Gadget Hacks News
News: University of Washington Students Preview New Computer Science Building in Augmented Reality
It's fitting that students at the University of Washington can catch a glimpse of the new, 135,000 square-foot computer science building in augmented reality before construction is completed.
Apple AR: Step into A-ha's Classic 'Take On Me' Video with ARKit
Augmented reality has produced some incredible innovations that have revolutionized modern technology. From helping with live surgery to changing the game in marketing and businesses. But without a doubt, the most important thing that augmented reality and ARKit has ever brought us is an AR version of A-ha's iconic "Take On Me" video.
Apple AR: Demo Gives a Glimpse at a New Way of Sharing Art
Most people say art is meant to be seen. Museums are a good way to do that, but they aren't always accessible to everyone. Those who miss out on the chance to see fantastic pieces of art at museums might now be able to get close to them thanks to Apple's ARKit.
News: Arvizio Adds LiDAR Point Cloud Support to MR Studio
Mixed reality developer Arvizio has updated its MR Studio software suite to integrate processing of 3D light detection and ranging (LiDAR) point clouds.
News: Sit on the 'Magic Bench' & Discover an AR Experience Requiring No Electronics
When you think of AR experiences, you typically think of something that either involves a headset or a handset. Augmented reality without either of those things has seemed impossible in the past. But if anyone is going to try to find a way to have an augmented reality experience without electronics, it's Disney.
News: You'll Soon Be Exploring Haunted Basements with Upcoming AR Horror Game
If you've ever wanted to scour the basement of a Hollywood hotel looking for evidence of a gruesome murder spree, this new AR experience might be the game for you.
News: Showing Support for Disabled Customers, Apple Teams with Cochlear for iPhone Implant Sound Processor
While many have their own strong opinions on Apple and their products, few have complaints about the way they embrace accessibility. Apple typically finds ways to make products functional to all customers, regardless of their situation. This philosophy can be seen in Apple's partnership with Cochlear, as the two develop a new cochlear implant sound processor for iPhone.
Apple AR: Get Real-Time Fitness Stats & Path Recommendations While You Run
When people work out, they want to get the absolute most out of their routine. Going on a run is great exercise, but finding an optimal route that works best for you can be difficult. Luckily, Apple's ARKit has the capability to make it much easier to get the most out of your workout.
Review: Zenge Is a Puzzle Game with a Creative Twist
Zenge came to my attention as a free game on the Google Play store — it will remain free until midnight, so anyone catching this review on the 25th, download it ASAP — but I imagine it would be worth the typical $0.99.
News: Augmented Reality App Lets You See the Tesla Model 3 Before It Ships
Buyers can't wait for their Tesla Model 3 to be delivered. But with no clear arrival date in sight, buyers are starting to get a little antsy waiting to see what the Tesla Model 3 will look like up close. Luckily, Tesla accessories seller EVANNEX partnered with technology firm Kinetic Vision to try and satisfy buyers for a while by creating an app that lets you view an augmented reality Tesla Model 3 that's nearly life sized.
Brief Reality: The Future of Augmented Reality Is Now for Businesses
With the announcement of Google Glass Enterprise Edition last week, a literal behemoth entered the arena of companies serving augmented reality solutions to business customers. While Google Glass, with the backing of Alphabet, has the potential to be a disruptor, the field already has a number of players who have been in the game.
News: Google Partners with Red Cross & FEMA to Create SOS Alerts
Disasters can happen at any moment, and when they do, it's often hard to find the right information to help you get to safety as quickly as possible.
News: Looking for a Daydream VR Smartphone? Expect 11 by End of This Year
Earnings calls can be a mixed bag. If things are business as usual, the meetings can be, well, boring.
News: Android 8.0 'Octopus' Could Be a Complete Misdirect
The fourth and final beta version of Android O just made its debut, and the biggest change is what appears to be a new code name. When you access Android 8.0's version number Easter egg, you'll be greeted by ... a cartoon octopus.
News: Are You on the iOS 11 Developer Beta? Version 4 Is Available Now
There's good news for iOS 11 beta testers — Apple just dropped the fourth version of the iOS 11 developer beta today. That means the newest iOS 11 public beta 3 will be released in a day or two.
News: AR Developers Emboldened by Facebook & Apple During Second Quarter
According The Venture Reality Fund, the introductions of Facebook's camera platform and Apple's ARKit catalyzed increased activity among companies developing consumer applications.
Apple AR: New Furniture Arranging App Is Coming Soon, but Not from IKEA
Furniture arranging apps have been rolling out on different platforms for a while now thanks, in no small part, to augmented reality.
News: HoloLens Continues to Make the World Your Canvas with Inclusion of SketchAR
The app SketchAR is an easy, innovative way to trace what you want to draw onto the canvas of your choice. It was first released on iOS and Android Tango phones, but now, finally, it has been released on Microsoft's HoloLens.
Apple AR: Museum of Flight Gives Tours Inside the First Boeing 737
Education opportunity is a big part of what makes Apple's ARKit so exciting. The Museum of Flight in Seattle is taking full advantage of that with their new platform prototype.
Apple AR: Developer Shows Us the Possible Future of Map Apps
Map apps, while incredibly helpful in our technology-centric world, can often be a source of frustration. No maps app is perfect, and things can get confusing fairly quickly when trying to navigate GPS mapping. iOS developer Andrew Hart has experimented with a new way of mobile mapping using Apple's ARKit that could make finding your way so much easier.
News: Looking for a Fast Smartphone? Pixel 2 May Be First to Ship with Snapdragon 836
Google's Pixel and Pixel XL smartphones were, and continue to be, impressive in their own right. One of the reasons why can be found in its chipset — the Pixel phones were launched with the newest Qualcomm chips at the time, the Snapdragon 821. Now, rumors point to the Pixel 2 as the likely candidate to ship with Qualcomm's next chipset, the Snapdragon 836.
News: The Ready Player One Movie Could Finally Get This Party Started
So while it is the weekend of San Diego Comic-Con, and it should not be a complete surprise — without a word of warning hitting my feed — the trailer for the upcoming film, Ready Player One was released today. And wow it looks amazing.
Market Reality: Component Suppliers Succeed on Strength of Augmented Reality
Augmented and virtual reality continues to be a hot commodity among tech investors, with more than $800 million invested in AR/VR companies in the second quarter alone and global tech leaders like Samsung focusing their investment strategies on the emerging field.
News: Man Takes Apple to Court, Claiming iPhone Started House Fire
After watching Samsung's exploding phone fiasco this past year, I took comfort knowing that the likelihood my iPhone would suddenly combust was slim. However, after hearing about a recent incident in Wisconsin, iPhone owners may have reason to worry.
Review: WWE Tap Mania Drives Game Reviewer to Brink of Madness
I think I hate this game. I don't really see how you can play more than 15 minutes of Tap Mania without smashing your head into a wall. You do nothing but tap. Tap, tap, tap. At least they got the name right.
Q&A with Jay Samit: The Future of AR Could Be a World of 'Times Square on Acid'
As augmented reality becomes more and more integrated into the mainstream, people have been wondering the future of AR is going to look like. Jay Samit has a pretty clear idea.
Apple AR: Real World Objects Disappear Thanks to Textures and ARKit
When we think of augmented reality, we usually think of it as adding things to our reality. A new demo has shown that using Apple's ARKit, we can not only add to reality but subtract from reality as well.
Nintendo Switch: How to Use the Nintendo Switch Online App to Play Splatoon 2 with Friends
So, Nintendo's never really been good at the whole online thing. Most of the time, we forgive them, because they are masters at creating games meant for solo play or local multiplayer. Sometimes, though, that doesn't fly. Take a game like Splatoon, for instance. Although it redefines the genre, it is still, at its core, a shooter. Shooters are meant to be played online, with your friends, yelling at each other over voice chat.
Apple AR: Directive Games Teases AR Battle Arena Game for ARKit
It's safe to say that mobile developers are excited about the prospects of Apple's ARKit, with demos popping up seemingly on the hour on YouTube, Twitter, etc.
Hulu 101: How to Customize Captions & Subtitles on Your Phone
We use subtitles when we can't understand what's being spoken on screen, but most of the time it seems like those subtitles are out of our control. Maybe we find them too small, or even too large. Maybe the color is too faint, or the background too distracting. If only we could change the subtitles to reflect our own needs and styles ...
Dev Report: Verto Studio 3D for VR Is Done, Now You Can Build 3D Models in HoloLens or VR
Verto Studio 3D is a 3D modeling package that has been in the works for a while now by Michael Farrell, the owner of Verto Studio LLC. Farrell has been working toward bridging the gap between XR 3D modeling and what we have become accustomed to with desktop 3D modeling packages like 3D Studio Max, Maya, and Blender.
News: Save Data on Hulu by Choosing the Right Streaming Quality
It seems almost every carrier now has an unlimited data plan, and free Wi-Fi is now available in more places than ever before. If you want to be connected, it has never been easier — but that still doesn't mean that everyone can stream as much as they please.
News: AR-Enabled Moon Model Shoots Past Crowdfunding Goal
San Francisco-based startup AstroReality is putting the AR in lunar with a high-detailed model of the moon that comes to life through an accompanying augmented reality mobile app.
News: HoloLens Challenge #16 Winner Brings the Cowbell
James Ashley, Atlanta-based Microsoft MVP and author of Beginning Kinect Programming with Microsoft Kinect, has been running monthly challenges since around the release of the HoloLens Developers Kits. Each month, those of us who follow what happens in the community can look forward to seeing what creative ideas come out of these challenges. It has been a treat, to say the least, and who knows ... maybe one of us here at Next Reality even won one of these before his time here.
News: uSens Introduces Markerless Tracking for Mobile Apps
With mobile developers near and far primed to implement augmented reality into their iOS apps with Apple's ARKit, uSens offers them a new tool for markerless location tracking.
News: Lenovo Previews Augmented Reality Concepts at Tech World Conference
Artificial intelligence and augmented reality go together like spaghetti and meatballs, and Lenovo has some ideas on how to spice up the recipe.
News: Robbers in NYC Are Using Facebook to Steal Yeezys
If you live in New York City and are itching to sell your Yeezys, you're at risk of falling victim to thieves. A devious duo is searching Facebook to find people selling the popular sneakers and then robbing them at gunpoint when they meet up in person.
Apple AR: Watch This Phone Levitate Before Your Eyes
Sometimes the demos for Apple's ARKit are so good that it almost looks like magic. A recent demo, in particular, shows exactly what kind of magic tricks you can perform using the ARKit.
News: Your Favorite Paintings Are Getting a 2017 AR Update at Ontario Gallery
If you've ever wanted to see a selfie stick in centuries old works of art, now's your chance. The Art Gallery of Ontario is launching an exhibit called "ReBlink." The exhibit uses augmented reality to give modern updates to their paintings which visitors can see through their smartphones or tablets.
Brief Reality: Augmented Reality Applied to Makeup, Medical & Sports Marketing
If it's not official by now, it really should be: if you're going to sell cosmetics, you need an augmented reality app. Of course, that's not all augmented reality is good for. It can be used to animate medical models and engage sports fans. Read on below…