New VR game lets you experience the sinking of the Titanic, and explore the wreckage too

Why it matters to you

A Kickstarter project would allow people to relive the sinking of the Titanic and explore the wreckage in a way they never have been able to before through the use of virtual reality.

It’s been two decades since James Cameron retold the story of one of last century’s most infamous tragedies. Now, Titanic VR offers a chance to relive the vessel’s sinking and rediscovery all over again. The studio behind the project, Immersive VR Education, is seeking funds via Kickstarter.

“With various movies, books, and documentaries coming out over the past few years, the story of Titanic is one that has never left the public consciousness,” David Whelan, Immersive VR Education CEO, told Digital Trends, “And we feel it’s now time to tell this story using the medium of virtual reality so people can experience this in a way never thought possible.”

More: Ancient history meets modern technology: Lithomodos VR reconstructs the past

Titanic VR puts gamers in the role of a survivor onboard the ship prior to its sinking and, later, aboard a submersible exploring the wreckage. To ensure accuracy, Whelan and his team have turned to research books and thousands of pages of documents, including the plans and drawings used by the ship’s builders.

“When researching the characters and people onboard, thankfully, Titanic is very well-documented, and many pictures are available showing the survivors on the rescue ship the Carpathia — and even some of them in the lifeboats,” he said.

This isn’t Whelan’s first Kickstarter-funded VR endeavor — in fact, he and his team took backers to the moon and back with the Apollo 11 VR Experience. But Titanic VR is of special interest to the Irish company, whose offices are just a 90-minute drive from the vessel’s last port of call.

One of the team’s main aims is to make the experience resonate with everyone, not just students or history buffs. “We are building Titanic to appeal to gamers, historians, and the general public,” Whelan said. Gamers will be tasked with exploring the shipwreck in a remotely operated underwater vehicle.

Nearly 600 people have pledged 31,000 euros ($32,750 U.S.) of the 50,000 euro ($52,800) goal with a week left to go in the campaign. Whether or not the campaign finds fundings via Kickstarer, Whelan is determined to develop the game. “Not reaching our goal will slow us down but not stop us,” he said.

Google Research and Daydream are creating more realistic VR avatars

Why it matters to you

Interacting with someone in VR will become more immersive if Google Research and Daydream Labs accomplish their goal.

Being around someone using a virtual reality system can be an eerie experience. The typical VR headset fully hides the user’s eyes, making it hard to follow along with the action and interact with anyone using a system. When you’re inside a VR experience with another user, today’s systems don’t pass along facial expressions and so the social aspects and overall experience are hindered.

Google Research is looking to resolve that problem with a new project it is working on with Daydream Labs. By combining 3D computer vision, machine learning, and advanced rendering methods, the project aims to create more of a realistic solution that can convey a user’s identity, focus, and face.

More: Emteq wants to track your facial and eye movements for emotional interaction in VR

Basically, the solution uses a VR headset modified by SensoMotoric Instruments that includes a video camera and eye-tracking components to show a person’s facial variations while blinking and looking in certain directions. This information is overlaid inside the mixed reality environment using green screen technology, basically making it look like the VR headset is a scuba mask — the translucent effect is deliberate and intended to avoid the “uncanny valley” effect that can make avatars and robots come across as unnatural.

From there, this modified user representation is worked into VR and mixed reality environments. The experienced is completed by showing a more realistic and expressive view of the user including their facial expressions and the ability to see where the user is looking.

While the technology does nothing for the real-world headset user, it dramatically improves the experience inside a VR or mixed reality world. Users can interact more realistically, using facial expressions and nonverbal cues to greatly enhance the communication and social interaction possible in VR environments. While the gaming applications are obvious, more mundane and practical solutions like VR video conferencing would also be greatly improved.

There is no word yet on when this technology will make it to shipping products. Anyone who wants to delve into the details can visit the Google Research blog to learn more about how the pieces connect to create a much more realistic virtual representation of the VR user.

Gordon Ramsay’s father-in-law charged with hacking the chef’s computer

Why it matters to you

Blood may be thicker than water, but that doesn’t count if you’re an in-law. Gordon Ramsay’s father-in-law is being charged with hacking the ornery chef’s computer.

He’s known for his temper, so it’s no wonder that a family feud involving Gordon Ramsay is nothing less than a battle royale. On Tuesday, the famous(ly potty-mouthed) Michelin-starred chef took a step closer to justice at the expense of several of his in-laws. His father-in-law and three other members of the clan have been charged by the Met police with regard to computer hacking allegations that are now seven years old.

Chris Hutcheson, his sons Adam and Chris, and his daughter Orlanda Butland are now facing legal repercussions for the “illegal interception of messages on computers,” the Guardian reports. The Met police said in a statement, “The charges follow allegations that between 23 October 2010 and 3 March 2011, they conspired together to cause a computer to access programs and data held in any computer without authority, contrary to section 1(1) of the Criminal Law Act 1977.”

More: Millions of cars vulnerable to entry with hacked Android connected car apps

It’s a long fall from grace for Hutcheson, who served as the CEO of Gordon Ramsay Holdings for many years. But back in October 2010, Ramsay fired his father-in-law, claiming that his computers had been hacked and that Hutcheson was behind the leaking of emails between Ramsay and his wife (who happens to be Hutcheson’s daughter).

Charges facing the Hutcheson family manifested following an investigation conducted by detectives working on Operation Tuleta, which was initially started to investigate claims of hacking at newspapers. It’s one of several operations that launched following reports of phone hacking with regard to the United Kingdom media.

Chris, Adam, and Chris Hutcheson, along with Orlanda Butland, are scheduled to make an appearance at Westminster magistrates court on March 14. So let this serve as a warning to angry family members everywhere — there are apparently no ties that are strong enough to justify breaking into someone else’s inbox. Especially if that someone else is known for his temper.

Huawei’s Honor VR Camera could be the most portable 360-degree camera yet

Why it matters to you

Virtual reality is becoming more and more popular, but until now it has required larger cameras and expensive gear. The Honor VR Camera may help change that.

Huawei is looking to enter the virtual reality game. The company has announced the Honor VR Camera, a 360-degree clip-on camera that works with smartphones. The camera was created in partnership with Insta360, and it supports “3K photography,” as well as live-streaming capabilities.

We don’t yet know all the details about the new camera, however according to Huawei it will be launched internationally. It’s also not known if the camera will work with a range of different phones, or with just Huawei’s own phones. Last but not least, it’s currently unclear how much the device will cost — but it would be surprising to see it come in at any more than $350, which is the cost of the Samsung Gear 360. In any case, it’s likely we’ll hear more about the phone at Mobile World Congress.

More: Everything you need to know about the Huawei Honor V9

The release is certainly an interesting one, but it highlights a push by companies to launch virtual reality and 360-degree photography products. Samsung has a 360-degree camera of its own — however the camera is not as portable as Huawei’s new offering. It’s possible that cameras like this could help push 360-degree video among consumers — just as more mobile VR solutions like Daydream did for virtual reality.

M obile recording is likely to be what pushes 360-degree video into consumer consciousness. For example, the Samsung Gear 360 camera comes in at $350, offers 4K video recording, and works with Samsung’s smartphones. The Gear 360 looks slightly larger than Huawei’s offering and doesn’t clip to a smartphone.

The fact that the Huawei Honor VR Camera supports live-streaming is also a nice touch — platforms like Facebook Live have become extremely popular, not just for companies and publishers, but also for the average person. Facebook has also been pushing 360-degree video content, so the Honor VR Camera could be a big deal for Facebook Live.

Find places to hike, mountain bike, climb, and ski using REI’s mobile apps

Why it matters to you

Need help mapping your next outdoor adventure? REI’s apps have you covered for just about anything.

With more than 145 retail stores and a website filled with the latest and greatest equipment, REI is the largest outdoor gear retailer in the U.S. But anyone who is familiar with the company knows it is more than a gear shop, offering advice to hikers and climbers, organizing adventurous trips to far-flung places, and providing interesting in-store seminars, all while advocating for the conservation of wild places. The company even goes to great lengths to help its customers get outdoors, often organizing local activities. Now, with a whole suite of REI mobile apps, the company is bringing some of those same services to your phone.

There are eight apps, each of which has its own purpose. For instance, the Shopping App (iOS/Android) allows users to peruse REI’s online store for the gear they need on their outdoor adventures. Customers can search for specific items from a wide variety of brands, compare different products, and read reviews. They can also place orders either for home delivery or pick-up in their local REI store and pay for the gear from the app.

More: This solar-powered smart wallet features RFID-blocking technology too

Five of the apps all share similar functionality and are designed to help users find places to take part in their favorite outdoor activities. The Hiking Project (iOS/Android), MTB Project (iOS/Android), and the Powder Project (iOS/Android) each help their users find trails to hike, mountain bike, and ski, respectively, while the Trail Run Project (iOS/Android) and Mountain Project (iOS/Android) do the same for trail runners and climbers. Each program uses your phone’s GPS capabilities to find the best options nearby but they also have searchable databases for destinations that you may be traveling to. These apps provide access to hundreds of trails across the U.S., making them essential for any outdoor enthusiast.

The final two options include the National Park Guide and Maps app (iOS/Android) and the REI MasterCard (iOS/Android). The first of those offers trail maps, photos, and other data from America’s national parks, making it a must-have for anyone who likes to visit those wild places. Meanwhile, as the name implies, the credit card app allows users to apply for and manage their REI card.

You can find out more on each of these apps on the REI website, or install them directly from the App Store or the Google Play Store.

Google’s gigabit Webpass internet is expanding to Seattle and Denver

Why it matters to you

Google is bringing superfast Webpass internet to Seattle and Denver, where customers should see download and upload speeds of up to a gigabit.

Google Fiber, Google’s eponymous high-speed internet service, is expanding its wireline reach. On Wednesday, the search giant’s Webpass subsidiary published a job listing that makes passing reference to an unannounced “Seattle market.”  It’s for a general manger who’d be “directly responsible for the growth of […] local telecom network and revenue,” and who’d oversee construction and installation schedules.

In a related development, Webpass announced that it would expand to select residential markets in Denver. “[Customers whose] buildings are wired with Ethernet will be able to contact Webpass and sign up for superfast internet service,” a company spokesperson said in a statement.

More: Out with infrastructure? Google Fiber may become entirely wireless in the future

Webpass offers unlimited downloads and uploads at speeds of up to 1Gbps for $60 a month in Boston, Miami, Oakland, Sand Diego, San Francisco. Access, the Google parent company responsible for Google Fiber, purchased it in October.

Unlike Google Fiber, Webpass doesn’t rely on fiber wire to deliver high-speed internet. Instead, it employs millimeter wave technology that beams high-frequency waves from powerful base stations to receivers mounted on the tops of buildings. It isn’t perfect — the signals are subject to atmospheric interference, network congestion, and the number of subscribers using the connection at any given time — but it’s often cheaper to deploy in particularly dense urban environments.

And it’s unlikely to face the sorts of legal challenges triggered by Google’s fiber efforts. AT&T, Charter, and Comcast have sued to stop city ordinances in Nashville and Louisville that would make it easier for Google to access utility polls.

More: Google Fiber, AT&T fiber turn Kentucky city into a gigabit battleground

Google Fiber has been in limbo, recently, pending a shift in expansion strategy. Alphabet, Google’s parent company, reduced the Access team’s staff and “paused” fiber rollouts in 10 cities. Currently, Google services nine metro areas, including Atlanta, Austin, Charlotte, Kansas City (in Missouri and Kansas), Nashville, Salt Lake City, and Provo, Utah. It’s scheduled to launch in Irvine, California; San Antonio, Texas; Louisville, Kentucky; and Huntsville, Alabama, in the coming months.

“We have refined our plan going forward to achieve these objectives,” Barrett wrote in a blog post announcing the layoffs. “It entails us making changes to focus our business and product strategy. Importantly, the plan enhances our focus on new technology and deployment methods to make superfast internet more abundant than it is today.”

At an Alphabet shareholder’s meeting earlier this year, chairman Eric Schmidt unveiled plans to test wireless gigabit internet service that wouldn’t require “[digging] up your garden.” In October 2016, Google gained approval from the United States Federal Communications Commission to begin testing “experimental transmitters” in as many as 24 metropolitan areas throughout the country.

Google’s gigabit Webpass internet is expanding to Seattle and Denver

Why it matters to you

Google is bringing superfast Webpass internet to Seattle and Denver, where customers should see download and upload speeds of up to a gigabit.

Google Fiber, Google’s eponymous high-speed internet service, is expanding its wireline reach. On Wednesday, the search giant’s Webpass subsidiary published a job listing that makes passing reference to an unannounced “Seattle market.”  It’s for a general manger who’d be “directly responsible for the growth of […] local telecom network and revenue,” and who’d oversee construction and installation schedules.

In a related development, Webpass announced that it would expand to select residential markets in Denver. “[Customers whose] buildings are wired with Ethernet will be able to contact Webpass and sign up for superfast internet service,” a company spokesperson said in a statement.

More: Out with infrastructure? Google Fiber may become entirely wireless in the future

Webpass offers unlimited downloads and uploads at speeds of up to 1Gbps for $60 a month in Boston, Miami, Oakland, Sand Diego, San Francisco. Access, the Google parent company responsible for Google Fiber, purchased it in October.

Unlike Google Fiber, Webpass doesn’t rely on fiber wire to deliver high-speed internet. Instead, it employs millimeter wave technology that beams high-frequency waves from powerful base stations to receivers mounted on the tops of buildings. It isn’t perfect — the signals are subject to atmospheric interference, network congestion, and the number of subscribers using the connection at any given time — but it’s often cheaper to deploy in particularly dense urban environments.

And it’s unlikely to face the sorts of legal challenges triggered by Google’s fiber efforts. AT&T, Charter, and Comcast have sued to stop city ordinances in Nashville and Louisville that would make it easier for Google to access utility polls.

More: Google Fiber, AT&T fiber turn Kentucky city into a gigabit battleground

Google Fiber has been in limbo, recently, pending a shift in expansion strategy. Alphabet, Google’s parent company, reduced the Access team’s staff and “paused” fiber rollouts in 10 cities. Currently, Google services nine metro areas, including Atlanta, Austin, Charlotte, Kansas City (in Missouri and Kansas), Nashville, Salt Lake City, and Provo, Utah. It’s scheduled to launch in Irvine, California; San Antonio, Texas; Louisville, Kentucky; and Huntsville, Alabama, in the coming months.

“We have refined our plan going forward to achieve these objectives,” Barrett wrote in a blog post announcing the layoffs. “It entails us making changes to focus our business and product strategy. Importantly, the plan enhances our focus on new technology and deployment methods to make superfast internet more abundant than it is today.”

At an Alphabet shareholder’s meeting earlier this year, chairman Eric Schmidt unveiled plans to test wireless gigabit internet service that wouldn’t require “[digging] up your garden.” In October 2016, Google gained approval from the United States Federal Communications Commission to begin testing “experimental transmitters” in as many as 24 metropolitan areas throughout the country.

Apple ResearchKit epilepsy study provides insight on seizure triggers

Why it matters to you

Apple is making it a point to research patients across a range of illnesses — research that could one day help save your life.

Apple has been playing a bigger role in conducting medical research through the sensors in its iPhone and Apple Watch, and one of the bigger of its studies has just concluded. The study was conducted over the past 10 months, and tracked epilepsy patients’ seizures, gaining invaluable insight into what triggers those seizures.

The way it worked is that when patients felt that a seizure could be coming on, they opened up the app and told the Apple Watch to record both heart rate data and accelerometer data from the Apple Watch. It also tracked gyroscope data from the iPhone for 10 minutes. During that 10 minutes, users were also prompted to test for reflex and awareness, and after the seizure had ended, patients filled out a survey about the type of seizure, loss of awareness, and what they think could have triggered the seizure.

More: Almost 80 percent of Apple devices are on iOS 10, latest figures reveal

In total almost 1,500 seizures were recorded, and the data collected could seriously help in the treatment of epilepsy patients. For example, stress was linked to a hefty 37 percent of the seizures, while sleep deprivation accounted for 18 percent. Menstruation was linked to 12 percent of the seizures, and other seizures were linked to diet and missed medications. Interestingly, despite conventional wisdom suggesting otherwise, it did not seem as though triggers and type of seizure were linked.

“The data collected will help researchers better understand epilepsy, while helping people with epilepsy keep a more complete history of their seizures,” said Gregory Krauss, MD, the author of the study, in a press release. “The app also provides helpful tracking of seizures, prescription medication use and drug side effects —activities that are important in helping people manage their condition.”

So what’s the goal? Beyond simply gaining more knowledge on epilepsy, Krauss says that eventually the team would like to develop a wearable that can predict seizures, which could both help save peoples lives and help epilepsy patients gain more freedom.

The study started in September 2015 and 598 people with epilepsy were a part of it.

LG’s K Series budget phones run Android 7.0 Nougat

LG revealed five of its upcoming smartphones in December before CES 2017 even began. But now that the show is about to kick off, we’ve managed to get some hands-on time with the budget devices at the massive annual technology show in Las Vegas.

Don’t expect these phones to be replacements for the LG G5 or V20. LG has four K Series phones, and a brand new Stylus smartphone, all of which are strong midrange devices suitable for all. The K Series, which launched in 2016, includes the K3, K4, K8, and K10. The 2017 variants slightly improve on the older models, adding features such as fingerprint sensors and larger megapixel sensors.

What’s neat is that they all run the latest version of Android — 7.0 Nougat. That’s hard to find in a budget phone these days. Prices haven’t been announced yet, and LG is expecting to launch the K Series in spring 2017.

LG K10

The LG K10 is the top new K Series phone from LG. It has a 5.3-inch IPS screen with a 1,280 x 720 pixel resolution, and is powered by a MediaTek MT6570 octa-core processor with 2GB of RAM. The screen is covered in a curved 2.5D glass panel, the phone’s chassis is made from metal, and a fingerprint sensor is on the back — all great features separating the K10 from many other midrange phones currently available.

The device felt lightweight, but its brushed back wasn’t appealing as it was prone to show fingerprints (at least for the gray model). It did also seem as though the device endured its fair share of scratches on the sides, which reiterates the fact that these are budget devices that aren’t made of the highest-quality materials.

Still, the software experience is more or less the same as what you will find in the LG G5 or the V20. The fact that the K Series will run Nougat out of the box is important as the Android version update is still slowly trickling to flagship devices from other manufacturers. We didn’t run into any hiccups in our brief time using the device. Apps opened quickly enough, and the experience felt smooth.

More: When is your phone getting Android 7.0 Nougat? We asked every major manufacturer

LG has taken a 13-megapixel camera, once fitted to its high-end G Series phones, and put it on the back of the K10, with a 120-degree selfie cam with five megapixels around the front. The 2,800mAh removable battery sounds small, but it doesn’t have to drive a massive, high-resolution screen. There are three colors available — black, titan, and gold — plus space for a MicroSD card to boost the 32GB of onboard storage.

The K10’s first destination is India, where the phone is available for 15,000 rupees ($220). Due to Indian government standards, the K10 comes equipped with a “Panic” button that directly connects to India’s SOS 112 emergency calling service. Phone owners will need to either press the power button three times or press the SOS option in the menu to get connected with the service.

LG K8

The K8 is a little smaller than the K10. It has a 5-inch IPS screen with the same 1,280 x 720 pixel resolution, as well as a smaller 1.4GHz quad-core MediaTek processor with only 1.5GB of RAM. You only get 16GB of internal storage, and the battery has a 2,500mAh capacity. The cameras have higher megapixel counts than the current K8, with 13 megapixels on the rear and five megapixels on the front. LG has given K8 owners the choice of either silver, titan, dark blue, or gold color schemes.

The K8, like the K10, also felt lightweight, but it certainly does feel like a budget phone.

LG K4 and K3

These two are entry-level smartphones, and sadly, LG has installed Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow instead of 7.0 Nougat found on the K10 and K8. The K3 has a 4.5-inch, 854 x 480 pixel screen, a 5-megapixel rear camera, a 2-megapixel front camera, and a 2,100mAh removable battery. The processor is a 1.1GHz quad-core MediaTek chip with 1GB of RAM, and there’s 8GB of internal storage with a MicroSD card slot.

The K4, pictured above, is the best-looking device in the K Series. It improves on last year’s model slightly with a 5-inch screen, which retains the 854 x 480 pixel resolution, plus a pair of 5-megapixel cameras. It has the same 1.1GHz MediaTek chip that is powering the K4, and a single gigabyte of RAM. The battery has a 2,500mAh capacity, there’s 8GB of storage space, a MicroSD card slot, and like the K3, 4G LTE connectivity.

LG didn’t have the K3 available but it was clear the display was sub par on the K4 due to the use of such a low resolution on a 5-inch screen. It may look better on the K3 with its 4.5-inch display.

More: LG G6 news and rumors

We may know enough about the phones, but LG is keeping prices and release dates under wraps for now. Expect the K Series to launch in the spring, and since last year’s K10 cost around $180, we expect this year’s lineup to stay within that sub-$200 range.

Updated on 02-22-2017 by Williams Pelegrin: Added information regarding the K10’s launch in India.

No, Project Fi will not destroy your Google Voice account (update: that was then, this is now)

Changes in the Google Voice app have some worried that Project Fi will lose features.

This article was updated in February, 2017 with new information about both Project Fi and Google Voice.

In January 2017, Google Voice was given the big update many of us using it had been waiting for. A rich user interface with things like threaded messaging and MMS for everyone, as well as a new web interface all worked to make using Google Voice easier. But for some, namely Project Fi users, it put an end to being able to use the app the way we had been using it. And to add a little salt to the wound, we’ve all been hearing about how Hangouts — the only option for Fi subscribers to use more than one phone — is moving away to become some strange corporate enterprise thing.

If Hangouts morphs into something else, what happens to Fi users who need Google Voice features?

A Project Fi subscriber can no longer have a traditional Google Voice account. Both systems share the same infrastructure, so tying more than one number to the same account isn’t possible. Your Project Fi phone number is your Google Voice number and vice versa. Before the update, users with a Project Fi-issued phone number were able to install the Google Voice app on a different phone or a tablet so sending and receiving SMS was available using the Fi number and calls would come in or could be made using the Fi number.

This update takes that option away, leaving Hangouts as the only method to use one number across different devices. And Hangouts is going away, at least as we know it today.

We reached out to Project Fi and heard the same well-intentioned line everyone eventually received; nothing to announce, Google understands the situation, pair of aces in the wrong places and all that. But there is light at the end of the tunnel when we veer away from the official word and look to the unconfirmed but reliable sources.

Google is said to be adding the functionality Project Fi users currently have via Hangouts into the new Google Voice. That could mean a merging of Fi and Google Voice, additional features in the Project Fi app for devices with a different SIM card and phone number, or a fix for Google accounts associated with a Fi account so that they can access the Google Voice app and its features using a Fi number.

Google’s messaging strategy is an unknown and can be confusing. Still, we expect they have some plan in mind for folks paying them to use Project Fi. Google Voice has been a favorite for many since it was Grand Central and is still a great way to have a second number or use the same number everywhere. We hope it stays that way.

The original text of the article follows below.

News that Google was finally pushing Project Fi invites to a handful of people led to a whole lot of users asking those lucky enough to get in on the action what the experience was like. In doing so, a screenshot appeared that suggested using Project Fi meant destroying your Google Voice account. The dialogue box from the screenshot explains you can either bring your Google Voice number over to Project Fi, or you can use a different number with a caveat explaining your current Voice number will be released if you go with a different number.

If all you know about Project Fi and Google Voice comes from that one screenshot, there’d be plenty of reason to be concerned. Fortunately, after a quick chat with the folks at Google, we know things aren’t nearly as dire as they seem.

Project Fi uses the same infrastructure as Google Voice, and all of those features follow with you from Google Voice to Project Fi.

The first thing you need to know about Project Fi is how the system is built to function. Fi operates on a special hybrid network that allows users to move seamlessly between Wifi, T-Mobile, and Sprint networks, with unique pricing that lets you pay for what you use and not a penny more. The service also lets you use your Fi number on devices that aren’t connected to the Fi network. You can use your Fi number to make calls, send SMS, and access call forwarding and voicemail transcripts on anything running Google Hangouts, including your desktop.

Sound familiar? That’s because Project Fi uses the same infrastructure as Google Voice, and all of those features follow with you from Google Voice to Project Fi.

Google Voice isn’t being destroyed by this new service, it’s growing up and becoming Project Fi. You have the same features that work the same way, with the added bonus of being able to use the Project Fi mobile carrier service if you choose. Remember, Project Fi is month to month, so you can jump on and off the service as you please. More importantly, Google has confirmed users who stop using Fi will be able to continue using the Google Voice features in Hangouts, only now it’ll be called Project Fi when setting it up on new devices. If you want access to your old Google Voice information, like call history and old voicemail, there’s a button to do exactly that inside the Project Fi web interface.

So relax, Google isn’t taking Voice from you. If anything, Google is doing what folks have been begging them to do for well over a year now by bringing Voice into the modern era and tacking new features onto it. If you’re only casually interested in Fi and don’t want to move your Voice account over, you can use another Gmail account and get a fresh number generated. Otherwise, sit back and enjoy the ride.