Google’s Tilt Brush gets new brushes, ‘Beginner Mode,’ sound effects, and more

Google launched Tilt Brush early last year as a way to offer artists tools in virtual reality. Since then, the app has been made available on a number of platforms, including the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive, and has been hailed as one of the most innovative VR apps out there. Now, the company is updating Tilt Brush with a series of new features that should help make it even better than it already is.

For starters, Google has added a hefty seven new brushes, allowing users to create both new textures and new volumes. Using the new brushes, Google says that users will be able to more easily create natural-looking environments or objects. For example, the Hull Brush allows users to easily paint a 3D object just by moving the controller.

Next up is the fact that Google wants to make Tilt Brush better for users regardless of their skill level. Tilt Brush now has two modes: Beginner and advanced. Beginner limits tools a little, but it includes the core feature set that allows users to more easily start using Tilt Brush. Once users are familiar with the features, they can switch to Advanced mode.

Third is the Pin tool, which allows users to easily lock objects in space — so they won’t move around, even when artists are creating environments with a lot of objects.

A number of other tweaks have been added too. There are more sound effects to use, for example, and users can quickly recall their Mirror simply by pressing the “Recall Mirror” button right next to them. Finally, users can now quickly undo and redo brush actions by holding the controller button.

As Google continues to add new features to Tilt Brush, it’s likely that it will continue to gain in popularity among artists and graphic designers. Generally, virtual reality art hasn’t become all that popular just yet, but new VR headsets are launched every year, and more people are adopting the new platform — despite the fact that it’s still considered to be in its infancy. Still, apps like this will likely help artists get used to 3D environments, which could be very helpful going forward.

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Google’s Tilt Brush gets new brushes, ‘Beginner Mode,’ sound effects, and more

Google launched Tilt Brush early last year as a way to offer artists tools in virtual reality. Since then, the app has been made available on a number of platforms, including the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive, and has been hailed as one of the most innovative VR apps out there. Now, the company is updating Tilt Brush with a series of new features that should help make it even better than it already is.

For starters, Google has added a hefty seven new brushes, allowing users to create both new textures and new volumes. Using the new brushes, Google says that users will be able to more easily create natural-looking environments or objects. For example, the Hull Brush allows users to easily paint a 3D object just by moving the controller.

Next up is the fact that Google wants to make Tilt Brush better for users regardless of their skill level. Tilt Brush now has two modes: Beginner and advanced. Beginner limits tools a little, but it includes the core feature set that allows users to more easily start using Tilt Brush. Once users are familiar with the features, they can switch to Advanced mode.

Third is the Pin tool, which allows users to easily lock objects in space — so they won’t move around, even when artists are creating environments with a lot of objects.

A number of other tweaks have been added too. There are more sound effects to use, for example, and users can quickly recall their Mirror simply by pressing the “Recall Mirror” button right next to them. Finally, users can now quickly undo and redo brush actions by holding the controller button.

As Google continues to add new features to Tilt Brush, it’s likely that it will continue to gain in popularity among artists and graphic designers. Generally, virtual reality art hasn’t become all that popular just yet, but new VR headsets are launched every year, and more people are adopting the new platform — despite the fact that it’s still considered to be in its infancy. Still, apps like this will likely help artists get used to 3D environments, which could be very helpful going forward.

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• Nike’s latest patent turns your workout clothes into towels

Win a year’s worth of cupcakes from LG (oh, and some free phones)

Are you called Ryan and in need of a new phone? You’re in luck, as LG has just launched a new ad campaign aimed at making Ryans throughout the U.S. switch to the new LG G7 ThinQ. If you need that deal sweetened, it’s been launched alongside a new sweepstakes that will see one lucky Ryan and seven friends/family receive their very own LG G7 ThinQ, a $25 voucher for the Google Play Store, a billboard in Times Square dedicated to their selfie, an exclusive party, and — most excitingly — a year’s supply of free cupcakes.

Entering the competition is simple — Ryans (or acceptable variants of) can simply head over to whatsitgonnatakeryan.com and fill in the registration details. If you’re not named Ryan, you can either convince a nearby friendly Ryan to enter for you, or (if you’re unfortunately bereft of Ryans), you can enter through the alternate mail-in method set up for people with other names. The competition runs from June 26 until July 12, and the winner will be selected July 18.

Accompanying the bizarre sweepstakes is a suitably bizarre new ad featuring Parks and Recreation actress Aubrey Plaza. The advertisement revolves around Ryan, a normal guy who’s sick of his slow phone, but who lacks the drive to get himself a new phone. As is so often the case with major life decisions, Plaza turns up, telling Ryan to get a new phone — namely, the LG G7 ThinQ. After refusing Plaza (clearly, Ryan moves on with his life, but is hounded by other people who insist on educating him on the benefits of the LG G7 ThinQ. His grandmother even appears on television to tell audiences about Ryan’s terrible phone, how it’s been slowed down by the manufacturer, has terrible battery life, and needs a dongle.

The advertisement finally culminates after Plaza once again enters Ryan’s life by charging through a wall and really sells him on the G7 ThinQ by offering to take a selfie with him.

If you want to know whether the LG G7 ThinQ is right for you, then you don’t need to wait for Plaza to enter like the Kool-Aid Man — you can just check out our LG G7 ThinQ review instead.

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Firefox’s new Monitor service will let you know if you’ve been hacked

As part of its efforts to make Firefox users feel more secure while browsing the web, Mozilla is launching Firefox Monitor to let users know if they’ve been hacked. By integrating Firefox Monitor with web service Have I Been Pwned (HIBP), users of Mozilla’s browser can quickly check to see if they’ve been hacked by entering their email address. Mozilla is trialing the Firefox Monitor service right now and will invite 250,000 of the more than 500 million Firefox users to help test the service next week. After the testing period, Mozilla expects the service to roll out to all Firefox users.

“We decided to address a growing need for account security by developing Firefox Monitor, a proposed security tool that is designed for everyone, but offers additional features for Firefox users,” Mozilla wrote in a blog post detailing the service. “Visitors to the Firefox Monitor website will be able to check (by entering an email address) to see if their accounts were included in known data breaches, with details on sites and other sources of breaches and the types of personal data exposed in each breach.”

The service monitors the web to see if your email is part of a data dump, and if it is, Firefox Monitor will send an alert to your inbox. To keep your email address secure when you’re checking Firefox Monitor to see if you’re a victim of a data breach, Mozilla claims that your information is anonymized and that the service never sends your full email address to a third party outside of Mozilla. Email lookups are performed using hashing prefixes to keep your information secure.

“When searching HIBP for a password, the client SHA-1 hashes it then takes the first five characters and sends this to the API,” HIBP creator and security researcher Troy Hunt wrote on his blog. “In response, a collection of hashes is returned that match that prefix (477 on average). By looking at the hash prefix sent to the service, I have no idea what the password is. It could be any one of those 477 or it could be something totally different, I don’t know. Of course, I could always speculate based on the prevalence of each password but it would never be anything more than that — speculation.”

In addition to alerting users if their data is breached, Mozilla said that it is also evaluating a service to notify you if your personal data was also compromised. Part of Mozilla’s security strategy is to integrate HIBP’s service with Firefox Lockbox, a password manager that automatically fills in usernames and passwords for websites that you visit on Firefox. In the future, Firefox Monitor will be able to verify your stored Lockbox logins against the HIBP database to give you a more detailed look at what services, passwords, usernames, and accounts may have been compromised in a data breach or attack.

Mozilla advises users to download the latest Firefox Quantum browser to prepare for the launch of Firefox Monitor.

In addition to partnering with Mozilla for Firefox Monitor, Hunt is also working with password manager 1Password to allow HIBP lookups from directly within 1Password’s Watchtower feature.

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Best Screen Protectors for Samsung Gear Sport

These are the best way to keep your watch looking pristine!

Samsung’s Gear Sport is its latest and greatest smartwatch, combing style and a design that’s rugged enough enough for fitness fanatics. That rugged design can still use some protection, so it’s not a bad idea to invest in a screen protector.

The Gear Sport’s screen is the exact same size as that on the Gear S2, so most of our options advertise compatibility with both. If you see something you like for the Gear S2, know that it will also work with your Gear Sport.

These are the best screen protectors for your Samsung Gear Sport!

• OMOTON Tempered Glass Screen Protector
• Supershieldz Tempered Glass Screen Protector
• WIMAHA Tempered Glass Screen Protector
• ArmorSuit MilitaryShield Screen Protector
• Orzero Tempered Glass Screen Protector
• Akwox Tempered Glass Screen Protector

More: Best Accessories for Samsung Gear S2 and Gear S2 Classic

OMOTON Tempered Glass Screen Protector

The nicest screen protectors are tempered glass, since it looks and feels the exact same as the display glass that’s already on your watch. OMOTON offers a glass screen protector that does just that. The screen protector is only .26mm thick, meaning it’ll add hardly any bulk onto your watch. In addition to protecting your watch’s display from cracks, the screen protector itself is scratch resistant, and almost completely transparent so you can show off your nice watch face.

The OMOTON Tempered Glass Screen Protector is available in a three-pack for $7.

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Supershieldz Tempered Glass Screen Protector

Another great tempered glass option comes from Supershieldz. Like the above option, this screen protector is scratch resistant, 99.99% transparent, and bubble free when you install it. Another trick up Supersheildz’ sleeve is an oleophobic layer to keep fingerprints from mucking up the display.

Supersheildz’s Tempered Glass Screen Protector is available in a three-pack for $7.

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WIMAHA Tempered Glass Screen Protector

WIMAHA has another grean tempered glass option, also with an oleophobic coating to keep fingerprints at bay. This screen protector is almost completely clear, letting you see your notifications and apps with ease. The kit includes a suction cup for the most precise installation you can get, and like others this screen protector is scratch resistant. One downside is the price: the WIMAHA kit includes less screen protectors for the same cost as others.

The WIMAHA Tempered Glass Screen Protector is available in a two-pack for $7.

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ArmorSuit MilitaryShield Screen Protector

While this isn’t a tempered glass screen protector, it has a trick up its sleeve: self-healing technology that is supposed to repair minor scratches and scrapes. It also has an oleophobic coating to keep fingerprints and oils away, and an anti-glare coating to help you see the watch face on bright sunny days. Despite being a film screen protector, this won’t peel away from the screen if you wear your watch in the shower or when swimming.

The ArmorSuit MilitaryShield Screen Protector is available in a two-pack for $8.

See at Amazon

Orzero Tempered Glass Screen Protector

Back onto the tempered glass train, Orzero has a great screen protector for the cost. The screen protector has a hydrophobic and oleophobic coating to keep oils and water away, and it’s scratch resistant. The edge of this screen protector is the same 2.5D design that many smartphone panels use, so it will be smoother and blend in with your watch that much better. It’s also 99.9% transparent like other options, meaning your watch’s display will shine through unobstructed.

Orzero’s Tempered Glass Screen Protector is available in a three-pack for $6.

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Akwox Tempered Glass Screen Protector

The best bang for your buck comes from Akwox, which offers a kit with four screen protectors for the same price as the other options. Don’t go thinking this is a junky option either: it has an oleophobic coating, it’s scratch resistant, 99% transparent and has a 2.5D edge to blend in perfectly with your watch. It’s just as hard as the other options as well, so sudden impacts shouldn’t crack the glass. It’s also bubble resistant, so you should have an easy time installing it and making it look great the first time.

Akwox’ Tempered Glass Screen Protector comes in a four-pack for $7.

See at Amazon

Which is your pick?

What screen protector do you use on your Gear Sport? Let us know down below!

Keep all of your gadgets powered up with this 10-port USB hub for $20

So many ports for all your gadgets.

As part of its Gold Box deals of the day, Amazon has the Sabrent 10-port USB charging hub on sale for $19.99. It normally sells for closer to $33, and hasn’t dropped in price since Black Friday. Its smart port technology maximizes the charging output on each port based on the device, and it has a max of 60W and 12A output through all the ports. You can use all 10 slots at the same time if you need, or mix and match the devices as you see fit.

Beyond powering your phone and tablet, it can also provide a charge for your e-reader, action camera, portable Bluetooth speakers or headphones, and more. This discount makes the 10-port option only $3 more than the smaller six-port version, so you won’t want to miss out. If you have more than one device that you like to charge at the same time, or are tired of fighting with your friends about who can charge their device at a certain time, you’ll want one of these today.

See at Amazon

How to use the Speed Key and BlackBerry KEY2 keyboard shortcuts

Keyboard shortcuts on the BlackBerry KEY2 are even more convenient with the new Speed Key.

BlackBerry hadn’t added a key to the keyboard in over a decade, but the KEY2 brings a new one called the Speed Key. It’s the nine-dot matrix labeled key in the lower right and what it does is a nice addition to the keyboard shortcuts we first saw (for Android, anyway) on the Priv. The Speed Key allows you to use any of the 52 keyboard shortcuts you’ve created from any screen.

This is a nice addition for two reasons. First, it’s always great to do something using fewer taps and the Speed Key means you never have to go back home before you can go where you really needed to go. The second is that sometimes moving back or away from an app will clear any text you’ve entered into any text boxes, which meant that using a keyboard shortcut to open an app like a password manager could be a pain if you had to go back home first.

Enough talk about why it’s good, here’s how to get going!

Set up your keyboard shortcuts

You might have noticed a prompt to set up keyboard shortcuts when you first logged into your KEY2. You probably ignored it and moved forward because during the first run is a pretty inconvenient time to be setting up keyboard shortcuts. That’s OK. You can get into the setup several different ways.

Tap the Speed Key three or more times. You’ll see a screen that lets you know what the Speed Key is for and a shortcut to go right to the settings page.
Long press any empty spot on your home screen.

• In the window that appears, choose settings.
• In the next window choose Keyboard Shortcuts.

Open the device Settings.

• Scroll down to Shortcuts and gestures.
• Choose Keyboard shortcuts.

Once you have the settings screen open, you’ll see a list of the letters A – Z and the first few will have app or actions icons beside them. Those shortcuts are already set up. You can edit or delete them by tapping their entry and choosing Edit or Delete. You’ll also notice Long Press and Short Press tabs at the top of the screen. You can create two different shortcuts for the same keyboard key this way. One shortcut is assigned to a normal tap on the key and the other triggers when you press and hold the key.

Here’s how to assign a shortcut:

• Choose whether you want to create a long press or Short Press shortcut by choosing the correct tab.
• Find the letter you want to use for the shortcut.
• If a shortcut is already assigned, tap the entry and choose Edit.
• Choose the green plus sign to assign a new shortcut.
• You can choose from a list of shortcut types:
  • Open app will let you open any app you have installed on your phone.
  • Speed Dial will let you choose a number from your contacts to call.
  • Send Message lets you send an email or SMS message to someone in your contacts.
  • All Shortcuts is a list of all the shortcuts your installed apps can perform. You’ll see things like “open a new tab” for the Chrome browser, find driving directions through Google Maps, as well as custom shortcuts for third-party apps you’ve installed.
  • Home Screen Shortcuts is a quick list of all the apps you have pinned to your home screen.

To test your new shortcuts, close the settings and from the home screen try pressing or long-pressing one of the keys you’ve assigned a shortcut to. The app or message or whatever you set should immediately fire up.

The Speed Key

There’s no setup involved here because the Speed Key works with the regular keyboard shortcuts you set up using the instructions above. To use the Speed Key is easy:

• From any screen press the Speed Key.
• Press the shortcut key for the app or action you’re wanting to open.

Your shortcut should fire and become the screen you’re seeing without moving backward through any app you’ve been using previously. It’s a small feature, but one that can be very handy and save some time.

If you’re using a BlackBerry Priv or KEYone and using keyboard shortcuts, tell us what you’re doing with them — especially the custom “All Shortcuts” settings. Android lets you do some really cool things and doing them with one tap on a key makes them even cooler.

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Pokémon Quest for Android: Everything you need to know

A new Pokémon adventure is coming to Android!

Pokémon Quest is a brand new mobile RPG that was first released for Nintendo Switch on May 29 and will be arriving on Android devices this week.

Set in a world where all your favorite Pokémon from Kanto region (think Pokémon Blue and Red) have turned to cubes on Tumblecube Island. You’re tasked with befriending these Pokémon and exploring the island to discover hidden secrets scattered multiple areas.

Preregister for Pokémon Quest

What’s there to do in this game?

This is not the “traditional” Pokémon RPG that you remember from your childhood. While you do start out by selecting your first Pokémon from a familiar roster of starters — Bulbasaur, Charmander, Squirtle, Pikachu, or Eevee. Each starter has a unique attack and HP stat, but unlike previous games, your Pokémon’s type won’t have a special effect based on the traditional type strengths and weaknesses.

Once you start out, you’ll begin exploring the different areas and each starter Pokémon has an early stage area that’s designed to be a bit easier for them to ease you into the game. From there, the core mechanics of this game revolve around befriending new Pokémon, adding and upgrading them to your team, then taking your team out on expeditions to find loot and battle wild Pokémon. Each area’s difficulty level is represented by a number which you’ll compare to your team’s power level to determine your chance of success.

#PokemonQuest allows Trainers of all ages to get in on the action! In this free-to-start game, you can face off against wild Pokémon and embark on many exciting expeditions. pic.twitter.com/CZ57iGKWMX

— Pokémon (@Pokemon) May 30, 2018

Once you’re out exploring, your Pokémon engage in battles automatically. It’s nothing like the battling found in the other Pokémon RPG’s you’ve played, as you have had limited control over your Pokémon. You are able to tap their special abilities to give your team the edge in even battles, but there’s a cooldown timer so you can’t just frantically tap your way to victory.

Another core element of the game is the ability to cook meals using different ingredients you’ll collect as you play. The meals you cook are unique and will attract different types of Pokémon, so an important aspect of the game will be experimenting at your cooking pot by trying out different recipes and seeing what Pokémon they attract. A good portion of your time playing Pokémon Quest will be spent cooking and upgrading your campsite with fun decorations.

It’s a free-to-play adventure

As you might expect, Pokémon Quest will be free-to-play on mobile with in-app purchases likely available to buy more PM tickets, the in-game currency which you can spend on upgrades that cut down on cook time for your recipes along with other upgrades available from the shop.

Will it run on my phone?

The system requirements for Pokémonn Quest are pretty basic, only requiring a phone running Android OS 4.4 or newer and 2GB of RAM meaning this game should work on practically any Android phone released in the past three years with no issues.

When will it be available on Android

The release date is set for June 27, 2018. We’ll be sure to update this guide with more detailed information once the game is officially released.

Pre-register for Pokémon Quest

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Google Maps’ major redesign is now rolling out to all users

There are also new features for finding the perfect taco place 🌮

Back at Google I/O this past May, Google announced a lot of big changes for Google Maps — including a refreshed user interface and a heap of shiny features. Today, all of that is rolling out to everyone around the globe.

You’ll know you’ve received the update as soon as you open the app. Upon opening Maps, you’ll be placed on a completely rethought Explore tab. There are quick buttons for finding restaurants, events, and more, and swiping up will showcase even more tools for finding exactly what you’re in the mood for.

The Foodie List is one of the first things you’ll see and it highlights top restaurants to check out. If you want to try visiting all of the ones that are there, Maps will keep track of the places you visit so you can check them off one-by-one.

As you scroll through the Explore tab, you’ll also see what’s currently trending, upcoming events, and can filter everything by today, tomorrow, etc.

If you tap on the new For You tab, you’ll see recommended restaurants to check out, get updated on newly opened businesses, be alerted of upcoming events, and more for your home, work, and a town/city you frequently visit.

Last but not least, restaurants/bars now show a rating out of 100 showing how likely Google thinks you’ll like a place based on your preferences and past reviews.

All of this should be live in Google Maps right now, but if it’s not showing up for you, tap that button below to make sure you’ve got the latest update.

Download: Google Maps (free)

Devil May Cry 5 for PlayStation 4: Everything you need to know

The demon invasion can’t withstand the wrath of Dante and Nero.

At E3 2018, Capcom announced the continuance of the Devil May Cry series. If its reveal trailer has you wanting to know more, look no further. Everything you need to know about Devil May Cry 5 is straight ahead.

What is Devil May Cry 5?

At E3 2018, Capcom announced the continuance of the Devil May Cry series. Devil May Cry 5 picks up where the fourth main game left off.

This series is known for high-octane, fast-paced action combat, with the player being graded after every mission for actual style points. It’s all about pulling off flashy combos and stringing together tons of kills, and the better you can do it, the better your grade is.

That’s not to mention an ongoing story that keeps fans at the edge of their seats. The series has seen several playable characters over the years, but none more common than Dante, a demon hunter who has made a business out of kicking butt and looking good doing it.

What’s the story so far?

We’re not exactly sure what’s going to happen in Devil May Cry 5 just yet. What we do know is that a supposed “Prince of Darkness” will serve as the game’s main antagonist, and that the events take place five years after the conclusion of Devil May Cry 4.

In that game, you played as Nero, a teenager imbued with demonic powers who was on a mission to stop Dante on orders from a demon-worshipping church. Despite the affiliation, Nero never fully believed in their practices. Dante picks up on this and eventually convinces Nero to turn on the church after learning that they have hurt far more people than they helped.

Here’s Capcom’s quick synopsis of what’s going down in the sequel:

The demonic invasion begins with the seeds of a “demon tree” taking root in Red Grave City. This hellish incursion attracts the attention of the young demon hunter, Nero, an ally of Dante who now finds himself without his demonic arm, the source of much of his power.

As Nero heads to Red Grave City in his motorhome named Devil May Cry with his partner Nico, he ruminates on how everything started. The loss of his demonic arm, the demonic invasion, and Dante’s unknown whereabouts. Things must be settled once and for all.

There’s not much to know about Nico so far, other than the fact that she’s a weapons expert, and she’s the one who provides Nero with all the cool weapons he uses. We also know that Nero’s demonic arm is called the Devil Breaker, and that there may be multiple arms he can draw power from throughout the game.

Who do you play as?

There have been several playable characters in the Devil May Cry series over the years, chief among them being Nero and Dante. We know that you’ll be able to play as both of those guys once more, with a third character – Vergil, who is Dante’s brother – being added into the mix.

When will we know more?

Capcom’s E3 reveal was light on details, but we’re said to be getting a much deeper look at Devil May Cry 5 during Gamescom 2018. That event will take place in August.

When can you play it?

There’s no hard release date for Devil May Cry 5 just yet, with Capcom only giving a vague “Spring 2019” expectation. It’ll launch on the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.

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