In a new project with National Geographic, Barack Obama becomes the first sitting U.S. president to project himself into virtual reality — in this case, a 360-degree representation of Yosemite National Park. Obama narrates the 11-minute VR video. It’s one part paean to the wonders of America’s national parks and one part warning of the […]
A Virtual-Reality Olympics? It’s OK, But TV is Still King
If you want to glimpse the future of sports broadcasting, you can check out the Rio Olympics in virtual reality. But if you really want to immerse yourself in the competition, just turn on the TV. NBC, BBC and other Olympic networks around the world are offering the opening and closing ceremonies and selected events […]
Olympic Video and VR: Guide to Watching Without a TV
No TV? No problem! NBC is making 4,500 hours of Olympics coverage available at NBCOlympics.com and the NBC Sports app, starting with preliminary soccer events on Wednesday, two days before Friday’s formal start of the Olympics. The online coverage includes every single event live, as NBC continues a practice begun with the London Olympics in 2012 under […]
Shooting 360 Videos: Ditch All You Learned With a Camera
As cameras that shoot 360-degree photos and videos become affordable, curious users will face a new challenge: Figuring out how to take meaningful and compelling shots in what’s effectively a new medium. With 360, it’s tough to stay out of the shot, as there’s no hiding behind the lens. And old video habits — like […]
Opportunities and Hurdles with Google’s Daydream VR Vision
Upcoming virtual-reality headsets based on Google’s new Daydream VR system won’t be as sophisticated as Facebook’s Oculus Rift. But they could give more people a taste of VR and make better games and applications affordable. On Wednesday, Google said it will develop a range of VR headsets that promise to be more comfortable and durable than […]
Review: Under Armour’s Fitness Gadgets Need To Shape Up
You may know Under Armour mostly for its heavily marketed line of athletic sportswear. But the company has bigger ambitions: It’s jumping into the crowded market for wearable gadgets that aim to help both athletes and couch potatoes track their fitness. Its $400 package, called the UA HealthBox, comes out this Friday. Made in partnership with […]
Why Aren’t Smart TVs Very Clever?
VW Exec Predicts US Fixes for Emissions Test Cheating
The latest developments surrounding the consumer-electronics show in Las Vegas known as CES (all times local): 10:15 p.m. Volkswagen’s old Microbus is getting a major update and could be in a garage near you in around three years. The company unveiled a futuristic battery-powered concept of the bus at the CES gadget show on Tuesday […]
The Latest on Gadgets: AT&T Names Future Smart Cities
LAS VEGAS (AP) — The latest developments surrounding the consumer-electronics show in Las Vegas known as CES (all times local): Chicago, Dallas and Atlanta have been chosen as the first cities where AT&T’s will showcase the potential use of sensors and other Internet-connected technologies to improve municipal services. Under this “smart cities” concept, maintenance crews […]
T-Mobile Exempts Streaming Video From Some Data Caps
Streaming video from Netflix, HBO and other leading services will no longer count toward data limits under T-Mobile’s higher data plans. T-Mobile already exempts many streaming music services from data limits, but audio doesn’t use as much data as video. Video is among the leading uses of data on phones. A few hours of video […]