All phones (yes, iPhones too) slow down over time. As your device gets bogged down by various apps and you begin to run out of storage, it's just an inevitability. That doesn't make it any less frustrating ... I mean, is there anything more annoying than a slow phone? My answe ...more
Well, that was unexpected. Apple released the fifth iteration of the iOS 12 public beta on Monday, August 6, just hours after iOS 12 developer beta 6. The company sometimes releases developer and public betas on the same date, sometimes even at the same time, but has not done ...more
While it might be more common to chat with friends on apps like Twitter, Messenger, or WhatsApp, direct messages on Instagram are becoming more and more sophisticated. Case in point, the app is rolling out a new feature to users that shows a "green dot" next to friends who are ...more
The updates just keep on coming. Apple released the third beta for iOS 12 to public testers Wednesday, July 18, just after seeding the fourth iOS 12 developer beta to registered developers the previous day. This update comes thirteen days after the release of the second public ...more
On Tuesday, Unity released the latest version of its 3D engine, which brings improvements to the Scriptable Render Pipeline that the company introduced earlier this year. Introduced in Unity 2018.1 as a preview feature, the Scriptable Render Pipeline (SRP) enables developers ...more
Apple has been testing iOS 11.4.1 for just over a month now, and so far, there's nothing to show for it except unknown "bug fixes" and under-the-hood "improvements." And that still rings true with the release of iOS 11.4.1 beta 5 on Monday, July 2, which comes exactly one week ...more
Apple released the second beta for iOS 11.4.1 on Monday, June 11. The company seeded the update 12 days after the release of the first 11.4.1 beta on May 30. The initial beta brought no new features to iOS 11, just bug fixes and stability updates, and beta 2 appears to be the ...more
Apple released iOS 11.4.1 beta 1 to developers on Wednesday, May 30, just one day after the official release of iOS 11.4, which brought Messages in iCloud and AirPlay 2 to the public for the first time. There does not appear to be any new features in this first iOS 11.4.1 beta ...more
A newly-filed patent application from Disney Enterprises, Inc. teases more augmented reality lightsaber duels, either for at-home gaming or for the media behemoth's forthcoming Star Wars theme park. The patent, titled "Augmented Reality Interactive Experience," describes a sy ...more
Despite the fact that Snap Inc.'s Spectacles weren't the hit some were expecting, the company is nevertheless taking another swing at it by releasing an updated version. On Thursday, April 26, Snap Inc. revealed a new version of Spectacles. No, the new version still doesn't d ...more
Apple released the second beta for iOS 11.4 on Monday, April 16. Its release comes eighteen days after the company pushed the first 11.4 beta to iPhones, as well as the official build of iOS 11.3. This beta fixes issues with AirPlay, Music, and Keychain, and it also adds a new ...more
Less than a week after iOS 11.3 was released to the public, iOS 11.4 beta dropped for developers on April 2, then became available for public beta testers the following day. If you're an iPhone user, there doesn't seem to be much to love about iOS 11.4 just yet, since its most ...more
The legal travails of Magic Leap appear to have no end in sight, as a lawsuit filed by an ex-employee further threatens to dampen the startup's 2018 launch. A new legal complaint has been filed by former Magic Leap worker Kimberly Couto that alleges the company employed hundr ...more
Franchises left and right are releasing Pokémon Go-style augmented reality games, and Google is making it even easier to churn out the apps. Announced today via a company blog post, the Google Maps API now enables developers to build their own location-based games using Maps ...more
The fourth beta for iOS 11.3 was released by Apple to developers and public beta testers on Monday, March 5. The update comes just under two weeks after the company released beta 3 on Feb. 20, which mostly added bug and stability patches. It appears that beta 4 is much of the ...more
In hopes of strengthening its growing augmented reality team, Apple has reportedly hired Michael Abbott, an engineering and investment veteran with past ties to Twitter, Microsoft, Palm, and others. The report was surfaced by MacRumors, which translated a MacGeneration post o ...more
Mobile augmented reality developer Blippar's mission is to construct a computer vision map the world, with visual recognition of thousands of notable buildings, bridges, castles, holy places. A major step toward that goal has been taken by the company this month with the annou ...more
Apple just released the third beta for iOS 11.3 on Tuesday, Feb. 20, which comes exactly two weeks after the release of iOS 11.3 beta 2 that brought battery health data and performance-throttling controls. At first glance, iOS 11.3 beta 3 seems to be mostly under-the-hood impr ...more
The Microsoft HoloLens has a fairly passionate, yet relatively small group of users pushing the developer-centric device forward, mostly spreading the word about the device through word of mouth and meetups. But this weekend, during the annual NBA All-Star festivities, we got ...more
Apple released the second beta for iOS 11.3 on Tuesday, Feb. 6. The update comes two weeks after the original announcement and release of the iOS 11.3 beta, which brought new Animoji, Messages on iCloud, and Apple Music Videos, among other features. One glaring omission was th ...more
Apple pushed out iOS 11.2.5 beta 6 today for iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch to developers and public beta testers. Last week two beta updates were rolled out, and this fast pace may indicate that iOS 11.2.5 is almost ready for prime time. Like most of the previous iOS 11.2.5 be ...more
Apple released the fifth build of their iOS 11.2.5 beta software on Thursday to developers and public beta testers, just two days after the fourth beta. This quick beta release schedule may mean iOS 11.2.5 is almost ready for primetime. You can download the update right now i ...more
Apple released the fourth beta for iOS 11.2.5 on Tuesday, Dec. 9, to developers and then public beta testers. It comes only one day after the official release of iOS 11.2.2, which addressed the Spectre portion of the chip flaw security risks reported last week. If you're a de ...more
Whether you're watching Netflix on your Android tablet, smart TV, or computer, the process for changing how subtitles and closed captioning appear is the same. Plus, when you customize the font, size, color, and the background, all devices connected to your Netflix profile wil ...more
Apple released the third developer beta for iOS 11.2.5 on Wednesday, Jan. 3, and public beta testers got in on the action the following day. The update comes two full weeks after the release of the second beta, marking an extended update period of Apple. The second beta mostly ...more
For every cool new thing Android Oreo brought to the table, Android 8.1 adds a bit of polish. After a brief but successful beta period, Google started rolling out the official 8.1 update to its Pixel and Nexus devices today, and it's everything Android 8.0 should have been. T ...more
Most of the free apps you'll find on the Play Store have ads. These ads are personalized — in other words, they're for products and services Google believes you might be interested in. The way Google knows about your interests is by collecting data from your smartphone, includ ...more
For those who enjoy the finer things in life, premium Scottish distillery The Macallan is bringing an augmented reality art gallery, viewable through the high-priced Microsoft HoloLens, to select cities in celebration of whisky season. The Gallery 12 hosts interactive art pie ...more
The advent of ARKit and ARCore has strengthened the demand for development tools to build augmented reality experiences for compatible iPhones, iPads, and Android devices. We have seen Unity step up with support for both platforms, with ARCore support arriving in their next r ...more
Did you want an iPhone X, but opted for the iPhone 8 instead? Or, maybe you aren't ready to upgrade from your 7, 6S, 5S, or what-have-you. Did you know iOS 11.1 lets you experience what it would be like if you had upgraded to the iPhone X? Well, in a way. iOS 11.1 beta users ...more
Apple removed the App Store from iTunes in the new 12.7 update, which means you can't download iOS apps from iTunes or view your app library anymore in macOS. Everything is done on your iPhone now, but the process for viewing and re-downloading apps you've previously purchased ...more
How can something get more free than free? Well, in the case of Twitter, Virgin Mobile found a way with its newest promotion. If you have a 4G plan with Virgin Mobile, you can now access Twitter from your smartphone without it counting towards your monthly data allowance. Don ...more
The new Leaf with Nissan's ProPilot driverless feature could launch as soon as this year, following a teaser image and video the Japanese carmaker released of its flagship EV yesterday. A company source told Driverless that ProPilot could become available in the new Leaf befo ...more
Goertek's AM3D offers world-class audio processing software that powers millions of high-end devices around the world. Their biggest advancement is likely Virtual Surround Sound, which can make two speakers sound like a full 5.1 setup. You normally can't get these features on ...more
Instagram can be pretty exact when it comes to where you are located. That's why, sometimes, it's best never to geotag your precise location, but a broader area where you are less likely to get, well, um ... stalked? So yeah. A good thing to do, especially if you are posting ...more
Vuzix Corporation has lifted the preorder status on its M300 Smart Glasses, making the augmented reality device available for purchase by resellers, registered developers, enterprises, and consumers. The M300 is targeted for business use-cases, particularly industrial, constr ...more
The Instagram Explore page is one of the most useful tools available to users. It's also one of the easiest ways to discover new content and, if you use it right, to increase your own follower count. There are a couple ways for you to dominate the Explore page. One way is to ...more
Those of us that work with or around augmented and mixed reality have seen a powerful shift in the last year as the popularity and interest have grown in the field. With Microsoft's HoloLens release, the popularity of Pokémon GO, and the constant rumor mill known as Magic Leap ...more
Running diagnostics on your Android phone can be a very tedious process. More often than not, you need to key in dialer codes to see if your device's hardware is functioning properly, though you can also download apps — but these are often hard to understand for a layperson. W ...more
Apple staff will be put through their paces now that the company's "Automated System" for driverless cars is in motion. Earlier this month, it emerged that the notoriously secretive Apple received a permit from the California DMV, which costs a small fee but requires at least ...more
The popular RPG Death Road to Canada has finally arrived for the iPhone and iPad, and its impact is immediate. It's fast becoming a top contender for mobile video game of 2017, and it's very easy to see why. The game blends decision making and good old zombie bashing to create ...more
Apple is combining internal and external talent in an effort to give them in edge in the augmented reality market, though we still don't know what form their foray into alternative realities will actually take. Rumors have been spreading for years about Apple's interest in au ...more
In a press event this past week at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, California, Unity Labs, the experimental and forward thinking arm of Unity, announced an upcoming toolset for developers in the augmented, mixed, and virtual reality space called the XR Foundat ...more
While music may not technically be a "universe language," it is the one language listened to by all. There are over 1,500 music genres today—rap, classical, rock, jazz, trap, hip-hop, house, new wave, vaperwave, charred death, nintendocore... and the list goes on. And if you'r ...more
We live in a marvelous age, a time where technology is driving us forward as a species at a rapid pace, and tech-driven miracles are becoming more and more commonplace. While the human race may not be focused on building the largest wonders of the world, as it once was in hist ...more
Looking to get seriously tatted up? Your best bet is probably to head Down Under. Meet Steve Butcher, a New Zealand native who is changing the tattoo game in a big way. While there are a lot of amazing artists out there, the level of detail Butcher is able to achieve is truly ...more
Google's new Pixel and Pixel XL flagships are some very powerful smartphones, but as with any high-tech gadget, they're only as capable as the user allows them to be. So if you're a proud new Pixel owner, it's time to bone up on a few new features to help get the most out of y ...more
The big day has finally come—the new iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus have been officially unveiled. Apple debuted their new flagship devices at a keynote event in San Francisco on September 7, and as we've grown to expect, there are tons of changes in store for the world's top-sell ...more
Quick Look, first introduced in 2007, is an instant preview feature on the Mac operating system that lets you view files and folders without opening them up. Just highlight a file, like a picture or text document, then press the spacebar on your keyboard to get a speedy previe ...more
When you swipe from page to page on your home screen, the contents on your screen change, but the wallpaper always remains the same. And while Android does include plenty of ways to customize your device, setting a unique wallpaper for each home screen page isn't one of them. ...more
As a hacker or an aspiring one, You need to be careful and anonymous if your doing anything illegal. But you slipped up. Now someone is tracking you! Well luckily you read this post ahead of time and have a backup plan! The first step in remaining safe is to remain anonymous. ...more
If mainstream media has taught us anything, it's that being beautiful can get you ahead in life. The notion isn't necessarily correct, but it's what the general consensus accepts and it seems to hold quite a bit of weight (no pun intended) in the western world. Throughout the ...more
If you're constantly going from dark to brightly lit areas, you've probably noticed that the stock auto brightness feature on your Samsung Galaxy Note 2 doesn't work that well. Either the screen is really dim and unreadable, or it's just way too damn bright. Sure, you can disa ...more
We all know about PRISM. The Surveillance Program allowing the U.S Government to access private user information. Such as, Google Searches, Tweets, Facebook Posts, Private Images, and other private user data. "Hiding" yourself can be very difficult, but it is possible. I'm her ...more
For the most part, nobody makes money off of Facebook. Sure, some people make a living by updating pages for businesses and celebrities, but hardly anyone gets a dime from the site itself. So, naturally, upon hearing that a class action lawsuit might entitle them to a piece o ...more
Facebook has been looking to launch a new product for a while now, and it seems they've finally realized what they're best at—being as creepy as possible. If you thought your boss checking out your girlfriend's beach photos was weird, Facebook's new Graph Search has only upped ...more
Apple just released public beta 2 for iOS 14 today, Thursday, July 9. The good news comes two days after Apple released the second iOS 14 developer beta, and 17 days after the release of the first developer beta. While this is the first public beta for iOS 14, it's called "pub ...more
While a viable version of consumer-grade smartglasses has yet to find mainstream success, two more contenders emerged this week, as Vuzix confirmed that a leak of a fashion-forward design is legitmate and Vivo introduced tethered smartglasses designed to pair with its new 5G s ...more
The era of AT&T and Magic Leap has quietly entered a new phase that ramps up the mainstreaming of the cutting edge augmented reality device. This week, the wireless giant began offering the Magic Leap One for sale directly on its website, a move that aligns with its recent de ...more
It's confession time. Through a couple of sources, I managed to get an early look at the HoloLens 2. But I was sworn to secrecy, and I take my tech oaths seriously (shame on you, leakers). But now that it's out in the wild, we can finally talk about how the HoloLens 2 looks c ...more