iPad Mini 4 Might be Launching Soon

June 22, 2015 By Roxanne Briean Leave a Comment

Is Apple prepared to release an update to their iPad Mini product line? The internet says so. Leaks have flooded Twitter on the 19th, and the pictures in cause are showcasing an iPad Mini that looks almost exactly like the third iteration. Why fix something that isn’t broken, right?

Well, GSM Arena says that – ” A set of live images, portraying what is allegedly a bumper case for the upcoming iPad mini 4, showed up online. It’s commonplace to have case manufacturers a step ahead of the crow in terms of dimensions and layout of new devices, and it’s no different in this instance.”

Almost two months ago a video leaked that showcased the rear shell of the new iPad Mini 4 which we later discovered that it was made out of aluminium. MacRumors notes that – “[…] closely resembles the shell of the existing iPad mini, but it does include several design elements introduced with the iPad Air 2.”

Based on what we’re seeing right now, the video that was leaked almost two months ago isn’t a fake, and the new pictures are giving it credibility.

The mute switch has been removed, and it has been replaced with a microphone hole. Also, the holes alongside the Lightning port are now organized in a single row of large speakers, rather than two smaller holes.

Earlier this year, and prior to the leaks, Apple aficionados have noticed that the company has withdrawn their original Apple Mini from their official store. We were starting to think that Apple might discontinue their product line.

The original iPad Mini is using an outdated A5 processor, and it was about time they did something about it. Although, we didn’t expect it to be removing the original iPad Mini from the production line, but c’est la vie I guess.

Apple iPad Mini 3

Apple is seriously trying to get a hold of everything at the moment. They just settled the issues regarding not paying any money to artists in the first 3 months of their Apple Music streaming service. The company is offering 3 months for free to entice audiophiles to come join their side.

How is Apple managing all of this stuff? It’s a little bit spooky, and I won’t be shocked if sometime in the near future the company is going to announce that they bought an island, and that they plan on creating a new country – where you are obligated to eat an apple twice a day.

Well, without further ado here’s the YouTube clip that showcases Apple’s iPad Mini 4 cover.

Not really a fan of Apple, but I know how’s it like to be pumped by something and discovering there are leaks on the internet. Yay for being giddy as a school girl!

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Sony Announced a New 1 TB PlayStation 4

June 22, 2015 By Roxanne Briean Leave a Comment

Sony’s just announced a new model for their console – it’s going to be called PlayStation 4 Ultimate Player 1 TB Edition.

Sony acknowledges that the downloadable content market is growing more and more with each passing year, and the company wants to take the bulls by its horns while the bull isn’t all grown up. The Japanese company is going to release their PlayStation 4 1 TB Edition next month – doubling its original capacity.

The PlayStation 4 1 TB Edition is going to be available at the end of this month for those residing in Japan. European, and US gamers will have the possibility of buying the newer model on the 15th of July. At the current moment, nobody knows how much it will cost, nor if it’s going to be bundled with an additional controller, or a Sony exclusive game.

Microsoft announced last week that an Xbox One 1 TB Edition is in the works and it will feature their new Xbox One killer controller. This is Sony’s counter attack to the growing fan-base for Xbox one – reports state that the Xbox One will sell like crazy this X-Mass. Why? Well, because Xbox One will feature backwards compatibility, and a string of AAA titles will also hit Microsoft’s console.

Xbox 360 users will most likely shift towards the next generation consoles, says Microsoft executive Aaron Greenberg – ” A lot of people have been waiting for the next Halo; a lot of people have been waiting for Gears; a lot of people have been waiting for backwards compatibility.”

Sony doesn’t have a thrilling line-up for this holiday – No Man’s Sky is known to be released at the end of 2015, but Sony has lost it’s timed exclusivity deal, and the open-world virtually infinite space exploration game will be released on the PC at the same time.

But Sony’s new model for their PlayStation 4 product line will feature a reduction in power consumption – the Ultimate Player 1 TB Edition will use 8 percent less power than the 500GB version.

Here’s the official video announcement from Sony.

If you didn’t jump on the next gen console bandwagon already, this might be the perfect time to do so. You only have to choose between a Sony PlayStation 4, and a Microsoft Xbox One. Take a look at what exclusive titles stir your curiosity, and decide. You don’t want to miss this period – it’s the best time to be a gamer, and this year’s E3 event is a statement that gaming can only get better.

I’m a happy owner of both the Xbox One, and PlayStation 4. I highly recommend you buy both of them, but if you can’t, I’m more inclined to tell you that Sony has better exclusives, while Microsoft has a better controller.

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Huawei is One of the Manufacturers for Google Nexus

June 19, 2015 By Roxanne Briean Leave a Comment

A source that’s close to the Chinese manufacturer spilled the beans on the whole thing. Now we just have to wait for an official announcement, but we all know now that Huawei is indeed one of the manufacturers working on Google Nexus.

Almost a month ago Deborah talked about Google Nexus 2015 rumours, and the possibility that Huawei is going to build a phablet for Google.

A source that is working for Huawei in the UK has noted that the company will most likely build a phablet, and that the Chinese manufacturer is looking at other models to build for Google. If the Huawei-made phablet is successful, the company can finally break through the western front. Huawei is already the fourth largest smartphone manufacturer behind Lenovo, Apple, and Samsung, but westerners don’t yet seem to fully trust the Chinese company.

The new device is rumoured to feature a 5.7-inch display, a Snapdragon 810 processor, and of course, it will come with Android M built-in. Google likes to announce, and launch its Nexus launch in the Fall – at least 3 more months until we see some news from the big G.

What the Huawei-built Nexus might look like

We’re awaiting confirmation from either Google, or Huawei – this will make Huawei the sixth manufacturer that Google has worked with. LG, Samsung, HTC, Asus, and Motorola have worked in the past with big daddy G whether it was for smartphones, or for tablets.

Google’s Nexus product line is always the first to get the company’s newest Android software, and more so, it’s always the most stable one on the market.

Nexus has made its first steps back in 2010, and since then Google has released some really great smartphones, but their last one, which was built in partnership with Motorola, isn’t a device that I would recommend to my friends – nor my enemies.

The 2014 Motorola-build Nexus which is actually more of a phablet than a smartphone, featured 5.96-inch display, at 493 ppi. In the performance department you can notice a Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 quad-core 2.7GHz processor, and camera-wise it has a 13 megapixel unit. Not bad, you would say. Unfortunately, it’s poorly made, and has stability problems. It could have been one of the best smartphones.

This is Huawei’s chance to make a name for themselves in the western market. They are struggling in US, and Europe, even though they are the fourth largest smartphone manufacturer in the world with 18.1 million units sold. If they botch this release up, they’ll be scrutinized without mercy.

Are you going to buy a Huawei-built Nexus phablet? Or you’re sticking with the LG one? Tell us in the comments section below!

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Facebook Launches Moments – A Photo Sharing App

June 17, 2015 By Roxanne Briean Leave a Comment

The social media behemoth Facebook just launched a new photo sharing app called Moments.

At the current moment – pun not intended; the app is only available for those who reside in the US – it can be downloaded for iOS, and Android. Availability to more countries will follow in the near future.

Moments is not your basic photo sharing app – it makes it easier to share photos with your friends. You can synch your gallery with whomever you want to. Moments uses a facial recognition software that detects who is in a photo, and it will synch, privately I may add, with who recognizes to be your friends. It also recognizes when, and where the photos were taken – sort of like what Google Photos does. No, it’s exactly like Google Photos.

If you’re familiar with the tag option, then you’ll have no problems searching for photos. You can use a filter to search only through one of your friend’s photos, or a certain location, a certain time, and of course date.

You have the option to limit these tags, and Facebook says that this won’t pose as a threat to your privacy.

Of course, you need to grant access to Moments so the app can be able to synch your gallery. If you tag a person that isn’t your friend on Moments, they will get a message on Facebook telling them that some photos are awaiting approval, and if they wish to join the new platform. Some may find this a little bit intrusive.

The really great thing is that you can share pictures with your friends on Moments that you don’t necessarily have to share on Facebook. Okay, so you went to the beach today, and you already shared two pics. Do you really want to fill my news feed with your road-trip? Share them on Moments, set a privacy setting, and only you and your friends can have access to them.

Given the fact that Google Photos has just launched, can Moments do something to the big G’s new service? Facebook isn’t known to have a successful app releases – their Poke, Camera for iPhone, and Slingshot failed, miserably actually, and they were eventually removed from the Apple App Store. Yikes.

I’ll give it a try, but I’ll most likely stick to Google’s Photos app – unlimited free storage for 1080p videos, and pictures up to 16 megapixels sounds exceptional. It ain’t the best option for professional photographers, but for my crappy holiday pictures it’s more than enough.

So, with what service are you sticking with? Facebook’s Moments, or Google’s Photos?

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Apple Watch 2 to be Released in 2016 Tech Sites Report

June 15, 2015 By Roxanne Briean Leave a Comment

The Apple Watch 2 is rumoured to be released in 2016 – prestigious tech sites are reporting.

We’re still toying with Apple’s first smartwatch iteration, announcing that the Apple Watch 2 is currently being developed might stop some potential clients of acquiring said product. Apple has simply crushed the smartwatch market with their product, and most likely they’ll continue to do so with their next gen device.

At the current moment, Apple doesn’t have a serious challenger. Sure, we got Pebble Time, and the okay’ish AndroidWear product line, but reports have shown that consumers are just going mad over Apple’s device. No wonder, it’s super simple to use, it has a minimal and elegant design, and Apple is working round the clock to add features to the Apple Watch.

GForGamers, which is a Korean-based news outlet has stated that Apple will once again use LG as its main supplier of the Apple Watch 2’s display.

“LG Display (LGD) will be the exclusive supplier for the panels used by second-generation Apple Watch due out for next year, in addition to first-generation Apple Watch launched in April,” said sources.

Apparently, Apple is in a tight relationship with LG, and they are praising their hardware as top-notch, and best-choice on the market. Also LG’s display will feature P-OLED, which involves a plastic organic light that emits diodes – ” it offers higher resolution than liquid crystal display (LCD) and is a display plastic substrate which uses plastic, instead of glasses, to make it flexible.”

The article also added that – ” “(T)he Cupertino-based giant considered multiple suppliers for the next gen Watch’s display, but eventually settled with LG as an exclusive partner. This strategy goes against Apple’s usual M.O. of using multiple suppliers for a specific component, but sources add that Apple settled on this decision because LG’ performance on the P-OLED smartwatch display market is unmatched, offering high quality products and good yield.”

With Apple Watch launching only seven weeks ago, considering the fact that Apple Watch 2 is currently being developed might make one think that Apple will stop supporting their first gen smartwatch, but this isn’t the case.

Apple’s smartwatch product line will most like follow a 12 month cycle due to the fact that a) it sold tremendously well since its release, and b) it wants to continue its domination of the market. Also, Apple Watch 2 might be released at the same time with Apple’s new iPhone device – possibly even bundling them up together.

I have yet to buy Apple’s smartwatch, but if it’s going to be released in just about a year from now, I think I’ll patiently wait for the next gen device. What about you? Are you the proud owner of an Apple Watch? Or are you waiting for the next one?

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Apple’s iOS 9 Will be Able to Block Those Pesky Ads!

June 12, 2015 By Roxanne Briean Leave a Comment

Mobile web surfers rejoice. Apple’s iOS 9 will be able to block ads while using the Safari browser – it’s going to be similar to how AdBlock Plus works for desktop users.

It’s quite the bad news for content creators, but let’s not despair just yet. Apple will most likely build in a feature where users can whitelist websites, and most likely Apple’s going to have its very own curated list.

Apple’s iOS 9 seems to be a divine gift – more and more awesome features are announced each day.

Those who use the desktop version of Safari already have this ad blocker built-in, and iOS 9 users will be able to opt-in for this feature once Apple’s new software starts to roll out.

Ads are just plain annoying, and they are getting more creative with each passing year. There are ads that play a video in a newly opened window, and others who just hide their exit button so well, I had to perform an ALT+F4 command. They are sneaky, and vile, and if I encounter them on your website, I’ll surely never visit you again.

Apple doesn’t need ads plaguing their Safari browser, but the company works with developers and advertisers that create banner ads on mobile apps. It will surely hit them, and they company will probably be bashed by their industry colleagues.

iOS 9, and its new ad blocking feature, will also hurt Google, which makes most of its revenue trough search, and AdSense adverts. Indirectly, of course, so let’s not get ahead of ourselves and start a conspiracy theory that Apple wants to bankrupt Google.

AdBlock is known for reducing up to 40 percent the revenue that content creators make, if they use Google AdSense. For those who base their income solely on mobile traffic, things will get a lot worse later this year with iOS 9 launching.

Apple just bashed Google at their WWDC conference. Claiming that it’s absurd, and wrong to use your user’s email addresses and their search histories for their advertising gain – even though Google never discloses this information to a third party.

Apple works tightly with advertisers that launch ad campaigns on mobile platforms, but the company didn’t say anything about this. A little bit hypocritical of them, don’t you think?

iOS 9 will be available this Fall for free for the public, but if you’re a developer who enrolled in their iOS developer program you can jump on the bandwagon and start testing it out.

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Virtual Reality – The Future of Our Home Entertainment?

June 11, 2015 By Roxanne Briean Leave a Comment

If you haven’t been living under a rock for the past year or so, you definitely know that virtual reality is knocking on our door. Some big names have taken upon themselves to challenge the empty throne. Google, Microsoft, Sony, Valve, HTC, GoPro, and even Facebook wants to be known as the reigning king.

Is this a trend that will fail miserably? Or is it the future of our home entertainment?

Facebook-owned Oculus Rift has announced that they will start shipping their virtual reality headset sometime in early 2016, and that it will cost about $400, but you’ll need a proper PC that can run it. Oculus Rift CEO Brendan Iribe has said that a PC-build that now normally costs about $1500 should be more than enough to run their headset. In 2016, the price will most likely drop – you’ll notice a significant change.

Oculus Rift development kit

Microsoft’s HoloLens is most likely going to be Oculus Rift’s main competitor, along with SteamVR – the love child of Valve, and HTC, also called The Vive. But everything seems to cost hundreds of dollars, and if you aren’t a virtual reality enthusiast, these prices will scare the living hell out of you. More on this later when we talk about FullDive – the most affordable virtual reality product. Kudos to Giovanno Yosen Utomo, one of the co-founders, and Marcus Missirlian, member of FullDive’s operations team, for making time to discuss details about their product.

The interview regarding FullDive can be read at the end of article.

The majority will want a headset that will satisfy their curiosity about virtual reality gaming. Some virtual reality games are available, but they aren’t that great. The only one that sparks my curiosity is The Forest – available on Steam; users have reported feeling nauseous after playing it while wearing virtual reality dev gear. Others haven’t yet seen the light of day – keep your eyes out for Eve: Valkyrie.

EVE: Valkyrie

Oculus Rift announced that they managed to pinpoint the problem, and successfully fixing it, but what does this mean then? Do games need to be built with virtual reality in mind? Do developers need to adopt a new strategy when building this sort of games?

Developers around the world think that when you build a game for virtual reality, you need to focus on it first, and then think how you want to port it for the traditional medium. Joe Ludwig, programmer at Valve Software working on the Team Fortress 2 team, and a crucial key-developer when talking about TF2 in the virtual reality medium isn’t that happy with their port.

When Joe talks about the Lesson learned while porting Team Fortress 2 to virtual reality, at a 2013 Game Developers Conference, he pinpoints the fact that latency poses as a crucial element in solving the nausea mystery, and that other third-person adventure, and shooter games, even MOBAs, will be hard to tackle in the virtual reality medium.

Team Fortress 2 VR mode

We have no information regarding Sony’s Project Morpheus at the moment, and to be honest, the name makes me think about virtual reality porn – an idea that isn’t that far fetched. Be sure that if the trend explodes, virtual reality sex will dethrone the traditional medium in which we satisfy our primal needs – your fetish just a click away? Whoever finds the perfect method to market this will be a billionaire.

Virtual reality technology has come a long way since its inception, and Microsoft’s Build 2015 showcased a HoloLens that could be used around the house as your new portable entertainment system – plastering YouTube videos on walls, and setting them to follow you sounds like a phenomenal idea. You can cook, and watch a cooking guide from the internet at the same time without worrying that you’ll spill something on your laptop, or tablet.

Microsoft’s HoloLens

But wearing a blocky, and huge device on your head isn’t my ideal dream for VR usage. Google has tried to make something out of virtual reality in the past that seemed more practical. Remember Google Glass? Or how I like to put it Virtual reality goggles for the NSA lover. They launched it at the worst time possible, when everyone was terrified that the NSA knows everything about them – and sure enough, the leaks showed exactly that.

What is virtual reality and is it dangerous?

Can we get addicted to virtual reality?

The virtual reality definition, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, says that it’s – ” an artificial environment which is experienced through sensory stimuli (as sights and sounds) provided by a computer and in which one’s actions partially determine what happens in the environment; also : the technology used to create or access a virtual reality.”

The computer generated environment immerses the person within its world fooling the player by giving him the false mental state that he is capable of manipulating, and distorting virtual existence.

The TV show Community has aired a pretty interesting episode where one of the characters used a virtual reality treadmill so much that he ended up thinking he was the God of his realm, and that subsequently led to him never wanting to leave the place. Dean Pelton spent a couple of hours in the VR world, but he’s a doofus, so better to ignore him.

Serious questions arise. Are we going to endanger ourselves by using virtual reality? Are we going to love the false world so much that we’ll hate the real one? I can’t answer these questions, and only time will tell if VR is indeed a gift, or a curse. Take it as food for thought.

Virtual reality therapy

Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy

Somewhat debunking those serious questions that I asked earlier, virtual reality exposure therapy is a real thing, and it helps people who suffer from certain phobias like Ophidiophobia – fear of snakes; Acrophobia, or Altophobia – fear of heights; and those who suffer from depression, and other mental illnesses. Amongst other uses.

According to the USC Institute for Creative Technologies, virtual reality therapy is – ” Currently found at over 60 sites, including VA hospitals, military bases and university centers,” helping those who suffer from PTSD. ” ICT’s Virtual Iraq/Afghanistan exposure therapy approach has been shown to produce a meaningful reduction in PTS symptoms.”

Virtual reality therapy helping those who suffer from PTSD.jpg

Marines from the 2d Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, train with the Future Immersive Training Environment

Treatments aren’t available for home users, and if you experience issues that don’t allow you to get out of the house, and into a facility that offers this kind of service, unfortunately, you can’t use virtual reality therapy. Why? Because you need a trained therapist that will guide you through the steps of your recovery.

You don’t want to start this journey on your own because a) you have no idea how you will react to the virtual stimuli, and b) you will end up deteriorating your mental state even more. Do not try this alone!

FullDive – an affordable VR option!

A couple of weeks ago I was chatting on Quora, and by sheer luck, I might add, I met Marcus Missirlian. We talked about books, and TV shows, and I ended up discovering that he works for a virtual reality company that is currently developing the most affordable headset on the market. Called FullDive, it’s a nifty little thing that immerses you into a dream-like world.

I immediately fell in love with it, and I asked him if we could set up an interview. He introduced me to one of the co-founders, and the rest is history.

The virtual reality headset is lightweight, and adjustable to fit any noggin – it also fits the user perfectly if he wears glasses; this is a big plus in my book.

It comes with a smart controller that helps you surf into your desired world – ” FullDive’s mixed reality controller allows your digital content to blend with reality as holograms.”

Full Dive’s team consists of virtual reality enthusiasts – some product designers, and engineers have worked for Tesla, and Google X; and founders Giovanno Yosen Utomo, and Ed Ow, are UC Berkely grads – which immediately makes me think that the entire team is comprised of sheer talent.

How do you use it?

Simple as pie. You download the app from Google Play – the iOS version will be available soon; you start it up, slide your phone into the headset, and you enjoy the experience. In the first 8 weeks of launch, the FullDive app witnessed over 50,000 downloads, and 1,450 reviews – the average rating was of 4.5 stars.

Their Kickstarter campaign hasn’t started yet, and it’s due this July – but you can pre-order their headset right now on their official website. It costs $29 for you early birds.

The headset offers a high quality affordable VR experience, unlike other virtual reality companies that make you cough up a lot of cash. You can use it to take photos, and record videos in the VR medium. Development is on-going, and expect to see FullDive enabling streaming of movies, and TV shows using Netflix, Hulu, and Roku.

The guys and girls over at FullDive are preparing their product to be available starting December of 2015. For more info, read the interview with Marcus Missirlian, and Giovanno Yosen Utomo just down below.

Q: Will FulDive support JellyBean, and KitKat, or it will focus on Lollipop, and the newly announced Android M? – on your website it only says that it works on all Android phones.

M: We are working to make sure the application functions properly on all versions of Android software, new and old, and actively stress test the application on different models of phone. The newer the software and phone, though, the better the application will function, because the application relies on the phone’s processor. Newer phones naturally have better processors, which allows the application to perform at its peak. As for the version of Android, we see this providing no impediment to the functionality of the application.

Q: The same goes for iOS. Which versions will it support?

M: The same goes for iOS. It will support iPhone 5 and above.

Q: Can you give any additional info regarding the Smart Controller? ” FullDive’s mixed reality controller allows your digital content to blend with reality as holograms.” How does it work exactly? Will I be able to control said holograms? Can I give them certain commands like plaster this YouTube window on the wall, and set it to follow me? Something on the lines of what HoloLens can do. If yes, what are its limitations?

M: Because we are still building out the functionality of the Smart Controller, we don’t yet quite have a read on what its limitations will be. Ideally, we want capabilities on par with Hololens and that is what our engineers are striving to produce. Additionally, there will be basic commands, like move the controller forward to confirm.

Q: With the Smart Controller do you think that games such as Minecraft will be playable?

M: That is the ideal situation and what we are working to provide with the application. The controller will be able to be used in place of, say, the pickaxe or a sword.

Q: Are there any specific games recommended for the FullDive product? What about apps? Or you can just watch movies, and surf the web using the FullDive VR app?

M: While streaming media and surfing the web would be the primary purpose, we are providing the tools to produce games for the FullDive application. We are hoping this will encourage the proliferation of FullDive as users create and share their games with their friends. We ourselves are working to produce games to get the ball rolling. Additionally, any virtual reality application downloaded through Google Play or the App Store is compatible with the headset and can be launched through our FullDive application. Our vision is an affordable headset that offers a one-stop-shop virtual reality experience, and using the application as a landing site for all virtual reality applications on your device aids us in this aim.

Q: Virtual reality is facing some problems at the moment. Oculus Rift users have reported feeling dizzy and nauseous after using the VR gear. Is this a problem that FullDive has encountered? If yes, how did the team manage to get rid of it?

M: A few users have reported feeling off balance, but we have tried to alleviate this problem by making sure that screens are stable at all times through head tracking and use dark colors such as black and dark blue to guide users through our selection of apps. The FullDive VR design team is working hard to ensure that users have a comfortable VR experience.

Q: It’s been marketed as an affordable product even for third world countries, but what about first world ones? Do you think the public will accept it with arms wide open? Or will they flock to other products like Facebook-owned Oculus Rift, Sony’s Project Morpheus, HTC and Valve’s Vive, Microsoft’s HoloLens, and Samsung’s Gear VR?

M: The main problem with VR right now is its accessibility. The public wants to experience virtual reality but is waiting on these headsets to come out sometime within the next couple years. With FullDive, users already have everything they need, a smartphone to download our FullDive app. For high-end users who want to upgrade their computer or use VR for intensive gaming, the other headsets will have to be optimized with a powerful graphics card. It’s the same concept with laptops: there are your light users who want to daily use for school and work and those who buy laptops specifically for gaming. If the case was every user wanted the most powerful device, there would be no market space for a laptop like the Chromebook. There is a massive market for both sectors, and we have received a lot of enthusiasm about our affordable pricing.

Q: Google has announced their partnership with GoPro, and they too will tackle virtual reality. Do you think that the market is becoming overly saturated by so many VR products?

M: While a lot of companies are tackling producing virtual reality headsets, a clear leader in the value space has yet to emerge. There are a great number of headsets, but each one is attempting to differentiate itself in a different way. The market we are attempting to tackle, the casual/light user projected to be the largest virtual reality consumer, still has a lot of room left for us to establish a significant presence.

Q: On your official website it reads that the kickstarter campaign starts this June. Do you have any information that you can share at this moment? What’s the initial goal? What are the rewards?

G: The kickstarter was originally planned at the end of June, but since we have some challenges on the hardware designs – we are pushing it to July. We will pledge $50,000 but we are hoping to get more than that!

Q: What motivated you to start FullDive?

G: I was originally from Indonesia, a 3rd world country. Throughout my 5 years stay in the US, I feel the huge gap of technology; and this motivated me to bridge the technology gap by making a product that can be accessed by everyone. Internet sure does help, but it is not enough. We need that infrastructure. That is where VR comes in. I personally think that VR is a cutting edge technology that fits with my vision, to create an infrastructure can help people to have a better life.

Q: What is it you’re hoping to achieve with FullDive?

G: I want everyone, yes everyone around the world, to be connected and start experiencing VR. That is my vision of the company. We will overcome this challenge by creating a set of products (software and hardware) that is affordable to most people and made accessible through our distribution networks. Basically, it would make me happy if everyone can experience this new technology, and I believe that FullDive will bring a big step of evolution to how people enjoy media, socialize, and do businesses.

Q: How do you see the virtual reality trend evolving? Do you think it will wither in a couple of years, or are we witnessing our new form of home entertainment?

G: I am a keen believer that through VR and AR (augmented reality), we are approaching a new form of way of interaction with our daily live, not only for home entertainment, but also education, research, industry, etc. It will make all human’s life easier if we can utilize VR in parts of our daily lives. For example, surgeons can be assisted during surgery, by making sure that they are cutting the right spot; golfer will have the ability to see the speed of wind and distance projection, and it will help their decision on their shot. People can share their 360 experience with their family, instead of the usual a face to face video conference. These are just some of the examples that I can think about.

Q: Any thoughts on the behemoths of the industry? Oculus Rift, HoloLens, and Valve’s, and HTC’s SteamVR ( also called Vive).

G: I don’t think them as our competitor, but more of a big brother. They are the ones who are creating the cutting edge technologies, which will come with huge cost and not mobile – and not everyone can afford it. We are creating the simple technology, which is accessible to everyone. Think about having a super-power computer which cost $1000 you must be installed at home; or a mobile smartphone which cost less than $200.

We don’t really know that the future will hold for virtual reality, but it sounds interesting. I’m going to stick with the trend, and I’m surely going to pre-order a FullDive headset of my own, once their Kickstarter campaign starts. How about you?

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The June Intelligent Oven Can Turn You Into Gordon Ramsay

June 10, 2015 By Roxanne Briean Leave a Comment

The June Intelligent Oven is making the internet go crazy how awesomely cool, and efficient it is. It’s basically a computer based oven that thinks like Gordon Ramsay – without the unnecessary slurs, and shaming that the world renowned chef spews.

It’s created by a San Francisco startup, and the oven, that is a little bit larger than your average microwave can cook your steak, roast your beef, and bake your 12 inch pizza – it sports a large 1.0 cubic foot capacity.

The June Intelligent Oven comes with a built-in WiFi, a wide angle HD camera, a precise digital scale, and a top-shelf five inch touch screen display. This means that you put the food inside, and the intelligent computer weighs it, and identifies it so it can be cooked at the perfect temperature.

Of course, The June Intelligent Oven has an app of its own, and you can meddle with its settings, see how your dinner is getting its cooking on, and you can even get notified when your meal is ready – no more running desperately to the oven because you forgot you were cooking something. It has happened to me more than once, okay twice, fine it has happened to me more than I care to remember.

The app supports live streaming, so you can see what’s cooking inside The June Intelligent Oven. It’s like watching The Kardashians – you know that nothing interesting ever happens, but you watch it hoping that something will randomly explode.

You can pre-order your very own June Intelligent Oven for $1495 – yikes, for this much, I’ll stick to cooking only omelettes for the rest of my life. The June Intelligent Oven is planned to start shipping in Spring of 2016.

Its creators are promising to improve it constantly through software updates – making it more accurate, and less prone to failure.

The smart oven’s co-founder, Matt Van Horn is praising June to be able to cook expertly the following – ” Right now we are experts in steak, chicken, white fish, salmon, bacon, cookie dough, brownie mix, toast, bagels, and hamburger buns.”

Only time will tell if The Intelligent June Oven will be able to cook my favourite dishes just the way I like them. What will they ever think of next? Some machine that will do the laundry for you? I’m telling you, technology is getting out of hand.

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Skype for Web Beta Available in the UK and US

June 9, 2015 By Roxanne Briean Leave a Comment

Microsoft’s Skype is expanding its borders. If you reside in the UK or US, you can try the all new Skype for Web, but be warned, it’s in its beta phase.

What’s Skype for Web? Well, it’s basically the same old Skype that you know and love, but now you aren’t required to install the client. It works exactly the same, meaning that you can video call someone, and use the chat without a hitch.

Jonathan Watson, Skype Senior product manager has wrote on the official Skype blog the following – ” As we explained at the end of last year, Skype for Web is an important step for Skype as we move towards implementing the technology to make Real-Time Communications (RTC) on the Web a reality.”

Last November Microsoft announced that it was planning to roll out the new software for a select few, and that the team developing the browser plug-in was hard at work. It seems that the project has finally reached the phase were the public can test it.

Just download and install the browser plug-in to use Skype for Web. If you reside in the US, or UK, you just need to login with your Skype credentials, and your contacts will load up in just a few seconds. Watson added that – “[…] whether you usually use Skype on a mobile, tablet, native desktop app or a TV, you’ll see your latest chats are ready to respond to in your browser.”.

In an era where everything, and everyone is moving at lighting speed, having Skype super accessible is a divine gift.

Microsoft is jumping on the trend that Google and Apple have started – integrating everything! If you’ve been using Outlook, you know that Skype is fully integrated, and if you click on the sidebar, you’ll notice your contacts load. You can continue to make calls, and reply to texts – that is, if you’ve paired your Skype account with Outlook.

What’s more interesting though, is the fact that Microsoft’s devs are trying to constantly improve Skype for Web, and in the near future you won’t even need to install the plug-in.

Also, more features will come to the video-calling application. Skype marketing manager Yasmin Khan has stated yesterday that the near real-time Skype Translator app will be added to the Windows Desktop Skype app soon – ” We are targeting the end of summer 2015 for the roll-out to begin.”

The Skype Translator app currently supports four spoken languages – English, Spanish, Italian and Mandarin; and about fifty written ones. Last month, the company has decided to scrap the sign-in requirement, and it usage has increased by 300%. Khan added – ” “We will continue to expand the repertoire of languages as they meet our quality standard.”

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1 TB Xbox One with New Controller Will Be Available Soon

June 8, 2015 By Roxanne Briean Leave a Comment

I was minding my own business this morning, just surfing on Amazon, searching for God knows what, when all of a sudden, I found this placeholder page for a 1 TB Xbox One bundle!

The Xbox One bundle consists of Microsoft’s newly designed fabulous controller, 1 TB of storage space, and Halo: The Master Chief Collection – all for $400!

Wowser!

400 bucks for those goodies? Sign me up, dear Amazon!

There’s no additional info on the page, not even a photo. What we do know is that the Xbox One bundle will launch on the 15th of June. A date that coincides with Microsoft’s E3 conference – maybe we’ll see the big M release additional information about their Xbox One bundle then. At the moment, a spokeperson for Microsoft has only this to say – ” We’re gearing up for an exciting E3 where we’ll showcase more games and experiences. We have nothing further to share at this time.”

Hmm, okay, we’ll roll with it I guess. It’s not a long wait until the 15th, so be patient young grasshopper!

Last year, Microsoft launched an Xbox One Bundle that included 1 TB of storage space, and it was a branded Call of Duty console. It didn’t include a Kinect, and it was sold at $500. This new listing also doesn’t include a Kinect, but it’s $100 cheaper, and it features their newly designed controller – which includes a built-in 3.5mm headset port. It’s a highly anticipated addition.

Now, if you already bought an Xbox One Stereo Headset Adapter, this new controller will only anger you that Microsoft didn’t add the port in the first place – the adapter costs about $25. I know, it’s not much, but why throw away money?

You can read more about Microsoft’s newly designed Xbox One controller on their official support page.

Be warned, that the new controller will only support 3.5mm audio devices – the majority of headphones use 3.5mm, but there are some that choose a different path. Don’t ask me why, because I don’t know. Manufacturers seem to build them differently just because they feel like it. Xbox One isn’t the only one to suffer from this plague, and PlayStation 4 gamers also have to endure this issue – just you know, before you sharpen your pitchfork, and light up your torch, Microsoft can’t control this.

As a comparison, a 500 GB Xbox One with Kinect normally sells for $500, and without it for $400. I highly recommend this bundle, and I think It’s a must-buy for those who have put off buying a next gen console until now.

What are your thoughts on the new Xbox One controller? Is it worth buying? Or you’ll stick to the adapter? Tell us in the comments section below!

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FullDive – an affordable VR option!

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