HTC’s Vive Prime Day deal makes the Oculus Rift even better value

As tech brands go to war on Amazon Prime Day, Oculus has emerged triumphant over HTC in terms of value. The Vive, usually on sale for $800 has been reduced by a meager $100 to $700. Meanwhile, the Rift and Touch bundle — already on a limited-time offer for $400/£400 — now comes with a Prime Day perk of a $100 Amazon gift card (which makes it such a good deal it’s currently out of stock). If you regularly drop a lot of dollar at Amazon, this essentially brings the price of the bundle down to $300, which is more than half the price of HTC’s offering.

HTC’s Prime Day deal (which appears to be US-only) isn’t nearly as good as Oculus’ — likely because it doesn’t have the bank of Facebook behind it to absorb losses. This will certainly make choosing easier for consumers entering the VR field for the first time. But for those who have already bought into HTC, and against a backdrop of poor customer service from Vive, this deal may have them regretting their choice.

Source: Amazon (1), Amazon (2)

Senators warn the FCC to be ready for net neutrality comments

Two pro-net neutrality Democrat Senators have told the FCC that it had damn well better be ready for public comments on tomorrow’s net neutrality Day of Action. “It is critical to the rulemaking and regulatory process that the public be able to take part without unnecessary technical or administrative burden,” they stated in a letter to FCC Chairman Ajit Pai.

The Day of Action was organized by non-profit Battle for the Net, and is backed by Google, Facebook, Amazon, the ACLU, Etsy, Kickstarter, the Electric Frontier Foundation, Mozilla, Vimeo, Greenpeace, Reddit and Netflix, among many others. All day tomorrow, websites, online communities and others will use banners and GIFs to show how the internet could change without strong neutrality rules. They’ll also direct users to send comments urging net neutrality protection to Congress and the FCC via its electronic communication filing system (ECFS).

Senators Ron Wyden from Oregon and Hawaii’s Brian Schatz wrote that the FCC’s excuses about about a DDOS incident in May that stopped users from making comments were suspicious and, in any case, irrelevant. The “attack,” they said, just happened to occur after a “television host’s call to action.” That’s referring to John Oliver’s net neutrality screed in May that pushed tens of thousands to Oliver’s “GoFCCYourself.com,” which redirects to the FCC’s comment site.

Due to the timing of the May 7-8 attack, which took place after a television host’s call to action, we are concerned that a similar attack may be planned to disrupt the Day of Action.

Ajit Pai claimed that the DDOS attack had nothing to do with the comments, but some observers were skeptical. “It’s an odd coincidence,” a former FCC staffer told The Hill. “I’m skeptical that this is a DDoS attack. The ECFS was always inadequate.” That person is also “dubious” the system has been fixed since then, as the FCC had promised.

The letter adds that the FCC’s comment system should employ methods that allow for “flexible scalability and alternative methods of filing.” Furthermore, it recommends the commission allow for an alternative method of filing, should the ECFS be knocked down again by a surge of comments or DDOS.

The letter is a canny idea, as it gives more publicity to the net neutrality Day of Action and will make the FCC look extra bad if the public can’t log on to comment. Either way, Ajit Pai is on the record saying that he doesn’t care if a majority of commenters oppose his rules to suppress net-neutrality and prevent carriers from fibbing or abusing the public and smaller rivals. That’s assuming, of course, that it’s humans and not bots making the comments.

Via: TechCrunch

Source: Ron Wyden

Fitbit faces ill-timed lawsuits over haptic feedback

Fitbit is facing hard times between slowing fitness tracker sales and a reportedly floundering smartwatch project. Unfortunately, there’s more bad news to add to the pile. Immersion is suing Fitbit in China and the US for allegedly violating multiple patents (three in each country) for haptic feedback. Supposedly, devices ranging from the original Flex to the Blaze all borrow Immersion’s approach to vibrating a device in response to commands and for alerts. Fitbit rebuffed “numerous attempts” to strike a licensing deal, Immersion claims, so this is considered a last resort.

Immersion isn’t specific about the damages it wants, but they could easily be far-reaching when vibration feedback is at the heart of much of Fitbit’s current lineup.

We’ve asked Fitbit for its response to the lawsuit and will let you know what it says. With that said, it’s likely that Fitbit will fight the cases tooth-and-nail, or at least try for a low out-of-court settlement. This is business as usual for Immersion, which has a tendency to sue virtually anyone who makes a device that shakes, but Fitbit can’t really afford a major defeat. The company only made about $299 million in revenue in its latest quarter, and turned a $34 million loss — a significant payout to Immersion would be painful enough that it could hurt Fitbit’s chances of bouncing back.

Source: Immersion, RPX

Louis Vuitton made a $3,000 Android Wear smartwatch

The flirtations between technology and high fashion have never been very comfortable, the former’s mass-market ethos clashing with the latter’s exclusivity. That fact hasn’t deterred Louis Vuitton from launching its own premium Android Wear device, the Tambour Horizon, produced with help from Qualcomm and Google.

Speaking of mass-market, the Horizon uses the same Snapdragon Wear 2100 gear you’ll find in watches from LG, Gameband, Armani, Guess and Montblanc. The hardware is reasonably familiar, too, with a 42mm case standing 12.5mm off your wrist and packing a 1.2-inch AMOLED, 390 x 390 touchscreen.

Rounding out the spec list is a 300mAh battery that’s expected to launch a day, paired with 521MB RAM and 4GB storage. One notable admission is the lack of an optical heart rate monitor from the underside of the case, but perhaps exertion, or caring about one’s health, is not something the bourgeoise do.

The Horizon runs Android Wear 2.0, albeit with Louis Vuitton’s gloss to make it better suited to the contemporary traveller. In addition to the LV-branded faces, there are exclusive apps, like My Flight, that helps you get around airports and planes, while City Guide points you to cool hotspots when you land.

Of course, this wouldn’t be a high fashion watch without customization, and owners can choose between three case styles, gray, black and brown. From there, there are 60 sets of easily-detachable straps for you to choose from, 30 intended for women, 30 for men.

Should you wish to buy this, the most Veblen of Veblen goods, then you’ll need to pay up $2,450 for the gray and brown, or $2,900 for the black version. Plus, Louis Vuitton is hoping to make more of its goods and services connected in the future, so warn your bank manager that this could be the first of many purchases.

Lyft auto-expenses your work rides

Ride-hailing apps aren’t just convenient for consumers — companies have embraced the services, too. Lyft enabled business profiles back in April 2016 to help customers differentiate between work and personal trips, but the onus was on the individual to file their rides. Today, Lyft is making it easier for individual clients to square rides with their companies by enabling auto-invoicing through Expensify.

Lyft clients using a business profile can set up this integration by selecting “Expensify” in the app’s settings, which adds the rides automatically to expense reports. Poof — no more forwarding receipts.

GoPro is testing its 360 VR camera with select broadcasters

It may not be out yet, but GoPro’s Fusion 360 VR camera will soon be used to capture UFC fights, news footage, and awards ceremonies. To showcase the device’s 5k resolution capabilities, GoPro is trialling the Fusion with partners such as Fox Sports, the Golden State Warriors, and USA Today.

The complete list of Fusion broadcasters also includes AccuWeather, Digital Domain, Getty Images, Legend 3D, Rapid VR, travel blogger Louis Cole, and RYOT (which is owned by Oath, Engadget’s parent company). GoPro claims it handpicked the first batch of pilot program partners based on their experiences with 360-degree storytelling.

It also probably helps that the likes of Fox Sports and the Golden State Warriors have massive online followings. This would essentially let them test out GoPro’s QuikStories smart editing software, which seems custom-built for distributing short-form video (like sports clips) on Facebook and Twitter. Although, Zuckerberg and co. would probably prefer broadcasters to use their 360 hardware instead.

When we tried out the Fusion last month, we concluded its success hinged on GoPro’s ability to combine the camera’s hardware with its editing apps. The pilot program may not answer that question, at least in regards to the Fusion’s appeal beyond media networks. However, it will give you some cool footage to look at while you wait for the camera to drop.

LiquidSky 2.0 beta puts any video game on any Android device

The LiquidSky 2.0 beta is live today in the Google Play Store, promising to let you play any game on any Android device via the magic of cloud streaming. Want to cruise around Grand Theft Auto 5 on your Pixel XL? Or maybe you’d rather wreck some fools in Overwatch on your Galaxy Tab S2? That’s what this update is all about.

LiquidSky gives each user a unique, virtual PC where they’re able to download new games and access their existing libraries via any storefront, including Steam, Humble Bundle, GOG, Origin, Blizzard and the ‘net. This unique PC shows up on any supported device (no Apple love for now), allowing folks to play everything from 8-bit adventures to AAA blockbusters on otherwise underpowered platforms.

Today’s LiquidSky 2.0 update brings the Android version on par with the ongoing Windows beta.

LiquidSky takes advantage of IBM’s public cloud infrastructure, tapping into data centers around the globe and scaling in real-time alongside demand. This approach addresses the scalability problem that crippled cloud-gaming companies like OnLive in the early 2010s: Without global cloud systems, OnLive had to purchase and install servers around the world as each new user logged on. It was an unsustainable approach and OnLive shut down in 2015.

“You have a million users flood in, you buy all these servers with massive capital up front, and those users are in different locations. There’s too much latency, and the only games you can play are Lego Batman and Lego Star Wars,” LiquidSky CEO Ian McLoughlin told Engadget in January. “So you’re left with this massive data center that you can’t do anything with, so they started essentially giving things away for free. Even then, they couldn’t get the users to enjoy the catalog. It was too soon before its time.”

LiquidSky has another advantage over game-streaming companies of yore: It’s free to access. Users have the option to watch ads (that’s the “free” version), purchase credits as they go (bundles start at $10), or pay monthly (at least $20 a month).

LiquidSky is, essentially, a streaming service, and the company recommends users stick to ethernet when possible. But, that completely misses the point of an Android version. So, if you’re going mobile, LiquidSky suggests 5Ghz WiFi or 4G — assuming your data plan can handle it.

Elon Musk buys his old X.com domain from PayPal

The most famous single-letter domain owner is without a doubt Elon Musk, whose company X.com eventually became PayPal. Unfortunately, when Musk was pushed out, the domain (with its aught-tastic logo, above) stayed behind with PayPal. However, the SpaceX and Tesla CEO has bought it back for an unknown sum, according to Domain Investing and a tweet by Musk. Nobody’s saying how much he paid, but as a term of reference, Z.com sold for around $6.8 million three years ago.

Whatever the price, the transaction seems to have been done on friendly terms. Musk’s tweet says “Thanks PayPal for allowing me to buy back X.com! No plans right now, but it has great sentimental value to me.” I’d be sentimental too — the $165 million he earned from PayPal, though it seems quaint nowadays, helped him launch SpaceX and Tesla, companies now valued at around $15 billion and $50 billion, respectively.

Thanks PayPal for allowing me to buy back https://t.co/bOUOejO16Y! No plans right now, but it has great sentimental value to me.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 11, 2017

X.com has been inactive, but Domain Investing noticed that the Whois had switched from PayPal to “private,” and the domain moved from MarkMonitor to GoDaddy. After the site reached out to PayPal, it eventually replied that “we are delighted to sell the domain X.com back to its previous owner, Elon Musk.”

The purchase price could come up in an SEC filing if it’s in the high seven or even eight figures, since both PayPal and Tesla are public companies. As for what Musk will do with it, he’s not saying, but this is a guy who dreams up things like Hyperloop in his spare time, so expect something from beyond left field.

Source: Domain Investing, Elon Musk (Twitter)

Apple Has ‘Just Weeks’ to Solve iPhone 8 Touch ID Dilemma

For all the rumors we’ve seen recently surrounding Apple’s upcoming “iPhone 8”, one of the most inconsistent remains the fate of its Touch ID fingerprint recognition technology in the redesigned flagship device, which is expected to launch in September.

In late May, supply chain sources suggested that Apple had overcome technical hurdles and that the OLED iPhone will have Touch ID integrated into the display. However, according to a report from KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo earlier this month, Apple plans to replace Touch ID in the iPhone 8 with a facial recognition security system – a prediction echoed by both JP Morgan analyst Rod Hall and Bloomberg.

In the latest throw of the dice, a report from investment publication Barron’s concludes that Apple is still struggling to put a fingerprint sensor under the glass of its next iPhone, and that the company has “just a couple of weeks” to solve the matter before its earnings estimates are at risk.

According to KeyBanc Capital Markets analyst Andy Hargreaves, who contributed to the report, Apple has until August to either place orders for chips to run a fingerprint sensor, or miss that window and not have a fingerprint ID at all, or delay more significantly the release of the iPhone.

We believe it would typically take 12 weeks from placement of fingerprint IC orders to full volume production of iPhones. Consequently, if Apple is able to solve its fingerprint problems and place orders for fingerprint ICs before August, it would likely be able to reach volume production in late October or early November. We believe this remains Apple’s preferred path, and expect it would be acceptable to both consumers and investors. It is entirely unclear if Apple will be able to fix the problem in this time frame.

Hargreaves considers the possibility that Apple will replace Touch ID with facial recognition “increasingly likely” as time passes, but “far from ideal”. Echoing the thoughts of many observers, Hargreaves goes on to highlight the challenges a supposed replacement facial recognition security system would need to overcome to meet the standard of existing Touch ID, particularly with regard to authenticating Apple Pay.

We believe Apple’s facial recognition system solution should work from many angles and in low-light environments. However, it would not work without clear line of sight to the user’s face. Even if this encompassed just 5% of login scenarios, it would mean that several times a day the new iPhone would perform worse at an elemental feature than older iPhones, which would risk pushback from consumers. Further, we do not believe facial recognition would be initially qualified as an acceptable verification method for Apple Pay. While Apple could achieve this over time, the likelihood for an initial lack of Apple Pay could adversely affect demand.

Hargreaves concludes that if Apple thinks facial recognition isn’t sufficient by itself for login and authentication, then a delay in the retail availability of the OLED iPhone is “very unlikely, but possible”. But while the analyst believes a delay up until mid-November would not have an impact on investor expectations for the cycle, anything beyond that timeframe could have negative repercussions.

Alleged leaked ‘iPhone 8’ glass back panel via Weibo
Meanwhile, alleged leaks continue to trickle out into the social media sphere, the most recent coming today via Chinese microblogging service Weibo claiming to show an “iPhone 8” production glass panel back that has no cutout for a Touch ID fingerprint sensor. Early rumors suggested Apple would relocate the sensor to the rear of the handset, similar to the Samsung Galaxy S8.

Apple is thought to have incorporated 3D sensing technology in the forward-facing camera of its “iPhone 8”, which may perform a function in the purported facial scanning feature. Alongside the redesigned OLED iPhone, Apple is also expected to announce incremental updates to the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus.

Related Roundup: iPhone 8
Discuss this article in our forums

Apple Offering Free Repairs of First-Generation Apple Watches With Detached Back Covers

If you have a first-generation Apple Watch with a separated back cover, Apple or an Apple Authorized Service Provider will repair it free of charge, according to an internal service policy obtained by MacRumors.

Apple Watch with separated back cover via Reddit user PoorSpanaway
Apple recently extended the service policy’s coverage period to up to three years after the original purchase date. If you bought an Apple Watch in April 2015, for example, it is eligible for a free repair until April 2018.

Apple has determined that under certain conditions on some first-generation Apple Watch devices the back cover may separate from the watch case. Apple will service eligible devices free of charge. Apple will authorize coverage for three years from the date of purchase.

The service policy has been in effect since last year and applies to any first-generation Apple Watch, including Sport, Edition, and Hermès models, even if the device’s limited one-year warranty or extended AppleCare coverage has elapsed.

Affected customers can call an Apple Store and schedule a Genius Bar appointment, or visit an Apple Authorized Service Provider, to initiate the repair process. Or, customers can call Apple Support to arrange shipment of the damaged Apple Watch to an Apple Repair Center in a postage paid box.

Apple advises customers inquiring about a refund for a previous Apple Watch back cover repair to contact Apple Support.

Several users have shared pictures of their first-generation Apple Watch with the back cover falling off on the Apple Support Communities, MacRumors discussion forums, Twitter, and elsewhere on the web. In many cases, the back cover detaches when the Apple Watch is removed from its magnetic charger.

Daring Fireball’s John Gruber, for example, shared a picture of his wife’s stainless steel Apple Watch with a detached back cover last October. He said the Apple Watch, purchased in May 2015, was providing erratic workout readings before coming apart after it was taken off of its magnetic charger.

I sure hope Apple uses better glue for their cars than they do for their watches. pic.twitter.com/JkIThwC5B7

— John Gruber (@gruber) October 3, 2016

While many customers report that Apple repaired their Apple Watch free of charge, some have been forced to pay out of pocket. Since the service policy has not been publicly announced, some Apple support representatives may be unaware of its existence. Escalating your request to a senior advisor may help.

Apple appears to have fixed the issue with its newer Series 1 and Series 2 models, perhaps by using a stronger adhesive.

Related Roundups: Apple Watch Series 2, watchOS 3, watchOS 4
Tag: AASP
Buyer’s Guide: Apple Watch (Neutral)
Discuss this article in our forums