The new iPhone 7 Plus is equipped with a pair of cameras where there once was only one. But while Apple’s implementation is, of course, special and unique, it’s not the first dual-camera setup by a long shot. Hell, it’s not even the first to be announced in the last 24 hours! Here are a few devices from over the years that established dual cameras as a trend — or at… Read More
What to expect from Sony’s PlayStation event
Sony is having a PlayStation event tomorrow in New York, where it plans to provide an update on its PlayStation business and PS4. Most people agree that means it’s going to show us a couple of PlayStation hardware updates, including a previously announced more powerful PlayStation 4 (supposedly codenamed “Neo”) with support for 4K and more robust virtual reality, and a… Read More
The Coros LINX is a smart bike helmet that makes sense
While cycling apps are thick on the ground, a full gadget ecosystem is hard to come by. Seattle startup Coros is looking to change that with the Linx, a helmet-app combo (with handlebar controller) that lets you listen to music, take calls, get turn-by turn directions and track progress made along your route. I’ve tried it, and this thing actually seems like a good idea. Read More
If nothing else, StikBox is a good way to hide the fact that you own a selfie stick
What if I told you that you could hide the shame of carrying around a selfie stick, protect your smartphone and have a free kickstand all in one go? How much would you pay for such a luxury? $10,000? $100,000? $8 million? Try around $40, American. The StikBox is actually a pretty solid idea that seems to work fairly well. It’s a plastic iPhone/Samsung handset that features a slatted… Read More
Snapchat joins the Bluetooth SIG, fueling hardware speculation
Snapchat has given observers another reason to suspect it might be working on hardware – the social network company joined the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) according to the Financial Times. The SIG industry association maintains the Bluetooth wireless standard, and membership is a necessary prerequisite for companies that want to employ Bluetooth in any hardware devices.… Read More
Tales from the alternate era of the Ara
It’s been a long day away from outlets, so I reach into my pocket and fish around for a battery module. The zoom camera pack clips out easy, making room for the added battery capacity, which should give me enough juice to get through the evening. I slip the camera module back into my pocket; I won’t need it, since at the party I’m headed to (a six-year anniversary party… Read More
Microsoft is putting Cortana machine learning in a fridge
Microsoft is working with Liebherr’s appliance division to rebuild the refrigerator and make it smarter, faster, strong; well, maybe just smarter. The new collaboration between the two will see Microsoft provide computer vision technology, via its Microsoft Cognitive Services Computer Vision API, to let the fridge identify objects contained within. Why would you want a fridge that knows… Read More
Samsung investigating reports of Galaxy Note 7 explosions
Samsung is looking into reports from multiple users that the recently released Galaxy Note 7 has issues wherein a few phones have exploded during charging. A Samsung spokesperson told TechCrunch that they’re “conducting a thorough inspection,” and Korean news agency Yonhap reported earlier that a potential recall of all Note 7 devices is one option on the table.… Read More
We’re one step closer to the Holodeck with this 20-camera 3D body-capture setup
Have you ever been in a VR conference call and thought, well, I know what everyone looks like from the front, but what about the other sides? The Fraunhofer Institute for Telecommunications has your back — and theirs. Researchers there have created a powerful multi-camera setup that captures every aspect of someone in 3D and dumps it straight into a VR experience. Read More