The next version of HoloLens will include built-in artificial intelligence

Why it matters to you

If you’re holding out for HoloLens 2, then you’ll get rewarded with some built-in artificial intelligence.

Microsoft’s HoloLens mixed reality system hasn’t quite made its way to the mainstream market yet, but the company is already planning its successor. And Microsoft is planning to add some artificial intelligence (AI) to the next version to make it even better at merging real and simulated realities.

The information comes from the Microsoft Research team, via a video that was taken at the Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition (CVPR) 2017 event in Hawaii. The video shows off Microsoft’s presentation of a new Holographic Processing Unit (HPU) that incorporates some advanced speech and image processing capabilities.

#HoloLens with HPU 2.0 by #MSR at #CVPR17.

Posted by Ilke Demir on Sunday, July 23, 2017

Specifically, HPU 2.0 will add in a dedicated AI coprocessor that will help the next HoloLens version make better sense of what a user is looking at and listening to while using the device. By incorporating the new AI chip on the HoloLens itself, the latency of sending data to the cloud for processing can be avoided and the resulting experience significantly enhanced. The video shows off the new system’s real-time ability to recognize each individual hand segment in action.

As the Microsoft Research Blog wrote:

“The AI coprocessor is designed to work in the next version of HoloLens, running continuously, off the HoloLens battery. This is just one example of the new capabilities we are developing for HoloLens, and is the kind of thing you can do when you have the willingness and capacity to invest for the long term, as Microsoft has done throughout its history. And this is the kind of thinking you need if you’re going to develop mixed reality devices that are themselves intelligent. Mixed reality and artificial intelligence represent the future of computing, and we’re excited to be advancing this frontier.”

There’s no additional information on when the next HoloLens will be released or what it will be called. Today, HoloLens is primarily a device aimed at larger organizations for real-world applications and at developers for pushing mixed reality into more mainstream applications. It remains far too expensive for consumer applications.

Nevertheless, it’s obvious that Microsoft wants the next version of HoloLens to be even smarter. It might not bring human-level intelligence or consciousness to the market, but at least HoloLens will be able to help users more easily comprehend the world around them.

That’s no beheaded cyclops! AMD’s CEO is holding a Ryzen Threadripper retail box

Why it matters to you

Here is a first look at AMD’s Ryzen Threadripper processor retail box, which looks rather large to house the oversized chip stored inside.

On Monday, AMD updated its Twitter feed with a picture of company CEO Lisa Su holding the retail packaging of the upcoming Ryzen Threadripper desktop processor. Honestly, based on the size of the chip and now its epic-sized store shelf box shown in the photo, we are not sure why AMD did not choose to label its high-end Ryzen Threadripper desktop chips as “Epyc,” with is the name AMD uses for its new server-oriented CPUs.

If you missed the announcement, here are the two Ryzen Threadripper desktop processors hitting the market in August:

Cores
Threads
Base Speed
Boost Speed
Price
1920X
12
24
3.5GHz
4.0GHz
$799
1950X
16
32
3.4GHz
4.0GHz
$999

These two processors are based on the same “Zen” design seen in AMD’s vanilla Ryzen CPUs initially launched in February. Zen is mostly a start-from-scratch design aimed to provide better performance per watt at a lower price when compared to similar desktop processors from Intel. The two Ryzen Threadripper chips landing in August will compete with Intel’s upcoming 12-core i9-7920X (2.90MHz, $1,189) and 16-core i9-7960X (2.90MHz, $1,699) desktop processors.

The drawback to both the Ryzen Threadripper and Intel’s CXore X-Series CPUs is that they require a completely different motherboard seat (socket) than what is used by their mainstream siblings. For AMD’s chips, the company introduced the massive TR4 socket along with the X399 motherboard chipset. The Ryzen Threadripper chip itself looks to be similar in size to the Nintendo 3DS handheld, so expect a huge flood of new motherboards when the two CPUs hit the market next month.

The Ryzen Threadripper retail box revealed on Monday definitely looks far sexier than the packaging for AMD’s Ryzen 7 and Ryzen 5 desktop chip lineup and is much larger, too. The current Ryzen box is square and mostly silver, save for the yellow/orange/red Ryzen logo printed across the side, and a small orange box in the corner where the processor number (seven, five, or three) resides.

However, the Ryzen Threadripper retail packaging ditches that boring blocky design for a solid, rounded black plastic casing with a big Ryzen cyclops-like eyeball looking straight at the customer, silently saying “Look at me! Buy me!” In Su’s hands, the package looks like a portable TV used for camping trips in the late 1970s, only without the antennas and tin foil-based flags.

Just for kicks, here are the remaining Ryzen processors the Threadripper models will be joining in August:

Cores
Threads
Base Speed
Boost Speed
Price
Ryzen 7 1800X
8
16
3.6GHz
4.0GHz
$430
Ryzen 7 1700X
8
16
3.4GHz
3.8GHz
$330
Ryzen 7 1700
8
16
3.0GHz
3.7GHz
$270
Ryzen 5 1600X
6
12
3.6GHz
4.0GHz
$240
Ryzen 5 1600
6
12
3.2GHz
3.6GHz
$215
Ryzen 5 1500X
4
8
3.5GHz
3.7GHz
$190
Ryzen 5 1400
4
8
3.2GHz
3.4GHz
$165

Of course, we cannot forget the new Ryzen 3 processors landing on store shelves on Thursday:

Cores
Threads
Base Speed
Boost Speed
Price
Ryzen 3 1300X
4
4
3.5GHz
3.7GHz
TBD
Ryzen 3 1200
4
4
3.1GHz
3.4GHz
TBD

Samsung reportedly releasing Bluetooth earset with built-in Bixby

Why it matters to you

If you’re already using Bixby on your Galaxy S8 or S8 Plus device, Samsung may soon release Bluetooth earbuds that are also compatible with the voice assistant.

Although Samsung reportedly canceled its Bixby-powered smart speaker, there still might be plans to incorporate the voice assistant into other devices. Samsung is apparently working in partnership with another South Korean company to develop Bluetooth earbuds with Bixby built into it, ET News reports.

To add to the list of smart home speakers — from Amazon’s Echo, to Apple’s Homepod, and the Google Home — Samsung was reportedly developing its own AI-equipped smart speaker with Bixby built in. The original plan was for the smart speaker to be featured in a variety of devices throughout the home, including appliances.

The latest report from South Korean publication The Investor indicates the device may have been canceled completely due to a lack of marketability — but it could also be due to Bixby’s past issues. While voice recognition problems apparently halted Samsung’s previous attempts at launching a smart speaker, Bixby also had an English language delay on the Galaxy S8 over three months after the phone’s release.

The report in terms of the Bluetooth-powered earbuds makes the inevitable comparison to Apple’s Airpods — the wireless earbuds that also connect to Bluetooth, and can trigger Siri for any question or command you may have. With Bixby earbuds, you’ll essentially be able to do the same things — play music and use the voice assistant. You’ll also apparently be able to give commands and receive answers with Bixby even when your smartphone isn’t close by.

One difference between the two competitors is the “Noise Blocking Technology” Bixby is supposedly releasing with the earbuds — a feature the AirPods don’t have. With the technology, users will be able to block out all background noise other than their own voice in order to receive accurate answers from Bixby even while in loud and crowded environments.

ET News suggests Samsung and the South Korean company are already running tests to link Bixby with Bluetooth earbuds — likely to be released at the same time as the Galaxy Note 8 release in September. It is yet to be determined whether the company will supply the earbuds as a bundle with the smartphone or if the earbuds will be sold as a separate accessory.

These are our favorite smart wallets for keeping your money safe

The contents of your wallet may be the most valuable things on your person, so you need a solid wallet to keep them safe. Luckily, technology has brought us many an option when it comes to protecting our credit cards and cash. The wallets of today not only ensure that you have a convenient place to store your money, but also that you won’t lose said money, or have it stolen. Thanks to the advent of smart wallets, you can enjoy features like RFID blocking, device tracking, and of course, sleek modern design. Here are a few of our favorite smart wallets to date.

Walli ($89)

The Walli smart wallet connects to your smartphone via Bluetooth and will send you instant notifications if ever you wander too far away from it. That means you won’t have to worry about leaving your wallet at a restaurant, the airport, or at home — if it’s not on your person (or close to it), the wallet will quite literally call you to come back for it. Even more impressive, Walli’s SecurePockets technology lets the wallet monitor the card slot you use most often. If it finds that said card slot is left empty for too long, it’ll send a notification to your phone to check for the missing card or ID. Made of leather and allegedly dust-proof, the Walli uses a single coin cell battery that lasts up to 6 months.

Buy it now from:

Walli

Voyager Smart Wallet ($90)

The latest product from Cuir Ally, the Voyager Smart Wallet is constructed from fine-grain premium leather, and combines form with function. The Voyager Smart Wallet comes complete with a pen, which fits along the inner fold of the wallet, and provides space for your passport, your boarding passes, and plenty of credit cards and cash. Even if you fill the wallet to its brim, Cuir Ally promises that it will maintain its sleek and slim design. As for the tech aspect of the Voyager Smart, the wallet comes with an embedded smart chip, which uses Bluetooth to connect to your phone. Simply download the companion Chipolo app, available on both Android and iOS, and monitor your wallet’s activity. If you forget your wallet, the app will send you a notification to let you know that it’s no longer in the vicinity. If you can’t find your wallet, press a button in the app and the Voyager Smart will start ringing. This also works the other way — if you have your wallet but cannot find your phone, double tap the chip in the Voyager Smart, and you’ll set off an alarm on your mobile device.

Buy it now from:

Cuir Ally

Ekster ($99)

Here to ensure that you have a wallet that is not only slim but also secure is Ekster, the smart wallet brand that partnered with Tile to launch a new, solar-charged, RFID-blocking smart wallet. Perhaps the most important part of the Ekster Smart Wallet is in its RFID-blocking technology. Because many credit and debit cards have RFID and NFC technology embedded in them, Ekster notes that they can be “activated and duplicated from a distance,” which can cause serious security issues. But now, you don’t have to worry about someone skimming your credit card data when you’re walking about. With the new Ekster Wallet, you won’t have to dig around to access your credit card or ID, either. Simply click a button to pop out your required piece of plastic, and when you’re done, you won’t have to worry about jamming things back into a bulky getup.

Buy it now from:

Ekster

Wocket ($179)

The Wocket is basically made up of two components: A physical, removable credit card, and a boxy, rectangular card selector into which the aforementioned credit card fits. The card selector, which sports a touchscreen e-ink display and runs on a standard coin battery, is where the magic happens: You select a saved virtual card to assign to the physical card, which emulates a card swipe by transmitting a wireless signal to a given point-of-sales system. Cards with magnetic stripes are added by swiping them through the selector, while cards with barcodes (e.g., membership, loyalty cards, or event tickets) can be manually copied numerically — enter the string of numbers below a given QR code or barcode and Wocket will generate a scannable image to match. Somewhat unusually for a product of its category, the Wocket doesn’t rely on another device to operate — it’s meant to be used entirely independently, and only requires Bluetooth pairing to an iOS, Android, or Windows Phone smartphone for firmware updates. Security is handled locally, too; you verify your identity by entering a PIN on the Wocket selector’s touchscreen, and optionally by speaking a specific word or phrase.

Buy it now from:

NXT-ID

Pitaka ($49)

Made of carbon fiber, the Pitaka wallet is one of the most minimalist and lightest smart wallets out there. It boasts a modular design, which means that you can decide just how thick you really need your wallet to be. The Pitaka wallet depends upon a number of layers that you can customize according to your needs. The layers are held together using powerful magnets, and when you need to access something, you fan the layers out, unfolding as you would a traditional wallet. The top and bottom layers of any Pitaka wallet each have a recess capable of holding one card. The middle layers have two recesses (one per side) capable of holding two cards. Then there are additional layers that can be used to store other things that you might not be able to put in a traditional wallet, like keys, a bottle opener, and more. There’s even an optional tool card layer you can include in your wallet. And because the wallet is made of carbon fiber, it’s not only light and durable, but also features natural RFID blocking so no one can surreptitiously steal your information.

Buy it now from:

Kickstarter

A Surface hotspot? Microsoft patent reveals plans for a mobile modem

Why it matters to you

If this project comes to fruition, people with older Windows laptops could have an easy, convenient way to make use of LTE connections.

A patent application may have revealed the existence of a new piece of portable hardware from Microsoft — but unfortunately for users eagerly anticipating the rumored Surface Phone, it’s probably not a smartphone. Instead, it’s likely a wireless hotspot intended to help laptops and tablets connect to the web when you are out and about.

The patent describes a “folding wireless communications device” that lends LTE capabilities to another device while occupying a small, lightweight form factor, according to a report from Pocket Now. It is said to measure 90 mm by 57 mm, which would make it easy to stow in a pocket or throw in a bag.

Many modern laptops have built-in LTE support, but older models rarely offer this kind of functionality. Having a separate accessory to bridge the gap would allow users to gain reliable internet access wherever they are without having to invest in a brand new system.

Given that there has been so much hype about the possibility of a Surface Phone, some observers believe that this patent might be evidence that Microsoft is considering a clamshell design for the as-yet-unannounced device. For instance, the design was assumed to be related to the smartphone project in a report from MSPoweruser.

However, the small display pictured in the drawings submitted by Microsoft seems to suggest that this is some kind of hotspot, rather than a smartphone. The accompanying description states that the screen would be used to communicate battery status, signal strength, the name of the current carrier, or the current network throughput, all of which point to a modem accessory rather than a Surface Phone.

Of course, the fact that this patent sent tongues wagging over the prospect of the Surface Phone demonstrates just how much interest there is in that project. Even though various iterations of the Windows Phone never really set the world alight, the Surface brand is so strong that there is a lot of curiosity about how it might carry over to the smartphone arena.

There is no word on what the current status of this hotspot hardware might be. The patent was submitted in January 2016, but was only made public in July.

WD Blue 3D NAND SATA SSD and SanDisk Ultra 3D SSD Review

Western Digital recently introduced two solid state drives based on its “3D” memory technology for storage. Both are actually identical, with the WD Blue version targeting system builders, resellers, and do-it-yourself enthusiasts, while the SanDisk Ultra model serves mainstream customers, creative individuals, and PC gamers looking to upgrade. In this WD Blue 3D NAND SATA SSD and SanDisk Ultra 3D SSD review, we’re going to examine both, and see if they’re a good choice for giving new life to an older PC.

What exactly is 3D NAND memory?

WD’s headline feature in this pair of drives is the memory technology itself. The typical NAND-based storage device relies on memory cells that are horizontally spread out, like “buildings” in a condensed city. The problem is that while technology can make the buildings smaller and higher (up to four “floors”), they will eventually reach a physical limit.

Kevin Parrish/Digital Trends

Kevin Parrish/Digital Trends

Kevin Parrish/Digital Trends

Kevin Parrish/Digital Trends

Instead of spreading storage cells horizontally, 3D NAND used in these two new SSDs stacks them like a skyscraper up to 64 floors high. This design not only increases capacity by expanding upwards, but data travels faster to and from memory cells using an “elevator,” rather than having to travel across buildings.

One platform, two solutions

For our testing, Western Digital sent the WD Blue (WDS100T2B0A-00SM50) and SanDisk Ultra (SDSSDH31000G) 2.5-inch 1TB models that connect to a SATA port. The company said it chose a SATA connection instead of supporting the faster PCI Express interface because SATA is the more commonly used storage connector. It’s been around for a long time, and because of that, Western Digital wanted to offer its 3D NAND technology to a wide, mainstream audience.

Picking up the SSDs feel like handling a credit card (or cracker, if they’re the M.2 type). The 2.5-inch SSDs offered by Western Digital are extremely light too, weighing less than an ounce and a half. But they’re also highly durable outside and within despite their thin and light form factor. And because they rely on 3D NAND technology, Western Digital says the drives should last for a long time.

According to the company, these two SSDs will still be in working order long after they’re obsolete. If you’re managing 20GB of data per day, failure will likely arrive in 56 years. PC owners tossing around 80GB of data per day may see problems in roughly 14 years. Can you say the same about a mechanical hard drive? Nope.

3D NAND sounds fancy – but is it faster?

The packaging states that both models have a maximum read speed of 560MB per second, and a maximum write speed of 530MB per second. Because both are based on the same platform, customers shouldn’t see any difference in speed between the two. Western Digital says that if there is a difference, it’s only due to the manufacturing process.

Here’s the machine we used to test the two SSDs:

Processor:
Intel Core i7-4790K
Motherboard:
Gigabyte GA-Z97X-UD5H
System memory:
8GB DDR3 @ 1,600MHz
Graphics card:
Nvidia GeForce GTX 960
Boot storage:
Samsung SSD 840 Pro Series (512GB)
Operating system:
Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 16241

Now here are the results of the two SSDs:

Capacity

Sequential Write

Sequential Read

WD Blue
(WDS100T2B0A-00SM50)

1TB

540MB/s

511MB/s

SanDisk Ultra
(SDSSDH31000G)

1TB

539MB/s

510MB/s

Note that we typically run the same benchmark three times and then generate an average. But in this case, we ran the benchmarks four times for each SSD, with the results remaining consistent across the board, requiring no averaging. They’re both rather close to the maximum speed of the SATA connection they use, too. The 3D NAND used here might be capable of more, but the limitations of SATA hold it back.

To gain some perspective of how the drives compare to older models, we tested the Samsung SSD 840 Pro Series model already installed in our aging test bed, just to see if Western Digital’s solution made it obsolete. Samsung’s SSD managed an even 537MB per second read and 519MB per second write speeds, indicating that now isn’t the time to swap it out for a better model. For the record, Samsung’s SSD does not have 3D NAND technology.

Bringing “pro” speeds to mainstream PC owners

Based on these results, the use of 3D NAND technology doesn’t necessarily mean insanely fast speed in the case of the WD Blue and SanDisk Ultra units we tested. The emphasis, it seems, is providing a product with a high endurance, high capacity, and low power draw — just 60 milliwatts average active power. If anything, Western Digital is now providing mainstream storage solutions that offer speeds that were thought extreme just a few years back.

Here are the capacities and pricing based on the SanDisk Ultra model listed on Amazon:

Capacity

Price

250GB

$100

500GB

$165

1TB

$280

2TB

$550

These prices aren’t the most affordable, but they’re close. The 250GB drive is a good starting point, and the 1TB drive would be a great pick for a desktop’s main system drive. Then there’s the 2TB drive. While that capacity is not unheard of, the $550 tag on Western Digital’s offering will make it among the most affordable around.

We can’t as the WD Blue and SanDisk Ultra with 3D NAND technology are must-have drives. They compete directly with similar drives like the Crucial MX300 series and Mushkin Enhanced Reactor series. These drives are priced similarly, and should offer similar performance. What you choose is likely a matter of what’s on sale when you buy – but if the WD Blue or SanDisk Ultra drives show up with attractive prices, they’re worthwhile.

Best Android Wear Smartwatch

• Best Overall
• Best for watch lovers
• Best mid-sized alternative
• Best value

Best overall

LG Watch Sport

See at Google Store

LG’s Watch Sport has everything: a big, beautiful P-OLED display, a high-speed processor, NFC for Android Pay, LTE for independent connectivity, and a massive 430mAh battery. It’s also the first smartwatch to ship with Android Wear 2.0 (though certainly not the last) which means that early adopters can benefit from all the platform’s new features, including a refreshed interface and improved notifications.

It may be big, but the stainless steel chassis wears it well, and it hides a very accurate heart rate sensor on the back. At $349, it’s not cheap, but it’s worth it.

Bottom line: The LG Watch Sport is a big watch, but it’s also big on features.

One more thing: If the Sport is too big, and too pricey, LG has another option, the sleeker LG Watch Style, for $249.

Why the LG Watch Sport is the best

The LG Watch Sport is a beast. It’s big, heavy and expensive. And yet it’s the best Android Wear watch out there right now, mainly because it packs so many features into one device. Want to pay with your watch? Go ahead. Want to use it independently to track a run using GPS? Sure, it can do that, too.

Android Central’s Andrew Martonik summed it up nicely in his review:

Many technology enthusiasts will still be wooed into considering the LG Watch Sport, even at $349. The allure of a fresh smartwatch that fixes many pain points of previous Android Wear watches will be strong. It has a great display without a dreaded flat tire, a nice case that is, unfortunately, a bit too thick but has great build quality, and every feature you could want crammed inside.

The LG Watch Sport is for the wearable fan who wants to experience Android Wear 2.0 to the fullest right from the start, and see the latest Google has to offer on some great hardware from LG.

LG has a hit on its hands, despite the watch’s size, and there is something encouraging about how much more capable it is than previous generations of watches.

Best for watch lovers

LG Watch Style

See at Google Store

As much as we love our former pick in this category, the Huawei Watch, LG’s newest slim smartwatch, the Watch Style, gets our pick for a timepiece that best imitates a real watch. While it lacks the features of its more expensive and much larger kin, the Watch Sport, it makes up for it in sheer usability. The 1.2-inch POLED display is delightful, and Android Wear works really well on the spinning crown, which enables smooth scrolling without having to touch the display.

Bottom line: The Watch Style may be the best all-round Android Wear watch for the mainstream.

One more thing: It comes in three colors, including the always coveted rose gold.

Best mid-sized alternative

Huawei Watch 2 Classic

See at Amazon

It may not look much like the original Huawei Watch, but the Huawei Watch 2 Classic is the nicer, metal version of the company’s new Android Wear series, and we like it a lot. A gorgeous, sharp 1.2-inch OLED panel and a comfortable leather wrist band make for plenty of enjoyment, plus the heart rate monitor and GPS let the Watch 2 Classic live on its own, sans phone, when you want to go on a run. We just wish that chronometer bezel could spin.

Bottom line: If you’re looking for something like the LG Watch Sport in a much smaller package, this is the one for you.

One more thing: Wait until it’s on sale on Amazon, where it gets discounted regularly.

Best value

ASUS ZenWatch 2

See at Amazon

Android Wear is, first a foremost, a way to interact with your phone remotely. ASUS has positioned the ZenWatch 2 as a way to enjoy the best Android Wear features without emptying your wallet. The square design helps the watch stand out as a gadget to be enjoyed, and removing the heart rate sensor helped ASUS to drop the price well below the competition.

Bottom line: If you really want Android Wear but don’t need something pretending to be a piece of jewelry on your wrist, this is the watch for you.

One more thing: ZenWatch 2 is available in 1.45-inch and 1.63-inch models, and can be purchased in Silver, Gunmetal, Gold, and Rose Gold.

Conclusion

The LG Watch Sport is not just a good watch, it’s the best Android Wear watch you can currently buy. While that may change in the coming months with new wearables from big names like Huawei, Sony and others, no other Android Wear device right now does as much, and so well, as the LG Watch Sport.

Best overall

LG Watch Sport

See at Google Store

LG’s Watch Sport has everything: a big, beautiful P-OLED display, a high-speed processor, NFC for Android Pay, LTE for independent connectivity, and a massive 430mAh battery. It’s also the first smartwatch to ship with Android Wear 2.0 (though certainly not the last) which means that early adopters can benefit from all the platform’s new features, including a refreshed interface and improved notifications.

It may be big, but the stainless steel chassis wears it well, and it hides a very accurate heart rate sensor on the back. At $349, it’s not cheap, but it’s worth it.

Bottom line: The LG Watch Sport is a big watch, but it’s also big on features.

One more thing: If the Sport is too big, and too pricey, LG has another option, the sleeker LG Watch Style, for $249.

Update, July 2017: The LG Watch Sport is the best Android Wear smartwatch you can buy right now, while the Huawei Watch 2 Classic replaces the OG Huawatch.

Sundar Pichai joins Alphabet’s board of directors, continuing his rise in the company

Sundar Pichai continues his rise in Google.

Google parent company Alphabet has announced that Sundar Pichai has joined its board of directors as the 13th member, and will continue his role as CEO of Google. Pichai has been at Google since 2004, and is just shy of his second anniversary as CEO. Joining Alphabet’s board of directors is just yet another step in his ascension at the company, and naturally indicates how important the core Google business is to Alphabet as a whole.

Google co-founder and current Alphabet CEO Larry Page had this to say on the appointment:

Sundar has been doing a great job as Google’s CEO, driving strong growth, partnerships, and tremendous product innovation. I really enjoy working with him and I’m excited that he is joining the Alphabet board.

Alphabet’s board currently includes Page, his co-founder Sergey Brin, former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, former Ford CEO Alan Mulally and others.

Pichai has been integral in many of Google’s big initiatives over the past few years, including global expansion of its products to new emerging markets, the heavy use of machine learning and artificial intelligence, and the expansion of Android to billions of active devices. Given his success, it’s hard to see Pichai leaving Alphabet any time soon.

How to deal with nausea when playing PlayStation VR

PlayStation VR might make you nauseous, but we’ve got some things to help.

VR has a habit of causing people to feel sick, or dizzy while playing. While it might be the newest kid on the VR block, even PlayStation VR can cause nausea, which can be a real bummer. However there are a few things you can do to help curb feeling sick while gaming, and we’ve got the details below.

Read more at VR Heads!

OnePlus brings its custom OnePlus Launcher to Google Play

OnePlus Launcher comes to the Play Store.

The lightly customized and well-liked OnePlus Launcher, which received some nice visual changes with the OnePlus 5 release, has been brought over to Google Play. But the listing is there not to open it up to every phone, but to speed up the process of updating the app outside of a full system update on OnePlus phones.

Along with the newly-public OnePlus Weather, the OnePlus Launcher lets the company add features to its popular Android home screen without having to wait for firmware updates which, though relatively frequent for the OnePlus 5, are still reserved for bigger feature refreshes.

The first public release doesn’t claim to offer any new features beyond performance improvements and bug fixes, but we’d be surprised if it didn’t add a few niceties in the coming weeks.

OnePlus 5

• Complete OnePlus 5 review
• OnePlus 5 specs
• Which OnePlus 5 model should you buy?
• Camera comparison: OnePlus 5 vs. Galaxy S8
• The latest OnePlus 5 news
• Join the discussion in the forums

OnePlus