Hot Gadget Hacks Posts
How To: Get Hands Free for Directions & Traffic Info from Waze to Avoid a Crash (Or Ticket)
Drivers the world over are painfully aware of the inherent danger of taking their eyes off the road even for a second. In fact, according to the National Safety Council, 27% of all car crashes result from distracted driving due to attempted cell phone use. Fortunately, Waze comes with a feature that can help keep you from being a part of this grim statistic.
Instagram 101: How to Natively Regram Other Posts on Your Feed Without Leaving the App
You can retweet on Twitter, and you can reblog on Tumblr, but you cannot regram on Instagram. Until now, that is. For years, third-party apps have made it their business to help Instagram users share content from other users. With some new developments, Instagram looks to render those apps obsolete by adding a native regram button to the official Instagram application.
News: WayRay Wows Auto Industry with AR Navigation Tech
Until self-driving cars become mainstream, augmented reality might be the next big technology to hit your dashboard.
News: Essential iPhone X Tips for the 6 Million Lucky People Who Got One on Black Friday
Cyber Week 2017 is still upon us. If you're looking for an iPhone X deal, you might still have time to score one. But maybe you already have — a reported six million people purchased the newest iPhone over the Black Friday weekend. If you're one of those lucky millions, there's a slight learning curve to using the X over other iPhone models.
News: Snapchat CEO Evan Spiegel Revamps App's Content Strategy, Keeping Camera & AR at the Center
On Wednesday, Snap, Inc. unveiled a revamp of its Snapchat app that draws a hard line between content from your friends and content from professional media organizations.
News: Nissan Brings the Force of Star Wars to Its Dealerships with Augmented Reality
The Star Wars saga may have occurred a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, but Nissan is using a futuristic technology to bring stormtroopers and droids into its dealerships.
Apple AR: Patents Reveal See-Through iPhones & Macbooks May Be Part of Apple's AR Future
Based on newly surfaced information, transparent smartphones like those teased in Iron Man 2 and those hand-tracking monitors made famous in Minority Report may eventually end up being "designed by Apple in California."
How To: Protect Yourself from macOS High Sierra's Glaring Empty-Password Security Flaw
There's a new macOS vulnerability that hackers within physical reach of your computer can use to gain root access to your system and accounts. Just by using "root" as the username and a blank password on a privilege escalation prompt, someone can install malware on your computer, access hidden files, reset your passwords, and more. Root access gives them the ability to do anything they want.
News: Kay Jewelers Adds Some Bling to Snapchat via Try-on Lens
Rabbit ears and dog noses are fun and all, but Kay Jewelers is here to class up Snapchat.
News: Samsung's Galaxy S9 Could Arrive in a Burgundy Red Color
Samsung just announced that the Galaxy S8 is getting a fresh coat of paint, launching a burgundy red color of the flagship in their home market of Korea. There is currently little information about whether this color will come to the US for the S8, but this could be a preview of things to come. The Galaxy S9 is set to arrive in January and may also come in a beautiful red variant.
News: iPhones Are Autocorrecting the Words 'It' & 'Is' to 'I.T.' & 'I.S.' with iOS Keyboard Bug
Have you recently tried to type the words "it" or "is" on your iPhone only to have the Apple keyboard attempt to autocorrect them to "I.T." or "I.S.?" If so, you're not alone.
News: iOS 11.2 Beta 5 Released with Only More Under-the-Hood Improvements
We're getting closer and closer to a final iOS 11.2 release for everyone. Apple just pushed out beta 5 for iOS 11.2 to developers and public testers on Tuesday, Nov. 28, and much like its predecessor from a few weeks ago, there's not much included but bug fixes and security patches.
How To: Make Your Own Animoji Karaoke Video
Introduced along with the iPhone X, Animoji are animated characters, mostly animals, that are rendered from the user's facial expressions using the device's TrueDepth camera system to track the user's facial movements.
News: This AR Experiment Adds a Life Clock to Anyone with a Face
Do you know when you're going to die? Your iPhone or iPad does. That's the premise behind Death Mask, an experimental app developed by Or Fleisher and Anastasis Germanidis.
Gmail 101: How to Use Priority Inbox to Automatically Filter Out Clutter
For many of us, getting to inbox zero is the highlight of our day. But if you used your email address to sign up for various sites and services, your inbox is probably cluttered with all sorts of spam, news letters, and unimportant emails. Thankfully, Gmail has a feature that can solve this by using machine learning.
News: Transformers Really Are More Than Meets the Eye in New Movie Tie-in AR App
Just as the Transformers animated TV series of the '80s were basically half-hour commercials for toys, a new Transformers AR app for iOS similarly functions as a promotion for the latest installment in the film franchise.
News: The Best Cyber Monday Deals on iOS Apps & Games for Your iPhone
Who likes to buy apps? The answer is no one, of course. Unfortunately, as in life, the best apps and games don't come free. That's why it makes sense to wait until those apps go on sale before handing over your hard-earned cash. And what better day to find discounts in the iOS App Store than Cyber Monday?
Cyber Monday Deals: Get the Essential Phone for the Cheapest It's Ever Been
The Essential Phone didn't have a hot start when it was released back in August. A delayed release, poor camera performance, and high price tag led many to avoid the otherwise well-received device. But after a few software updates and price drops, it's now a steal of a deal.
News: Amazon Launches Sumerian, Drag-and-Drop Tool for Quickly Creating & Deploying AR/VR Content
Amazon Web Services (AWS) opened its re:INVENT developers expo with a bang by launching Amazon Sumerian, a new tool that could become the dominant platform for building cross-platform augmented and virtual reality applications.
News: This Is the Only iPhone X Cyber Week 2017 Deal We've Found
While Black Friday shoppers found countless deals on all kinds of smartphones, one device was overtly left out of the price cuts — the iPhone X. Walmart was the only store to offer a promotion on the newest Apple device, and even then, it was difficult to find. Cyber Week appears to have repeated recent history, with only one store offering a special on the iPhone X, but it's not Walmart this time.
Market Reality: Auto Industry Ramps Up AR Use via Microsoft & Snapchat
Between Renault Truck's testing of the HoloLens in factories and BMW promoting its newest model through Snapchat, the auto industry is hot for augmented reality to improve internal operations and engage consumers.
News: Now There's an Animoji for Rick from 'Rick & Morty'
Two characters from the popular sci-fi animated comedy Rick and Morty have already made their way into augmented reality courtesy of ARKit experiments. Now, it's possible to become one of them on the iPhone X.
Apple AR: Starfox AR Uses iPhone X to Turn Your Face into a Level Boss
An AR/VR developer has managed to use the iPhone X to transport players into an emulation of the classic '90s video game Star Fox as the game's antagonist.
News: Give the Gift of AR This Holiday Season with These 12 Newbie-Friendly Ideas
If you're a regular reader of Next Reality, you're more likely to spread the joy of augmented reality than most others. But it can be difficult to introduce newbies into the AR fold if you don't give them exactly the right starting point in terms ease-of-use and affordability. But fear not, oh gift-giving AR pioneer, we're here to help!
Ranked: The 7 Best Paid Word Games for iPhone & Android
Word games can expand your vocabulary skills in all sorts of exciting and creative ways. Because of this, both the iOS App Store and the Google Play Store are awash with word games, making it hard to differentiate between good and bad titles. This is especially troublesome if you're looking to purchase a game, as everyone hates to waste hard-earned cash.
News: The Biggest Bugs & Performance Issues in the Essential Oreo Update
We've been running the Essential Oreo Beta on our PH-1 over the past week and compiling a list of important changes. If you're interested in getting the Beta yourself, we even put together a quick guide on how to do that. Now that we've ran down the best new features, let's take a look at all of the bugs and performance issues in Android 8.0.
News: Apple's Latest Patent Generates AR Content from Real World Images
Christmas came early for Apple, as the company was awarded more than 40 patents by the US Patent and Trademark Office on Tuesday, including one covering a system for compositing an augmented reality construct based on image recognition.
News: 20 Cool New Features in iOS 11.2 for iPhone
Apple released the iOS 11.2 update for the iPhone to the masses early morning on Dec. 2, and here are all the new features and important bug fixes you need to know about.
News: BMW Invites You to Test Drive the X2 with Snapchat Lens
Snapchat has broken new ground in its augmented reality advertising efforts, as BMW has opted to show off its new X2 model in AR with the Augmented Trial Lens.
News: The Best Cyber Monday 2017 Deals on Android Games for Your Smartphone
If you're like me, you probably have a wishlist of Android games you'd love to buy, except the high price tags keep you away. A few bucks can feel like a fortune in the Google Play Store — you just can't bring yourself to pay that much. Well, lucky for you, Google Play has some serious discounts this Cyber Monday. There won't be a better time to buy these games, until next year, of course.
News: The Best New Features in the Essential Phone Oreo Update
Essential recently launched their Android Oreo Beta Program, open to all owners of their PH-1 flagship. We detailed a quick and easy method for installing the beta on your device. With every beta program, there are bound to be plenty of new features and a few bugs, as we found out with the Galaxy S8 Oreo Beta. Let's take a look at what's new with Android 8.0 on the Essential Phone.
News: HoloPlayer One Achieves Holograms Sans Glasses Within Reasonable Price Range
A Brooklyn-based startup has launched a glasses-free holographic display for less than the cost of an iPhone 8 Plus.
How To: Get the OnePlus 5T's Face Unlock on Any Phone
The OnePlus 5T was just released, and it's packing several new useful features. While many OnePlus 5 buyers are feeling frustrated with the quick release cycle, lots of fans are still clamoring to buy the new device. Aside from the larger screen, most of the buzz around the 5T has centered around the new face unlock method. Thanks to a clever hack, you can now get this feature on almost any phone!
News: The Best Black Friday 2017 Deals on Smartwatches
Smartwatches are an excellent way to keep track of our smartphone's notifications as well as our own fitness. However, these devices are not usually cheap. If you'd rather not pay a premium for a piece of wearable technology, check out all the Black Friday deals on smartwatches — we've got all the best ones listed right here.
News: Into the Dead 2 Is Already One of the Best Free Action Games for Android & iPhone
The release of Into the Dead 2 has given fans of the zombie bashing genre a fresh game to enjoy, but it's also given us the opportunity to revisit our roundup for the best free action games for mobile. Not only did it replace its predecessor in our charts, it managed to surpass it. Here's what made the game shine through.
News: Renault Trucks Tests HoloLens to Visualize Quality Control in Engine Assembly Operations
French manufacturer Renault Trucks is looking to the HoloLens to improve quality control processes with its engine assembly operations.
News: The Best Black Friday 2017 Deals on Wireless Chargers for Your Smartphone
If you're planning on picking up a new iPhone X, 8, or 8 Plus, or maybe a Samsung Galaxy S8, S8+, or Note 8, you'll want to consider a wireless charger. While you might feel a bit fancy charging your smartphone without a cable, that pomp might come at a price. Thankfully, Black Friday is almost upon us, and we know all about the best deals.
News: Marvel Teams with Snoop, Jaden Smith, Jamie Foxx, Black Eyed Peas & Others for AR Graphic Novel
While most of Hollywood and its celebrity class are enthralled by virtual reality, a new augmented reality experience featuring some of the music and film world's top talent is preparing for virtual liftoff.
News: Maker of Mobile Hit Fruit Ninja Blends AR & VR in Supernatural Story Game
To the best of my recollection, Fruit Ninja was one of the first touchscreen games that appeared to really take advantage of the new paradigm of user input, turning the player's finger into a produce-slicing katana.
News: The Best Black Friday 2017 Deals on iPhone Accessories
A new iPhone is only as good as its accessories. Whether it's a case, screen protector, or charger, your iPhone's ecosystem depends on accessories to keep it powered, protected, and personal. Prices on all of these extras are going to be at an all-time low this Black Friday weekend, so we've rounded up the best deals around to help you get the essentials you want and prices you can afford.