SLee and Topher

Two Guys on Gaming, Tech, and the World

Android Wear: Google’s Wearables Platform Is Here

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Google is going all in on wearables. The company announced Android Wear on Tuesday, a new version of Android designed specifically for wearable devices.

Although Android Wear will ostensibly extend to all kinds of wearable devices, Google explains on its blog that it’s starting in the area that makes the most sense: the smartwatch.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QrqZl2QIz0c

The idea behind Android Wear is to bring contextual information to the user when it’s most needed. That can mean getting the latest updates from a social app, pumping in instant messages and photos, and showing the fastest route to get to your next appointment.

The first concept for Android Wear, which Google displays in a concept video, has a lot in common with what we’ve seen from both Google Now and Google Glass.

Android Wear is voice-enabled, following the “OK Google” dictation scheme of gathering information. Google also says that Android Wear will hit on the popular health monitor market, allowing for real-time access to data for both users and apps.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xQ3y902DEQ

Of course, as Pebble has proven, a wearable platform is nothing without apps. Google has released a preview version of Android Wear for developers. This will allow existing Android developers to start preparing their existing apps for Android Wear, including customized notifications. The company says additional APIs and resources will be available soon.

Google also announced that it is working with consumer electronic brands such as Asus, HTC, LG, Motorola and Samsung on Android Wear devices, as well as with chip makers such as Broadcom, Qualcomm and Intel — as well as fashion brands like the Fossil Group. Longtime smartwatch fans will recall the Microsoft SPOT powered Fossil smartwatch from the early 2000s.

Android Wear Watch

We expect to hear a lot more about Android Wear at Google I/O later this spring. Source.

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9 Famous Tech Mascots and Their Colorful Backstories

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Sports teams aren’t the only brands with popular mascots.

To amp up visibility and create consumer connections, companies like Bitly and TiVo design fun mascots to get users more invested in their products. A successful campaign can go viral and help propel certain brands to household names. You can’t think of Energizer without picturing its bunny, just like you can’t imagine Geico without the gecko.

Let’s examine nine such mascots and their mysterious origins. [Read more…]

Official ‘Batman: Arkham Knight’ Trailer Reveals Driveable Batmobile

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Batman - Arkham Knight
This is no movie trailer. Despite the narrator’s cinematic voice, the video below is actually for Batman: Arkham Knight, the finale in the Arkham game series.

The trailer teases intense game-play, and most importantly, the newly-designed Batmobile will be driveable for the first time in this franchise. The game will feature an open-world Gotham that is supposedly going to be larger than the world in Batman: Arkham City.
[Read more…]

Netflix’s Drone Delivery Service Will Scare the Crap Out of You

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netflix-drone

Netflix is not about to let Amazon have all the fun when it comes to delivery drones.

To tout its own robotic home delivery technology, Netflix released a video for its “Drone2Home” service, which will find you anytime, anywhere. And we do mean anywhere.

While all the bugs may not have been quite worked out yet, Mashable is looking forward to the day when we can get a DVD copy ofTerminator delivered by an actual killer robot.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucz3JpvDQjk

The parody video from Netflix above lampoons Amazon’s Prime Air program, which was introduced by CEO Jeff Bezos during a 60 Minutes segment.

Amazon is not alone. UPS has recently said it is exploring the viability of drone delivery, as has a flower delivery service in Detroit.

As for Netflix, it’s safe to assume you wont be seeing its drones filling the skies anytime soon. Its DVD segment, while still a lucrative business, is in steady decline as streaming becomes its primary service.

Source

GTA Online: The Business Update Coming Next Week, Tuesday March 4th

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GTA Online: The Business Update

Enjoy the perks of rising through the ranks of your Los Santos and Blaine County business ventures with The Business Update, coming next week on Tuesday March 4th to PSN and Xbox Live. Thrill-seekers and weekend warriors can hop in any of three all-new, blazing fast sports cars: the Albany Alpha, Dinka Jester and Grotti Turismo R… or take to the skies in the new Vestra airplane.

vestra

Swing by Ammu-Nation to pick up two new weapons, the Heavy Pistol and Special Carbine, which both offer some serious firepower.

heavy-pistol

Dress for success with formal and business casual attire options like new suit jackets, slacks, glasses, heels and blouses, or don new all-business hairstyles and currency themed tattoos. There’s also a collection of new masks, perfect for disguising yourself during the next hostile takeover.

Just like the recent Valentine’s Day Massacre Special, the new vehicles and weapons will be available in both Story Mode and Online. In Story Mode, weapons will be deposited into all three characters’ inventory with two full ammo-clips and all three cars are accessible from their garage properties. In GTA Online, you’ll be able to purchase the new weapons and their attachments at any Ammu-Nation location while the vehicles will be available for purchase from L

egendary Motorsport and Elitas.

turismo-r

Don’t forget that this weekend is your last chance to grab the Albany Roosevelt limousine, the Gusenberg Sweeper machine gun and all the rest of the exclusive items from the Valentine’s Day Massacre Special before they’re gone. Once you purchase them in-game, they’re yours to keep – but they will no longer be available to purchase after midnight PST this Sunday, March 2nd.

And stay tuned for details about our upcoming Business Update Event Weekend as well as more info to be revealed on future updates including Online Heists, the Capture Creator update, new Assassination and Flight School missions for Story Mode and much more…

Albany Roosevelt Limousine

This weekend is also your last chance to grab the Albany Roosevelt limousine, the Gusenberg Sweeper machine gun and all the rest of the exclusive items from the ​Valentine’s Day Massacre Special before they’re gone. Once you purchase them in-game, they’re yours to keep – but they will no longer be available to purchase after midnight this Sunday, March 2nd.

 

In 2020 We Can Wear Sony Computers On Our Wrist

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Our present need for internet connectivity is so profound that secondary devices like the Nextep Computer are bound to happen. Developed to be worn as a bracelet, this computer concept is constructed out of a flexible OLED touchscreen. Earmarked for the year 2020, features like a holographic projector (for screen), pull-out extra keyboard panels and social networking compatibility, make the concept plausible. Ten years from now is not too far away, so how many of you think we’d be buying such gadgets?

Designer: Hiromi Kiriki

Sony Wrist Computer Design

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Source

Apple Finally Releases OS X Fix For Terrible Mac Bug

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Macbook Pro

Apple finally released an update to OS X on Tuesday, four days after a security flaw in its systems was pointed out.

The security hole allows hackers on your Wifi network to see and alter messages that you send via iOS or OS X (iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad and Mac). If you want to ensure your privacy is protected, you’ll want to download this software update as soon as possible.

The update “address[es] the recent SSL encryption issue for both Mavericks and Mountain Lion,” Apple spokesperson Ryan James told Forbes.

Apple has released a step-by-step guide to installing the OS X Mavericks v10.9.2 update for your Mac. First, back up your computer. If something were to go wrong, you’ll want to have all of your files. You can back up your computer using Time Machine, an external hard drive or a cloud backup service.

Next, click the little apple icon at the top left of your screen, and then click “Software Update.”

Software Update

Then go ahead and install all available updates for your computer (there may be more than one). Apple recommends that you not interrupt the installation process once you’ve started it.

If you use an iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch, you’ll also want to install a software update on those devices. Here’s how.

Source

Apple also addressed the bug in Apple TVs with firmware update 6.0.2. Supposedly you can apply the update without upgrading to iOS 7.0.6, but in my case the Apple TV would not go out of recovery mode until I applied the firmware update.

Apple TV Recovery Mode

Google Sums Up 2013 In 1 Minute And 30 Seconds. The Result May Surprise You

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Google is on a mission to show you the top world events of 2013. Why? Because a lot of good happened this year.

It’s not too surprising that some highlights this year were celeb-centric (i.e. “the royal baby”) or that others revolve around this year’s tragedies (i.e. “Typhoon Haiyan,” and “Boston Marathon”).

But most of what we see is people overcoming challenges, acts of kindness and a multitude of reasons to celebrate the world we live in.

Of course, no year is perfect, and we should always strive to be better, kinder, nicer. But Google — and our team here at SLee and Topher — wanted to remind you that good always wins the day. [Read more…]