Saturday
Feb112017

Marvel teases Avengers: Infinity War as the culmination of the MCU

The MCU, or Marvel Cinematic Universe, kicked off when the first Iron Man hit screens in 2008 and is going to hit its peak during Avengers: Infinity War. Coming in 2018, the film will not only team-up various heroes, it will team-up The Avengers and the Guardians of the Galaxy plus other characters like Dr. Strange and Spide-Man. The Russo Brothers helmed epic is expected to be a blockbuster but some are worried that having over a dozen heroes and scores of villains might be too much to handle. Captain America: Civil War was a thrill ride but it already felt busy, this is an Avengers movie, and one that's going to be on an even larger scale (hopefully better than the mediocre Age of Ultron).

Saturday
Feb112017

Matte Black variant of the iPhone 7 seems to be suffering from chipping and peeling paint

In terms of looks, the Matte Black model of the iPhone is definitely eye-catching. But there seems to be issues with it. Users have been complaining on Apple’s Support Communities of the paint starting to chip or peel off in areas with little wear, even those that have been put in cases. Some of the photos seen on the thread show the chipping happening near the speaker grille and volume buttons. This isn’t the first time this has been an issue for iPhone users, though. Back in 2012, complaints were heard over the Black and Slate iPhone 5, even the iPhone 6 and 6s had complaints. But MacRumors is pointing out there is more this time around.

However, since this is considered a cosmetic issue, Apple isn’t making these devices eligible for repair. That has been the stance of the company for finish issues. In the grand scheme of things, it does seem like a minor issue but if it gets unsightly for you, some users have resorted to using sharpies or paint. Others have even sold off their phones to get one in a color less prone to damage.

Friday
Feb102017

Prince’s music set to hit streaming service like Spotify starting Sunday

Richard E. Aaron/Redferns

It has been rumoured that Prince’s music will be making its way back to major music streaming services soon. And it looks like it will be happening this weekend. Representatives from the likes of Spotify, Napster, Amazon Music, and iHeartRadio have confirmed that the albums Prince released during his time with Warner Bros., including Purple Rain, The Times, and 1999, will be coming to their services.

When he was alive, Prince has been aggressive about keeping his IP heavily protected. He even pulled out his music from all online streaming services (except for Tidal back in 2015). But now that his estate owes up to US$100 million, there is a need to monetize. So, if you’ve been clamoring to listen to some of Prince’s greatest hits, your time has almost come.

Source: Ars Technica

Friday
Feb102017

Chrome update brings support for VR on Android and PC

Virtual reality content is usually accessed through VR-specific apps. But Google has updated its Chrome web browser on the PC and Android to bring VR experiences right from the browser. It now supports WebVR developer tools, meaning you can select a WebVR experience and navigate that either with a finger on your phone or mouse on a desktop or put the phone into a Daydream View to get a more immersive experience. This means, developers and creators can have VR experiences on their sites without the need of a native VR app. It isn’t just for hosting 360-degree videos either but it adds support for Daydream headset and controller, too.

Some of the early partners Google has for this new feature include PlayCanvas, SketchFab, and Matterport. There’s also Bear 71 VR, which is a VR documentary focused on a female Grizzly Bear who roams in Banff National Park in Canada. For mobile VR, it’s currently limited to Daydream but Google is working on bringing this experience to more headsets soon, including its own Cardboard platform.

Source: TechCrunch + Android Authority