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All-you-can-play indie gaming is coming for $10 per month
While Microsoft's Xbox Game Pass likely appeals to players who want mainstream console titles, there hasn't been a great unlimited play platform for indie games -- until now. A new service, Jump, has just emerged from the ether to satisfy fans of non-tentpole gaming. For $10 a month, users can play any of the service's 60-plus game initial catalogue, with ten more coming each month for desktop and VR platforms. Jump's beta period is running from now til July 24th with a limited game selection, but once the full service launches this summer, anyone can sign up for a 14-day free trial.
Google's next-gen VR camera was designed for seamless video
Two years ago, Google introduced Jump, a VR platform that uses cloud-based software and smart stitching algorithms to make 360-video creation easier than ever before. It also partnered with GoPro to make the Odyssey, a 16-camera rig that was the first-ever camera to have the Jump software built right in. Now, Google is ready for the next generation of Jump, and for that, it's partnered with a new company and made a brand new camera. The $16,999 device is called the Yi Halo, and Google is touting it as the "next generation Jump camera."
ICYMI: Smashing bacteria, high-jumping roboroaches and more
try{document.getElementById("aol-cms-player-1").style.display="none";}catch(e){} Today on In Case You Missed It: Researchers from Seoul National University and UC Berkeley developed a robotic roach that jumps more than five feet high because people weren't scared enough of robots as it is. A team from Brigham Young University wants to figure out how hard you have to hit bacteria to kill it. Apparently smashing them into walls at 670 MPH isn't hard enough. And one enterprising maker spent more than two years building a fully functional Pong table -- complete with a cubical "ball."
Google is working with IMAX on a cinema-quality 3D camera
Remember last year's I/O, when Google revealed JUMP? It was a VR content creation system consisting of a camera rig made from 16 GoPros and some incredibly smart cloud-based processing and sharing software. Fast forward a year later. Google's Clay Bavor revealed today at the company's developer conference that Hollywood was fascinated by JUMP too, and that Google is now working on a cinema-quality 3D camera rig in partnership with IMAX.
The Vert 2 activity tracker knows if you're making the effort
The original Vert was all about the jumping, and it was quite accurate measuring said jumping. The wearable is getting a 2016 refresh, with an expanded repertoire of metrics that not only includes the frequency of intense movements (sensors are accelerometers and gyros), but also the intensity of the movements themselves. It'll even distinguish between high and low intensity, giving you a total for both at the end. Surges of activity per minute is yet another metric on hand, and one that may prove useful as the company continues to get its wearable tech employed by the NCAA and ESPN for in-game analytics.
GoPro's 16-camera rig for Google Jump VR costs $15,000
Google launched Jump, a platform for VR video, back at its developer conference in May -- along with a slightly bonkers camera rig called Odyssey co-designed with GoPro. Today, prospective content creators can put their name down to get early access to the hardware (pictured after the break), which GoPro tells us is only available in limited quantity. Google already did something similar, but this time the scheme appears to be specifically aimed at professional partners. We also get to know a little bit more about the rig, including its cost: an eye-watering (at least for us amateurs) $15,000.
Fancy testing Google's GoPro VR camera rig?
Google and GoPro teamed up to produce Jump, a VR camera-rig that'll record 360-degree footage using 16 of the little action cameras. Just a few weeks later and the search engine is asking if anyone wants to test the hardware for themselves. Much in the same way it did for its head-mounted computer, the company wants applicants to describe the ideas that they have for the system. If you're a filmmaker, journalist, producer or, er, "other," then you can head into this Google Document and register your interest. As TechCrunch notes, the more "awesome" your answer, the better chance you'll get to the top of the list. We're told, incidentally, that you can make things significantly more awexxome by cApiTaliZing letters inside words and adding superfluous Xs every now and again. [Image Credit: Bloomberg/Getty]
Google intros new Jump VR platform and improved Cardboard
Google brought virtual reality to the masses cheaply with Cardboard, a DIY headset announced at last year's I/O conference. Now, the search giant's building upon its 1 million VR viewers with an improved Cardboard headset that fits smartphone screens up to 6 inches. It also incorporates a new top-mounted button that replaces the finicky magnetic ring so that Cardboard works with any phone. And, in what's probably the most consumer-friendly move Google's made with the new and improved Cardboard, it takes just three steps to assemble. Clay Bavor, VP of Product, told I/O attendees that they'd be receiving these new DIY VR kits immediately after the keynote. And for interested VR developers, it's important to note the Cardboard SDK now works with iOS in addition to Android.
GoPro cameras show what it's like to endure a terrifying car crash
GoPro is trying to build a media empire by capturing moments that other video cameras sometimes miss, and it just might achieve that feat if its latest (and arguably most dramatic) footage is any indication. The company mounted its action cams in the car of Guerlain Chicherit hoping to catch a record-setting jump, but instead caught what it's like to survive a horrifying crash. The clip is cringe-inducing, even if you've seen your fair share of in-car replays -- Chicherit can't do much more than prepare for the worst as his modified Mini tumbles end over end. He thankfully escaped with minor injuries, but the resulting movie is an especially stark reminder of just why stunt driving is so dangerous.
To gauge your fellow gamers' ages, watch for jumping
When trying to figure out just who we're playing with in virtual spaces like World of Warcraft, we often watch how they talk for clues. Common knowledge suggests that gamers who are more mature -- and therefore older -- will be more grammatically correct, typing in complete sentences with proper punctuation rather than leaning on acronyms and slang. However, a recent study on gaming chat by a Colorado State University researcher suggests our common knowledge might just be wrong -- because while phrasing can certainly give us hints at a typist's age, Millennials are better at grammar than we think. In a study of players in Second Life and World of Warcraft, research concludes that the more definite indicator of age is how players move. Younger players jump about twice as often as older players, as well as moving more in general (15% more) and moving backwards more often (30% more). So before calling out your fellow players for immature kids, you might keep an eye on how often they jump -- if they don't, they may just be straight-up immature.
T-Mobile's UnCarrier plans are working, gains 4.4 million new customers in 2013
When John Legere jointed T-Mobile, the company had lost two million customers and was eating some substantial losses. The party-crashing CEO, however, seems to have turned things around with the UnCarrier, Jump and Simple Choice programs. In the company's annual report, T-Mobile has announced that 2013 saw the network add a whopping 4.4 million customers across the year. For Q4, while the company added 1.6 million customers, it also marked a loss of $20 million -- so perhaps some of the money spent baiting rival networks should have stayed in the bank.
Your carrier wants you to buy into early upgrades, but should you take the bait?
We get it. It's been a year since you got a new phone, and it doesn't have a Super Ultra HD screen, 80MP camera or fancy pants 50-core processor. You pine for the latest and greatest mobile toy, but it's probably going to cost you a lot, right? Well, yes. But in the past year, every major US network has eased the pain by introducing device installment plans, many of which allow you to trade in your current phone for a newer, hipper model. Most of these plans, which are designed to let you pay off your device over several months, are still more expensive than the average two-year contract, regardless of who you sign it with. But whether you like it or not, they're here to stay. T-Mobile gets credit for starting the movement: Shortly after it announced its installment and early upgrade plans, AT&T, Verizon and Sprint all followed with options of their own. Ever since, the new plans have led to a massive pricing war, and the resulting price drops (most recently from AT&T and Verizon) have made them more tempting. But what does it all mean for you?
T-Mobile will allow Jump users to upgrade anytime, but it may require opening your wallet
Starting February 23rd, T-Mobile is allowing Jump customers to upgrade their smartphone or tablet whenever they want, rather than just twice a year. There's just one (gigantic) catch: your device has to be at least halfway paid off before you make the switch. Currently, Jump customers can get the phone of their choice for zero money down, and pay off the full price of the device over the course of two years. If you get a new phone every six months (as Jump currently allows), you would have only paid off a quarter of the device when you make the swap. While the new policy lets you upgrade more often, if you're making a change earlier than a year in you're going to have to pay a bit out of pocket. The idea brings Jump more on par with Verizon's Edge program, which also requires you to have your device halfway paid off to upgrade, and AT&T's Next program that offers upgrades once a year. Requiring 12 months of payments on a device minimizes the loss on these plans for carriers and puts the extra financial burden on the hard-core enthusiasts who want to upgrade faster than the traditional one-year lifecycle of most flagship devices. Existing Jump users can stick with their current plans, and can continue to upgrade every six months.
Native Union's Jump charging cable can juice up your devices on the go
It only took a little over 24 hours for Native Union's Jump, a charging cable with a built-in battery pack for juicing up on the go, to reach its funding on Kickstarter. Still, the company hasn't abandoned its booth here at CES to go out and celebrate, so we dropped in and laid some paws on the accessory. In case you need a recap, Jump consists of a central hub which contains an 800mAh battery, one braided cable with a Lightning adapter (or micro-USB) at the end, and another with a USB plug. The hardware is lightweight, easily pocketable and feels quite sturdy. Even the cords themselves feel like they can withstand a significant amount of wear and tear. While at first sight, the cables might appear as if they retract, they simply wrap around the central box and fit into small grooves. stretched from end to end, the contraption measures up at roughly 18 inches in length. On the face of the gadget sit a trio of lights that indicate the built-in battery level when a button on its rear is pressed. Not only does the device feel solid, but it's also quite smart. When plugged in, it'll make sure the gear you've connected will be charged up before topping off its own battery. While Jump will be available for $50 when it launches in May, you can snag it now through its already-successful Kickstarter campaign for $40.
Native Union's Jump is a charging cable with a little built-in battery
We've covered a few cool Native Union accessories before, but this one easily beats them all in terms of thoughtfulness. The Jump, which is debuting at CES, appears to be a Lightning or micro-USB cable that goes through a little cable wrapper, which is intentionally designed to fit into your trousers' tiny coin pocket. The fun part is that this gray pebble also packs 800mAh of battery juice (with 1A current output), so it's good for emergency use. But that's not all! You can use the Jump as a normal cable to charge up your phone, and when the latter is full, the intelligent circuitry -- which had been a tough challenge for Native Union -- diverts the power to the Jump's own battery. To put it simply: you're hitting two birds with one stone here. No need to remind yourself to plug in your portable battery separately at night. The Jump has just been launched as a Kickstarter project, and you can grab one now for as low as $30 (it's a limited offer, of course). Want more? Just add $35 for every additional Jump. Expect this handy little gadget to ship some time in May.
The Weekly Roundup for 07.08.2013
You might say the week is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workweek, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Weekly Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past seven days -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
This week on gdgt: UE Boom, VAIO Duo 13, and Internet privacy tips
Each week, our friends at gdgt go through the latest gadgets and score them to help you decide which ones to buy. Here are some of their most recent picks. Want more? Visit gdgt anytime to catch up on the latest, and subscribe to gdgt's newsletter to get a weekly roundup in your inbox.
T-Mobile introduces 'Jump' trade-in plan, CEO talks about the 'iPhone bump'
This week T-Mobile introduced the Jump trade-in plan. The plan allows T-Mobile subscribers to pay US$10 a month for a minimum of six months. After the six months, subscribers may trade in their existing phone for a new one at the same or lower price as offered to new customers. T-Mobile Jump subscribers will be able to trade in their old equipment twice a year, including iPhones. As for how iPhone sales are going at T-Mobile, AllThingsD caught up with CEO John Legere in New York this week. Here's what they had to say: Though Legere declined to give full details ahead of the company's August earnings report, Legere said that T-Mobile is benefiting from more than just an initial iPhone boost - though he said it got that, as well. "The un-carrier (approach) is really what started to work," Legere said, sporting his now traditional pink T-Mobile T-shirt and sport coat. But if AT&T and rivals want to think of T-Mobile's gains as just an iPhone-related blip, Legere said "that's beautiful." Legere said the iPhone made up around 39 percent of April smartphone sales, but that by May, the iPhone made up about 29 percent, indicating strong sales of both Android and Apple devices. "May was better than April, and April was most of our 'iPhone blip,'" Legere said. T-Mobile Jump plans start on July 14, 2013.
The Daily Roundup for 07.10.2013
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
T-Mobile unveils Jump, allows customers to upgrade twice a year
T-Mobile's Moon Shot? Might as well Jump. The magenta-minded carrier has taken the wraps off of Jump (plus exclamation mark, if you choose), a system that lets customers upgrade their handsets up to twice a year -- a plan clearly targeted toward gadget obsessives (and the fickle). As CEO John Legere put it -- it can stand for either "Just Upgrade My Phone" or "John Upgrade My Phone." Also included in the $10 (per phone, plus applicable taxes and other fees) a month deal is a total protection plan that helps out with malfunctions, damage, thefts and loss of handsets. Those interested are able to enroll as soon as six months after joining up. After that time, subscribers can trade in a working, eligible phone to a T-Mobile store. Equipment Installment Program fees will be eliminated, and they'll be able to buy a new phone for a new customer upfront price. As for availability? According to the fine print on the press release below (after the, wait for it, jump) the plan (which kicks in on Sunday), "may not be available in all locations." Surely your local T-Mobile representative has more information on that front. More info below, along with some ads featuring none other than SNL's Bill Hader. And if you're so inclined, click through the source link to jump on board.
