Sprint pushing out Android 5.0 Lollipop to Galaxy Note 4 today
Those of you that own a Samsung Galaxy Note 4 with Sprint are in for a treat. The carrier has started rolling out Android 5.0 Lollipop to the device this morning. The update brings the software version number up to N910PVPU1BOB7. It brings all the Lollipop software goodies we have all been drooling over for some […]
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Apple will reportedly debut its music streaming service at WWDC
If you’re hoping that Apple will launch its retooled music streaming service alongside a smartwatch next week, you’ll have to wait a bit longer. 9to5Mac reports that Monday’s “Spring Forward” event won’t include details on the next phase of iTunes/Beats Music. Instead, the audio subscription option will launch at WWDC in June as part of an iOS update that annually rolls out soon after. Reportedly priced around $8 per month, the music service is said include features like curated playlists and content tailored to users’ personal tastes — both of which are key pieces of Beats Music. As you might expect, an app for the new service will make its way to Apple TV, and the same report claims a redesigned (read: slimmer) case and more capable remote control are on the way for Cupertino’s set-top box. However, with the rumored 13-inch iPad and Retina MacBook Air that we may see this year, it’ll be interesting to see how Apple plans to reveal a highly-anticipated update to its living room tech.
Filed under: Internet, Software, Mobile, Apple
Source: 9to5Mac
The Office 2016 for Mac preview is now available
While Microsoft is hard at work on the final version of Office 2016 for Mac that’ll arrive later this year, it’s offering folks who are too eager to wait an early look. The preview version of Redmond’s productivity suite is now available for download, serving up Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote and Outlook to machines running Apple’s desktop OS. There’s sure to be a truckload of updates in the months to come, but if you’re still using Office for Mac 2011, the changes that are already in place will certainly give you something to look forward to.
Filed under: Software, Microsoft
Source: Microsoft
Verizon HTC One M8 Android 5.0 Lollipop rolling out
In a perfect world when a manufacturer had a software update ready for a specific device, it would just become available. Unfortunately we don’t live in a perfect world. Simply put, that means highly anticipated updates can sometimes be staggered between carriers by weeks and even months. For those of you on Verizon with a […]
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Watch ‘Tomorrow’s World’ show off CGI, 1982 style
These days, CGI is everywhere, but in 1982 it was an emergent technology that signalled a new era for movie makers and broadcasters. Always on the cutting edge of technology at the time, popular BBC show Tomorrow’s World (we miss you, Phillipa!) documented some of the very first machines capable of delivering real-time effects. Back then, turning a 2D image into a three-dimensional cube wasn’t easy, it required a 900lb machine made by Hewlett Packard that relied on effects coded in Pascal. Certainly a far cry from the full-length movies we see being created on Macs today. It’s a nostalgic look back at what older generations would once have considered bleeding edge technology, but also to see how far we’ve come in a few decades.
Via: Geek
Sonos makes it easier to switch between rooms, retools tablet app
Sonos app updates arrived regularly over the past few months, and with the most recent version, the company makes a welcome improvement. Room control now resides at the top of the interface throughout the app, providing easy access to the speakers you have scattered throughout your house. Before now, switching between or grouping setups could only be accessed from the Now Playing screen. This feature was in beta for a bit, but version 5.3 is ready for everyone. The update also delivers a redesigned tablet UI and the ability to quickly swipe back and forth between what’s playing and browsing your library — rather than having to tap back a few times. Swiping down on the Now Playing window goes straight back to browsing, and then doing so from left right will access the menu with the full list of connected music sources. On the surface, these may seem like minor tweaks, but if you’ve spent any time with the Sonos controller app on iOS or Android, these are certainly welcome improvements.
Filed under: Portable Audio/Video, Software
Source: Sonos
Super-efficient ‘Vulkan’ leaves your games more graphics power
Psst: the games you play might not look as good (or run as smoothly) as they could. In many cases, the overhead from graphics standards gets in the way — Apple went so far as to develop its own technology just to make sure that iPhones and iPads could live up to their potential. That bottleneck may not exist for much longer, however. The alliance behind the OpenGL video standard has given a sneak peek at Vulkan, an open standard that lets app writers take direct control of graphics chips and wring out extra performance on many devices, whether it’s your phone or a hot rod gaming PC. The software isn’t a magic bullet (developers still have to make good use of it), but it could easily lead to richer visuals and smoother frame rates without demanding beefier hardware.
Vulkan is still in a preview stage, but it already has some pretty noteworthy support. Valve sees the tech as crucial to Steam Machines, which have to produce gaming-worthy 3D graphics with modest processing power. AMD, ARM, Imagination and NVIDIA also see Vulkan doing wonders with their platforms, although Microsoft’s efforts are going towards DirectX 12. In short, you’ll probably see better graphics on many platforms — not just in a few gaming-friendly gadgets.
Don’t miss out on all the latest from GDC 2015! Follow along at our events page right here.
Filed under: Gaming, Software, Mobile
Source: Khronos Group
Sony’s PlayStation 4 VR headset launching in the ‘first half of 2016’
Sony’s PlayStation 4-powered virtual reality headset, Project Morpheus, has new specs and a slightly different look (seen above). Okay, it doesn’t look that different. What’s new? For one, the screen resolution is improved: it’s now 1920 x RGB x 1080. The refresh rate is doubled from last year at 120 Hz, and the new 5.7-inch screen also has a higher field of view (nearly 100-degrees). Oh right! It’s got a new, bigger screen at 5.7-inches! But you already guessed that. Further upping the specs is lower latency, now under 18 milliseconds.
Most importantly, the unit will launch at retail in “the first half of 2016.” That’s…kinda soon? Almost?
Price? No, no price yet. A new name? Nope, this thing is still called Project Morpheus. Sony’s announcements today were all about a new model of Morpheus. Let’s dig in on the news then. How about a review of those specs for starters?
First things first, there’s a new screen and it’s 5.7-inches. It’s an OLED, and the specs specifically are 1920 x RGB x 1080. Wait, what? The long and short is that the screen has a higher resolution than last year’s model. It will help reduce the “screen door” effect that many VR headsets suffer from, in so many words.
The screen is afforded “super low latency” (sub-18 ms) by way of improvements Sony’s made to the software across the past year, and the field of view has been expanded to “nearly” 100-degrees. And the design has changed a bit as well: it’s now got nine LED sensors on the outside, making it way more glowey blue than before, but also offering more points of articulation to be measured by the corresponding PlayStation 4 camera.
Sony also showed off a handful of new demos, which we’re going to go and try right now. Stay tuned!
Don’t miss out on all the latest from GDC 2015! Follow along at our events page right here.
Will you buy Sony’s Morpheus PlayStation 4 VR headset when it goes on sale next year?
Celebrate Google Plays 3rd Birthday in typical sale tradition
Looking to fill up on apps games, TV shows, movies and plenty more goodies? Now is your lucky time as Google Play is turning 3 years old today and what is a Google birthday without some sales to celebrate? Among the list we see Runtastic Running PRO, Runtastic Sit-Ups PRO Trainer and Facetune for just […]
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Sony finally brings Theme Creator Beta to life allowing you to tailer 300+ assets to build your own themes
Sony has been working on a Theme Creator for quite some time. When word of it first came about I was pretty excited. Unfortunately the ability to build those Xperia themes was limited to specific theme partners. It wasn’t all bad, there we a number of first run themes that were pretty cool. However, none of […]
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