HP is making a bigger VR push for professionals

Based on what we’ve seen from HP’s VR backpack setup, as well as its Windows Mixed Reality Headset, the company is clearly taking virtual reality seriously. Now, HP is trying even harder to establish itself as a VR player for its commercial customers. The company announced a “Professional Edition” of its Windows headset today, as well a “VR Launch Kit” to help developers learn the ropes of the new medium. Additionally, it’s also bringing some much-needed CPU upgrades to its Z4 Workstation, making it an even better rig for both running and creating virtual reality.

From what we can tell, the only major difference with the new version of HP’s Windows Mixed Reality headset is that it comes with three easily cleanable replacement faceplates. That’s useful for a commercial environment, where several people will likely end up using it throughout the day. The standard foam faceplate, which the headset also includes, is much harder to sanitize. Beyond that, the new headset features the same design as the earlier one, including a liberal amount of padding around the headstrap, and displays running at 1,440 by 1,440 for each eye. It’ll run you $449 when it launches in March, and it’ll come with HP’s Mixed Reality controllers.

HP’s VR Launch Kit, meanwhile, is more intriguing. It was developed together with Epic Games, and it’s based on the popular Unreal Engine platform. HP claims it’ll save “days” of VR production with the Datasmith5 workflow toolkit by simplifying how 3D assets are optimized for Unreal. It’s tough to tell how well the Launch Kit will compare to similar solutions, but it makes sense that HP would want to give its professional customers a bit of a helping hand. As those folks get even deeper into VR development, there’s a better chance they’ll stick to HP’s ecosystem.

The new Z4 Workstation doesn’t look any different than the current model, but now it supports Intel’s Core X CPUs, including the company’s 18-core behemoth, in addition to existing Xeon chips. It can also fit in dual high-powered GPUs, which puts it on par with more expensive systems. Previously, you’d have to step up to HP’s Z6 and Z8 Workstations if you demanded more performance, but now more developers should be able to make do with the entry-level model. The new Z4 is available today starting at $1,499.

‘Solo: A Star Wars Story’ trailer reveals Han’s roots

Wondering how Lucasfilm and Disney would handle that long-in-the-making Han Solo movie? You now have an idea of what to expect. They’ve released the full teaser trailer for Solo: A Star Wars Story… and it’s definitely Han. Alden Ehrenreich may not sound that much like Harrison Ford, but the clip otherwise gives a good feel for how the iconic smuggler got started — yes, he was always an overconfident troublemaker saved by his talent, luck and good intentions.

The teaser also offers peeks at Game of Thrones’ Emilia Clarke as Qi’Ra, who “knows” what Han really is, as well as Woody Harrelson (Tobias Beckett) recruiting Han for a fateful crew. Naturally, you get a good look at Star Wars mainstays like Lando (played by Donald Glover) and Chewie.

Solo premieres on May 25th. Will it succeed? It’s hard to say. Like Rogue One, this movie isn’t obliged to conform to the style of the core Star Wars saga. It’s likewise filling in backstory for a character that many fans consider sacrosanct (see: “Han shot first”). It has Empire Strikes Back’s Lawrence Kasdan as a writer and Ron Howard as director, however, so the storytelling talent is there. It’s mainly a matter of execution.

Source: Star Wars (YouTube)

Broadcom Increases Acquisition Offer for Chipmaker Qualcomm to $121 Billion

Broadcom is reportedly moving forward with its attempt to purchase chipmaker Qualcomm, by increasing its bid for the company to about $121 billion and $82 per share, described as a “final offer.” The new offer comes three months after Broadcom’s first bid for Qualcomm, originally valued at about $105 billion ($70 per share), plus $25 billion of net debt (via Bloomberg).

If the acquisition goes through it would still be considered the “largest-ever technology deal,” although Qualcomm’s board previously rejected the first offer and is said to have “dug in” against threats of potential hostile takeovers. With the increased offer, Broadcom now hopes to put pressure back on Qualcomm to accept the deal and “improve prospects” for Broadcom CEO Hock Tan to be nominated to Qualcomm’s board should the deal go through.

Broadcom Ltd. has raised its bid for Qualcomm Inc. to about $121 billion, in an attempt to force what could be the largest-ever technology deal. The new offer of $82 a Qualcomm share will be Broadcom’s final offer, according to a statement Monday. The deal would take the form of $60 in cash and the remainder in Broadcom shares.

Broadcom’s hostile bid for the larger San Diego-based company is the latest and most audacious move by Tan in a string of deals that have made his company one of the world’s largest suppliers of semiconductors. He wants Qualcomm for its leading smartphone modem chip division, an example of what he calls a “franchise” that will continue to dominate.

If completed, Broadcom would become the third-largest chipmaker in the world, behind Intel and Samsung Electronics, and the combined Broadcom-Qualcomm business would “instantly become” the default provider of certain components required to build more than one billion smartphones sold every year. The acquisition would eclipse Dell’s $67 billion purchase of EMC in 2015, considered at the time the biggest in the technology industry.

Qualcomm is said to be pushing back against such acquisition offers because it see its own future to be “much brighter as a standalone company,” further stating that it’s “on the cusp” of entering new product markets. At the same time, Qualcomm has been in a legal battle with Apple for over a year now, after Apple accused Qualcomm of charging unfair royalties for “technologies they have nothing to do with” and failing to pay for quarterly rebates.

Throughout the lawsuits, Apple eventually considered removing Qualcomm modems from its devices altogether moving forward, and the latest report from KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo pointed towards Intel-only modems for the 2018 iPhones.

Tags: Qualcomm, Broadcom
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DigiTimes Predicts Apple’s First New Products of 2018 Could Debut Starting in March Like Last Year

Apple refreshes much of its product lineup on an annual basis, and a new report reveals when that process may begin this year.

Taiwanese website DigiTimes first claims some suppliers are poised to benefit from new or increased orders from Apple to help produce next-generation iPad, MacBook, and Apple Watch models at some point in 2018:

Although some Taiwan makers in the iPhone X supply chain have been affected by Apple’s move to scale back shipments of the device, some others including Career Technology, E&R Engineering, ShunSin Technology and Superior Plating Technology (SPT) are poised to benefit from new or increased orders from the client to support production of its next-generation iPad, MacBook and Apple Watch models in 2018, according to industry sources.

The report then replaces Apple Watch with MacBook in the sentence, and says the new products are slated for debut starting in March:

These makers have cutting-edge technologies or have newly tapped into the supply chains of Apple’s consumer devices. Among them, SPT, which boasts pearl bright nickel processing technology, is ready to enjoy sizeable orders from Apple, which will incorporate the technology to process adapters for its new-generation iPhone, iPad and MacBook devices, slated for debut starting in March 2018.

As a boilerplate disclaimer, DigiTimes does not have a perfect track record. The publication has shared inaccurate information about both what is coming and when on Apple’s roadmap, including last year’s prediction that Apple would unveil its 10.5-inch iPad Pro at an April event that never transpired.

The timeframe could simply be a guess based on Apple’s new product releases last year. In 2017, the company announced a lower-cost 9.7-inch iPad in March by way of press release, alongside (PRODUCT)RED edition iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus models, and larger 32GB and 128GB storage capacities for iPhone SE.

If the report is accurate, the iPad lineup is likely the most ideal candidate for product refreshes as early as March. The launch of new iPhone and Apple Watch models now seems tied together in September, while Apple hasn’t unveiled new notebooks in March since the Early 2015 model 13-inch MacBook Pro.

Tag: digitimes.com
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Apple Partners With Cisco and Others to Make Businesses ‘More Resilient’ With Cyber Risk Management Solution

Apple today announced a new cyber risk management solution aimed at the enterprise market and launching with partners Cisco, Aon, and Allianz. Each company is adding their own expertise into the solution, including cyber resilience evaluation services from Aon, the “most secure” technology from Apple and Cisco, and options for enhanced cyber insurance coverage from Allianz.

The goal is said to help businesses better manage and protect themselves from the risk of cyber attacks, like ransomware and other malware-related threats. In the announcement, Apple said that the “low adoption” of cyber insurance amid an increased risk of attacks led to the new partnership, which ultimately aims to help businesses become “more resilient” to these threats.

Businesses taking part in the solution will potentially qualify for lower, “or even no,” deductibles in some cases, as well as gain access to “market leading” policy coverage terms. The key elements of the solution include:

– Cyber Resilience Evaluation: Aon cyber security professionals will assess interested customers’ cyber security posture and recommend ways to help improve their cyber security defenses.

– Cyber Insurance: Customers using Cisco Ransomware Defense, and/or qualified Apple products can be eligible for the Allianz-developed enhanced cyber insurance offering, acknowledging the superior level of security afforded to businesses by Cisco and Apple technology.

– Incident Response Services: Organizations will have access to Cisco and Aon’s Incident Response teams in the event of a malware attack.

Apple CEO Tim Cook said that the partnership will help make cyber insurance “more accessible” for the businesses that partake in the solution. In total, Apple’s iPhone, iPad, and Mac devices are said to be the tools supported under the new insurance.

“The choice of technology providers plays a critical role in any company’s defense against cyber attacks. That’s why, from the beginning, Apple has built products from the ground up with security in mind, and one of the many reasons why businesses around the world are choosing our products to power their enterprise,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO.

“iPhone, iPad and Mac are the best tools for work, offering the world’s best user experience and the strongest security. We’re thrilled that insurance industry leaders recognize that Apple products provide superior cyber protection, and that we have the opportunity to help make enhanced cyber insurance more accessible to our customers.”

Cisco has launched a new website with more information about the cyber risk solution. For business interested, Apple said that the solution is available starting today.

Tag: Cisco
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Do you use a case on your smartphone?

You no longer have to choose between thinness and protection.

As much as I love to protect my phone at all times, I’ve never been a huge case fan. I’ll throw one on my device when out and about, but as soon as I get home, I take it right off.

A few days ago, Modern Day himself went hands-on with a case for the Pixel 2 called “Peel.” Peel is a company that makes cases by the same name, and they’re designed to give your phone some added protection while adding just a marginal amount of bulk. It’s an incredible idea, and Phil found Peel’s execution to be quite solid.

Shortly after this, some of our forum users started talking about whether or not they’d be picking one up for themselves – these are a few of the responses:

DarkNeo
02-03-2018 01:24 AM

“

I have the frosted one on my Panda. It fits great, quality is okay and I feel it’s overpriced. It provides little to no protection though.

Reply

toiday
02-03-2018 11:05 AM

“

It’s all about how you treat your phone. Start with skin. It’s more for the look. It can protect from scratch but not from the drop. Then the slim case. Still look nice and gives some protections on the drop. This fit ppl generally careful with the phone but accident may happen. I like the Spigen Thin Fit because I has place to put a metal plate for the magnetic car mount. Then for those…

Reply

Ry
02-03-2018 03:07 PM

“

I loved the Peel case on the Pixel. I’m sure their case for the Pixel 2 is just as good.

Reply

drvier8
02-03-2018 08:25 PM

“

I have the MNML case in red and love it as my daily case. It is as thin as the peel but only 14.99. It is more a skin than a case, but that is what i wanted. None of the problems getting a skin to stay on curved surfaces.

I have a more rugged case for when i go hiking. And i have the Newdery battery case. Using the MNML gives me a skin-like cover with the ability to remove to fit other…

Reply

Whether it be a bulky or slim one, we’d like to know – Are you rocking a case on your phone?

Join the conversation in the forums!

Ring Floodlight Cam review: Semi-pro and fully awesome

It’s a floodlight. With a camera. A not-inexpensive floodlight with a camera. And it works pretty darn well.

Off-the-shelf home security cameras — that is, of the DIY variety that you can install and manage yourself — are seemingly a dime a dozen these days. Indoor cameras, outdoor cameras, (and my favorite) doorbell cameras. There’s a lot from which to choose.

One interesting one that I’ve been using for a while now comes from Ring. (You’ll remember them from my continuous gushing over their Ring Doorbell.) Part of the problem with outdoor cameras is figuring out how to power them. Plugging into a traditional outlet just isn’t sexy enough. Ring’s got a fun solution with a solar panel charger (I’ve used it, and it works pretty darn well.) But I wanted something with a more stable power source. I also was in the market for a new floodlight.

Time to kill two birds with one stone, and I picked up a Ring Floodlight Cam.

See at Amazon

First things first: This is a very expensive floodlight at $250. If you just need something with motion detection to light things up at night, $50 at the home improvement store will do just fine. But I wanted more now that we’ve got a pool (and more) in the backyard. I don’t just want the lights to kick on if they see something move — I want to be able to see what’s going on out there. It’s a safety thing as much as anything. If I’m not home and the kids are trying to go swimming, I want to know about it.

So the Ring Floodlight Cam is kind of a perfect choice. It’s a floodlight. (An LED floodlight at that.) It’s got a camera with motion detection. And it’s got a microphone and speaker so I can yell at the kids to get back inside where they belong. And if that doesn’t work, it’s got a loud alarm that I can sound to really freak them out.

Installation was simple. If you’ve ever changed out a light fixture in your home, that’s what you’ll be dealing with here. Basic wiring and brackets. It took me all of 10 minutes to do. It’s maybe not the sexiest mounting system you’ve ever seen, but that’s not the sort of thing I sweat over.

The floodlight I had before the Ring was controlled by a switch inside the house. That’s not necessarily ideal given that the Ring Floodlight Cam has a camera that you’ll actually want to be powered on all the time. But neither is this sort of setup uncommon. I could have taken out the switch (again, that’s a simple wiring job), but the Floodlight Cam comes with stickers that you can put on a switch like this, telling everyone else in the home to not turn it off.

Work smart, I say. Not hard.

For the most part, the Floodlight Cam looks like floodlights. OK, floodlights with a big ol’ camera mount beneath them. Inconspicuous it is not — but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. I don’t mind if folks know they’re being watched.

My house is small enough (and the Floodlight Cam is in the right spot, I guess) so that getting Wi-Fi to it hasn’t been an issue. It also has to help that this is a hardwired product, so the radios tucked inside this thing have plenty of power to work with. So setup was fine for me. (I know some folks have issues with Wi-Fi Direct-type things, and I agree it can be a mess. It’s possible I’ve just become so accustomed to setting up these devices that I don’t notice the headaches anymore, but your mileage may vary.)

For the most part, the Floodlight Cam looks like floodlights. But you can check the camera anywhere, and that’s awesome.

Once things are set up you’ll want to spend a few minutes in the settings of the Ring app. First, you’ll want to adjust the motion sensors, and Ring does a nice job of letting you define the area that’ll trigger an alert. (The app is also where you’ll turn off notifications for motion alerts, if you want — and remember that you’ll need to do it for any device on which the Ring app is installed. Phones, computers, whatever.)

Motion isn’t the only thing that’ll trigger the lights. You’ve got scheduling options for them as well, and there’s also a slightly confusing “Lights” switch in the app. Scheduling works just as you’d think — the lights come on when you say, and turn off when you say. The switch overrides that. Flip it, and they turn on. Flip it off, and they turn off.

Get all that tweaked how you want it, though, and this is pretty much a set-it-and-forget-it device. It just works as it should.

One of the bigger dings against Ring still has to do with how the video actually looks. What you get in ease-of-use you also start to lose in image quality. But I think context also comes into play here. For instant (close enough, anyway) notification on your phone, it’s not bad. For archival purposes, the 1909×1080 video you download from any of Ring’s apps isn’t spectacular. (And GIFs on a webpage don’t quite do it justice either.)

The point is, it’s decent. It’s not something that’s going to let you identify every nose hair of a would-be intruder. But you’ll definitely get the big strokes. And you have to remember, we’re dealing with a lot of data here. Video doesn’t come cheap when it comes to bandwidth, even in 2018. And while power isn’t a concern with the Floodlight Cam, the wireless aspect still remains. It’s pushing a lot of video through Ring’s cloud services, so of course, file size matters.

You’ll be able to see enough, I think, to make it worth it. Some of this will depend on the application, of course. I want to be able to see if my kids have sneaked out to the pool when they’re not supposed to. Or if someone’s in the backyard uninvited. I’m not quite using this as professional, 24/7 monitoring.

But for an off-the-shelf, semi-pro installation, it’s not bad in the slightest.

See at Amazon

The Morning After: Cloverfield returns

Hey, good morning!

We’re kicking off the week with Netflix’s Super Bowl surprise, hints about the future of Windows 10 S and more details around SpaceX’s upcoming Falcon Heavy launch.

Day-and-date announce and release is a new wrinkle.Netflix surprise released ‘The Cloverfield Paradox’ worldwide after Super Bowl LII

Last year, Netflix’s Super Bowl ad focused on a season of Stranger Things we still had months to wait for, but this year things are different. The streaming company dropped a surprise 30-second teaser for The Cloverfield Paradox, a sequel to the 2008 monster movie, which became available for viewing worldwide right after the game. The Paramount/J.J. Abrams flick had been planned for a theatrical release this weekend, but this agreement with Netflix reportedly made the $45-million movie “immediately profitable.” And you can watch it, well, right now.

Say hello to S Mode.
Microsoft to drop Windows 10 S as a stand-alone product

Both Thurrott and Neowin have discovered that Microsoft is dropping Windows 10 S as a stand-alone product for everyday users in favor of S Mode, which is already available for the enterprise crowd. The cost of unlocking full access would depend on what you’re running: Windows 10 Home S users could unlock to the regular Home release for free, while those using Windows 10 Pro S would pay $49.

Good luck with that.
SpaceX confirms it will try to land all of Falcon Heavy’s boosters

Elon Musk’s outfit has confirmed it will attempt to land all three boosters on Falcon Heavy’s launch, which is now slated for a 2.5-hour window starting at 1:30PM Eastern on February 6th. As expected, the two side boosters will come back to the on-ground landing zones at Cape Canaveral, while the center booster should land on a drone ship off the coast.

Over $200 million minimum — and a lot of luck.
Here’s what it would take to make Overwatch’s ‘Blizzard World’ IRL

Last week, the Overwatch team released a new map: Blizzard World. The multiplayer arena is a colorful amusement park filled with attractions and rides themed after Blizzard’s stable of games. It’s a delightful backdrop for the team-based shooter, filled with in-jokes and puns that make it look like a rapturous place for a gamer to visit. But what would it take to bring Blizzard World to life? Come dream with us.

The solar-based project promises to stabilize power and lower prices.
Tesla will create “virtual power plant” with 50,000 Australian homes

Tesla isn’t done bolstering Australia’s power grid just because its giant battery farm is up and running. South Australia premier Jay Weatherill has unveiled a partnership that will provide 5kW solar panels and Tesla Powerwall 2 batteries to “at least” 50,000 homes in a bid to create the largest-ever “virtual power plant,” where homes contribute their surplus energy to the grid. The move will theoretically stabilize the Australian state’s electricity infrastructure, reducing the blackouts and surging prices that have plagued the region in recent times.

Banks ban credit purchase of cryptocurrency due to risks
Bank of America, Citigroup and JPMorgan Chase are anxious.

If you use your Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase or Citigroup credit card to buy cryptocurrency, then you’ll have to find an alternative ASAP. Banks have reportedly banned crypto purchases using their cards due to the virtual coins’ volatile nature. BofA has already started declining credit transactions with known exchanges, though its debit cards aren’t affected by the ban. Citigroup also announced on Friday that it’ll no longer process crypto purchases, while JPMorgan Chase’s new rule will take effect today.

But wait, there’s more…

• Open Source turns 20: Here’s how it all started
• Steadicam Volt’s cinematic smartphone stabilizer is a little fiddly
• ‘Westworld’ season-two trailer shows us what comes next, and when

The Morning After is a new daily newsletter from Engadget designed to help you fight off FOMO. Who knows what you’ll miss if you don’t Subscribe.

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Disgraced Samsung boss walks free from prison

The heir to South Korea’s largest company has avoided a lengthy spell in prison after a court suspended his sentence. Samsung vice chairman Jay Y. Lee was initially meant to spend five years behind bars after being found guilty of bribing public officials. Now, after spending close to a year in detention he has been released although he will spend the next four years on probation.

Lee was arrested as part of the corruption scandal that brought down South Korean president Park Geun-Hye, herself awaiting trial. Lee himself was found to have used his wealth to influence Park’s judgment on matters relevant to his business interests, including a merger of two Samsung units. Initially, prosecutors had pushed for a 12-year sentence for Lee as a demonstration that no business was above the law. Lee’s early release may not ease doubts that is genuinely the case.

Source: Bloomberg

Alleged British hacker Lauri Love wins US extradition appeal

Lauri Love, a 32-year-old student accused of hacking US government websites in 2012 and 2013, has won a high court battle and will not be extradited to the States. He suffers from Asperger syndrome — a form of autism that makes him worry and obsess — depression and sudden, untreatable outbursts of eczema. Love’s legal team argued that extradition would have caused his condition to deteriorate and, therefore, compromised his basic human rights. In the US courts, he faced up to 99 years in prison — an effective life sentence — and a fine up to $9 million (£6.3 million). Love said he would kill himself if he was extradited.

Love is accused of being a part of the Anonymous hacker group that co-ordinated #OpLastResort. The multi-pronged attack, which affected the Federal Reserve, Nasa and the US army, was a reaction to the death of Aaron Swartz on January 11th, 2013. The hacktivist had killed himself while awaiting trial for alleged cyber crimes. Most notably, Swartz entered the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and downloaded millions of academic journals that he believed were too expensive for everyday people to access. Many argue that the US government wanted to make an example of Swartz and the charges were what caused him to take his own life.

On January 25th, 2013, the front page of the US Sentencing Commission was replaced with a video produced by Anonymous. The group said it had accessed a number of US government websites and posted documents with classified “secrets” online — they were password-protected, but the solution would be released if the US government didn’t change the way its treatment of hackers in court. The infiltration was successful, according to the FBI, through an SQL injection technique that targeted vulnerabilities in Adobe Coldfusion. Love has neither confirmed nor denied his involvement in the hacks — US authorities, however, believe he was instrumental.

UK police arrested Love and seized computers from his Suffolk home in October 2013. Twelve months later, the UK’s Crown Prosecution Service quietly announced that he had been released from bail. In July 2015, however, Love was re-arrested by the Metropolitan Police on behalf of the US government. Since then, Love has been battling to be tried in the UK. That outcome, until today anyway, seemed unlikely though. In September 2016, a judge ruled at Westminster Magistrates Court that Love should be extradited to the US. Two months later, the UK home secretary Amber Rudd signed the relevant order, forcing Love to launch one last appeal.

Today, the courts sided with Love. “We come to the conclusion that Mr Love’s extradition would be oppressive by reason of his physical and mental condition,” the High Court decision reads. “In this difficult case, and in the course of an impressive judgment, we conclude that the judge did not grapple with an important issue.” That issue, of course, is whether the extradition and US court process would have a serious impact on his physical and mental health. “We consider that they would, both on the evidence before the judge, and on the further evidence we have received.”

Delighted @laurilove has WON his appeal against extradition to US! Where unlawful activity is alleged to have taken place in the UK, those suspected should be tried in the UK – not packed off to foreign courts. Shameful Lauri & his family were put through this ordeal #TrialAtHome

— Liberty (@libertyhq) February 5, 2018

The High Court has emphasized, however, that Love should be prosecuted in England. That will require co-operation with the US authorities, who are no doubt disappointed with today’s decision. For Love and his supporters, though, today’s ruling is cause for celebration. Emma Norton, head of legal casework at Liberty — a human rights organisation that defended Love’s position in court — said: “We are delighted that the court has today recognised Lauri’s vulnerability, close family connections to the UK and the potentially catastrophic consequences of extraditing him. This was always a case that could have been prosecuted here and it’s shameful that Lauri and his family have been put through this terrible ordeal.”

Images: AFP/Getty Images (Lauri Love); REUTERS/Noah Berger (Aaron Swartz)

Source: judiciary.gov.uk