Facebook Acquires Oculus Rift

 

Ten years ago, the entire concept of virtual reality was laughed at. Most people knew it as the awkward and pointless act of strapping on clunky goggles for the sake of playing an arcade game. It was pretty embarrassing…and not to mention, tiresome.

But now things have changed.

Facebook—the social media giant—has acquired the Oculus Rift. Here’s why it’s important:

1) Facebook’s influence will help Virtual Reality

If Facebook (a multi-billion dollar industry) decides to get behind a company, then they plan on doing big things. We once knew the social media company as a simple page where we’d post our pictures and comment on our friend’s walls. But now, Facebook has become an information hub. As a company, they press forward in the hopes of dominating everyone and everything in its sight.

This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. But, it might not be so good either.

It’s no secret that Facebook sells your information to the highest bidder. And if that’s something you were never aware of, then I’ll say it again:

Facebook sells your information to the highest bidder!

So then what does this mean for Virtual Reality—especially the Oculus Rift?

In essence, nothing changes. At least for now that’s what it seems like. Virtual Reality is an immersive experience. It doesn’t necessarily translate into information gathering. In a way, I guess it can. But honestly, it’s not as intrusive as scanning your wall, the things you ‘like’, and your conversations for the sake of selling information. The bottom line is—Facebook will help speed up the virtual reality process.

2) Facebook continues to dominate

Companies hope to climb the leaderboards—the ranks that define who is doing well in the market, and who isn’t. Facebook is no exception. In fact, they want to conquer everything in their path. And, they’ll do just about anything to achieve that. This means that since Facebook is in the VR game, you can expect a bigger push of the Oculus brand. Microsoft, Sony and other competitors are rumored to be releasing their own versions of the Oculus Rift, so the market will be heating up.

3) Oculus and Kickstarter

The Oculus Rift began its life as a Kickstarter project. Of course, now that the startup company has ‘sold out’ to Facebook, they are no longer funded by regular people alone. The precedent set by the Oculus Rift has opened up a number of opportunities for small projects hoping to make it big.

But not everyone backing the project on Kickstarter was happy about the acquisition. In fact, many voiced their harsh opinions across various sites on the Internet. People begged for their money back, shouted profanities, and vowed to never back another Kickstarter again.

It’s not unreasonable. But it’s called ‘Kickstarter’ for a reason. The site’s primary purpose is to allow companies and ideas to prosper by inviting people to invest. By investing, you’re offered a reward, and are thanked for your participation.

In the future, you can expect more projects funded by Kickstarter to flourish in the market. And many will be bought out by much bigger companies.

The Oculus Rift Developer Kit 2 is available for purchase, and a mainstream model is expected to be released this fall.

 

 

Apple iphone 6

Although it seemed like the 5s and 5c just came out, the iphone 6 is already being hyped up. Specific details are not final yet, but there is a general consensus on what Apple plans to roll out to consumers later this year. The biggest speculation about the iphone 6 is centered around the rumored size of the screen. The iphone is the smallest smartphone out of the biggest players in the market. The android, HTC, Samsung Galaxy, and windows phones have much larger screens than even the iphone 5s. It now seems like Apple is going to follow the trend of larger screens. The general consensus among Tech insiders is that the iphone 6 will boast either a 4.7 inch or even 5.5 inch screen. This will be a major increase from the 4 inch display that the iphone 5s has. Although consumers must wait until September of this year to get their hands on an iphone 6, lets look at the rumored specs of the device.

According to MacRumors, analysts have suggested a that apple will implement a 4.8 inch retina+ IGZO screen that is made by Sharp. If this screen is used on the iphone 6, it will provide a thinner, brighter, and clearer display that will produce resolution that is better than HD. Additional, the latest reports coming out have suggested that Apple will launch the iphone 6 in two available sizes. Chinese Analyst, Sun Changxu, has said that he is banking on the release of a 4.7 inch screen option that will quickly be followed by a much larger 5.7 inch display. Apple CEO, Tim Cook, has previously said that he will refuse to sacrifice attributes like resolution, power consumption, and app quality for a larger display. However, there is growing pressure from competitors and consumers to increase the size of future iphone models. This is a very interesting trend in the market, because rational thinking would suggest that consumers in todays age would like a smaller, more compact phone.

Apple is also rumored to be considering a different type of glass for the new iphone, possibly switching from corning gorilla glass to sapphire crystal, which is more expensive but also very durable. The design of the new iphone is probably going to be very similar to the 5c, although some have hinted at a possible curved display. There are also indications that Apple could adopt an edge-to-edge style, along with the rounded back-edge design that is present on the 5c model. Also, the Iphone 6 will most likely have an upgrade in processing power, with the introduction of a 20 nanometer A8 chip that will create even better performance than the A7 chip that is present in the 5s. Additionally, all indications point to no change in the camera, and the iphone 6 will definitely ship with IOS 8 software upgrades.

The effects of this phone on consumers may be huge. The iphone 6 will most likely be the most advanced smartphone ever produced, and it will possibly have features and capabilities that might totally blow away the competition. Advances in smartphone technology is definitely a good thing in general, but how much more addicted can we get to our phones? This new smartphone by Apple just might make that problem worse, if it is even possible.

Roku Streaming Stick

The future of entertainment is going towards streaming services, and this means I deviation away from regular cable or satellite television. Many people are now cancelling their cable, and solely using their laptops or tablets to view their favorite shows or movies when they want to relax. However, what if you want to watch your streaming videos from your TV? There are a couple options you can choose from. Either, you can purchase a smart TV in which you can surf the internet and find streamed videos, or you can buy a streaming stick like Chromecast. Chromecast was widely popular in 2013, and had record sales, but there is now a better option out there for those who want to switch over to streaming on their televisions. The Roku streaming stick will give you all the entertainment you need, and for a reasonable price.

The Roku streaming stick, which retails for $50, is a device that you can plug into the HDMI port in your current TV. Once its plugged into your TV, you can stream all the shows, movies, and music you want. The Roku stick gets its streams from subscription services such as Netflix, Hulu Plus, Amazon Instant Video, and Spotify, just to name a few. The Roku streaming stick is comparable to the Chromecast stick, with a few minor differences. The Roku stick is a little more expensive than the popular Chromecast one, but that is because its content selection is more expansive, being that it has over 1,000 channels.

Streaming devices that allow you to turn your TV into an interactive device is the future of home entertainment. The effects are going be huge in the next 5 to 10 years. Most of the Channels we have on our cable or satellite subscriptions are total crap. I myself probably watch only 5 different channels during a normal week. But the ability of streaming services on your TV is that you can take out all of the unnecessary shows and movies, and just watch your favorite stuff. Also, a TV in which consumers can interact and control like a regular computer are the future. All entertainment is going towards digital, meaning no more DVD's. However, if a consumer does not have the ability to purchase a brand-new smart TV that has internet and streaming capabilities built-in, the Roku streaming stick is a perfect fallback option. Even though its only the size of a pack of gum, it offers a large amount of entertainment and satisfaction that cannot be matched by regular cable.

The Secret App

Silicon Valley, as we all know, is the hub of tech innovation. It has produced a lot of the top technology products that we use today, and especially regards to applications. There is now a new app, that is a mere five weeks old, that is something like we have never seen before in the market. Unlike Facebook and twitter, in which people want you to give up any and all information about yourself, the New Secret app does so without anyone knowing who it was from.

We all have secrets, and we all have secrets that we want to share to people really bad sometimes. But, for whatever reason it may be, you do not want people to know that you said it or that you did it or was thinking it. The new application, called Secret, is pushing the limits on what is acceptable is and what is not. Yet, it has been gaining traction in the industry, and it may blow up in the near future. Although not well-known yet, Secret connects people through their address books on their smartphones, and any messages that are made on the app are anonymous, meaning that you have no idea who sent it. The only facts you know are that it was sent from one of your friends, or even from a friend of a friend. Additionally, if there is a really interesting or juicy post made on the app, you will be able to see it even if it not from friends or friends of friends. That type of message will only show what city or state that it originated in, providing a mystery of who-said-it that you will never figure out.

It is way too early to tell how popular this app will become with consumers, as well as the impact that is has on the social media realm in general. We are used to having people put a name behind messages or comments, and we have not seen something like Secret on a large scale. Some say that it has a great impact on people, believing that they can be themselves and speak freely and honestly about things or topics. In a society where people are afraid of being politically incorrect, this app may do wonders in establishing a platform where "the air can be cleared". However, the app also has many criticizers. These people say that it will only increase the amount of negative things being said about people, and that a lot of it may be dishonest. They say it may just become another outlet for people to attack one another. We will not see its true impact for quite a while, but I have a feeling that it will make a mark on society, whether it be good or bad.

Habu mood music app

I'm sure that everybody has the experienced the problem of not being able to find that exactly right song to fit your current mood or the mood that you want to be in. We use music to get ourselves into a certain state, whether it be music to help us get through a workout, music to play on a late night drive, or just music to relax and chill out after a long day at work. Some people create their own playlists on their Ipods or mp3 players, but it is a hassle trying to pick out all of the songs that go together. It can also be a time-consuming process that many of us do not want to go through. But now, Gravity Mobile has restructured their mood music app, and it is now available on IOS.

The great thing about this app is that it works with the music that you have already uploaded onto your device. It does not just suggest songs for you to buy. It then takes the songs already on your device, analyzes them, and then creates mood-based playlists that make it easy for you to play a solid list of songs that all fit that one mood you are trying capture or engage in yourself. It analyzes your songs by tapping into Gracenote's store of music information in order to determine exactly which mood the song belongs in. The app is very simple, as it shows a cluster of circles with a color that represents a certain mood well. Whether you are looking for easygoing, empowering, intense, or brooding, it will give you any mood you want, provided you have the songs on your device necessary to fill that moods playlist. In addition, the app has a discovery tab that can help you skim through new music you may enjoy, and it will bring you into the iTunes store to see that specific song.

The app has big plans for the future, as it wants to get into more types of data, as well as having the app be capable of predictive modeling. Now, in terms of its impact on consumers here in America, I believe that it can achieve a moderate level of popularity. There are many people that already have their playlists on their devices. If they do not, some of them just know what songs they want to play in order to get into a certain mood or state. However, I believe that it saves consumers time and frustration, and I certainly has its place in the overcrowded app market. Its not necessarily a ground-breaking app that will change lives, but it provide simplicity and ease of use that is much needed for the task of creating proper playlists.

The Zubie Key

There are many bad drivers out there, and they need to learn how not be as a bad as they currently are. Don't you agree? Well, we now have a gadget that will not only make us better drivers, but also keep track of your cars condition. The Zubie key and accompanying smartphone app for it are able to track the diagnostics of your car, as well as trip data. Additionally, it can help you figure out how much the repairs on the car would cost if there are problems that it detects. The Zubie key can tell you your vehicles current location, trip history, and events such as hard breaking, rapid acceleration, or for when your kid makes his or her first drive). Not only does the Zubie track your trips, but it also sends you alerts to your smartphone when it needs any type of repair.

To make people better drivers, the Zubie Key gives you a score, which you can improve upon. The score is derived from metrics such as acceleration, speeding, hard braking, and others. Additionally, the great thing about the Zubie Key is that it gets smarter as you use it, because it can learn your habits and give you advice on becoming an overall better and safer driver.

The Zubie Key, which retails for $100, offers other services such as Onstar, albeit at an additional cost added on to the retail price. The Zubie separates itself from the competition through its cellular connectivity capability, meaning that it does not need to be manually plugged in to a computer to get the data and analysis that you want. You can seamlessly get the data when the key sends the data to the Zubie app on your smartphone.

In terms of the impact that this will have on the consumers and society, I believe that this is a great step forward in terms of being able to monitor your car better. There are so many instances where people get a light that comes up on the dashboard, and they have no idea what it means. And when we do not know what it means, we have to look in the car manual. So, in effect, the Zubie Key solves numerous problems for drivers. It lessens the frustrations that drivers all across the country encounter on a daily basis. It takes out steps and makes things simpler, which is what we all want. So watch out for the Zubie key, because it just might be a home run in the consumer market.

The Skulpt Aim

When most people try to track their fitness and health improvements, they usually judge all of their progress by the scale. They want to see that number go down, especially if they have been working out hard. To see that their weight hasn't changed, or even that it might have gone up after the first few weeks of training, many people are fooled into thinking that they have made no improvements. If the number on the scale has not changed, they are not satisfied, and some even quit. However, the scale is not a proper measurement of fitness and health improvement. Many times, there will be no initial weight change because they are building muscle, which actually weighs more than body fat. So, in effect, people need a product that will measure their true progress. Throw away the scales, and let me introduce Aim.

Skulpt, which recently had a successful crowd funding campaign on Indiegogo, has developed the first wireless device that determines the health of your muscles. The product, called Aim, works by simply pressing it against some of the major muscles of your body. You can use your biceps, triceps, abs, and thighs among others. It collects the data necessary to determine your body fat percentage by measuring how a current flows through muscles, rather than fat. The data that is received from the device will then be synced to a dashboard that is online. From there, you can accurately track how your body is changing when you are training. The data can be shared with others, and you are also able to set goals in the device before you start a new regimen or program.

At $149, it is a good investment for anyone that is serious about tracking their fitness and health goals. It takes time to see visual results, but the Aim will assure you that you are improving, and that you should keep up with your workout program. This product will have a positive impact on our society and the consumers involved. While there are so many products that track various fitness stats for you, the Aim is truly unique. Maybe this product will be the one to help more Americans get in shape. In the best case scenario, this product will replace the scales in households all across the country. Maybe that's just a pipe dream, but why not at least hope for that outcome. America needs to get healthier, and this product may help bring about a long lasting solution.

Avegant Glyph

The Avegant Glyph is coming.

But more importantly...it's revolutionary.

The device works much like the Oculus Rift, serving as a head-mounted display that puts you into the media--whether it be a movie, videogame or pictures. However, where the Glyph begins to separate itself from the rest of the pack is in the type of display it offers. Avegant decided to utilize a VRD display, which stands for 'Virtual Retina Display', and in essence--we're really excited. A VRD display is unique, because instead of providing a screen with an average pixelated display, the Glyph just beams the image directly into your eye.

Yep, you heard it right.

Say for instance, you're sitting on a train, or maybe even an airplane. If your friend motions for you to see something on his/her phone, you can just look over and see whatever it is. The Glyph offers a level of freedom unseen in the current market. With the Oculus Rift, you'd need to take the mask off and maneuver. But since the Glyph only beams the image into your eye, it works out perfectly.

As it currently stands, the Glyph only lasts for about 3 hours at a time, which is a bit of a disappointment. But, in this case, it's the thought that counts. Avegant is opening up another realm of possibilities in the wearables market. And in the coming year, things are going to explode.

2015 is predicted to be a big year for wearables, and by December, you're going to be seeing a lot of tech related to this. In the future, instead of looking at a screen, images will be natural--a part of you. Glasses and retina displays are only the first step. Once these devices begin to catch on...there will be no going back.

And that's just exciting.

Withings Aura

From time to time, we all have trouble sleeping. We toss and turn, wondering why cannot fall asleep. And the more you think about trying to sleep, the awake you become, thus losing even more sleep. Many people in our society have sleep problems. It is a major problem, especially when people only get a few hours of sleep per night as it is. Without a good sleep, it is hard to perform well during the day and have the energy needed to do our daily tasks. Suffer no more, because the Withings Aura is here.

The Withings Aura uses a combination of light and sound to help you fall asleep and wake up. To help you fall asleep, the Withings Aura helps trigger melatonin release, which calms you down and relaxes you. It will use vey soothing sounds, along with a glowing red or orange LED lighting, in order to help you fall asleep. The lighting system they have put into this product is scientifically proven to aid in sleep. Then, when its time to wake up in the morning, the lighting will change to a soothing blue color that will gently wake you up (along with the alarm clock). In addition to the sounds and lighting, the Withings Aura tracks data when you are in the middle of your sleep.

The Withings Aura has two parts to it. It has the main part that produces the lights and sounds, and then it has the sleek pad that fits under your mattress. Once you lay down on the mattress, the sensors in the pad will start recording numerous amounts of data that include your body movements, your heart rate, and your breathing patterns. It collects, analyzes, and uses this data to produce specific tweaks that will aid your overall quality of sleep. So now you no longer have to worry about tossing and turning through the night. No longer will you wake up and feel like you got no sleep. Just get the aura, and all of your sleeping problems will drift away.

 

Samsung's 'Unpacked' event

Samsung's Unpacked 5 event is drawing near... and for those who don't know... it's going to be BIG. In late February, Samsung visited the MWC event in Spain to announce their next flagship phone, the Galaxy S5. However, they also announced an entire line of new tech to go along with it.

The Galaxy S5 was the most anticipated product at the event, and in Samsung's words, their highly popular phone line was going to be heading "back to the basics." After reviewing some of the S5's specs, it certainly looks that way. A slightly larger screen (though not by much), a better front-facing camera (for those selfie pics you'll put up on Instagram), and a few software changes that will surely make navigating the phone much easier than its predecessors.

The S5 is going to be a solid phone. However, something else stole the show. Something that was very unexpected, but a pleasant surprise.

The Samsung Galaxy Gear 2 and the Samsung Gear Fit.

The Gear 2 is simply a better, more attractive version of the standard wristwatch than its original. It now operates on the Tizen software instead of Android, opening up a number of possibilities as far as functionality is concerned. But perhaps what was even more exciting than the Gear... was the Gear Fit.

Curved OLED screen. Heart-rate monitor. Fitness tracker. Alarm. And it can tell time.

The Gear Fit is, for all intents and purposes, Samsung's Next Big Thing. It's going to be interesting to see how the fitness tracker will be accepted in the mainstream market. Chances are it will be received with praise and many will opt for the Fit over the regular Gear 2 watch.

Though, only time will tell.

The Samsung S5, Gear 2, and Gear Fit will launch in April of 2014.

Motion Phone Charger

You've all experienced what I'm about to talk about. You need to charge your phone, but there is no outlet that near you or it is just inconvenient. Maybe you are on the go, so you cannot stop to plug in your phone. Also, many times during the day, you are praying that your phone will not die, and so you try to conserve its energy by not using as much. Its 2014, and people want a solution to this problem, especially when people are so busy and have hectic lives. Well, a new device that has been built by Georgia Tech Researchers has potentially solved this problem.

The device is comprised of four layered discs, and is built to charge your smartphone while the body is in motion. The discs are laid on top of one another, and they are composed of different materials. One disc is made up of copper and rotates. The second disc is made of polymer and does not move. The third disc is gold and is divided into multiple sectors. The fourth layer is made up of acrylic.

The lead researcher, Zhong Lin Wang, explains that the device will generate power whenever the copper disc is able to rotate. He goes on to explain that this new motion charging device is using the same principle as static electricity. For example, when you walk on a rug with socks, and you proceed to touch a doorknob, you may feel a shock. This is from the build up of electrons in the socks and yourself, and they jump from your finger. The shock is not enough to kill you, but the voltage is powerful. Wang explains, "The phenomenon has been around for 1000 years. But its rarely been utilized for power." Wang says that the device is much more efficient than the traditional generator, and can be thin and flat, which is optimal for putting in your pants pocket or even just swinging in your hand. Now, the implications here for the consumer and our society is obvious.

People are addicted to their smartphones these days. If you are walking down the street and pass somebody, chances are that they are staring at their phone. People's lives are their phones, and people want them to be running constantly. This device can possible take out the need for the chord chargers that we currently rely on in order to charge our smartphones. Yes, there are portable chargers that can attach to the back of your phones, but even those have to be charged prior to use. This device will allow people to have their phones charged and ready when they need it most, especially when they are out or are in foreign places. Whether this product takes off has yet to be seen, being that it hasn't hit the consumer market yet. But keep your eye on it, because this might be a game-changer.

EyeLock Myris

We all know what a pain it is to have to constantly keep typing in passwords, whether it be to get on our phones, access our emails and social media accounts, or checking our bank accounts online. Theres have been some attempts to stray away from this hassle, but none have been able to be successful. The new iphones have the fingerprint-sensor option, but even that is inconsistent and not very secure at all. But now, it seems as though 2014 has brought new technology that is a potential game-changer. Let me introduce, Eyelock's Myris.

The Myris, developed by Eyelock, is a futuristic type of software that can scan and recognize your iris (eye) with uncanny accuracy. Statistics have shown that, unlike the average fingerprint sensor that is fooled one in every 10,000 tries, the iris scanner is fooled only once every 2.25 trillion attempts. The Iris scanner by Eyelock is consumer friendly and is powered by USB. For each individual myris dongle (scanner), five people can create accounts. The authentication and creation of a unique account takes only about 20-30 seconds, and you would then create a profile through Eyelocks software. Once you have created the profile, you would input all of your passwords from your various accounts (social media, banking, etc..) into your Eyelock account. Once you have done that, you only need the Mryis to access everything instantly.

If you're one of those people who is skeptical of new technology, don't worry. The Mryis cannot be fooled, so anyone who thinks they are clever and tries to use a picture or digital image of your eyes will not get into your accounts. It can recognize live eyes from other forms such as pictures. All you have to do with the Myris is hold it up at eye level and slowly bring it close to your eye. When you are cleared access to your accounts, a green light will show on the myris. This entire process take a matter of seconds. The Myris will be available sometime during the first half of this year, and will retail for $200-$300 dollars. Now, what impact will this have on consumers and society alike? Will this product even be a hit? Or will it quickly fade away like all of the other past technologies that have tried to replace passcodes?

All things considered, I strongly believe this technology will spread like wildfire. The Myris not only provides unmatched security, but it also provides the kind of convenience that we all crave on a daily basis. I cannot even count how many times I have forgotten a password. When you do forget a password, you either sit there for forever trying to guess it right, or you have to reset the password. I am sure that I am not the only one fatigued by this routine, and most people's passwords are not even strong. A decent hacker can crack most people passwords in a relatively short amount of time, so I believe a technology such as the Myris kills two birds with one stone. It takes away steps in the process, letting you access accounts very quickly. On the same side, it also provides much added protection. I truly believe that world's future is largely going to be shaped by sensor technologies such as this, and it is for our own good in a dangerous and unsafe society.