Tag: author

‘Mad Max: Fury Road’ is an Ultra HD Blu-ray launch title

Ultra HD Blu-ray is finally coming in 2016, and while we’ll hear more about its 4K movies this week at CES, Warner Bros. is kicking things off by announcing some of the first movies on the way . Right out of the gate, it’s offering Mad Max: Fury Road , San Andreas, The Lego Movie and Pan . They’re promised for the “initial launch” early this year, although there’s no exact date mentioned. More movies will arrive later this year and Warner says it plans to release over 35 in 2016, although only Man of Steel and Pacific Rim have been named. Standard features are of course 4K resolution and HDR support for more colors and better contrast, while select titles will also feature “immersive audio” Dolby Atmos sound. If you’re skipping discs for streaming or downloading, Warner says it will expand the number of movies available that way as well. Fox announced its Ultra HD Blu-ray plans during IFA last year , stay tuned this week for more news on what 4K content is coming to match all the new TVs. [Image credit: Pictorial Press Ltd / Alamy] Source: Warner Bros. (PRNewswire)

Originally posted here:
‘Mad Max: Fury Road’ is an Ultra HD Blu-ray launch title

Windows 95 on a Nintendo 3DS is as strange as you’d think

The trend of putting PC software on wholly impractical devices isn’t stopping with the new year, folks. GBATemp fan Shutterbug2000 has managed to get Windows 95 running on a New Nintendo 3DS XL thanks to both DOSbox emulation and some ingenuity. You won’t be doing a whole lot with this right now — Microsoft wasn’t designing for touchscreens and analog sticks two decades ago — but it really does work on a basic level. It looks more than a little odd, too, between the tiny desktop and the emulator status on the second screen. The real challenge may be to run any meaningful software beyond the operating system. As great as it would be to run classic Windows games on a modern handheld, it could be a long, long while before you’re doing much more than staring at the home screen. Even so, this because-I-can feat is pretty impressive… and it’s probably the closest you’ll ever get to a portable Microsoft gaming system . Via: NeoGAF , Kotaku Source: GBATemp.net

More here:
Windows 95 on a Nintendo 3DS is as strange as you’d think

LG’s 2016 TVs include its first production 8K set

Forget all the hype about 4K at CES last year — this year’s trend is 8K . LG has revealed some of the first details about its 2016 TV lineup, and the highlight is its first production-grade 8K model, the UH9800. The Korean tech giant isn’t saying much about what this 98-inch monster will offer or when it ships, but it’s safe to say that this won’t be an impulse purchase when Sharp’s 8K screen costs about $130, 000. Don’t worry if you’re unwilling to take out a mortgage just to upgrade, as there are plenty of upgraded 4K TVs in the mix. The UH8500 (55 to 75 inches) and UH9500 (55 to 86 inches) series both tout Color Prime Plus, which mixes both filters and LCD phosphors to reach about 90 percent of the Digital Cinema Initiative’s expanded color range. Both these and the lower-end UH7700 (49 to 65 inches) also tout a “True Black” panel that cuts glare and improves contrast, along with a Contrast Maximizer option that… well, does what it says. The UH9500 is your pick if you’re design-conscious, since it has an extremely slim (0.22-inch) body that manages to cram in a relatively powerful Harman/Kardon audio system. All of LG’s newer sets should pack the easier-to-use webOS 3.0 for their interface. It’s not yet known how much you’ll pay for the 4K models, but it won’t be surprising if there’s at least one within your budget given rapidly falling prices. The real question is what Samsung, Sony and others have to offer. LG gets points for announcing early, but you may well see strong alternatives (even among 8K sets) before long. Source: LG Newsroom

More:
LG’s 2016 TVs include its first production 8K set

Build a Magic Mirror with a Raspberry Pi and an Old Monitor

One of the trademark devices in nearly every Hollywood blockbuster version of the future is a smart mirror that shows off a daily schedule, clock, weather, and other important updates. Blogger Dylan Pierce built his own powered by a Raspberry Pi. Read more…

Read More:
Build a Magic Mirror with a Raspberry Pi and an Old Monitor

Now we can 3D print ceramics

Despite being able to build just about anything with 3D printing, until now items have been limited to polymer plastics, a handful of metals and glass . However, researchers at HRL Laboratories have announced a significant advancement in additive manufacturing: the ability to print ceramics . The trick, the HRL team figured out, was to not heat ceramic powder. Doing so generates too many microscopic flaws that can lead to cracks and fractures. Instead, the team developed a material they’re calling “preceramic polymers” that convert to ceramic when heated. Essentially, the HRL team prints out the 3D design using these preceramic polymers and then fires the resulting item (like in a kiln) to harden the material into ceramic. This material is compatible with stereolithography , a popular 3D printing method wherein a laser is used to solidify a liquid polymer. What’s more, the team figures it can print out a highly detailed and complex ceramic part 100 to 1000 times faster than conventional stereolithography by using an ultraviolet light and patterned masks. This advancement could prove a boon to the aerospace industry which already relies on ceramic components for everything from wing panels on planes to the internal mechanisms of orbital rockets. DARPA has awarded the team a development contract for an ablative ceramic aeroshell — essentially a heat shield for spacecraft as they enter an atmosphere — as HRL’s ceramics are reportedly 10 times stronger than the ceramic foam currently commercially available. [Image Credit: Getty] Source: MIT Tech Review

Continue Reading:
Now we can 3D print ceramics

Uber surpasses a billion rides

Despite the taxi industry’s protests against its presence and all the legal issues it’s had to face, Uber continues to thrive. In fact, it says it’s given its billionth — yes, that’s billion with a “b” — ride in London on Christmas Eve. Since the company launched in June 2010, that’s an average of over 15 million trips a month. The bigger portion of that billion probably took place more recently though, while the service was spreading to more locations around the globe. Add the knowledge of that expansion to this new info on how many rides Uber drives, and we wouldn’t be surprised if it hits its second billion much faster than five years. In addition to taking its billionth trip, the company has a valuation of almost $65 billion, thanks to its ever-growing list of investors. No wonder it’s given the lucky passengers a year’s worth of free rides ( £10, 000 worth ) and a trip to a city of their choice where the ride-sharing service is operational — the company can certainly afford it. [Image credit: Justin Chin/Bloomberg via Getty Images] Source: Uber

Read more here:
Uber surpasses a billion rides

This Viral List About 1915 Is Full of Lies

A list of fun facts about the year 1915 has gone viral . But many items on the list are false or misleading. As we’ve seen time and again, never trust the internet for your fun facts. It’s all lies. Read more…

View article:
This Viral List About 1915 Is Full of Lies

AT&T to ditch most two-year phone contracts on January 8th

AT&T’s long affair with the two-year contract continues to wind down, Engadget has learned. According to an internal document sent to employees this morning, new and existing customers will only be able to get new phones by paying the full price upfront or in installments over time . The move is set to take effect on January 8th, so you’d better act fast if you (for some reason) really want to lock yourself down for a few more years. Just to be perfectly clear, this move applies to all of AT&T’s phones. Once the new year rolls around, even flip phones and non-smartphones with keyboards (what AT&T likes to call “Quick Messaging Devices”) must be bought outright or with an installment plan. What’s less clear is the status of wearables like the Samsung Gear S2 and tablets, which are currently sold (and promoted heavily ) with two-year contracts. It’s also possible (if not likely) that AT&T will keep multi-year contracts around for large corporate accounts, and we’re looking into both situations. AT&T’s vague, highly vetted statement says the change is being made for the sake of “aligning… service offerings with customer and industry trends”. Well, we can’t argue with that. While smaller, scrappier carriers like T-Mobile have already bailed on the multi-year contract model, AT&T has been slower to act. This June, the company stopped offering contracts for smartphones to customers through local dealers and partner retailers like Best Buy and Apple. The option to ink a contract remained for people who bought basic phones or went straight to an AT&T store and asked specifically for a contract extension. The message? Payment plans like AT&T Next were the future. That sentiment was echoed when Verizon stopped pushing two-year contracts a few months later . The thing is, people who had those contracts could keep them and still get subsidized phones if they wanted — an option that won’t be available to AT&T customers. Still have questions? Feel free to refer to the FAQ our tipster friend also provided:

Continue Reading:
AT&T to ditch most two-year phone contracts on January 8th

A Week After India Banned It, Facebook’s "Free Basics" Shuts Down in Egypt 

Facebook’s “Free Basics” program in Egypt has been shut down , according to Facebook. It’s unclear why the new free internet service stopped working. However, the news arrives a week after the Indian government temporarily banned the program in the wake of on-going net neutrality concerns . Read more…

See the article here:
A Week After India Banned It, Facebook’s "Free Basics" Shuts Down in Egypt 

Download Old Versions of iOS Apps with a Clever Workaround

Ever get an update to an iOS app that just completely destroyed the app and made it terrible? There’s a way to roll back to older versions if you’re willing to jump through some hoops. Read more…

Read the original:
Download Old Versions of iOS Apps with a Clever Workaround