Star Wars VR and AR experiences you need to try

Join the rebellion and fight for the Force

Disney have recently opened 2 new Star Wars VR experiences at their resorts in Florida and in Downtown Disney in L.A. Secrets of the Empire is a full VR experience using mobile VR units along with props and even scent towers to create the most immersive VR experience we have ever seen. We haven’t been able to go and see it yet so this isn’t a review but from what we know so far it sounds amazing.

Of course, not everyone will be able to get to see these experiences so here’s a list of some of the other Star Wars VR experiences available for you.

Read more at VRHeads!

Best Rechargeable Batteries

We always need batteries, especially around the holidays. The best bet is to go rechargeable.

Whether it’s a kid’s new toy, your games console controller or even just the TV remote, you always need batteries. If you’re a parent, you always need a small mountain of batteries.

Especially as you enter the busy holiday period when more time is spent at home and gifts are exchanged, your stockpile will be put under more pressure than usual. One very excellent suggestion is to get yourself some good rechargeable batteries. In the long run, you’ll end up spending a lot less, and the added bonus of taking the dead ones and bringing them back to life means you’ll never be caught without.

Having rechargeable batteries isn’t as much of a chore as it once was, either. In many cases now you can use a single charger with multiple sizes and brands of batteries.

Not all batteries will come with chargers, but in some cases, you’ll get one bundled in. Just in case we’ve got some great recommendations on both fronts.

Batteries

When you’re buying batteries, especially for children’s toys, it’s important to get quality products. Be sure to check reviews if you’re considering buying from a brand you’re not familiar with, and using well known, reputable retailers such as Amazon or Best Buy is always recommended.

If you’re looking for the best batteries to get, check out this little lot.

Panasonic Eneloop

One of the best known and most respected brands in rechargeable batteries, Eneloop from Panasonic has a lot to offer. They’re a little more expensive than rival brands, so definitely worth snagging if you find a deal.

But, while a 4-pack of 2000 maH AA batteries might cost around $18, Panasonic claims a charge cycle lifespan of 2100 with a 70% charge retention and up to 10-years of use from them.

Beyond this, there’s also the Eneloop Pro range, which cost a little more at $20 for a pack of 4 AA size batteries but is designed for high-drain devices. These have a 2500mAh capacity and while their lifespan is less at 500 charge cycles, your powerful hardware will be better with them.

See at Amazon

Energizer

These 2000mAh batteries come pre-charged so you can pop them out of the packaging and straight into your device. These are also the world’s first rechargeable batteries to use a percentage of recycled batteries in their construction.

Energizer claims up to 5 years use from each battery, with a 1000 charge cycle lifespan and a charge that can be held without drain for 12 months.

These are available in AA, AAA and D sizes and while don’t come bundled with a charger, make a perfect fit with the Energized one mentioned below. Prices vary depending on the size and quantity, but a 4-pack of AA will cost just $10.

See at Amazon

Amazon Basics

For one of the most affordable options look no further than Amazon Basics. Again, available in different sizes like AA and AAA, with the AA batteries having an impressive 2400mAh capacity. Not bad at all for $10 for a 4-pack.

Amazon will price you up a bundle that includes a charger, or you can buy one separately.

The lifespan isn’t as long as you’ll get from some other brands, with Amazon claiming a 65% charge retention after three years, but they’re priced low enough that you’ll still save plenty of money over buying regular batteries. Especially since, in true Amazon style, the more you buy at once the more you’ll save.

See at Amazon

Chargers

Energizer Pro

The companion charger to Energizer’s rechargeable batteries comes in a few different forms. The standout is the Pro model which can charge four AA or AAA batteries in 3-5 hours.

The value charger takes a little longer at 6 hours but is under $10. The Pro version is more expensive at $16, but in both cases, you’re getting a 4-pack of batteries thrown in.

The Pro, though, has added bonus features like audio and visual updates on the charging process, as well as having an automatic shutoff to prevent against overcharging.

See at Amazon

Amazon Basics

At just $15 this charger is remarkably good value and can charge four AA or AAA batteries at the same time. It’ll charge AA batteries in between three and five hours depending on their capacity.

But that’s not what’s most remarkable about this charger. The first is that it supports power switching for international use, going between 100-240V AC. So wherever you go, you can always get charged.

The other neat feature is that there’s a built-in USB port. So, while your battery charger is taking up a wall outlet you can still charge your phone. Pretty nifty.

See at Amazon

Ataribox delays pre-orders due to development problems

Preorders for the Ataribox were scheduled to start today, December 14th, but it appears that plan has hit a snag. Atari sent out an email today that said it’s taking longer than expected “to create the platform and ecosystem the Atari community deserves.”

The company wants to make sure its product lives up to expectations, so it’s delaying the preorders and until it can figure out whatever issues the Ataribox is facing. An updated launch plan is going to be announced in the next few weeks, and the Ataribox team will keep supporters in the loop about what’s going on.

The console will be priced in the $250 to $300 range, though Atari has teased that early supporters may receive a discount. It will feature an AMD processor and a Linux operating system, but we still don’t have any details about preloaded games.

Pandora lets free users sample its on-demand service

It’s been just over a year since Pandora first gave an official glimpse of its on-demand music service, meant to go up against the likes of Spotify and Apple Music. And while there’s a lot to like about Pandora Premium, it hasn’t exactly shaken up the status quo — most people use the free service to build stations based on songs, artists and genres they like. But the company has a somewhat intriguing strategy to give those free users a taste of premium.

Today, Pandora is announcing that free users can get a sample of the on-demand service by watching a 15-second video ad. After watching that ad, free users will unlock the full premium experience for a limited amount of time, which means they’ll be able to queue up any song they want, build playlists from Pandora’s catalog, check out the company’s new curated playlists and more.

While it sounds like an obvious move to entice the free Pandora users (or are using the $5 Pandora Plus ad-free experience) to shell out $9.99 a month, chief product officer Chris Phillips told Engadget that “both tiers are critical to Pandora; we want to grow both.” Rather than using the sample as a tactic to covert free listeners to premium, Phillips looks at it more as a for free users who don’t feel the need to pay $10 a month to sample a specific song or album and still keep them using Pandora. “If you’re not willing to pay, you just couldn’t do that on Pandora,” he said. “What we’re excited about is delivering on that need and doing it for ad-supported listeners.”

Starting today, when non-premium users search for a specific song (the most common way to start new Pandora stations), album or playlist, you can opt-in to watch an ad, which then lets you listen to your selection straight away. And after that, you can browse the entire catalog and look for more songs you want to listen to; the preview extends beyond just a single song. For the first listen, users will get an audio interstitial explaining that they’re getting preview of the premium experience.

That said, Pandora doesn’t know (or isn’t saying) exactly how long that preview will last. “We’re always testing and learning with this type of reward based situation,” said director of product Jonathan Eccles. “It’ll definitely be more than one song; we don’t want you to get a taste for just a few minutes.” Phillips noted the company will be A/B testing how long users get access for, so it’s not a set time going out to everyone. Eccles said it’ll be “more than people expect,” which is both encouraging and vague.

While Pandora was keen to play up the benefit to free users — the company says that the top request from free listeners is to play any song they want — there’s no doubt this could serve as an effective way to grow those paying for premium. Because users can build a music library and make playlists and share things with friends while using the premium preview, Phillips thinks this is an ideal way to slowly introduce people to the benefits of paying for a subscription. But Pandora also thinks that this will help Pandora be a more viable option for the music industry to promote music, as well — Phillips notes that before, there wasn’t really any benefit for advertising a new song or album through Pandora, because most of its user base couldn’t play it. But that’s different now. “[Labels] want to reach our huge audience, and being able to do that with our ad-supported listeners is a big deal,” Phillips said.

As 85 percent of Pandora listening time happens on mobile, this feature will only be available on iOS and Android for starters. Indeed, there still isn’t a web player for Pandora Premium, but Phillips said that a web app and updated tablet app would both be coming down the line. For now, if you have a Pandora account you haven’t busted out in a while, you can give the premium service a shot by watching an ad starting today. If you’d rather give it a more extensive preview, the company is still offering a 60-day free trial.

Watch the FCC’s net neutrality vote at 10:30AM ET

Today is the day that the internet as we know it could change dramatically. Starting at 10:30 AM Eastern, FCC chairman and former Verizon lawyer Ajit Pai is expected to wipe out net neutrality and repeal Title II regulations that classify broadband as a utility. And you can watch it happen at the link below. You might have to wait a bit before Pai almost assuredly enacts the Restoring Internet Freedom ruling, though. There are a few other items he has to get through before potentially enacting detrimental changes to how we access information and use the internet in general.

You could always use that time to catch up on the events leading to today’s landmark decision. For example, if you don’t quite know what net neutrality and Title II are all about, we’ve got you covered. Same goes for how the repeal could affect artists and small businesses, or what it means for regional ISPs. Or, if you’d rather get political, you can follow the saga of lawmakers and tech companies petitioning to delay the vote.

Source: FCC (1), (2)

China accused of ‘unjustifiable’ DNA sample collection

China has been quietly collecting biometric data from millions of people in Xinjiang, according to a new report from Human Rights Watch (HRW). Since February, authorities have been gathering DNA samples, fingerprints and eye scans of those in the region, which apart from Tibet is the only region where ethnic Han Chinese are not in the majority. The government imposes tighter surveillance controls here than anywhere else in the country.

According to the Xinjiang government website, the data — taken from everyone between the age of 12 and 65 — will be linked to household registration cards (hukou), which already limits residents’ access to healthcare, housing and education. The government document states that “regulating the management of identification cards is the foundation to creating a basic population database, based on one’s ID numbers, for the autonomous region”.

However, HRW claims compulsory biodata collection has “particularly abusive potential” and “hardly seems justifiable as a security measure” considering the extensive controls already implemented in the Xinjiang region. According to Sophie Richardson, China director for HRW, “Chinese authorities seem to think they can achieve ‘social stability’ by placing people under a microscope, but these abusive programs are more likely to deepen hostility towards the government”.

China, which has pushed biometric data collection for years, isn’t the first country to implement such a scheme. In 2009, India set up a “voluntary” scheme, Aadhaar, which was billed as a way to streamline benefit payments and reduce fraud, but in recent times has become mandatory for carrying out basic financial business such as opening bank accounts and even making payments over a certain amount.

Critics of the scheme say Aadhaar gives the government unacceptable powers of surveillance, and following several data breaches, also puts citizen’s privacy at risk. However, a landmark judgement earlier this year ruled that Indian citizens have a fundamental right to privacy. It’s very unlikely that authorities in China, with its zero-tolerance approach to anything that could upset government control, would pass the same judgement.

Source: CNN

Axiim launches the first wireless audio transmitter for Xbox

Xbox made its commitment to WiSA known in October when it became the first gaming brand to join the Wireless Speaker and Audio Association, so it was a race against the clock for AV brands to be the first to deliver supporting gear. Axiim is first past the post, having just announced its Link HD speaker system for Xbox One and Windows 10 PC.

The Link transmitter is a compact and fuss-free way to tap into up to 7.1 wireless audio channels, and guarantees reliable, uncompressed transmission to wireless speakers. Its inherent function means it eliminates the need for speaker wires, but it also has a magnetic base, so you can sling it on the back of your TV out of sight. It’s a neat way to enjoy premium audio while gaming, and works with all WiSA compliant brands, so you’re not restricted when it comes to speaker choice. It’s also the first Wireless Speaker and Audio Association endorsed multi-channel product for Xbox, but the company’s recent move into this sector means it certainly won’t be the last.

Armed robbers steal $1.8 million worth of cryptocurrency

The Manhattan District Attorney has charged a man with robbery and kidnapping after he swiped a digital wallet containing a fortune in ethereum cryptocurrency. Louis Meza and an associate allegedly held up the victim at gunpoint after luring him into a vehicle, then stole his keys, wallet and cellphone. Meza used the keys to enter the victim’s apartment and make off with his digital wallet. Shortly afterwards, he transferred $1.8 million in “ether” cryptocurrency to his own wallet.

According to the DA’s press release, Meza knew the victim and knew he had a large amount of ethereum. After meeting the victim on the evening of November 4th, “Meza insisted on ordering a car service for the victim, who entered a minivan after parting ways with Meza,” the DA stated. The perpetrator was also charged with computer tampering, criminal possession of stolen property, and computer trespass.

The DA notes that the crime is a vivid illustration that hacking isn’t the only way crooks can get their hands on your Bitcoins and other crypto-cash. “This case demonstrates the increasingly common intersection between cyber and violent crime,” said NY County District Attorney Cyrus Vance. “We can expect this type of crime to become increasingly common as cryptocurrency values surge upward.”

Via: Coindesk

Source: New York County District Attorney

Logic Pro X Optimized for iMac Pro as Motion and Compressor Updated to Support 360º VR Video, HEVC, and More

Alongside the release of Final Cut Pro X version 10.4 today, Apple has updated its other pro software Logic Pro X, Motion, and Compressor.

Logic Pro X has been updated with optimized performance for the iMac Pro, with support for up to 36 cores. Version 10.3.3 also includes performance and stability improvements, including a fix for an issue which could cause user-created content to become unavailable on macOS High Sierra.

Motion has been updated with support for 360º VR motion graphics. Users can now import 360° video and design 360° titles, generators, and effects, and later output the 360° video to a connected VR headset. Version 5.4 also supports import, playback, and editing of HEVC video and HEIF photos from Apple devices.

Compressor has also been updated with support for 360º VR delivery and HDR and HEVC video on macOS High Sierra.

Apple’s new versions of Final Cut Pro X, Logic Pro X, Motion, and Compressor are available from the Updates tab in the Mac App Store.

Tags: Logic Pro X, Motion, Compressor
Discuss this article in our forums

AppleCare+ for iMac Pro Costs $169, Same Price as Regular iMacs

Apple today released the iMac Pro, its all-new powerful desktop workstation aimed at professional users with demanding workflows.

While the iMac Pro starts at $4,999 for the base model, and costs up to $13,199 for a maxed-out, 18-core configuration, fortunately the price of AppleCare+ for iMac Pro isn’t any more expensive than for a regular iMac.

AppleCare+ for iMac Pro can be purchased for $169 in the United States, which is the same price Apple charges for its 21.5-inch and 27-inch 4K and 5K iMac models. We’ve confirmed this is the price shown during checkout.

AppleCare+ extends an iMac Pro’s warranty coverage to three years from its original purchase date and provides up to two incidents of accidental damage coverage, each subject to a service fee of $99 for screen damage or external enclosure damage, or $299 for any other type of damage.

iMac Pros are also covered by Apple’s standard one-year limited warranty and 90 days of complimentary technical support by phone.

Related Roundup: iMac ProTag: AppleCareBuyer’s Guide: iMac Pro (Caution)
Discuss this article in our forums