HTC realizes most people don't have a VR-ready PC

Source: https://www.engadget.com/2017/04/18/htc-vive-bundles/

HTC is making it easier for you to buy a Vive. The company just rolled out three new bundles for the virtual reality headset that include PCs and graphics cards for the first time. If you already have a decent rig but need a new graphics card, you can now get the Vive and the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 Founders Edition for $999.99. That's $200 cheaper than the suggested retail price, HTC says. You can also finance the bundle for as low as $49 per month for 24 months (estimated shipping plus tax), but these are temporary offers that run through April 24th.

The second bundle is a Vive and a MSI VR Ready laptop for $125 per month. The laptop includes an Intel i7 Quad-Core processor, a GTX 1060 6GB GDDR5 graphics card, 16GB DDR4 RAM and a 256GB solid state hard drive.

And, lastly, HTC is offering a desktop bundle, pairing the Vive with the Cyberpower GXi970 for "less than" $99 per month, but the exact cost isn't listed just yet. Its specs include an Intel i5 Quad-Core processor, an Intel B250 Chipset, 8GB DDR4 RAM, a 2TB hard drive and a GTX 1070 8GB video card.

HTC's Vive Financing Program currently has three options: zero percent financing for six months and 12 months, or 7.99 percent financing for 24 months. It's likely offering the same options for the new bundles, but the details aren't all available on HTC's site yet. Obviously, the less time you take to pay something off the better. The 24-month option won't really save you any money in the long run. These bundles probably aren't the most cost-effective options out there -- an ambitious person could likely build their own rig for less. But, they could be a convenient option for less hardware savvy people looking for an easy way into the world of VR.

Source: HTC

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Panasonic's latest super-zoom camera also shoots selfies

Source: https://www.engadget.com/2017/04/18/panasonics-latest-super-zoom-camera-is-also-built-for-selfies/

Point-and-shoot cameras have had a bad rep lately, since they're neither as convenient as a smartphone nor as powerful as a mirrorless cam or DSLR. However, there are a few areas where they still excel: they can include ridiculously long-zoom lenses in small bodies, and take selfies that would be difficult or impossible to manage on your phone. And Panasonic, at least, is determined to make the most of those advantages. The company has just introduced the Lumix ZS70, a successor to the ZS60 that crams more into its compact frame. It now has a 20.3-megapixel sensor (up from 18MP), an even longer-ranged 24-720mm equivalent lens, and -- most importantly -- a flip-out 3-inch touchscreen. If you've ever wanted to take a high-quality selfie (including a new 4K mode) without sacrificing your ability to shoot far-off subjects, you might want to consider this model.

Otherwise, you're looking at some fairly familiar hardware... not that this is entirely a bad thing. It can still shoot 4K video at 30 frames per second, and take 8MP photos at a similar speed. You'll also find RAW capture, a very fast autofocus that promises a lock-on in about 0.1 seconds, and a slew of modern camera tricks such as after-shot focus selection, a beauty mode and creative filters. WiFi helps you share photos to your phone for those all-important Instagram posts.

As is often the case with super-zoom cameras, you'll be paying a fair amount. Panasonic will ask $450 when the ZS70 arrives at the end of May. That's competitive for the class, but consider this: Canon's upcoming PowerShot SX730 HS will offer a similarly sharp sensor, 40x zoom and a swiveling LCD for $50 less. And if you're more interested in image quality than distance, you could spring for either the PowerShot G9 X Mark II or an older camera like Sony's original RX100. You might be happy with the ZS70 -- just know that it's not the only game in town.

Source: Panasonic

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'Minecraft' adds a shop for mobile add-ons

Source: https://www.engadget.com/2017/04/10/minecraft-marketplace-on-mobile/

For many, the biggest limitation of Minecraft's Pocket and Windows 10 Editions has been the lack of community material. What good is playing on your phone if you can't try out that sweet new texture pack you saw on your PC? You're about to get that option. Microsoft and Mojang are launching a Marketplace that lets both Pocket and Windows 10 gamers download content from community creators, including skins, textures and whole worlds. You don't buy any paid content directly -- instead, you buy "Minecraft Coins" that let you snap up the add-ons you want. It's ostensibly to help producers set "flexible prices," although it also helps mask the value of what you're buying. You might not want to let kids have unfettered access, in other words.

The Marketplace only permits creators with registered businesses, so it's not going to take your just-for-fun project. However, those that do get in receive a 70 percent cut of the revenue, much like typical mobile app stores. A successful merchant stands to make a healthy amount of money, even if it's not as much as they might make by selling directly.

Access to the Marketplace will be limited at first. A public Android beta is launching in mid-April, and there won't even be any creator content -- that has to wait until a formal launch later in the spring. Still, this should do something to bridge the gap between your Minecraft experiences on computers and mobile devices.

Source: Minecraft

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Want an action camera that's also a watch?

Source: https://www.engadget.com/2017/03/01/want-an-action-camera-that-s-also-a-watch/

Back in the days of Google Glass, people balked at the idea that people could, or should, walk around with a camera on their face. Spacemap wants to see if there's similar hostility to those folks who are effectively carrying an action camera on their wrist. Beoncam is a removable five-megapixel hemispheric camera that you can wear like a watch, pulling it out for those moments when a smartphone snap would be too slow.

In order to justify its placement on the edge of your forearm, the Beoncam also tells the time thanks to a digital display located below the camera lens. Otherwise, the chunky disc houses a microphone and lens inside a casing with three buttons. In addition to the wrist strap, the device is designed to be quickly hitched onto other things, like bike handlebars, a camera tripod or your backpack.

According to the company, the camera's 400mAh battery will sit on standby for up to four days before you need to recharge. Once in use, however, it'll tire out within three hours before you need to recharge it with a microUSB cable. You can also set the device up as a wireless hotspot, enabling you to preview your footage via a companion app for iOS and Android devices.

Like so many outlandish products with dubious use cases, Beoncam is launching today on Indiegogo in a hunt for your cash. Early birds can snag one of the units for $119, while everyone else will have to spend $149. Delivery is currently scheduled for July 2017, although it's worth remembering that deadlines can, and often do, slide well into the future.

Source: Indiegogo

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Lenovo's latest Yoga 2-in-1 packs uncommonly fast graphics

Source: https://www.engadget.com/2017/02/27/lenovo-yoga-720-and-flex-5/

With most 2-in-1 laptops, you're giving up any hope of running games or other graphics-intensive apps -- if there are dedicated graphics at all, they're usually too slow for more than the basics. Lenovo thinks it can do better. It's unveiling the Yoga 720, and its 15-inch variant is supposedly the most powerful convertible in its class. Max it out and you can get a 4K display, a 7th-generation Core i7 processor and (most importantly) GeForce GTX 1050 graphics. It's still not a powerhouse, but it's uncommonly gaming-friendly for a PC that can double as a tablet.

The system also touts Thunderbolt 3, up to 16GB of RAM, a 1TB hard drive (or 512GB SSD), a 9-hour peak battery life (8 hours with 4K) and the option of an active stylus. And if that's overkill, there's a smaller 13-inch version with integrated graphics, SSD-only storage and an 8-hour battery. Both models are due in April, starting at $860 for the 13-inch system (with a 1080p screen) and $1,100 for the brawnier 15-inch rig.

Lenovo is also introducing a middle child of sorts. The Flex 5 (Yoga 520 outside the US) splits the size difference at 14 inches, and can ship with GeForce 940MX graphics if you need a little more visual prowess than Intel's built-in solution. You're stuck with a 1080p screen, but this is the longevity champ of the three with a 10-hour battery pack. It's the more affordable of the bunch, too, starting at $800 when it ships in May.

Click here to catch up on the latest news from MWC 2017.

Source: Lenovo

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