When VR first made its major CES reemergence via Oculus Rift years ago, it was jaw-dropping. Those moments, since, are harder to come by. After a 2017 where VR hardware sales flagged and buzz quieted, AR started to gain steam via phone apps from Apple and Google. Meanwhile, the dream of some next-level “mixed reality” …
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The next OnePlus phone is coming in late second quarter
The Oneplus 6 has been officially revealed. Now, it does have a notch, but also image stabilization on its dual rear cameras. We spoke with OnePlus co-founder, Carl Pei about the new phone and the future of OnePlus. OnePlus could be inching closer to breaking into the mainstream. Pete Lau, chief executive of the niche Chinese phone manufacturer, said the company would …
Read More »11 ways to get free or discount books for college
One of the biggest expenses of college — other than tuition, of course — is textbooks and required reading books. You can lessen the blow by going digital, buying used or renting. Here are 11 ways to get free or discounted textbooks: The first place to look for free text books is your university’s library. Most libraries carry textbooks or …
Read More »BlackBerry phones are surprisingly, amazingly, still a thing
The Blackberry Key2 has been officially revealed. And yes, it has a physical keyboard. I miss the resiliency of old-school BlackBerry phones. My old BlackBerry 6220, complete with a track wheel and dorky holster, was built like a tank. I dropped it. I flung it in anger. When I was bored, I tried juggling it (and I’m a terrible juggler). It still …
Read More »Polk’s new sound bar swallowed an Echo Dot at CES 2018
While competitors have offered Alexa voice assistants with their own proprietary microphones, Polk has announced the first sound bar at CES 2018 with what is essentially an Echo Dot built into it: the Command Bar. The Command Bar integrates Amazon’s own far-field microphones and controls into the speaker and you can use either to control your smart home as a fully-fledged …
Read More »Samsung shares vision for internet of things at CES 2018
For anyone who’s ever watched a Samsung press conference at CES, this year felt different. To some, that might mean boring. There wasn’t quite the wow factor we’ve seen before. No moving wall dramatically parted to reveal a massive TV, and shiny refrigerators didn’t miraculously appear on stage. There weren’t any celebrities to talk about how much they adore Samsung …
Read More »Politics may have helped kill Verizon
Political pressure may have interfered with a second deal by Chinese tech giant Huawei to sell its phones in the United States, this time with Verizon Wireless. On Monday, news emerged that AT&T pulled out of a deal to sell the Huawei Mate 10 Pro, and The Information reported the deal had been a victim of congressional pressure. Now, on …
Read More »VR, smart displays and even smart toilets at CES 2018 (The 3:59, Ep. 336)
On today’s CES-edition podcast with special guest Bridget Carey, we talk about: The new HTC Vive Pro. Lenovo’s new Google Assistant-powered countertop video speaker. Our favorite stuff from CES (so far), including airbags for your hip. Now playing: Watch this: VR, smart displays and even smart toilets at CES 2018… 10:30 The 3:59 gives you bite-size news and analysis about …
Read More »Blocks promises Android Oreo and Alexa in its modular watch
Why would anyone want a modular smartwatch? Well, maybe the better question is: Who could use a modular smartwatch? A concept kicking around for years has enterprise and developers in its sights. And maybe that’s where this idea could work. Blocks, a gadget concept, has been crowdfunding and pitching its idea for years. The watch is like one of those …
Read More »Rokid Glass promises AI and voice in AR smartglasses at CES
How do you interact with a pair of augmented-reality smartglasses? Maybe with your hands or a controller or a touchpad? Rokid, a Chinese company that’s developed voice assistant-based products, believes the answer is voice. Last year, Rokid unveiled a little Amazon Echo-alike called the Rokid Pebble at CES, which used an AI called Melody to attempt to one-up Amazon Alexa and …
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