Hot Gadget Hacks Posts
News: Looking Glass Pro Workstation Offers Glasses-Free 3D Computing, but at Premium Price
With Microsoft taking direct aim at enterprises for its HoloLens 2 with a $3,500 price tag, one startup is betting that business will be willing to pony up for glasses-free 3D displays as well.
News: Meta Rises from the Ashes Under New Ownership, Along with a New CEO
Almost half a year after we broke the story about the demise of Meta Company, there's good news for fans of the augmented reality startup — a rebirth is at hand.
News: Sony Pictures & Snapchat Serve Up Creepy Augmented Reality Lens to Promote 'Brightburn' Movie
The new film Brightburn, a horror take on the superhero genre produced by Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn, debuted in theaters on Friday, and it has some promotional backing from Snapchat to drive ticket sales.
News: Features We Want in iOS 13 for iPhone (& What's Rumored to Show Up)
Apple's scheduled to show off the first look of iOS 13 at WWDC 2019 on June 3, but what will the new operating system hold for iPhone? Rumors suggest that many features initially planned for iOS 12 will show up in iOS 13, codenamed "Yukon," and dark mode will be the big ticket item this year.
Market Reality: North Secures More Funding, Google Unveils New Glass, & McGraw-Hill Takes AR to School
After a rough run of news, smartglasses maker North still has the confidence of investors, as evidenced by its latest round of funding.
News: Amazon Prime Takes Over Times Square with Augmented Reality Apocalypse
Hollywood loves to use New York City's Times Square as a setting for major scenes in a blockbuster movie, so it's only right to use the area for a choice bit of virtual apocalypse in augmented reality.
News: Hollywood Exhibit Uses HoloLens to Transport Fans into the Worlds of 'Back to the Future' & Halo
The potential of augmented reality is often shown in science fiction movies, but a new exhibit marries the genre with very real-world AR technology, to great effect.
News: Amazon Will Pay You to Help Develop Its Augmented Reality System, No Skills Required
Many of us know that you can make a few bucks from Amazon by helping the company sell its wide array of products, but now there's a very different way to make a buck with the company, and it involves 3D technology.
News: Streem Upgrades Its Augmented Reality Platform via Acquisition of Computer Vision Startup Selerio
There's no shortage of augmented reality platforms for remote video assistance, but startup Streem is looking to give its offering a leg up with an infusion of new technology.
How To: Change Your Display Name on Skype to Stand Out More
Your Skype contact list might contain a sea of names that make it tough to find a specific person you're trying to reach. The same goes for your loved ones and colleagues, especially if you have a common name like Jennifer or John. Knowing that, you might want to change your Skype display name to set yourself apart.
News: North Focals Smartglasses Update Adds Google Fit, Google Slides, & a Distraction-Free Mode
The software updates from Canadian smartglasses startup North keep coming, each with a unique new twist.
News: Pepsi Celebrates Summer with Hundreds of Instagram Camera Effects for Soda Drinkers
With the upcoming Memorial Day weekend serving as the unofficial start of summer, Pepsi is turning to Instagram to help sell its soft drinks to quench the thirst of beachgoers and BBQers.
How To: Play Talking Tom Hero Dash on Your iPhone Right Now
Talking Tom has long been mesmerizing children of all ages with his ability to repeat words and phrases and encourage touch interactions. Now, the lovable cat and his band of cuddly friends have ventured into the endless runner genre as heroes bent on saving Angela and their city from a band of mischievous raccoons.
News: McGraw-Hill Jumps into Educational Augmented Reality via Partnership with Startup Alchemie
In the wake of Apple and Google pitching augmented reality to schools, McGraw-Hill is stepping up its own augmented reality efforts for education.
News: Smartglasses Startup North Secures $40 Million in New Funding, Report Says
Despite the recent gut punch of staff layoffs, Canada-based smartglasses startup North and its Focals are likely to be in the game for a while longer.
How To: Enable Dark Mode in Google Maps on iPhone & Android
Dark mode is one of the most requested features these days, but it's even more important with a navigation app. If you're using Google Maps for directions while driving at night, the default white background will shock your eyes and make it harder to see the road in front of you. Thankfully, you can now enable a dark theme to make this whole process a lot safer.
News: Google Releases Glass Enterprise Edition 2, Includes Qualcomm Snapdragon XR1Upgrade
As the tech world patiently waits for the advent of mainstream consumer smartglasses, Google is content to stick to the business world (for now).
News: Apple Releases 'Second' iOS 12.4 Public Beta for iPhone to Software Testers
Public beta testers, you're in luck. Apple just released the second iOS 12.4 public beta today, May 20. The update comes five days after the release of the first developer beta for iOS 12.4 and seven days after the release of iOS 12.3. Public beta 2 and dev beta 2 were both released at the same time, something that doesn't happen often.
News: Magic Leap Adds Mobile Carrying Case to Its Arsenal of Augmented Reality Gear
It took a while, but one of the most anticipated Magic Leap One accessories is finally here. Magic Leap has quietly added the official Magic Leap One carrying case, which we previewed last year, to its website.
News: Apple Releases Second iOS 12.4 Beta for iPhone to Developers Today
Apple just released the second iOS 12.4 developer beta today, May 20, five days after the release of the first developer beta for iOS 12.4 and one week after the public release of iOS 12.3. In general, the iOS 12.4 update will support Apple Card, Apple's upcoming credit card due out this summer.
How To: Enable Dark Mode in Google Calculator
As the industry has shifted toward OLED (including Google's own Pixel lineup), the outcry for dark mode has been louder than ever. Google heard the cries and has been working toward a real system-wide dark mode. To lay the groundwork, they are adding the feature to all their apps, including their Calculator app.
Market Reality: Mimesys Joins Magic Leap, Samsung Funds DigiLens & Lenovo Moves in on Microsoft's AR Territory
Magic Leap and Samsung are putting their money where their augmented reality plans are, with the former acquiring an AR collaboration technology and the latter funding a waveguide display maker.
News: Now You Can Visit the Statue of Liberty in NYC from Anywhere in Augmented Reality via iOS App
Many native New Yorkers, like myself, get a chance to visit the famed Statue of Liberty during school trips when they're a child in grade school. And if you're not lucky enough to be born in the city, you have to make a special trip to the monument as a tourist.
News: Microsoft Turns Real World into Multiplayer Playground with Minecraft Earth Mobile AR Game
As promised with its teaser from Build 2019, Microsoft has unveiled the details for its augmented reality version of Minecraft for smartphones.
News: Next Reality Is Giving Away Free Tickets to AWE
You already know that the best place to learn about the cutting edge of augmented reality is Next Reality, but the best event to meet the people and companies pushing the space forward is the annual Augmented Reality Expo (AWE), and we're giving away free tickets!
News: Magic Leap Acquires Augmented Reality Telepresence Startup Mimesys
Just months after we previewed the augmented reality, volumetric video conferencing powers of Mimesys, the company has undergone a major change — it's now a part of Magic Leap.
News: Jeri Ellsworth's Tilt Five Teases Forthcoming Augmented Reality Twist on Board Gaming
While augmented reality industry continues to grow, analog board games are also making a comeback. So, why not join the two together?
How To: 'Rick & Morty' Returns This November — Here's How to Catch Up or Rewatch Your Favorites
The last third season episode of Rick and Morty aired Oct. 1, 2017. Over a year and a half later, we finally have confirmation that everyone's favorite morally ambiguous, universe-traveling duo will make their return in November. While six months is still quite a wait, you can make it go faster by catching up on some classic episodes.
News: Apple Releases First iOS 12.4 Beta to Developers, Includes Support for Apple Card
If you're an iOS developer, welcome back to beta testing. Apple just released the first iOS 12.4 developer beta today, Wednesday, May 15, just two days after the public release of iOS 12.3. While Apple has not shared any release notes, we know this latest version of iOS will support Apple Card, Apple's upcoming credit card.
News: Samsung Joins Niantic in Backing DigiLens with $50 Million Funding Round
Smartglasses are the future of augmented reality, and Samsung is betting on waveguide maker DigiLens to emerge as a leader in the growing AR wearable industry.
News: Google & Magic Leap Developer Create Augmented Reality Mobile Apps for Warping Real World into Art
Because of its ability to place digital content into the real world, augmented reality lends itself well to artists and creatives.
News: The OnePlus 7 Pro's GPS Is So Much Better Than Other Phones Thanks to This Unique Feature
We've all been there — using Google Maps for navigation and waiting for the app to find our location. As we drive around, we keep hoping it will get a lock in time to make the next turn. Well in the US, we finally have a solution to this problem, and it's the OnePlus 7 Pro.
News: Unity Beta 2019.2 Adds Face, 2D & 3D Image Tracking to AR Foundation
Fresh off of shipping version 2019.1 in April, Unity has already dropped the beta of 2019.2, and it has a bunch of new AR Foundation toys to test.
News: You Can Get a OnePlus 7 Pro with INSANE Specs for the Price of the XR or S10e
OnePlus unveiled its latest device — the OnePlus 7 Pro — Tuesday, May 14. Usually, the company touts a device with impressive specs, build quality, and price, all without sacrificing too much. This time around, however, OnePlus decided to include a Pro device without compromise, while retaining those core values, making the 7 Pro highly competitive against the "low end" phones of their competitors (the iPhone XR and Samsung S10e).
News: Lenovo's New Android-Based AR Headset Hits the HoloLens Where It Hurts — Enterprise Applications
Now that Microsoft has squarely focused on the enterprise market with the HoloLens 2, it appears Lenovo is content to play follow-the-leader with its new augmented reality headset.
Coming Soon: Call & Message All Your Facebook, Instagram & WhatsApp Friends from One App
You're in constant communication with your friends and family. The only issue? Nobody uses the same app. Messenger, Instagram, WhatsApp — you have contacts spanning all three, and the resulting balancing-act to keep in touch can be overwhelming. That's why Facebook — who owns all three apps — is coming out with a way to call and message friends across all three platforms from one place.
How To: Install Android Q Beta on Any Project Treble Phone
For many, the stock version of Android is often considered the epitome of what the operating system should look and feel like by default. It's clean and clear of unwanted extra apps that come pre-installed with the system, provides a fluid and fast user experience, and runs on just about any device that has an unlocked bootloader to install a custom ROM with the stock version ready to go.
News: iOS 12.3 Features You Don't Want to Miss, Including Apple TV Channels, AirPlay 2-Enabled TVs & Apple Pay in Apple Apps
Apple released iOS 12.3, the latest version iOS 12 for iPhone, on May 13. Great features to know about include Apple TV Channels such as HBO and Showtime that you can subscribe to in the TV app, support for audio, image, and video streaming to AirPlay 2-enabled TVs, and the ability to use Apple Pay to pay for content and subscriptions inside Apple's own apps.
How To: Install Android Q Beta on Any Google Pixel Phone
During the Google I/O 2019 keynote, the latest Android Q Beta was released to the public for Pixel smartphones along with 15 other non-Pixel devices. It's the third Developer Preview for Android 10, but it's the first official public beta outside of Google's Pixel smartphones. A new public beta means good things are on the way as the future of Android continues to evolve.
Market Reality: Google Adds AR to Search, AWE Turns 10, & Nike Makes AR Part of Its Sales Strategy
As the Augmented World Expo (AWE) prepares to open its doors to AR developers and enthusiasts, we sat down with founder Ori Inbar to talk about AR's growth over the past decade, and what the future may hold.