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Meta, The World’s First Entry-Level VR Glasses, Hires The Father Of Wearable Computing As An Advisor
Author: Natalie Wood
The Meta 1 is a pair of virtual reality goggles that performs some very unique and useful tricks. While they are still in beta stage, the glasses are coupled with a Kinect-like camera to sense objects in real space and allow users to interact with virtual worlds with the swipe of their hand.
The company founder, Meron Gribetz, says that the company is on track to create a mass produced solution shortly, but until then they have brought on Steve Mann, a real cyborg and wearable computing researcher, to act as an advisor. You’ll recall that Mann was assaulted in a Parisian McDonald’s for wearing a Google-Glass-like headset.
“We brought Mann on board because of his expertise in two key areas: miniaturization and mediated reality. Mann has been developing a Google Glass-like device for years but recognized now was not the right time for something of that scale, because of the limitations of such a device. Rather than a phone accessory, Mann is keen to work with us to develop a fully fledged new interface for computers,” said Gribetz.
“His scientific leadership in mediated reality will be a huge advantage for us when delivering an immersive augmented experience. Occlusion (hiding or modifying real world objects) is a key part of full augmented reality and Mann’s experience in mediated reality will allow us to bring the best solution to market in this area.”
Gribetz is a Y Combinator alum and the project, which is still on Kickstarter, is nearly funded with 26 days to go. Users can receive a Dev Kit for $ 550. Epson will be building Meta’s next-generation VR glasses which will look considerably less DIY than the beta developer version.
“The entrance into consumer wearables needs to be a high powered immersive device capable of fully replacing the computer and more. Heads up notification systems have their use cases, but they won’t be game changers. Mann’s commitment to a fully wearable future is why he chose to join us,” said Gribetz. Considering Mann has been wearing his computing power for most of this decade, it seems like a good fit.
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Samsung Galaxy S4 Mega Referenced in App Update
Author: Natalie Wood
Samsung Galaxy S4 Mega Referenced in App Update
Samsung just released an update to its WatchOn application and, in the update, it refers to the Galaxy S4 mini, the Galaxy S4 Active and a device we haven't heard of yet: the Galaxy S4 Mega. It's very possible this was a mistake, however. WatchOn is an …
Read more on TechnoBuffalo
Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Release Date Tipped for September, Coming with 5.9 …
The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 release date is still a mystery, but sources say that the new phablet of the South Korea-based company will debut in September. The Galaxy Note was the first successful phablet to see the light of day, and here we are, two …
Read more on Android Geeks
Nexus variant of Samsung Galaxy S4 will be US-only
"We've worked closely with Samsung to create a special Samsung Galaxy S4 exclusively for Google Play," Google said at launch. "It brings together cutting edge hardware from Samsung with Google's latest software and services — including the user …
Read more on Afterdawn.com
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Nintendo partners with Best Buy so you can play unreleased Wii U games in store during E3 (video)
Author: Natalie Wood
There’s nothing more frustrating than watching a product or service get announced, then having to wait an age to try it out. Nintendo hears that, and has announced via Nintendo Direct, that during E3 week, Best Buy will have playable demos of as-yet released Wii U games in 100 stores across the US and Canada. Given that no one was likely expecting any new hardware from the firm, it’s clear the gaming stalwart is looking for other ways to stir-up some interest. There’s no mention of titles, so we’re left to assume they’d be the games announced at the show. Either way, scratch out that week in June to make sure you find out first hand. Scrub right to the end of the video past the break to see the announcement for yourself.
Via: Joystiq
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YouTube for Google TV updated with streamlined UI, support for paid subscriptions
Author: Natalie Wood
Google TV is getting a refreshed YouTube app to go along with its update to the latest versions of Android and Chrome. The video-streaming service now features a sleeker UI, complete with playlists displayed under the video discovery and subscription tabs and larger thumbnails for previewing content. The update also lets you subscribe to a channel with just one click, and it’s now easier to share a clip via Google + as well. Other additions include more in-depth playback controls and support for paid subscriptions. Google TV owners can download the update now — just hit up the source link below.
Filed under: Home Entertainment, Software, HD, Google
Via: Android Police
Source: YouTube for Google TV (Google Play)
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Custom ‘Up’ House And WALL-E Engagement Ring Boxes
Author: Natalie Wood
This is the custom engagement ring box made by TheModelMaker to look like the house from Pixar’s ‘Up’. It’s the perfect engagement ring box to say, “If you die on me, I will become a crotchety old man.” Reminds me of the time I asked a girlfriend to marry me with a Monsters, Inc. engagement ring box and she was all, “OMG, I love this movie!” then opened it up and saw the ring and was all, “OMG, I’m not ready for this, take it back, please — take it back.” Then I asked her sister and she said no too so I had no choice but to move to a cave in the mountains where I died from a broken heart the very next day. Jk jk, bear attack — apparently they don’t like sharing caves.
Hit the jump for a couple more shots and BONUS Toy Story and WALL-E engagement ring boxes. PROTIP: if you get me a WALL-E I will say yes.
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Exclusive: Google readies its Spotify competitor with Universal and Sony now on board
Author: Natalie Wood
Google will unveil new subscription music services tomorrow at the Google I/O conference, sources close to the company said. Google has now signed separate licensing deals with Universal Music Group and Sony Music Entertainment for both YouTube and Google Play, setting the stage for such an announcement, music industry sources told The Verge.
Google plans to add separate music subscription services to YouTube and Google Play, the entertainment hub for the Android operating system. Earlier this year, Fortune magazine reported that Google had already struck similar licensing agreements with Warner Music Group, the smallest of the top three record labels. But landing Universal Music and Sony gives Google access to the two largest record…
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BlackBerry May Be Dabbling In Phablets With A 5-Inch Z10 Refresh
Author: Natalie Wood
BlackBerry’s wryly jovial CEO Thorsten Heins spent quite a bit of time talking up the new mid-range Q5 at this morning’s BlackBerry Live keynote address, but the folks in Waterloo may be working on a follow-up smartphone that’s staggeringly different from the one we saw today.
According to a report from KnowYourMobile, the struggling Canadian company is working an all-touch BlackBerry smartphone with a 5-inch display. KnowYourMobile’s Richard Goodwin goes on to note that the device is currently in testing being tested at by unnamed Canadian wireless carrier, and the anonymous tester providing the info pointed out that the device would make its official debut within the next few months.
For what it’s worth, Jefferies’ analyst Peter Misek foretold of a 5-inch BlackBerry 10 device last month, but his track record with this sort of thing isn’t exactly sterling. It should go without saying that you should be taking all of this with a mighty big grain of salt, but it’s an intriguing notion to consider.
I mean, let’s assume for a moment that this report is accurate and that such a device really is being worked on behind closed doors — it’d be quite a bold move on BlackBerry’s part. It’s not hard to see that a considerable chunk of people have embraced large form factor smartphones, and it’s possible that BlackBerry wants to cash in on that consumer fervor. Then again, this whole thing is just loaded with question marks that could trip BlackBerry up as it works to reverse its fortunes.
By embracing so many form factors so quickly, BlackBerry runs the risk of alienating users who have perhaps prematurely pulled the trigger on an earlier model. It doesn’t help that there’s plenty of competition in the hefty smartphone space, either. Samsung is leading that particular pack with Android-powered devices like the Galaxy Note II, but rivals like LG and Sony are working to give the Korean juggernaut some competition. Couple that with persistent rumors that Apple is working on a larger smartphone of its very own and BlackBerry’s 5-inch follow-up may wind up facing the same issues with standing out as the company’s current hardware crop does.
The Q5 is a device that needed to exist — after all, a huge chunk of BlackBerry’s userbase can be found in developing markets where relatively few people could comfortably shell out the money necessary for an up-market device like the Z10 or Q10. If all goes according to plan, the Q5 may be the phone that helps BlackBerry maintain its strongholds across the globe. But a 5-inch BlackBerry? Heins and company will have to make an awfully strong argument for if it wants the world to give it a shot.
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Nokia Lumia 925 hands-on
Author: Natalie Wood
At Nokia’s London launch event, we’ve just managed to spend a bit of time with the 4.5-inch Lumia 925. If you felt its polycarbonate predecessor was a little unwieldy in dimensions or weight, you might be pleased with what Nokia’s crafted here. Its new Windows Phone flagship marks the company’s return to metal-bodied smartphones, and in the process, it’s become both lighter and thinner. This isn’t a marginal shedding of a few grams, either — there’s a noticeable difference when compared to the Lumia 920. Likewise, the smaller frame makes the Lumia 920 feel all of a sudden rather chunky. Despite the slimmer lines, Nokia keeps the internal specifications largely the same, so you’re getting an identical dual-core 1.5GHz processor and 1GB of RAM, although this time there’s only 16GB of storage — sacrifices had to be made somewhere, we guess.
Imaging-wise, and yes, it’s still all about the camera with Nokia, there’s the same 8.7-megapixel camera sensor from the 920 model, although Nokia says it’s made countless improvements to noise-reduction algorithms and other inner workings. While the hardware has remained mostly unchanged, the company’s gone to town on the camera app, moving beyond the Windows Phone Lens system to craft a new Smart Cam interface. Our favorite part here is the ability to leap straight into it instead of the standard camera app. Once we set it up within the app itself, it launched just as swiftly as the regular option. Performance, in general, was identical to what we’ve experienced on both the 928 and 920 (the same processor will do that), keeping up with our task transitions and web-browsing tests. We’re putting the finishing touches to our hands-on video, but you can find more impressions on the hardware (and that Smart Cam) after our gallery and the break.
Gallery: Nokia Lumia 925 hands-on
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Nokia
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Sony Xperia ZR announced, allows underwater photography to five feet of depth (video)
Author: Natalie Wood
Sony’s ratcheted up its water-resistant device tech a notch with the launch of the Xperia ZR, a new 4.6-inch, 720P Android smartphone that’s waterproof to 1.5m (5 feet). Sony claims the new addition to the Xperia Z line will let film your snorkeling adventures in full HD quality with HDR in video or 13-megapixel stills thanks to the Exmor RS image sensor. The handset also boasts a Snapdragon S4 Pro quad-core 1.5GHZ CPU, 2GB RAM, LTE, NFC, Sony’s Walkman album and movie apps and an OptiContrast OLED screen with Bravia tech to reduce glare “even in bright sunlight.” There’s no word yet on pricing or availability, but as soon as we here more, we’ll try to prep you ahead of that next beach-bound holiday. Meanwhile, you can check the galleries, PR and video after the break for more.
Gallery: Sony Xperia ZR
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Sony
Source: Sony (Facebook)
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Tags: Allows, announced, depth, Feet, Five, Photography, Sony, Underwater, Video, Xperia | 
No Comments »Acer CEO optimistic about Windows 8.1, claims Microsoft is back ‘down to Earth’
Author: Natalie Wood
While Microsoft executives have been hinting at the arrival of a Windows 8 update, codenamed Blue, two Acer execs have been voicing their approval of planned changes for the OS. Speaking to The Wall Street Journal, Acer president Jim Wong explained that Microsoft is making alterations “at a high percentage” rate thanks to OEM input. Arguing that the world is not going 100 percent touch in the next five years, he says “touch makes a lot of possibilities for PCs,” but that “you need to take care of the rest of the world that doesn’t need touch” too.
Windows chief Julie Larson-Green dropped big hints about changes for non-touch use of Microsoft’s Windows 8 operating system recently. Speaking at the Wired Business Conference earlier this…
