NewTech Tooday

Thursday, 7 April 2016

First official look at GoPro's 'Omni' VR camera rig

It was almost a year ago we learned that GoPro was planning a sphericalcamera rig for VR. Back then, that was pretty much all we knew. The announcement came at the same time that CEO Nick Woodman confirmedthe rumors his company was working on a drone (that we're still eagerly waiting for). We'd seen some prototypes of the rig before, but it wasn't until February, GoPro gave finally it a name: Omni. Today, for the first time, we get to see what the final product actually looks like (hint, much like the last prototype as most of the updates are internal, but that's it above). And we've got a sample of the sort of image you might expect from it below.

You may remember, this isn't GoPro's first VR-friendly camera tool. A day after we learned about the spherical array, GoPro unveiled Odyssey, a 16-camera rig designed in partnership with Google's Jump VR platform. That beast (once you included all the cameras you needed) cost a budget-melting $15,000 and is only available in limited numbers. Omni, on the other hand, should be a little more accessible, and is an all-GoPro product.

Omni uses six GoPro Black cameras -- a cost of $3,000 if bought separately. That said, pro, or pro-sumer users -- to whom this should appeal most -- are the ones most likely to already have a number of GoPros in their kit bag. If that still sounds expensive, that's the name of the game it seems. Other spherical rigs like Nokia's Ozo at the top end costs a whopping $60,000. Or unproven names like Orah at $3,600. Unlike Odyssey, Omni won't record in 3D, but the company claims that hardware inside the rig will ensure "pixel-level" synchronization between the cameras. It's also designed to work seamlessly with Kolor, the VR-video software companyGoPro bought last April. Right now, though, it doesn't look like it'll work with cameras in the waterproof housing, as earlier images suggested.

There are similar 3rd party mounts you can buy right now, of course. These tend to cost a couple of hundred bucks upwards, but you're on your own when it comes to synching the cameras, and stitching the video together. You can even 3D print a basic rig for less than a dollar's worth of filament. Omni is the first all-official spherical offering coming to market from the camera-maker itself though.

GoPro hasn't shared details of the price of the Omni rig just yet. But it has confirmed you'll be able to buy an all-in-one bundle with cables and cameras, or just buy the rig and use your existing GoPros. The company is showcasing it at NAB (April 16-21) along with a slew of spherical content and "other professional solutions" -- which include its HEROCast wireless transmitter for broadcast. Pricing and pre-order info should be available before then.

With Omni out in the wild, there's just one thing left in the GoPro workshop that we haven't yet laid eyes on, and that of course is its Karma drone. Details of that still remain a mystery, though we do know it'll work with existing GoPro cameras, and likely come in a foldable design. It could even work with Omni, but spherical video from up in the sky isn't usually that effective. There's no confirmed date for Karma yet, but if we were pinning the tail on that calendar-donkey, we'd aim it for somewhere just after June 9th.

SYNEK's wine system ensures a perfect pour across styles

Nearly two years ago, SYNEK launched a Kickstarter campaign to crowdfund its countertop beer system to keep fresh suds available on tap at home. After raising $650,000, it launched successfully and received a warm reception for that product. Now the company is tackling another vice: wine. As you probably guessed, the Somm by SYNEK is also a countertop system that holds 2.25-liter canisters of vino -- that's about three standard-size 750ml bottles worth. Somm, which we'd guess is short for sommelier, adjusts temperature and aeration to fit the wine being poured in an effort to give your a perfect pour every time.

Gallery: Somm by SYNEK counterop wine system | 8 Photos

There's a companion app that allows you to keep tabs on supply levels and get more info on the wine you have resting inside. The software also allows you to browse Somm's selection of wine and offers suggestions based on your drinking preferences. Currently, there are 10 styles and over 30 varieties available to choose from, and that's just the beginning. SYNEK has an in-house sommelier team that handles the curation, tasting wines before they're made available and selecting new options based on user ratings.

When it comes to the canisters, or Sylos, over two liters is a lot of wine to get through before drinking something else. Don't worry, though, you can easily swap out the container for another one and SYNEK says it'll retain its shelf life. In terms of price, each Sylo will set you back between $15 and $150. When it comes time to re-order, you can do so through the mobile app. If the canister system sounds somewhat familiar, Kuvee's smart winebottle that we recently put through its paces handles the wine supply in a similar fashion, albeit in smaller quantities.

While SYNEK's beer setup has a stainless steel exterior, Somm offers designs that borrow aesthetics from the barrel room of a vineyard. You can choose from beachwood and dark oak outer shells that give the dispenser a more natural look. There's also a stainless steel option if you don't care for the wood-grain material. If all of that sounds too good to pass up, Kickstarter backers are privy to a $100 discount on the Somm, cutting the price to $200. Backers will also get the chance to order exclusive wines that won't be available to everyone. What's more, SYNEK says unlike the beer gadget, it's ready to go into production with this wine version and plans to ship in November of this year.

Reddit's official mobile app launches on iOS and Android

nd Android apps, three months after revealing that it was working on the latter. The company has historically neglected its mobile users, and bought the unofficial iOS client Alien Blueat the back end of 2014. This new app lets users browse, update and view the site through customized themes as well as a day / night mode for reading. If you're looking for an excuse to get the app tout suite, the site is offering three months of Reddit gold to those who sign up during the launch week.

If you're an Alien Blue loyalist, there's a mixture of good and bad news if remarks made by product manager Ashley Higgins are anything to go by. In a posting to the relevant subreddit last month, she revealed that Alien Blue would linger around for existing users who wanted to stick with it. Then again, the team behind the app will move over to "focus our energy on the new flagship app." She added that "Alien Blue will be unavailable for download by new users once the new app is released."

HP's Spectre 13.3 laptop is as thin as a AAA battery

Gallery: HP Spectre 13.3 hands-on | 19 Photos

It looks striking in photos and even more so in person. Yes, it is is very, very thin, and though it's not technically the lightest, at 2.45 pounds, it is still extremely easy to hold. The combination of metal and carbon fiber helps the machine feel at once compact and well-made. With this system, HP went with the same brownish "Ash Silver" shade that it experimented with on some high-end, special-edition machines. A company rep told me that although the tapered copper accents are indeed inspired by jewelry and even women's clutches, the main color was meant to be more gender neutral than, say, rose gold. As a woman, I'd say that's a safe assessment, but far be it for me to say this is manly enough for our most macho readers.

Continuing our tour, a piston-style hinge (as shown in the gif below) inspired by upscale cabinetry allows the 13.3-inch Gorilla Glass screen to almost float above the keyboard. (The skinny bezels also add to the effect.) As you'd expect, HP had to go with a non-touch screen to keep the machine's thickness down. That said, it offers brighter colors than some other non-touch panels, thanks in part to an optical-bonding manufacturing process that enables the display to be very thin. I do suspect that some shoppers will be disappointed by the middling 1080p resolution, though a higher pixel count would have made the battery life situation even more challenging.

As on other super skinny laptops, the keys are fairly shallow, but they're springier than I would have expected. In my few minutes of hands-on time last week, I had to train myself not to mash the buttons the way I would on a flatter, more lifeless keyboard. It'll be interesting to see what the learning curve is over a typical weeklong review period: Can I trust the keyboard enough to type at a more gentle cadence? The glass trackpad also worked well in my initial demo. I did not experience the Bang & Olufsen speakers, though a company rep was quick to manage expectations: Though the sound is said to be balanced, even HP warns the volume doesn't get particularly loud.

Slight flashiness aside, what makes the Spectre 13.3 different from rivals such as the MacBook is that HP didn't need to use Intel's lower-powered Core M chips to achieve such a thin design. Instead, the Spectre is powered by your choice of sixth-gen Core i5 or i7 processors, helped by up to 8GB of RAM and PCIe solid-state drives with up to 512 gigs of storage. It also brings more ports than you might expect: three USB Type-C connections, two of which support Thunderbolt.

Despite that skinny build, too, the notebook is rated for a healthy nine and a half hours of runtime. That's thanks to a unique four-cell design, wherein the battery is split into smaller, thinner pieces that make better use of the available space.

The Spectre 13.3 goes up for pre-order on April 25th for $1,170 and up. It will be available in Best Buy stores the following month, on May 22nd, with configurations there starting at $1,250. HP will also make a handful of special-edition models fashioned out of lavish materials like 18-karat gold and Swarovski crystals, but realistically, you shouldn't expect to see those anywhere other than in the press images below.

Gallery: HP Spectre 13.3 press images | 20 Photos

Sunday, 6 March 2016

Amazing BRITs performances you can hear only on Google Play Music

The BRITs is undoubtedly the biggest event on the UK music calendar. Some of the greatest British acts have launched their global careers on its stages, and each year features unforgettable performances from both homegrown acts and international talent. From Adele to Justin Bieber to Coldplay and more, this year’s show did not disappoint.

As the official audio and download parter of the 2016 BRIT Awards, the Google Play Music team is thrilled to be part of this landmark event. Thanks to the support of artists, managers, labels, publishers and societies, we made participating performances available as downloads and streams available only on Google Play Music, with proceeds going to charity. Download or stream the performances for free until Wed, March 2 (we’re picking up the cost), after which all the content will be available on Play Music for purchase until March 24.

Every penny raised from both the downloads and streams on Google Play Music will go to Nordoff Robbins which provides music therapy services to adults and children, and The BRIT Trust which supports performing arts in the UK. Last year, the amount we raised went above all previous BRIT Award charitable records, and with your help we hope to do so again.

Streams and downloads of tracks by participating artists include: Adele, Justin Bieber, The David Bowie Band featuring Lorde (a tribute to David Bowie), Coldplay, The Weeknd, Little Mix, James Bay and Jess Glynne.* We hope you enjoy all of these performances and help us make a difference in the lives of many by supporting two great causes.