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2024-11-01 13:30:38| Engadget

If youre excited, or even just a little curious, about the future of augmented reality, Metas Orion prototype makes the most compelling case yet for the technology. For Meta, Orion is about more than finally making AR glasses a reality. Its also the companys best shot at becoming less dependent on Apple and Googles app stores, and the rules that come with them. If Orion succeeds, then maybe we wont need smartphones for much at all. Glasses, Zuckerberg has speculated, might eventually become the main way we do computing. At the moment, its still way too early to know if Zuckerbergs bet will actually pay off. Orion is, for now, still a prototype. Meta hasnt said when it might become widely available or how much it might cost. That's partly because the company, which has already poured tens of billions of dollars into AR and VR research, still needs to figure out how to make Orion significantly more affordable than the $10,000 it reportedly costs to make the current version. It also needs to refine Orions hardware and software. And, perhaps most importantly, the company will eventually need to persuade its vast user base that AI-infused, eye-tracking glasses offer a better way to navigate the world. Still, Meta has been eager to show off Orion since its reveal at Connect. And, after recently getting a chance to try out Orion for myself, its easy to see why: Orion is the most impressive AR hardware Ive seen. Metas first AR glasses Meta has clearly gone to great lengths to make its AR glasses look, well, normal. While Snap has been mocked for its oversized Spectacles, Orions shape and size is closer to a traditional pair of frames. Even so, theyre still noticeably wide and chunky. The thick black frames, which house an array of cameras, sensors and custom silicon, may work on some face shapes, but I dont think they are particularly flattering. And while they look less cartoonish than Snaps AR Spectacles, Im pretty sure Id still get some funny looks if I walked around with them in public. At 98 grams, the glasses were noticeably bulkier than my typical prescription lenses, but never felt heavy. In addition to the actual glasses, Orion relies on two other pieces of kit: a 182-gram wireless compute puck, which needs to stay near the glasses, and an electromyography (EMG) wristband that allows you to control the AR interface with a series of hand gestures. The puck I saw was equipped with its own cameras and sensors, but Meta told me theyve since simplified the remote control-shaped device so that its mainly used for connectivity and processing. When I first saw the three-piece Orion setup at Connect, my first thought was that it was an interesting compromise in order to keep the glasses smaller. But after trying it all together, it really doesnt feel like a compromise at all. The glasses were a bit wider than my face.Karissa Bell for Engadget You control Orions interface through a combination of eye tracking and gestures. After a quick calibration the first time you put the glasses on, you can navigate the AR apps and menus by glancing around the interface and tapping your thumb and index finger together. Meta has been experimenting with wrist-based neural interfaces for years, and Orions EMG wristband is the result of that work. The band, which feels like little more than a fabric watch band, uses sensors to detect the electrical signals that occur with even subtle movements of your wrist and fingers. Meta then uses machine learning to decode those signals and send them to the glasses. That may sound complicated, but I was surprised by how intuitive the navigation felt. The combination of quick gestures and eye tracking felt much more precise than hand tracking controls Ive used in VR. And while Orion also has hand-tracking abilities, it feels much more natural to quickly tap your fingers together than to extend your hands out in front of your face. What its like to use Orion Meta walked me through a number of demos meant to show off Orions capabilities. I asked Meta AI to generate an image, and to come up with recipes based on a handful of ingredients on a shelf in front of me. The latter is a trick Ive also tried with the Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses, except with Orion, Meta AI was also able to project the recipe steps onto the wall in front of me. I also answered a couple of video calls, including one from a surprisingly lifelike Codec Avatar. I watched a YouTube video, scrolled Instagram Reels, and dictated a response to an incoming message. If youve used mixed reality headsets, much of this will sound familiar, and a lot of it wasnt that different from what you can do in VR headsets. The magic of AR, though, is that everything you see is overlaid onto the world around you and your surroundings are always fully visible. I particularly appreciated this when I got to the gaming portion of the walkthrough. I played a few rounds of a Meta-created game called Stargazer, where players control a retro-looking spacecraft by moving their head to avoid incoming obstacles while shooting enemies with finger tap gestures. Throughout that game, and a subsequent round of AR Pong, I was able to easily keep up a conversation with the people around me while I played. As someone who easily gets motion sick from VR gaming, I appreciated that I never felt disoriented or less aware of my surroundings. Orions displays rely on silicon carbide lenses, micro-LED projectors and waveguides. The actual lenses are clear, though they can dim depending on your environment. One of the most impressive aspects is the 70-degree field of view. It was noticeably wider and more immersive than what I experienced with Snaps AR Spectacles, which have a 46-degree field of view At one point, I had three windows open in one multitasking view: Instagram Reels, a video call and a messaging inbox. And while I was definitely aware of the outer limits of the display, I could easily see all three windows without physically moving my head or adjusting my position. Its still not the all-encompassing AR of sci-fi flicks, but it was wide enough I never struggled to keep the AR content in view. What was slightly disappointing, though, was the resolution of Orions visuals. At 13 pixels per degree, the colors all seemed somewhat muted and projected text was noticeably fuzzy. None of it was difficult to make out, but it was much less vivid than what I saw on Snaps AR Spectacles, which have a 37 pixels per degree resolution. Metas VP of Wearable Devices, Ming Hua, told me that one of the companys top priorities is to increase the brightness and resolution of Orions displays. She said that theres already a version of the prototype with twice the pixel density, so theres good reason to believe this will improve over time. Shes also optimistic that Meta will eventually be able to bring down the costs of its AR tech, eventually reducing it to something similar to a high end phone. What does it mean? Leaving my demo at Metas headquarters, I was reminded of the first time I tried out a prototype of the wireless VR headset that would eventually become known as Quest, back in 2016. Called Santa Cruz at the time, it was immediately obvious, even to an infrequent VR user, that the wireless, room-tracking headset was the future of the companys VR business. Now, its almost hard to believe there was a time when Metas headsets werent fully untethered. Orion has the potential to be much bigger. Now, Meta isnt just trying to create a more convenient form factor for mixed reality hobbyists and gamers. Its offering a glimpse into how it views the future, and what our lives might look like when were no longer tethered to our phones. For now, Orion is still just that: a glimpse. Its far more complex than anything the company has attempted with VR. Meta still has a lot of work to do before that AR-enabled future can be a reality. But the prototype shows that much of that vision is closer than we think.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ar-vr/metas-orion-prototype-offers-a-glimpse-into-our-ar-future-123038066.html?src=rss

Category: Marketing and Advertising
 

2024-11-01 13:00:30| Engadget

Google has released ChromeOS M130 to the stable channel, which means an update is now making its way to your Chromebook if you haven't gotten one yet. The latest version of the OS comes with a lengthy list of new features, starting with a Focus panel where you can quickly enable or disable Do-not-Disturb mode, create new or select from existing Google Tasks, as well as play music with focus sound or YouTube Music Premium if you have a subscription. Google is also making it easier to insert emojis, GIFs and even Google Drive links with the M130's new Launcher + f shortcut. In addition, the Quick Insert physical key on the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus will be available on more devices coming out next year.  To cut the time you need to find specific files, Google has added a Suggestions section in Tote, the space where you'll find your most recently downloaded items and latest screenshots. You'll now also be able to access all your starred Drive files right on the ChromeOS shelf, even when you're offline. And if you want to pick up from where you'd left off every time you switch on your computer, then you can enable "Welcome Recap" in Settings, which will let you preview and instantly restore apps and tabs from your previous session.  In case you use your Chromebook to record videos or audio, you can take advantage of ChromeOS M130's studio-style mic function that adds "advanced balancing, reconstruction of fine details and room adaptation" to the standard mic function's noise cancellation and de-reverberation effects. Plus, you can use Google's AI-powered Recorder app, which is debuting with the new OS and which has speech-to-text capabilities that can create transcripts labeling each speaker, as well as summarize recorded content.  The ChromeOS M130 also integrates appearance effects into the platform's video call controls, adds support for multiple calendars and allows you to move Picture-in-Picture (PiP) windows to one side of your screen to free up space. Finally, if you have a Chromebook Plus device, you'll be able to access an AI-powered feature called "Help me read" that makes it easy to find information in any text you're reading on your browser and in your Gallery. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/chromeos-update-makes-it-easier-to-avoid-distractions-120030197.html?src=rss

Category: Marketing and Advertising
 

2024-11-01 12:53:35| Engadget

Addressing the needs of someone, Nintendo has announced its own music streaming service on a mobile app for both Android and iPhone. Encompassing the music of Nintendos own gaming properties, from Mario to Metroid, Nintendo Music has a user interface that pretty much looks like Spotify. Its a new addition to Switch Online subscribers, so its not free, but its a convenient extra if youre already paying. Nintendo Music will even suggest and curate music based on your Switch activity. One unique feature here is spoiler prevention. If you add a game, the app hides tracks and details that could give away a surprise twist, unexpected final boss or other potential spoilers, like that nihilistic ending of Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer. Mat Smith The biggest tech stories you missed Playdate is officially getting a season two with about a dozen games next year Samsung could launch its extended reality wearable device next year The next version of Android will arrive in early 2025 Get this delivered daily direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here! ChatGPT Search will do the legwork for you Attempting to combine the best of chatbots and web search. OpenAIs latest feature searches the web in response to your natural language queries, delivering fast, timely answers with links to relevant web sources. OpenAI says the feature looks for original, high-quality content from the web, integrating it into conversational answers. This includes trusted news media sources and data providers, like AccuWeather. Continue reading. How to use Apples AirPods Pro 2 as a hearing aid If you have mild to moderate hearing loss. Engadget Now iOS 18.1 is available to the masses, Apples new hearing aid feature is ready for use. With an up-to-date iPhone and those earbuds, you can employ hearing assistance tools without visiting a doctor or buying pricey dedicated hearing aids. After making sure your iPhone and AirPods Pro 2 are updated, the test itself is a little hidden away inside the Health app. Heres how to find it. Continue reading. Microsofts Recall AI tool gets delayed again. Déj vu for Recall. After a delay in June and a second in August, Recall now wont be available to test until December. Microsoft is once more pushing back testing of the feature intended for its Copilot+ PCs, according to The Verge. Pitched as a sort of photographic memory for Windows, its meant to improve the search process on PCs. But since that demands a high degree of access to your data, it has been the target of privacy and security concerns. Continue reading.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-morning-after-nintendo-made-its-own-music-streaming-service-111636065.html?src=rss

Category: Marketing and Advertising
 

2024-10-31 21:47:20| Engadget

Were still officially in teaser trailer territory for the new season of Squid Game but a lot of interesting details just dropped in the latest one for season two. The new trailer takes us deeper into the games as Seong Gi-hun, played by Lee Jung-jae, returns to the island presumably to take down the rich tyrants and the Front Man from the inside of the tournament. Seong is back as a player (Player 456 again, to be specific) and at least two of the games from the last season will be part of the new one, including Green Light and the dalgona cookie cutting challenge. This time, however, they have an experienced contestant in the sea of green, bloodied jumpsuits who can tell them how to avoid the pitfalls (figuratively and literally if the Mirror Bridge returns). Seong seems to be on a personal crusade to save the latest batch of players who may not have any understanding of the games and its very high stakes. Unlike last season, Seong isnt smiling when he takes his official contestant photo. The new trailer also features an impassioned Seong trying to convince the new batch of players to vote to leave the island with their lives still intact. The next season of Squid Game lands on Netflix the day after Christmas, but for me, it still cannot get here quick enough.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/netflix-gives-us-another-sneak-peek-of-squid-game-season-two-204719198.html?src=rss

Category: Marketing and Advertising
 

2024-10-31 20:22:35| Engadget

Hydrogen-powered vehicles havent really caught on as an alternative means of eco-friendly transportation. Hyundai, however, hopes to fix that with a bigger investment in the technology and its newest hydrogen-powered concept SUV called the Initium. Hyundai announced it plans to start production on the hydrogen SUV in the first half of next year. The Initium can run approximately 404 miles on a single refueling and can also run on electric power as a backup that can be recharged from a household electricity supply. The vehicle will also make its public debut at the LA Auto Show and Auto Guangzhou in China next month. Its not yet confirmed where the cars will be available when they go on sale so a US launch isnt guaranteed. The Initium may just be a concept car for now but Hyundai seems committed to bringing its newest hydrogen car to drivers quickly, even if the fuel source hasnt made nearly as many strides towards widespread acceptance as electric options. The South Korean carmaker is planning on investing $4 billion to develop its hydrogen vehicle technology and infrastructure to meet its complete carbon neutrality goal by 2045 with cars like the Initium and the electric Ioniq 5 unveiled last year. Hydrogen may be an efficient alternative to gasoline but it still has a ways to go to be competitive with electric vehicles (and thats without acknowledging the continued prevalence of gasoline-powered cars). There are only 59 hydrogen charging stations in the US with most of them in California, according to the US Department of Energy. There are only a handful of carmakers who still offer a hydrogen powered option including Hyundai (the Nexo SUV) and Toyota (the Mirari). Honda used to offer a hydrogen car with The Clarity but it ended production in 2021, according to Car & Driver.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/hyundai-reveals-its-newest-hydrogen-powered-vehicle-the-initium-192235417.html?src=rss

Category: Marketing and Advertising
 

2024-10-31 20:13:01| Engadget

It's deja vu all over again for Microsoft's AI-powered Recall tool. After a delay in June and then a second one in August, Microsoft is once more pushing back testing of the feature intended for its Copilot+ PCs. The Verge reported that Recall now won't enter previews for Windows Insiders until December. "We are committed to delivering a secure and trusted experience with Recall," Brandon LeBlanc, senior product manager of Windows, told the publication. "To ensure we deliver on these important updates, were taking additional time to refine the experience before previewing it with Windows Insiders." When it was introduced, Microsoft positioned Recall as a way to give your computer a photographic memory, improving the search process on PCs. But since that photographic memory would demand a high degree of access to a computer's systems and data, Recall has been the target of privacy and security concerns. Microsoft has tried to assuage those worries by presenting Recall as an opt-in feature, so users will have to give explicit permission for the AI assistant to log their computing activity. The company has also detailed other privacy protections, but today's third delay could mean that it's proving more difficult than expected to keep security on lock.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/microsofts-recall-ai-tool-for-copilot-pcs-faces-a-third-delay-191301031.html?src=rss

Category: Marketing and Advertising
 

2024-10-31 19:51:16| Engadget

Its getting harder and harder not to view the Humane AI Pin as destined to go down as one of techs all-time stinkers and cautionary tales. After reviews questioning why it existed, returns that outpaced its sales and a warning that its Charge Case could pose a fire safety risk, the company is now recalling the latter. The issue stems from the cases battery cells, supplied by a third-party vendor, which could overheat and cause a fire hazard. Humane posted on Thursday that its conducting the voluntary recall out of an abundance of caution. The startup says its charging case is the only accessory affected not the battery booster, charging pad or Pin itself. The issue is isolated to battery cells used in the Charge Case Accessory, Humane wrote. It is not related to its hardware design. The company says one of its battery suppliers is to blame. Our investigation determined that the battery supplier was no longer meeting our quality standards and that battery cells supplied by this vendor can pose a fire risk, Humane wrote. The company says its severed ties with the supplier and is currently evaluating a new one. Hayato Huseman for Engadget In fairness to Humane, the recall was (in its words) the result of only one incident where a user plugged it into a third-party USB-C cable and power source. It hasnt received reports of injuries or damage. As easy as it is to poke fun at an overhyped companys other shoe dropping, at least its informing consumers and conducting the recall voluntarily rather than trying to bury it for the sake of PR. Perhaps Humane can look to Samsung for inspiration on rebounding from a product that catches on fire and not in a good way. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) posted a blurb about the recall with more detail. It says consumers who bought the Charge Case separately will receive a $149 refund. Those who got the case as part of the Humane AI Pin Complete System will get $129 back. In addition, Humane will supply replacement charging cases, but dont expect them anytime soon: The estimated wait is three to six months. The CPSC says about 10,500 units are affected. Humane advises charge case owners to dispose of the product in accordance with any local and state laws rather than chucking it in the trash. Presumably, thats to avoid a real dumpster fire to match the metaphorical one at Humane.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/humane-recalls-its-troubled-ai-pins-charge-case-due-to-overheating-185116736.html?src=rss

Category: Marketing and Advertising
 

2024-10-31 19:46:20| Engadget

Panic slipped some major news into its fall Playdate Update: Season Two is happening, and well see it next year. Can I get a hell yeah!? Its been over two years since Season One dropped, and in the time since, its remained unclear whether another would ever follow. But in todays livestream, Panics Video & Podcast host Christa Mrgan confirmed that Season Two is a go, and its happening next year. Consolation for killing the Stereo Dock, perhaps? There are a lot of details we still dont know about Season Two, like how much it'll cost (Season One was included with the purchase of a Playdate), but a spokesperson confirmed to Engadget that Playdate owners will have to buy it from the Catalog. Information on pricing and the exact number of games will be released in 2025. The first season brought two games per week over the course of 12 weeks, amounting to 24 games in all. According to Mrgan, Season Two so far includes about a dozen games. Theres also apparently another really cool surprise thing that we arent allowed to know the details about just yet, and my curiosity is definitely piqued. In addition to the Season Two announcement, the fall update also highlighted some upcoming Catalog games to look out for in the coming weeks and into 2025: Owlets Embrace, a metroidvania about an owl who is scared to fly; Comet, a puzzle-adventure game about a girl who is forced to face her fear of the dark after her brother goes missing; Office Chair Curling, which is exactly what it sounds like and looks absolutely absurd in the best way; Bwirds, a cute word puzzle game; a pinball game called Devils on the Moon from the makers of the Tetris-like, Pullfrog; and the top-down boat racing game, RowBot Rally. Theres also a huge Catalog sale going on right now that runs through November 14. Some of our favorite Playdate games are deeply discounted, so if youve been waiting for the right moment to scoop up all the titles on your to play list, now would be the time. Update, October 31 2024, 2:45PM ET: This story has been updated to include additional information from Panic/Playdate's PR. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playdate-is-officially-getting-a-season-two-with-about-a-dozen-games-next-year-180446193.html?src=rss

Category: Marketing and Advertising
 

2024-10-31 19:44:31| Engadget

Valves Steam Deck has proven to be an enormous success, but the custom Linux-based OS has always been a thorn in the side of certain developers. Some have alleged that it gives nefarious players easier ways to cheat, which is why popular battle royale games like Valorant, PUBG and Fortnite arent available for the console. We can add Apex Legends to that pile, as EA just announced its withdrawing both Steam Deck and Linux support. In our efforts to combat cheating in Apex, weve identified Linux OS as being a path for a variety of impactful exploits and cheats. As a result, weve decided to block Linux OS access to the game, the company wrote in a blog post. We believe the decision will meaningfully reduce instances of cheating in our game. https://t.co/679LP5cryc Apex Legends (@PlayApex) October 31, 2024 Apex Legends does have access to Epic Games Easy Anti-Cheat (EAC) software, which has been compatible with Linux for years. This must have not been a good enough safeguard against cheating. It didnt allow Fortnite onto the Steam Deck, after all, and that games actually made by Epic. To that end, devs on Steam will now have to disclose kernel mode anti-cheat software.  It remains to be seen if Linux is simply harder to develop anti-cheating measures for or if doing so is just an added expense at a time when game developers have been tightening their purse strings. Phillip Koskinas, director of anti-cheat on Valorant, indicated to The Verge that bad actors could make a Linux distribution thats purpose-built for cheating and wed be smoked. Its not all bad news for Apex Legends fans who prefer to play on a portable console. Itll run on the Steam Deck, so long as you install Windows. Valve hasnt released its own dual-boot installer, so youll have to rely on fairly complicated third-party solutions to get the job done.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/apex-legends-is-no-longer-available-for-the-steam-deck-184431149.html?src=rss

Category: Marketing and Advertising
 

2024-10-31 18:50:13| Engadget

Android users had to wait longer than usual for the release of Android 15 this fall, but Google is already setting the timeline for the next two operating system updates. In a change of pace, the next major release for Android will arrive in the second quarter of 2025. "Were planning the major release for Q2 rather than Q3 to better align with the schedule of device launches across our ecosystem, so more devices can get the major release of Android sooner," the company said in a blog post addressing developers. That's good news for third-party phone manufacturers that have historically had to wait a few months before they get the latest OS updates. In addition to the main release in the first half of the year, there will also be a minor update to Android slated for the fourth quarter of 2025. The Q2 release will be the only one next year to have behavior changes that can impact apps. The smaller release toward the end of the year will focus on "feature updates, optimizations and bug fixes," but will not have any behavior changes.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/the-next-version-of-android-will-arrive-in-early-2025-175013566.html?src=rss

Category: Marketing and Advertising
 

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