Hot Gadget Hacks Posts
News: Archer AR App Deputizes Viewers as Detectives
The producers of FX's animated series Archer have devised a plan to introduce augmented reality hijinks into its eighth and penultimate season with a new app for iOS and Android devices.
News: Detailed 3D Mining Maps & Future Reclamation Views Highlighted in Proof-of-Concept HoloLens App
LOOOK, a Seattle-based mixed reality and development studio, can now peer into the future with their new geotechnical engineering visualization application for Microsoft HoloLens.
News: Apple Says iPhone & iCloud Are Safe After Claimed Breach by 'Turkish Crime Family'
New statements from Apple make it clear that they do not believe a hacker, or group of hackers, breached any of their systems. This comes after a recent report from Motherboard that a hacker gang called the "Turkish Crime Family" is threatening to remotely wipe up to 559 million iPhones by April 7.
News: 'Convert' & Watch Your Old DVDs on Your Smartphone with Vudu
Now you can watch your old copy of Bridget Jones's Diary anywhere, anytime, on your smartphone. It's a dream come true! (Disclaimer: This dream may oddly specific to me.)
How To: The 4 Best Apps for Watching NCAA Sweet Sixteen Games for Free on Android or iOS
It's March once again, and while that might signify the beginning of spring for some, basketball fans have this month marked on their calendars for one good reason: NCAA March Madness. Though the tournament is already underway, the Sweet Sixteen leg begins Thursday, March 23, 2017. If you fear you may miss the upcoming games, worry not, as free apps for smartphones and tablets are available to help you watch all the action.
How To: 8 Tips for Securing a Red iPhone 7 Before They Sell Out
Apple just unveiled a red iPhone and iPhone 7 Plus, dubbed the iPhone 7 (PRODUCT)RED Special Edition, to commemorate the ongoing global fight against AIDS. Apple fans the world over are sure to swarm in and gobble up the initial stock shortly after the new color is released at 8:01 a.m. (PDT) on March 24, 2017, so we'll go over some tips to help you secure a red iPhone before it's sold out.
News: Adobe Integrates with HoloLens for Personalized Marketing
At Adobe Summit 2017 this week, Adobe announced they are looking to occupy a new space in the market by combining their analytic capabilities with augmented reality. Teaming up with Microsoft, the company has combined Adobe Sensei software with the HoloLens, reports GeekWire. Together, the tech and software create a new tool for retailers to track their consumers' habits.
News: WhatsApp Receives Thousands of Fake 5-Star Reviews After Months of Ranking Below Average
During the last few months, WhatsApp's Google Play Store ratings have been tanking—all the way down to an average of 3.4 stars from the instant messenger's usual average of 4.1. Within the last week, though, WhatsApp has received thousands of seemingly fake 5-star reviews that have bumped up the company's overall average to a 4.4.
News: This One Chart Lays Out All the AR Companies You NEED to Know About
Super Ventures has published "The AR Landscape," a chart encompassing the major players and startups that are shaping augmented reality. Launched in February as the first incubator and fund focused on augmented reality, Super Ventures outlines companies working augmented reality applications, tools, devices, input/output methods, and components. The AR Landscape lists 312 companies, representing $12.1 billion in funding and $69.6 billion valuation. It runs the gamut from startups and innovato...
News: 'Turkish Crime Family' Demands $75,000 in Bitcoin from Apple in Exchange for Hacked iPhone Accounts
Rumor has it that a gang of hackers—or possibly, one lonesome individual—holds the power to remotely wipe millions of iPhones and iCloud accounts, unless Apple coughs up some ransom money by April 7.
News: Google Maps Update Brings Real-Time Location Sharing
Google Maps now allows users to share their location in real time and update their friends and family on their location and estimated time of arrival when making a trip.
News: 27 Cool New Features & Changes in Android 8.0 Oreo
It's official — the newest version of Google's mobile operating system is called Android 8.0 Oreo, and it's in the process of rolling out to many different devices. Oreo has plenty of changes in store, ranging from revamped looks to under-the-hood improvements, so there's tons of cool new stuff to explore.
News: Snapseed Update Launches Three Amazing New Tools
The newest version of Snapseed features three awesome new tools for you photo-editing enthusiasts. The 2.17 update for the editing app was rolled out on Tuesday, March 21, and its new additions are something to behold.
How To: Install Android O on Your Pixel or Nexus Right Now
Android O has finally arrived—well, it's technically a beta version, but that isn't stopping Android enthusiasts from going crazy about it. The first Developer Preview was released earlier today and is available right now to install on Nexus and Pixel devices. While Android O doesn't have an official name or Android number yet (we're betting on "Android Oreo"), Google has released a feature list and a blog post explaining almost all of the new changes and features.
News: UC Berkeley Team Commands Drone Fleet with HoloLens
User interfaces for computers have evolved over the years, from the introduction of the keyboard and mouse on the personal computer, to touchscreens on mobile devices, to natural voice recognition. However, the same cannot be said for robots or drones—until now.
News: Google Releases Android O Developer Preview—Here's a Rundown of the New Features
The first sneak peak of Android O is finally here. The developer preview promises more features, stabilization, and better performance, according to the Android Developers Blog. Furthermore, there's speculation that the latest operating system will be code-named "Android Oreo," so it definitely sounds like we're in for a treat.
News: French Art Exhibit 'Mirages & Miracles' Combines Sculptures, Drawings & AR
The conversation around augmented reality has largely been focused on apps and gaming, and how AR can be used as a marketing tool. However, a new exhibit at France's Scène Nationale Albi is using AR for more artistic expression.
News: 2 Exciting New Features Coming in Apple's Clips App for iOS
Apple has yet to create a successful social networking app, but that doesn't mean they want to be left out of the social video conversation. Case in point: Today they announced a new video app set to debut for iOS in April called Clips.
How To: Add a Screen Timeout Tile to Android Nougat's Quick Settings Panel
A new feature in Android Nougat lets you add your own custom tiles to the Quick Settings panel. This menu, which can be accessed by swiping down from the top of any screen, lets you quickly adjust settings and toggle system features on and off. So now that it's been opened up for third-party development, we're starting to see all sorts of cool and useful tiles roll in.
News: You Can Now Save Your Live Instagram Videos
Starting today, you'll have the opportunity to save all your live Instagram videos to your phone at the end of each broadcast session. The latest update to the Instagram app now allows you to rewatch already-played broadcasts and gives you the ability to share them later on.
News: Design Your Dream Room with Pottery Barn's New Augmented Reality App
Pottery Barn has teamed up with Google to create 3D Room View, a new mobile app to allow all wannabe interior designers (like me) to pick out the perfect couch, table, or whatever, and then overlay it onto a spot in his or her house.
News: Apple Built Its Augmented Reality Group with Outsiders from Oculus & Microsoft
Apple is combining internal and external talent in an effort to give them in edge in the augmented reality market, though we still don't know what form their foray into alternative realities will actually take.
News: Nokia Mobile Networks Head Leaves, Division Splits in Two in Face of Falling Sales
Nokia, the Finnish telecommunications company, is about to shake things up a bit after its networks sales in the final quarter of last year declined 14% compared to sales in 2015.
News: Vodafone Set to Become India's Biggest Mobile Contender
Vodafone India has merged with telecom company Idea Cellular to become India's largest mobile player this week.
News: Bixby Is Official—Meet Samsung's Siri Competitor
The rumors have been confirmed by Samsung themselves: Samsung has developed a virtual assistant of their own, named Bixby.
How To: This Boomerang Hack Lets You Post Apple's Live Photos on Instagram
Instagram enthusiasts will be pleased to know that there is finally a way to post your Live Photos on the service.
News: Google Maps V9.49 Beta Gets a Manual Parking Location Tracker & Weather Indicator
Google Maps beta version 9.49 now allows users to manually save their parking location, and includes weather forecasts in mass transit, according to Android Police. There's also a notification toggle for mass transit station notifications.
News: From Dogs to Clothes, New Roadie App Helps You Move Your Stuff
A new app called Roadie now makes life a little easier by connecting users to people who can transport their stuff. The app allows users to transport anything from dogs to getting rid of your ex's things. Furthermore, anyone can register as a sender, or become a driver to make an extra buck. The app is very easy to use: simply download (the app is available on both iOS and Android) and register using an email address or with Facebook. Using the profile you've created, users then select whethe...
PSA: Use the PlayStation App for iPhone or Android to Get Free Games Every Month
Sony offers a set of free games to its PlayStation Plus subscribers every month, but it's easy to miss out if you're not constantly around your console. Perhaps you're traveling, or maybe you've stayed up one too many nights playing Uncharted, leading to a period of PlayStation detox. No matter what the case is, the good news is that you can use the PlayStation app for Android or iOS to claim these monthly free games without getting up from your seat.
Roundup: The 5 Best Capacitive Gloves for Using Your Smartphone in the Cold
For some of us, winter puts the brakes on apps like Pokémon GO since smartphone screens usually only respond to bare fingers. Nobody wants to be that guy who caught frostbite chasing a Sneasel. When you use normal gloves, the display's sensor simple doesn't activate, so that doesn't help any. Fortunately, several options for touchscreen-friendly capacitive gloves are on the market to help you through this last blast of winter.
News: Google's New Patent Suggests Phone Packaging That Doubles as a VR Headset
Google has produced millions of low-end Cardboard VR headsets, but now it's upping its game with virtual reality phone packaging. Yep, you heard that right. A patent application published in February would suggest that the tech giant has developed phone packaging that doubles as a VR headset.
News: Spotify Considers Restricting Big Album Releases to Paying Users Only
All you paying Spotify users are about to get another exclusive privilege besides getting out of all those annoying "Ever wonder what it would be like to have Spotify premium?" ads. The Sweden-based company is looking to lower the royalty fees they have to pay to major record labels for their music, by compromising on their policy that all their music be free to paying and nonpaying users. Spotify would for a limited time restrict access on major album releases to their paying subscribers.
How To: Install Mini DayZ on Your iPhone & Play It Now Before Its US Release
DayZ is a first-person shooter game for Windows that places you in a vast post-apocalyptic world filled with zombies and other players that are all out to get you. Famous for its realism, DayZ has garnered a cult following and influenced many subsequent games in the genre. But now, Bohemia Interactive, the brains behind DayZ, has developed a mobile-friendly version of the game for iPhone and iPad, aptly named Mini DayZ. Mini DayZ comes with a ton features that will definitely keep you busy. W...
PSA: TrueCaller Is Sharing Your Phone Activity
TrueCaller is sharing your phone activity by revealing the last time your phone was used to contacts. The application used to identify unknown callers launched in 2009 and has faced a wealth of privacy concerns before.
News: Apple Granted Patent to Make Augmented Reality Maps—Hinting at a Cool, Futuristic Version of Our Well-Worn Maps App
Apple recently scored a patent (number 9,488,488) to create augmented reality maps, hinting at possible AR integration into the iOS Maps application for iPhone. Does this mean we'll be seeing super visionary projections of places in the app in the near future? Maybe.
News: Thanks to Google, iPhone Users Can Finally Pick a New Frame for Their Live Photos
Thanks to Google's latest update to their Motion Still app, iPhone users can now pick a new frame for Live Photos. The app fixes everything annoying about Apple's Live Photos, and this is just another great feature to add to Motion Still's impressive features list.
How To: Rip Original PlayStation Games to Play on Your Android with a DualShock Controller
The '90s were a great decade to be alive. Before the internet became a high-availability service, we were untethered from the bombardment of media present in today's culture. Children ran through the streets with levels of physical exertion beyond what's required to capture fictional creatures found in Pokémon GO. However, there were some video game consoles that kept kids indoors, such as the Game Boy, SNES, and more importantly—the first ever PlayStation.
Hands-On: Our Detailed Look at Osterhout Design Group's R-8 & R-9 Smartglasses
I had the opportunity to speak with the COO of Osterhout Design Group, Pete Jameson, shortly before the announcement of the company's R-8 and R-9 smartglasses models at CES in January. And while I sadly could not make it to CES to test the smart specs out right away, ODG invited me to do just that while I was in San Francisco for the Game Developers Conference.
Deal Alert: Get a Free Season of Game of Thrones from Google Play—Right Now!
The Google Play Store is known for some pretty random promotions and offers, most of the time it's a free book or a discounted movie. But this time, an entire season for Game of Thrones is up for grabs. Yes, that's right, all of Season 5 of Game of Thrones is free to download, watch, or just stash in your library for later.
News: The Washington Post to Start Using Augmented Reality to Tell Better Stories
The Washington Post believes augmented reality adds an extra layer to stories, and they're doubling down on that belief by adding in new AR features into their already popular "rainbow" news (iOS and Android) and Classic (iOS and Android) news apps.