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Honor Magic 2's sliding screen unveiled a week before launch
While the notch has become an unfortunate trend in the smartphone market, Vivo and Oppo have shown the world how a proper all-screen design should be done -- by stuffing the front cameras into a motorized pop-up module. About two months later, Honor caught up by showing off a vague Magic 2 teaser, in which you could make out what appeared to be a pop-up camera as well. But thanks to the help of six lucky Chinese celebrities, today we finally see the phone in action ahead of its October 31st launch, and as it turns out, we're actually looking at a different all-screen implementation here.
Making magic with the Harry Potter Kano Coding Kit
Like so many Harry Potter fans, I've dreamed of attending Hogwarts and learning magic with a wand, cauldron and bulging bag full of quills, ink and parchment. In the absence of real witchcraft and wizardry, I've visited movie sets and played countless video games of varying quality. While fun, none of these experiences capture the thrill of actually understanding and performing magic. There's a thrill, of course, to summoning a Patronus with a DualShock 4 controller. These spells rarely feels earned, however, because they don't require much practice or knowledge to pull off in-game.
Huawei's Honor is bringing the slider phone back
How to solve the problem of too much screen? After Honor showcased its new gaming phone to the IFA masses, it had a surprise extra announcement: The Honor Magic 2 (What? Never heard of the original Honor Magic?) It looks to be a phone that's (once again) all screen, no bezel, but has another solution for where to hide the pesky front-facing camera: In a slider component behind the front. Like the T-Mobile SideKick, and decades-old Samsung and Nokia phones, it looks like Honor are betting on the slider to solve the problem of all-screen smartphones. It's not the dumbest solution, Oppo's Find X does a similar trick, albeit with an internal mechanism. It's early days, though and other details are scant. You can expect advanced safe fast-charging and Huawei's next smartphone chip, the Kirin 980 -- which hasn't even been announced yet. Watch the unveiling after the break: We've skipped to the main part.
Visit the British Library’s ‘Harry Potter’ exhibit from your sofa
Assuming your Hogwarts letter got lost in the mail (it happens from time to time) and you still want a peek at The Boy Who Lived's coursework, Google has you covered. The search juggernaut has digitized the British Library's "Harry Potter: A History of Magic" exhibit and tossed it on the Google Arts & Culture mobile-and-web app.
Netflix's big-budget film 'Bright' already has a sequel planned
If you're as thrilled as we are for Netflix's Will Smith vehicle, Bright, then get ready for even more excitement. The film, which reportedly cost Neftlix $90 million to make, already has a sequel lined up, according to a report at Bloomberg. Whether this is the start of a Marvel-esque movie universe exclusively on Netflix (as TechCrunch notes) or not, it's hard not to see this as competition for actual movies in theaters.
David Copperfield: 'I come to CES to get inspired'
CES is many things to many people. For the most part, it's the grease that keeps the mechanics of technology running for the rest of the year. For some, though, it's a veritable treasure trove of potential magic. Literally. David Copperfield, a stalwart on the Las Vegas strip and legendary magician isn't just a fan of the show; he walks the floor every year looking for technology he can use in his illusions. Naturally, he wouldn't tell us exactly what he's incorporated into his act, but we bet it's more magical than a voice-activated trash can.
Honor Magic tucks Huawei's latest smarts into a slab of glass
Huawei is probably best known for its Leica-branded smartphones aimed at high-end users, but its e-commerce brand Honor has also been busy entertaining affordable markets with some surprisingly nice devices -- namely the 8 and the Note 8. To wrap up the year, today the company announced the Honor Magic to showcase some of its latest goodies. "This is an experimental product of ours," said Richard Yu, CEO of Huawei's Consumer Business Group. "This concept phone will help us pre-evaluate uncertain future technologies." In a nutshell, the Magic is a mix of fresh design, faster charging tech, smarter assistant and interesting improvements on other aspects of user experience.
Conjure spells on your phone to prepare for 'Fantastic Beasts'
J.K. Rowling's prequel to the Harry Potter series is set to hit theaters next week and Google wants to help you prepare by turning your phone into a magic wand. On an Android device, you can cast "spells" with an "OK Google" voice command. After you alert your phone with the magic phrase, follow it up with a command like "lumos" and "nox" to turn the flashlight on and off. You can also use "silencio" to mute any sounds and notifications. Sure, it's rather simple, but it's a neat way for Potter fans to get ready for Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them ahead of next week's debut.
'Maguss' wants your help bringing its mobile spellcasting to life
If you like the idea of a Harry Potter-like mobile spellcasting game and aren't that attached to J.K. Rowling's universe, you can now plunk down some cash to get it. The Maguss team has launched an Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign to bring its Pokémon Go-style augmented reality wizardry to life. Pledging at least $19 (normally $25) will get you access to the beta test when it starts on December 10th. However, you'll likely want to pay more to get the full experience -- spending $39 ($49 if you're not an early bird) gets you a Bluetooth-based physical wand on top of beta access 9 days earlier. You can contribute more if you want to either get into the alpha test (November 10th) or duel your friends.
Oculus and 'Ratchet and Clank' studio reveal two more VR games
Insomniac Games and Oculus Studios have partnered to create Feral Rites, a 3D brawler set on a mystical island, and The Unspoken, a player-vs-player spellcasting game, both exclusively for the Oculus Rift VR headset. They're based in disparate realms of fantasy, from lush jungle temples to the mysterious shadows of big-city alleyways.
'Harry Potter' meets 'Zelda' in a fantasy action game
Mages of Mystralia is a fantastical romp through a mystical world, starring a young woman named Zia who discovers she has powerful magical abilities -- though this isn't necessarily a welcome development. Zia accidentally burns down her house and is forced to flee her homeland, and as she journeys across the countryside she meets other exiled mages who help cultivate her powers. Eventually, it's up to Zia to save Mystralia from certain doom. Mages of Mystralia combines elements from some of the most popular fantasy franchises in recent memory: There's a special, magical child like in Harry Potter, whimsical yet creepy woodland creatures as seen in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, and a determined, red-headed young warrior like the star of the Disney-Pixar movie Brave. All of this is bundled into a cohesive narrative by a star of Dungeons & Dragons lore, the creator of the Forgotten Realms world, Ed Greenwood.
ICYMI: Long distance loving, NASA's ice news and more
#fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-796087{display:none;} .cke_show_borders #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-796087, #postcontentcontainer #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-796087{width:570px;display:block;} try{document.getElementById("fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-796087").style.display="none";}catch(e){} Today on In Case You Missed It: NASA scientists are tracking sea ice and say the Antarctic mass is larger than we've ever seen since satellite tracking began in the 70's. Sadly, it's still growing at a much slower rate than the Arctic's ice is shrinking. Fire fans can get their hands on a Pyro Mini device from Ellusionist, to launch fireballs from their hands like the true magicians they long to be. And we're making fun of a pair of devices because why not. The Pillow Talk is a Kickstarter that pairs an under-the-pillow speaker with a wristband to broadcast the sound of your heartbeat to your long-distance love. Meanwhile the TSTAND is a hands-free tablet stand that would let you lie flat and not have to hold a tablet at an uncomfortable angle. We recommend using them together for maximum nerd.
Pyro Mini turns your boring old wrists into flamethrowers
In 2014, magic retailer Ellusionist released a device called Pyro that shoots fireballs from your wrist. Now, a year later, the brand is releasing a smaller, more capable version of its predecessor; meet the Pyro Mini. The new device is half the size of the original so it's far less noticeable when strapped to your wrist. It doesn't require disposable batteries either, trading in triple A's for a microUSB charger. Like the original, the mini uses a remote with a 30ft range to trigger individual fireballs or two at once with the new Burst fire feature. Let's face it, two is always way cooler than one. Pyro Mini managed to upgrade almost every feature it offers all the while slashing the price of the unit to $147. If you want to impress friends, family or just to pretend you're a badass supervillain, you can grab a Pyro Mini via the Ellusionist's website.
Challenge friends to real-life wizard duels with 'Maguss'
Harry Potter's brand of magic may not exist in the real world, but smartphone applications, electrical engineering and plastic wands sure do. Maguss uses all of these things, plus a badge that acts as a motion-sensing receiver, to bring wizard duels to the physical world. Maguss is on Kickstarter right now, seeking $66,191 to create and ship a kit allowing wannabe wizards to challenge friends to duels in-person and online. Players cast spells by waving the wand in specific motions -- in-person, the motion is picked up by the enemy's badge and smartphone app. Online, players conduct spells at their own badge and the motions are transferred to the rival wizard's app. In either scenario, whoever has the best wandwork wins.
Etsy doesn't want you selling spells
Etsy's online shop is mostly known for its handmade crafts, but it has also developed a reputation among the supernatural crowd as an easy place to find spells, potions and other mysterious goods. Well, those merchants will have to find another place to hawk their wares. Etsy has quietly updated its guidelines to ban all "metaphysical" services that promise a tangible outcome, like revenge or weight loss. The company isn't wasting much time cleaning house, either, as it's kicking out many of these vendors with little to no warning.
Penn & Teller explain the magical power of an iPhone
Penn and Teller are no strangers to technology, but it hasn't impacted the core of their act. In a recent interview with USA Today, Penn Jillete (Teller isn't really the loquacious type) explains that, while all has evolved around it, magic has remained relatively unchanged. It's difficult to make magic work on TV and in online video, he laments. The mind will quickly shed doubt on what it's seeing, and in an age of Hollywood effects, it's tough to impress. "If you like the special effects of Guardians of the Galaxy, how are you going to be impressed with a card trick?" See that trick in person, however, and he says it's "untarnished."
Shoot fireballs from your wrist with Pyro
Who hasn't dreamed of having the ability to shoot fireballs from our hands? Thanks to a new device from magician Adam Wilber, you can do just that. The appropriately named Pyro is controlled with a remote switch from up to 30 feet away and tucks under your sleeve to remain hidden. Worn on the wrist like watch, the gadget can shoot four fireballs, one from each of its four barrels, a distance of 10 feet before needing to be reloaded with flash paper. Pyro is currently sold out, but shelling out $174 will secure one when the new stock arrives December 17th. If you're not into practicing illusions, at least now you won't have to hold a Roman Candle during those real-life flamewars.
Artificial intelligence is now creating its own magic tricks
You might not have to be a professional magician to come up with clever tricks in the near future. Researchers at Queen Mary University of London have developed artificial intelligence that can create magic tricks (specifically, those based on math) all on its own. Once their program learns the basics of creating magic jigsaws and "mind reading" stunts, it can generate many variants of these tricks by itself. This could be particularly handy if you like to impress your friends on a regular basis -- you could show them a new card trick every time without having to do much work.
Grimoire asks for funding to put FPS wizard multiplayer in your hands
You've played pretty much every first-person shooter that there is, but have you done a multiplayer FPS where there are no soldiers but wizards and no guns but fast-flung magic spells? This unusual bent on the formula is the basis for Grimoire, which has just begun a crowdfunding campaign. According to the Kickstarter description, "Grimoire is a multiplayer mage FPS with MOBA-style abilities that puts the player in control of devastating magic." Players can fight from first- or third-person views and take on the role of one of 10 wizard classes. Grimoire's been in development for a year, is currently being voted for on Steam Greenlight, and even has a combat preview demo that you can download and try right now. The makers said that the game's had "practically no budget" up this point, which is why they're looking to raise $42,000 to improve what's already been made. The soundtrack is being composed by Pirates of the Caribbean Online vet Marcus Zuhr. [Thanks to Dengar for the tip!]
Camelot Unchained isn't 'recreating WoW' with its magic system
Welcome back to our coverage of City State Entertainment's batshit-crazy days for Camelot Unchained! A few weeks ago, we spoke with CSE co-founder Mark Jacobs about each of the topics being revealed this week on the game's livestreams; today, let's talk about making magic. Massively: When developers use the word "spellbook," visions of meditating into an EverQuest-style spellbook and repeatedly switching commonly used spells come to mind. Far from creating welcome immersion, that spellbook created headaches for casters [enough that SOE changed it]. But CU's spellbook seems more like a cross between an achievement panel and a spell design tool. How else will CU's spellbook improve on the concept? CSE's Mark Jacobs: First, I think the characterization of the EQ spellbook as a headache for casters is a very personal one. Let's keep in mind that EQ was the most successful MMORPG prior to the coming of WoW [We presume he means in the West -ed], so not everybody could have hated it. In our game, being a caster will come with some disadvantages, and having to deal with a spellbook is one of them. However, it will also come with advantages. Like so many other things in Camelot Unchained, we're not afraid to say players won't love everything. Indeed, as I've said all along, I know that certain things we are going to do will piss off some people.
