The sun finally sets on China’s lunar rover

China’s Jade Rover has led a pretty interesting life even by the standards of most devices sent to examine another celestial body. It began its tour of duty on the moon back in 2013, died and was resurrected in 2014 before making a huge discovery in 2015. But now, alas, Xinhua News is reporting that China’s State Administration for Science, Technology and Industry has confirmed the droid’s second and permanent demise.

It’s a sad day for the ‘bot’s social media following, but China can be rightly proud of Jade Rover’s record-breaking longevity. Not only has it had the longest operational period of any craft sent to the moon, it also determined that the moon was made of different types of rock. In addition, Jade Rover was only expected to survive for around three months, but in fact survived from December 14th, 2013, through to August 2016. Not bad for a little rabbit.

Via: Motherboard

Source: Xinhua News

Yuneec’s SkyView drone goggles double as a private home theater

The world of “first person view” (FPV) flying — where pilots don video specs to see what the drone sees — isn’t new, but consumer-friendly headsets like Yuneec’s SkyView goggles might make it more accessible. Stick SkyView on your noggin’ (pulled-up socks optional), connect a compatible controller — like Yuneec’s own Typhoon H — and you’ll be flying from the best seat in the house. Inside the $250 SkyView is a 5-inch, 16:9, 720p display, and it connects to any HDMI video source, not just drones.

Most FPV goggles (like the popular Fat Shark series) use antennas to receive video wirelessly from RC planes or quadcopters, so these won’t appeal to hardcore racers. But, for more casual pilots it’s an easy, relatively inexpensive way to get into FPV — and the HDMI input means these can double as a personal (if a little goofy) home theater, similar to Avegant’s Glyph which cost $700, and is also 720p.

You’ll have noticed the SkyView looks more than a little like a virtual reality headset, but think of it more as a personal theater. There’s no head tracking or sensors, it just takes an HDMI signal and pipes it into your eyes. You can of course plug your Xbox or PS4 in for some intense private gaming — the field of view is a decent 75 degrees — but don’t expect to be able to “look around.” You could also plug your iPhone in (with an adapter) and view anything you can do on your phone. Don’t worry, there’s a headphone jack on the headset, too, if you don’t want people to hear whatever it is you’re viewing in privacy.

Source: Yuneec

ICYMI: One Pen to rule all and video you can manipulate

Today on In Case You Missed It: Researchers from MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab formulated a way to interact with existing videos, so they can prod and move objects within the frame. The Cronzy Pen samples colors from anything, anywhere, and mixes its own ink the match any shade. It’s on IndieGoGo now so good luck scoring your crowdfunded thing.

If you want to check out video of Jupiter’s moon Io, the Washington Post explained it all well; and the charming paper craft animations from yelldesign are here. As always, please share any interesting tech or science videos you find by using the #ICYMI hashtag on Twitter for @mskerryd.

YouTube Red Brings Ad-Free Videos to Company’s Kid-Friendly App

In a post on the company’s official blog, YouTube yesterday announced that its paid subscription service — dubbed YouTube Red — will now encompass YouTube Kids, enabling “a whole new set of features for the family to enjoy” whenever parents sign up for Red. Available in the United States, Australia, and New Zealand, the move comes about 15 months after YouTube Kids came under fire by some prominent child advocacy groups, who claimed the app was deceptively targeting its underage viewers with ads.

Stemming from restrictions placed on kids entertainment from the 1970’s, the worry centered around a child’s undeveloped ability to repel targeted advertisements, since most don’t understand that they’re being targeted in the first place. The groups asked Google to look much deeper into YouTube Kids because of such concerns, even going so far as to ask the company to remove all of its popular “unboxing videos” from the kid version of YouTube because, “They’re an ad, in essence, for toys.”

YouTube is now hoping that bundling Kids into its $9.99 per month Red service will address some of these concerns. The biggest bullet point is that paying for Red brings ad-free videos to everywhere on YouTube, which will now include Kids for families under the Red umbrella, the company saying that this is a way to “let your kids learn and laugh along with their favorite characters without paid ads.” Google also dropped a few other pros of its new Kids-friendly bundle, which essentially echo the benefits of YouTube Red’s main service.

Parents who sign up for YouTube Red enable a whole new set of features for the family to enjoy, including:

Ad-free videos: Let your kids learn and laugh along with their favorite characters without paid ads.
Offline videos: In the car or on grandma’s couch—automatically have videos when you need ‘em, even if you don’t have a connection.
Uninterrupted music: Keep family sing-alongs going while you use other apps on your phone.

There might still be cause for concern for parents out there, however, since the only direct removal of advertising comes in the miniature ads sometimes placed before videos. In the original list of concerns and complaints from 2015, the FTC was asked to investigate specific aspects of YouTube’s basic structure in its new Kids app, especially “branded channels,” like one for McDonald’s, which could potentially “take advantage of children because they do not understand that the entire channel is actually advertising.”

YouTube has made no such move to moderate content like this in its app for children, and originally stated last year that it “consulted with numerous partners and child advocacy and privacy groups” when building YouTube Kids. In today’s blog post, the company said that more updates to the Kids app are incoming, and hinted at more regulatory control for parents in the future: “we’ll be making some changes to the app that’ll give parents more choice on how to customize the content that appears or doesn’t appear in their YouTube Kids experience.”

YouTube Kids is available for free on the iOS App Store. [Direct Link]

Tags: YouTube, YouTube Kids, YouTube Red
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Square Enix Releases ‘Mobius Final Fantasy’ for Free on iOS App Store

Developer Square Enix recently launched a new game called Mobius Final Fantasy, which the company said is “custom-tailored for mobile platforms,” and is now available on iPhone, iPad, and Android devices. Some of the team behind the game includes producer Yoshinori Kitase and writer Kazushige Nojima, who penned both Final Fantasy VII and Final Fantasy X.

Mobius Final Fantasy lets players play the entire game with just one hand
Like with most games in the series, Mobius Final Fantasy is an RPG with in-depth character customization options and a turn-based battle system “specifically designed for mobile devices.” The company said that the game’s character personalization options come from the “job system,” a mechanic seen in previous Final Fantasy entries, which lets players specialize in a specific area of expertise to combo different classes with “specialized elemental abilities” and gain an advantage over enemies in battle.

According to Square Enix, the game will see upcoming releases debuted in “chapters,” which will bring new in-game events, playable content, and avatar items, although it was left unclear if these will be locked behind a paywall. In its App Store page, the main source of in-app purchases centers around “Magicite,” which is the game’s version of in-world currency that lets users pay real money to get slightly ahead if their in-game monetary intake is drying up.

Unlike most titles from Square Enix on the App Store, like the recently released $8.99 Apple Watch game Cosmos Rings, Mobius Final Fantasy is a free-to-play entry in the series, so players interested can download the game and try it out without having to pay. In addition, anyone who starts up the game before August 31 will have a chance to gain special items related to past titles in the series, including Tidus’s signature weapon from Final Fantasy X, and other various ability boosters and consumable tokens.

You can download Mobius Final Fantasy from the iOS App Store for free. [Direct Link]

Tags: Square Enix, Final Fantasy
Discuss this article in our forums

Xiaomi’s VR headset is now official in China

Xiaomi has unveiled its first VR headset in China. The device features a zipper design that ensures the phone inside the housing does not fall out, and is made out of a combination of EVA and Lycra. Xiaomi says that the materials were chosen to prevent discomfort when using the headset for an extended duration of time.

The VR headset measures 201 x 107 x 91mm and comes in at 208.7g. It can accommodate phones with screen sizes of 4.7 inches to 5.7 inches, and will be available in a variety of colors and customizable designs. There’s also a standalone app that lets users view 360-degree content and play VR games designed for the headset.

Xiaomi is currently taking registrations for beta testers, and while there’s no information on retail pricing, it is estimated to be under $10.

Check out the product at Xiaomi’s website.

Google’s latest game lets kids explore the Himalayas

Google has leveraged Maps’ 3D imagery to build a kids game that lets them explore the Himalayas as a 500-foot Yeti called Verne. The game — built using the Unity game engine — is meant to be educational, teaching kids about the tallest mountain range in the world as they hike and fly around.

Verne can scale “Mt. Everest in seconds, skate across icy lakes, chase yaks, discover bits of information, ride a jetpack, play traditional Himalayan instruments, and more.”

Interested? You can grab Verne: The Himalayas for free from the Play Store.

Best cases you can buy today for Moto Z Droid

What’s the best case for the Moto Z?

The ultra-thin Moto Z Droid and its mods aren’t even out yet, but there are already some cases available, which is a good thing, because, like we said, it’s really thin. Really thin means it really needs a case – like, it really does. Here are our picks for right now.

• Moto Style Shells
• SoGa Wallet case
• OEAGO Defender case
• Tudia TPU Bumper Shock Absorption case
• Cimo Grip

Moto Style Shells

Moto Style Shells are basically just interchangeable magnetic backs for the Moto Z Droid — all you have to do is pop out the current back on your device and stick a new one on. The magnets will hold it in place until the next time you want to swap it out. Pretty cool, right?

As of this writing, the shells come in three textures: fabric, faux wood, and leather, with six varieties to choose from, including crimson ballistic fabric, washed oak, black leather, and more. Right now, they appear to be out of stock, but keep checking back for updates.

The main thing to be aware of with these shells is that they don’t cover the edges of the phone, so they don’t provide much, if any protection. They just look really nice and may help dissipate some of the heat coming off the back of the device.

At minimum, you’re going to want one of the Style Shells — the Moto Z Droid is way too thin completely naked; however, we recommend adding something like either the Cimo or Tudia case in the clear variety for extra protection around the edges and some additional grip.

See at Motorola

SoGa Wallet case

The SoGa Wallet case for the Moto Z Droid lets you ditch your wallet and gives you some protection for your phone at the same time.

Made of faux leather, it comes in several styles, from colorful patterns and designs to plain brown or black leather. Its magnetic closure is easy to open and close and keeps your phone, along with your money and credit cards, securely tucked away.

If you’re tired of digging through your purse to find your phone or you don’t have room in there for a wallet and a phone, then the SoGa Wallet case is for you.

See at Amazon

OEAGO Defender case

The Moto Z Droid is very thin — just 5.19mm — that means that drops can be especially deadly. So, if you’re prone to dropping your phone, you need a more protective case than just one of the Style Shells, or even one of the thinner clear varieties.

Right now, we’re recommending that you go with the OEAGO Defender because it’s thicker and gives you a better grip on your device. Made with a polycarbonate outer layer and a soft silicone inner layer, it buffers your phone from impacts and shocks — we don’t recommend dropping your Moto Z Droid at all — but if you do, you might still have a working phone afterward.

For the accident-prone, the OEAGO Defender case is the one to get for the thin and fragile Moto Z Droid.

See at Amazon

Tudia TPU Bumper Shock Absorption case

The Tudia TPU Bumper Shock Absorption case is good for adding extra grip and some light protection to the Moto Z Droid.

It’s not going to give you much protection from drops, but its flexible TPU composition will give you something to hold on to. The Moto Z Droid is an exceptionally thin phone, and a case that wraps around its edges, like the Tudia, is a must-have for at least the most minimal protection.

Additionally, its raised bezel around the screen and the camera protect these vulnerable areas from scratches; this is especially important since the camera sticks out from the back of the phone a bit.

It comes in clear, as well as several other colors, so whether you just want some extra protection that you can wrap around one of the Moto Style Shells or you want a different look, you have options.

If you want minimal protection and/or you want a clear case that shows off your Moto Z Droid Style Shell, try the Tudia TPU Bumper Shock Absorption case.

See at Amazon

Cimo Grip

The Cimo Grip case for the Moto Z Droid offers some protection, while remaining minimal and unobtrusive.

It’s composed of a TPU shell that snaps onto the Moto Z Droid and wraps around its edges. It has a raised bezel all around the screen and also around the camera lens in the back.

The dot pattern on the inside helps to minimize fingerprints and watermarks to keep your phone looking sharp. It comes in a few colors, as well as clear, so you can show off a Moto Style Shell if you have one.

If you want a case that will protect your Moto Z Droid from the everyday perils of life and gives you the option to display those awesome Moto Style Shells, then the Cimo Grip is the case you want.

See at Amazon

What about you?

Are you excited for the Moto Z Droid’s release? Will you be getting a case or just rocking it with a Moto Style Shell? Let us know in the comments below!

Need more information? Check out our Moto Z Droid review.

Moto Z and Moto Z Force

• Our Moto Z review!
• Moto Z specs
• Moto Mods custom backs
• Moto Z and Moto Z Force will be Verizon exclusives until the fall of 2016
• The latest Moto Z news
• Discuss in our Moto Z forums

Motorola
Verizon

Watch the Olympics like never before, BBC Sport 360 VR app puts you in the heart of the action

The BBC will be broadcasting much of the Olympics in an all-new format. As well as conventional TV broadcasts it will be screening  many sports in 360-degree video, for users of virtual reality headsets.

A BBC Sport 360 service will start with the opening ceremony for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games from midnight Friday 5 August. It will then feature live 360-degree presentations of beach volleyball, boxing, gymnastics, athletics and other sports, all the way through to the closing ceremony on Monday 22 August.

It has released a dedicated BBC Sport 360 app for Android and iOS, which is also available through the Samsung Gear VR store. In addition, the footage will be available through its BBC Taster website online.

“This is a hugely exciting next step in our 360 and virtual reality experiments,” said Will Saunders, editorial lead for BBC Taster.

“There’s huge potential for immersive video in sport coverage, as well as many other genres, and we want to explore that potential directly with audiences. That’s why we experiment out in the open, so people can tell us what works, what doesn’t and whether there’s an appetite for more. We can’t wait to hear what people think.”

• Best VR headsets to buy in 2016, whatever your budget
• 5 reasons why the new Samsung Gear VR (2016) is the best mobile headset by far

The app will work with Samsung Gear VR and other mobile headsets compatible with Android and iPhone.

This is the full schedule of live 360-degree content to expect throughout the games and the UK screening times:

• Friday 5 August: 00:00-03:30 – Opening Ceremony
• Saturday 6 August: 14:00-17:50, 19:30-20:20, 01:00-04:50 – Beach Volleyball
• Sunday 7 August: 14:00-17:50, 19:30-20:20, 01:00-04:50 – Beach Volleyball
• Monday 8 August: 15:00-18:00, 21:00-00:00 – Boxing
• Tuesday 9 August: 15:00-18:00, 21:00-00:00 – Boxing
• Wednesday 10 August 10: 20:00-22:45 – Artistic Gymnastics
• Thursday 11 August: 20:00-22:10 – Artistic Gymnastics
• Friday 12 August: 13:00-19:30, 21:00-23:50 – Fencing
• Saturday 13 August: 13:30-16:50 & 00:00-03:15 – Athletics
• Sunday 14 August: 00:20-02:30 – Athletics
• Monday 15 August: 13:30-16:10 & 00:15-02:50 – Athletics
• Tuesday 16 August: 13:30-16:40 & 00:15-02:50 – Athletics
• Wednesday 17 August: 02:00-05:05 – Beach Volleyball
• Thursday 18 August: 02:00-05:05 – Beach Volleyball
• Friday 19 August: 19:30-21:30 – Basketball (Men’s SFs)
• Saturday 20 August: 15:00-16:50 & 19:30-22:00 – Diving
• Sunday 21 August: 15:30-17:30 & 19:45-22:05 – Basketball (Men’s Finals)
• Monday 22 August: 00:00-03:30 – Closing Ceremony