Smartphones News

News: The Best Black Friday 2017 Deals on Portable Chargers for Your Smartphone

With the holidays fast approaching, our smartphones are more important than ever — keeping in constant contact with family, organizing trips and gatherings, and online shopping is only a taste of what we put our smartphones through. All of that means a big strain on your smartphone's battery. That's why portable chargers are so necessary, and what better time to pick one up than on Black Friday.

News: The Best Black Friday 2017 Deals for Smartphone Cases

It's the holidays. That means new smartphones, and new smartphones mean new cases. Whether it's the Galaxy S8, the iPhone X, or the Note 8, your new phone deserves to be protected. Of course, good cases can get pricey fast. That's what Black Friday is for, of course.

News: The Best Black Friday 2017 Deals on Headphones for Your Smartphone

Our smartphones have outlived the Walkman, iPod, and even stereo systems, to some degree. So it makes sense to treat your iPhone or Android device to a quality pair of headphones, whether you're a hardcore audiophile or just an everyday music lover. This doesn't come cheap, of course, so why not buy them on Black Friday?

News: To Win This Obscure Star Trek Game on the HoloLens, Players Need to Control Their Stress Levels

When playing word association with Star Trek, the first thing to come to mind with regards to augmented reality is likely Holodeck, not The Game, an obscure episode from season five of Star Trek: The Next Generation.

News: The Best Black Friday 2017 Deals on Android Phones

There are a lot of Android phones out there, and chances are that someone in your life is looking for one this holiday season. Well, there also happens to be a lot of Black Friday deals on Android phones this year. So we've rounded up the best deals taking place on Black Friday weekend to help you save big.

News: Apple Tests Retail Waters for AR Hardware with MekaMon Gaming Robot

As it turns out, Apple did get AR hardware into its retail stores for the 2017 holiday shopping season, but it's not the headset we've been hearing rumors about for years; it's the MekaMon battle-bot.

News: Virtual Faucets Pour Water & Light Fixtures Shine in ARKit Update of Build.com App

Thanks to ARKit, homeowners and apartment dwellers can visualize just about every aspect of their abodes, from furniture and decor with the IKEA Place, Houzz, and Amazon apps to new countertops with Cambria's app and retractable awnings via Markilux.

News: After Meta Lawsuit Settlement, Dreamworld to Open Pre-Orders for AR Headset

Now that it has buried the legal hatchet with Meta Company, augmented reality startup Dreamworld has announced plans to open up pre-orders for its Dream Glass AR headset.

News: MAC Cosmetics Stores Get AR Makeover with Virtual Try-on Mirrors

While AR apps by Modiface and Perfect Corp. have made it easier for people to shop for makeup without setting foot in a store, MAC Cosmetics wants to give its brick-and-mortar customers the same experience.

News: The Best Black Friday 2017 Speaker Deals for Your Smartphone

Speakers today are a marvel for their portability and sound quality. No longer do we need giant boxes to bring down the house — a speaker that can fit in your hand can fill a room with your favorite music. This is even more important when you pair it with your smartphone, and there are lots of smartphone-friendly speakers on sale this Black Friday.

News: Hotstepper Dances Alongside You in Augmented Reality as You Walk to the Next Party

Sure, Blippar was first to market with an AR navigation app for iPhones (and iPads) compatible with ARKit, but does it know how to party? Hotstepper does.

News: The Best Black Friday 2017 Deals for iPhones

There's a good chance that an iPhone is on one of your Christmas shopping lists, but these things are uber-expensive now, making it hard to justify as a holiday gift — even for yourself. That's what Black Friday is for, though, which can help you save a little bit of cash on an iPhone purchase — or at least, give you something in return to help you get even more holiday presents.

News: Apple Working on Rear-Facing AR Sensor for 2019 iPhone, Report Says

Apple CEO Tim Cook told us that augmented reality would change everything, and now we have a better idea of exactly what he meant.

News: Hitman Sniper Topped Our Chart for the Best Paid Shooting Game — Get It Free on Android Right Now

Hitman Sniper topped our roundup for the best premium shooting games, and it's easy to see why. Straightforward yet intense story. Awesome visuals. Stealthy action. Strategic gameplay. Hitman Sniper is easily the best sniper game available for your smartphone, and it's currently free on Android for a limited time, as well as discounted for iPhone.

News: Old Meets New as Mobile Classic Snake Slithers into AR

If you bought your first mobile phone in the early-to-mid-2000s, there's a good chance that it was a Nokia and it had the game Snake preinstalled.

News: Snapchat Sponsored Lenses Are Now More Helpful to Advertisers Through Context Cards

Snapchat's popular AR lenses just got a lot more useful for businesses, as the company has now opened its Context Cards platform to sponsored content.

News: 'The Book of Alien' Print Book Uses AR to Teach You How to Survive Xenomorphs & Facehuggers on Earth

The latest installment in the Alien movie franchise, Alien: Covenant, came out many months ago, and the fan day dedicated to the franchise, Alien Day, April 26, is long past. But for many Alien fans, Alien Day is every day. For those loyal members of the xenomorph-worshipping tribe, a new augmented reality-powered book has arrived to serve their science fiction needs until the next film is released.

News: We've Found the Best Black Friday 2017 Deals on Phones & Accessories So You Don't Have To

Black Friday is fast approaching, and just like every other day-after-Thanksgiving, there will be too many tech deals you won't want to pass up. If you've been saving up all year just for this sometimes-chaotic shopping holiday, we'll help you figure out the best tech sales to take advantage of and when, whether it's Black Thursday, Black Friday, or Black Friday weekend.

Market Reality: Apple Presents Bright Future for AR, While Snap Shows Reality of Glum Present

We may have to wait a few years before they arrive, but reports of Apple's headset taking shape in Cupertino gives the tech world hope that its white knight for consumer AR is on its way.

News: Taylor Swift Invites You to Dance to Her Music in Augmented Reality

Facebook's camera platform is the augmented reality vehicle of choice to promote the latest musical effort from Taylor Swift. T-Swift's new album, Reputation, dropped today. To get her fans psyched, an AR effect electrifies the user with virtual lightning, while a snippet from one of her songs plays in the background. Previously, Lady Gaga opted for a Facebook filter to promote her Netflix documentary, Gaga: Five Foot Two, which premiered Sept. 22. (Personally, I'm more excited about the new ...

News: This Theater Group Is Taking Entire Audiences into Mixed Reality with Networked HoloLens Headsets

Live theater doesn't typically benefit from the kind of computer-generated special effects that big-budget Hollywood blockbusters deploy, but that could change soon thanks to Microsoft's HoloLens.

Apple AR: Tayasui Blocks Gives iPhones & iPads a Knock-Off Lego AR Experience

If building with Lego blocks in AR appeals to you, rest assured that an app is on the way for iPhones, iPads, and Android devices.

News: With Amazing Visuals & Storyline, Monument Valley 2 Is the Followup Fans Have Been Waiting For

Now that it's been officially released for Android, Monument Valley 2 shot to the top of our best paid puzzle games list, and rightly so. This was no easy feat, as the games we covered ran the gamut of puzzles and all had stellar reviews. But there's just something about Monument Valley 2 that made it stand out from the rest.

Apple AR: Star Wars Holograms Are Now a Real Thing on iPhone X via Clips App

Augmented reality is making many of our childhood dreams from Star Wars come true. A week after Lenovo gave us the ability to actually play Holochess, Apple has now made it possible to take live video of ourselves and layer on a (non-3D) hologram-like effect, closely resembling the famous Star Wars hologram scene featuring Princess Leia decades ago.

Apple AR: Making Art in Augmented Reality Is Easy with These iPhone Apps

If you've ever wanted to be a graffiti artist, but you also frown upon vandalism, then augmented reality is for you.

News: Sketchfab Fires Back at Google Poly with ARCore Update to Mobile App

Just days after the launch of Google Poly, the marketplace for 3D virtual objects that developers can use for augmented and virtual reality apps, SketchFab, the current leader in the space, is firing back with a major enhancement to its platform.

Razer Phone vs. iPhone X: Comparing the Phones with the Best Specs on Each Platform

This year, two new OEMs are trying to enter the crowded smartphone space. The first was Essential, and now Razer has entered the market with the Razer Phone. Utilizing the team they acquired from Nextbit in January, Razer has created a powerhouse of a device designed for gamers. Coincidentally, Razer announced their new device a day before Apple's biggest revision to the iPhone was released.

News: Niantic & Warner Bros. Bringing Every Harry Potter Fan's Dream to Life with AR Game Based on Franchise

Ever since the planet went crazy trying to find augmented reality creatures in Pokémon GO, we've been waiting for the next virtual object game capable of delivering a similar hit. And now, we might finally have one coming, direct from the magical world of Harry Potter.

News: China's Tencent Strengthens Bet on Snapchat & AR Through Major Purchase of Snap Inc. Stock

While Snap's third quarter financial reports disappointed Wall Street, China's Tencent took the opportunity to expand its investment in the social media company.

Apple AR: iPhone X User Harnesses Apple's TrueDepth Camera to Give Himself a Real-Time Baby Mask

Since the very first moment I saw the iPhone X track a human face and display the results in real-time on an Animoji character, I've been waiting for the first great hack of this new iPhone feature.

Apple AR: Apple Smartglasses in Progress, Ready for the Public by 2020, Report Says

Like gas on an open flame, rumors and whispers have flared up in recent months around hopes of augmented reality smartglasses from Apple. But among all the false leads and unsubstantiated chatter, we finally have a credible report that some sort of Apple AR smartglasses are actually in development.

Apple AR: Warby Parker Uses Face ID in iPhone X to Measure Your Face for Glasses

Online glasses retailer Warby Parker built its reputation by selling fashionable yet affordable eyeglasses, so it perhaps a surprise that it's one of the first developers to take advantage of the technology in the least affordable iPhone yet.

Opinion: Snap Inc.'s Massive Loss on Spectacles May Hint at Trouble for the Future of Mainstream AR Smartglasses

The would-be role of Snap Inc. as the first step toward mainstreaming wearable tech in the form of glasses has stalled, and now we have proof. In the company's third quarter financial results report, released on Tuesday, Snap Inc. revealed that it will lose nearly $40 million due to unsold Spectacles, the camera glasses first sold at kiosks throughout the US.

Apple AR: Blippar Charts New Territory with Launch of First AR Navigation App for iPhones & iPads

Mobile AR developer Blippar has achieved a breakthrough by releasing what appears to be the first commercially-available AR navigation app.

News: This New AR App Is Like Minecraft for Drone Pilots

If DroneBase's new AR platform inspires even half the creativity among its users as Minecraft did with its community, then drone pilots are about to enjoy acres of blocky worlds to explore among the clouds.

News: Google Maps Update Will Help You Skip the Wait at Popular Restaurants

Trendy restaurants are fun, but waiting in line isn't. Too often, we arrive at a location to find a queue between us and our dinner. If only we could know when wait times were down so we could go out at the optimal time.

News: DAQRI Begins Shipping Its Ruggedized, Yet Portable AR Smartglasses Worldwide

In case you didn't already know, augmented reality is here. It's no longer just an idea in a cyberpunk novel. And while augmented reality has been around for a long time, the actual technology is finally catching up to the idea.

News: Epson's AR Drone Simulator Lets You Get Your Virtual Wings Before Crashing the Real Thing

With smartglasses designed for navigating drones and an AR drone racing game to its credit, Epson has just added another credit to its pioneering efforts in the AR-meets-drones space with the launch of a drone simulator app.

News: Apple iPhone X Users Create Animoji Karaoke, but for Future AR, This Is Bigger Than Singing Pigs & Unicorns

Any sufficiently cool new technology will be immediately repurposed to do something even cooler. Such is the case with Apple's iPhone X and its Animoji feature, which has led to something completely unanticipated: Animoji karaoke.

News: Olympus Muscles in on Google Glass Territory with Enterprise AR Smartglasses

When it comes to augmented reality smartglasses, for now, it's still a mostly enterprise world, since the form and function of most are more acceptable on a job site versus your local cafe, and the still high price tags are far more palatable to major companies rather than individuals.