China’s tried to create its very own mobile OS ecosystem in the past, but let’s face it: The attempt with OPhone was hardly something that would make the nation proud. This time round, though, a company by the name of Shanghai Liantong has joined …
There are a number of online music streaming services and apps for music fans on iOS and Android devices. It seems like those apps are constantly making changes and offering … Continue reading
At what point does a tablet with a large screen stop becoming a tablet, but more of a laptop with a touchscreen display? We’re not sure ourselves but Sharp is definitely pushing the limits as they have unveiled a tablet that sports a whopping 15.6” display. Based on the advertisement, it seems that the tablet (RW-16G1) will most likely appeal to the enterprise user, such as designers who might appreciate having a larger display, versus the regular consumer who might find it difficult to carry such a larger device around with them on the go. (more…)
Sharp Announces 15.6″ Windows 8.1 Tablet original content from Ubergizmo. 
     |
So we have smartphones, smartwatches, smart TVs, smart everything, but how about a smart gun? It would definitely pair nicely with a smart bullet, wouldn’t it? Well as it turns out there are reports which claims that the US military is currently looking to equip its soldiers with smart rifles. These rifles are built by a startup company called TrackingPoint, with each gun estimated to have cost the military around $10,000 to $27,000 each. Guns alone are pretty expensive but what makes these bad boys cost even more? Well for starters they are “smart” as they come equipped with a Linux-based computer which helps the scope and sensors calculate and adjust for a variety of factors, such as weather and ground inclinations.
With all those factors calculated and accounted for, all the shooter has to do is aim at their target and position the firearm according to how the computer tells them to, and fire. At this point in time it seems that the firearms are being used as a trial to determine how ordinary shooters fare against trained marksmen who will not have the advantage of computers to help them aim and shoot. According to TrackingPoint, if it goes well, the military might consider arming their troops with it and might even share the spotlight with DARPA’s laser-equipped sniper scopes in the future. While we’re all for arming our troops with superior firepower, we’d hate to think what would happen if this weapon fell into the wrong hands.
US Military Reportedly Interested In Smart Rifles original content from Ubergizmo. 
| |
There are game which seem like a good idea at the start, but turn out to be extremely bad ones. Plastic Surgery for Barbie has to be one of them. As the name implies, this is a game about plastic surgery in which it targets young children to play as plastic surgeons. Well it seems that both Apple and Google thought it was a horrible idea for a game and has since pulled it from the iTunes App Store and Google Play store. Basically what the game was about was that it tasked players to perform plastic surgery on a female character, such as liposuction for example, and finally comparing the before and after results.
According to the game’s description, “This unfortunate girl has so much extra weight that no diet can help her. In our clinic she can go through a surgery called liposuction that will make her slim and beautiful.” While Google did not comment on the specifics of why the app was pulled, they claimed that it breached their guidelines. Mattel too issued a statement claiming that the Barbie branding was not sanctioned by the company and that they will take action to prevent their brand from being used by products that might be unsafe or inappropriate for children. What do you guys think? Was this game a harmless one or do you think that it might have influenced young children negatively?
Apple And Google Remove Plastic Surgery Game From Their App Stores original content from Ubergizmo. 
| |
Russia is developing weaponized ground drones, including some big amphibious models like the one you can see here. Add the thousands of combat air drones from many nations already flying through the world and it’s not crazy to think in a full robotic war happening before 2020 somewhere in the world.
| |
It’s only a matter of time before things go the way of Skynet, and this new algorithm is a stepping stone along the way: it can learn to identify objects all by itself, with zero human help. Gulp.
| |
As we reported the other day, Beats is looking to launch their own streaming service and that will be happening on the 21st of January. With Beats coming into the picture, this means that other streaming services like Spotify and Pandora will be facing a new competition and not by some unknown company, but by Beats who helped create the popular and iconic Beats by Dre headphones worn by celebrities around the world. Perhaps looking to entice customers over onto their platform before Beats makes its debut, Spotify has announced that they will be removing the cap for ad-free songs. Prior to this, Spotify listeners would only be granted a limited hours of ad-free music after a 6-month trial period, but it looks like they got more aggressive and have removed it completely.
Granted Spotify will most likely lose some money during that period of time, although some believe that this is just a short-term loss and that holding on to loyal customers will probably pay off for the company in the long run. It also makes Spotify’s services more attractive by comparison, especially since Beats Music will not offer a free tier after its 7-day trial, meaning that for the casual listener, Beats Music will not be for them. In any case if you were looking for a reason to get on board Spotify, now’s as good a time as any to do so.
Spotify Removes Time Limit For Free Music Streaming original content from Ubergizmo. 
| |
A couple of years ago, Beamdog announced that they would be reviving the Baldur’s Gate franchise through “Enhanced Editions” of the game and its expansions. This basically meant that the developers would be updating the graphics while maintaining the tone and feel, while adding new characters and new quest lines, so that players who have gone through Baldur’s Gate 1 and 2 will have some fresh material to play with. Well the good news is that if you’re already gone through Baldur’s Gate: Enhanced Edition, you might be pleased to learn that Baldur’s Gate 2: Enhanced Edition has officially been released for the iPad!
The first Baldur’s Gate was released for the iPad awhile back to relatively positive reviews, so we expect that the second should fair relatively well as well. Just like the first game, Baldur’s Gate 2: Enhanced Edition will include features such as multiplayer mode, enhanced graphics, and various improvements spread throughout the game, as well as new quests and characters that players can interact with along the way. Priced at $14.99, it is more expensive than your typical iOS RPG, but if you grew up playing the game on the PC, you know that it will probably be worth it. For more information or to purchase the game, head on over to the iTunes App Store.
Baldur’s Gate 2: Enhanced Edition Arrives On The iPad original content from Ubergizmo. 
| |
Streaming from Spotify’s desktop client has never been a simple affair. Users had to abide with grace periods, monthly usage caps and even limits on how many times they could listen to individual tracks, but now, that’s all changing. The company …
This is site is run by Sascha Endlicher, M.A., during ungodly late night hours. Wanna know more about him? Connect via Social Media by jumping to about.me/sascha.endlicher.
