Drawing apps for iOS are easy to come by, with Paper by FiftyThree or Adobe’s Sketch being the most notable and identifiable apps. Those ask that you use them to completion, though, and provide you with the tools necessary to finish works of art. What if you just want a sketching app, though? Those do the trick, but a new … Continue reading
Software engineer David Titarenco is working on Game:ref, a small device that identifies mouse-based gaming cheats – such as auto-clicking or aimbots – used in FPS, MOBA, RTS and other competitive games. If it works as planned, it could help secure LAN tournaments and discourage the use of software cheats in online games.
Game:ref is an Arduino-based device that plugs between the mouse and the computer. It gathers the mouse’s movement data and compares it to how the player’s cursor or character moves in the game. In his prototype, David monitored the output in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive by creating “a small server-plugin for CSGO that relays player view angles back to a local server.” If the mouse input doesn’t match the character’s movements, then the player must be cheating.
David believes Game:ref can work with practically any game, cost between $30 (USD) to $100 and barely add mouse latency. That said, he admitted on his blog, on Reddit and with Polygon that Game:ref is still in its early stages and even when completed could still be circumvented with an anti-Game:ref device.
But the idea here is for serious gaming tournaments to use Game:ref to further ensure fair play, and in the case of online games the device would be able to block or at least identify cheaters that use software hacks. Head to David’s blog if you want to know more about his device. If you’re just interested in buying it, keep an eye on Game:ref’s product page for updates, particularly its Kickstarter fundraiser.
[via David Titarenco via Polygon]
More juggling at MakerBot as current CEO Jenny Lawton moves to Stratasys to become executive vice president Special Projects, a leadership role inside the 3D printer company’s parent. Lawton, who took over from founding CEO Bre Pettis last August, sees the move as an opportunity to take a “strategic global position” in the parent company. “It’s a real opportunity… Read More
Apple is reportedly going to make a major shift in the way it handles Genius Bar appointments. For those who don’t know, the company has a Genius Bar in its retail stores where technicians are on hand to help users facing problems with their devices. According to a report during the week of March 9th Apple is going to introduce a new program called “the new Concierge,” which will replace the existing method of walk-in appointments.
Traditionally customers who want to visit the Genius Bar visit an Apple Store, tell the issue they’re facing to the check-in assistant, and then receive an appointment. They have to turn up in that time slot to get assistance.
Apple will reportedly move away from this method. Instead customers will first tell their issue to a store employee who will punch it into an iPad app. The app will then provide the customer with a wait time, it will automatically prioritize appointments based on the severity of the issue, and customers will give a phone number where they can receive automatic wait time updates.
Customers will be sent three updates via text message. The first will confirm their Genius Bar request and mention the wait time. They will be free to leave the store if there’s ample time available. The second text will notify them that its time to come back to the store. The third text will notify customers that their technician is ready and where exactly they can be found inside the store.
This new method will reportedly have no change on Genius Bar appointments that are booked online, at least for the time being, Apple might make changes to that down the line.
Apple To Introduce ‘Concierge’ For Streamlining Genius Bar Appointments , original content from Ubergizmo. Read our Copyrights and terms of use.
We reported last week that Pebble had been counting down to something mysterious on its website. It was later rumored that the company might unveil a second generation smartwatch with a color display. Today Pebble finally made the announcement as the countdown timer reached zero. Introducing the Pebble Time, the company’s second generation smartwatch with a color display, which like its predecessor is debuting on Kickstarter.
Pebble is a company that gained worldwide popularity following its successful crowdfunding campaign on Kickstart about two years ago. The first smartwatch was produced with money raised through crowdfunding and Pebble is taking the same route with the Pebble Time.
The Pebble Time has a color e-paper display and a microphone, these are the biggest hardware changes made in the second generation smartwatch, apart from a major software overhaul. Like its predecessor the Pebble Time has a non-touchscreen display with three buttons. The smartwatch is protected by a waterproof case.
Pebble’s new smartwatch comes in at just 9.5mm thick making it quite thin when compared to the first generation model. The company is offering it in black, white with black trim and black with read trim. Matching bands will be provided, users will be able to remove the bands, and swap them for any other 22mm band.
Features that were much loved in the original model, like POGO pin charging and the vibration motor have been retained in Pebble Time. The company says that its new smartwatch will go for a full week on a single charge display its color e-paper display.
You don’t have to worry about Pebble not meeting its goal on Kickstarter. The company was only asking for $500,000. Keeping in mind that the project went live today, as of this writing over $3 million have been raised with 31 days still to go. Safe to say this smartwatch is getting produced.
The least you can pledge right now is $179 to get one Pebble Time in any of the three colors. Delivery is estimated for May 2015.
Pebble Time, The Second Gen Smartwatch With Color Display, Hits Kickstarter , original content from Ubergizmo. Read our Copyrights and terms of use.
Samsung has already managed to create a lot of hype for its upcoming smartphones. Even U.S. carriers are getting in on the game. In less than a week the company is going to officially unveil Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 in Barcelona, Spain as Mobile World Congress 2015 kicks off. No concrete information is available right now regarding the Galaxy S6 release date but if a new report published today is to be believed, at least in some regions the new smartphone will be out in April.
IBN Live reports, citing people familiar with the matter, that Samsung is going to release Galaxy S6 in India during the second week of April.
Before it is released, Samsung may start taking pre-orders for the smartphone a couple of weeks before, presumably by the end of March. The report doesn’t mention how much the Galaxy S6 is going to cost in India.
Samsung has obviously not commented on this report, it doesn’t have to, with the official event just around the corner. The company will reveal all of the official pricing and availability details at its event on March 1st.
A previous report has suggested that Samsung wouldn’t want too long like it did with the Galaxy S5 to bring its new flagship to the market, so a release in most markets around the world is expected soon after the device is unveiled next week.
Samsung Galaxy S6 April Release Date Rumored , original content from Ubergizmo. Read our Copyrights and terms of use.
Many of us anticipate new software updates for our smartphones, particularly those of us who use high-end devices, since updates often bring new features and improvements for the devices. T-Mobile is now making it easier for folks who depend on it to release updates to see when an OTA notification will arrive. The carrier has added a software update tracker to its website through which users can see when T-Mobile is going to release an update for their device.
The carrier’s tracker breaks down the release process in three major steps: Manufacturer Development, T-Mobile Testing and Completed.
Android updates are first packaged by the manufacturers before they’re provided to the carriers which then make their own tweaks and additions to it. When both processes are done only then is the new software released over-the-air to users.
Even though majority of GSM devices are compatible with T-Mobile’s network the carrier’s tracker is only keeping up with some of the most popular high-end devices like the Nexus 4, 5, 7 (2013), the HTC One M7 and M8, Galaxy Note 3 and 4, Galaxy Note Edge and the Galaxy S5.
Its a good tool if you use T-Mobile and are always curious about when the carrier is going to release a new software update for your device. If you’re not into this then the tool does little to change your life in any meaningful way.
T-Mobile’s Website Now Has A Software Update Tracker , original content from Ubergizmo. Read our Copyrights and terms of use.
There is bad news today for PC gamers who have been anxiously waiting for Grand Theft Auto 5 to arrive. This title was first released nearly two years ago and just last year it arrived on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. PC gamers have been waiting since then, Rockstar had said that it would be out in March 2015, but today it confirms that the GTA 5 PC release has been delayed yet again.
Rockstar Games now says that GTA 5 will be released for PC on April 14th. The game was supposed to launch in January 2015 originally before it was delayed to March. Now it has been delayed to April.
According to the studio “A bit more time is needed to ensure that the game is as polished as possible.” GTA 5 for PC brings all of the improvements that we saw in the next-gen console version, this includes the first-person mode, apart from support for up to three monitors and 4K resolution.
Now some good news. Rockstar has confirmed that the launch of Heists for GTA Online has been scheduled for March 10th. This will bring a new 4-player cooperative experience that lets gamers create teams and pull off elaborate robberies across Los Santos and Blaine County.
The studio says that it will provide more information about the launch of Heists and other new features over the next couple of weeks.
GTA 5 PC Release Delayed , original content from Ubergizmo. Read our Copyrights and terms of use.
What’s stranger: A vision of the future that’s completely foreign to you, or a vision of the future that’s recognizable but different enough to feel alien?
Meet Rich and Dee Gibson, founders of Rich’s Incredible Pyro, a spectacle of explosions that takes place at air shows around the country. In thisNew York Times documentary, the couple shares what they love about blowing shit up.
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.
