Hot Gadget Hacks News Stories
News: ReplayAR App Preserves Hollywood's Most Beloved Movie Theater Using Augmented Reality
The pandemic has forced a number of public-facing businesses to either temporarily close or permanently cease operations, with one of the biggest victims of this trend being the movie theater business.
News: Deutsche Telekom Opens Early Access to Tooz Smartglasses via Dev Kit
If you're a developer working on the bleeding edge of augmented reality, or even an enthusiastic smartglasses early adopter, being first in line for new wearable hardware is a priority.
News: BMW Opens Augmented Reality Showroom for Plug-In Hybrids on the Web via 8th Wall
At its height, the COVID-19 pandemic forced many auto showrooms to close their doors. As the pandemic persists, many consumers are still hesitant to let their socially distanced guard down.
News: Investors Bet $1 Billion on Epic Games to Build the Metaverse
Over the past three years, Epic Games has raised billions of dollars in funding on the success of Fortnite as well as Unreal Engine, one of the top 3D engines available for developing games and AR experiences.
News: Apple Releases iOS 14.5 Public Beta 8, Features Under-the-Hood Changes
Apple released the eighth iOS 14.5 public beta on Tuesday, April 13. The update (build number 18E5199a) comes three hours after Apple seeded developers 14.5 beta 8, so we know that it contains little-to-no surface-level features or changes. Any changes, at this time, appear to be under the hood.
News: Apple Hides Augmented Reality Surprise in Invite for Next Big Event
Apple's augmented reality teases just keep on coming from the halls of its Cupertino labs. The latest comes in the form of an invitation to Apple's next public-facing event.
News: Apple Releases iOS 14.5 Beta 8 to Developers
Apple released the eighth iOS 14.5 developer beta on Tuesday, April 13. The update (build number 18E5199a) comes six days after Apple's last 14.5 beta update, which Apple pushed out to both developers and public beta testers.
News: Snap Teams with LACMA & LA Artists to Launch Location-Based AR Art Monuments Around the City
When most people think of Los Angeles they think of Hollywood and the movie industry, but in the last 10 years the city has rapidly transformed into a thriving new hub for visual artists.
News: Intel Takes Us Inside to Reveal How HoloLens 2 Is Transforming Computer Chip Production
The enterprise applications powering the adoption of the HoloLens 2 are only just ramping up as developers continue to work with the still relatively new hardware.
News: Airstream Lets You Take a Road Trip in Its Latest Trailer via Augmented Reality
The year 2020 sparked a trend of people moving out of big cities, with some opting to buy mobile homes and vans to travel rather than be cooped up in a tiny apartment during quarantine.
Market Reality: Google Pushes Web AR, Lil Nas X Goes Immersive, Coinbase & Ray-Ban Snapchat into AR Marketing
This week, Google showed off some wild new and innovative AR experiences that showcase the WebXR protocol for browser-based AR content, while 8th Wall applied its own web-based AR platform in service of Captain Morgan.
News: Hulu, Coinbase, Ray-Ban & Captain Morgan Unlock Advertising Gold with Interactive AR Ads
We've reached the point in the trajectory of augmented reality's growth where AR advertising experiences are becoming commonplace tactics rather than rare experiments.
News: Apple Releases iOS 14.5 Public Beta 7 for iPhone, Introduces Under-the-Hood Updates
It's a bit surprising that Apple hasn't seeded beta testers the release candidate for iOS 14.5. The next big iPhone update is rumored to be out soon, so it stands to reason that we'd see a "final" version of that software hit our test devices rather than another beta. But that simply isn't the case here, as Apple decided to release a seventh 14.5 beta.
AR Snapshots: Snapchat Pumps Out Billie Eilish, Cardi B, Megan Thee Stallion, Justin Bieber, Taylor Swift & the Beatles
Snapchat and its augmented reality capabilities have become a haven for music artists seeking to promote their new albums or simply amplify their art with immersive experiences.
News: Apple Releases iOS 14.5 Beta 7 for iPhone
Apple's iOS 14.5 is the biggest update to your iPhone since iOS 14. The new software features over 40 features and changes, including 217 new emoji, controller support for PS5 and Xbox Series X, and battery calibration for the iPhone 11 line. Now, Apple is inching closer to the finish line with 14.5 beta 7.
News: Facebook Portal TV Evolves as Remote Work Device with Zoom & GoToMeeting Support
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Facebook enjoyed a boost in sales of Portal, its smart video cameras with AR effects, as social distancing became the norm.
News: You Can See to the Other Side of the World with Google's Latest Web-Based AR Experiment
Have you ever wondered where you'd come out if you drilled to the other side of the world? Now, if you have an Android device and Chrome web browser, you can find out.
Market Reality: Apple AR Headset Event in the Works, Snap & Niantic Have Their Own Smartglasses Plans
The race for the future of AR wearables gained steam this week with several pivotal developments. First, Apple, the subject of numerous reports and rumors regarding its purported AR headset, is reportedly eyeing an in-person unveiling of the device for later this year, rather than introduce it at its upcoming virtual Worldwide Developers Conference, which would usually be as good a time as any to make a big AR hardware announcement.
News: Devilish Lil Nas X AR Experience Debuts on Jadu App
Who had Lil Nas X, blood-drop Nikes, and satan worship on your 2021 bingo card? In a story that's stranger than fiction, the "Old Town Road" rapper has ruffled some feathers with the video for his new single, "MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)" filled with demonic imagery usually reserved for death metal bands.
News: Google Adds New AR Galleries & Audio Guided Tour to Arts & Culture App
With NFTs taking the art world by storm, it's a bit refreshing to know that you can enjoy world famous masterpieces in the comfort of your own home via augmented reality without emptying your cryptocurrency wallet.
News: Microsoft Wins $21 Billion Contract to Produce Military-Grade HoloLens for US Army
After years of testing and modifications, the US Army is moving forward with its customized version of HoloLens 2 from Microsoft.
News: Apple Releases iOS 14.5 Public Beta 6, Features New Siri Voices & Battery Health Calibration for iPhone 11 Line
Apple seeded software testers iOS 14.5 public beta 6 today, Wednesday, March 31. The update includes a new battery calibration for iPhone 11, 11 Pro, and 11 Pro Max, as well as two new Siri voices.
News: Apple Releases iOS 14.5 Beta 6 to Developers, Includes Battery Health Calibration for iPhone 11 Line
Apple just seeded developers the sixth iOS 14.5 beta today, Wednesday, Mar. 31. The update includes a calibration for battery health measurements for the iPhone 11 line, as well as two new Siri voices.
News: Apple Planning In-Person AR Wearable Device Launch In Coming Months, Report Says
The Apple rumor drumbeat is getting louder: a wearable augmented reality device is almost certainly coming, very soon.
News: Niantic Previews the Future of AR Gaming with Codename: Urban Legends Demo
As if teasing its own smartglasses weren't enough, augmented reality gaming developer Niantic gave gamers a glimpse of how 5G speeds can revolutionize how they play mobile games in the near future.
News: Next Snap Spectacles Expected to Include AR Displays, Report Says
Snapchat parent company Snap may finally be taking the big step into the fully-functioning augmented reality wearables realm with the next iteration of its Spectacles devices.
News: Google Maps Expands Live View AR Navigation Capabilities to Airports & Shopping Malls
The AR walking navigation feature in Google Maps, which is arguably one of the most useful mobile augmented reality to available to consumers, is about to get even more indispensable for travelers.
News: Apple Reveals Dates for Online-Only WWDC Event
Even as the world continues to grapple with the pandemic, the tech industry continues to chug along, with some looking for ways to present new products, and in some cases continue major conferences that reveal the latest in augmented reality developments.
News: Niantic Teases Smartglasses Running Its Popular AR Apps
Mobile augmented reality gaming pioneer Niantic is chomping at the bit to get games like Pokémon GO out of smartphones and onto smartglasses, and it appears to be taking matters into its own hands.
News: Mark Your Calendar Now — The Internet Will Be Useless on Thursday
I absolutely loathe it, and I'm certain I'm in the majority, yet we still do this nonsense every year. Take one day and make it to where every headline you read and every link you click are completely useless. Slap a bunch of corporate logos on last year's memes and pollute feeds everywhere with astroturfed ad campaigns.
Market Reality: Microsoft Reveals More Mesh Details, Nintendo Taps Niantic for AR Games & Ricoh Prepares 3D Display
Microsoft believes its Mesh platform can help developers build immersive AR apps more easily. We spoke with a member of the Microsoft team to learn more about the platform.
News: Update Your iPhone to iOS 14.4.2 Right Now to Patch an Actively Exploited WebKit Vulnerability
Attackers may have actively exploited a new WebKit vulnerability on iOS and iPadOS, but Apple just released a patch to secure your iPhone and iPad from attacks.
News: Inside Microsoft Mesh, What Is It & How Does It Work? We Have the Answers
When Microsoft unveiled Mesh a couple of weeks ago, the move revealed a major part of Microsoft's next steps toward dominating the augmented reality space, particularly with regard to enterprise customers.
News: Ricoh Previews 360-Degree Holographic Display Prototype, Plans to Ship by 2022
With non-fungible tokens (NFTs), particularly those that are 3D in nature, holographic displays are becoming more indispensable for those looking to show off their valuable works of art.
News: Apple Releases iOS 14.5 Public Beta 5 for iPhone
Earlier this month, the rumor mill suggested that Apple was gearing up for a Mar. 23 event, with a possible release of iOS 14.5 to boot. That event, as we can now see, never came to be. It seems Apple is also not quite ready to unveil iOS 14.5, either, as we now have a fifth beta to test on our iPhones.
News: Apple's iOS 14.5 Developer Beta 5 Available for iPhone
Apple released the fifth iOS 14.5 developer beta on Tuesday, Mar. 23. The update comes eight days after the company released 14.5 beta 4 for public testers and developers.
News: Niantic Adapting Pikmin as Mobile AR Game in New Alliance with Nintendo
Two of the three entities behind Pokemon GO, the reigning champion in mobile augmented reality gaming, are joining forces again to see if lightning can strike more than once.
Market Reality: NFT & AR Converge with Atari, MF Doom & Virtual Homes, Plus Samsung Partners with Snapchat
Snapchat may trail Facebook and Instagram in terms of daily active users, but a new partnership with Samsung may get those innovative AR Lenses onto the mobile devices of a lot more users.
News: This Virtual Home Sold for $500K as an NFT, Now the Artist Wants to Move It into Augmented Reality
The NFT space is moving so fast that if you're not already engaged, you've probably already missed several history-making events.
News: Samsung Just Gave Us the First Snapchat AR Smartphone, Sort Of
During this week's unveiling of the new Samsung A Series of smartphones, much of the focus was on the high-end features at a more affordable price as the South Korean tech giant looks to regain its status as the world's top smartphone maker versus Apple's iPhone.