Tag: engadget

Facebook brings 360-degree videos to iOS as content creation ramps up

360-degree videos made their way into Facebook’s News Feed back in September, but it was only available for web and Android users. Now, however, iOS users can join in on the fun as well thanks to a new Facebook update that is being rolled out today. There’s also good news for Gear VR owners: you’ll now be able to play back those videos from News Feed without ever taking your headset off, making it that much easier to delve into new immersive experiences. At the same time, plenty of publishers have jumped on the 360 video bandwagon — ABC News, BuzzFeed, FrontLine, Nickelodeon and many more will be publishing new 360-degree clips onto Facebook starting today. Source: Facebook

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Facebook brings 360-degree videos to iOS as content creation ramps up

Uber signs up TomTom to provide navigation for its drivers

After losing out to a consortium of Germany’s biggest car makers over the purchase of Nokia’s HERE Maps , Uber has set about building its own mapping and navigation services . They’re not quite ready for prime time, so the company has had to rely upon a number of popular mapping services, including Google (which also serves as an investor), to help both users and drivers understand exactly where they are. Today, Uber has added TomTom to the list, with the Dutch company confirming that it will also support the private hire taxi firm. Source: TomTom (Businesswire)

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Uber signs up TomTom to provide navigation for its drivers

In-N-Out Burger sues food delivery service DoorDash

In-N-Out Burger has sued on-demand food delivery service DoorDash due to food handling and safety concerns, according to TMZ . A part of the filing obtained by TechCrunch explains that the food chain isn’t happy that DoorDash is using its trademarks, when it has no control over how its food is handled and how much time passes between the purchase and the delivery. Further, the delivery service’s website is using In-N-Out’s logo without permission, even if the restaurant previously asked for it to be pulled down more than once. Source: TechCrunch , TMZ

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In-N-Out Burger sues food delivery service DoorDash

6 insane plans to hack the planet’s ecosystems

This week, weather experts at the United Nations announced that carbon dioxide concentrations are higher than ever . The report calls on world leaders to clamp down on greenhouse gas emissions at the UN climate talks taking place next month in Paris. However, government leaders aren’t the only people who can help save the world. In fact, some of the craziest schemes to halt, slow or even reverse global warming have come from other sources. Some are incredibly affordable and others require backing from investors. Some promise to be wildly successful, while a few have already stumbled. Read on to learn about some of the wildest ideas we’ve heard for fighting climate change .Slideshow-340870

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6 insane plans to hack the planet’s ecosystems

T-Mobile’s ‘Binge On’ lets you stream video, leave your data untouched

T-Mobile CEO John Legere is on a bit of a tear over in Los Angeles right now — after doubling the amount of mobile data T-Mo customers will get as part of the carrier’s Simple Choice Amped plans, he confirmed the existence of a Music Freedom -like feature for video services. Long story short, T-Mobile customers will be able to watch video at “DVD quality or better” (480p and above) from 24 streaming services without eating into their high-speed data buckets. And the price? As usual, it’ll cost you a whopping zero additional dollars starting on Sunday for people who switch to the company’s new Simple Choice Amped plans. Source: T-Mobile

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T-Mobile’s ‘Binge On’ lets you stream video, leave your data untouched

Doctor dubbed ‘the father of cyborgs’ tested implants in his own brain

How far would you go to create a brain-controlled speech decoder? Doctor Philip Kennedy already helped blaze a trail in brain-computer interfaces back in the 80s. Now, a report in MIT Technology Review explains how the neurosurgeon decided to crank his research up a notch. Well, several notches, really, by having implants put into his own brain to better learn how neurons function with speech. What’s more, Kennedy paid $25, 000 and underwent highly invasive surgery — including the removal of the top of his skull — for the privilege. Source: MIT Technology Review

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Doctor dubbed ‘the father of cyborgs’ tested implants in his own brain

‘Painless’ dental cavity procedure regrows tooth enamel

When a dentist says the word “cavity” a lot of people sweat thinking about painful injections and relentless drilling. But scientists in Britain have developed a new procedure dubbed EAER, or “Electrically Assisted Enhanced Remineralisation, ” that can repair a slightly decayed tooth before a deep cavity forms. The supposedly painless procedure involves cleaning (not drilling) the tooth of any signs of mild decay, then flushing it with minerals and stimulating it with an electric pulse. This pushes the minerals into the deepest part of the lesion and speeds up a naturally occurring process called “remineralization”. This is where minerals in your saliva and some foods enter the tooth enamel and make it stronger. Source: Reuters

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‘Painless’ dental cavity procedure regrows tooth enamel

YouTube rolls out support for VR video

Google CEO Sundar Pichai took to Twitter Thursday to announce that YouTube now supports VR video . The site already offers 360 degree video but has now officially added Cardboard support as well. Compatible videos will now display a Cardboard icon at the watch page menu. [Image Credit: Bloomberg via Getty Images] Via: Sundar Pichai (Twitter) Source: YouTube Blog

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YouTube rolls out support for VR video

Expedia to pay $3.9 billion for Airbnb competitor HomeAway

The short-term rental market is growing, and Expedia understandably wants a piece of it. After snapping up Orbitz and Travelocity earlier this year, it has now decided to purchase HomeAway. It’s an online service that focuses on renting out vacation homes, further intensifying Expedia’s rivalry with Airbnb. The travel empire has been displaying HA properties alongside hotels for a couple of years, but it will now completely own the company and all its brands. In its press release , Expedia admits that it has agreed to pay a hefty $3.9 billion for HomeAway, because it has “long had [its] eyes on the fast growing ~$100 billion alternative accommodations space.” Both companies are expecting to close the deal in 2016, and if they obtain regulatory approval, Expedia will pay in cash and stock worth $38.31 per share. Source: Expedia , Bloomberg , The New York Times , HomeAway , Reuters , USA Today

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Expedia to pay $3.9 billion for Airbnb competitor HomeAway

Facebook reportedly launching a standalone news app next week

According to Financial Times , Facebook will be releasing yet another standalone app. The yet-to-be-released Notify app will feature news from media partners like The Washington Post, CBS and Vogue . Users will receive alerts when one of the outlets publishes an article and it becomes available within the app. Unlike Instant Articles — which embed articles within the main Facebook app — Notify will be a one-trick pony. Both the app and in-app features are meant to reduce the load time of stories and give the social network the opportunity to become the go-to destination for news from multiple sources. If the app does emerge from the company next week, it’ll join a growing number of single-use apps the company has released over the years including, Messenger , Poke, Camera , Rooms , Slingshot , Groups and Pages . [Image credit: Shutterstock] Source: Financial Times

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Facebook reportedly launching a standalone news app next week