Apple Previews New Piazza Liberty Store, Opening Thursday in Milan

Apple today premiered this week’s opening of Apple Piazza Liberty in the center of Milan, Italy. Set to open its doors on Thursday, the retail location features a dramatic glass fountain that serves as the entrance to the store and a backdrop to the large outdoor amphitheater.

The piazza, clad in Beola Grigia, a stone used throughout Milan, will be open to the public 24 hours a day and will host special events year-round amongst 14 Gleditsia Sunburst trees planted in the area.

“There’s no better expression of our vision for Apple stores serving as modern-day gathering places than Apple Piazza Liberty,” said Angela Ahrendts, Apple’s senior vice president of Retail. “In a city with such rich history of art, entertainment and creativity, it’s an honor to establish a space where anyone can be inspired to learn, create and connect with their neighbors.”

Apple Piazza Liberty will host a variety of Today at Apple sessions, taking in photography, filmmaking, music creation, coding, design and more. This September, Apple Piazza Liberty will also host a special month-long Milan Series, where 21 local artists will share their visions for the creative future of Milan, as previewed on a special Apple.com web page.

There will be live music in the location’s amphitheater on the opening night by musician LIM, a “crazy self-portraits” session with Olimpia Zagnoli on July 27, a photographic laboratory with Piotr Niepsuj on July 28, and a “draw the summer” class on July 29.

“To work within one of Italy’s historic piazzas is both a great responsibility and wonderful challenge,” said Jony Ive, Apple’s chief design officer. “We combined two fundamental elements of the Italian piazza — water and stone — adding a glass portal that creates a multi-sensory experience as visitors enter the store through a cascading fountain that seems to envelop them.”

The store will employ 230 staff, many of whom have come to Milan from Apple stores around the world, according to Apple. Apple Piazza Liberty opens Thursday, July 26, at 5pm, and registrations for Today at Apple can be made now on Apple’s website.

Tags: Italy, Apple retail
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WhatsApp Message Notifications to Support Media Previews in Future Update

WhatsApp received an update overnight that suggests media previews will soon be coming to the app’s iOS message notifications for the first time.

Currently in WhatsApp iOS notifications, images included in messages are replaced by a camera emoji, requiring the user to open WhatsApp to see the media. Likewise, GIF messages are represented in notifications by the space invader emoji.

However, WABetaInfo reports that WhatsApp version 2.18.80 lays the groundwork for full media previews in iOS notifications. The upcoming notification extension feature is said to support images as well as GIFs.

Image via WABetaInfo
To view the media preview, users will need to use the Peek and Pop gestures or swipe down on the notification in Notification Center. Users should also be able to download the media directly from the notification if they have disabled WhatsApp’s media auto-download option.

Aside from the notification feature that’s still under development, the latest version of the app lets you use Siri to send messages to WhatApp groups.

WhatsApp is a free download for iPhone available from the App Store. [Direct Link]

Tag: WhatsApp
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Honor 9N with 19:9 display launches in India for ₹13,999 ($200)

Honor 9N brings the Honor 10’s visual flair to a more affordable price point.

Honor is one of the fastest growing brands in India, recording a growth of over 300% from last year. The brand is now looking to build on that momentum with the Honor 9N, the latest launch in the budget segment.

The Honor 9N shares a lot of elements with the Honor 10, including a 14-layer coating etched underneath the glass panel. It’s not quite as crazy as the Honor 10’s Phantom Blue, but the Honor 9N is available in interesting color options of its own — notably the Robin Egg Blue.

On the hardware side of things, the Honor 9N features a 5.84-inch FHD+ 19:9 panel, HiSilicon’s Kirin 659 chipset, 13MP + 2MP dual cameras at the back, 16MP front shooter, 4GB of RAM, 64GB of storage, and a 3000mAh battery.

Honor is also touting face unlock as a differentiator, and you’ll be able to hide the notification contents behind the feature. Like the Honor 10, there’s a cutout at the top.

The Honor 9N runs EMUI 8.0 based on Android 8.0 Oreo, and there’s a gaming mode along with India-focused customizations that include a bike mode that mutes notifications automatically, and Paytm integration.

Honor is going to sell three variants of the Honor 9N in the country: a base variant with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage for ₹11,999 ($175), a version with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage for ₹13,999 ($200), and a model with 4GB of RAM and 128GB of memory for ₹17,999 ($260).

If you’re interested, the Honor 9N will go up for sale from July 31.

Vivo NEX vs. OnePlus 6: A close contest

The OnePlus 6 is the more practical choice, but the Vivo NEX is so much fun.

With the rise of affordable flagships, there really isn’t a compelling reason to shell out over $800 for a phone. The OnePlus 6 reinforces that belief by combining top-notch specs with a clean software interface, making it a great option over the likes of the Galaxy S9.

Vivo isn’t a household name in Western markets, but its latest device has the potential to change that. The Vivo NEX is the brand’s most ambitious device yet, featuring a motorized slider for the front camera and an in-display fingerprint sensor. The Chinese manufacturer rose up the ranks in China and India on the back of aggressive marketing and a robust distribution network, and is now looking to make its foray into global markets.

The OnePlus 6 is a fan favorite in this segment, and the Vivo NEX packs far more interesting tech and costs just $70 more. Let’s see how it fares next to the OnePlus 6 in everyday usage.

Where they’re equal

Both the Vivo NEX and OnePlus 6 are evenly matched when it comes to the hardware side of things. You get the Snapdragon 845 on both phones, and you can pick up a variant with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage.

They also share a similar design language with a curving back that makes it easier to hold either device. Both devices have glass backs, and while the OnePlus 6 looks particularly stunning in red, the Vivo NEX isn’t far behind. The NEX has an array of geometric patterns underneath the glass panel that change hues based on the angle of the light reflecting off the phone’s surface. It may not be as bold as the OnePlus 6, but it definitely stands out.

The OnePlus 6 features a 6.28-inch Optic AMOLED panel, whereas the NEX has a larger 6.59-inch Super AMOLED display. There isn’t much to differentiate between either device in this regard, as both have displays that offer vibrant colors and excellent contrast levels. The one downside on the NEX is that the sheer size of the display makes it hard to use the phone one-handed.

There really isn’t much missing when you look at the basics — Wi-Fi ac, Bluetooth 5.0, and the 3.5mm jack — and the OnePlus 6 builds on that by offering water resistance. There’s no IP rating (OnePlus says it’s good against “everyday use”), but it should withstand the splash of water. The NEX misses out on that as it’s hard to prevent ingress of water when there’s a retractable camera involved.

Onto the battery side of things, the NEX has a 4000mAh battery, with the OnePlus 6 sporting a 3300mAh battery. The 6.59-inch display evens out the larger battery, and both phones offer a day’s worth of usage comfortably. If you need to top up in a jiffy, Vivo’s fast charging standard works at 22W, while Dash Charge’s 20W delivers up to a 60% charge in just over 35 minutes.

Vivo NEX to the left, OnePlus 6 to the right.

Like most of the hardware, the camera quality is also on the same level. The NEX does a better job in daylight conditions — managing to capture an impressive amount of detail. Meanwhile, the OnePlus 6 taking better photos in low-light scenarios. The resultant low-light images from the NEX have a lot of noise, and as cool as the front camera is to use, it doesn’t do as great a job as the sensor on the OnePlus 6.

What the Vivo NEX does better

The Vivo NEX offers a glimpse into the future of smartphone design. Vivo solved the notch problem quite elegantly by moving the front camera to a motorized slider that only activates when needed, leading to a device that is truly bezel-less. In fact, the only other phone that currently manages to achieve the same effect is OPPO’s Find X, which has a mechanical slider for the front and back cameras.

The slider is my favorite thing about the phone. I lost count of the number of times I pulled up the front camera just to see the camera pop up from the top of the phone. The motor doesn’t make any sound itself, but you can set one up to add to the occasion — the default sci-fi option is wonderful.

The NEX’s retracting camera is just plain cool.

With the camera tucked away underneath the chassis, the front of the device is dominated by a large slab of glass, one that’s not marred by any cutouts. The 91.24% screen-to-body ratio and the razor-thin bezels make it a delight to use the screen for gaming or reading text on a daily basis.

Then there’s the in-display fingerprint sensor. Vivo claims it is faster, and that has held up in just under a week’s worth of usage. It’s nowhere as fast as the standard rear-mounted sensor on the OnePlus 6, but it is immeasurably cooler to use.

What the OnePlus 6 does better

OnePlus phones have always featured high-end hardware, but in recent years the company’s efforts on the software front with OxygenOS have been just as notable. OxygenOS delivers a clean user interface that stays true to Google’s vision of Android, while providing thoughtful customization options in the form of navigation gestures, a reading mode that makes it conducive to read long-form content on the device, and so much more.

OxygenOS is one of the best manufacturer skins around.

The fact that the OnePlus 6 is available as a single SKU makes it easier for the company to manage updates. OnePlus has gotten much better in terms of rolling out timely updates, and the latest OxygenOS 5.1.9 build integrated Google Lens into the main camera app — OnePlus is one of very few companies that offer this particular feature.

On the other hand, Vivo’s Funtouch OS is about as close as you can get to an iPhone that’s running Android. Most of the interface elements are a faithful imitation of iOS, including the Control Center, multitasking pane, and even the design of the stock apps and icons. Unlike every other Android device, the quick toggles are accessible with a swipe up gesture from the bottom of the phone, which means you’ll essentially have to retrain years of muscle memory.

Vivo NEX or OnePlus 6: Which should you buy?

The Vivo NEX manages to stand out in a sea of similar-looking devices. The technological innovations alone make it a device worthy of consideration if you’re looking to try out something new. Sure, the software situation is far from ideal, and while you can fix most of the major issues with a launcher like Nova, there’s still the fact that most of the core interface elements (like the notification pane) are a poor facsimile of iOS.

Huawei has significantly dialed back on the customization over the course of the last year as the brand made its foray into the UK and other Western markets, but a huge chunk of Vivo’s sales still come from China and India. The iPhone is seen as an aspirational device in both markets, and Vivo in previous years was able to sell millions of units by replicating a similar design aesthetic and software experience at a fraction of the cost.

With Vivo now looking to venture forth into markets outside of Asia as well, it will likely start making changes to Funtouch OS to make it a more palatable option for a global audience, which will hopefully include doing something about that name.

Meanwhile, the OnePlus 6 is still a safe choice — you know what you’re getting with OxygenOS, and the raw power on offer means the phone will be competitive for at last two years. But if you’re looking for a more exciting phone with an astounding bezel-less display and an in-display fingerprint sensor that actually works, the Vivo NEX is a great choice in its own right.

For now, India is one of very few markets where both the OnePlus 6 and the Vivo NEX are up for sale. And because there’s no shortage of great options in this category, both devices are aggressively priced. The variant of the OnePlus 6 with 8GB of RAM and 128GB storage retails for ₹39,999 ($585), whereas the Vivo NEX — which also has 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage — costs ₹44,990 ($655) in India. With just $70 between the two, it makes sense to go with the Vivo NEX just for that wow factor.

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The longest lunar eclipse in 100 years happens this Friday, but there’s a catch

Get out your binoculars and your passports — that is, if you want to catch the longest total lunar eclipse of our lifetimes. Well, at least, of the century. On Friday, the celestial event will turn the moon from its normal pearly white into a beguiling red orange for more than 100 minutes, NASA says. But the bad news? It won’t be  visible from North America. If you want to catch sight of this historic (and likely stunning) event, you’ll need to be in the Middle East, south or eastern Africa, or western and southeast Asia and India. And even then, you’ll have to hope that the weather holds.

Folks in those regions will actually be able to see the totality of the lunar eclipse — that is to say that for about an hour and 42 minutes, they’ll be able to see the blood red moon. However, the entire lunar eclipse, which begins when the moon moves through the Earth’s stratosphere, will be longer still at six hours and 13 minutes.

This coming total lunar eclipse is particularly special because for one, the eclipse will take place during a full moon, and secondly, the sun, Earth, and moon will all be perfectly aligned at the same time. Another thing to note is that the Earth is just about the farthest away from the sun it will get during its orbit. And because the moon will be passing right through the center of the Earth’s shadow, it will be blocked from the sun for an extensive amount of time. Theoretically, the longest a lunar eclipse could last would be one hour and 47 minutes — that means this eclipse will be just five minutes shy of the maximum.

Folks in Australia will be able to see the eclipse briefly as the moon sets, while those in parts of Brazil and Europe will see the eclipse during the moon’s rising. Alas, those of us in the U.S. will miss it because the eclipse will begin at around 1:14 p.m. ET, and the maximum period of totality will begin at 4:21 p.m. ET — at both times, it’ll be too bright to see the blood moon.

So when can Americans expect to see their next eclipse? A partial lunar eclipse will come our way next July, during which the southern half of the moon will pass into Earth’s shadow. It probably won’t be quite as stunning as the one we’ll miss, but it’s something to look forward to.

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The best photo-editing apps for Android and iOS

Jay Wennington/Unsplash

Applying layered edits and robust filters to digital photographs was once limited to desktop devices. Now, you can not only capture high-resolution (and RAW) photos on your phone, but also edit them directly on your mobile device, making them ready to be shared on whatever social networks you rely on to keep your friends and family up to date.

On both Google’s Play Store and Apple’s iOS App Store, there is no shortage of photo editing apps to choose from. While we have specific guides for the best photo apps for both Android and iOS, we’ve also wrapped up the best photo editing tools available on both platforms. So, whether you’re switching from one to the other and want options or simply want to future-proof your workflow should you switch down the road, we’ve got you covered.

Adobe Lightroom (Free, $10/month subscription option)

Adobe Lightroom has become the gold standard for digital photo management and editing amongst professionals. Thankfully, due to the simplified interface and wonderful syncing features, it doesn’t take a pro to either manage or edit photos in the cloud-based version, Lightroom CC. Available on both Android and iOS, Adobe Lightroom CC is a full-featured photo manager and editor, complete with RAW photo support, presets, exposure adjustments, watermarking, and so much more. It’s free to download and edit photos in, but if you want the ability to sync your photos across devices and use the premium features, you’ll need to shell out for Adobe’s Photography Creative Cloud plan, which costs $10 per month and also gives you access to Photoshop and Lightroom Classic.

Download now for:

Android iOS

Photoshop Express (Free)

Speaking of professional-grade photography tools, there’s perhaps no tool that is more synonymous with photo editing than Adobe Photoshop. Adobe released an Express version a while back, which, while not as powerful as its desktop counterpart, still lets you crop photos, adjust exposures, and carry out a variety of tasks. You can even create your own presets, which can be a huge time saver when editing photos on your phone or tablet.

Download now for:

Android iOS

Snapseed (Free)

Snapseed is a professional-grade photo editing app designed by Google. It features a massive amount of editing options to help even the most mundane photos jump to life. Snapseed gives you control over your images by including a host of sliders capable of altering a photo’s vignette, blur, temperature, and other attributes, including grainy overlays, 1960s-style film reel effects, or its unique Retrolux filter. You can even stack effects on photos, similar to Layers in Photoshop, making it easy to produce a brand-new result each time you edit a photo.

Download now for:

Android iOS

VSCO (Free with optional in-app purchases)

VSCO — pronounced viz-co — is a photo editing app designed around the idea of making your smartphone photos look more like film. In addition to a set of included filters, VSCO also lets you purchase packs of presets, each of which has their own aesthetic for particular types of images. VSCO also features a built-in community that includes both professional and amateur artists and photographers who share their naturalistic photography with each other. With professional-grade tools and advanced camera controls, VSCO is a great app for novices and professionals alike.

Download now for:

Android iOS

Afterlight ($3)

Its developers call it “the most powerful, full-featured photo editing experience on mobile.” While that might be a bit hyperbolic, it’s not that far from the truth. Afterlight has all of the basic photo editing tools you’ll need, as well as built-in filters, frames, and RAW support on both Android and iOS. Like other apps, you can even create your own filters to give your photos a distinct look time and time again. The best part is, it’s a one-time purchase — no need to spend more on in-app purchases to unlock more features.

Download now for:

iOS Android

Lens Distortions (Free with an optional in-app subscription purchase)

Known for its impressive plugins and apps for desktop devices, Lens Distortions has also created a mobile app for both Android and iOS that brings its distinct editing suite to your mobile devices. Whether it’s a color filter you’re looking for or an overlay effect such as a light leak or flare, Lens Distortion has a slew of realistic effects you can add to your photos. Lens Distortions is free to download on both Android and iOS and includes five free filters in each section with the free version. If you want access to all 250 premium filters, you’ll have to shell out a dollar per month.

Download now for:

Android iOS

Who knew that you needed at least six apps to make your photos look good? Well, okay, maybe you don’t need all of them. But it is a good idea to experiment with different apps and find the one that works best for your style. With any of these in your holster, you’ll be on your way to racking up the likes and comments you need in order to be a champion of Instagram. Go ahead, download them and achieve some social media immortality — or at least a ‘like’ from your grandmother.

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HTC Vive review

Research Center:

HTC Vive

The Oculus Rift VR headset was first, but it was largely designed for seated or stationary use, which means it’s at its best only in certain specific genres, such as cockpit games. The HTC Vive, it’s primary competitor, is meant to be used in a room, while standing or walking (though it can also be used sitting). Upon its release, it’s a design decision that instantly makes it feel more immersive, creating a Star Trek holodeck-like space in your room to virtually walk around in.

The headset itself packs in a pair of OLED displays with 2,160 x 1,200 pixels of total resolution. The Vive also includes not one, but two tracking stations, and a pair of motion controllers with IR tracking. Also important is the 720p camera on the front, for object tracking and pass-through, which we’ll explain more about later.

The HTC Vive has been reduced down to $500 on its own, as long as you have a system that can handle it, of course. At its new value price, can it compete with newer headsets like higher-resolution Vive Pro or the stand-alone Oculus Go?

Sturdy, sleek

The Vive looks like a device pulled straight out of the future. The infrared tracking dots that appear across the face of the headset are indented from the rounded shape of the headset, creating a distinct, and more aggressive, look from the Oculus Rift and other VR headsets, which are more elegant and streamlined. Personally, we find the Vive attractive, at least in the sense that it looks as futuristic as virtual reality feels.

It helps that every piece of the kit, from the trackers, to the controllers, to the cables and the link box, is built from sturdy, thick plastic. It does mean the headset itself is pretty heavy, but as we’ll see, balancing weight properly is more important than shedding pounds.

The controllers are unique. While the closest resemblance might be to a Nintendo Wii Remote, even that feels forced. Their interesting shape is often replicated visually in-game, and the odd ring at the top becomes the perfect place to house gems, or grab objects.

Unfortunately, serious construction and solid connectivity comes at a price, and that price is the Vive’s cable. It’s thick and can be a little unwieldy, especially in games with a lot of spinning or moving around. You’ll get used to it after a while, but it isn’t the most elegant solution. We’re always a little afraid of tripping over your cord.

The cables run into a link box instead of straight into the computer. That makes it easy to run all the cables, power, USB, and HDMI, to the same place, without having a separate power cable. It also acts as a breakaway in case you get a little too enthusiastic, preventing you from yanking an expensive gaming PC off its desk.

HTC Vive Compared To

Oculus Go

Lenovo Mirage Solo with Daydream

Oculus Rift

HTC Vive Pro

Sony PlayStation VR (2017)

Acer Windows Mixed Reality Headset…

Google Daydream View (2017)

Samsung Odyssey

Sony PlayStation VR

Google Daydream View

3Glasses D2 Vanguard Edition

Samsung Gear VR

Homido

Comfort comes first

The Vive’s headband has improved drastically from the Vive Pre’s attachment mechanism. The bands on both the sides and top are much sturdier and thicker. The Velcro has side tabs to help adjust the fit while the headset is on, and most people find a comfortable fit in less than a minute.

This is the VR experience you’ve always dreamed of.

It helps that the face gasket on the headset itself is quite squishy, and goes all the way around your eyes, with a short break at the bottom for the rubber nose rest. Once it’s fit right, there’s no pressure points around the outside of the headset, which thankfully means no “VR face,” an issue with some headsets that leaves a red ring around your eyes.

That hasn’t stopped us from sweating into the Vive on a number of occasions. Especially in games like Hover Junkers, that involve a lot of jumping around and ducking, the foam frame turns into a bit of a sweatband. It’s not dripping, but it’s enough to make you think twice about handing over the headset to someone else after an intense session.

Virtual reality that won’t make your hurl

We invited a handful of Digital Trends employees to test out the Vive for brief demos, to identify any nausea-inducing problems with the headset. Reactions were so positive we had to drag people screaming out of the virtual world. From The Lab to Hover Junkers, all our test subjects wanted to do was play more, check out the other games, and come back around for seconds. Only a couple of our testers reported headset-releated comfort issues, which were mostly solved with headband tweaking.

Jessica Lee Star/Digital Trends
Jessica Lee Star/Digital Trends

All testers reported high levels of immersion, and a common high note was the precise, intuitive nature of the controls. Nausea was missing in action, even among individuals normally prone to motion sickness. Letting the user Vive move in real space while also moving in virtual space, as the Vive allows, seems to dramatically improve long-term comfort relative to a seated headset.

A few games available on SteamVR, like 4089: The Ghost Within did give us nausea. This game, and others that only work with a standard Xbox controller, exhibit many of the limitations of the Oculus Rift (and its dev kit predecessors). You have to sit down and the head tracking is slow.

The biggest problem with the Vive might be how much activity it does require. A few of our testers reported that using the headset was “a lot of work,” in the sense moving around to play a game is a lot less relaxing than plopping down on a couch. The Vive, though immersive, may not be the device you’ll turn to after a long, tiresome day at work.

There are also some accessories you could invest in, which use HTC’s Vive Tracker hardware, but we spent some time with them and you’re probably better off sticking with the included touch-controllers.

A beautiful display from a narrow perspective

Before we get too technical about the details of the Vive’s display, I want to point out that every head-mounted display (HMD) I’ve tried to this point has had some amount of what’s referred to as the “screen door effect.” No matter how high resolution screens get, it’s not too tough to see the individual pixels when it’s just an inch or two from your eyes.

The upshot is that as long as the processing, UI, and tracking are sharp enough, the screen door isn’t too distracting. I’ve also found that after a few minutes of playing a game, the immersion is enough to stop your eyes from looking for it. It also helps when games adapt their aesthetic to this sort of effect. Resolution issues are most clearly visible on distinct edges, especially on cartoon characters. Higher definition textures, landscapes, and flat surfaces especially look quite a bit sharper.

Our main complaint about the Vive’s display is not the screen door effect itself, but rather the edges of the display, and the rings around the field of view. When the edges of your vision are dark, the supporting structure blends in. When the screen is brightly lit, it’s like wearing a pair of sunglasses with big, dark frames. It’s not detrimental to the experience, but in quiet moments it can definitely downgrade the sense of immersion.

The Vive includes a pair of basic earbuds, although we have a feeling most of you will prefer your own headphones. Even over-ear headphones fit comfortably with the headset on, and there’s a 3.5mm plug on the back so your headphone cable doesn’t have to reach from the link box.

The virtual reality you’ve always dreamed of

All of these elements don’t mean much if they don’t come together to form a cohesive, engaging experience. Thankfully, they do. Being able to move around, even in a small space, is a huge boon to realism. Even after several hours of play, we found ourselves reaching out to touch a fish swimming past in TheBlu, or ducking quickly behind cover in Hover Junkers.

That freedom of movement also helps keep the virtual world engaging when you might not want to be a part of it. Survival horror games force you to face your fears, even as you cower in the corner of the usable space. When a humongous jellyfish floats toward you, you can’t help but step out of its way.

Add in online play, and things only grow more enthralling. Hover Junkers places you as the driver and defender of your own hovercraft in a deserted wasteland. Hiding behind junk you dug out of the ground while firing off shots at a real opponent is immediately gratifying, even more so when you show them a rude gesture as their ship explodes into pieces.

Part of the draw with the HTC Vive is, of course, the Steam marketplace. Not only are there a wealth of games ready to play, or coming soon, that support room-scale virtual reality, but veteran PC gamers may already have games in their library that support the headset.

Surprisingly robust software

The Rift is no slouch when it comes to ease-of-use and the overall user experience. Indeed, that was a primary focus of Oculus as it developed its headset. But the Vive is no slouch, either, which is a bit surprising given that it’s a joint expedition by two companies, rather than a product built under a single umbrella.

The headset and controllers are built from sturdy plastic that’s pleasing to touch.

Setting up the device means following a process outlined by Valve. While there’s no shortage of cords to connect, and positioning the lighthouse sensors that detect your position in the room can be a pain (they must be at least 4-5 feet high, or higher, and ideally tilted slightly towards the ground), the technical understanding requires is minimal. There’s just a few buttons to press, and connectivity issues were rare, despite the fact both the lighthouses and the controllers communication wirelessly.

You can launch into VR either through the Steam desktop software by starting a VR-compatible game, or by launching SteamVR, which opens a front end that’s very similar to Steam’s Big Picture mode. It’s not as attractive as Oculus’ comparable home screen, but it operates similarly, and we found it reasonably intuitive.

The Vive is not a plug-and-play device. Some level of understanding is required. But if you’ve ever hooked up and mapped a PC joystick, connected a wireless printer, or installed a piece of PC hardware, you should find the Vive’s setup a cinch.

Warranty

HTC includes a one year limited warranty. That’s the standard offering, even for high-end gaming peripherals. The Oculus Rift also offers a one-year warranty.

Our take

You’ll need three things to experience what the Vive has to offer: A VR-ready computer with a very nice graphics card, enough space for room-scale experiences, and $500. With that,

Is there a better alternative?

Not yet. The Vive Pro is certainly a better headset, but we didn’t find that the experience justified its cost.

For now, the HTC Vive and Oculus Rift are pretty evenly matched. We like the Vive better, but the Oculus Rift does come in at just $400, which leaves you some extra money for PC upgrades or new games. It’s an appealing alternative that is almost as good as the HTC Vive, even if it isn’t quite as capable at room-scale experiences.

How long will it last?

Physically, the HTC Vive is a robust headset, the one here in the office has survived ever since launch without so much as a scuff or a broken cable. It might not wear out any time soon, but it will start showing its age pretty quickly as new headsets hit the market.

Should you buy it?

Yes. Even if you’re not into VR, or have no interest, you at least need to try the Vive. This is the VR experience you’ve always dreamed of. It’s the closest thing we’ll get to The Matrix anytime soon.

Revisit the good old days with the NES Classic Mini, now in stock at Amazon

You should hurry up.

Update: The NES Classic Controller is now available for only $9.98 at Amazon. That’s its regular price, though it’s hardly ever in stock and more often sold for nearly $25 by resellers. Make sure to grab one, and the console which comes back in stock on August 1st, while you have the opportunity.

Ah, Nintendo, breaker of hearts and crusher of dreams. How can one company be so good at releasing such limited quantities of the coolest items ever?!

The Nintendo NES Classic Mini has been hard to nab from the get-go. When it was first released, people waited in line for hours in the hopes of snatching one up — myself included. This little gadget hit the reseller market fast after stock was depleted, selling for up to $1,000. Seriously. It was once thought to be gone forever, and it left thousands of fans upset, knowing that they may never have the chance to revisit their childhood favorites on an actual Nintendo machine. (Yes, you can emulate retro games. No, it isn’t the same. Don’t @ me.)

Thankfully, you don’t have to wait for six hours in the freezing Wisconsin snow to get yours like I did. You don’t even have to leave your house. Amazon has the Nintendo NES Classic Mini console in stock for the MSRP of $59.99. No markups, no hassle, and no blood, sweat, or tears. Except for maybe tears of joy.

This thing is awesome. It has the look and feel of the original console, although it is slightly smaller and sleeker. It includes an old-school controller and it’s packed with 30 games, including Super Marios Bros., Donkey Kong, The Legend of Zelda, Mega Man, and more. It’s worth noting that the controller cord is pretty short, but extenders are available for cheap or you could even pre-order a wireless controller. If you were inclined to do some web searching, you may also find that rumor has it you can hack the console to include hundreds of other games, although you run the risk of bricking your machine, among other things, and an editor such as myself couldn’t possibly suggest that you do such a thing.

This is the first major restock of this console since it was released. If you’re interested, trust me: there are thousands of other interested people, too. Hop to it and beat them to the punch before it sells out again.

See at Amazon

Google bets on blockchain technology with two new Google Cloud partnerships

Google now supports distributed ledger technology, aka blockchain, on the Google Cloud Platform. The reveal arrives by way of the company’s announcement regarding the Google Cloud Next ’18 conference in San Francisco starting Tuesday, July 24. Google will have a 50-minute session called “Distributed Ledger Technology Partnerships on Google Cloud” talking about Google’s partners and how to develop blockchain-based solutions.

“Customers can now explore ways they might use distributed ledger technology (DLT) frameworks on GCP with launch partners including Digital Asset and BlockApps, and try open-source integrations for Hyperledger Fabric and Ethereum later this year in our GCP Marketplace,” the company says.

For the uninitiated, a distributed ledger, or blockchain, is a decentralized database shared and maintained by connected computers across the globe. Each transaction can be publicly read while securely stored using cryptography. These transactions cannot be altered without modifying the entire chain because the cryptographic key of one transaction is stored in the next transaction.

Blockchain technology is highly associated with cryptocurrencies, but companies such as Google and Microsoft are examining how their services would benefit from the maturing technology. According to a report by CBInsights, Google was the second-most active blockchain investor between 2012 and 2017, falling between SBI Holdings and Overstock.com. Others include CITI and Goldman Sachs.

Along with Google, Digital Asset revealed its plans for the Google Cloud Platform, announcing that both its blockchain platform and developer toolset are now offered through Google’s cloud. Developers can now build, test and deploy solutions on-demand based on Digital Asset’s blockchain without any need to make manual configurations.

“We’re partnering with Google Cloud to provide developers with a full stack solution so they can unleash the potential for web-paced innovation in blockchain,” Blythe Masters, CEO of Digital Asset, said in a statement. “This will reduce the technical barriers to DLT application development by delivering our advanced distributed ledger platform and modeling language to Google Cloud.”

Google will also provide a preview of the Digital Asset Modeling Language (DAML) toolkit for building blockchain-based applications. Google is one of the select few technology partners chosen to participate in Digital Asset’s limited beta for the DAML kit preview. The DAML Platform-as-a-service will also be provided on the Google Cloud Platform.

BlockApps made a stand-alone announcement as well, announcing that its BlockApps STRATO Blockchain-as-a-Service platform for enterprise will be made available on the Google Cloud Platform. The company described Google’s entrance into the blockchain field as a “landmark event.”

“Based on the Ethereum protocol, BlockApps STRATO provides enterprise-grade API integration capabilities, configurable consensus algorithms, and the capability to query and report on blockchain data using a traditional SQL database,” BlockApps says. “Application developers will find STRATO familiar, easy to use, and easy to integrate with existing enterprise systems.”

Unnamed sources said in March that Google is working on its own blockchain technology that third parties can use to post and verify transactions. Google will supposedly provide a “white version” of this technology as well that companies can run locally on their own servers rather than through Google’s cloud.

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NASA’s invention of the year award goes to … space lube?

NASA’s Inventions and Contributions Board handed out its award for the 2018 Government and Commercial Invention of the Year, and the winner is … space lube. Before your mind descends into the gutter, we should note that the material in question is intended for industrial purposes. The fourth-generation material NASA has developed in this area, it’s a solid coating that is able to continue lubricating in temperatures that range from negative-300 degrees to 1,700 degrees Fahrenheit. Not only is it superior to boring old lubricants like oil and grease, but it’s also better than solid alternatives like graphite or other carbon-based materials.

“PS/PM400 is a solid lubricant material that reduces friction and wear in sliding contacts in a similar fashion to graphite and Teflon, [but at significantly more extreme temperatures,]” Christopher DellaCorte, the NASA’s senior technologist behind the invention, told Digital Trends. “Conventional oils, greases, and solid lubricants begin to break down much above about 600 degrees Fahrenheit. This ‘bump’ in temperature capability opens up the design space for machines and mechanisms to place moving parts right inside the hottest environments, like on the surface of Venus or deep inside aircraft engines, without the expense or problems affiliated with providing active cooling.”

In addition to the possibility of being used in rocket engines and aircraft turbines, NASA’s PS/PM400 has also been licensed to ADMA and Hohman Plating, two companies working in the automotive industry to develop exhaust system parts and gas recirculation valves. Space lube may additionally find a home in a wide range of other industries, such as with drone makers, large equipment manufacturers, and even in heat treatment furnace conveyor systems, where the material could allow even higher temperature operation, at lower cost, than its predecessor. (And before you ask, no, NASA’s space lube is highly unlikely to find its way onto the set of any of those attention-grabbing zero-gravity porno flicks any time soon!)

“I won’t lie; awards and recognition are always welcome career mileposts,” DellaCorte continued. “They signify that one’s organization values and appreciates the work. However, the real benefit of such an award is the more effective dissemination of the technology so it can be more rapidly deployed into more applications saving time, money and making products more efficient.”

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