Microsoft unveils Windows Holographic augmented reality system with HoloLens

Samsung and Google may have gotten the ball rolling with Gear VR and Cardboard, but head-mounted 3D isn’t done there; at today’s Windows 10 event, Microsoft announced its next-gen augmented reality system, Windows Holographic.

The hugely ambitious project will draw on APIs introduced in Windows 10 to give developers the tools they need to allow users to interact with virtual displays that seem to seamlessly blend into the world around them.

Of course, you need some advanced hardware to pull of a feat like that, and for this Microsoft has its own HMD, the Microsoft HoloLens wearable computer.

The hardware is a self-contained system, not relying on an external phone or PC. It’s got its own CPU, GPU, and a custom “holographic” processor. Images will be displayed on a translucent visor, letting HoloLens overlay its output on your visual field.

Microsoft’s demonstration of the Windows Holographic interface shows how HoloLens is able to track a user’s hands in real time, allowing them to interact with its “holograms” without the need for dedicated input hardware. Voice command allows for even finer-grained input.

Sound like something out of a sci-fi movie? You’re not too far off, and Microsoft’s been with working with none other than NASA on developing HoloLens and its Windows Holographic tech.

Source: Microsoft

Microsoft announces Windows Holographic with HoloLens headset

 source:theverge

"We're not talking about putting you into virtual worlds. We're dreaming beyond virtual worlds."

 

Microsoft has just revealed its next great innovation: Windows Holographic! It's an augmented reality experience that employs a headset, much like all the VR goggles that are currently rising in popularity, but Microsoft's solution adds holograms to the world around you. The HoloLens headset is described as "the most advanced holographic computer the world has ever seen." It's a self-contained computer, including a CPU, a GPU, and a dedicated holographic processor. The dark lenses up front contain a see-through display, there's spatial sound so you can "hear" holograms behind you, and it also integrates a set of sensors. HoloLens, says Microsoft, will be available in the Windows 10 timeframe.

Microsoft prepares to preview Windows 10 for phones

source:theverge

Beta version expected by end of the month

 

Microsoft is preparing to preview its latest version of Windows Phone later this month. The software giant released a "Phone Insider" app over the weekend, ahead of a January 21st press event where the company will reveal its plans for Windows 10 across phones and tablets. Sources familiar with Microsoft’s plans tell The Verge that the company will demo a number of features aimed at Windows 10 on phones, including some user interface changes designed to more closely align its mobile operating system with its desktop counterpart and the Xbox One games console.

Microsoft is also making changes to Windows 10 on the desktop to include light and dark themes that match the phone and tablet editions. Currently referred to as Windows Mobile and Windows 10 Mobile internally at Microsoft, the next mobile OS will be a combination of the Windows Phone and Windows RT operating systems. Microsoft is aiming to take advantage of its universal applications model to align its tablet and phone software to run the same apps across tablets and phones. While the company will detail its developer and app plans further at Build, the January 21st event will focus more on the consumer features of both the desktop and phone / tablet operating system. Microsoft may even choose to name its new combined Windows RT and Windows Phone OS at the event.

Windows 10 for phones preview expected by end of January
 

 

The recently released "Phone Insider" app provides similar access to the Windows 10 insider program, allowing enthusiasts and partners to test an early version of Windows 10 for phones. While the app only works for Microsoft employees at present, we understand Microsoft will be expanding its use to allow anyone to sign up and install Windows 10 on modern Windows Phones. Like the Windows 10 insider program, the initial preview for phones will be limited in features as the company seeks feedback on changes ahead of a release later this year. Microsoft is expected to release the Windows 10 for phones preview by the end of January, following the press event on January 21st. The Verge will be live from Microsoft's press event next week, stay tuned for more details on our live blog plans.

 

I rode in a 3D-printed car

source : theverge

A quick look at the Local Motors Strati might elicit a reaction like, "why does it look like it's made out of Rubbermaid garbage cans?" It's a fair question — continuous tubes of dull black plastic outline virtually every major component of this car in places where you'd normally expect bright, shiny colors. Metal. Chrome. Pretty stuff.

There's a good explanation, though: the Strati is basically willed into existence by an enormous 3D printer that extrudes those lines of plastic making up the car's frame. After that, it's refined using a CNC milling machine, a few mechanical bits are slapped on, and boom, you have a running car.

Local Motors is in the process of assembling a Strati here at the North American International Auto Show, but in the meantime, I had a chance to ride around in one of the company's older prototypes. It's not fast, but the electric drivetrain is definitely quiet and the car comfortably seats two — think of it as a big go-kart. I'm not sure I'd buy one, but I'd certainly print one.

Hint: Use the 's' and 'd' keys to navigate

video :theverge

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source: theverge

The first truly wireless earbuds are here, and they're awesome 

 

Every few months I boot up my Google machine and search for "wireless earbuds." I have great over-the-ear headphones that I love, but there are just too many times when I need something more portable. That forces me to deal with problems like durability and fit, and the fact that the wires on every pair of earbuds seem to fail, like clockwork, every six months. My search always yields results, but never the ones I'm looking for.

I want the wires gone.

I'm sick of them, and I don't want a pair of "wireless" ones that wrap around the back of my head. I want really, truly wireless earbuds. Basically, I want these:
Ryan Reynolds knows what's up That is the GIF that David Pierce and I passed back and forth to each other after he got our Moto Hint review unit in. (It's also become the reference point for nearly the entire internet when it comes to the concept of wireless earbuds.) The Hint wasn't our favorite device, but it fit in my ear so well that my desire for a pair of wireless in-ears skyrocketed over the last few months. It's taken a long time to get here, but a few companies showed up at CES with some production models that are nearly ready to hit the market in 2015. I set out around Las Vegas to give them a listen.

Bragi Dash

The best headphones I tried — and the ones I'll be tempted to buy as soon as they are available — were the touch-enabled Bragi Dash headphones. They are exactly what I've wanted. The seal and the friction from the rubber keep the buds in place and are surprisingly comfortable, and they're light enough that they don't feel like they would pull themselves out.

That's no surprise, because the company is run by the former head of design at Harman Kardon, and the COO was a senior VP at Jabra. In the two years they spent building the Dash, the Bragi team used ear molds acquired from hearing aid companies. They also 3D-printed prototypes specifically to fit those molds, opting not to use the less-precise method of injection molding. There's even a cool charging case that can charge them up to five extra times.
The music I listened to sounded great, even though I was surrounded by the din of the Sands convention center. The noise canceling was a little too noticeable, but otherwise I was impressed by the depth and clarity.
It's more than just an earbud The Dash is meant to be more than just an earbud, a trend I found was common with these early-to-market companies. As CEO Nikolaj Hviid told me, the Dash is also supposed to be an assistant. Not only does it have fitness sensors, but the built-in accelerometer can allow for gestures — or "macros" as Bragi calls them. By tilting your head up, for example, you could have a voice read you the weather forecast. If a call comes in, you could nod to answer or reject it. Those macros can be swapped, disabled, and programmed to other functions, too. Eventually Bragi wants them to be able to work independently instead of with your phone over Bluetooth.
Bragi is aiming to ship in April, and the Dash headphones will cost $299 in Europe and through online retailers.

FreeWavz wireless headphones

I've never really wanted more functionality from my headphones, but it was hard to find any devices here at CES that didn't have some sort of fitness tracking. Freewavz has totally embraced it: its earbuds are like the sport headphones we've seen for years, with plastic curving over the top and around the back of the ear to keep them snug during workouts.
Like Dash, FreeWavz uses a mix of sensors to track and analyze your activity. They will sample things like your heart rate up to 500 times per second, which would be way past the rate of many fitness bracelets. Outside of that, the finished product will have a bunch of other features like noise canceling, adjustable frequency levels, and text-to-speech.
The more polished versions of the FreeWavz prototype What I tried from FreeWavz was even more of a prototype than what Bragi had on hand — the working unit was 3D-printed and felt a little frail. But CEO Mike Kahn told me that the production version should weigh about the same, which would be wild: these headphones were very light. When I listened to music through them they sounded good enough, but could fare better away from the noise in the hall. The company had a more finished design in the Innovation Awards section, and I have to admit the renders of the version they want to ship in April look really beautiful. They'll cost $249.99 then, but are available for preorder now for $30 less. Kahn said they hope to get them to retailers and sporting goods stores as well.

HearNotes

The last wireless headphones I saw this week were from a company called HearNotes. While they had the most polished-looking setup compared to Bragi and FreeWavz, it was the one company that wouldn't let me try the headphones on. Still, should the product make it to market for its estimated $349 price, there are some interesting ideas behind it: the headphones are supposed to work over Kleer wireless, which is supposed to allow for lossless transmission. They're also supposed to wirelessly charge within four feet of the carrying case. There's no fitness tracking here; the focus is strictly on audio.
We've only just begun The good thing is that what I saw at CES is only the beginning. Just this week, another company popped up on my Google machine called Earin, and it too looks like what I had originally set out to find — simple, wireless earbuds. Its model is in pre-production now but is aimed for an early 2015 release, similar to the time frame for the companies here at CES.
Until then, Bragi has my attention, and FreeWavz looks like it could be a great option for more fitness-minded people. If these devices can actually make it to market, there's no doubt 2015 will finally be the year of wireless earbuds.

 

Three ex-Google engineers have created a Microsoft Surface clone

 source : theverge

Naturally, it runs Android

 

Microsoft’s Surface tablet has inspired a few clones during its short history, but the latest rip off comes from three ex-Google engineers. Jeremy Zhou, David Ko, and Ben Luk used to work on products like Google Maps and search at the web giant, and formed Jide Technology in 2014 to create a combined tablet and laptop. The result is an "ultra tablet" with a magnetically attached keyboard and a kickstand that all looks identical to Microsoft’s Surface tablet. Jide Technology hasn’t just stopped at the hardware, though. Even the "Remix OS" rips off Microsoft’s work in various ways, including a mail client that’s a straight copy.

So what’s the justification for such a blatant rip? "We can't stand the drawbacks of the tablets and laptops on the market today and we wanted to do something about it," reads a statement on the company’s site. Jide’s creation is an 11.6-inch tablet that runs a modified version of Android that takes a lot of design cues from Lollipop and Microsoft’s "Metro" design language. Specifications include a 1920 x 1080 display, 2GB of RAM, and an Nvidia Tegra 4+1 processor. Android Central got a quick look at the tablet at CES this week, and notes that it also includes a 4-pin charging connector at the side and support for multiple windows with Android apps.

Jide plans to launch the Remix tablet in the US this year priced at $349 for the basic 16GB model, but we have a feeling Microsoft might have something to say about it.

Remix Ultra tablet press photos

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There's more than one Sony — the other is Google

source : theverge

Sony's push into Android could be great news for everyone but Sony

Sony should be unstoppable. No other company has such a potent mix of content, brand cachet, and hardware design in multiple areas. But the story with Sony for well over a decade has been its ineptitude at bringing all these things together to form a coherent whole.

CEO Kaz Hirai acknowledged this when taking over in early 2012, presenting a strategy called “One Sony” in an attempt to unify and streamline the company’s businesses. But that followed previous chief Howard Stringer’s “Sony United” concept; the dream of a slick machine that can draw on the best of each division is a unicorn that the company continues to chase.

At CES 2015, Sony’s predicament remains clear. Almost nothing in their gargantuan booth appears to be a bad product. There are gorgeous TVs, a thriving game platform, some of the most advanced cameras in the world, and much more, yet the connective tissue between all of this is little stronger than in years before. However, there’s a new wildcard that could have serious implications for Sony’s ecosystem: Google.

Sony’s SmartWatch 3 improves on its predecessor in some minor ways — the new metal band feels better than most, and its integrated GPS chip makes it less reliant on a tethered smartphone — but the biggest difference is its software. The latest model runs Android Wear, Google’s new operating system for wearables. The story’s the same with Sony’s 2015 TVs: every set will run Android TV rather than the proprietary software on prior models. But unlike Android on phones, hardware companies can’t adapt Android Wear or TV; what Google gives is what Sony gets.

"What is familiar becomes simple."

"We looked at it and said people want to be familiar with their device," says Phil Jones (pictured below), product information manager for TVs at Sony. "They want to be able to walk up to their TV and within a minute be able to use it. Google Android devices have dramatic marketshare — it’s like 80 percent of the phones worldwide use this operating system. Even if you’re an iOS person you probably have a Chromecast, or you have some sort of relationship with Google. So people are familiar, and what is familiar becomes simple."
Sony has linked up with Google initiatives in the past, of course — its first Android phone was released in 2010, and it was one of the biggest backers of the ill-fated Google TV project. But Android TV is a simpler system far more likely to succeed, and Android Wear has much more momentum. From the consumer’s point of view, it’s probably for the best that Sony is abandoning its often clunky home-baked solutions. And, with the sale of VAIO, the company has severed its ties to Microsoft and gone all-in with Google as a third-party software provider. All of this is great news for Google, which will get some of the most attractive vessels for its services yet.

The problem for Sony is that a Sony smartwatch is now functionally the same as an LG or Samsung or Motorola smartwatch. A Sony TV now runs the same interface as a Sharp or Philips TV, or any other set with an Android TV-compatible box plugged in. Unlike with phones, where the likes of Samsung and HTC were allowed to run wild and customise Android to their own benefit, Google has adopted a stricter attitude to what Android looks and feels like on other types of device.
With the Google partnership, Sony’s business model is even more reliant on wooing customers with beautiful hardware and high performance; a risky strategy in the current consumer tech landscape. Will anyone really feel compelled to buy a Sony TV or watch to match their phone when competing products run the exact same software? If Sony’s financial results over the past few years are anything to go by, the company’s undeniable knack for design isn’t the silver bullet it once was.
"Maybe we could’ve built our own infrastructure," says Jones. "But what is the center of the house? For some people it’s TV, some people that’s the tablet, and for some people it’s the phone. But for all those things, the other two devices are running on Android for most people. Why not make sure that, regardless of whether the TV, the tablet, or the phone is the hub, that Google connects them?"

Well, Sony has a lot more than three product categories. Take the new audiophile-focused Walkman ZX2. On one hand, it feels like a return to the old Sony spirit; let’s engineer an amazing, niche device, sell it for nearly $1,200, and see if anyone bites. But it runs 2012’s Android 4.2, and the basic interface is laggy beyond belief. I asked Xperia product marketing manager Stephen Sneeden if Sony’s mobile team had any input into the new Walkman’s design, and he said that the device was outside his purview. The ZX2 doesn’t feel like a product of One Sony; it’s a product created by one of many Sonys.

The ZX2 isn't a product of One Sony; it’s a product from one of many Sonys
The PlayStation 4 is another example. It’s an excellent, popular games console, but Sony’s woes with building out PlayStation Network have been well documented, and the company’s gaming devices still don’t interact much with other products. While there’s a rudimentary PlayStation app that lets you check your profile and takes you to a web store, and Xperia phones are starting to allow streaming from PlayStation Now, that’s about as far as it goes. A powerful $399 box connected to the TV could be the center of any product lineup, but Sony seems content to sequester it away as a curio separate from the rest of its devices. That dissonance is only going to get worse as the reliance on Google takes hold.


Sony has made efforts to unify its strategy. "When you’re a big company it’s easy to become siloed, and we’re working really hard not to be siloed and to communicate so our products work seamlessly together," says Jones, who notes that he now works in the same buildings as people from other divisions rather than having to go to another office "literally a mile away." Jones also cites examples where knowledge has been shared to improve products on a technical level; the company’s 4K TVs, for instance, use image processing technology informed by the output from its professional 4K movie cameras. "That experience of making the cameras, making the content, displaying it in 4K, helps us make a better TV," says Jones. "Because everybody else, this is their first time at the rodeo. We’ve been doing it for a while, and we can do a better job of it."

The thing is, Sony seems to think that Google can do a better job of the cloud infrastructure that customers have come to expect. And it’s almost certainly right. But the trouble with bunting to Google is that there’s little room for Sony to innovate or leverage the things it has that no-one else can offer. The company’s most eye-catching successes have been in divisions that Google has little to do with — cameras, gaming, image sensors, movies. What could be a more illustrative example of Sony’s ecosystem woes than The Interview — a movie from its own studio — coming to Xbox and Google Play before the PS4? It’s as if Sony has given up on its role as a content provider.

The shift to Android software will make Sony TVs and watches better in the short term, but it’s far from a forward-looking strategy. As Sony itself has said repeatedly over the years, it needs to pull itself together if it’s ever going to realize its potential. But the vision at CES is for several Sonys, and the most important one is Google.

 

This is Windows 10’s new browser and dark theme

source : theverge

Things are about to get dark

Microsoft is preparing to unveil a new browser in Windows 10, codenamed Spartan, and leaked images are providing an early glimpse at the Internet Explorer successor. Chinese site Cnbeta has published screenshots showing the simple interface of Spartan and the Cortana digital assistant integration. The Verge revealed yesterday that Spartan will include digital inking support to share and annotate web pages, and deep Cortana integration in the address bar and throughout the browser.

Cnbeta’s screenshots also reveal Microsoft’s upcoming Windows 10 user interface. Sources familiar with Microsoft’s Windows plans tell The Verge that the company is planning to build light and dark themes with color accents for Windows 10. The look and feel will be similar to that of the existing user interface for Windows Phone, and these leaked screenshots provide an early look at an internal Microsoft concept and the aim for the final UI. They do not represent the final interface as Microsoft will be tweaking it a number of times over the coming months. Some of these user interface changes have started appearing in recent builds of Windows 10, with the new dark taskbar surfacing in a leaked version last month. 

Microsoft is also tweaking its built-in apps to match the new color schemes, with a new Xbox app that hints at what the company is planning for the final version of Windows 10.

Microsoft is expected to unveil these user interface changes and a mobile version of Windows 10 for tablets and phones at a press event on January 21st. The software maker will also likely detail its plans for the Spartan browser across PCs, phones, and tablets.