Gadget Hacks News

News: Niantic Bringing Buddy Interactions to AR+ Mode in Pokémon GO, Shared Experiences with Other Trainers to Follow

It looks like Pokémon GO players may get a surprise gift from the game's developer, Niantic, this holiday season.

News: Apple Releases iOS 13.3.1 Developer Beta 1 for iPhone

We spent four beta updates with iOS 13.3. In that time, we saw fun new features like Communications Limits in Screen Time, an off switch for Memoji stickers in the Emoji keyboard, and new mouse options, among other things. Once Apple made 13.3 available to the public, it was only a matter of time before it began beta testing new software. That software is iOS 13.3.1, and that testing starts today.

Exclusive: Nreal Fires Back at Magic Leap with Motion to Dismiss Trade Secrets Lawsuit

In a stunning end-of-year twist to the Magic Leap versus Nreal legal saga, the China-based startup is now filing a motion against Magic Leap.

News: AirPods Too Expensive? Here Are 6 True Wireless Earbuds That Are Just as Good for Working Out

Despite their awkward appearance, Apple's AirPods have become the earbuds of choice for working out, largely thanks to quality audio without any wires to tangle. However, at $159 to start, they aren't exactly for everyone.

News: Snapchat Launches Trailer Reaction AR Lens for Tom Cruise Movie 'Top Gun: Maverick'

Usually, flying into unknown territory would mean riding into the "danger zone", but Paramount and Snapchat are taking the trip anyway with one of Summer 2020's most anticipated movie sequels.

News: 3 Child-Proofing Products That Aren't Total Garbage

I'm a new parent and I just moved into a new home. The first thing I wanted to do was ensure my toddler's safety in his new digs. That meant buying a bunch of baby-proofing products from Amazon, realizing most were junk, then buying some more until I found solutions for all my needs.

News: Dior Returns to Instagram AR with Virtual Makeup Effect to Promote Holiday Collection

The cosmetics brands are among the earliest adopters of augmented reality, using virtual try-on tools to preview shades of makeup before buying.

Market Reality: Google Updates ARCore & Cuts Glass, Star Wars AR in Japan, & Hands-On Magic Leap for Fashion & Voice

After facing reports of financial troubles over the past month, Magic Leap came out swinging this week with a big push for the enterprise segment of AR, including a repackaged Magic Leap 1, a suite of enterprise apps, and updates to Lumin OS and its supporting development ecosystem. Oh, and its AR headset managed to win a starring role in the marketing juggernaut for the forthcoming Star Wars movie.

Gift Guide: Must-Have Phone Accessories for Privacy & Security

In a time where we're more connected than ever, privacy and security have never been more important. Maybe you're not concerned, but I'm sure there's someone in your life who is, and shopping for them can be daunting. However, with these gifts, you can provide them the tools they need to enhance their protection.

Hands-On: Launching Space Rockets in New York's Central Park via Magic Leap's Boosters App

We're a few weeks away from the fireworks associated with New Year's celebrations, but that doesn't mean you can't start a little early — in augmented reality.

News: Snap Brings Custom Materials & 3D Face Mesh to Lens Studio

Snapchat parent company Snap credits its popular augmented reality experiences and its flourishing Lens Studio creator community to its user growth throughout the year.

Hands-On: This Is How Magic Leap's Voice Control Works via the New Lumin OS Update

This week's Magic Leap Lumin OS update contained a number of goodies, including iris authentication, and a way to stream to Twitch from the device.

News: Facebook Messenger Blasts Out Trio of Star Wars AR Effects for 'Rise of Skywalker'

While "Baby Yoda" from The Mandalorian threatens to overshadow it, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker arrives in theaters next week, which means it's time for Disney and Lucasfilm to ramp up its promotional strategy.

News: AR Telepresence App Spatial Debuts on Magic Leap via Enterprise Suite

After stealing the show at the HoloLens 2 launch and starring in Qualcomm's unveiling the Snapdragon XR2, holographic video conferencing app Spatial has landed a leading role in Magic Leap's second act with the enterprise segment.

News: Magic Leap Used to Bring AR to H&M & Star Wars Fashion Collaboration in Tokyo Developed by Warpin Media

There may be questions from some about the future of Magic Leap, but in Japan, The Force is with the augmented reality startup.

News: Bosch Designs Easy to Deploy Optical System for Smartglasses Makers

With big-name tech companies like Apple and Facebook gearing up to push out their own smartglasses in the coming years, engineering conglomerate Bosch has been working on the optical components that could help the competition catch up.

News: Chinese Smartphone Maker Oppo Previews AR Glasses & Futuristic Hardware Concepts

China-based smartphone maker Oppo is ready to put Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon chips in its latest round of smartphones, but, like Qualcomm, Oppo is also preparing to move on to augmented reality wearables.

News: Facebook Adds New Story Time Content to Portal, New AR Features to Portal TV

Friends and family receiving new Portal devices for Christmas will have some extra stocking stuffers in the form of new AR features.

News: Magic Leap Repackages Developer Tools as The Lab, Publishes Updates to Lumin SDK & Lumin OS, & Previews Magicverse SDK

Along with rebranding Magic Leap 1 for enterprise customers, Magic Leap has gifted its developer community with some new toys with a tease of more to come in 2020.

Hands-On: Magic Leap App Obsess Lets You Create a Fashion Store Pop-Up Nearly Anywhere

The newly enhanced focus from Magic Leap on enterprise, announced on Tuesday, also came with a few companies opting to weigh in with their experiences developing for the platform.

News: Magic Leap Pivots to Enterprise, Announces New Business-Focused Services, Slightly Modified Name

As we predicted this time last year, Magic Leap is finally moving from consumer entertainment hype to making a firm commitment to enterprise customers.

News: Apple's iOS 13.3 Released for iPhone, Includes Off Switch for Memoji Stickers, New Mouse Options & More

Apple seeded the official version of iOS 13 to compatible iPhones on Sept. 19. Since then, we've seen two major updates — iOS 13.1, which, by our count, introduced 22 new features, and iOS 13.2, which also added 22 new features. Today, Dec. 10, Apple introduced the third major update: iOS 13.3.

News: New iOS 13.3 Features & Changes You Don't Want to Miss

It wasn't long ago Apple released iOS 13.2 to the masses. The second major update to iOS 13 included 22 new features and changes that added a significant layer of depth to an already feature-filled experience. Apple isn't ready to stop the fun, however, as iOS 13.3, released Dec. 10, has a decent amount of new features too.

News: North Focals 2.0 to Arrive in 2020, First Generation Sales Halted

While Apple, Facebook, and Snapchat are still working on their first-generation AR wearables, startup North is already preparing to bring its second-generation smartglasses to the world in 2020.

News: After 7 Years, Google Abandons Individual Glass Owners Who Spent $1,500 to Join Its Early Wearables Experiment

Did Google CEO Sundar Pichai kill Google Glass for non-enterprise users? That's the obvious first question following news that non-enterprise Glass users will no longer have access to Google's core apps after February 2020.

News: Google Update Adds Real-World Occlusion to ARCore with Depth API

Apple's ARKit has built a considerable lead in terms of features over Google's ARCore, but Google's latest update to ARCore adds a capability that makes the platform a bit more competitive with ARKit.

News: Now You Can Drive Elon Musk's Tesla Cybertruck in AR from the Comfort of Your Home via iOS & Android

What do you do when your favorite new car is still two years away from hitting the road? Look to augmented reality, of course.

News: Keep Your AirPods Case from Getting Dirty in Your Pocket or Bag with This Dust-Tight Cover

We love our set of Apple AirPods. The battery could last a little longer, but overall, there's only one gripe we really have: the dirt that builds up inside the case. Whether you stick it in your pocket, a backpack, or your purse, the inside of the case's lid and main base will get dirty in a week, give or take. But there's a way to stop that from happening.

Market Reality: HoloLens 2 Hits Primetime TV, Qualcomm Unveils XR2 Chip, & Magic Leap Tops 2019's Biggest AR Investments

Investment in augmented reality remained robust in 2019. For the third consecutive year, we looked back on the biggest funding deals in the AR industry this week, and a familiar name came out on top.

News: Does Face ID Work When Your iPhone 11, 11 Pro, or 11 Pro Max Is Flat on a Table?

While there is a lot to love about Apple's latest suite of iPhone models, the real draw comes down to the cameras. The iPhone 11, 11 Pro, and 11 Pro Max all have killer rear camera systems, but the front camera was also improved. Apple claims Face ID works at more angles than before in these models, which begs the question: can you unlock your iPhone when it's flat on a table?

News: Apple Releases iOS 13.3 Beta 4 for iPhone with Minor Under-the-Hood Improvements

Since the release of iOS 13.3 beta 3 on Nov. 20, Apple has remained silent on new beta updates. That's likely because there was a holiday the following week, and then all of the major shopping events after that. But now, it's back in the game, and on Thursday, Dec. 5, Apple pushed out iOS 13.3 developer beta 4 and public beta 4.

News: New York Times Debuts Location-Based Air Pollution AR Visualization for Apple iOS Devices

After establishing itself as a leader among media companies in augmented reality in journalism over the course of 2018, The New York Times pulled back from the technology this year.

News: Qualcomm Launches Snapdragon XR2 5G for Next-Level AR Hardware & Reference Design for AR Wearables

As one of the leading makers of processors for smartphones, Qualcomm further bolstered its place in the market with the announcement of the Snapdragon 865 earlier this week.

News: Nreal Collaborates with Qualcomm & Deutsche Telekom to Build Prototype Enterprise AR App

As a frequent collaborator with Qualcomm, it would be kind of weird if Nreal didn't have something new to unveil at this week's Snapdragon Summit.

News: The Complete List of Android 10 Release Dates for Every Major Phone

Android 10 is officially out, but a lot of phones didn't get it in 2019, and others may not get it at all. With this page, you'll at least know when or if.

News: Snap Unveils Gucci Edition of Spectacles 3, Film Shot via Spectacles 3 by 'Kids' Director Harmony Korine

After several iterations of the product, Snap is focused on making sure the world knows that its smartglasses can be fashionable.

News: All the Places You Can Get 3% Daily Cash Back Using Apple Card

Apple Card is the iPhone OEM's big leap into the credit card market. Its low barrier to entry and ease of use make it an appealing option, especially for those who often pay for goods with Apple Pay. To get the best rewards possible, make sure you use the Apple Card at stores where you can get 3% cash back.

News: Microsoft's HoloLens 2 Makes Primetime Debut on Fox TV Show 'The Resident'

The HoloLens 2 hasn't even reached most of the market, but it's already a big-time TV star. Microsoft's augmented reality device made its primetime debut on FOX TV last night on an episode of the hospital drama The Resident.

News: The Best Streaming Media Devices to Watch Your Favorite TV Shows & Movies

By now, you've probably been inundated with enough Baby Yoda memes to last you a lifetime. But if you don't have the new Disney Plus streaming service on your TV, you're probably wondering where all this is coming from. Well, lucky for you, just in time for the holiday season, we're here to guide you to the best ways to take part in all the streaming fun when you're not glued to your mobile devices.

News: Microsoft HoloLens 2 Assists De'Longhi Japan Call Center Agents Using Augmented Reality Product Models

Less than a month after the worldwide launch of HoloLens 2, call center consultant BellSystem24 has already prepared an augmented reality solution for one of its clients.