Samsung’s Galaxy S8 and S8+ now support Daydream View VR

With thousands of apps and Oculus behind it, Samsung’s Gear VR is already a great virtual reality headset for Galaxy S8 and S8+ owners, and comes with a new controller to boot. It’s always good to have more choice, though, and users of Samsung’s flagship smartphones can now use Google’s Daydream View, too. On a Google+ post, the search giant confirmed that “the Daydream-ready update is rolling out now to Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+” smartphones.

While lagging behind Samsung in terms of games and apps, the Daydream View made a strong debut thanks in large part to its comfortable cloth construction. It also comes with a small motion controller, and when it was unveiled, the Gear VR didn’t have one — you had to buy a separate gamepad or make do with with a touchpad on the side of the headset. Shortly after the Daydream VR launch, Samsung unveiled a new Gear VR and controller for the Galaxy S8, S7 and S6 smartphones.

The Galaxy S8 or S8+ confer the same benefits to the Daydream VR headset as to the Gear VR. Both phones have arguably the best AMOLED screens on the market with nearly the highest resolutions (2,960 x 1,440) for crisp viewing, fast processors to crunch games and plenty of RAM. They also feature expandable microSD storage up to 256GB — indispensable for VR video files, which are often enormous.

If you’re looking at the Daydream VR, it’s currently on sale for a limited time in the US at $60 instead of $80. The Daydream VR app is now available on Google Play and should work on your Galaxy S8 or S8+ with no OTA update necessary, users are reporting. If you’re having trouble, some Reddit users say that you may need to clear Google VR Services data on your device, then re-open the Daydream app.

Via: Droid Life

Source: Google (Google+)

Mophie’s USB-C battery pack charges your new MacBook Pro

If you have a USB-C Macbook Pro (also known as the one in which Apple forced us to all live in a dongle-laden hell), you probably are familiar with the woes of charging it. Sure, it’s fine if you use an official charger, but if you want to use a battery, you’re pretty much out of luck. That’s why Mophie’s announcement today is so exciting. The mobile battery case company has released the Powerstation USB-C XXL, a high capacity universal battery that promises to charge the 2016 MacBook Pro.

The 19,500 mAH battery holds more than 125% of a MacBook’s charge (2015 model), adding roughly 14 hours of battery. It features one USB-C port and one USB-A port and supports simultaneous dual charging. The onboard USB-PD tech and Cypress CCG2 chipset allows for fast charging of laptop batteries at rates of up to 30 Watts, and the USB-A port can handle 5-Watt charging. You can also rapid charge the battery through the USB-C port; while its default setting is to provide charge, a switch can toggle the mode so that it accepts power. Additionally, you can pass through charge USB-C to USB-A. It promises to charge the MacBook at full speed (no word on the MacBook Pro).

Mophie also paid attention to aesthetics for the Powerstation USB-C XXL. You can see from the video above that the battery is wrapped in a soft fabric. Mophie promises that it will work with the MacBook Pro (2016) and MacBook (2015), along with iPads, iPhones and other mobile devices. It’s available now for sale exclusively at Apple Stores, Apple.com and Mophie’s website for $149.

Why take in great views of London when you can stare at a screen?

If you took a whirl on the Coca-Cola™ London Eye but didn’t stream it on Facebook Live, did it even happen? We needn’t concern ourselves with that philosophical question any longer, because O2 has announced that its free WiFi network, which reaches into all of the giant Ferris wheel’s 32 capsules, is here to stay. The network was already live, but today has moved from “trial” status to become a permanent fixture, because we can’t possibly spend the 30-minute revolution not glued to our smartphones now, can we?

Obviously we’re being provocative here. No doubt armies of tourists will enjoy being able to post an Instagram picture at the top of the loop without worrying about roaming charges. It’s a free service with a legitimate use case, and complements the free O2 WiFi that’s been available at the base of the wheel for some time. But you can’t deny there’s a certain irony in it — a tourist attraction famed for its view giving you every opportunity to look at a slab of glass in your hand instead. And this is in addition to the “4D Cinema Experience” that includes bird’s-eye views of iconic sites you can watch before stepping into a capsule; as well as the tablets installed in each pod that serve as digital “guides.”

Our lust for permanent connectivity and tech-augmented environments reached The Shard building in London just a few days ago, too. The viewing deck on the 69th floor, 800 feet (244m) above the pavement, is now home to two virtual reality experiences. “Vertigo” has you standing on steel beam, stripping back the safety of the finished building and giving you an idea of what it was like up there during the construction process. “The Slide” is more of a VR simulator. You sit in a “toboggan style seat” that moves as you barrel down a track that weaves around a computer-generated reconstruction of The Shard, all the while rubbernecking at a high-definition, 360-degree stitch of images of the capital.

This also makes sense. Having more things to do up there when you’re tired of looking out the window and taking the necessary snaps for sharing makes a visit to the viewing deck more of an event. For the operators, it also means a bit more income (when the free introductory period expires on August 5th, anyway). But again, the irony is you’re obscuring arguably the best of view of London by strapping a screen to your face.

On a related note, O2 and The View from The Shard have come up with some fairly comical promotional claims to accompany their launches. The latter now houses the “UK’s highest virtual reality experience” and “world’s highest virtual slide,” while O2’s technical feat is “the world’s first free, high-density WiFi network on a continually moving structure.” Congrats?

Via: Mobile News

Source: O2, The View from The Shard

Australian ‘budget bot’ wins Amazon robot challenge

An inexpensive robot has triumphed over its more sophisticated competition to win Amazon’s annual Robotics Challenge. ‘Cartman’, a robot designed by the Australian Center for Robotic Vision (ACRV), was built from scratch for a fraction of the cost of other competing robots, and was even held together in places by cable ties.

This year’s winner — which netted its creators the AU$80,000 ($63,770) cash prize — stood out from the competition because of its gantry-like design. Instead of a robotic arm, Cartman functions via a sliding mechanism that picks products from above, moving on three axes. At its end is a rotating gripper, which uses a suction cup or two-finger grip to grab the item. The parts for the robot were cheap by the standards of typical industrial robots, costing under AU$30,000 ($23,913).

The competition is designed to showcase automated solutions to the challenges Amazon faces in its goods warehouses. Robots are already used to move products around fulfilment centers, but the company — like all online retailers — still relies on humans to pick and box items for delivery.

Given the sophisticated robotics technology already on the market it seems that automated picking and packing is something that should already exist. But carrying out such a task properly involves a complex mix of object and pose recognition, grasp and motion planning, and task execution, not to mention error detection and recovery, should things go awry. The Amazon competition tests a robots competency with three timed tasks: picking and packing specific products, retrieving and storing specific products, and a combination of the two. With Amazon already making ambitious strides in automation through its delivery drones, how long until humans are removed from its equation entirely?

Source: Business Wire

Watch the US Navy’s electromagnetic catapult launch a fighter jet

The US Navy’s next-gen Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) has already shown it can hurl weighty dead-loads. Now, after months of trials, it just propelled its first actual aircraft. A jet fighter performed the first EMALS launch and recovery from the USS Gerald R. Ford on Friday.

The military’s been having a blast shooting steel sleds from the carrier in preparation for the latest trial. Unlike conventional steam catapults, the new system uses electromagnetic energy from the ship’s generator to send a fighter down the runway — in the vein of a railgun. It also weighs less than its counterparts and requires less upkeep and manpower. An added advantage is the smoother acceleration it offers aircraft during takeoff. However, EMALS has come up against some hurdles in the past, including a botched public launch in 2015. The plan is to use the catapult to launch F/A-18 Super Hornets, EA-18G Growlers, E2D Advanced Hawkeyes, and even lightweight drones.

Via: Popular Mechanics

Source: USNI News

Engadget giveaway: Win a River Mobile Power Station courtesy of EcoFlow!

Having a portable power source is a must if you want to be properly prepared for your next glamping trip or just a long day in the park. EcoFlow’s River Mobile Power Station is as near a panacea as they come, with a 116,000mAh battery, total output of 500W and 11 charging ports including USB, AC, DC and 12V. This smart charging station adjusts power output to match each device’s wattage and even monitors temperature so devices won’t get too hot. It holds a charge for about one year and can be topped up via a wall outlet, car jack or even using solar panels. EcoFlow has provided us with one of its River Mobile Power Stations for one lucky reader this week, to help keep phones and laptops full, drones charged up or even use small appliances outside of the house, if you really must. All you need to do is head to our Rafflecopter widget below for up to three chances at winning this 11-pound portable power pack from EcoFlow!

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• Entries can be submitted until August 2nd at 11:59PM ET. Good luck!

Apple Music’s ‘My Chill Mix’ Playlist Rollout Expands So More Users Can ‘Relax and Unwind’

Just over a month after originally appearing for a few Apple Music subscribers on both iOS 10 and the iOS 11 beta, it appears that Apple’s new “My Chill Mix” playlist is now expanding to many more users of the music streaming service.

My Chill Mix recommends music that’s both old and new, curating a list of songs for Apple Music users that are supposed to help them “relax and unwind” as they listen. Because each person’s definition of relaxation might differ, Apple Music’s My Chill Mix isn’t only aimed at low-key music, but could also include rock, hip-hop, techno, and more.

Like Apple’s other intelligently curated playlists, Apple Music will get better at recommending music for My Chill Mix the more that users listen to music on the app. The playlist will refresh every Sunday and includes 25 tracks, just like Apple Music’s other customized playlists.

“Tailored to your music taste, My Chill Mix is a selection of songs to help you relax and unwind.”

Last year, Apple launched its first curated playlists, called “My Favorites Mix” and “My New Music Mix.” My Favorites Mix presents users with a collection of their most-listened-to songs every Wednesday, while My New Music Mix recommends the newest music based off of each user’s listening history.

When iOS 11 launches to the public, there will be a few changes in the Apple Music app, mostly related to a new social feature. In the “For You” tab, users will be able to create their own Apple Music profile page, share their favorite playlists, and follow friends to see what they’re listening to in order to further facilitate new music discovery.

Related Roundups: iOS 10, iOS 11
Tag: Apple Music
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Apple Expected to Report Second-Best June Quarter Ever Today as Investors Look Ahead to iPhone 8

Apple is set to report its earnings results for the third quarter of its 2017 fiscal year at 1:30 p.m. Pacific Time today.

Apple provided the following guidance for its third quarter on May 2:

• revenue between $43.5 billion and $45.5 billion
• gross margin between 37.5 percent and 38.5 percent
• operating expenses between $6.6 billion and $6.7 billion
• other income/expense of $450 million
• tax rate of 25.5 percent

That guidance suggests Apple will report its second-best third quarter earnings results in the company’s history. The quarter corresponds with March 26, 2017 through June 24, 2017.

Apple’s Fiscal Third Quarter

• 2013: $35.3 billion
• 2014: $37.4 billion
• 2015: $49.6 billion
• 2016: $42.3 billion
• 2017: $43.5+ billion

Wall Street’s consensus is that Apple will report approximately $44.9 billion revenue and earnings per share of $1.57, according to dozens of estimates averaged by Thomson Reuters and Yahoo Finance.

Apple is forecasted to have sold 40.7 million iPhones, 9 million iPads, and 4.3 million Macs, according to average estimates shared by Wells Fargo, compared to 40.4 million, 9.95 million, and 4.25 million respectively in the year-ago quarter.

MacRumors.com compiled third quarter estimates from several financial institutions and analysts tracking Apple and the company’s stock. The figures are listed below, ranked from highest to lowest in quarterly revenue.

All signs point to Apple reporting an above-average and generally unsurprising June quarter. The most interesting takeaway will be Apple’s fourth quarter guidance and any clues that provides about the so-called iPhone 8.

In addition to iPhone sales, investors will be looking for continued growth of Apple’s services category, which includes the likes of the App Store, iTunes Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay, AppleCare, and licensing fees.

Apple CEO Tim Cook and CFO Luca Maestri will discuss the company’s financial results on a conference call at 2:00 p.m. Pacific Time. MacRumors.com will transcribe the call as it unfolds for those unable to listen.

Tags: earnings, AAPL
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Mophie Launches $150 ‘Powerstation USB-C XXL’ Aimed at New MacBooks

Mophie today announced the release of a new high capacity mobile battery called the Powerstation USB-C XXL, which is aimed at the latest MacBook and MacBook Pro models. The accessory includes a 19,500 mAh battery, which Mophie said will provide up to 14 hours of extra battery, or “more than one full charge” to a MacBook.

The Powerstation USB-C XXL includes one USB-C port and one 5V/2.4A USB-A port, so users can simultaneously charge an iPhone or iPad as they charge their MacBook. The top of the accessory is wrapped in a soft-touch fabric, which Mophie said helps keep other devices in a bag safe from scratches when traveling.

Mophie’s new accessory can charge a MacBook at full speed thanks to included USB power delivery technology in the USB-C port, which can charge a connected MacBook at rapid charging rates of up to 30 watts. While 30 watts isn’t enough to keep up with a MacBook Pro under heavy load, the battery can still recharge a MacBook Pro in sleep mode or at least slow the battery drain while the computer is in use.

Like other Mophie products, the Powerstation USB-C XXL also includes priority charging, so when it’s connected to a wall adapter the battery pack will send power to a connected device first, then recharge itself.

Mophie’s PowerStation USB-C XXL is available to buy for $149.95 on Mophie.com, Apple.com, and in Apple retail stores beginning today, although it hasn’t yet appeared on Apple’s website at the time of writing.

It’s worth noting that there are other options on the market if you’re looking for USB-C battery packs with power delivery specifications, all of which offer higher capacities at prices lower than Mophie’s accessory, although Mophie’s design standards and favored relationship with Apple contribute toward its products’ popularity with consumers.

Related Roundups: MacBook Pro, MacBook
Tag: Mophie
Buyer’s Guide: MacBook Pro (Buy Now), MacBook (Buy Now)
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Amazon removes Blu smartphones over ‘security concerns’

Budget Android phone manufacturer Blu Products has been suspended from selling its handsets on Amazon. Citing “security concerns,” the online retail giant is removing Blu models from Amazon.com until the company “resolves the issue,” reports CNET. The move comes less than a week after security firm Kryptowire revealed Blu’s devices were still covertly sending user data to China.

Privacy has proven a stumbling block for the Miami-based seller in the past. Back in November, Blu admitted that a third-party app had been collecting info in the form of text messages, call logs, and contacts on a limited number of devices. At the time, Blu confirmed to Engadget that the Adups software (used for OTA updates) had affected 120,000 phones. It also claimed it was replacing the Chinese tool with Google’s OTA and servers for future products.

Blu is refuting the latest allegations. Although its older phones still use the Adups app, it claims they contain “absolutely no spyware or malware or secret software.” Blu adds the data currently being collected is “standard for OTA functionality” and “does not affect any user’s privacy or security.”

In an emailed statement to Engadget, Blu said the following: “Since November 2016…Amazon has been aware of the Adups and other applications on our BLU devices which were deemed…by BLU, Amazon, and Kryptowire to pose no further security or privacy risk.”

It continued: “The devices are still behaving in the same exact way…There has been absolutely no new behavior or change in any of our devices to trigger any concern. We expect Amazon to understand this, and quickly reinstate our devices for sale.” We reached out to Amazon for comment, but did not immediately receive a response.

Despite serving as an early partner on Amazon’s Prime Exclusive Phones program, Blu’s handsets are no longer listed on its page. The manufacturer’s phones have also been a mainstay on the site’s unlocked cell phones best sellers chart.

Via: CNET