Google opens the door to J.K. Rowling's "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them."

Harry Potter fans can now invoke various spells from their Google devices. Taking place decades before Harry Potter first arrives at Hogwarts, “Fantastic Beasts” follows the adventures of magizoologist Newt Scamander in a whole new era of the wizarding world — New York in 1926.

If you want to try being a wizard, try casting spells on your Android phone: Just say “Ok Google” followed by “Lumos” or “Nox” to turn your flashlight on and off. Try “Silencio” to silence the ringer and notifications. 

You can also explore the world of “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” with Google Street View. Visit New York in 1926 as brought to life in the film, as well as the real locations today. Fans can visit MACUSA (Magical Congress of the USA); Steen National Bank, where Newt first meets Jacob Kowalski; the underground speakeasy The Blind Pig; and the magical apartment of Tina and Queenie Goldstein, two of the film’s key characters.

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Microsoft set to release VR headset details at December events

There won’t just be one event that’ll detail what we can expect from Microsoft’s virtual reality headsets. There will actually be two WinHEC events to be held on December 8 to 9 and December 14 to 15 where details on the VR headsets for Windows 10 will be talked about. The headsets are designed primarily for hardware manufacturers to showcase what the company plans to do software-wise for Windows Holographic. Microsoft partnered with the likes of HP, Dell, Acer, Lenovo, and ASUS to create VR headsets that will plug into Windows 10 and provide the Windows Holographic shell and experience.

The first round of headsets and devices are expected to ship following the release in March of the Windows 10 Creators Update. These gadgets will debut with prices starting at US$299 and above. These first devices won’t be heavily focused on the mixed reality projections Microsoft is targeting with HoloLens. Instead these will be traditional VR headsets that support six degrees of freedom and inside-out tracking. VR experience will differ from product to product as well since they come with various prices and specs.

Source: The Verge

Google to crack down on fraudulent app installs in Play Store

Google has enhanced its systems for identifying and stopping fraudulent app installs meant to affect app rankings in the mobile app store. “If an install is conducted with the intention to manipulate an app’s placement on Google Play, our systems will detect and filter it,” Google Search Quality Analyst Kazushi Nagayama and Google Product Manager Andrew Ahn wrote in a blog post. “Furthermore, developers who continue to exhibit such behaviors could have their apps taken down from Google Play.” Aside from this, Nagayama and Ahn remind developers that if they promote their apps, these must be done through legitimate means.

Toyota turns your smartphone into a car key with Smart Key Box

Toyota is getting in on the car-sharing industry with a new technology the company has created. Called the Smart Key Box, the Bluetooth-enabled device lets you unlock and start the car with your smartphone. The technology is simple to install. Just place the Smart Key Box on your dashboard. If you plan on earning some money through car-sharing, your customer will be sent a code via an app to access the box—and by extension your car. This code will then be authenticated via Bluetooth when you and your smartphone are near the car. Toyota calls this interaction a “handshake.” The time when your customer can access the Smart Key Box is set and managed by Toyota and based on vehicle reservation. The car manufacturer plans to test this tech in San Francisco next year in partnership with peer-to-peer car-sharing service called Getaround.

Source: The Verge