purposes. For those of you who use torrents for legal transfer, you might know that there are some pretty good clients in the Play Store. Household names such as uTorrent and BitTorrent have extended their offerings to Android after enjoying much success in desktop environments, while other newcomers such as Flud and tTorrent provide Android-focused solutions.
Developer Pirate Cats has now unleashed Cat Torrent to the masses, promising a straightforward, no-nonsense experience with support for SD cards, speed limits, and a nice interface.
Developer: Pirate Cats
Price: Free
Setup
Some visual glitches hinder the app’s interface.
Apps that require no setup processes or tedious account creation are always good, and it’s obvious that this developer thinks exactly as I do. Upon launching the app for the first time, you are immediately shown the main screen. No setup needed, no nagging users to create accounts, nothing. Most of the time, if you’re downloading a torrent client, it’s because you know exactly what you’re doing, so Pirate Cats decided to omit a tutorial or other similar introductory views. If you are new to the torrent world, however, then you might want to read something about it first before using this app.
Overview
To start torrenting files, simply press the FAB at the bottom and a file explorer will open. This way, you can navigate to the place you downloaded your .torrent file.
Also, when you download a .torrent file from your browser, Android will detect that Cat Torrent can open this kind of file and will show up a dialog in which you will be able to configure the save path and whether segments should be downloaded in parallel with other segments or sequentially after the current one is over.
Cat Torrent lets you see useful information about your torrents.
Upon starting your download, the app will show in its main interface the list of all of the torrents you’re downloading. This will show essential information, such as download and upload speed, and the progress of your torrent. More detailed data is a click away. Here you will be able to see the files in your torrent, peers, and comments.
You can also check out torrents in different statuses from the side drawer. Hitting the hamburger button at the top left of your screen will open the options to filter your torrents in different categories such as Seeding, Done, Active, and Inactive. I feel like an easier way of filtering your torrents would have been by adding the option to the top bar instead of hiding them under the navigation drawer, but that’s personal preference. It’s easy to navigate the app, nonetheless.
The Android phone I used for testing was midrange at best, and the app did a poor job of adjusting itself to my low screen resolution. Text overlapped in some views, making for a really poor user experience and something that should’ve been tested further. Other than that, the app performed well under different conditions.
Options
There are useful options, but some essential ones are missing.
There’s a decent amount of options available to play with. First and foremost, AMOLED screen users will be happy to know that the app not only supports changing the theme to Dark but also to full-on Black color. This should help in keeping those pixels turned off and conserve battery. Another useful option is the “WiFi only mode,” and I welcome the fact that it is turned on by default. This prevents your data from being slaughtered by the constant upload and download of files.
Other settings that users might appreciate are the default downloading location, download files only when charging, and download/upload speed limits. I’ve seen other torrent clients offering the option of moving torrents when finished (so you can save them to your internal storage and then move them to the SD), maximum permitted downloads/uploads, limits (or shutdown) on torrents after a certain battery percentage has been reached, and scheduled start and shutdown times, but, unfortunately, Cat Torrent still doesn’t have that many options available.
Conclusion
Cat Torrent is a fairly new torrent client in the Android ecosystem, but it’s a really solid one, nevertheless. The main functionality of the app is flawless, the interface adheres well to Material Design, and the options it has work just as advertised. However, some more established clients have a wide range of options (which is actually understandable, since they had a head start). Also, some UI flaws make it look unpolished and more like a beta instead of a real app. On the bright side, with some updates to add some useful options, Cat Torrent can easily become a strong contender in the torrent client segment so it’s worth keeping an eye on for future development.
Download Cat Torrent from the Google Play Store.
How to enroll in the Android Beta Program
How do I sign up for the Android Beta Program?
If you’re eager to try Android 7.1 and have an eligible Nexus or Android One device, the Android Beta Program is for you.
Like many big software projects, Android is made better by open beta testing. As part of Google’s new maintenance release schedule, we’ll see scheduled periodic updates outside of any bug or security patches and major version changes. The first will be Android 7.1.x and is expected in early December of 2016. But if you’re willing and able to run beta software on your phone, you can sign enroll in the Android Beta Program and get the first taste today!
The Beta Program has a schedule of updates and device builds. The current Android 7.1.1 Developer Preview build is available (as of October 2016) for the Nexus 6P, the Nexus 5X, and the Pixel C. Preview two is scheduled to be a near-final version and will add the Nexus 6, Nexus 9, the Nexus Player and the General Mobile 4G (an Android One phone). The final release will apply to all the beta-eligible devices and the Pixel line and will be released to AOSP and OEM channels.
Getting started is easy. Grab your phone and have a read about the program as your first step, then follow along to get started.
Android Developer Preview Program Overview
Now that you know what you’re getting yourself into — don’t worry, these aren’t completely broken builds but there will be bugs — you need to open Google Chrome and visit the signup page. you’ll be required to sign in with your Google account and if you have two-factor authentication enabled (and you really should) you’ll need to provide the auth code.
When the page opens you’ll have a bit more reading to do, and while you really should read it, the gist of it all is that once you enroll you’ll get an Over The Air update to Android 7.1.1 beta. When the preview build is updated, you’ll get another OTA to the next build. This continues until you have the final release build. Two things to note:
- You are still enrolled in the Android Beta Program and when the preview for the next maintenance release is available, you’ll get another notice to update.
- If you leave the Android Beta Program, you’ll get a different OTA update and it will wipe all the user data from your device.
All clear on how it works? Good deal. Scroll down the page and you’ll see your eligible devices listed. Tap the Enroll Device button alongside the one you want to try the Developer Preview build on.
Next, you’ll see the terms of service agreement. You should read every word, and then click the links that explain the full terms if you have any questions. Seriously. Your personal data is priceless, and when you’re giving it to a company you need to know what to expect in return and how they will take care of it.
You can expect to see some app crashes, or maybe need to reboot to connect to Wi-Fi or other bugs.
If you agree, check the box and press the Join Beta button. Your phone will be registered (this only takes a few seconds) and you’ll get a notice that everything went OK and that you should be seeing a notice to update soon. That can take anywhere from a few seconds to an hour or so to happen, but most of the time you’ll see the update notification right away. When you open the notification you’ll be able to download and install the update and be running the Android Developer Preview.
Every time you reboot your phone (or it reboots itself which can happen with beta software) you’ll see a notice that reminds you that the device is running experimental software. Typically, the beta builds are usable. You can expect to see some app crashes, or maybe need to reboot to connect to Wi-Fi or other bugs. When you run into them, you should take a mental note of what you think happened. Talk to others running the same software in the forums, and if you can pinpoint a bug and reproduce it, hit the Android developers up on Twitter or Google Plus to find the best place to report it.
More: How to manually update your Nexus or Pixel
Most of all, remember that things aren’t supposed to be stable. You might even find yourself in a situation where you can’t count on your phone working the way you need it to. Be sure you’re OK with this and know that you can’t count on your phone during an emergency and plan ahead. We’re not trying to scare anyone and neither are the multiple warnings from Google, but nobody wants to see you in a bad situation with no way to get help.
Beta software testing can be fun. you get early access and are able to play with things that aren’t quite finished or aren’t there for everyone. Understand what you’re signing up for and enjoy it!
Android 7.0 Nougat
- Android 7.0 Nougat: Everything you need to know
- Will my phone get Android Nougat?
- All Android Nougat news
- How to manually update your Nexus
- Join the Discussion
Android Central 312: A win for Google, a loss for everyone else
This week, Jerry, Daniel and Andrew dive deeper into the Pixel and Pixel XL, discussing the phones’ best and worst features after two weeks of use. It’s also good and bad news on the earnings front, as Google pulled its most profitable quarter ever while LG and Samsung would rather forget about 2016 altogether.
Also: the LG V20 and the never-ending saga of carrier bloatware!
Thanks to this week’s sponsor:
- Harrys: Use promo code AC to save $5 off your first purchase — start shaving smarter.
Podcast MP3 URL: http://traffic.libsyn.com/androidcentral/androidcentral312.mp3
Hacker behind ‘celebgate’ jailed for 18 months
The individual behind the 2014 iCloud image leaks — more commonly known as the Fappenning — has been sentenced. Ryan Collins, 36, will serve an 18 month jail term for one count of violating the Computer Fraud and Misuse Act and another of illegally obtaining access to a computer. Officials at the Department of Justice believe that Collins was able to access over 600 accounts, including those of several famous women. Collins was also found to have run a fake modeling agency in which he mislead people into sending him their naked images.
Collins pleaded guilty to the charges back in March and, while the case was brought in LA, he was sentenced in Pennsylvania, close to where he resides. In a statement, California’s DA noted that investigators couldn’t establish a link between Collins obtaining the images and their public leaking. Despite this, the pictures — which included compromising shots of Jennifer Lawrence and Gabrielle Union — did filter out. The FBI’s Deirdre Fike believes that the sentence handed down is “proof that hacking into the accounts of others and stealing private information or images is a crime with serious consequences.”
Via: THR
Source: Department of Justice, (2)
New MacBook Pros Max Out at 16GB RAM Due to Battery Life Concerns
Despite featuring more energy efficient Skylake processors, faster SSDs, better GPUs, and new thermal architecture, Apple’s revamped MacBook Pros continue to max out at 16GB RAM.
Many customers have been wondering why Apple didn’t bump up the maximum RAM to 32GB, including MacRumors reader David, who emailed Apple to ask and got an explanation from marketing chief Phil Schiller. According to Schiller, more than 16GB RAM would consume too much power and have a negative impact on battery life.
Question from David: The lack of a 32GB BTO option for the new MBPs raised some eyebrows and caused some concerns (me included). Does ~3GBps bandwidth to the SSD make this a moot issue? I.e. memory paging on a 16GB system is so fast that 32GB is not a significant improvement?
Schiller’s answer: Thank you for the email. It is a good question. To put more than 16GB of fast RAM into a notebook design at this time would require a memory system that consumes much more power and wouldn’t be efficient enough for a notebook. I hope you check out this new generation MacBook Pro, it really is an incredible system.
While most average customers likely couldn’t utilize 32GB RAM, the MacBook Pro is aimed at professionals who need more computing power and who may occasionally feel the constraints of being limited to 16GB RAM. There will undoubtedly be customers who are disappointed that Apple has not offered a choice between better performance and battery life.
For the 2016 MacBook Pro, Apple was able to reach “all-day battery life,” which equates to 10 hours of wireless web use or iTunes movie playback. That’s an hour improvement over the previous generation in the 15-inch machine, and a small step back in the 13-inch machine.
While none of Apple’s portable machines offer more than 16GB RAM, 32GB of RAM is a high-end custom upgrade option in the 27-inch iMac.
Related Roundup: MacBook Pro
Buyer’s Guide: Retina MacBook Pro (Buy Now)
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Apple MacBook Pro (2016) preview: Air apparent
Apple has released a new entry-level MacBook Pro that is likely to woo MacBook Air users looking to upgrade without pushing the budget too hard.
In a slightly confusing move, Apple has launched various different models in its new MacBook Pro family. If you’re interested in MacBook Pro with Touch Bar, then be sure to check that out too.
Can a MacBook Pro, without Apple’s new all-singing all-dancing Touch Bar, still excite? We got a closer look following the launch of the new range at the Apple Event in October.
Apple MacBook Pro (2016): Exterior design
Coming in silver or grey, the new entry-level MacBook Pro 13-inch model features the same exterior design as the 13-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar. It is considerably smaller in size than the previous 13-inch MacBook Pro (which is still be available) weighing 1.37kg and measures 14.9 x 304.1 x 212.4mm.
In real terms it is 3mm thinner than the previous MacBook Pro making it roughly the same thickness as the base of the older model. It is lighter too, around 200g, thanks to a reduction in the physical battery in the chassis.
- Apple MacBook Pro (2016) vs Apple MacBook Air: What’s the difference?
- Apple MacBook Pro (2016) vs MacBook Pro (2015): What’s the difference?
Gone is the glowing Apple icon on the back – it’s about saving space and battery power – and gone is the menagerie of ports and connections down either side.
Pocket-lint
Yes, like the new MacBook launched in 2015, which Apple describes as the Genesis to this model, the MacBook Pro entry-level model features just two Thunderbolt 3 sockets and a headphone socket.
There is no Magsafe power charger, no SD Card reader, no HDMI socket, no USB, or DisplayPort options. The removal of these ports is to save space and in many cases, if you want to use existing cables or devices, you’ll need a range of new cables or adapters.
Apple hopes the move will spearhead an industry movement to away from the multitude of different cable offerings, will mean that in the future you can serve a number of connection needs with little effort. All of these connections types – DisplayPort, HDMI, USB, etc – are supported on each Thunderbolt 3 port.
As we’ve found with the MacBook that ditched the sockets to adopt USB Type-C, it is possible to embrace a port free life, but you will have to make some compromises along the way.
Pocket-lint
Overall the design is very smart, especially the space grey model. It still retains the core design ethos of the MacBook Pro range of recent years, but manages to incorporate elements and lessons learnt from the 2015 MacBook. It isn’t a radical design change like the Lenovo YogaBook or the Surface Book, it’s a familiar evolution of the MacBook.
Apple MacBook Pro (2016): Opening it up
Raise the lid and you immediately notice Apple has redesigned and re-engineered the MacBook Pro here too. With the entry-level model you don’t get the Touch Bar or Touch ID unit, but you do still benefit from the new tighter keyboard, a much bigger trackpad, better speakers, and 2560 x 1600 pixel resolution display which claims to be 67 per cent brighter than the previous model. Side-by-side it certainly feels brighter and more colourful than the older MacBook Pro.
The keyboard is stiff like the smaller MacBook model with a very small amount of travel. If you are using a 2015 MacBook Pro you’ll immediately notice the difference. Everything is much more “stable”. We’ve also noticed that each key now gets its own individual LED backlight for greater light control and the move to a tighter keyboard has also meant that the keys are physically bigger too.
Pocket-lint
Beneath the keyboard is a much bigger (almost twice the size) Force Touch trackpad which is as long as the iPhone 7, but wider. It is noticeably larger. Like the previous MacBook Pro and MacBook, it doesn’t move and comes with haptic and 3D touch support. It’s very nice and very responsive and ultimately gives you a lot more space to interact.
The keyboard is now sandwiched between two speakers that run the height of the keyboard and deliver a louder, clearer, cleaner noise which is considerably more rounded and bassy than the previous outings. That’s achievable because Apple has changed the speaker technology moving away from bouncing the sound off the display, instead placing the direct firing speakers either side of the keyboard.
This model doesn’t come with the Touch Bar or Touch ID and instead delivers a no frills traditional row of Fn keys as you will be familiar with on all MacBook models previously.
Apple MacBook Pro (2016): At the core
It’s not just about the exterior, the internals get a refresh too with new processors, new graphics, and faster storage.
The starting model which we’re using features a 2.0GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.1GHz, 8GB of RAM and 256GB SSD storage. It will cost £1,449 making it a very pricey upgrade from the £900 12-inch MacBook or £949 MacBook Air, but you are getting a lot of powerful tech for your money. You have to ask whether you need all that extra horsepower, screen technology, and size reduction.
- Apple MacBook Pro (2016): Release date, specs and everything you need to know
We haven’t yet had the chance to put the new MacBook Pro through its paces in terms of performance, but first impressions are that it is no slouch. We’ll be updating this preview as we delve deeper into the device, including whether or not, even though it has a physically smaller battery, the device is just as capable of lasting 10 hours on a single charge.
First Impressions
The entry-level MacBook Pro delivers a flagship laptop design from Apple that many will be happy with, without getting caught up in the new Touch Bar and Touch ID option.
The looks, design, new keyboard and trackpad are all lovely. The screen is delicious too, certainly in comparison to the MacBook Air, making this a great entry-level (if you can say that for a £1449 laptop) machine.
It would have been nice to have Touch ID, regardless of the Touch Bar, and the lack of port options may give you some headaches. Talking to MacBook users over the last year, ports are something you do learn to adapt to. Whether that fits into your existing workflow or not is a different question.
If you must have all the latest new toys, you’ll want the more powerful MacBook Pro with Touch Bar model, but for many, including those looking to upgrade their ailing MacBook Air, this will be a fantastic option if you can stretch your budget. This definitely looks to be a worthy upgrade from the MacBook Air.
AIVAnet 