‘Catlateral Damage’ VR is out on Steam for HTC Vive
Smashing pots and vases as a rampaging virtual kitty sounds so much more fun if you can physically act it out, doesn’t it? Good thing you can do just that if you have an HTC Vive. Catlateral Damage, that game that puts you in the body of a mischievous cat, now has a virtual reality version for the headset. Motion controllers serve as your paws and tools of destruction as you walk around houses and museums causing havoc. The VR version is available as a free DLC on Steam — even better, the game itself is 50 percent off until May 31st. Of course, if you don’t have a Vive, you can always unleash your inner feline on the PS4.
Source: Steam
HTC 10 vs HTC One M9
HTC has always been known for their beautiful designs and build quality, but when it comes to the flagship race, their high-end offerings have been found lacking in key areas, particularly the camera, that makes it fall short against it competition. Unfortunately, HTC has had a rough go over the last few years, but the company is hoping for a reversal of fortunes with their 2016 flagship smartphone.
- HTC 10 review
- HTC One M9 review
HTC may have dropped the “One” moniker with their latest device, but this may actually be the one for you. How much of an improvement is the current HTC flagship when compared to its predecessor? We find out, as we take an in-depth look at the HTC 10 vs HTC One M9!
Buy the HTC 10 now!
Buy the HTC One M9 now!
Design
HTC has made a few tweaks to the design language with the 10, but these small changes go a long way in differentiating the current flagship from its predecessors. Both smartphones do feature a full metal unibody construction, and are made from the same high-grade aluminium materials. However, the HTC 10 doesn’t comes with the brushed metal finish that is seen with the One M9, giving the former a much cleaner and sleeker look. The HTC 10 also comes with chamfered edges all around the back, which has been a bit of a polarizing design element, but the silhouette look that it allows for is actually pretty great.
The biggest changes are seen up front though. The top and bottom sections of the One M9 come with the same metallic finish as the back, which really emphasizes the black border that is found around the display. With the 10, the top and bottom sections are now black, and helps the display blend into all the sides. The bezels on both phones are about the same thickness, but feels a lot less prominent with the HTC 10 because of this.
Another big change is the removal of the dual front-facing speakers with the HTC 10, and while a front-facing speaker is still found above the display, the one below has been removed, in favor of a fingerprint scanner, which is embedded into a capacitive home button. That being said, the HTC 10 does have a second speaker at the bottom and this comes with a subwoofer built in. Finally, the black bar with the HTC logo that is found with the One M9 is no longer there with the 10, which is definitely a big plus.
Both smartphones comes with the buttons on right side, with the power button placed below the volume rocker. However, while the power button with the One M9 did come with a textured pattern, this is far more prominent with the 10, making it far easier to find with your finger. The buttons of the One M9 also sit a little more flush with the body of the phone, but that isn’t the case with the 10, allowing for better tactile feedback.
The HTC 10 is slightly taller and wider than the One M9, which is understandable, given that the former features a display that is larger by 0.2-inches. The 10 is also slightly thinner, but heavier than the One M9, but the overall feel in the hand with both smartphones is about the same. The metal build does make both smartphones a touch slippery, and is more pronounced with the 10 because of its smooth finish on the back, and can take some getting used to. Both the HTC 10 and the One M9 are beautifully-designed smartphones, but the cleaner look up front and on the back give the 10 the advantage when it comes to design.
Display
The HTC 10 comes with a 5.2-inch Super LCD 5 display with a Quad HD resolution, resulting in a pixel density of 565 ppi, while the One M9 features a 5-inch Super LCD 3 screen, with a lower Full HD resolution, and resulting pixel density of 441 ppi. HTC finally made the jump the Quad HD with the 10, but 1080p is more than enough when it comes to the 5-inch screen of the One M9, and in fact, you won’t notice a significant difference in sharpness when comparing the two displays side by side.
What is notable however is the vast improvement in quality. The display of the One M9 features much cooler color temperatures, and almost has a greenish hue, which looks very unappealing. The display of the HTC 10 is far warmer, and does get much closer to true whites. Colors are very vibrant with the 10, with a saturation that almost matches what is found with the good AMOLED displays out there. The HTC 10 offers a viewing experience that is far more enjoyable when compared to the rather dull screen of the One M9, and it certainly isn’t difficult to pick a winner here.
Performance
As is always the case when comparing a current generation device with its predecessor, performance gets a significant boost, with the HTC 10 featuring the latest and greatest currently available. Under the hood is a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor, clocked at 2.15 GHz, and backed by the Adreno 530 GPU and 4 GB RAM, while the One M9 features an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor, clocked at 2 GHz, and backed by the Adreno 430 GPU and 3 GB of RAM.
Not surprisingly, the performance with the HTC 10 is far better than what is seen with the One M9. Installing and opening apps takes much longer with the latter, and games take longer to load as well. With the One M9 coming with an older version of the Snapdragon 810, the device also tends to get uncomfortably warm when under heavy use, which further cripples the performance. The HTC 10 scores much higher in benchmark tests, but while that sometimes doesn’t translate to real world performance, the difference is easily seen here when comparing the two.
Hardware
In hardware, HTC actually removes a few features in order to accommodate the different design language of the HTC 10, but does also add some useful ones in their place. For starters, the IR blaster that is found with the One M9 up top is longer available with the 10. The IR blaster lets you control your television, cable boxes, sound systems, and other electronics, but with this not being as widely used, its removal makes sense when it comes to the latest flagship.
A more important feature that has been removed is the dual-front facing speakers that are seen with the One M9. This was one of the features that made the One M9 stand out from the crowd, and allowed for one of the best smartphone audio experiences around. The sound quality is simply fantastic, with crisp and clear audio, and the front-facing speakers created a very balanced sound.
On the other hand, the HTC 10 comes with a single front-facing speaker above the display, that is coupled with a woofer found at the bottom of the phone, that helps with the lows and mids. You do get nice sounding audio here, but it doesn’t match up to the quality of the One M9. However, where the 10 does take the lead in terms of audio is when using headphones, with the 10 featuring a Hi-Fi audio DAC, a headphone AMP, and Dolby enhancements, to allow for a great listening experience.
Of course, the reason for the removal of the dual front-facing speakers with the HTC 10 is to make way for the fingerprint scanner up front, that is embedded into the capacitive home button. The scanner is one of the best around, and is impressively fast and accurate. With a capacitive home button comes capacitive back and recent apps keys as well, allowing for more display real estate, when compared to the One M9 and its on-screen navigation keys.
While this isn’t a hardware feature, it is worth making a note of how loud the vibration motor of the HTC 10 is. It is one of the loudest we’ve seen, and if the phone is placed on a table, you will likely hear the vibration over the actual sound of the notification alert. The vibration motor of the One M9 is also very strong, but not nearly as loud.
The HTC 10 comes with a larger 3,000 mAh battery, compared to the 2,840 mAh unit of the One M9, but with the display of the former getting a bump in resolution, the battery life available with both is quite similar. Both smartphones comfortably allow for a full day of use, with around 4 hours of screen on-time, which is pretty good. Both smartphones also come with fast charging capabilities, but the HTC 10 charges faster, courtesy of a USB Type C (USB 3.0) port and Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 support.
Camera
The HTC One M9 comes with a 20 MP rear camera, with a f/2.2 aperture and no optical image stabilization, while the 10 features a 12 MP primary camera, with a f/1.8 aperture and OIS. One of the most disappointing aspects of the One M9 was its camera performance, and while the MP count has been reduced, the camera sensor comes with larger pixel sizes, allowing for much better low-light photography.
When it comes to image quality, the HTC 10 is far superior to the One M9. Looking at outdoor shots, photos taken with the 10 feature more color and higher contrast, and even appear sharper and with more detail, despite the reduction in megapixels. The One M9 camera is far more prone to overexposing a shot, and there always seems to be a haze over the photo. The HTC 10 does overexpose in some areas though, but when compared to the One M9, the former does a much better job with handling brighter areas. HDR also works better with the 10, even if the image sometimes appears to be a bit unnatural.
There is also a significant improvement when it comes to taking photos in low-light conditions. The One M9 utilizes a slower shutter speed in these situations, and coupled with the lack of OIS, you often get blurry shots, even with the steadiest of hands. There is a lot of loss in detail, a lot more grain, and the color reproduction suffers as well. HDR usually helps when taking photos in low-light, but it has the opposite effect with the One M9. It takes a lot longer to stitch the photos together, so you will end up with a blurry image every time, and the image will be way too bright.
HTC One M9 camera samples
HTC 10 camera samples
Interestingly enough, the front-facing 4 MP “Ultrapixel” camera of the One M9 is a lot better than the 5 MP unit of the HTC 10. You get a lot more detail with the One M9, and it exposes the shot better. The advantage the selfie camera of the HTC 10 has is with regards to video, with the front-facing camera also coming with OIS, allowing for very steady videos, which is perfect for vlogging. With video, the rear camera of the 10 also does a much better job, thanks to the availability of OIS, and the videos shot with the One M9 also seem to be too dark.
Software
Both smartphones are running Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow with the HTC Sense UI on top. However, the difference between the two version of the Sense are significant, with the latest version available with the 10 far more streamlined. The aesthetics largely remain the same, but HTC now retains a lot of Google’s Material Design elements, such as in the notification drop down, the Settings menu, as well as in the Recent Apps screen.
HTC has streamlined the software experience even further by removing duplicate apps. So now, you get Google Photos, Google Calendar, and Google Messenger, instead of HTC Gallery, and the HTC versions of the other two apps. It used to be redundant and a little confusing for users before, and it’s great to see HTC make this change. There were also a lot of other pre-installed games and apps that cluttered the One M9, but have been removed with the HTC 10.
HTC 10 screenshots
In terms of features, things remain mostly the same. You get lock screen shortcuts, a robust Themes store that lets you completely change the look and feel of the interface, and BlinkFeed, which a news and social media aggregrator. Of all the left screen experiences out there, BlinkFeed remains one of the best, and is a nice way to have all the information you may need in one page. There is also a great HTC widget that houses all your most used apps, with the list changing depending on your location.
HTC One M9 screenshots
HTC Sense has been one of the better skins of Android since the One M7, and while the jump from the One M9 to the 10 isn’t a major overhaul, the key changes and improvements that have been made make a huge difference.
Specs comparison
| Display | 5.2-inch Super LCD5 display Quad HD resolution, 565 ppi |
5-inch Super LCD3 display Full HD resolution, 441 ppi |
| Processor | 2.15 GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 Adreno 530 GPU |
2 GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 Adreno 430 GPU |
| RAM | 4 GB | 3 GB |
| Storage | 32/64 GB expandable via microSD up to 200 GB |
32 GB expandable via microSD up to 200 GB |
| Camera | 12 MP rear camera, f/1.8 aperture, 1.55µm pixel size, OIS, laser autofocus 5 MP front-facing camera, f/1.8 aperture, OIS |
20 MP rear camera, f/2.2 aperture 4 MP “Ultrapixel” front-facing camera |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac Bluetooth 4.2 GPS + GLONASS NFC USB 3.1, Type-C 1.0 connector |
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac Bluetooth 4.1 GPS + GLONASS NFC IR Blaster microUSB 2.0 |
| Battery | 3,000 mAh non removable |
2,840 mAh |
| Software | Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow HTC Sense UI |
Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow HTC Sense UI |
| Dimensions | 145.9 x 71.9 x 9 mm 161 grams |
144.6 x 69.7 x 9.6 mm 157 grams |
Gallery
Final thoughts
So there you have it for this closer look at the HTC 10 vs One M9! When it comes to these two HTC flagships, the 10 features notable improvements over its predecessor. While the One M9 does offer the better audio experience when using external speakers, the HTC 10 has it beat it pretty much every other aspect.
- HTC 10 review
- HTC One M9 review
The display is more vibrant, with brighter colors, and of course, a higher resolution. The design is much sleeker, and the software experience has been streamlined even further. The fingerprint scanner is a nice addition and works remarkably well, and HTC finally got things right on the camera side of things. Unless dual-front facing speakers are an absolute must have, the HTC 10 is definitely the better the choice between the two, and even then, the new speaker arrangement on the HTC 10 provides excellent audio.
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Buy the HTC 10 now!
Buy the HTC One M9 now!
HTC is working on its own VR game for Vive
HTC is cooking up a game of its own for the Vive virtual reality headset. Little is known about the title, other than its name — Front Defense — and that it’ll be shown at the Computex conference in Taiwan next week. A quick translation of HTC’s announcement describes a military shooter with “fierce fighting on the battlefield” and “classic” weaponry spanning pistols, rifles and anti-tank rockets. HTC has little experience as a game developer, so the announcement comes as a surprise. Given the Vive’s competition — which will soon include PlayStation VR and Google Daydream — a new, exclusive title could help it to sway people still sitting on the fence.
Via: The Verge
Source: HTC
The best smartphones on the UK High Street
Picking the right smartphone can be tough. With Apple, Samsung, LG, HTC and plenty of other manufacturers releasing handsets at a steady clip, it can be difficult to keep up with each and every launch. We use our smartphones for work, play and everything in between, so it’s important to settle on the right blend of hardware, operating system and price tag that makes sense for you.
After all, you’re likely going to be spending anywhere from 18 months to two years of your life with your new handset, unless your budget allows you to upgrade on whim. Deciding between so many candidates can be a bit of a struggle, but we’re here to help with our guide to the best smartphones around.
Article prices are based on the RRP, but more up-to-date listings can be found in the buyers guide widget below.
Apple iPhone 6s
Score: 91/100
Apple’s follow-up to the iPhone 6 isn’t as much of an incremental update as some were expecting. The 6s is more powerful and carries a pressure-sensitive display, not to mention significant improvements in the camera department. As well as simply being another easy-to-use iOS device, new features include the “3D Touch” panel, which lets you “peek” inside apps, surfacing information and actions without opening the app fully. The upgraded 12-megapixel camera has a few tricks of its own, too, like the new 4K video mode and animated “Live Photos.” New Rose Gold option aside, though, the iPhone 6s is practically identical in looks to its predecessor. It’s not cheap either, so iPhone 6 owners might find it hard to justify an upgrade.
In a sentence: Apple’s iPhone 6s is a great phone and safe bet, especially for anyone moving from an older 5 or 5s.
Price: £539 and up
Samsung Galaxy S7
Score: 90/100
Samsung’s Galaxy S7 takes everything that made the S6 great and improves upon it. The outcome is a flagship with a gorgeous Quad HD display, outstanding performance and subtle design tweaks that make the marriage of metal and glass that bit more appealing. Those already leaning in Samsung’s direction will be thankful for the return of expandable storage, with cards of up to 200GB capacity finding a microSD slot to call home. An IP68 water- and dust-resistant rating only sweetens the proposition. Only minor progress has been made in the imaging department, but the S7 has a capable and versatile camera nonetheless. A steep price is one of the only downsides of the device, but you’re paying for premium.
In a sentence: Easily one of the best Android smartphones available.
Price: £569
Moto X Style
Score: 90/100
Motorola’s made a name for itself putting out great devices at reasonable prices, and the Moto X Style is a perfect example of that philosophy. A fondness for larger displays is a must. If that’s the case you’ll get a pleasing 5.7-inch Quad HD display to poke at, and Moto Maker means you can customise an already expedient design with whatever colour and texture combination you see fit. Purists in particular will enjoy the vanilla Android build with a light drizzle of Motorola chocolate sauce on top. The Moto X Style has a great camera, too, even if it isn’t quite as good as those on some rival devices. Similarly, the handset offers flagship performance, but it’s not the most powerful device around. There are compromises, but none that should tempt you to overlook the Moto X Style considering its relatively low price.
In a sentence: An expert lesson in striking the balance between user experience and price.
Price: £369 and up
Apple iPhone SE
Score: 89/100
Many people felt left behind by Apple’s turn to bigger-screened iPhones, and the SE is an attempt to regain their favour. The 4-inch form factor feels both familiar and fresh in its design — like an iPhone 5s with softer curves — and the SE benefits from the inclusion of the same internals found in the iPhone 6s, meaning it’s lightning fast. The two also share the same, excellent camera, though the iPhone SE lacks “3D Touch” functionality and possesses an older, slower Touch ID fingerprint sensor. Still, it offers fantastic battery life and happens to be the cheapest iPhone Apple’s ever sold. Oh, and lest we forget: Rose Gold.
In a sentence: A no-brainer for champions of the 4-inch form factor wanting to upgrade from an older iPhone.
Price: £359 and up
HTC 10
Score: 88/100
The HTC 10 marks the end of a few uneventful years at the company, defined by a series of unremarkable flagships. But what a return to form. The HTC 10’s sleek, all-metal design packages a 5.2-inch Quad HD display and internals that are almost unmatched in their performance. While its competent 12-UltraPixel camera isn’t the best on the market and battery life is distinctly average, HTC has cleaned up its Android skin and included a few attractive extras like hi-res audio support and AirPlay compatibility. HTC has again created a flagship handset that can hang with the best of ’em, but that means you’re looking at premium pricing to match.
In a sentence: On the podium as one of the top Android smartphones on the market.
Price: £570
Google Nexus 6P
Score: 87/100
The Nexus 6P is another device for those who prefer a larger-than-average screen. The 5.7-inch, Wide Quad HD display isn’t all the handset has to offer, though, with an abundance of processing power and impressive battery life. Being a Google device, the Nexus 6P also receives Android updates as soon as they become available, so you’ll always be on the latest version. Combine all these features with a solid camera, and you get a large-screen smartphone at a pretty competitive price. However, it’s worth bearing in mind the Nexus 6P lacks a microSD slot to expand storage, and its all-metal design is like the smartphone equivalent of Marmite.
In a sentence: A great option for people who like a larger screen that also benefits from the most up-to-date Android software.
Price: £449 and up.
Moto G
Score: 87/100
When Motorola launched the first Moto G a few years ago, it immediately stood out as offering unparalleled value for money. Now in its third generation, the Moto G is still one of the best all-round smartphones for anyone on a budget, or those that would rather not pay for bells and whistles they’ll get little use out of. While it doesn’t excel in any one area and ignores flagship-grade components to keep costs down, there are no particularly uninviting compromises either. The Moto G’s outward appearance can also be heavily personalised using Moto Maker, at which point avid mobile gamers and users of more demanding apps might want to pay a little extra for more RAM and internal storage.
In a sentence: A decent, affordable Android smartphone that makes minimal sacrifices to hit its low price point.
Price: £149 and up.
OnePlus 2
Score: 86/100
OnePlus is in the business of making serious smartphones and selling them for a fraction of the price of competitors. Case in point: the OnePlus 2. It has all the guts and performance of a market-leading flagship, with style and build quality being far from an afterthought. Those features alone make the price tag easy to justify, and that’s without mentioning the versatile 13-megapixel camera. OnePlus has held back in a couple of areas, understandably, such as opting for a 5.5-inch 1080p display instead of a Quad HD panel. Other compromises include a lack of expandable storage and NFC, which are likely to be either deal-breakers or features you can easily live without.
In a sentence: A inexpensive, near-flagship device that prioritises performance and price.
Price: £249
LG G5
Score: 81/100
LG has released some excellent flagship smartphones in the past, but this year the company has skipped an incremental upgrade in favour of something much more adventurous. Top-tier performance and fun, flexible dual-camera array aside, the bottom bezel of the device is completely removable, making space for a couple of modular accessories LG calls “Friends.” These include a hi-res audio attachment and a camera grip that also extends battery life, which is pretty average otherwise. At this point, however, you have look beyond the few accessories currently available and hope others will explore the potential of the modular design even further.
In a sentence: A powerful Android smartphone that dares to be different
Price: £449
Sony Xperia Z5
Score: 80/100
The Xperia Z5 is either another of Sony’s beautiful, polished products, or a slightly lazy attempt to tweak its tired “Omnibalance” design. Regardless of which side of the fence you find yourself on, you can’t dispute the build quality and high waterproof rating. The Xperia Z5 offers the kind of performance you’d expect from a genuine flagship, but pairs that with a 5.2-inch 1080p display. Gorgeous it might be, but it does fall short of competitors’ higher-resolution screens. What your money is primarily going towards is the 23-megapixel rear camera, which happens to be one of the best on the market. The Xperia Z5 isn’t cheap, but it won’t disappoint serious smartphone photographers.
In a sentence: Another lovingly built Sony smartphone with one of the best cameras around.
Price: £469
Wileyfox Swift
Score: 79/100
Fledgling British brand Wileyfox has made an extremely good first impression with the Swift. Like the Moto G, the Swift is all about crafting a low-cost smartphone that still provides an excellent user experience. With a relatively charming, all-plastic design, a bright 5-inch, 720p display and easily customisable Cyanogen software, there’s plenty to like. You also get a decent amount of processing power for an affordable device, though the 13-megapixel camera leaves quite a lot to be desired. However, aside from its underwhelming camera, the Swift deserves serious consideration if you’re after a good smartphone that doesn’t weigh heavily on your wallet.
In a sentence: An affordable Android smartphone that represents excellent value for money.
Price: £129
HTC has stopped producing the Nexus 9
As has often been the case with larger Android tablets, the Nexus 9 never quite lived up to its potential. And, it’s relatively long in the tooth, first launching back in October of 2014. Google stopped selling the device about a month ago, and now HTC has confirmed that its days are numbered. While you can still buy most models of the tablet on HTC’s site, the company says that it is no longer manufacturing the tablet. Once the stock on HTC’s site and across various other random retailers runs out, that’ll be the end of the line.
That leaves the Pixel C as the only Android tablet Google itself is selling directly. Despite some flaws, that’s probably still your best bet for a large-screen Android experience right now — and Android N should fix many of the issues we had with the tablet. And, of course, Samsung still sells a dizzying array of Android tablets, from large to, well, larger.
Given the Nexus 9’s lifespan, it’s not at all surprising that HTC has stopped manufacturing the device. HTC did confirm that it’ll continue selling and supporting the device for the near future, but if you for some reason had your eye on it and never pulled the trigger, don’t wait too long.
Via: CNET
E3 will hold a public gaming event this year
For years, E3 has largely been limited to game industry tradespeople and the press. That’s somewhat necessary (it’s difficult to wade through the show as it is), but it also locks out thousands of players dying to get a peek at the future of their favorite hobby. Thankfully, that’s about to change: the Entertainment Software Association has announced E3 Live, a free public event that gives you a taste of what you’re missing. The ticketed gathering, which runs alongside E3 itself (June 14th through 16th), promises the opportunity to “test-drive” new games, meet developers in person and try new experiences before anyone else.
Don’t expect it to be a perfect reflection of what you see behind closed doors. The initial participants include a few E3 mainstays, such as Ubisoft and Warner Bros., but there’s more of an emphasis on hardware here: HTC and Oculus will be showing off their virtual reality headsets, while Alienware will be pushing its gaming-friendly PCs. The remaining lineup includes the likes of Frito-Lay, Loot Crate, Monster and Twitch. If you were hoping to experience the grandeur of the Microsoft or Sony booths, you’ll have to keep waiting.
All the same, it’s a big step… and possibly a necessary one. Penny Arcade’s PAX gatherings draw attention partly because they represent a rare chance to show new and upcoming titles to everyday gamers — E3 Live gives the ESA a chance to join in the fun and possibly upstage its rival. It’s doubtful that this will steal all of PAX’s thunder (those events are nowhere near LA), but it’s definitely good news for anyone who lives and breathes gaming.
Source: E3 Live, ESA (PR Newswire)
Oculus’ DRM could have unintentionally helped VR piracy
Oculus’ recent software update that locked exclusive games to its hardware has already been circumvented. On Friday, Oculus implemented changes that — among other things — added “platform integrity checks.” These checks disabled use of a popular tool called Revive that let Rift-only titles play on HTC’s Vive. Over the weekend, the team behind Revive has released a new version that not only avoids Oculus’ hardware check, it bypasses the part that confirms ownership of the software altogether — raising concerns it could be used for piracy.
Revive originally let owners of an HTC Vive enjoy Oculus-only titles by mimicking elements of the Rift’s internal functionality in a Vive-friendly format, but the game-ownership checks remained. One of Revive’s developers told Motherboard that the updated Revive cuts out the ownership checks completely. It’s not their intention to circumvent the DRM completely. The developers claim they just want a tools that lets them use software they own on hardware they own. If the Revive team finds a way to offer their intended functionality without bypassing DRM, they will implement it.
Unlike consoles such as the PS4 and Xbox One, VR systems have to function in more or less the same way. This makes the idea of an exclusive title contentious to some VR fans — who needs to buy two headsets that basically do the same thing. Especially as Oculus founder Palmer Luckey has gone on record as saying as long as people buy the game, he doesn’t care what hardware they run it on.
Oculus said the update last week wasn’t about squashing Revive in particular, so with the new version out we’ll see how true that was. Console manufacturers have always had to play cat and mouse with pirates, releasing updates to patch exploited vulnerabilities. Could this be the beginning of a similar situation for VR?
Via: Motherboard
Source: Github (Revive)
Oculus update stops you from using VR apps with HTC’s Vive
HTC Vive and Oculus Rift owners generally have a lot in common, including access to many of the same apps and games. However, it looks like a gulf is opening up between the two virtual reality headsets. Oculus has released an app update whose improved “platform integrity checks” break support for Revive, an unofficial tool that lets Rift-specific apps (those in Oculus Home) run on HTC’s gear. If you ask Revive’s creators, they believe that Oculus is checking that its hardware is connected regardless of the app you’re using — previously, you only had to convince individual apps that there’s a Rift attached.
It’s possible to get around this barrier if you have an Oculus Rift (DK2 or the finished version) hooked up when you start an app, but this isn’t exactly practical for VR fans who only have money to spend on one device.
An Oculus spokesman speaking to Ars Technica maintains that the update wasn’t specifically targeted at Revive, and that the goal was solely to fight piracy of titles that developers “worked so hard to make.” There’s some truth to that (it’s easier to crack programs when there are no hardware checks), but there’s no question that this creates a chilling effect for Vive owners who just want to see what they’re missing. It’s also somewhat contradictory for Oculus. Founder Palmer Luckey said he didn’t want to lock people into his headsets, but that appears to be happening all the same — you may have to get used to copy protection dictating the VR experiences you’re allowed to have.
Via: Ars Technica
Source: Reddit, Oculus
Google will sell its own Daydream VR headset
When Google developed its popular line of Nexus phones and tablets, it didn’t just give the reference designs to third parties and hope for the best: It built and sold its own hardware to showcase just what those designs could achieve. The company announced on Thursday that it will take the same tack with its newly unveiled Daydream VR hardware. That’s right, Google is going to build its own line of Daydream headsets and controllers to show third-party developers how it’s done.
Since the Daydream is an evolution of the Cardboard headset — albeit a heck of a lot easier to wear — it’s not going to have any onboard processing power, instead relying on the user’s phone. To that end, Google’s already in the process of certifying handsets from LG, Samsung, HTC, Xiaomi, Alcatel and others. And you can bet the Nexus line will be among them.
For all the latest news and updates from Google I/O 2016, follow along here.
Source: Google (Twitter)
Creative pushes for US bans on several smartphone makers
Creative has a long history of wielding its patents against other tech companies (just ask Apple), but its latest effort might top them all. The US International Trade Commission is investigating Creative’s complaints that seven smartphone makers (BlackBerry, HTC, LG, Lenovo/Motorola, Samsung, Sony and ZTE) violate its patents. Allegedly, all of the companies are imitating Creative’s hierarchical menu system for media playback, much as the iPod supposedly duped Zen players a decade ago. If successful, the ITC dispute would ban the sale of at least some of these companies’ devices… and given the sheer scope of the complaint, you’d probably notice the absences on store shelves.
None of the companies involved have commented on how they’ll respond to the move. Also, it’ll be a while before there’s a conclusion — as with any other ITC case, the Commission will have to review any initial decision. However, Creative’s strategy is already fairly clear. It’s gambling that at least some of its targets will settle rather than risk seeing some of their most important products banned in the US. It’s not as though there’s a simple fix, either — the media interface that Creative describes is both very generic and near-ubiquitous, so avoiding it would require a major software redesign.
Via: Reuters
Source: US ITC
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