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Intel's 360 replay tech is coming to more NFL stadiums
The National Football League just announced that it's moving its Thursday Night Football streaming coverage from Twitter to Amazon, but there's more news to share this week. Through its on-going partnership with Intel, the NFL plans to install the company's 360 replay tech in more stadiums before the 2017 season kicks off. Right now, the setup is only available in Baltimore, Houston and San Francisco, but it will be in place for more teams this fall.
PSVR goes on safari with 'Virry VR' nature documentary
Slowly but surely, PlayStation is releasing more non-gaming offerings for the PSVR headset. Next up is Virry VR, an app that wants to put you within arm's reach of Kenyan wildlife. Among other things, you'll see rhinos bathing and lions eating according to the European PlayStation Blog. The entirety of the video was filmed at Lewa Downs, a UNESCO heritage site home to elephants, Grevy's zebras, hyenas and leopards.
Facebook's Gear VR app helps you find 360 photos and video
A ton of 360-degree photos and videos are uploaded to Facebook every day. The challenge, if you own a Gear VR headset, is finding the best stuff in the Oculus Video store, or amongst the deluge of selfies and viral videos that make up most News Feeds. To help, the social network has built a new app for Gear VR called Facebook 360. It's a basic interface with four tabs that help you browse and launch 360-degree media. "Explore," for instance, lists the most popular uploads, while "Following" collects everything posted by your friends, and the pages and people you follow.
UK hospital uses VR to reassure children before MRI scans
Entering a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machine can be a nerve-wracking experience. You're trapped in a tight space and have to lie perfectly still as loud noises -- produced by the current in the scanner coils -- pepper your eardrums. To help patients, and in particular children, the Kings College Hospital in London has turned to VR. MRI physicist Jonathan Ashmore and technologist Jerome Di Pietro have produced an app that contains a 360-degree video. Slip on a Google Cardboard and you'll see what happens on the day, from arrival to stepping inside the scanner.
PlayStation VR now supports 360-degree YouTube videos
PSVR is still a young whippersnapper in the virtual reality world, striving for parity -- and in games, superiority -- with the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive. Today it's taken another step forward with support for 360-degree videos on YouTube. That means you can boot up anything on the platform, including a New York Times 'Daily 360' video, and move your head to change the perspective. You're stuck in one place, of course, but the experience is still fairly immersive, especially in comparison to the desktop YouTube experience (dragging around with your cursor isn't much fun).
B&O's Beoplay M5 wireless speaker has a lot of competition
Bang and Olufsen revealed its pricey Beoplay A6 wireless speaker back in 2015. Here at CES, the company has a new model that also handles multiroom audio. The Beoplay M5 projects that trademark B&O sound 360 degrees from a device that's designed to be a showpiece rather than extra clutter. Just like the A6, wool speaker covers are interchangeable so you will have options for what looks best in your home.
With live 360 video Facebook should focus on cameras not content
360 cameras exist. YouTube already supports livestreaming in the immersive format. Yesterday Facebook finally opened up its popular Live service to 360 videos too. But not for everyone. Right now it's just select pages, with National Geographic kicking things off today. Officially, then, 360 livestreaming is going mainstream. But if the new world of live, spherical video is to succeed, livestreaming needs to get easier, with a home on a major social network. YouTube has already made headway in this space, but, much like how video streaming didn't gain traction with the broader public until Meerkat and Periscope (and then Facebook) piped it direct into your friends' feeds, 360 needs the immediacy of social to succeed. To do that, it needs hardware that's easy to use and a seamless app experience.
Matterport makes over 250,000 of its digital tours VR ready
Thanks to companies like Oculus, HTC and Google, 360-degree experiences are becoming a lot more mainstream. Having been on the 3D bandwagon for a number of years, Matterport is now taking the time to open up its vast collection of tours to all. To coincide with the launch of CoreVR, a platform that makes it easy to turn its Street View-like shots into virtual reality experiences, Matterport has made its new technology available in 250,000 Spaces, potentially letting you tour a Star Trek movie set, traditional Maori village or the first ever Boeing 737 with only your smartphone and a VR headset.
NASA's Curiosity offers another 360-degree peek at Mars
Less than two weeks ago NASA posted a 360-degree video on Facebook that showed the perspective of its Curiosity rover on Mars. It was an exhilarating view, but the way it had been created -- by stitching together lots of different photographs -- meant the final video offered a strange, fishbowl-like picture. Thankfully, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory has uploaded a replacement to YouTube which is lightyears better than the original. While it's still a static shot -- so more of a panorama than a true 360-degree video -- it's another mesmerizing look at the Red Planet. The component images were captured by Curiosity on December 18, 2015 using the Mast Camera rig, otherwise known as Mastcam, which sits on top of the robot's vertical arm. In the video you can see the Namib Dune, which forms part of the Bagnold Dunes dotted along the northwestern flank of Mount Sharp. NASA notes that, after analysing images taken from orbit, scientists believe the dunes can move as much as one meter during a normal Earth year. A portion of Mount Sharp can be seen on the horizon and of course, Curiosity itself is visible down below on the surface. You can watch the video in your browser and click around to change the perspective, but for an immersive experience we recommend using the YouTube app on your phone or a Google Cardboard -- with the gyroscope sensor you can look around naturally, which is always pretty fun.
Flickr's Gear VR app takes you inside 360-degree photos
We've known Flickr was planning to jump in the VR game since September, and now its first project has arrived. The photo repository's app for Samsung's Gear VR lets you browse its collection of "VR Photos" with the help of the headset and the requisite Samsung handset. By "VR Photos," Flickr means its library of 360-degree equirectangular images and the photo site boasts over 14,000 total. This view of the Aurora Borealis from Finland will give you an idea of the types of images you can expect to encounter.
Moto 360 review (2015): More than just good looks this time around
The Moto 360 made a huge splash when it was introduced alongside Android Wear some 18 months ago. It was by far the most attractive smartwatch the world had seen, and it held its spot near the top of the heap for many months after -- mostly because it looked like an actual watch. Unfortunately, the promise of the device didn't quite live up to the reality, at least at launch. Battery life was terrible; performance was occasionally sluggish; and the device itself was far too large for those with svelte wrists.Fortunately, Motorola improved what it could throughout the year: Android Wear as a platform continued to gain useful new features; software updates helped fix the poor battery life; and Motorola started offering Moto X-style personal customization. But now, an all-new Moto 360 is in the wild, with two case sizes, totally new guts and a host of ways to make it fit your own style. But there are also far more Android Wear watches to choose from now than last year. Is the now-iconic circular Moto 360 still the smartwatch to covet? And, more importantly, does it improve in the areas where last year's model failed?
Google introduces 360-degree YouTube ads
Google's already rolled out 360-degree videos on YouTube, like Bjork's latest musical venture, and now the company has announced that it's doing the same with advertisements. The new feature debuted on Wednesday for both Chrome and the mobile YouTube app on Android and iOS. It works exactly the same way existing 360-degree videos do -- just scroll your mouse up, down, left or right to adjust the view. The new ad format is also compatible with Google's Cardboard VR headset. [Image Credit: WireImage/Getty]
Bjork out-Bjorks herself with wild 360 degree VR music video
Y'all know Bjork. Besides being the sound that the Muppets' Swedish Chef makes, Bjork is also a super-talented Icelandic pop diva. She made a name for herself with off-the-wall outfits and over-the-top pageantry (looking at you, 1995's It's Oh So Quiet) and did so decades before Lady Gaga even thought of donning a meat suit. Now, Bjork's back and quirkier than ever in her latest "Stonemilker" music video. The song originally debuted back in March, however the only way to experience the 360 degree action was live at MoMA PS1 in Long Island City -- we made the trip -- or the Rough Trade shops in New York and London. But now, the video has finally made its way to the Interwebs. It's currently playing on YouTube, no VR goggles required.
You can now post your interactive 360-degree footage on YouTube
If you picked up a camera that captures video in 360 degrees, sharing that footage just got a little easier. YouTube now supports 360-degree video uploads, so getting the action to eager viewers is a breeze. What's more, if folks watch with the YouTube Android app, moving a phone or tablet pans around all the different angles. I tried it out with the Red Bull F-1 video above, and it's pretty awesome. The same action is done with a mouse click in Chrome too, and support for iOS is on the way. When you upload the file, there's a script you'll need to run to tack on the appropriate metadata, insuring that the footage displays its 360-degree views properly. Soon, that process will be automatic, but for now, it's a necessary step. Ready to see it in action? Well, there's a playlist on the other side of the break that'll allow you to do just that.
World of Tanks 360 edition gets French tech tree
If you're an Xbox 360 World of Tanks player, you'll be glad to know that today's update adds the French tech tree, 28 new tanks, and two new maps to the game. The new content is technically free to download, but it does require an Xbox Live Gold subscription. We've embedded a new six-minute dev diary including French tank footage just past the break.
Easter egg-filled panorama of Seattle is Microsoft's latest Photosynth art project
After all the panoramas, street views and 3D flights of fancy through cityscapes, how can Microsoft make the next one different? Apparently, by teaming up with over 100 of Seattle's local artists and performers to cram this 360-degree panorama full of imaginative easter eggs (like the airship seen above). Dubbed the Gigapixel ArtZoom, Microsoft unveiled it tonight at the Seattle Art Museum but like other Photosynth projects, anyone with a browser can dive in right now. 2,368 twenty-two-megapixel images were shot from the Bay View condominium building and stitched together with Microsoft's Image Composite Editor software -- it's the same system behind Windows 8.1's panorama feature and Bing Maps. Click and zoom through the resulting image on a Where's Waldo-style search for the performers (inserted via separate photoshoots after the original shoot and highlighted with additional info) on its dedicated website here, or check after the break for a behind the scenes look at how it was made.
Ricoh Theta WiFi camera shoots 360-degree photos for $399 (hands-on)
It's a big week for LCD-less WiFi point-and-shoots, but today's offering is a bit more unusual than Sony's lens-camera duo. What would you pay for a 360-degree camera that's compact, easy to use and compatible with an iOS app? $100? Maybe a buck fifty? Ricoh's betting big on a figure far higher -- a "consumer-friendly" $399. And we're not sold. Sure, the Theta is a unique device, but 360-degree images have limited appeal, and the fact that you (and your friends) will need to download a dedicated app just to view them without distortion doesn't help to seal the deal. Still, we're always up for trying out something new, and we're guessing you might be a bit curious, too. Click past the break as we go full circle with Theta. Follow all of our IFA 2013 coverage by heading to our event hub!
World of Tanks opens up European beta for Xbox 360 edition
Fans of tank-based combat who live in Europe have some good news today. World of Tanks has opened its beta servers for European players to test out the Xbox 360 version of the game, thus allowing another continent's worth of players access to all of the console-based tank mayhem. Eager participants in both North America and Europe are encouraged to sign up for the beta on the official site. This particular update doesn't just allow more people into the beta; it also adds new tanks to the game. United States and German tanks of tiers VII and VIII have been added to the game, increasing the firepower on all sides of the playerbase. No word yet on an official release, but the easiest way to speed it along is by logging in and testing to provide plenty of data on the console version's performance. [Source: Wargaming.net press release]
Heavily discounted 360 games at Microsoft Store
Microsoft is clearing out their Xbox 360 inventory before the Xbox One launches later this year with some impressively generous sales. A slew of notable games can be picked up for under 20 bucks. At the time of this writing, The Darkness 2, Max Payne 3, Mortal Kombat: Komplete Edition, Ninja Gaiden 3, Quake 4, Street Fighter x Tekken, Silent Hill: Downpour, Soul Calibur 5, SSX and Syndicate are all available for $10. Dead or Alive 5 and the action-crazed Asura's Wrath are $11 each. Assassin's Creed: Revelations is stabbin necks on its own for $13. The Devil May Cry HD Collection is $15 and, if it offends you, a great way to pretend the reboot never happened. The remaining offers are a bit pricier, but they're still decent deals. XCOM, Tekken Tag Tournament 2, Darksiders 2 and Borderlands 2 are $20 apiece. Dishonored is creeping in the shadows on its own for $22. Starcraft 2: Heart of the Swarm, Far Cry 3 and Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance are $28 each. Dead Space 3: Limited Edition is slicing limbs and price tags at $33. Tomb Raider's origin story is $37, leaving Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 as king of the hill at $40. There were previous offers for great games that have already been sold out, so if you see something you like, rush it through the checkout. Of course, removing payment information from Microsoft-anything is an absolute chore. If you'd like to delete your card from their servers after your purchase, start here.
Insert Coin: BubblePod clockwork turntable lets your phone capture 360-degree images
In Insert Coin, we look at an exciting new tech project that requires funding before it can hit production. If you'd like to pitch a project, please send us a tip with "Insert Coin" as the subject line. The problem with capturing panoramic stills with your phone is that you need to keep a steady motion when panning around, but we all know that only a robot can perform such feat perfectly. That's why this little BubblePod caught our attention. The device is essentially a mini clockwork turntable so no battery is required -- just wind it up, slip an iOS, Android or BB10 device into the silicone grip, fire up the BubblePix app and hit the BubblePod's release button for a steady 40-second rewind. The sample panoramic shots (or "bubbles") we saw have almost no visible stitching, and the app can simultaneously record an audio clip to capture the atmosphere as well. Better yet, in addition to its rubberized base, the BubblePod is also built with a universal tripod mount plus a wine bottle insert mount! This Kickstarter project will offer a unit if you pledge a minimum of £15 (about $23) for the limited early bird offer or £20 (about $31) later on, plus £5 (about $8) to ship outside the UK. Do check out the demo video after the break, and feel free to grab yourself a BubblePod before funding ends on July 9th. %Gallery-190789%
