NextVR lets you peek around players while watching VR sports

Watching concerts and sports in VR is great up until someone blocks the camera’s view. Unlike in real life, you can’t really poke your head around… or can you? NextVR wants to make that happen — it’s introducing six-degrees-of-freedom movement to on-demand VR videos. If a player or ref is getting in the way of a sweet play, you can just lean over to see what you’re missing. The feature is coming sometime in 2018, and there are promises of 6DOF movement for live videos sometime after that.

The company’s other breakthrough, meanwhile, doesn’t require a headset at all. It’s preparing augmented reality support (shown below) that brings its digital content to your own physical spaces through your phone. Support won’t arrive until mid-2018, but this promises to make NextVR’s tech considerably more accessible when few people have headsets.

And if you are an early adopter, there’s one more thing: NextVR is promising higher-resolution content to take advantage of more advanced VR headsets. You’ll see the first wave of upgraded material sometime in early 2018.

Click here to catch up on the latest news from CES 2018.

Source: NextVR

Qualcomm has a fix for wireless earbuds’ biggest problems

While wireless earbuds have come a long way over the past two years, even great ones have issues. They haven’t made the leaps in battery life that other wireless headphones have, and given their diminutive size, they’re still plagued with wireless reception issues. Qualcomm believes it has a solution with its next wireless earbud chipset, the QCC5100, which will deliver nearly three times the battery life of previous devices, Gizmodo reports. And, perhaps most importantly, it has more wireless transmit power, which means it shouldn’t cut out as much when it encounters interference.

Additionally, Qualcomm says the new chipset also has twice the processing of its predecessor, which powers earbuds like Jabra’s Sport Elite. That could allow manufacturers to develop even better noise canceling, integrate smart assistants, and it opens the door for even more smart features. Just think of a version of Google’s Pixel Bud’s with fast translation that actually works. While its unclear when we’ll actually see the QCC5100 in new earbuds, Qualcomm, naturally, says it’s in talks with major companies.

Click here to catch up on the latest news from CES 2018.

Via: Gizmodo

Source: Qualcomm

Zano drone returns after multi-million dollar crowdfunding failure

You might not know many micro-drones by name, but there’s a chance you know Zano. Unfortunately, that’s because it was one of the more controversial Kickstarter failures of recent times. Zano raised over $3 million in late 2014, before being shown at CES 2015. The promise was simple, a palm-sized drone with the self-flying and photography smarts of something much bigger (and much more expensive).

The problem is, just 12 months later, the product was already delayed, the company had spent all its funding and the creditors moved in to liquidate the assets, leaving thousands of backers high and dry. What’s worse, is that those lucky few that did receive their Zano were left with a fancy paperweight. The drone was designed to connect back to a server each time you switched it on for updates. Sadly that computer was no longer there, grounding the Zano forever. But there’s a flicker of hope.

At this year’s Drone Rodeo (a satellite event at CES), a small table had something familiar on it: a Zano. Behind the table, a banner exclaiming “Will it fly again?” Behind that table was Vernon Kerswell, a prominent character in the nano-drone world, who already has an established brand of quadcopters called, simply, Micro Drone (his company is Extreme Fliers). He explained to me that they purchased Zano’s assets and IP during the liquidation and wanted to revive it.

The question, then, is why would anyone, let alone someone already involved with a successful product want to associate themselves with the poisoned name of Zano. Kerswell, it turns out, just loved the promise that Zano offered and wants to try an make it a reality, even after all this time. “I think that it’s a positive if Extreme Fliers engineers can make Zano work, then that’s a good thing for us.” He told Engadget.

Kerswell’s enthusiasm is infectious, but he’s not naive. Beside the drones on the table was a stack of fliers that explain how Zano “spectacularly failed.” And that his group of passionate tinkerers has been writing code for Zano for the last 12 months. The flier then explains the team’s intention to make it open source, calling the project the “Raspberry Pi for drones.”

I asked Kerswell if he intended to productize Zano, to which his response was a little more pragmatic. He told me that it’s a challenge for their team, and the big question is can they get it working. On a slightly more optimistic note, he suggested that through his other endeavors with Micro Drone and Extreme Fliers, it is possible that they could manufacture a small run, maybe 1,000 which he would first offer to backers of the original at a discounted rate. He’s not sure if that will happen yet, but that’s not the only way to revive things.

If all goes according to plan, Kerswell told me that they could have a software release in the next six months that would revive all the Zanos that were grounded due to the server they relied upon for updates being switched off. This, at least, would revive the handful of drones that managed to crawl off the production line. Kerswell has no connection to the original company, nor the debts it accrued, but hopes he can still help supporters get more life out of their Zano (or, at least restore some faith in its potential).

Ultimately, Kerswell would like to see Zano grow into the drone that it always intended to be. He sees it as something that would appeal to the hacking/coding community to develop and test innovative new features for. Something experimental and modifiable, rather than the out-of-the-box smart-selfie drone it nearly became. The big question is whether Kerswell can answer his own question: Will Zano fly again?

Click here to catch up on the latest news from CES 2018.

Kia unveils its electric and autonomous future

Kia’s showed off a new Niro EV along with its plans for an electrified and autonomous future (aka mobility). The electric concept shows that the company is thinking beyond gas and hybrid crossovers, but also showcases a new HMI (Human Machine Interface). It’ll show up in showrooms in the later half of 2018.

While this concept is here now, the company announced it would have 16 electrified (EV, PHEV, and FCEL) by 2025 with an all new fuel-cell vehicle landing in 2020.

The Niro’s exterior looks familiar, but the interior infotainment system is a peek at what’s coming down the line from the automaker along with the new “motion graphic” lighting system.

The Kia Niro EV Concept has a range of 238 miles via a 64kWh battery pack. That powers a single 150kW motor. No word on when this particular car will be for sale. But Kia did mention that the technology found in the car could be an indicator of what to expect in future vehicles from the automaker.

As for its mobility plans, its Korea-based WiBLE car-sharing service will expand to Europe and other regions in 2018. The automaker also shared that it plans to begin testing level 4 vehicles in 2021.

In addition to showing off the future, the automaker also announced that Google Assistant will be part of its UVO infotainment system. The update is already rolling out to 2018 Kia Niro Plug-In, Soul EV, Optima Plug-In and K900 vehicles with UVO hardware.

After setting up the feature with Google Home or the Google Assistant app, drivers can remotely start and stop the engine on their car. They can also remote start and stop charging, honk the horn and turn on and off the lights from afar and lock their vehicle with a “Hey Google.”

Plus Kia’s will be able to pull off the usual “Hey Google” queries like what’s the weather, tell it what songs to play and ask it who played Cameron in the 1986 classic, “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.”

No word on what happens to Kia’s hamster mascots when all their vehicles are fully autonomous.

Click here to catch up on the latest news from CES 2018.

Kids are overusing iPhones, warn two Apple investors

Apple built features into iOS years ago that prevent young users from straying anywhere parents don’t greenlight. But those don’t prevent kids from overusing those devices. Two investment groups with a combined $2 billion in Apple shares published a public letter over the weekend urging the company to address what studies suggest is a growing crisis of smartphone addiction among children and teens.

In the letter, the groups Jana Partners LLC and the California State Teachers’ Retirement System (Calstrs) asked Apple to add safety features into iOS enabling parents to set limits on young user phone use. So many kids, of all ages, are using the company’s devices, but we’re just beginning to see how heavy smartphone use impacts children and teens: The letter cited existing studies with several negative conclusions, from increased distraction in the classroom to higher risk of depression and suicide. Therefore, the two groups requested the company conduct research themselves the effects of heavy use on youth mental health.

Jana and Calstrs appealed to Apple’ reputation of innovation, suggesting they introduce solutions before more evidence links youth smartphone overuse to negative consequences. Obviously, this action would be in both investors’ and the company’s interests to ward off any stock dips resulting from negative publicity.

The timing isn’t a coincidence, either: Jana and Calstrs published their letter just before the Consumer Electronics Show, the biggest gadget convention of the year that’s likely to see the debut of new educational tech aimed at children. Neither investor wants Apple to aggressively restrict youth use — rather, they propose the company divine the “developmentally optimal amount and type of access” given the educational opportunities devices provide. Kids get a net benefit from using them, but only in moderation, with one study the investors quoted claiming peak teenager mental health with one hour or less of device use per day.

Via: The Wall Street Journal

Source: “Open Letter from Jana Partners and Calstrs to Apple Inc.”

iHeartRadio now works with Samsung’s Bixby

This week at CES, iHeartMedia announced quite a few new integrations for iHeartRadio, its all-in-one digital streaming service. From Bixby, Samsung’s new voice service, to a Facebook Messenger bot, to a new Roku app, it’s clear that iHeartMedia is looking to expand its footprint and made iHeartRadio a real contender in the digital music landscape.

Samsung users can take advantage of the integration with Bixby, which is available on the Galaxy Note8, S8 and S8+, to play songs, create a Custom Artist station, skip a song and more. Additionally, iHeartRadio now has a Facebook Messenger bot, which will play music based on a genre or geographic location. Fans can also use the “iHeartRadio recommends” feature to listen to songs from one of the service’s 10 most popular stations, chosen at random. The team behind the bot will continue to add features to the service.

A new Roku update brings iHeartRadio users the ability to sign up for and use their All Access membership, the $9.99-per-month on-demand music streaming service (and Spotify competitor). The service has also partnered with Jibo, which will allow the social robot to stream iHeartRadio’s stations. There’s also a Garmin Forerunner 645 Music integration, which we’ve covered previously.

Finally, iHeartRadio is now available in GM and Ford vehicles. The app will be delivered via an over-the-air update for current 4G-equipped GM vehicles and be preinstalled on new models. It’s fully integrated with Fords via the SYNC AppLink integration.

Click here to catch up on the latest news from CES 2018.

Via: CNET

Source: iHeartMedia

Watch Sony’s CES 2018 event right here at 8PM ET

Sony is about to hold customary CES presentation, and it’s giving everyone an opportunity to tune in. The company is livestreaming the event on its website and on Ustream (below) starting at 8PM Eastern. It isn’t revealing too much about what you’ll see, although it’s virtually certain that you’ll hear about new Bravia TVs and audio gear. We also wouldn’t rule out talk about more adventurous projects like the Aibo revival, for that matter. Sony isn’t always daring at CES, but there’s usually something to catch your attention.

Click here to catch up on the latest news from CES 2018.

Source: Sony

Sony’s CES 2018 press event: We’re live!

Sony’s left-field reveal for CES 2018 is already kinda known. It, too, is working on autonomous cars. Hopefully we’ll see its conceptual party bus roll out on stage later today, but we’re at least bound to hear more about the AI smarts powering it all. Fear not: we’re likely to see upgraded AV options, from TVs to soundbars, and while I’m not sure how Sony can make its OLED TVs even more desirable, those beauties are bound to make a reappearance. New cameras? PlayStation news? Both are less likely, but I wouldn’t discount anything. Join Engadget at 8pm Eastern Time, because we’ll be liveblogging it all!

A closer look at the Hyperloop One test pod

Here at CES, Virgin Hyperloop One is showing off a new partnership with mapping company Here, and we sat down with the company’s Matt Jones to explore it further. He, alongside Dr. Anita Sengupta, talked us through the app in greater detail, but there was an additional surprise in store. The company has dragged its XP-1 test pod from the Nevada desert to the show in order to let the public gaze upon it for the first time.

The app, as we explained before, is the product of a partnership between Here and Hyperloop One, and about demonstrating how navigation will look like in the future. Users will be able to download the platform and use it as a way of learning how their journeys would look should the Hyperloops be built. But more importantly, the app also demonstrates the company’s commitment to integrate its technology into the public transport that surrounds it.

It’s also something of a pragmatic move, given the lofty concepts that Hyperloop One was throwing around back in 2016. Then, it created concept videos of users catching self-driving cubes from Abu Dhabi to Dubai that dropped them off at their destination. Now, the company is taking a more pragmatic turn, preferring to leave the journeys to and from its stations — the “last mile” in transportation speak, to other people. That will involve public transport companies, ride-sharing outfits like Uber and Lyft, as well as bike-sharing and walking.

That’s where the app comes in, which can calculate a journey to the minute; scheduling, for instance, a Lyft to take you to the station, and to have one waiting for you at the other end. And this level of data crunching is something that the outfit is hoping will have a positive impact on the customer experience in the future. Not to mention that users can also use it as a one-stop-shop for transit directions normally, and the company will use all of the data it collects to further improve the customer experience.

Jones also spoke about the lack of a desire for this app to become the dominant transport app across the globe. Instead, the hope is that a small number of people will operate as testers who can lead others into the coming conversation. It also signals a willingness for Virgin Hyperloop One to be more customer-facing, reversing a policy whereby the company would take a step back when it came time to build a real-world platform.

The team also made the point that the proposed Hyperloop speeds in the app would be the ones users can expect in the real world. The system has been built to anticipate the real-world journey times a theoretical tube from Las Vegas to LA would require, even incorporating the turns and terrain that could force the pod to slow down. And that the app would be working overtime to ensure that as soon as you “land,” a ride will be waiting for you.

As for the pod itself, it looks a little bit more like a minivan than you may expect, and it’s smaller than it appears on video. The wide, flat front that dimples to a point puts you in mind of an old LNER Class A4 train, the sort that steamed across the UK in the late 1930s. It’s narrower, too, and should this size become the standard — a fact that Dr. Sengupta points out is still yet to be decided — then you’d probably only be able to sit two a row.

But there’s something quite heartening to see how committed the Hyperloop One team are to hitting the proposed goal of a passenger loop by 2021. Squeeze or not, it’s going to be interesting to see if we can start zooming around in tubes in just three years.

Click here to catch up on the latest news from CES 2018.

Everything Panasonic unveiled in under 10 minutes

Panasonic, while still a household name, isn’t the consumer electronics Goliath it once was. The company turned up to CES this year in force, however, with some impressive 4K OLED TVs (which also support HDR10+), a sequel to its beloved and video-centric GH5 camera, and a partnership with Amazon that will bring Alexa (with “Onboard” offline support) to in-car infotainment systems. The company also touched on its work to develop ‘prismatic’ EV batteries with Toyota and some rather decadent gold-tinted turntables. For a full rundown of the press conference — but in a fraction of the time — check out our supercut above.

Click here to catch up on the latest news from CES 2018.