World News: These

Showing posts with label These. Show all posts

Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Bringing it to Beats: can these 'social' headphones compete?

by James Trew | @itstrew | 4 hours ago November 12th 2014 3:31 pm

Music is a social experience. Headphones -- by their very nature -- are not. Except the team behind the Wearhaus Arc you see above never got that memo. If you think these look familiar, that's because I wrote Wearhaus an open letter back in May. I received the press release about the Arc headphones (and its bold idea to unite friends and strangers through proximity music sharing) and thought it sounded like a good idea. In a blue-sky world at least. Ultimately, I was worried it would be limited by one thing -- the buying public's desire (need?) for individuality. But what do I know. Wearhaus broke another convention and hosted (successfully) its own crowdfunding campaign. Those orders are made and ready to ship. Wearhaus then dropped a prototype in my lap to really convince me they weren't messing about, just as the Arc launches on Kickstarter proper. Could these social headphones really be more than just wireless headsets with a party trick? The evidence for that is certainly mounting.

Gallery | 14 PhotosWearhaus Arc social headphones + See all 14

If you missed the Arc first time around, head to my original piece here, or read the technical explanation below from the Kickstarter page:

To accomplish this, we designed a mesh networking protocol on top of standard Bluetooth audio profiles, allowing Arc to relay music wirelessly between multiple units and listen in sync. Now you can easily introduce your friends to the artists you love most, or discover new music through people around you.

As I already discussed, the music sharing part is somewhat idealistic. As with all ideologies, it requires mass adoption for it to work -- which is why I suggested licensing the technology in my first article. Richie Zeng and Nelson Zhang (they duo behind Wearhaus and Arc) have other plans though. They want to see their headphones on as many ears as they can. In a world where that current honor goes to Beats (which are neither the best sounding, the most affordable or have cutting edge technology) then it's at least theoretically possible. If the product is right, and with a little luck.

The prototype model Zeng left with me doesn't have the social features (not least, because you'd need two pairs for that), and lacks some of the final model's details (most notably, music and volume controls), but they are from the final tooling -- that which their home-brew crowdfunding paid for. The general design isn't all that revolutionary, but there are some touches -- like the multi-color LED rim, and the bulbous memory foam earcups -- that definitely make them stand out.

I took the Arc on a recent work trip with me and, without exception, the rainbow LED inspired comment from everyone I showed them too. Some liked it, some were a little less sure, but without doubt it's a talking piece. If you're not a fan, don't worry you can turn it off, or configure it to a hue of your choosing via the app. Personally, I dig it. Flamboyance is the new black (when it comes to headphones), so why not have a rainbow LED I say. As for those chunky earpads? They're very comfortable, even after extended wearing. Mentally, I thought the lack of a well/cup where the driver sits would feel weird, it doesn't. Overall I like how they look and feel, though I am undecided about the non-collapsable design. They feel more sturdy, and will ship with a case, but having them just float about in my hand luggage while on the move wasn't ideal.

As for the sound? Zeng told me they researched the sound profile/EQ curve that proved most popular with buyers and based the Arc on that. This means that there is a moderate boost around the bottom end, but it doesn't feel at all extreme (not even remotely like Beats or SMS Audio). High-fidelity fans still won't approve, but Wearhaus is going firmly after the mass market here. The Arc supports aptX, so the wireless audio is as good as you could ask for with Bluetooth, and there's a 3.5mm jack for those times you'd rather plug in (or when the battery dies). On a recent flight I used the Arc to watch a film that had lots of action sounds (300: Rise of an Empire, it's average, but the perfect test) and it was the most cinematic sounding in-flight movie experience I've ever had (probably not too hard though).

Now that I have spent some time with the prototypes, have I changed my mind about Wearhaus' chances? Yes. Mostly. I still think Zeng and Zhang have a mountainous challenge ahead of them. But, they've shown they can make a solid product, that they have an eye for design (even if you don't personally share it), and *gasp* original ideas. That's not a bad combination at all. The real test, however, is the next few weeks. The Kickstarter has got off to a good start, and the target is modest (the tooling and hard parts are mostly done). Wearhaus now wants to be able to produce in the sort of numbers its social element requires to, you know, kinda make sense. Zeng also tells me he's keen to foster a community behind Arc, and the social aspect. It might sound like marketing talk in any other context, but having seen what's been achieved so far, I believe him. If you do too, you can reserve a pair for $160 (or $180 if you're slow).

Source: Kickstarter

Tags: arc, audio, bluetooth, headphones, wearhaus, wearhaus arc, wireless headphones Hide Comments 0Comments

Monday, June 30, 2014

These wireless bone-conducting headphones let you listen while you listen

BYJames Trew @itstrew1 day ago

Kickstarter, it's a funny old place. A weird soup of real ingenuity and beermat ideas. Headbones might initially sound like it'll fall in the latter camp, but you'd be wrong. Once you know they're bone conducting headphones, the name reveals its clever twist. Yes, you may have seen bone conducting buds before, but Damson audio (who already makes related products) has added a few neat features that make Headbones worth a look. Headbones (we just like saying it now) are Bluetooth enabled, and have a 3.5mm passthrough, so you can add "wireless" to existing buds too, should you so desire.

A built in microphone means Headbones works as a hands-free for your phone, and it's estimated you can natter/listen for 10 hours per charge. Damson hopes the sporty crew will like these, and bendy ear hooks and an IPX5 water resistant rating means that they should. As you can see from the photo, we got to check a prototype in person, so we know they're real (and they work!). The ingenious part? a special soundproofing technology means Headbones can run at higher volume without irritating audio leak -- happy you, happy people around you. We'll say it one last time: Headbones.

0 Comments

Source: Kickstarter

Tags: boneconducting, damson, headbones, headphones, kickstarter Next: What 'Ultra High-Definition' really means .fyre .fyre-comment-divider > span.fyre-comment-reply-wrapper {top: 18px;}.fyre .fyre-comment-divider > a, .fyre .fyre-comment-divider > a:hover {top: 20px;} ✖AboutAbout EngadgetContact usAdvertiseAbout Our AdsCommunityForumsEngadget MetaCommunity guidelinesReviewsProduct reviewsWrite a reviewContributeSend us a tip!Add to our databaseWrite a reviewStart a discussionAsk a questionLive eventsEngadget ExpandEngadget LivePopular topicsMobileHDAltSoftwareAppleFollow EngadgetEngadget AppsMore Apps from Engadget

Subscribe to Engadget Newsletter

Top categoriescellphoneslaptops / portablestabletsheadphonescamerasroutershdtvs / televisionsportable media playersfitness devicese-book readersdigital media playersMobileCellphonesTabletsBluetooth HeadsetsGPSPhotographyCamerasCamera LensesCamcordersDigital Photo FramesGamingConsoles (home)Consoles (portable)Controllers / GamepadsJoysticks / Flight / RacingComputersLaptops/PortablesDesktopsOperating SystemsPeripheralsKeyboardsMiceMonitorsComputer SpeakersHeadsetsPrintersScannersPen TabletsUSB / Firewire HubsWebcamsPersonal TechHeadphonesPortable Media PlayersE-book ReadersFitnessMiscellaneous DevicesNetworkingRoutersSwitches / HubsStorageExternal Hard DrivesFlash DrivesMemory CardsNetwork StorageRAID / Drive ArraysHome TheaterHDTVs / TelevisionsSpeaker DocksDigital Media PlayersRemotes / ControllersA/V ReceiversDVRsSpeakersVideo Disc Players Engadget International EditionsEspañol繁體中文简体中文日本版DeutschlandAOL Tech.

#close-ad{ display: none; } @media only screen and (max-width: 768px) {#mobileaddiv {width: 100%;position: fixed;bottom:-4px;z-index: 1000; overflow-y: visible; padding:0;margin:0} #close-ad { display: none; position: fixed; bottom: 45px; right: 5px; z-index: 2000; background: #000; padding: 0px 5px 0; border: 2px solid #fff; border-radius: 50% 50%; } #close-ad a{ color: #fff; font-size: 12px; }}

View the Original article

Sunday, June 15, 2014

These are the headlines of an Xbox at E3, 2014

Of course you can spend the rest of your days play Titanfall online, but what if you don't want that your Xbox a something else to the play type? Microsoft E3 message was clear: games, games, and much more. We're at the booth of the company this week to find out, what you play this fall, and like driving games or India, shoot, be ready for the title of the first part. How does Redmond stack upward on the plan by Sony for the PlayStation? We can judge you.

LEGENDS OF THE FABLE

View the Original article

Saturday, June 14, 2014

These are the biggest Xbox One games at E3 2014

BYTimothy J. Seppala @timseppala21 hours ago

Sure, you could spend the rest of your days playing Titanfall online, but what if you'd like to give your Xbox One something a little different to play? Microsoft's message for this E3 was clear: games, games and more games. We took to the company's booth this week to find out what you'd be playing this fall, and whether you like shooters, driving games or indies, you should be all set for first-party titles. How does Redmond stack up to Sony's plan for the PlayStation? We'll let you be the judge.

FABLE LEGENDS

For a lot of people, the Fable franchise has been heartbreaking from the word "go." The series' promise of ultimate freedom was never truly fulfilled and even the series' creator, Peter Molyneux, has said the last was a "train wreck." If the past three entries left you wanting, Fable: Legends might not change that. Instead of going for the series-typical action-RPG, Legends looks more like a shallow co-op romp than a lengthy single-player game where your actions determine your appearance (doing good deeds caused a halo to form around your head, for example). Three players work to take down waves of enemies and gather loot; even if you play solo, you'll have comrades fighting alongside -- they'll just be AI-controlled. Where it gets unique, however, is when a fourth person plays as the villain. From there, you're taking almost a tower-defense-style look at each match, and directing enemies toward the advancing heroes.

I thought this aspect was fun, but couldn't help but pine for a traditional Fable game where I could kick chickens, have a wife (or husband) in every city and collect a trail of flies. A beta for the title launches this fall, and a full release is planned for next year.

SUNSET OVERDRIVE

Sunset Overdrive is absolute mayhem. Developer Insomniac Games' latest takes everything it's known for (colorful action, ingenious weapon systems and pure irreverence) and poured it into a game where you can fire explosive propane tanks at glowing orange monstrosities whilst grinding around on power lines and defending a vat of the energy drink from the monsters it created. In the multiplayer match I joined, there were countless explosions, particle effects and monsters on screen at the same time, and the game never once stopped being silky smooth as I bounced off of trampolines and onto roofs so I could rain hell from above with a freeze ray -- even with seven other players. Granted, this was a very controlled setup in Microsoft's E3 booth, so anything could happen when it launches this fall. While I'm confident that multiplayer should be a blast, I'm curious as to how the experience translates to a solo campaign. Insomniac knows how to tell a story though (just look at Resistance 3, for example), so I'm not too worried.

FORZA HORIZON 2

Not everyone wants to spend more time virtually tuning an absurdly expensive car's engine than they do actually, you know, racing it. Forza Horizon 2 doesn't force that, much like its predecessor didn't. For better or for worse, Horizon 2 doesn't immediately feel all that different from the first Horizon. I drove my bright red Corvette Stingray through the desert, carving out corners on cliffside roads, shunting anyone who came too close, while electronic dance music beats thumped in my headphones. Looking back, however, at least one aspect of my race stood out: I was encouraged to drive off-road. It sounds minor, yes, but seeing the suggested racing line (and my opponents) lead into tall grass changed the pacing of the competition a bit. We were all in low-slung, high-powered automobiles designed for racetracks -- this forced us to slow down, and gave me a chance to overtake those who decelerated too much. And when I crossed the finish line in eighth place? A few fighter jets scrambled overhead, leaving multicolored contrails in their wake. It seemed a bit familiar, yes, but I was okay with it and I can't wait to get behind the wheel this autumn.

ORI AND THE BLIND FOREST

Ori and the Blind Forest is one of the bigger pushes for Microsoft's indie-game initiative, and it's gorgeous. During my brief demo, I guided a charming, little white creature around a beautiful setting, hopping from platform to platform and launching fire attacks at pink and pulsing enemies. The PR reps on hand told me that all of the backgrounds are procedurally generated, meaning an algorithm assembles them, so if you go back through the same area three different times, you'll see three different backdrops. Given that this game plays in the style of a classic Metroid or Castlevania where earning new abilities opens hidden areas in previously traveled areas, you'll probably see the same scene more than once when the game launches this fall.

HALO: THE MASTER CHIEF COLLECTION

You didn't think we'd keep Halo out of this, did you? Halo: The Master Chief Collection (MCC) packs four games onto one disc, some 100 multiplayer maps, a totally remastered Halo 2 and a whole lot more all into one $60 package this fall. Halo 2's overhauled graphics don't measure up to other recent shooters, but pressing the Xbox One controller's "view" button brings the original 2004 graphics back, and you can see just how different the two games look. Better shadows, more detailed textures and, well, a lot more drama, come to light with the new visuals. Developer 343 Industries is remastering the audio, too if you're into that sort of thing. Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, Halo 3 and Halo 4 aren't getting revamped, but that's because they already looked pretty great running on the Xbox 360. I was told, however, that some post-processing effects have been added so they look a touch better. What's more, the MCC is how you'll access the Halo 5: Guardians beta this December, and Ridley Scott's Halo: Nightfall live-action series after the collection's November 11th release.

[Image credits: Microsoft]

0 Comments

Tags: e32014, gaming, hd, hdpostcross, microsoft, xbox, XboxOne Next: LinkedIn to face lawsuit for sending repeat invitations to your contacts Microsoft Xbox One

Microsoft Xbox One Standard Day One Edition without Kinect Buy from $499 Key specs Reviews • 49 Prices Discussions Game format Optical disc, Downloadable Online features Multiplayer, Voice chat, Video chat, Store, Browser Drive capacity 500 GB Controller type Wired, Wireless Motion controls Camera / optical Video outputs HDMI Released 2013-11-22 see all specs → 8.1average user rating Game library 6.8 Graphics 8.7 Controller(s) 9 Design and form factor 7.7 Other features (media, online, etc.) 8.6 Noise 8.8

Get better reviews from people who actually have this product!

write a reviewsee all reviews →

Displaying prices for model: Standard-Black

$499.00 + tax & shipping Buy now

$499.99 + tax & shipping Buy now

$499.99 + tax & shipping Buy now Microsoft Store $499.99 + tax & shipping Buy now 8

Playstation 4 or Xbox One 13

E3 reveals? 4

Are raw console specs important to you? (PS4 vs. Xbox One)

Talk about the Microsoft Xbox One with other people who own it too!

start a discussion see all discussions → .fyre .fyre-comment-divider > span.fyre-comment-reply-wrapper {top: 18px;}.fyre .fyre-comment-divider > a, .fyre .fyre-comment-divider > a:hover {top: 20px;} ✖AboutAbout EngadgetContact usAdvertiseAbout Our AdsCommunityForumsEngadget MetaCommunity guidelinesReviewsProduct reviewsWrite a reviewContributeSend us a tip!Add to our databaseWrite a reviewStart a discussionAsk a questionLive eventsEngadget ExpandEngadget LivePopular topicsMobileHDAltSoftwareAppleFollow EngadgetEngadget AppsMore Apps from Engadget

Subscribe to Engadget Newsletter

Tuesday, May 13, 2014

These tetraplegic drivers a Corvette is a pilot with only his head

When the Indy Racing League Sam Schmidt driver crashed in 2000 and was quadriplegic, many speculated that his driving days were over. However, the technology is to give him on the way. Arrow Electronics developed draft updated semi-autonomous motor car (SAM) 2014 tilting Corvette Stingray driving Schmidt with only head. An array of infrared sensors translated his movements of the head in the direction of the commands that had him walking around with ease. The only control that is to touch a pressure sensor in the mouth to the braking. GPS inform also Schmidt out of the danger zone by their virtual fences Autour of the walls of the track to move the car back on track.

SAM is not the era of the race for hands free at least not inaugurate still. Schmidt will not be competing against other vehicles and he have a co-pilot and a pit-crew, which can assist in an emergency. You will however see the technology in action very soon: Schmidt leads four rounds with Stingray at the Indy 500 on May 25. It is also a part of a larger plan. Arrow, hopes eventually to its equipment in the two regular cars, as well as industrial and military vehicles, rollers, so that it may be not long before many with limited use of her body on the road to go. 0 comments to share

Via: Gizmodo, CNET

Source: Arrow

Tags: Arrow, Arrowelectronics, c7, car, Corvette, head, indianapolis500, indy500, quadriplegic, racing games, sat, semi autonomous, stingray, after transport: electronic artists transform 600 phones in a Symphony of light and sound .fyre .fyre-comment-divider

View the Original article