Leap Motion is pioneering how users interface with menus in mixed reality

Along with advancing the idea of augmented reality “goggles” that have their own AR headset, Leap Motion may also pioneer a new way to interface with menus in its mixed reality environments. In a new demonstration of a prototype in the works, Leap showed off how its translucent user interface can be moved around, minimized, tapped, touched, and dragged wherever the user wants.

There are a number of aspects of augmented reality that still need a lot of work and experimentation. Although some standards of quality and interaction are coming together, menus are one item that nobody has quite figured out how to do just right yet. Leap Motion, best known for its VR hand trackers, is taking steps to figure this out though and its newest demo could point to a future where the headset wearer controls the interface just as much as the interface controls the augmented environment.

Another day at the augmented office. Our latest foray into #AR design with #ProjectNorthStar makes your entire world interactive. pic.twitter.com/SB8SNidbCG

— LeapMotion (@LeapMotion) April 24, 2018

The system shown off in the tweet leverages Leap Motion’s prototype “Project Northstar” headset to enable virtual menus that float around the user in augmented space. We’re shown how they are translucent, to allow for a better view of the world around the user while still enjoying the information and digital functionality they provide. They won’t necessarily be in the user’s face all of the time though, as we’re shown how they can be moved to where is most appropriate in the 3D space, as well as minimized entirely in easy-to-grab locations such as on the edge of a desk.

Certain interactions with the menus were also showcased, including menus that react to motion that occurs near them, and buttons and sliders that are easily manipulated. As RoadToVR highlights, too, the fact that each menu appears to have some sort of visual weight to it should engender a more natural feel to the system in an augmented space.

Unlike some demos of augmented reality that we’ve seen in the past, Leap Motion makes it clear that there is “zero trickery” going on in this short video; everything is shot through the headset, giving us the best look we can get of what Leap Motion’s AR UI might look like in the future.

It’s all still very early stages though. Project North Star was only announced earlier this month, though it does offer an impressive feature set of low-latency, high-resolution displays and a 100-degree field of view. Leap Motion suggested production costs could be under $100 per headset when produced in high volumes.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Leap Motion’s prototype augmented reality headset includes hand tracking
• Apple AR glasses: News and rumors about ‘Project Mirrorshades’
• There’s an entire photo studio in your phone with this AR app
• Escape reality with the best augmented reality apps for Android and iOS
• Robotic 3D printer uses augmented reality to fabricate designs as they’re created

Best Buy doubles down on sale offers with up to $400 off MacBook Pros

Following a recent price drop of the MacBook Air, Best Buy has continued its recent run of sales with a new “4 Day Sale,” that knocks even more money off a wider range of electronics. Apple products continue to be discounted, with price drops on iPhones and iPads, but the MacBook Pro has been discounted by as much as $400 for a variety of models.

While we might rank the XPS 13 as the best laptop out there right now, that’s not to say we don’t love Apple’s MacBooks, too.  And fortunately, a number of them are discounted in the Best Buy sale, and though we would typically recommend the MacBook Pro without a touch bar, considering the price drops on Best Buy right now, we may need to reconsider.

The most affordable MacBook Pro on Best Buy at present is the 13-inch model with a seventh-generation Intel Core i5 CPU, 8GB of RAM, 256GB of flash storage and the on-board Intel Iris Plus 650 graphics chip. You can get all that for $1,450 with a further $50 off if you’re a student or parent of a student. There’s even a free six-month subscription of Trend Micro’s Internet Security bundled in.

That drop in price is available throughout the entire range. If you need something a bit heftier, you can grab the 15.4-inch MacBook Pro with a seventh-generation Intel Core i7 CPU, Radeon Pro 560 graphics, 16GB of memory, and a terabyte of SSD storage for $3,050 — $3,000 if you use the student discount.

There are a number of other offerings between those two models, so you don’t need to opt for either end of the spectrum to enjoy the big savings. Other products also included in the new four-day sale include Apple HomePods — in both white and black — which can be had for $330; a 49-inch Insignia 1080P LED TV for $200, and a variety of different Windows laptops, all heavily discounted.

If you’re looking to make some money from old hardware you have lying around, Best Buy also has a number of new trade-in offers, as per MacRumors. You can grab yourself a $125 Best Buy gift card for trading in an old iPad, or iPad Mini, or $70 off an Apple Watch upgrade with an older model trade-in.

Go to Sale

We strive to help our readers find the best deals on quality products and services, and choose what we cover carefully and independently. If you find a better price for a product listed here, or want to suggest one of your own, email us at dealsteam@digitaltrends.com.Digital Trends may earn commission on products purchased through our links, which supports the work we do for our readers.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Best Buy knocks off up to $265 off the MacBook Pro in one-day sale
• Best Buy’s one-day Apple flash sale includes up to $400 off the MacBook Pro
• The best MacBook
• Best Buy drops its price for the MacBook Air to as low as $650
• Save hundreds with the best MacBook deals for April 2018

John McAfee-backed cryptocurrency platform leaks personal details

Thousands of investors who poured money and time into the John McAfee-evangelized cryptocurrency ecommerce project, Bezop, have become the victims of data theft. The startup reportedly left the personal details of more than 25,000 investors on a publicly accessible MongoDB database, including links to scanned passports, drivers licenses, and other forms of photo ID.

Bezop is a cryptocurrency startup that is reportedly designed to act as a distributed online retail platform for third-party sellers. As the paid-for-sponsor, McAfee described it, “it allows simple and secure creation of ecommerce sites — searchable in the same manner as Amazon — but with no Amazon as middleman.”

As “secure” as the eventual platform may be though, Bezop doesn’t appear to have done a tremendous job of securing its early investors’ information. The public database was accessible as recently as March 30, according to MacKeeperSecurity and revealed just about everything about investors — including scanned document images. The thousands of individuals affected by this leak are said to be early investors and promoters, the latter of whom were paid in Bezop’s tokens to promote the cryptocurrency on forums and social media.

When questioned about the leak by ThreatPost, Bezop’s Chief Technical Officer Deryck Jones brushed it off, suggesting that his leak happened in January during the initial coin offering. Although he claimed it was “disappointing,” he suggested that all investors had been informed at the time.

A Bezop engineer, Camelius Ubah, suggested in a statement that this wasn’t newsworthy: “[This] has already been addressed publicly on January 8, 2018,” he said. “Sorry to inform you that this is not news to us, neither is it to our subscribers.”

Since this story broke, Bezop’s social media response has been rather mocking, too. Even so, it has yet to do anything about the multitude of scam responses in its tweets’ replies. This has become increasingly common with cryptocurrency promotion on Twitter in recent months.

Old news, Fud or just people in a dimension where time is slower doesnt matter we can officially claim as seen on Gizmodo… happy we are finally getting some press. #weLoveGizmodo $bezop @Gizmodo https://t.co/XLdpjvjYf0

— Bezop Network (@BezopNetwork) April 26, 2018

Despite this seeming internal confidence in Bezop’s ability to handle this relatively monumental leak of information, elsewhere there has been criticism of Bezop and its operators. The bounty program received special condemnation from contributors, prompting Bezop to follow up with an apology post of its own earlier this year. It also had to take steps to clarify the involvement of paid promoters like McAfee.

Editors’ Recommendations

• CryptoCelebs: Famous people who’ve bought the cryptocurrency craze
• Companies, lawyers probed for selling cryptocurrency initial coin offerings
• Before crypto nirvana, blockchain needs to solve these basic problems
• Ransomware shifts focus from holding passwords hostage to hijacking your PC
• Japan’s Coincheck will refund $400 million in stolen cryptocurrency tokens

TCL’s new Roku TVs come with an enhanced voice remote, Dolby Vision HDR and more

A budget option with tons of premium features.

TCL has had some great success with its Roku TVs, and the company has just announced the 6-series, which is its latest and greatest models. Following in the P6-series footsteps, the 6-series builds upon the successes and makes the new models an even better value. It has the latest versions of the Roku OS built-in, which is even easier to set up, and super simple to use. Additionally, the new sets have the Dolby Access channel, which is a first for TCL TVs. It enables consumers a great way to showcase the performance of Dolby Vision on the TV.

The new Roku TV Voice Remote features enhanced voice control, which now gives you the ability to search for content, switch inputs, tune to a local channel, and even launch a new streaming channel.

You’ll be able to order the 6-series as a 55- or 65-inch TV. TCL is accepting pre-orders for both versions, and Amazon has the 65-inch pre-order open now. The 55-inch TV will have an introductory price of $649.99 and the 65-inch will be $999.99. TCL has stated that these prices are introductory prices, which means that they will likely go up after the sets begin shipping.

Spectacles v2 launch for $150 with sleeker design and improved features

The second-gen Spectacles iron out most all of the kinks found with v1.

In November of 2016, Snap Inc. threw a curveball at everyone with the release of Spectacles – those funky sunglasses that allowed you to record videos and post them to Snapchat. It was an incredibly novel idea, but a handful of first-gen quirks kept them from truly catching on with the masses.

Fast forward to April of 2018, and we now have Spectacles v2 – a new and improved version of Spectacles with a tweaked design, higher price, and – most importantly – fixes for all of the issues we had with the previous generation.

The new Spectacles look mostly the same compared to the 2016 model, but there are a couple subtle changes that help them look a lot more mature. The matte plastic on the front has been swapped out for a more subdued clear finish and all of the three colors (Onyx, Ruby, and Sapphire) come with two lens styles to choose from.

In addition to looking better, Snap Inc. also ensures that Spectacles are more comfortable to wear. The glasses are slimmer and lighter and the accompanying charging case is also considerably smaller.

This is what the first-gen Spectacles should have been.

Holding down on the capture button will now allow you to take a still photo (something you couldn’t do on gen one) and Snap Inc. says that the transfer process of sending content from Spectacles to your phone should be three to four times faster. Videos see a resolution bump of 25% to 1216 x 1216 and photos are captured at 1642 x 1642.

The new Spectacles are available for purchase now with a price of $150 – $20 more than what the previous version sold for. Snap is also partnering with Lensabl to offer custom orders so you can get your prescription added right to Spectacles out of the box.

I enjoyed the heck out of the first Spectacles when I got my hands on them last year, but that enjoyment quickly faded after just a few weeks thanks to the cheap build and ungodly slow transfers to my phone. Snap seems to have made all the right moves with v2, and the slightly higher price justifies (at least in my book) all the improvements we’re seeing.

If you already own a pair of Spectacles, will you be upgrading to the new version?

See at Spectacles

My Logitech Harmony remote is one of the best purchases I’ve ever made

My Logitech Harmony remote makes my mismatched smart home “just work”.

I have what I like to refer to as a piecemeal smart home. I’m fairly certain I’m not alone here and have different bits and pieces from various companies like Philips, Samsung, Nest, Ring, Leviton and more attached to my Wi-Fi and do my best to find ways to get them all working together. I’d love to have a custom wired automated house of the future where everything went through a central control panel (ideally, nestled into the arm of a well-oiled leather recliner) and if I win Powerball maybe one day I will. But for now, I’m living within my gadget budget.

A universal remote means only one thing to look for in the couch cushions instead of three or four things.

I’m also a fan of universal remotes that can control the stereo and television in the living room as well as the ones in my office and bedroom so I can stow the seven remotes it replaces. I’ve used plenty of them, some bad some good, but while they were all able to individually control each piece I wanted a more “efficient” way to do something like turn the receiver on, switch it to a specific input, turn the TV on and set the audio to use the surround speakers with a single button press. That’s why I eventually splurged and picked up a Logitech Harmony remote. It was one of the older (and cheaper) silver models, I think the 650. I loved it.

I loved it so much I spoiled myself last year and picked up a Logitech Harmony Companion kit. It’s basically a hub that connects to your Wi-Fi network that has an IR receiver, so you can use a fancy remote to do things. All sorts of things. And not just TV and stereo things. Which is why I think it’s one of the single best purchases I’ve ever made.

The Harmony Hub is just another smart hub, but you can control it with a physical remote and bind routines to a button.

First off, yes I understand that this all is unnecessary and possibly even a gimmick. But we all should have unnecessary gimmicks in our lives that we love to play with and most of us here probably do. We’re certainly not all using dumb flip phones and SMS for messaging, right? But being able to not only turn on the telly and receiver like I used to, but automatically dimming lights and lowering the blinds while it’s turning on is just plain cool. It’s possible because of the way Logitech’s smarts can talk to things like my Philips Hue hub and Lutron Serena shades and how all these smart gadgets can communicate.

Even my Shield TV is a smart hub and I need some way to get everything working together.

The Harmony Hub is really just a piece in a bigger puzzle. Using services like IFTTT and Smartthings you can get gadget A to tell gadget B to do it’s thing. When you add a Harmony hub to the mix you can have them do their respective things when you press a button. Think of all the things you can have an Amazon Echo or Google Assistant do when you mix in these services, and you can program your remote to do them, too. That means anyone can do them without needing Alexa or Assistant recognizing their voice or knowing just what to say. That’s a big deal when other people in your house might be visitors or just not into smart gadgetry at the same level you are.

Setting things up is still a mess but the final result is clean and feels like it was made to just work.

I want to be able to say it’s easy setting it all up, but I can’t. I still have a home filled with mix-and-match smart devices and each has their own system and method to control them that services like IFTTT and Smartthings is able to tap into. There are still things I know are possible but still haven’t figured out how to daisy chain together — there are just so many combinations when you have 10 different things trying to talk with each other through a third party service. But I’ll be honest, it’s kind of fun messing around and trying to get things working, and when they do you feel like some old-timey science guy. Maybe that’s just me, though.

I still want a perfect all-in-one system when I hit that Powerball. But my Harmony remote gets the important part right — the end result. It’s polished and just works when you hit the button on the remote to watch TV or listen to music and it feels like that custom system of my dreams.

See at Amazon

Moto E5, E5 Plus and E5 Play: Everything you need to know!

Your next cheap phone.

Motorola has been riding a huge wave of success with the Moto G series since it was introduced, but over time that line has added capable and also price. The Moto E series now fills in the inexpensive slot underneath for people who still don’t (or can’t) spend much on a smartphone. The latest in the line is the Moto E5 series, which was unveiled in mid-April.

As is regularly the case with Motorola, the Moto E5 isn’t one phone but three — and there are a few odd differences between the group that you should take into consideration when buying one. But when you figure it all out, you may find it’s the go-to choice the next time you go to buy an inexpensive phone. Here’s what you need to know.

Read (and watch) our hands-on preview!

To get the quick take on the new Moto E5 series, check out our hands-on video above. And for the full layout of the entire line, including how the different models compare and which one is best for different buyers, read our full hands-on preview!

Moto E5 and E5 Plus hands-on preview: Your next cheap phone

Three different E5 models

Just like the new Moto G6 series, there are three different E5 models for 2018. There’s the “regular” Moto E5, along with a Moto E5 Plus and a Moto E5 Play. The E5 and E5 Plus are very similar in terms of performance and experience. They have large 18:9 displays, large batteries, TurboPower charging and pretty solid specs for their price. The E5 Plus only differentiates in its even larger battery at 5000mAh and a few spec bumps in processor, RAM, storage and screen size.

The E5 Play is the cheapest of the bunch, and is clearly a different base device that feels more like a continuation of last year’s Moto E4 than a bottom-tier version of the new E5 design. It has a 16:9 display, small (but removable) battery and low-end specs designed to hit the lowest possible price for prepaid carriers and price-sensitive markets.

Moto E5, E5 Play and E5 Plus specs

Most regions around the world will only have access to two of the three models. In the U.S., we’ll have access to the E5 Plus and the E5 Play, and everyone but the most price-conscious among us will be best off getting the more modern and capable E5 Plus.

Big battery life

The Moto E5 series puts a big emphasis on battery life above just about any other feature. The Moto E5 has a sizable 4000mAh capacity, while the E5 Plus has a massive 5000mAh. Neither battery is removable, but that shouldn’t be a problem — with power-efficient Snapdragon 400 series processors inside and just HD displays, either phone will be able to stretch a full two days so long as you’re not hitting it too hard. Both phones also come with TurboPower fast chargers in the box for quicker top-ups when you do need to charge.

The Moto E5 Play interestingly doesn’t take the same approach. It has a relatively small 2800mAh battery, which is proportionate to its 5.2-inch 16:9 display — but it’s also removable, which is still an important feature for many people at this inexpensive price point. If you’re willing to buy a replacement battery and have it charged up, a quick swap (and a phone reboot) will have you back up and running quickly.

Micro-USB, and (probably) no NFC

Motorola has almost entirely embraced the new USB-C port standard … except on its least expensive phones, like the Moto E5 series. All three models have the older Micro-USB standard, which is rather disappointing from the standpoint of technology enthusiasts who are already on their second or third phone with USB-C. But Motorola says that a large portion of potential Moto E5 buyers still have a Micro-USB phone and Micro-USB accessories, and aren’t quite ready to switch over to USB-C yet (for cost reasons).

More frustratingly and less excusable is the NFC situation. Across the E5 line (and G6 line), Motorola hasn’t standardized on whether it will include NFC in its phones. Some models in some regions have NFC, and the same models in other regions don’t. If NFC is important for you for mobile payments, be sure to carefully read the exact spec page for the exact model you’re buying to make sure it has the radio.

Where and when can you buy them?

Motorola’s E5 launch plans start in Latin America, which means we’re going to have to wait a while longer for sales to open up in North America and other regions. We don’t have a solid date yet, but we can expect late May or early June for retail availability — things can get a tad murky when you start looking at the various prepaid carrier variants as well.

As for pricing, expect it to stay low. The Moto E5 Play should debut around $100, and the E5 Plus should cost around $175 — again, carrier differences could influence these numbers heavily.

Best puzzle games for Android as of April 2018

What are the best brain-busting puzzle games for Android?

The touchscreen controls of a smartphone offer a unique opportunity for puzzle games, and arguably they’re best suited for our pocket devices because they can be easy to pick up and play when you have a few free moments. we’ve collected

• The Room series
• Dissembler
• Bridge Constructor Portal
• Threes!
• Two Dots
• Monument Valley
• Brain It On!
• GO puzzle games

The Room series

The Room is a widely celebrated puzzle franchise for Android, with three entries offering hours upon hours of challenging puzzle fun. These games are very reminiscent of point-and-click classic adventure series such as Myst and Siberia, and each offer hours and hours of entertainment with some of the best visuals you’ll find in an Android game.

The latest game in the series is The Room: Old Sins. The story focuses on a creepy dollhouse found in the attic of the home of a brilliant engineer. Using a mysterious eyepiece, you must inspect and find all the secrets hidden in the dollhouse to unravel the mysterious circumstances behind the disappearance of the engineer and his wife.

Controls are as simple as swiping around the screen and double tapping to focus in on an object or puzzle. As you progress through the game, you’ll find objects that will help you find your way out. As you go, more and more of the story is revealed through notebooks left around.

Each game is pretty long and involved, so expect to spend many hours glued to your device as you solve puzzle after puzzle. These are paid games, but if you love a good puzzle challenge they’re each well worth the price of admission!

Download: The Room Old Sins ($4.99)

Download: The Room ($0.99)

Download: The Room 2 ($1.99)

Download: The Room 3 ($3.99)

Dissembler

Dissembler is a colorful and relaxing puzzle game that’s deceptively simple to play featuring fantastic puzzles. Essentially a tile-swapping match-three game, each level requires you to flip the tiles to match up colors and it starts out nice and easy as the game lays out the basic principles before gradually presenting you with more complex puzzles — check out the trailer above to see what I mean.

With over 120 puzzles to play with no time limits, move limits, or in-app purchases or ads to deal with this just might be your next puzzle obsession!

Download: Dissembler ($2.99)

Bridge Constructor Portal

Bridge Constructor is a great physics-based puzzle game in its own right, but the new spin-off in the Portal universe takes the concept and adds in all the wacky elements from Aperture Laboratories.

Through 60 test chambers, your goal is to get the test vehicles to the end of the course any way you can using portals, propulsion and repulsion gels while avoiding deadly lasers, pits of acid, and sentient turrets. It’s an outstanding cross-over title that provides a challenge that will delight fans of Bridge Constructor and Portal alike.

Download: Bridge Constructor Portal ($4.99)

Threes!

Threes! is a fun and surprisingly cute number-based puzzle game where your goal is to swipe around the grid and match like numbers. But you’ve got to be strategic because if you fill up the board and run out of moves it’s game over!

For a truly unfettered experience, you’ll want to buy the full game for no ads or distractions while you play. If you’d prefer to save your money, the free version is also a great option, but once you burn through the set amount of plays you’re given to start with, you’ll need to watch ads to get more plays.

And believe us, once you get hooked on this game, you won’t want to have to wait for ads all the time.

Download: Threes! ($2.99)

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Two Dots

Like all the best puzzle games, Two Dots is simple to learn, difficult to master and highly addictive.

This is the sequel to the wildly popular Dots game, where the main object remains the same: connect as many dots of the same color as you can. The sequel brings new skills to the table, along with 900+ levels to work through.

Once you’ve gone through the first 10 levels, which act as a tutorial, Two Dots offers a linear adventure of sorts in Treasure Hunt, and a different mode called Expedition once you’ve reached level 35.

The game has absolutely no ads, and a really unique and clean visual style that you’ll love. There are in-app purchases available for shuffles which might help you get through a particularly tricky level but you’re better than that, right?

Download: Two Dots (Free w/ IAPs)

Monument Valley 1 & 2

Monument Valley is an award-winning puzzle game that features outstanding art and sound design. You play as Ida, a princess who must find her way through fantastical structures which you must manipulate and change to complete the path and help her reach her goal.

The controls are simple as you tap to move the princess while discovering the different ways you can move the structures around. It’s an intuitive experience that forces you to look at things from a different perspective. If you’ve never experienced the majestic wonder and mind-bending puzzles of Monument Valley, you should definitely check it out. You get the original game as well as a new chapter called Ida’s Dream with the purchase, while Forgotten Shores features eight new chapters of gameplay which are available via an in-app purchase.

The sequel, Monument Valley 2, is also out and a worthwhile game to check out as well!

Download: Monument Valley ($3.99 w/IAPs)

Download: Monument Valley 2 ($4.99)

Brain It On

Brain It On is an absolutely addicting physics-based puzzle game that requires you to think outside the box to solve each level.

Using your finger or stylus, you must draw lines, shapes, weighted objects, or whatever else you think will solve each screen. Things get progressively creative and difficult as you progress through the over 200 levels, but you’ll eventually need to go back and revisit old levels to get three stars to unlock new ones (stars are earned by finishing the level under time within the limit of shapes number of shapes).

It’s a really fun game with multiple solutions available for each level, and is fun to play collaboratively as a group.

Download: Brain It On (Free w/ IAPs)

GO puzzle games

Developed by SQUARE ENIX, this is an amazing series of puzzle games that takes the characters and theme from an established gaming franchise, and throws them into a brand new puzzle-based adventure. So far, three franchises have been given the GO treatment — Hitman, Lara Croft and Deus Ex — with each garnering positive reviews from players and critics alike. You don’t necessarily have to be fans of these franchises to enjoy their GO entries, though fans will likely enjoy the reimagined way of playing their favorite games.

These are highly stylized turn-based puzzlers that will provide hours of challenging fun — and best of all they’re all currently on sale, so you can get all three for the price of an extra large coffee. Let’s take a look at the individual games:

Hitman Go

This was the first franchise to be converted into the GO puzzle format, and it still holds up. You play as Agent 47 and must work your way through heavily-guarded compounds using all the same techniques found in the full Hitman games you’ve played on PC or console: disguises, distractions, sniper rifles and of course 47’s iconic Silverballer pistols. There are multiple ways to beat each level, whether you want to be silent and sneaky, or forceful and deadly. You pick what kind of Hitman to be, as you work towards assassinating your main targets.

Download: Hitman GO ($0.99)

Lara Croft GO

The Tomb Raider is back in this challenging entry that adds new wrinkles to the turn-based puzzles introduced with Hitman Go. Lara Croft is athletic and adventurous, and her GO game reflects that with puzzles that have her dodging boobytraps and deadly enemies as you work your way through 100 levels split into six chapters. It’s an award-winning game that lures you in with its outstanding visuals and keeps you playing with its increasingly challenging puzzles.

Download: Lara Croft GO ($0.99)

Deus Ex GO

Deus Ex is the latest franchise to get the GO treatment, and this might be the best one yet. With visuals that reflect the cyberpunk stylings of Deus Ex, and new hacking gameplay elements, you play as Adam Jensen who’s working to unravel a complicated mystery as you sneak your way through a well-guarded fortress. This one probably features the most fleshed-out storyline of the three, and also features time-limited puzzles along with a level editor, so you can design, share and play levels from the game’s community.

Download: Deus Ex GO ($0.99)

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What are your favorite puzzle games?

These are our picks for the best, but which do you play? Let us know in the comments below!

Updated April 2018: Added The Room: Old Sins and Dissembler to our list.

How to deal with a shaking image in PlayStation VR

You really need everything to be stable in VR.

Few things will ruin a VR experience quite as thoroughly as a shaking virtual environment. You’re standing perfectly still, and the rest of the world is wobbling back and forth. It’s a quick trip to being nauseated and not wanting to touch VR again anytime soon. Sony has worked hard to ensure head tracking in PlayStation VR is solid enough to avoid any kind of nausea for most people, but every VR headset can occasionally lose tracking.

Here’s how to avoid a shaking image in PlayStation VR.

Be mindful of the boundaries

PlayStation VR relies on a pair of cameras to determine your position in the room. Those cameras use the lights on the front of your headset to measure how far away from the camera you are, and that setup has a reliability distance of 6 feet. Sony floats a warning when you exceed that 6ft line so you don’t experience any significant problems, but if you’re right on that 6ft line you’ll notice occasional instability.

The key to avoiding this is to walk back until you see the floating message, and then take a single step forward. If your seat is located on the 6ft line, you’ll want to slide it forward an inch or two. This also stops you from seeing the floating warning when you lean back or turn around to get something behind you while still in VR.

Adjust Tracking Lights

Whether you were cleaning and accidentally moved the camera or someone ran in front of you while setting up, small tracking issues can be fixed with recalibration inside the PlayStation 4 menu.

Go to Settings in the PlayStation menu.
Select Devices from the Settings menu.
Select PlayStation VR from the Devices menu.
Select Adjust Tracking Lights.
Complete all three adjustment procedures.

Once you’ve completed recalibration, your headset will be just as accurate as every headset should be after initial setup. Enjoy!

Did this help?

Let us know in the comment section below if this helped you or extra steps you may have taken to get your shaking to stop!

Microsoft shuts down a ‘Halo Online’ fan mod

Microsoft takes copyright violations as seriously as Nintendo does, it’d seem. The Xbox-maker has requested that a fan-made version of Halo Online stop production. Microsoft canned the Russia-only, free-to-play Halo Online back in 2016. From the sounds of it, things like textures and asset packs from the game made their way to the internet, where the “ElDewrito” team found and used them in their fan-made resurrection of the game.

As you can imagine, Microsoft wasn’t exactly pleased about it. Rather than issuing a DMCA takedown, however, the team at 343 Industries (Microsoft’ internal Halo developer) contacted ElDewrito and, according to the fan-team, said:

“While we are humbled and inspired to see the amount of passion poured into this project, the fact remains that it’s built upon Microsoft-owned assets that were never lawfully released or authorized for this purpose. As this project reverberated across the community, our team took a step back to assess the materials and explore possible avenues, while Microsoft, like any company, has a responsibility to protect its IP, code and trademarks. It’s not optional in other words.

BTW, we’re not ‘shutting down the mod’ or going after the Eldewrito crew – we’re enacting action to remove the Halo Online code and packages from places it’s being hosted.”

In so many words, while ElDewrito isn’t being told to shut down its open-source mod, the missing assets may have an impact on future versions of the game.

For its part, 343 said that it was a tough position to eb put in considering the work ElDewrito put into the project, but that ultimately it has to protect itself. Letting this slide could lead to a slippery slope if similar situations cropped up. The silver lining? It sounds like Microsoft is really keen on making an official, classic Halo title for PC.

“We hope to be able to partner with the ElDewrito team and broader mod and content creation community to help inform the types of experiences and features our fans desire,” it wrote. “While we have nothing to announce today, please know that the PC community is very important to us and top of mind as we work towards the future.”

Hopefully that means more than Microsoft announcing a full-on port, awful campaign and all, of Halo 5 to the platform at E3.

Via: Gamasutra

Source: ElDewrito, 343 Inudstries