Nintendo Pokémon GO set for July release

The wait is almost over. Nintendo’s augmented reality-based version of Pokémon they were working on with Niantic is set to land on Android and iOS smartphone starting next month. Pokémon GO brings the catching Pokémon experience into the real world with the use of AR. You can choose between using programmed backgrounds or use your smartphone camera to have the Pokémon appear on your streets. The more Pokémon you catch and train, the more experience points you get, meaning the more powerful you become. The stronger you are, you can catch stronger and rarer Pokémon. Trading Pokémons aren’t in the mix yet as the company wants to develop that feature further and have users get used to playing the game and catching Pokémon first.

The game also comes with a fitness tracker-like Bluetooth device called the Pokémon Go Plus that’ll send you alerts and let you catch “wild” Pokémon even without taking out your phone. This will supposedly come out in “late July” and will cost US$34.99 (CA$45). The app, though, is free-to-play. It’ll also have some sort of interaction with upcoming Pokémon Sun and Moon games but that’ll be available at a later date, too.

Source: Polygon | Via: Android Police

Samsung announces latest fitness wearables Gear Fit2 and Gear IconX

Samsung is releasing a new generation of fitness wearables. The Samsung Gear Fit2 and the Samsung Gear IconX. The Gear Fit2 and IconX provide Canadians with greater control over their fitness goals through new features such as precise tracking technology and a standalone music player to offer users the optimal fitness experience.

The Gear Fit2 features an embedded GPS and heart rate monitor (HRM) that offer accurate and robust fitness tracking and measurement no matter the activity, while providing instant feedback on the workout. And all new to the wearables category, is Gear IconX. These truly cord-free earbuds have a built-in activity tracker, heart rate monitor and music player to offer you an untethered workout. Pricing has not yet been announced. Hit jump for specs and availability.

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Apple patents wrap-around screen for the iPhone

A recently approved Apple patent might give us an iPhone in the future that comes with a wrap-around display. Described in the filing, the device will have a flexible screen so it can form a loop and have the image or video be presented in this loop continuously. This means they want to make use of as much of the screen as possible. It won’t be like Samsung’s Galaxy Edge in the sense that the patent stated the sides won’t be used but it could just been a bigger display to look at.

The downside to this is there isn’t existing screen technology that can pull this off commercially yet. OLED is the closest we can get. And also, this is still a patent. Apple could be future-proofing themselves but it doesn’t exactly mean they intend to make the technology in the near future.

Source: The Next Web

Netflix finally gets picture-in-picture support on the iPad

Better late than never, we say. Netflix’s latest update on iOS brings picture-in-picture mode support to its app. Version 8.7.0 will allow for multitasking if you use iOS version 9.3.2 or later. The app will shrink your videos into a thumbnail automatically if you hit home or switch to another app. From there, you can adjust the size of the viewing window or reposition it to where you want the window to be. You’re allowed to pull another window in using the Slide Over feature you it won’t let you play two videos at once. This new update brings with it the usual stability improvements and bug fixes as well.

Source: CNET