Samsung eyeing up next-gen Gear VR headset with high-resolution OLED screen

Samsung could be looking to release a standalone virtual reality headset as part of its Gear VR range, or perhaps an entirely new family of products, that doesn’t require you to insert a phone, if a report out of South Korea is to be believed.

• Samsung Exynos has ambitions beyond the Galaxy S8

The report on South Korean news site Naver, says the ‘next-gen’ Gear VR headset would have its own OLED display with 2000 ppi, giving it a far higher resolution than any other VR headset on the market right now.

The 2000 ppi OLED display is also said to feature a Fine Metal Mask (FMM), which is a layer that goes over the OLED panel and has incredibly small holes in it to deposit the RGB pixels in selected areas.

An OLED display will of course also inherit the same advantages that OLED TVs exhibit over their LCD counterparts. That being higher contrast, deeper blacks and whiter whites

Having such a high ppi count will also help achieve a more natural experience for the user. The NHK Science and Technology Institute says “the higher the pixel density, the more the sense of a reality is felt.” So no more risk of feeling nauseous when wearing a headset. Or at least, that’s the theory.

The report says that the headset wouldn’t require the user to insert a phone to display the content, but it doesn’t say how content would be shown on the display instead.

We’ve already been told that Samsung is working on standalone VR headsets at Mobile World Congress 2017. The tech giant’s Exynos arm plans to implement its processor chips into more than just smartphones, and one such product area is virtual reality headsets.

We had a look at one of the company’s reference VR headsets that had a 700 ppi display, which even then Exynos said was the ideal figure, so a 2000 ppi display should prove even better.

• New Samsung Gear VR headset is Galaxy S8 compatible, works with Samsung VR content
• Best VR headsets to buy in 2017, whatever your budget

There’s no word on when Samsung’s next-gen VR headset will be released, if it is released at all, but considering the company has already confirmed it is working on phone-less headsets, we hope the 2000 ppi version will make it to market one day.

This translation device is the Babel Fish we’ve all been waiting for

Remember the Babel Fish in Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, the fish you popped into your ear to translate any language? Well, now it’s here.

Okay, it’s not actually a fish. And only one part of it goes into your lughole. But the Translate One2One from Lingmo is a real device that can convert languages in real time (with a three to five second delay).

It currently works with English, Japanese, French, Italian, Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, German and Chinese, translating one to another. There is a catch. both speakers need to be wearing one. However, it will understand the nuances of local slang and dialects.

Its AI will also understand contextual speech, translating them into sentences the recipient will recognise.

The Translate One2One is powered by IBM Watson’s Natural language Processor and Language Translation APIs. It is a standalone product, so doesn’t required connection to a smartphone or other external device through Bluetooth or Wi-Fi.

The device is available for purchase now and will ship in July. It is priced at $179 (£142) for one unit, although two are needed for translation between different people, so a “travel pack” containing a pair of devices comes at a discount, costing $229.

BBC

Google has also been reported in the past to be working on a “Babel Fish” device, although nothing much has been heard about the project for the last couple of years.

KeepVid Android: Download any song or video from YouTube to your Android

There’s an Android app that will let you download YouTube songs and videos to your Android. It’s called KeepVid Android.

KeepVid Android is not only a free YouTube downloader, which lets you download directly to your device at not cost, but it also lets you visit any video site and download directly, whether that be YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, SoundCloud, DailyMotion, etc. While we were playing around with the Android app, we discovered several other handy features. Here’s everything you need to know.

How can you get KeepVid Android?

Easy, just go to the KeepVid Android website and download the apk. You’ll first have to ensure your device is enable to download from unknown sources (Settings > Security > Unknown sources > Allow installation of apps from sources other than the Play Store). Once the apk downloads, it’ll appear on your device like any other app. Just look for the KeepVid Android app on your device.

How does KeepVid Android work?

Getting started

Once you download the KeepVid Android apk, launch the KeepVid Android app on your device. You will notice the main interface has three main tabs: Sites, Discover, and Subscribe. There are also three buttons in the corner that let you search for videos and music to download, manage your downloads, and access settings. We recommend playing around to familiarise yourself with the UI.

Sites

From the Sites tab in the KeepVid Android app, you’ll see several thumbnails to different sites, such as YouTube and Facebook. Clicking these thumbnails will open up the website within KeepVid Android. You may need to sign into the site with your login credentials in order to access the media you want to download. Once you find the media, copy it’s URL.

We logged in to Facebook, for instance, found a video in our feed we wanted to download, then tapped the download icon in the corner of the video, and gave permission to our device to download is via KeepVid Android always. Occasionally we were brought to another page where we had to tap the download button again. Either way, the video downloaded to our Android every time.

On the Sites tab, you will also notice a + button in the corner. Tap it to enter the URL you want to download. So, instead of tapping the YouTube thumbnail, logging in, finding the video, and downloading, you can tap the +button and quickly paste a YouTube video URL or any video URL you want to download. Once you do that, it’ll download to your device. Quick and easy.

Discover

You can also browse and download from KeepVid Android’s own collection of media. Just tap the Discover tab and scroll through the feed of recommendations. You can also tap the search icon at the top of the app, then enter an artist or song, and find media that way. We searched for Britney Spears, and then we saw related results with options to download each of the results.

Subscribe

To easily access your YouTube subscriptions, just tap the Subscribe tab in KeepVid Android. You will of course have to login to your Google account, but then your subscriptions will be listed there, along with options to download and share their YouTube videos.

What else can you do?

Manage

Every time you download a file from a site or from browsing KeepVid Android, you can tap the downloader icon next to search to manage your downloads – including multiple videos at one time. You will see what’s not only currently downloading but what’s also downloaded. From the downloader screen, you can also tap the more button (…) to play the download or share it.

Share

All videos in Discover and on websites accessed through the app will have a share option, as well. Just tap the universal share button, and your share card should then pop up with links to copy to clipboard, save to a storage service, share via SMS, email, Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Skype, Tumblr, Whatsapp, or any other social media app you have installed on your device.

Is there a website?

If you don’t want to mess around with the Android app, just use KeepVid’s free Youtube to MP4 online downloader tool here. All you have to do is paste your YouTube video url into the page and it will download – for free – from there.

Spotify hopes you’ll create shared playlists in Facebook Messenger

It can be fun to create shared playlists on streaming music services — it’s a window into your friends’ tastes. You don’t necessarily want to wade through an app to add tracks, though, and they usually shut out pals who can’t use the service. That’s where Spotify thinks it can save the day. It’s launching a Group Playlists chat extension in Facebook Messenger that lets anyone in a chat add songs to the queue, even if they’re not using Spotify. Once someone has started one of these collective playlists, you just have to tap a button to start adding tracks.

The addition is bound to be helpful for parties — your friends can add to the mix using an app they already have. It’s also good for discovering new songs in your social circle. It’s no secret as to why Spotify wants this: it could not only encourage you to stream more often, but expose Spotify to friends who might be new to the service. And when there are nearly 2 billion Facebook users, that’s a lot of potential listeners.

Source: Spotify (Facebook Messenger)

Spotify Announces Group Playlists for Messenger

Spotify today announced a new mobile feature called Group Playlists for Messenger, which enables users of Facebook’s chat app to create music mixes collaboratively within a conversation thread.

With Group Playlists for Messenger, users can create new Spotify playlists with friends and immediately begin collaborating to build out their perfect mix. Ideal for parties, road trips, or simply collecting new favorites, Group Playlists provide a seamless way for users to collaborate and share music more easily than ever before.

The new feature means Messenger users can create a Group Playlist, share it with friends, and add songs to it directly from within the Messenger app via the Spotify Chat Extension, which is available by tapping the blue + icon next to the composer.

By tapping the Create button at the bottom of the screen, users can give their playlist a name before sending it to the group chat session, where it will appear as a thumbnail preview accompanied by a button below to add songs.

While the person creating the playlist must be a current Spotify user, others in the conversation thread can add more songs to it, even if they aren’t on Spotify. The Group Playlists extension can also be accessed from within Messenger using this link.

Tags: Facebook Messenger, Spotify
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SmartDuvet Breeze adds temperature control to the self-making bed cover

Why it matters to you

Everyone sleeps at a different temperature and no one really likes making the bed when they wake up. Smartduvet Breeze takes care of it.

Smartduvet impressed us when it tfirst announced its self-making bed. Now, with the launch of the Smartduvet Breeze, the company added the ability for dual-zone climate control.

When it comes to falling asleep, everyone feels comfortable at a different temperature. Some like to be warm and toasty. Others like to be more on the cold side. Smartduvet Breeze allows users to individually set the temperature on either side of the bed, all without losing the tech that the company has become known for.

Just like the original Smartduvet, the updated model uses a seamless, ultra-light inflatable sheet that sits between the duvet and the duvet cover. When the bed-making feature is activated, a small device beneath the bed inflates the main air chamber, lifting the duvet back to its original position. A smaller network of air channels takes care of delivering conditioned air, allowing the duvet to keep cool without inflating the main chamber.

According to Smartduvet, Breeze could significantly lower energy consumption during the hot summer months. Instead of cooling down the entire home for a good night’s sleep, users could cool their body directly. Alternatively, the control box can provide warm, dry air to keep users warm in the winter months. Couples that prefer different temperatures could also take advantage of the dual zone climate control. No longer will users need to compromise with their loved one when it comes to sleeping.

As we said with the previous Smartduvet, the bed-making feature appeals to anyone that hates making beds or simply doesn’t have the time. Elderly people or those with disabilities may also benefit greatly from the ease of a self-making bed. Each day can be programmed for when to make the bed, great for users who would like to sleep in on the weekends.

Currently, the Smartduvet Breeze is available in various bed sizes on IndieGoGo. Prices start at $199, with bigger discounts given to families who might buy multiple units. Shipments are expected to go out this September.

Check out Digital Trends for more of the latest sleeping technology, like how your sleep tracker may actually be disturbing your sleep.

Disney may let guests throw Captain America’s shield in VR

Detailed within a new patent application filed by Disney, a new attraction at Disney theme parks may put guests into the shoes of Marvel’s Captain America. The patent details a physical rail that would attach to the guest’s forearm as well as a physical shield that slides along the rail.

When a guest attempts to throw the shield like Captain America, the physical shield will slide to the end of the rail. Utilizing a motion sensor on the rail, a virtual reality shield would appear in front of the guest and travel in the direction of the throw.

The patent application specifically states “In one embodiment, the throwing apparatus is a toy device that permits the user to play the role of a superhero who uses the projectile to attack virtual or physical targets (e.g., toys) or defend against attacks from the targets or other players in an immersive storytelling environment.”

Similar to the Marvel movies, the VR shield would appear to “boomerang” back to the user if the target was hit. This would likely reset the physical shield on the rail for the next throw or for a defensive position to block attacks. Some targets within the attraction will be more difficult to hit. For instance, a super-villain like Red Skull would likely be more difficult to take down than a simple Hydra agent.

It’s possible this attraction will be similar to Disney’s Toy Story Mania, a ride that lets users shoot virtual reality darts and rings while wearing 3D glasses. Guests would simply board the Marvel themed ride and throw the shield at enemies when stopped at each storytelling event.

It’s not surprising that Disney is taking advantage of more Marvel characters within the theme parks. Starting during late May 2017, the “Avengers Training Initiative” at the Disney California Adventure park puts on a live, interactive stage event for young kids.

In addition, Disney has incorporated the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise into the park already with the opening of the Mission Breakout attraction; previously known at the The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. The new theme includes an original story directed by James Gunn as well as appearances from Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Benicio del Toro, and Bradley Cooper (the voice of Rocket Raccoon) in the filmed segments.

ZTE Axon 7 Mini gets surprising Android 7.1.1 update, support for T-Mobile Wi-Fi calling

The ZTE Axon 7 Mini is one of the best phones under $200, and it’s got software likely newer than your phone.

ZTE’s Axon 7 flagship got an update to Android 7.1.1 in March, and it looks like the company is following through with its promise to do the same for its smaller, less powerful (but just as well-designed) Axon 7 Mini.

The phone, which sports a 5.2-inch Full HD display, shipped with Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow, and is making the jump right past 7.0 to Android 7.1.1. A Nougat preview for the phone was advertised on the company’s forums back in March, and it seems like everything went well, since it’s being released to the public.

The update reportedly improves performance and fixes bugs, and adds all of Nougat’s existing features, including multi-window and support for in-line notification replies and more. Android 7.1.1, if you recall, added new emojis and support for round icons and app shortcuts, among other things. All of those are here, plus a few ZTE-specific additions, including support for T-Mobile Wi-Fi Calling.

Earlier this year, we called the ZTE Axon 7 Mini the best phone you can buy for under $300, thanks to its combination of design, performance, camera quality and software. And while, with the Moto G5 Plus, that crown may be close to being relinquished, it’s still a great device, especially at its newly-discounted price of $199.

See at Amazon

If you currently have a ZTE Axon 7 Mini, grab the update now by going to Settings —> System Update. Just remember that the phone needs to be charged up to 30%, and it may restart a number of times during the procedure.

Do you have a ZTE Axon 7 Mini? How’s it holding up after all these months? Let us know in the comments!

Uber CEO Travis Kalanick steps down

The New York Times reports that, under heavy pressure from a large group of company shareholders, Uber CEO Travis Kalanick is stepping down. Despite a reputation for scandals that appeared to be accelerating — sexual assaults by drivers, “greyballing” regulators, disputes over driver pay and a corporate culture teeming with sexual harassment — Kalanick had remained the company’s leader, and announced a week ago that he would take a leave of absence.

Developing…

Source: New York Times

Tesla reshuffles its Autopilot self-driving team

Earlier this year Tesla announced engineer Chris Lattner would leave Apple and lead its Autopilot engineering team, but just five months later he is departing. Lattner, the designer of Apple’s Swift programming language, tweeted “Turns out that Tesla isn’t a good fit for me after all,” while Tesla announced it has hired Andrej Karpathy, “one of the world’s leading experts in computer vision and deep learning.” He will become the company’s Director of AI and Autopilot Vision, reporting directly to CEO Elon Musk, who he may know well from his previous job as a research scientist at the Musk-backed OpenAI.

Tesla spokesperson:

Andrej Karpathy, one of the world’s leading experts in computer vision and deep learning, is joining Tesla as Director of AI and Autopilot Vision, reporting directly to Elon Musk. Andrej has worked to give computers vision through his work on ImageNet, as well as imagination through the development of generative models, and the ability to navigate the internet with reinforcement learning. He was most recently a Research Scientist at OpenAI.

Andrej completed his computer vision PhD at Stanford University, where he demonstrated the ability to derive complex descriptions of images using a deep neural net. For example, identifying not simply that there is a cat in a given picture, but that it is an orange, spotted cat, riding on a skateboard with red wheels on brown hardwood flooring (http://cs.stanford.edu/people/karpathy/main.pdf). He also created and taught “Convolutional Neural Networks for Visual Recognition,” the first and still leading deep learning course at Stanford.

Andrej will work closely with Jim Keller, who now has overall responsibility for Autopilot hardware and software

Re: Chris Lattner

Chris just wasn’t the right fit for Tesla, and we’ve decided to make a change. We wish him the best.

Source: Chris Lattner (Twitter)