Blog

Facebook loses Oculus executive who led its mobile VR efforts

[ad_1]

Cohen joined Oculus as VP of mobile just a few weeks before Facebook’s acquisition and headed up several projects over the years. He led the Gear VR program and Oculus’ Samsung partnership, and he also led the development of the standalone Oculus Go VR headset. In addition, he started the Oculus Quest program, which spawned a standalone headset that’s able to play desktop-quality VR games.

What Cohen’s departure means for Oculus remains to be seen. As Variety noted, Facebook is holding the Oculus Connect developer conference on September 25th and 26th. The social network is expected to reveal its virtual and augmented reality plans, so we’ll most likely hear about some of the projects Oculus is working on during the event.

[ad_2]

Source link

YouTube is removing its direct messaging feature in September

[ad_1]

YouTube didn’t elaborate on why it decided to retire the feature, but it said it’s going to focus on beefing up the site’s comments section. “We’re constantly reevaluating our priorities and have decided to discontinue YouTube’s native direct messaging feature while we focus on improving public conversations,” the page reads. We hope that means we can look forward to better moderation features and tools for YouTube comments in the future.

YouTubeYouTube says you’ll still be able to share videos straight from the website by clicking the “social network icon.” If you’re on desktop, though, you can always just copy-paste links into your messaging app of choice.

[ad_2]

Source link

Walmart sues Tesla after solar panels catch fire at stores

[ad_1]

The big-box chain formally accused Tesla of breach of contract, gross negligence and failure to meet industry standards. It wanted Tesla to not only pay damages related to the first, but to remove its panels from over 240 Walmart stores.

We’ve asked Tesla for comment.

There’s a good possibility Tesla will fight back, though. The company has been struggling to revive its solar business, which installed a modest 29MW of solar power capacity in the second quarter compared to more than 200MW at the division’s peak. The last thing it needs is to lose a major deployment and suffer the negative publicity that comes with that loss.

[ad_2]

Source link

Nikon updates its SnapBridge app for faster image transfers

[ad_1]

Pairing a camera with an iPad or a smartphone can be a slow and cumbersome process, especially with Bluetooth or WiFi. Users of older versions of SnapBridge have complained about connection problems and lengthy delays when transferring full-resolution images. Version 2.6 promises faster automatic image transfers and faster pairing, which will hopefully address this problem. With automatic image transfers, users can opt for a web-ready version that is two megapixels.

The app will no doubt come in handy for professional photographers and other Nikon power users. SnapBridge version 2.6 works with Bluetooth and WiFi-enabled Nikon cameras. These include a selection of CoolPix cameras, DSLR cameras, the KeyMission 80 and mirrorless cameras like the Z6 and Z7. You can download either the iOS or Android version of the updated app from their respective app stores.

[ad_2]

Source link

OnePlus TV arrives in India next month

[ad_1]

Lau says the main reason OnePlus is launching the OnePlus TV in India first is because the company has the content partnerships in place there to make the device successful. “We all know, ‘content is king,'” writes Lau. “We have always had a very positive relationship with content providers in India… which guarantees great content for our users.”

Lau first started talking about his company’s TV ambitions at the end of last year. At the time, the executive said, in an interview with Business Insider, the OnePlus TV would feature a camera, as well as deep integrations with the company’s phones. According to recent Bluetooth SIG listing spotted by 9 to 5 Google, OnePlus will also leverage Google’s Android TV platform as part of its TV play. Knowing OnePlus, the company will continue to drip-feed information about the OnePlus TV over the coming weeks.

[ad_2]

Source link

Tidal shares songs as Stories in Facebook and Instagram

[ad_1]

The feature is available now in Tidal’s Android and iOS apps. As with similar social efforts, it’s not likely that your friends are going to switch services after you share a catchy track in your Stories. However, that’s not really the expectation here. This is more about raising awareness of Tidal and catching those people who were on the fence. If even a fraction of Story viewers sign up, Tidal will have accomplished its goal.

[ad_2]

Source link

YouTube sues user who extorted others through fake takedown requests

[ad_1]

According to Ars Technica, Brady made the false claims against three well-known Minecraft streamers. He then demanded they make payments of $150 to $300 via PayPal (or $75 to $200 in bitcoin). If they refused, he threatened to make a third copyright claim, which could get their accounts terminated.

One of the targeted YouTubers filed a formal counter-notice, which required he share his name and address. That information is meant to help victims of copyright infringement file lawsuits, but a few days later, that YouTuber was swatted. While YouTube doesn’t have proof that the swatting attack was carried out by Brady, the lawsuit says it “appears” he is responsible.

YouTube has faced its fair share of copyright infringement disputes, and this isn’t the first time its copyright claim system has been used for extortion. For years, the DMCA, meant to protect original content, has been called broken, harmful and obsolete. Earlier this summer, YouTube attempted to improve the system by demanding that those claiming infringement be specific in their complaints. This case is a reminder that the system is far from perfect, but if YouTube takes a strong stand against Brady, it may send a message to others with similar ideas.

[ad_2]

Source link

A fourth ‘Matrix’ movie is happening

[ad_1]

Variety sources claimed production will start in early 2020.

As to why they’re revisiting the series, besides money? Lana Wachowski argued that many of the themes from the original Matrix trilogy are “even more relevant” in the modern era. That’s not a far-fetched conclusion. Simulated worlds and artificial intelligence are playing ever more important roles in society. We’re already asking questions about reality and what it means to be human, and The Matrix could feel like a logical extension of that discussion.

The looming question (apart from whether or not it will be any good) revolves around picking up where the first three movies left off. The basic premise is easy — there were hints Neo might return after establishing a peace with the machines — but there are a lot unanswered questions. What upsets the truce (which, we’d add, persisted in Monolith’s The Matrix Online)? And how does Trinity come back? Whatever the answers, it’s safe to say a fourth Matrix movie could easily be a major draw given Keanu’s resurging popularity and the series’ enduring influence on philosophy, pop culture and beyond.

[ad_2]

Source link

Spotify is getting its own TV mini-series

[ad_1]

Spotify Untold, a book written by Jonas Leijonhufvud and Sven Carlsson, will be used as a source for the upcoming TV series by Yellow Bird UK, a studio owned by French media organization the Banijay Group. The book was released in March of 2019 but hasn’t had an English-language release yet; it details the history of the Swedish startup with first-hand accounts from over 70 interviews.

The book’s promotional materials and media coverage focus on Steve Jobs’ hostility toward Spotify’s employees, which will likely be a main focus of the TV series. Other aspects include the competition between Spotify and Beats Music (now Apple Music), the startup’s experiments in the hardware sector and the dynamics between media piracy and ad-supported streaming models. No release window has been revealed, but it was announced that authors Carlsson and Leijonhufvud will serve as consultants during production.

[ad_2]

Source link