News
Microsoft HoloLens VR headset starts shipping today
Microsoft kicked off its HoloLens virtual-reality project into high gear with the announcement that HoloLens dev kits will start shipping to developers today with a price tag of $US3,000 (Php138,000).
They’re releasing it, along with all the tools needed to help developers incorporate everything HoloLens has to offer, including hand-and-eye gestures — two features other consumer VR headsets are currently lacking.
One of the first apps HoloLens has on offer, unsurprisingly, comes from Microsoft and is called Galaxy Explorer.
With it, you can experience the vastness and emptiness of space within your own living room. The app itself is unspectacular (VR already has a version of it called Titans of Space, sans the interaction), but the great thing about it is that Microsoft has made the Galaxy Explorer code available online via GitHub, a collaboration website.
As a developer myself, having access to a project’s source code is priceless, especially when it comes to emerging trends like VR.
Thinking about the possibilities of interactive virtual reality is enough to make most tech enthusiasts giddy. It’s the stuff of sci-fi movies, after all.
[irp posts=”8643″ name=”Microsoft is bringing the feature we’ve always wanted to Windows”]
In the case of Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, HoloLens will be a huge help to medical students under the university’s holographic anatomy program. At the very least, dissecting cadavers to gain insights into the human anatomy should be the last of their worries.
NASA has also developed a HoloLens app that will allow the public (yes, the public) to take a virtual walk on Mars’ surface alongside former U.S. astronaut and space hero Buzz Aldrin. The program will be made available sometime in the summer of 2016 at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida.
Judging from some of Microsoft’s keynote videos shown at the Build 2016 developer conference, it seems Microsoft’s immediate focus is to create enterprise opportunities for HoloLens by showing car makers and home-improvement chains and the like the possible applications of the technology in the business world.
In a few years, virtual reality and holograms will become a huge part of human work — from designing and building cars (and parts) to prepping for surgeries. And Microsoft’s HoloLens may be a huge leap forward towards that future.

To me, the end goal for VR should be similar to Tony Stark’s use in Iron Man 2
News
vivo introduces refurbished versions of X300 FE, X300 Ultra for less
vivo offers consumers more affordable way of owning smartphones
vivo is offering its market an affordable way to own its smartphones without necessarily purchasing a brand-new unit: vivo refurbished phones.
Unlike ordinary second-hand phones, the refurbished vivo units are brand-managed devices that undergo inspection, cleaning, and necessary repairs by vivo customer service professionals.
After undergoing such a process, the phones are then made available for resale. This gives consumers a more accessible way to own a vivo smartphone — with added assurance of professional quality checks and warranty support.
@vivo_philippines vivo Refurbished Phones are NOW AVAILABLE! Get high-end flagship smartphones at a lower price and watch to learn what makes it different from second-hand devices. Meet the star of our refurbished lineup, the vivo X300 Ultra! https://bit.ly/vivoX300Ultra_refurbished More units COMING SOON! #vivo #vivoX300Ultra #fyp #foryoupage #viral
vivo says the refurbished units include those previously used by KOLs or ambassadors, as well as store display and demo units. They will be divided into two main types: Pre-owned (LDU) and Near New.
Once these devices are returned, they are handled by vivo customer service professionals and undergo the necessary inspection, cleaning, and repair processes before being relisted for sale.
This gives consumers another option when looking for a vivo smartphone that fits their budget. Refurbished units can make selected vivo devices more accessible.
Furthermore, the units will still come with a standard one-year warranty, with the warranty start date determined according to the unit’s classification and available proof of purchase.
To purchase a refurbished vivo phone, consumers can visit the vivo official website. Currently available are the vivo X300 FE and vivo X300 Ultra.
As of now, we’re still around 12 hours ahead of the most anticipated event of the month, the launch of the iPhone 18 series. Besides the ubiquitous flagship lineup, the event is also heavily rumored to reveal the upcoming foldable iPhone Ultra. Well, while Apple has been secretive about the device itself, Dbrand has just spoiled the surprise for fans.
The often-sarcastic casemaker has just released a series of phone cases for the iPhone Ultra. The series doesn’t stray at all from Dbrand’s usual slew of designs. You’ll still get the traditional Teardown skins (which offers a peek into the iPhone’s internals) and the Leather skins (with real leather).
The main point here, of course, is that it’s already available ahead of the scheduled launch. As for looks, the cases confirm that the foldable will have the passport-style format popularized by the Galaxy Z Fold8. The device will also have a slightly elevated camera bump and two buttons on top of the bump.
Other than that, there’s still a lot to be revealed in the upcoming event. There are high hopes that the iPhone Ultra will fix the persistent pain points of the foldable segment. Unfortunately, it will likely come with a pretty exorbitant price tag, making it a much harder buy for regular iPhone users.
For a lot of people (me included), the Sony WH-1000XM4 was the first taste of what Bluetooth headphones could be. It was the first time I desperately wanted a new pair of headphones. It took me until the current XM6 to get a pair, but I can’t forget what came before. And, apparently, neither can Sony.
Today, Sony is resurrecting the WH-1000XM4 with the refreshed WH-1000XM4C. Straying from the lineup’s usual releases, the WH-1000XM4C is the second generation of the universally acclaimed headphones, while the XM6 is still the current flagship model.
It’s not just a simple rerelease, too. Though it still rocks the QN1-based active noise cancellation, the new pair tweaks the sound profile to more closely match the modern standard. It also comes with 10-band and gaming-specific equalizer presets. It will have a slightly smaller battery but with better fast charging to juice up quickly.
The new WH-1000XM4C will be available in Lavender, Black, and Platinum Silver. It will also cost US$ 299.99 — 50 bucks cheaper than the first generation.
Besides the refreshed flagship, Sony is also launching the WH-CH730N, a midrange pair built for commuters, and the WH-CH530, an entry-level pair with more colorful colorway options.
The WH-CH730N will come in White, Pink, Blue, Black, and Oat. It sells for US$ 179.99.
Meanwhile, the WH-CH530 come in Black, Cobalt, Coral, Mint, White, and Pink. It sells for US$ 69.99.
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