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Vizio's latest 4K TVs start at $600
Vizio has already developed a reputation for offering decent 4K TVs on the cheap, and it's cementing that image now that it's rolling out its 2015 line of Ultra HD screens. The company's new M-Series sets (above) tout full LED backlighting, speedy 802.11ac WiFi and a six-core processor starting at $600 for a 43-inch model -- not bad considering that even stripped-down TVs cost more just a couple of years ago. The M range scales up to an 80-inch set at $4,000, which is still a steal considering that many 4K panels that size will cost you a five-digit sum.
Microsoft's imaging tech is (sometimes) better than you at spotting objects
Many computer vision projects struggle to mimic what people can achieve, but Microsoft Research thinks that its technology might have already trumped humanity... to a degree, that is. The company has published results showing that its neural network technology made fewer mistakes recognizing objects than humans in an ImageNet challenge, slipping up on 4.94 percent of pictures versus 5.1 percent for humans. One of the keys was a "parametric rectified linear unit" function (try saying that three times fast) that improves accuracy without any real hit to processing performance.
Pantheon dev roundtable promises a public Vision
You know how the other day we reported on how Pantheon's maiden podcast was teasing an upcoming developer roundtable? Well, that roundtable has arrived indeed, and you can listen to the full hour-and-a-half discussion with the team after the break. One of the topics was over the team's "foundational principles," which players say they were promised over a year ago. Brad McQuaid apologized for not having posted those tenets yet and said that they would be forthcoming on the website before too long. "The Vision of Pantheon as a whole has not changed," he assured listeners.
Compare this Resident Evil remake screen to this one
As your resident Resident Evil re-remake optometrists, we're here to give you a quick exam. Since Capcom announced a new version of the first game in the series earlier this month, due to arrive in 2015 for Xbox One, PS4, Xbox 360 and PS3, some were anxious to see if they could spot the differences between the remakes. Capcom Unity offered screens from the upcoming re-remake of the game as well as the Wii port of Resident Evil's 2002 remake. So, tell us: Does screen A look better, or screen B? Is screen C sharper, or screen D? What about screen E versus screen F? Share your Resident Evil remake vision screening results below, providing you're able to find the comments. [Image: Capcom]
Competition coaxes computers into seeing our world more clearly
As surely as the seasons turn and the sun races across the sky, the Large Scale Visual Recognition Competition (or ILSVRC2014, for those in the know) came to a close this week. That might not mean much to you, but it does mean some potentially big things for those trying to teach computers to "see". You see, the competition -- which has been running annually since 2010 -- fields teams from Oxford, the National University of Singapore, the Chinese University of Hong Kong and Google who cook up awfully smart software meant to coax high-end machines into recognizing what's happening in pictures as well as we can.
Oxford University's smart glasses help people with partial vision see more detail
When we hear the term "smart glasses" these days, we tend to focus more on the smart and less on the glasses. Researchers at Oxford University see things the other way around: putting the emphasis on glasses suggests a device that helps the visually impaired see the world, not augment it. This is the project Dr. Stephen Hicks of the Nullfield Department of Clinical Neurosciences at the University of Oxford has been working on: a wearable designed to give folks with partial vision a clearer view of their surroundings. It's not as flashy as Google Glass, but it has the potential to change lives. It's also being tested in the wild.
Praying mantises get extra-tiny 3D glasses to test their vision
While 3D video may not be very popular these days, someone's still wearing 3D glasses -- or rather, something. Newcastle University scientists are outfitting praying mantises with very small 3D eyewear to test their depth perception, which is unique in the insect world; most species are limited to 2D. The researchers want to see if the bugs are fooled by the effects of a 3D movie like that you'd see in a theater. If they are, we'll know that they evolved 3D vision similar to that of humans and monkeys.
Darkfall clarifies vision to get 'back on track'
Aventurine admitted today that it has faltered on its core vision for Darkfall due to "compromises" but is rededicating itself to restoring its focus. "We are committed to our original vision of a politically and economically driven sandbox PvP MMO where risk dictates the reward, leading to meaningful massive battles," the studio posted. As such, Aventurine revealed that it will be introducing mix-and-match custom roles, rebalancing the economy, adding in siege engines, and conjuring a quest system to beef up the new player experience. On the way out are timed events and "the purpose of safe zones."
DJI improves stabilization, tilt and flying speed with Phantom 2 Vision+ drone
It was just this January that we tested DJI's Phantom 2 Vision drone, a $1,199 quadcopter with an integrated 14-megapixel/1080p camera and tilt-axis gimbal. Now at NAB, DJI's back with a "plus" version of its airborne craft. The refreshed gadget, which retails for $100 more than its predecessor, includes a new three-axis gimbal (compared to single-axis stabilization) for smoother captures, more than double the WiFi communication distance (700 meters, or about 2,300 feet), a 50-percent boost in maximum flight speed (to 15 meters or 50 feet per second) and a 90-degree tilt that lets you shoot subjects directly below. There's also an integrated GPS system that enables you to set an autonomous path or keep the Phantom in the same spot in winds of up to 25 miles per hour, while the DJI Vision app lets you preview footage and access altitude, distance and battery strength during shoots. Finally, DJI is releasing a firmware update for all Phantom drones that lets pilots avoid flying near airports or user-generated no-fly zones. Availability remains TBA, but expect to drop $1,299 for your Phantom 2 Vision+ once it's ready to ship.
The Summoner's Guidebook: Wards win League of Legends
A lot of you have noticed that I've been talking a lot about wards over the past several months. This is for a good reason: Wards win League of Legends! I think that every one of my past wins on Summoner's Rift has been either due to wards or a complete blowout laning phase. Of those two things, there's one you have almost zero control over, even as a jungler. You can outlane the person you're against, but there's no telling when your opponent is just better than you. If you're a jungler, sometimes the enemy lanes don't give you any openings or your lanes just throw kills away to the enemy jungler. No matter how good you are, someone can always be better than you -- or your allies can be horrible. However, in Season 4, if you place down a ward, in probably 90% of circumstances you're getting vision for the full duration of the ward. No matter how good the enemy team is, if it moves through that area, you get intel. If it doesn't, you also get intel.
Dolby Vision imaging finally comes home this fall with Netflix and Xbox Video as partners
Dolby's TV image-enhancement tech has been in development for a long time, and today the company is finally ready to show you when and where you'll find it. What we saw in December has been graced with the Vision name, and the outfit has promised we'll see TVs with it baked in this fall. What's more, Sharp and TCL have compatible hardware on display in their respective CES booths this week, and Amazon, Netflix, VUDU and Xbox Video are stepping up as content providers. Hit the Dolby link below for more information, and be sure to check back later this week for our latest impressions.
Oculus Rift-based virtual reality game could help restore 3D vision (video)
Many will tell you that video games are bad for your eyes, but James Blaha doesn't buy that theory. He's developing a crowdfunded virtual reality title, Diplopia, that could help restore 3D vision. The Breakout variant trains those with crossed eye problems to coordinate their eyes by manipulating contrast; players score well when their brain merges two images into a complete scene. Regular gameplay could noticeably improve eyesight for adults that previously had little hope of recovering their depth perception, Blaha says. The potential solution is relatively cheap, too -- gamers use an Oculus Rift as their display, and they can add a Leap Motion controller for a hands-free experience. If you're eager to help out, you can pledge $20 to get Diplopia, and $400 will bundle the app with an Oculus Rift headset. Check out a video demo of the therapeutic game after the break.
Peek behind SOE's EverQuest Next development curtain
Remember that meany-pants teaser vid for EverQuest Next a couple of weeks back? Of course you do. Who could forget the sight of senior producer Terry Michaels about to open the door to the SOE inner sanctum only to be thwarted by a quick cut to black? Well, SOE has finally aired the rest of that video, and it's basically a quick five-minute tour through the offices where EQN is currently taking shape. Along the way there are interviews with key team members, including creative director Jeff Butler just before he dons an Oculus Rift device, as well as some glimpses of art and in-game vistas. See for yourself after the break. [Thanks Paul!]
EVE Evolved: Colonising deep space
If you were watching the news coming out of this year's EVE Online Fanfest, you no doubt heard Senior Producer Andie Nordgren's incredibly ambitious five year vision. The past few expansions have been mostly filled with bug fixes and improvements to existing gameplay, but the goal is now to begin delivering an epic vision of deep space exploration, colonisation, and PvP raids on enemy infrastructure. The five year roadmap toward this goal includes the addition of player-built stargates and completely uncharted solar systems to locate, explore and build an empire in. If the very idea of that doesn't make shivers go down your spine, something may be wrong with your central nervous system. CCP has opened new space before with the addition of the drone regions in nullsec and some new lowsec systems for faction warfare, but it wasn't until 2009's Apocrypha expansion that we saw a true exploration and long-term colonisation effort get underway. I think the intoxicating draw of wormhole exploration was primarily due to the fact that the new systems were hidden and the information on them wasn't public. Just adding new solar systems to the existing stargate network wouldn't have had the same effect. Nordgren's vision may take up to 10 expansions to fully realise, but what kinds of features will we need in those expansions to recreate true exploration and deep space colonisation? In this week's EVE Evolved, I look at some of the challenges CCP will have to overcome to make deep space colonisation a reality and what small steps could be taken in each expansion to get us there.
Mercedes Vision Golf Cart concept could shuttle you around the course in comfort
Today's golf carts certainly serve a purpose, but despite opulent add-ons like plastic rain shields and windshield wipers, the electric buggies littering the world's fairways and outdoor venues can hardly be considered luxurious. Now, with Mercedes-Benz considering a compact vehicle of its own, the cookie-cutter people mover could be a thing of the past. The German automaker recently debuted its Vision Golf Cart concept, a solar-powered two-seat carriage that includes such amenities as heated and cooled seats and cup holders, air vents, speakers, a joystick control, iPhone dock, heads-up display and LED headlights. Sounds pretty posh.%Gallery-194615%
EVE Fanfest 2013 final day: Trailers, EVE's TV show, and a vision for the future
We usually don't expect to see much from the final day of the EVE Fanfest, but for this year's tenth anniversary celebration, CCP isn't doing anything by half measures. The first two days of the event had a strong focus on DUST 514 and EVE Online, delving into the specific details of DUST's upcoming Uprising update and EVE's Odyssey expansion. I went into the convention centre today expecting a nice slow wind down with the usual CCP Presents keynote looking at the state of the company, but I left with several huge reveals that seemed to come out of nowhere. Not only did we find out that EVE Online is finally getting a collector's edition box full of goodies, but CCP revealed that a new EVE comic book and lore compendium are both on the way. As if that weren't enough, there's also an EVE TV series in the works based on player-submitted stories of true events inside the EVE universe. I couldn't help escaping the feeling, though, that this year's CCP Presents talk was more than a little marketing-oriented. As one of the press put it to me after the talk, it felt at times like watching an infomercial. On the plus side, we did get to see more of CCP's future vision for the EVE universe and an amazing new trailer showing the game's core storyline. Read on to check out the incredible EVE Universe Origins trailer and my summary of the final day of Fanfest 2013.
Evil Controllers' Vision line adds customization and lengthy battery life, we go hands-on
We're clearly shameless, otherwise we wouldn't be here writing this piece starring a modded Xbox 360 gamepad with Engadget logos all over it. At least that's what we imagine you saying, dear reader, while ogling the logo-laden controller above. Despite appearances, however, there's more to Evil Controller's Vision line than flashy blue and white logos that make us feel loved -- the rear plate of the standard Xbox 360 gamepad gets replaced with a custom one featuring Evil's custom LED lights, a micro USB charging port (in addition to the proprietary one), and a much, much more serious battery. A lithium ion nestles into the backplate (significantly more comfortably than two AAs or Microsoft's own rechargeable battery solution), which offers a supposed 60-hour battery life. That's a dramatic difference compared to Microsoft's batteries, which last (at most) around 15 hours in our experience. The hardware out front retains the quality we've come to expect from 360 gamepads, and that's because it's mostly the stock 360 gamepad you'd buy from Microsoft; the only replacement hardware on the front is the analog sticks, which swap concave for convex. This is essentially the only poor decision on the controller, but one we're willing to overlook for that tripled battery life.%Gallery-186096%
Switched On: The old adventures of new 3D
Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology. In the unmarked office of 3-D Vision, Inc., you can see a television or PC display a videogame or movie with a convincing stereoscopic effect. That might not seem very unique. However, the television is a CRT from the 1990s, the video game is Super Mario for the Nintendo 64 and the movie is The Wizard of Oz, made in 1939. Despite the growth in 3D television sales, the requirement to wear 3D glasses has loomed as one of the most significant barriers to adoption. 3-D Vision's technology still requires glasses, at least for now. However, with some caveats, it overcomes some of the other, oft-overlooked barriers to 3D adoption by creating 3D video from 2D content on 2D (or 3D) displays. On televisions, this is achieved via a small set-top box -- a prototype of which approaches the size and noise level of a mini-fridge -- that plugs into the video source and the TV and converts the video in real-time with virtually no latency. The box should be available early next year.
MIT projection system extends video to peripheral vision, samples footage in real-time
Researchers at the MIT Media Lab have developed an ambient lighting system for video that would make Philips' Ambilight tech jealous. Dubbed Infinity-by-Nine, the rig analyzes frames of footage in real-time -- with consumer-grade hardware no less -- and projects rough representations of the video's edges onto a room's walls or ceiling. Synchronized with camera motion, the effect aims to extend the picture into a viewer's peripheral vision. MIT guinea pigs have reported a greater feeling of involvement with video content when Infinity-by-Nine was in action, and some even claimed to feel the heat from on-screen explosions. A five screen multimedia powerhouse it isn't, but the team suggests that the technology could be used for gaming, security systems, user interface design and other applications. Head past the jump to catch the setup in action.
Mobile Miscellany: week of March 5th, 2012
Not all mobile news is destined for the front page, but if you're like us and really want to know what's going on, then you've come to the right place. This past week, one clever individual has repackaged HTC's Beats equalizer for use on any Android smartphone, and we've also come across news of additional language support for Siri that's set to arrive later this year. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore the "best of the rest" for this week of March 5th, 2012.
