Vizio devices now take voice commands from Google Home

Vizio’s living room devices already play nicely with Google services, but wouldn’t it be nice if you could use Google voice control as well? You can now. All of Vizio’s SmartCast-equipped devices, including recent TVs, soundbars and speakers, just got support for Google Home. If you want to watch a movie on Netflix, you don’t even have to wake your TV — say the right words to Google’s smart speaker and it’ll start playing on your set. You can also pause, skip songs and tweak the volume without touching a button.

It’s a relatively simple addition, but in some ways it’s a big feature upgrade. If you’re willing to buy Google Home, you’re not dependent on busting out a phone or tablet to get the most out of Vizio’s ecosystem. And while other TVs certainly have voice commands, Vizio’s approach doesn’t require that you grab a remote to start talking.

Via: The Verge

Source: PR Newswire

PSVR mech battler ‘Rigs’ won’t get any new content

Sony today confirmed that there will be no more DLC coming to multiplayer PSVR launch title Rigs. Following the recent closure of developer Guerilla Cambridge, it seems Sony has opted to cut short its initial plan for additional Rigs content.

While the ambitious mech-based multiplayer shooter won itself a loyal fan base amongst early PSVR adopters, Sony’s decision to close Guerilla Cambridge suggests that the game’s sales weren’t quite up to expectations. Despite the closure, Sony told Eurogamer that Rigs’ online servers will be unaffected, with the game still scheduled to receive patches and other “community support”.

Formerly known as SCEE Cambridge, Guerilla Cambridge developed games for Sony for almost twenty years, making its name with the release of seminal PlayStation classic – MediEvil. While Rigs was the developer’s first and last PSVR release, the studio spent most of its time making games for PlayStation’s handhelds. The developer’s lengthy career saw it not only bring MediEvil to the PlayStation Portable, but also big Sony franchises to handhelds, creating games like Little Big Planet PSP and Killzone: Mercenary for Vita.

In the run up to launch, Rigs’ unique brand of fast-paced mech mayhem meant that it was hotly tipped as one of the jewels in PSVR’s crown. With the studio managing to weather the storm of both the PSP and Vita’s middling sales, however, Guerilla Cambridge’s recent closure doesn’t exactly bode well for PSVR’s future.

Despite happily sharing PS4 sales figures, Sony has also remained ominously quiet about how its virtual reality platform has actually performed. This reluctance to disclose sales coupled with a lack of PSVR announcements at last month’s PlayStation Experience means that Sony’s silence on PSVR feels deafening.

With this month’s Resident Evil 7 and March’s Star Trek Bridge Crew serving as the platform’s only major 2017 releases so far, Sony will need to work quickly to reassure early PSVR adopters that it was worth investing in the expensive new tech.

Source: Eurogamer

Microsoft’s Twitch competitor, Beam, gets a major update

Microsoft said it was about to supercharge Beam, and it’s quickly following through on that promise. After a few weeks of beta testing, the livestreaming service’s big 2.0 overhaul is now available to everyone. The most conspicuous change is what you’ll see the moment you hop in. There’s a revamped home page that can feature multiple streams and show more info about a broadcaster’s communities. Also, you’ll notice a revamped, HTML5-only player that touts better video-on-demand controls, playback at higher bitrates (up to 10Mbps) and higher resolutions (1440p at 60 frames per second, anyone?). However, some of the biggest improvements are under the hood.

To begin with, you now have the choice of signing in with your Xbox Live (really, Microsoft) account — and it’ll eventually be mandatory. This could create hassles for streamers who’d prefer to keep their Beam and Microsoft accounts separate, but the team is counting on Xbox Live’s features winning you over in the long run. It’ll help out with built-in Beam streaming on Windows 10 and the Xbox One down the road, of course, but it’ll reportedly help out with two-factor authentication, moderation and other aspects of the service.

On top of that, you should also see much faster site loading (up to 5 times faster, Beam claims) and visuals, a better viewing experience on the mobile web, and a slicker chat experience that includes emote auto-completion. You’ll have to wait until later in the year for Xbox One support and new mobile apps, but pro streamers who use XSplit overlays will be glad to hear that a beta release now plays nicely with Beam’s low-delay streaming (FTL) as well.

We’d note that things appear a bit rough at the outset. Don’t be surprised if you run into a broken feature or two. However, you do have the option of rolling back to the previous interface if you dive into your account settings.

Will the overhaul convince Twitch die-hards to switch over by itself? Probably not — the temptation to stick with the community you know can be quite strong. It shows that Beam and Microsoft are committed to making their service a force to be reckoned with, however, and it’s laying some important groundwork for Microsoft’s big gaming initiatives this year.

[Thanks, Kristy]

Source: Matt Salsamendi (Twitter)

Teenage Engineering’s new pocket synth is its most versatile yet

Teenage Engineering debuted its first trio of pocket-sized $59 synthesizers almost exactly two years ago. In 2016, the company followed those with a second set of three Pocket Operators featuring the sounds of the ’80s. Now the company is back with a third installment: the PO-32. Like the half-dozen different options that are already available, the PO-32 remains a compact drum and percussion synth that runs on a pair of AAA batteries. However, there are two new key features that set this new model apart from the rest.

First, the PO-32 features a built-in microphone that handles the direct transfer of sounds and pattern data between multiple units. The other key addition is the ability to import/export patches and patterns to and from the compact instrument. Using Microtronic, a desktop machine and percussion synth, you can make tweaks and send them wirelessly back to the PO-32. In fact, this new Pocket Operator is a collaboration between Teenage Engineering and Sonic Charge, the company behind Microtronic.

There are also 16 sounds and 16 punch-in effects along with a sequencer and pattern locks. A built-in speaker handles playback of all the patterns and sounds you create. Speaking of patterns, you can chain up to 64 of them together and the LCD display from the first few models is back again. Despite the fact that the PO-32 runs on AAA batteries, Teenage Engineering says you can expect to use it for a full month before you will need to swap out the power source.

As you might expect, the added functionality means a slight price increase from the first two series. The PO-32 is available now in limited quantities as a bundle with the Microtronic audio software for $139. If you just want the pocket synth itself, you will have to wait until early April. When the time comes, expect to pay $89 to nab one.

Netflix expects HBO to go binge-first in an ‘internet TV world’

Netflix just announced its final earnings report for 2016 (PDF), revealing that it grew by seven million customers to 93.8 million. That’s two million more than it had projected, up more than 25 percent for the year and puts the 100 million benchmark squarely in its sights for 2017. Beyond revealing that House of Cards will launch in Q2 instead of Q1 this year, Netflix mentioned the strong performance of original series like The OA and 3%. Regarding the latter, Netflix says it was watched by “millions” of US viewers and is the first Portuguese-language show to travel that way.

Ten years after launching Watch Instantly streaming and one year after making it available nearly worldwide, Netflix is now an internet-first video company and according to its letter, expects others to follow. Noting the BBC’s new BritBox plans for online video, the company says it presumes HBO won’t be far behind when it comes to favoring internet viewers over linear ones, by launching series all at once instead of week-by-week.

Also garnering a mention is the incoming administration and its potential effect on net neutrality, which Netflix now says isn’t that big of a deal for its business. That’s because “we are now popular enough with consumers to keep our relationships with ISPs stable.” Despite that, it continued to push for strong net neutrality, saying ” We hope the new US administration and Congress will recognize that keeping the network neutral drives job growth and innovation.”

Developing….

Source: Netflix Q4 2016 Investor Letter (PDF)

‘Star Trek: Discovery’ faces an indefinite delay

If you were banking on watching Star Trek: Discovery in May… well, we hope you have some contingency plans. CBS has confirmed to Hollywood Reporter that it’s once again delaying the streaming-focused show, this time for an indefinite stretch. Production on the series is all set to start in late January, but the team says it wants to be “flexible” on timing to ensure the production is a success. “It’s more important to do this right than to do it fast,” the company says, adding that the internet saves it from having to meet a fixed TV season deadline.

Almost as a form of consolation, CBS has revealed that James Frain (best known for his role in The Tudors) will play Sarek, Spock’s father.

This additional setback isn’t going to make fans happy, especially since Discovery was originally poised to arrive in January. However, it wasn’t hard to see another delay coming. Aside from the crunch that would have been needed to finish the show for May, there’s a lot riding on its success. This is supposed to be the flagship show that proves All Access is about more than just bringing existing TV programming online, and a rushed production could hurt its chances of competing against the likes of Hulu and Netflix.

Via: The Verge

Source: Hollywood Reporter, CBS

iPhone 8 May Include Facial and Gesture Recognition

The next-generation iPhone 8, set to debut this September, could include facial or gesture recognition technology, according to Cowen and Company analyst Timothy Arcuri (via AppleInsider). The facial recognition capabilities could be powered by a laser sensor and an infrared sensor located near the front-facing camera.

We’ve previously heard rumors suggesting the iPhone 8 could include advanced biometric features like facial recognition or iris scanning, both from KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chu Kuo and from details sourced from the Asian supply chain.

With facial recognition, Apple could replace the Touch ID fingerprint sensor in the iPhone or augment its functionality with a two-factor verification system for sensitive information. In this scenario, unlocking the iPhone would require users to scan their faces, something that would increase security on iOS devices.

Facial recognition could also power other features on the phone, like augmented reality camera functions, and while gesture recognition is a new rumor, it could allow users to control their devices with simple gestures for doing things like turning volume up or down.

Capabilities like gesture control and facial recognition are also some of the first steps towards a rich augmented reality experience, something Apple is rumored to be working on.

Arcuri also reiterates several rumors we’ve previously heard. He believes Apple will launch a total of three iPhones, the standard 4.7 and 5.5-inch models and a new higher-end 5.8-inch iPhone with an OLED display.

The 5.8-inch iPhone, he says, will feature a wraparound display and a Touch ID fingerprint sensor that is located under the glass, a technology Apple has been pursuing for some time. Wireless charging, a much-rumored and highly desired feature, is also expected.

Today’s report from Timothy Arcuri covers many rumors that have been circulating for a few months, which is similar to much of the information that comes from the analyst. Cowen and Company has something of a mixed track record, but accurately predicted some iPhone 7 features.

Related Roundup: iPhone 8 (2017)
Tags: Timothy Arcuri, Cowen and Company
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Second-Generation Apple Pencil Rumored for March of 2017

Apple may be planning to introduce a second-generation Apple Pencil this year, according to rumors out of the Asian supply chain. The new Apple Pencil could be unveiled at an event rumored to take place in March, where it would be shown off along with the next-generation iPad Pro.

Prospective features for a second-generation Apple Pencil aren’t known, but a previous report from Bloomberg has suggested Apple is considering new iPad capabilities that would let the Apple Pencil to work in a larger range of apps, which could be introduced alongside the new accessory.

There’s also been some speculation that Apple could build in functionality outlined in several patents, including new antenna technology and a magnet that would allow the Apple Pencil to attach to an iPad’s body when not in use.

While we don’t yet have any concrete detail on what could potentially be included in a second-generation Apple Pencil, given the major changes expected to be introduced to the iPad Pro lineup, it makes some sense for Apple to unveil an updated pencil accessory.

Rumors suggest Apple will introduce a new iPad Pro model somewhere around 10 inches with an almost bezel-free design. Though the rumored iPad will use a larger 10-inch+ display, it’s said to be the same size as the existing 9.7-inch iPad Pro. Features like Touch ID would reportedly be built into the display, much like the rumored iPhone 8, and it is expected to include improved display technology and an upgraded A10X processor.

Related Roundup: iPad Pro
Tags: feng.com, Apple Pencil
Buyer’s Guide: 12.9″ iPad Pro (Caution)
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SpeakTribe: A great way of learning the beautiful Spanish language (review)

Learning languages is, in my opinion, one of the most fulfilling things you can do. This is especially true when you are in a country where they speak a different language than yours. The feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction you get after slowly starting to get what it is written on the streets or finally being able of going to the grocery shop without pulling your phone to use Google Translate is extremely rewarding.

Being a native Spanish speaker, I’ve had the luck of learning English, German and Estonian, so I know how hard can it be to learn a new language (especially Estonian, which is very different from Spanish). Thanks to technology and our mobile-centric world, things are a bit easier now, and services such as Duolingo and Babbel have gained popularity, while companies like Rosetta Stone have had to adapt in order to also offer mobile solutions. Developer Edushire doesn’t want to get behind, and has released SpeakTribe, an app which will help you to get started on the beautiful world of the Spanish language.

Developer: Edushire

Price: Free

Setup

The app asks for some basic info and then dives right into the content.

The app lets you select between five different levels to begin your journey. Even though it is my native tongue, I chose the beginner level in order to experience the app right from the start, and because there is a chance that most people who are adventuring into the language will choose this level as well.

After that, and some other background information questions, the exercises start right away. There’s no waiting, no choosing, no scrolling, nothing. You are immediately thrown into the exercises. I like this very direct approach: makes things uncomplicated and to the point.

Overview

Through the use of both written and spoken exercises, SpeakTribe aims at slowly introducing you to words and small sentence constructs.

When you speak in your native language, you tend to just take things for granted, but now that I’ve seen how a non-native speaker has to learn the language, I can say that SpeakTribe does a good job in explaining small nuances that Spanish has.

For example, if you want to say “I am Ecuadorian” in Spanish, you would need to say “Soy ecuatoriano.” However, if you would like to say “I am busy,” then it would be “Estoy ocupado” and not “Soy ocupado” as logic would dictate. Even Estonian would say “Ma olen equadorlane” and “Ma olen hõivatud.” God knows why we don’t. And let’s not get started with other aspects, such as age, in which we literally say “I have 25 years” (Tengo 25 años) instead of “I am 25 years old.” It’s a mess.

Interface could be a bit nicer but it gets the job done.

This kind of stuff is well explained throughout your exercises, although I’m pretty sure that it would take a bit of practice to get a grasp on it. Unfortunately, there’s no way of going through all of these tips after seeing them on your exercises, so if you can’t remember it, then tough luck. This is a really bad aspect of the app and one that should be addressed immediately.

Normally, exercises consist of sentences in Spanish accompanied with a highlighted phrase and choices in English. Your job is to choose the correct translation. Sometimes the app will give you hints, sometimes you’re on your own.

Each correct task will give you points, which will all add up in order to unlock the following labels. In between levels, you will have tasks that deal with having to infer stuff after reading a text. These texts normally have a vague investigation aspect to them. They normally use a lot of new words and are an interesting way of practicing the language in a different way than the regular exercises.

Voice

The app will speak to you in Spanish in whichever speed you like.

A big part of SpeakTribe, and a huge part of learning a new language, is speaking and listening. For this, SpeakTribe has added support through Google Text-to-speech engine. It is responsible for talking to you in a nice Spanish from Spain, not from Latin America. For the most part, it works fine.

I haven’t had instances in which the engine didn’t recognize what I said (although that might have something to do with my proficiency with Spanish, but I deliberately pronounced stuff in a weird way and it worked as well). Also, it does a good job in reading stuff on the screen for you, so you can hear how things should come out of your mouth.

In my opinion, the voice tends to pronounce the last syllabes in a weirdly long way. For example, some exercises talk about a friend of yours coming from India, and it emphasizes the “a” a lot. Like “Indiaaaa.” This is not a problem with the app but with Google’s engine, but it is unfortunate since people learning could think that this is the way of pronouncing stuff.

If you think the voice is talking too fast for you, then in each section where there is a possibility of hearing a phrase, there is also a slider which you can move left or right in order to adjust the speed of the voice. I’m sure that this will be an extremely convenient option for a lot of people.

Price

Prices range from $11 to $22.

Normally price is not a category on its own, but it is something to pay close attention to in this case. SpeakTribe is free until a certain level (four, to be precise). After that, you will have to pay. There’s a total of 25 levels you can buy, divided into intermediate levels ($11.00) and advanced levels ($18.26). You can also buy them together at a discount ($22.86).

Now, that is expensive for your usual in-app purchase, but actually it is not that much if you consider how much private lessons cost, but then, it is like comparing manzanas to naranjas. If you compare it to Rosetta Stone, then it is also cheaper, but Rosetta Stone includes stuff such as sessions with other students, phone calls with native speakers and much more content. Then if you compare it with Duolingo, which has a lot more content, gamification and better interface, SpeakTribe doesn’t fare well. Babbel has a similar system, but SpeakTribe’s one-time fee vs Babbel’s recurring subscription gives SpeakTribe a little edge, at least price-wise.

Options

The most important option available is the enabling or disabling of daily words. This feature sends you a notification with a new word in Spanish every day. I think it is worth it to keep it on, since you will learn a new word every day without you lifting a finger.

You are also able to backup your data to the server through your Google account. That way, you can progress through the course on different devices.

Other options available are not as noteworthy, such as toggling sound and vibration and speech recognition strictness.

Conclusion

Overall, I think that you could end up catching some words and understanding some structures with this app. Mastering a language is hard, and you will probably need some kind of interaction with someone else.

The interface is a little on the bland side (especially after using Duolingo), but it gets the work done. The word of the day notification is very useful to create a habit of practicing every day. If you are serious into learning Spanish, then you could definitely start with SpeakTribe. If it works for you, then $22 is not that expensive to continue your lessons. Just don’t expect to understand everything Alejandro Sanz sings in his melodies.

Download and install SpeakTribe from the Google Play Store.

Where to buy a used VR headset

VR is expensive. Buying used might be the solution.

From the Samsung Gear VR up to the HTC Vive, you’re not going to get a decent VR experience for cheap. The Gear VR starts around $100, but if you’re not sure about VR just yet, $100 is a lot to spend on trying something.

Used VR headsets are popping up more and more as the technology continues to develop, but selection is fairly limited for now. We know where you can get used headsets, but there are a few things to consider before diving into second-hand VR.

Read more at VR Heads!