Valve is working on adding eye-tracking support to OpenVR interface

Why it matters to you

Support for eye-tracking could make it easier for developers to deliver high quality virtual reality experiences without the need for prohibitively powerful hardware.

Valve is collaborating with German computer vision firm SensoMotoric Instruments (SMI) to bring eye-tracking functionality to the company’s OpenVR API. HTC Vive units with eye-tracking capabilities are being shown by the two companies at the Game Developers Conference, which is being held this week in San Francisco.

It’s hoped that eye-tracking technology could help improve the graphic quality of games designed to be played using virtual reality headsets. By tracking where the user is looking, it’s possible to render areas that are outside the viewer’s line of sight with less detail, freeing up hardware resources.

As VR technology becomes more advanced, it’s going to become more and more difficult for PCs to keep up with increased display resolutions. Including eye-tracking capabilities in future VR headsets could help counteract the need for more potent hardware.

More: Nobody wants a VR platform war, but Oculus may start one anyway

SMI has already collaborated with some of the biggest names in tech on various VR concepts. In February, Google Research showed off a project that used headsets modified by the company to maintain visibility of the user’s face, even while they are embroiled in a VR experience.

SMI will also showcase the results of its collaboration with ARM at its own GDC booth, according to a report from Road to VR. The company has been working with the processor specialists to implement eye-tracking on mobile VR devices, which stand to benefit greatly from the technology, given that they are often far less potent than purpose-built gaming PCs.

Valve’s decision to introduce support for eye-tracking into the OpenVR API certainly suggests that the company is confident in the technology’s potential to improve VR experiences. However, even though Vive headsets with eye-tracking capabilities are being shown at GDC, there is no confirmation that the next iteration of the device will be outfitted with this functionality.

Best iPhone 7 battery cases to keep your phone above 20 percent

Depending on how much you use your iPhone 7, a full battery charge is either enough to get you through the day, or not nearly enough to keep up with you. Sometimes, you simply need some music, but when you’ve got Bluetooth, music streaming, GPS, and cellular data running, your battery isn’t likely to last too long. That’s where battery cases come in.

More: Check out 20 of the best iPhone 7 cases and covers for your shiny new phone

There’s a lack of battery cases out there for the iPhone 7 that will take advantage of its capabilities, and there are even fewer that won’t interfere with the lightning port, which is now the headphone port, but there are enough available to give you exactly what you need from a battery case.

Apple Smart Battery Case ($85+)

• Capacity – 2,365mAh
• Output – N/A
• Size – 5.45 x 2.64 x 0.28 inches
• Weight – N/A

Apple’s own Smart Battery Case is the go-to accessory if you want seamless integration with your iPhone 7. If you have any experience with the iPhone 6S’ Smart Battery Case, you’re in for much of the same with the one made for the iPhone 7, save for a different cutout around the camera and none for the headphone jack (because the iPhone 7 doesn’t have one). The case will increase your phone call, internet, and video time by 26, 22, and 24 hours, respectively, meaning even heavy smartphone users should be able to use their devices without worrying about a full recharge. You can use the case with Lightning supported accessories without removing the case, including the Lighting to USB cable and the charging dock. As far as protection goes, this case is pretty basic. The interior is lined with a microfiber material, while the outside is made using soft silicone.

Buy one now from:

Apple Amazon

Mophie Juice Pack Air ($100)

• Capacity – 2,525mAh
• Output – N/A
• Size – 5.90 x 2.80 x 0.65 inches
• Weight – 99.5g (3.51 oz)

Mophie’s Juice Pack Air battery case is very similar to the battery cases the company has made for the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6S. The case will last for 500 recharges, and during use, can provide an estimated 27 hours of battery life to your iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus. Just press and hold the button on the back for two seconds to begin charging your phone.

The Juice Pack Air has LEDs on the back to show how much power is left, can be charged without removing the iPhone, and doesn’t block the speaker, microphone, camera, or any other important components of the phone. In fact, the case is designed to enhance the speaker’s audio quality, as it redirects sound from the bottom of the phone to the front. It’s also compatible with Mophie’s Charge Force wireless mount, so you easily charge it while driving.

Buy one now from:

Mophie

Foxin Battery Case ($20)

• Capacity – 6,800mAh
• Output – 1.0A
• Size – 7.2 x 4 x 1.1 inches
• Weight – 181g (6.4 oz)

If you power through your iPhone 7’s battery multiple times a day, Foxin’s battery case will be able to support you, as it’s capable of fully charging your phone two times a day thanks to its own 6,800mAh battery. To complement that, you can charge your phone while it’s in the battery case, and once that battery is full, the charge will continue on to the battery case itself. There’s also a USB port on the side, allowing you to charge another device.

There is a flaw with this particular case, however, and it lies with the iPhone 7’s own Lightning port. Even though the port can be used to attach the phone to the case and to charge it, you’re unable to use the Apple earpods that come packed in with every iPhone. If that’s not a huge deal breaker, you can buy this case with confidence. Smartphone protection is standard with this case, so expect some defense against falls and shocks, but avoid bigger drops if you can.

Buy one now from:

Amazon

Maxdara Charging Case ($22+)

• Capacity: 5,200mAh
• Output: 1.5A
• Size – 5.6 x 2.7 x 0.6 inches
• Weight – 82.2g (2.9 oz)

Maxdara’s battery case will keep your phone charged and ready for however long you intend to use your iPhone 7, and it’ll let you know just how much power your case has left, thanks to the battery indicator located on the back — White: 100 percent, Green: 75 percent, Blue: 50 percent, Red: 25 percent. When the time comes to charge your phone using the case, you use the On/Off switch (also located on the back) to start and stop the process. The case has the necessary (and precise) cutouts for the microphone, buttons, and camera. It’ll also protect your phone from scratches and shocks. It’s made with a dull polished material that results in a comfortable case you can hold for all the hours you’ll be using your phone.

Buy one now from:

Amazon

Trianium Atomic Pro Battery Case ($40+)

• Capacity – 3,200mAh
• Output – N/A
• Size – 5.9 x 2.7 x 0.4 inches
• Weight – 158.7g (5.6 oz)

While Trianium’s battery case has one of the lower capacities on this list, it’ll still get the job done when it comes to keeping your phone alive. It’ll provide another full battery charge, or, as Trianium breaks it down: 14+ hours of talk time or 10 additional hours to browse the internet. The LED indicator on the back will keep you up to date on how much power remains. Unfortunately, like other battery cases for the iPhone 7 so far, it doesn’t support Apple’s lightning headphones, or other headphones that use the lightning port.

If you’re concerned about overall protection, the case ensures your phone’s safety by utilizing a hard back plate and a protective dual-layer bumper, resulting in protection against drops, shocks, and scratches. While it adds a bit of bulk, it does offer good protection.

Buy one now from:

Amazon

Alpatronix BX170 Charging Case ($36+)

• Capacity – 3,200mAh
• Output – 1A
• Size – 6.05 x 2.87 x 0.63 inches
• Weight – 107.7g (3.8 oz)

Alphatronix’s case will get the job done when the time comes to recharge your phone, but like some other charging cases, it is not compatible with the packed in headphones Apple provides with every iPhone. Furthermore, the case isn’t charged using the Lightning connector, but instead requires an included Micro USB cable. You can still charge the case without removing the phone, but it means keeping another cable nearby.

Aside from those minor setbacks, the case is great as a battery case, and as a decent protective case. It’s dual layer design utilizes a hard outer shell and a shock absorbing bumper, resulting in scratch-resistance, and the raised bezel will keep the screen away from surfaces when face down. All ports are accessible, there are LED indicators on the back, and it’s covered by a 1-year warranty when bought directly from Alphatronix.

Buy one now one:

Amazon Alphatronix

Now $44, the Logitech G602 is an affordable, feature-rich wireless mouse

All serious PC gamers know the importance of a good mouse. Logitech, a well known and very popular maker of computer and gaming peripherals, has produced the affordable and feature-laden Logitech G602 mouse, which lives up to this pedigree. Although the wireless G602 boasts a number of gaming-focused enhancements, its understated design and long battery life would make it a great option as a general-use desktop mouse as well.

The Logitech G602 utilizes an accurate and efficient Delta Zero sensor for a DPI of up to 2,500, but you can switch through various settings on the fly for a DPI of as low as 250 when you need more sensitivity for certain tasks. The G602 runs on two standard AA batteries and lasts for up to 250 hours, while a convenient LED battery indicator lets you know when power is running low. Two different modes, Performance and Endurance, let you manage the mouse’s power consumption depending on what you are doing at the moment.

More: Asus 15.6-inch Full-HD Gaming Laptop is now $150 off retail price

The ergonomic design fills the palm without being too bulky and provides easy finger access to the 11 programmable buttons. The durable button switches are rated to last for 20 million clicks as well. The grey body has a sleek but understated design, ideal for those who want the features of a gaming mouse without the bright colors and LED lights that are found on many gamer-oriented peripherals. A USB nano receiver utilizes high-speed 2.4GHz wireless for a response time of 2ms for lag-free input. The low-profile receiver is also small enough to be stored inside the mouse when not in use.

The Logitech G602 wireless gaming mouse received an “excellent” rating from PCMag and currently has a solid 4.3-star rating from over 2,000 Amazon users. Normally priced around $70 to $80 at most retailers, the G602 is now 44 percent off, which brings it down to just $44 on Amazon.

Buy it on Amazon for $44

Will everyone please shut up about 5G?

If we’ve learned anything from Mobile World Congress 2017, it’s that 5G is just around the corner and it’s going to revolutionize our smartphone experience. We’ll be able to download libraries of 4K High Dynamic Range movies in less than a second, upload our entire camera rolls to Facebook in the blink of an eye, stream incredible live VR events in real time, and, hell, maybe even download a car.

More: Inside Qualcomm’s efforts to bring 5G to the masses  

The hype machine was in full effect at MWC 2017 in Barcelona, Spain. The dawn of 5G, a standard that still has no agreed definition, and is almost certainly at least three years away, seems to be at the top of everyone’s agenda.

5G isn’t anywhere near ready

Samsung kicked off its press conference with a section on its new 5G technologies, and a spokesperson from Verizon took to the stage to talk about the 5G trials it has been running, ending with a suggestion that Samsung might release a 5G phone at MWC 2018. But what would be the point? There won’t be any networks for it to take advantage of.

The truth is that 5G, in and of itself, will not transform your life.

The 5G buzz didn’t end there. ZTE dived into a long technical presentation of 5G innovations at its press conference, Nokia talked about 5G-enabled technologies, and Intel had a 5G network set up on its stand. Almost every major company at the show was tripping over itself to explain how and why it would be in the vanguard of the revolution. Everywhere you looked on the show floor there was a 5G slogan of some kind.

To get a sense of how silly this all this, consider that the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) only released a draft report on 5G specs a few days ago. It suggested that a single cell must have a minimum download capacity of 20GB per second, that the standard needs to support up to 1 million devices in a square kilometer, and that carriers must have at least 100MHz of free spectrum, but ideally 1GHz.

We are a long way away from that and to get there will be enormously expensive. Who is going to pay for it? The same carriers and operators that have taken so long to roll out 4G? In the U.S., 4G LTE average speeds vary from carrier to carrier, but no one is averaging as much as 17Mbps yet, according to Open Signal. Shouldn’t we shoot for the upper end of 4G before we start hyping what is next?

5G is about more than speed

Network upgrades have traditionally been focused on the amazing speed benefits we can enjoy but it seems that 5G is really about coping with exponential expansion of devices and data demands. It might be an umbrella term that actually encompasses a wide range of different technologies. For regular folks, it should provide seamless and fast connectivity for a growing variety of devices.

Simon Hill/Digital Trends

Instead of gaining the dubious capability to fill our phone storage in two seconds, it’s actually about ensuring the connectivity we currently enjoy doesn’t deteriorate or fall apart under the increased strain. The numbers don’t have any real meaning for regular people right now.

Trying to sell the upgrade to 5G as a wonderful benefit for the average smartphone buyer is disingenuous. As the spectrum grows increasingly crowded, we will certainly have to find ways to expand bandwidth but this a technical problem, not a selling point. Employing a term like 5G as another marketing buzz word is a mistake that we already lived through with 4G. Everyone pretended they had 4G when they didn’t, and it took several years before most carriers actually had LTE, which was the only true 4G technology all along.

Before we get anywhere near real 5G, we will have to endure all kinds of halfway measures trying to distinguish themselves from 4G. Huawei talked about 4.5G at its press conference, for example. There will be others. Everyone wants to use it as an empty gimmick to sell something.

ZTE generated some excitement about its Gigabit phone, but the device on display (under glass) at its stand is just a bulky prototype, not a real product. Sony says the forthcoming XZ Premium supports 1Gbps download speeds and at least it is real, but no network can deliver those speeds yet. When they do get there, that kind of speed will still be confined to central urban areas for several years, at least.

It’s also worth remembering that 1Gbps speeds are the upper end of 4G. We don’t need 5G to get there. Even if you want to seamlessly stream a 4K HDR movie to your phone, you don’t need anywhere near that speed. It’s hardly a pressing concern, is it?

5G is a loaded word

The truth is that 5G, in and of itself, will not transform your life. At some point in the future, it might be a prerequisite for great driverless cars, more home automation, and the much-promised Internet of Things revolution, but it’s not something you need to worry about for at least a few years yet.

Don’t get me wrong, the potential for 5G to enable some exciting developments and improve how the next wave of devices works is there, but the 5G that is being hyped right now is just marketing baloney.

The average person, myself included, would settle for decent, affordable and reliable 4G LTE speeds. Deliver that, carriers and phone makers, and then we can start talking about the next step.

The views expressed here are solely those of the author and do not reflect the beliefs of Digital Trends.

Text-based developer Inkle goes visual with sci-fi game ‘Heaven’s Vault’

Why it matters to you

Inkle has earned acclaim for revitalizing text-based adventure games, so the rich visuals of Heaven’s Vault mark an exciting and ambitious departure for the developer.

Inkle, the developer behind the fantastic mobile text adventure 80 Days and the Sorcery series announced its most ambitious project yet: Heaven’s Vault, a visual adventure coming to mobile, desktop, and consoles. Described as “a character-driven graphic novel crossed with an open-world adventure game,” Inkle has been developing this sci-fi saga since it completed 80 Days.

More: 80 Days review

“The Nebula. A network of rivers, flowing from one moon to the next, carrying air and water between scattered clusters of civilization. No one knows how the Nebula was formed. No one knows how it will end,” Inkle’s promotional text reads.

You play as archaeologist Aliya “El” Elasra and her reluctant robot assistant Six to explore this mysterious setting and “piece together a complex past — and discover a secret that will change the future.” Expect Inkle’s usual standard of fantastic writing and nuanced, conversation-driven gameplay. Other cited gameplay influences that seem to be expanding their repertoire include “the animation and real-time storytelling of The Last Express,” “the open worlds of Shadow of the Colossus, Firewatch and The Witcher 3,” “the puzzle-solving of The Witness,” and “the translation puzzle of Infocom’s classic game Infidel.”

Contrasting Inkle’s previous, predominantly text-based gameplay, Heaven’s Vault will be fully realized in a unique style that integrates hand-drawn, 2D characters into 3D environments. They mention the graphic novels of Möebius and Hergé as visual influences, as well as the character art of The Banner Saga. Miscellaneous inspiration also includes Indiana Jones, Stargate, the novels of Raymond Chandler and Gene Wolfe, Islamic art and architecture, and the work of Dr. Monica Hanna in protecting Egypt’s antiquities. All together it sounds like a compelling stew of gameplay, aesthetic, and world-building ideas, made all the more exciting because of its developer’s strong and interesting track record.

There is no release window yet for Heaven’s Vault, but you can follow the development updates on the game’s official site.

Facebook is streamlining its Messenger app for Android, adding “M” integration

Why it matters to you

Facebook Messenger is one of the most popular apps around, and now it’s getting a makeover.

If you’re one of the billion or so people who use Facebook Messenger, you might notice a change in the coming days — if you’re an Android user, that is. As first reported by Android Police, it would appear that the popular messaging app is undergoing a bit of a redesign, as well as an integration of the social network’s personal assistant named “M.”

So what’s changing? In general, it looks as though Facebook is streamlining the Messenger app, somewhat uncluttering the text field at the bottom of your smartphone. Instead of having various elements like inserting an image, a voice recording, or a GIF spread out over two rows, Facebook has opted to move everything into just one row. That means that you can see a bit more of your messages, and you’ll also have to do a bit more navigating if you’re someone who tends to add a lot of non-text messages to your messages.

More: AOL appears to be killing third-party access to AOL Instant Messenger

The actual text field has also shrunk quite a bit, so you’ll need to be a bit more precise about what you’re tapping and where.

In fact, that’s the overall change — more careful taps, and more taps as a whole. Rather than displaying all of Facebook Messenger’s elements up front and center, the new Messenger app consolidates all those features into a “plus” folder, which means you have to first open the folder, then select an option like games, your camera, or something else.

As for the M integration, it’s not much to write home about. While the AI-based assistant was announced with quite a bit of fanfare back in 2015, it’s not doing a whole lot yet. Really, it seems that the only thing M is currently capable of doing is to “pop up in chats when it sees greetings or wishes such as “happy birthday,” “Happy New Year,” and “good morning” sent to you.” Still in beta, so perhaps more will happen as the update is rolled out to a greater number of people.

Finally, Facebook has allowed you to opt out of being notified every time your app is updated.

How well does your system handle VR? Nvidia’s new FCAT VR benchmark will tell you

Why it matters to you

Want to know how well your system handles consumer-grade virtual reality? Nvidia’s new FCAT VR benchmark will tell you.

Nvidia is joining the likes of VRMark and VRScore in helping virtual reality fans around the world figure out just how capable their system is at handling consumer-grade virtual reality. The new version of its Frame Capture and Analysis Tool (FCAT) is catered specifically to virtual reality, and will go deeper than just spitting out a score, helping to give a better picture of what VR performance might actually be like on your system.

The Nvidia FCAT tool has been around for a while now, offering users an insight into aspects such as frame pacing and micro-stuttering to help determine the consistency of the gameplay experience, which can’t always be quantified in a score or average frame rate. That deeper look at how a game might perform is what Nvidia is hoping to offer to consumers with the FCAT VR tool.

More: Wondering if your PC can handle VR? Basemark’s VRScore will let you know

Much like its non-VR predecessor, FCAT VR is analyzing frame data at a low level. That means that it can measure the time it takes for a frame to be rendered, how often frames are dropped for being rendered too slowly, and how well native reprojection within the headset is operating. All of that information is much more important within VR, as it can tell you just how smooth the gameplay experience is. That’s better than just letting you know the average is hitting the 90FPS minimum required for consumer-grade VR headsets like the HTC Vive or Oculus Rift.

While this sort of data was technically available as part of the original FCAT release, what Nvidia has done with its latest rendition is make it more easily accessible. There’s a new UI to play with and a new results screen that spits out stats and graphs in an easy-to-read manner. There’s even an in-game VR overlay that lets users wearing the headset have a better idea of how the system is performing on the fly, according to RoadtoVR.

This is all very useful for those looking to tune their systems for virtual reality gaming. While it may not be too difficult to reach the 90 FPS minimum, especially when using safety net features like reprojection, space warp and time warp, not every user wants to make use of those features.

Knowing how often your otherwise-capable system makes use of them is important and something Nvidia hopes will help separate its benchmarking tool from the alternatives.

FCAT VR will become available for general use in mid-March.

Google gets serious about gaming with playable ads and Play Store updates

Why it matters to you

Google’s recent work should make it easier for Android users to discover, try, and buy new games.

Google announced an advertising initiative at the Game Developers Conference on Wednesday that aims to make it easier for developers and publishers to pull in new players. It’s called “Playables,” and it’s functionally an HTML5-based ad that features some light gameplay, so users can test drive games without buying or installing.

While useful, the concept isn’t necessarily new, as startups like mNectar have partnered with mobile gaming giants like Zynga and King Digital to accomplish a similar goal in the past. What makes Google’s proposal potentially more compelling is, well, Google. The company’s Universal App Campaigns, of which Playables are a part, distribute ads over many of Google’s properties, like YouTube, Google Search, and the Play Store itself, as well as millions of third-party apps that utilize the Google Display Network. Playables will be rolling out “in the coming months,” the company says.

More: Google’s Progressive Web Apps turn mobile sites into Android apps

Wednesday’s announcement accompanies two other measures Google revealed earlier in the week that are designed to increase app visibility and sales. Going forward, the algorithms that determine the promotion of games on the Google Play Store will be tuned to prioritize play time, frequency, and user ratings over just downloads. The company hopes the emphasis on engagement will turn gamers on to interesting, high-quality titles they might otherwise miss due to a lack of commercial success or little word of mouth.

Another small but crucial change coming to Google’s marketplace is the visibility of sale prices. Formerly, app publishers had to simply modify the price of their products if they wanted to offer discounts. The sale couldn’t be highlighted or made known to shoppers, unless the publisher added it to the description. With a new update, discounted apps will display a standard “list price” crossed out above the purchase button, which will display the sale. Publishers will also be able to communicate the length of the promotion. According to Google, sales currently apply only to app downloads, not in-app purchases or subscriptions.

Here’s how you access YouTube links in Daydream

Opening up YouTube links in Daydream is easy, provided you know what you’re doing.

Everybody has navigated to YouTube at least once, whether it’s for a movie trailer, a music video, or just a news clip that they want to watch. What you may not have realized is that YouTube has a pretty significant offering of 360 degree videos that can be enjoyed from within VR. If you’ve found one of these videos, and you’re ready to watch it in VR you may have a pretty obvious question. ‘How in the devil do I open this YouTube link in Daydream?’ Well have no fear, it’s simple and we have the details for you here.

Read more at VRHeads.com

Binge your heart out with these anime wallpapers!

There’s so much anime out there, it’s enough to make a fangirl blush.

Back when I was in high school, there weren’t that many places to watch anime (legally). Now, look at the market! We’ve got anime everywhere! Toonami is back and more awesome than ever, Crunchyroll and Funimation have teamed up to offer more awesome subs and dubs mere hours after they air in Japan, and the diversity and quality of the anime out today is jaw-dropping. Now, there’s a whole, whole, WHOLE lot of anime wallpapers out there for the discerning fan, but unfortunately, most of it is going to have to wait for another week, because these come first!

Classicaloid is kinda like Hetalia (or more recently Bungo Stray Dogs) taking some of history’s most famous composers and reimagining them as crazy superpowered characters. We have famous composers like Bach, Chopin, and this absolutely savage-looking Beethoven. He’s fierce, he’s sporting a leather jacket in this reincarnation, and he is a BOSS.

He’s also introduced with the nickname Beethes and he likes to play with flamethrowers.

FEEL MY MUSIC!

ClassicaLoid Wallpaper 07 by sanoboss

This awkwardly-named anime features an adorable schoolgirl who always has her awesome, blood-red headphones on. Truly, a girl after my own heart… and one that’s gonna crush my heart when she dies. But until then, I shall savor that blue hair, those red headphones, and those eyes that see straight into my music-loving soul!

Fuuka Minimalist Wallpaper by Fremy-Speeddraw

SWORD ART ONLINE IS BACK! Forgive me for shouting, but I’m so happy! I’ve been jonesing for more SAO for a while, and this time we’re getting a feature-length film, and not one of those fake-out recap films like Extra Edition. It wouldn’t be a new chapter of Sword Art Online without a new BEST GIRL for the cast, and this time around it’s the singer Yuna, seen here dueting with the ultimate best girl Asuna. In bikinis. Because why not?

Ordinal Scale is coming to theaters in America on March 9th, subtitled, and you should really grab tickets before they’re completely sold out!

Asuna and Yuna! by Fulbring

Volume Four of RWBY ended at the beginning of February, and while it’s been a whole season since Pyrrha died, it still stings. Her fabulous red hair, her piercing green eyes, her unbridled skill… Pyrrha’s romance with Jaune was adorable and delicious, and now that it’s gone it’s left a void. Her sword may live on in Jaune’s, but it’s not the same…

Long live Pyrrha!

Battle Armor Pyrrha by dishwasher 1910

KonoSuba is a standout in a great and growing field that pokes fun at the traditional fantasy world RPG narrative, pairing a NEET gamer with a haughty but mostly worthless goddess, a masochist tank who gets off on getting beat up and humiliated, and this adorable little fireball. Megumin is an oddly-speaking magician who has no patience or tolerance for anything but the most ridiculously powerful Explosion spell. She can’t move once she casts it, she can only use it once a day, and she refuses to learn or use any other magic, meaning she’s a one-shot cannon and a liability the rest of the time. But that doesn’t stop us from loving Megumin or her one-track magical mind.

EXPLOSION!!!

Megumin-KonoSuba by Matcha2