Gadget Hacks News

News: Google Maps Update Will Help You Skip the Wait at Popular Restaurants

Trendy restaurants are fun, but waiting in line isn't. Too often, we arrive at a location to find a queue between us and our dinner. If only we could know when wait times were down so we could go out at the optimal time.

News: DAQRI Begins Shipping Its Ruggedized, Yet Portable AR Smartglasses Worldwide

In case you didn't already know, augmented reality is here. It's no longer just an idea in a cyberpunk novel. And while augmented reality has been around for a long time, the actual technology is finally catching up to the idea.

News: 20 Cool New Features in the Galaxy S8 Oreo Update

Samsung has finally rolled out the Android Oreo update for the Galaxy S8 and S8+. If you're just now getting the update, you'll be happy to know that your Galaxy just got upgraded with plenty of cool new features. Like previous updates, Samsung has improved upon its software by including a new look and new functionality.

News: Pixel 2 XL Update Adds 'Saturated' Color Profile & Anti-Burn-in Tweaks

Google caught a lot of flak for the Pixel 2 XL's POLED display issues, regardless of whether the problems were real or perceived. It's too late to contract another screen manufacturer at this point, but Google is doing the next-best thing: Fixing as many user complaints as possible with software updates.

News: Everything You Need to Know About the New Galaxy S9 & S9+

The last quarter of 2017 brought us some downright excellent smartphones. Between the iPhone X, Pixel 2, and Note 8, consumers have more fantastic options than ever when choosing a new device. It's now the perfect opportunity for Samsung to set the tone for 2018 smartphones with their exceptional S9 and S9+.

News: Epson's AR Drone Simulator Lets You Get Your Virtual Wings Before Crashing the Real Thing

With smartglasses designed for navigating drones and an AR drone racing game to its credit, Epson has just added another credit to its pioneering efforts in the AR-meets-drones space with the launch of a drone simulator app.

News: Apple iPhone X Users Create Animoji Karaoke, but for Future AR, This Is Bigger Than Singing Pigs & Unicorns

Any sufficiently cool new technology will be immediately repurposed to do something even cooler. Such is the case with Apple's iPhone X and its Animoji feature, which has led to something completely unanticipated: Animoji karaoke.

News: The OnePlus 5T Is Official — Here's the Announcement Date & Release Timetable

OnePlus has officially given us a date for when the OnePlus 5T will be announced. We've known about most of the specs for a while, and we just found out about the potential pricing, so a release date is the final piece of the puzzle. Consider this puzzle solved.

News: iOS 11.2 Beta 2 Released with Apple Pay Cash, iPhone X Wallpapers, New Pricing Tools

Apple released the second version of its iOS 11.2 developer beta Monday, exactly one week from beta 1, then opened up the public beta version on Tuesday. While beta 2 has been available on iPhone X since Friday, Nov. 3, all compatible iPhones can now update to this version.

News: Olympus Muscles in on Google Glass Territory with Enterprise AR Smartglasses

When it comes to augmented reality smartglasses, for now, it's still a mostly enterprise world, since the form and function of most are more acceptable on a job site versus your local cafe, and the still high price tags are far more palatable to major companies rather than individuals.

News: OnePlus CEO Possibly Confirms Pricing for the OnePlus 5T

It was a good weekend for OnePlus 5T rumors — it looks likely the 5T will be first appearing in New York, and we got a spec leak that supports the rumors we've already heard. However, perhaps the best 5T news came from OnePlus' CEO himself: The OnePlus 5T may cost $600 or less.

Galaxy S8 Oreo Update: Notification Channels Bring Granular Controls for Alerts

This week, Samsung officially kicked off the Oreo Beta Program for the Galaxy S8 and S8+ in North America and several other markets. The full list of changes is quite substantial, so we'll be running through them in a series of posts detailing what's new. First up, the Galaxy phones inherit notification channels from Android 8.0.

Opinion: Google Glass Patent Reveals Traditional Frames, but Design Isn't Only Challenge Facing AR Smartglasses

Just when you thought Google Glass was dead, it turns out there may be a second life for the often ridiculed device that won't relegate it to the staid confines of factories and repair jobs.

News: Mirra Wants to Be the Squarespace of AR & VR Content Creation, Releases AR Viewer App for iOS

There was a time when building a website required coding knowledge. Eventually, software came along that made the process easier, and then services like Squarespace made it dead simple for even a technical novice to design a website.

News: Apple CEO Tim Cook Says AR 'Is Going to Change Everything'

Just one day before the retail release of the iPhone X, Apple CEO Tim Cook trumpeted the company's continued success during an earnings call with reporters conducted via telephone. And while he rolled out the expected glowing praise for the new iPhone, what stood out most was his effusive language describing Apple's new focus on augmented reality.

Market Reality: Lenovo's Star Wars AR Headset vs. iPhone X Launch Day, Niantic Acquires Evertoon & More

When the Super Bowl airs, every other TV network puts on reruns because no one wants to face that juggernaut for ratings. The launch of a new iPhone is the Super Bowl of the tech world, with the launch of the iPhone X being the biggest one yet.

News: We Are TV Aims to Gamify Your TV Shows with AR

If you're like me, then you're rarely just watching TV. You're probably also simultaneously following reactions on Twitter during a live airing of The Walking Dead. Or perhaps you're checking your fantasy football scores while a real game is in progress. Or you might just have the TV on in the background while you're writing an article about a new augmented reality app.

News: iPhone X Ships Vulnerable to Wi-Fi Hacking — Patch Available Now

Apple shipped their first batch of iPhone X's with an outdated and unpatched version of iOS. Be sure to check for updates and install iOS 11.1 first thing after you open your new iPhone or it'll be susceptible to the KRACK vulnerability for wireless connectivity.

News: What Are Those Animated Switches in the Top Right When You Wake the iPhone X, XS & XS Max?

When you wake your iPhone X, XS, or XS Max for the first time, you'll probably notice a subtle animation in the top right of the screen that slides down to reveals a couple switches, one toggled on and one toggled off. At first, the meaning of this could be confusing, but it's just Apple's way of helping you learn your new device better.

News: Watch How the iPhone X's 30K IR Dots Scan Your Face

Face ID is one of the big selling points of the iPhone X, and the reception has been fairly positive so far. It's pretty impressive to watch the iPhone X magically unlock just by looking at it, but it's even more impressive to see how Face ID works its magic.

News: How Would the Pixel 2 XL Look if HTC Built It? Now We Know

The Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL were built by different manufacturers. This is pretty common knowledge among Android fans at this point — Google's smaller Pixel 2 was built by HTC, while the larger Pixel 2 XL was built by LG. What would the Pixel 2 XL look like if HTC had followed through and delivered on the larger phone for Google? Today we have some answers.

Apple AR: Put 3D Emojis & Text in Your Videos with Holocam

People love emojis, it's a scientific fact. So an app that places poops, smileys, and ghosts into social media videos should, in theory, be the most popular app ever. That's likely the reasoning behind the new Holocam app, which is available for $0.99 in the iOS App Store. Sure, Snapchat and Instagram offer users editing tools to stick static text, emojis, and drawings on top of photos and videos. However, Holocam ups the ante by placing fully three-dimensional emoji, text, and drawings, as w...

Razer Phone vs. Galaxy Note 8: Comparing the Android Phones with the Best Specs

Razer just made a big step into the mobile industry by releasing an absolute beast of a smartphone. The gaming-centric Razer Phone tries to provide the best experience for its target audience: Gamers. With that in mind, they created a top-tier device with some of the best specs available on Android. But how does it compare to the current spec champion, the Samsung Galaxy Note 8?

Dev Report: Get Your Mobile AR Apps to Go Cross-Platform with Unity's Experimental ARInterface

With technology giants like Apple and Google finally entering the fray, the move toward mass adoption of augmented reality is ramping up. Apple's ARKit and Google's ARCore will allow entirely new categories of apps to be made. Unfortunately, in a world of heavy competition, getting these two frameworks to work together wasn't a priority for either company.

News: NFL Fans Can Paint Their Faces in AR Without Looking Like Complete Maniacs

The bandwagon for NFL teams using augmented reality to engage fans isn't exactly full, but it is starting to get a bit crowded.

News: Snapchat Proves That No One Can Agree on How to Assemble a Burger

Tech companies are embroiled in controversy this week. No, not the hearings on Russian interference in last year's election; in this case, it's all about the burger emoji.

News: Your iPhone X May Have Shipped (Even if You're Not Expecting It To)

Current shipping estimates for the iPhone X are 5–6 weeks, but is there a chance you'll get yours tomorrow?

News: Netflix Hit 'Stranger Things' Spreads Its Promotional Tentacles to Facebook

Just like Maxine in Stranger Things 2, Facebook didn't want to be left out of the cool kids group, which, in this case, is the mobile AR space.

News: Google's New Poly 3D Object Search Engine Looks to Become Go-to Resource for AR Apps

Google just unveiled it's biggest search product in recent memory, except this time the search giant is looking to take over the world of virtual objects.

News: All the New Features & Changes Coming in the Galaxy S8 Oreo Update

Shortly after we detailed several indicators that the Galaxy S8 Oreo Beta Program would begin rolling out in the month of November, we now have a full changelog for the update.

Apple AR: Amazon Harnesses the Power of Apple's ARKit for Black Friday Rush

As if Amazon didn't already make it easier to buy things from home than in a store, the company has now given shoppers yet another reason to avoid the holiday rush with an ARKit update to its iPhone app.

News: No, You Won't Accidentally Buy Apps Just by Looking at Your iPhone X

For those worried that a lustful gaze at a new app on their iPhone X will authorize its purchase, we have great news for you.

News: Razer's New Gaming Phone Leaked in Promo Video Ahead of Announcement

Razer, the company known for PC peripherals and laptops, is joining the smartphone industry with a new device. Rumors have been swirling since they announced an event on November 1 at 4 PM EDT, but now, we have our best look yet with a leaked promotional video before the actual announcement.

News: Microsoft Invites Rest of Europe to HoloLens Party with Expanded Availability in 29 Markets

Just days after announcing the launch of two new mixed reality studio facilities, Microsoft is extending its mixed reality reach even further with the announcement that the HoloLens will now be offered in 29 new markets.

News: Listen to the iPhone X's New Default Ringtone 'Reflection'

Apple rarely changes the ringtones on its iPhones. In fact, the last addition was all the way back in iOS 7. However, it appears they wanted to do something special with the 10th-anniversary edition iPhone, so Apple included a unique ringtone called "Reflection" on the iPhone X.

News: You Can Still Get Google's Magical Translation Pixel Buds on Preorder at Best Buy

While unveiling various other gadgets, Google announced the Pixel Buds at their October 4th event in San Francisco. These wireless earbud-style headphones are particularly interesting thanks to their ability to offer real-time language translation via Google Translate when paired with a Pixel 2 or Pixel 2 XL.

News: Translucent HTC U11 Plus Bares All in Leaked Video

Just as we published our rumor roundup for the HTC U11 Plus, the internet happened: A Facebook video revealed the flagship HTC U11 Plus and the midrange HTC U Life in all their glory. The video was in German and has since been taken down, but according to a translation, it revealed exactly what we should be expecting see at HTC event November 2.

News: Facebook, Instagram & Snapchat Pass Out Halloween-Themed AR Filters Like Soooo Much Candy

If social media apps were houses in a neighborhood and augmented reality photo effects were candy, then Facebook went to Costco and brought home a full pallet of treats.

News: Developer Conjures Virtual Haunted House with ARCore

If you're following the classic Halloween playbook closely, you've already got a costume or three picked out, you've binged-watched your favorite horror movies, and you've likely visited a haunted house. But it's 2017, so how about trying something new, like a haunted house that's not actually there?

News: Galaxy S8 Oreo Beta Update Coming to US in November

With all of the Pixel 2 excitement the past few weeks, many Samsung fans are feeling left out on that new software hotness. If you're anxiously awaiting the Android Oreo update on your Galaxy S8 or S8+, that wait may come to an end this week. Users over on Reddit decompiled the APK for the Samsung+ app to reveal multiple mentions of the upcoming Oreo Beta Program for the Galaxy S8 and S8+.