Category: News

AT&T’s 5G Updates

We have 3 big 5g news updates from AT&T’s 5G this week. They seem to be the front runner for the next gen network with a very organized and aggressive expansion model. I have talked about the benefits, Upgrades and all-encompassing human evolution that will come with AT&T’s 5G network many times already. This news update about AT&T’s 5G network is very exciting as we track the progression and implementation. Let’s take a look at what they got for us.

New Cities

We already know AT&T’s 5G rollout will include Atlanta, Charlotte, Dallas, Indianapolis, Oklahoma City, Raleigh and Waco. However just today AT&T announced the remaining cities to receive mobile 5G through the end of 2018. Congratulations, Houston, Jacksonville, Louisville, New Orleans and San Antonio. This makes a total of 12 major US cities to get the next gen network this year. On top of that, the company also revealed cities that would receive the service in early 2019: Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Nashville, Orlando, San Diego, San Francisco and San Jose. As a central FL resident I’m super stoked to be able to be an early adopter of AT&T’s 5G network.

Data Transmission

Second up in the update is that The company is stating that they are also exploring a new millimeter wave for 5G; AT&T was successful in making the first millimeter wave wireless 5G connection using standards-based production equipment. The company is planning on utilizing the 5G technology in densely populated areas; it can deliver high speeds under varying conditions.

AT&T’s 5G AirGig

Lastly we have Project AirGig. AT&T also has an update on Project AirGig,. AirGig Is how AT&T will deliver 5G to rural users. No longer will high speed connections be just for the urban markets. It uses various types of technology, such as low-cost plastic antennas, mounted on top of existing infrastructure, such as utility poles. The company is now ready to begin testing and building commercial-grade equipment for Project AirGig.

The Final Thought

Everyday its gets more real, These updates to AT&T’s 5G network are huge advancements and great indicators we are almost there. AT&T’s AirGig idea shows us the prior failures of previous network upgrades won’t be experienced again. I know it won’t be a perfect rollout but it looks like it will be swifter and easier than in the past.

September 10, 2018
Mega Man 11 Demo Live on Switch, Others

Mega Man 11, the hotly anticipated newest entry in the platforming series, is coming out on October 2^nd. Before it releases, however, players will have a chance to play the demo, which is available now on Nintendo Switch, Xbox One and PS4. Fans of the Blue Bomber will have a chance to face off against Block Man at varying difficulties. If you beat him on every difficulty, you’ll even score items to use in-game when the full version releases!

IGN

Welcome Back

Mega Man’s been out of the spotlight for some time. In fact, the previous entry, Mega Man 10, was released all the way back in 2010. Mega Man 10 and Mega Man 9, which were released digitally through online retailers, had old-school style graphics. They were throwback-style games, hearkening to the NES era of Mega Man. Mega Man 11, by contrast, has a very modern, sleek style including voice acting and smooth animations. It’s good to see the blue robot getting back to busting up Robot Masters!

Something Old, Something New

The formula seems to be largely unchanged this time around. You control the title character, navigating blisteringly difficult levels. Each level is themed around its Robot Master, a powerful robot who controls the enemies found in the stage. At the end of the stage, you engage in tense, white-knuckle battles with the Robot Master. Upon defeating them, you’re rewarded with access to their weapon and bragging rights. After defeating all eight of the Robot Master, you take on the villainous Dr. Wily in his lair.

It’s not a complete remake of previous entries, though. This time around, the aesthetics are vibrant, colorful and happy. It’s not a nostalgic indulgence of NES style, unlike Mega Man 9 and 10, excellent though they were. Instead, it’s a nostalgic game due to its attitude and gameplay. Also making their first appearance are the Double Gears. The Double Gear system is a new power-up system that allows Mega Man to perform some unique power moves.

Some Double Gears will allow you to slow down time briefly, and others let you overcharge your Mega Buster. They add a new layer of depth to the old-school Mega Man formula.

Mega Man 11 Releases October 2^nd

The full game will release on October 2^nd on Xbox One, PS4, Nintendo Switch and Windows. The Nintendo Switch special edition version will also include a Mega Man Amiibo! That’s just in time for Super Smash Bros Ultimate, so if you’re a Switch owner this one’s a must-have!

September 10, 2018
Apple’s AirPods 2

More News From Apple’s annual fall launch event on Sept. 12. It is expansively expected to bring new iPhones, you know already, we have talked all about them. Then the Apple Watch 4, you saw that too im sure. What you haven’t realized is that Tuesdays event also effectively marks the second anniversary of the Apple AirPods. Everyone laughed about their design when they were first unveiled in 2016, but now the AirPods have taken the headphone market, become the standard of the in ear design, and made apple billions more. So what does Apple do for an encore? AirPods 2 of course.

What Can we Expect from the AirPods 2

Yes Tuesday we will see Tim Cook unveil the AirPods 2. You are probably asking yourself whats left to say about the AirPods that we haven’t said already.. What could be improved? The answer is this: improve on the existing product with software advancements and accessories. Then maybe expand the line with new models, too. Both AirPods 2 and larger, Apple-branded noise-cancelling headphones have been rumored over the past few months. We are even hearing some bone conductive sound chatter.

Even Though we will get the announcement Tuesday, AirPods 2 are not coming before early 2019. Just don’t expect them till next year, Apple is always very slow with their accessory roll outs. We do know that the set will feature some sort of water-proofing as well as an elaborate noise-cancellation system. Expect a Wireless charging case. Last year when the charging pad was revealed they have the Airpods case laying on it, however now wireless charging Airpods case was ever released.

The Final Airpods 2 Thought

They will boast a new line with the water-resistant and noise-canceling features, wireless charging, new color options and possible bone conductive sound… Im expecting a slight price hike from the already unfathomable $129 price point to a ridiculous $159. But then again Apple has been know to upgrade a device and drop the price to make it the universal headphone truth. See you next Tuesday.

September 8, 2018
APPLE WATCH SERIES 4; What We know Already

Everyone is talking about the 3 new iPhones we will see next week, what we are not hearing a lot of chatter about is the new Apple Watch series 4. While the iPhone models this year are just an iteration, things are very different for the Apple Watch. From what we are hearing this will be a major redesign of the Apple watch. The first redesign of the apple watch if you have been paying attention.

It has been 5 years since the original apple watch has been released. It has had some monumental success but all of us have been waiting for the next model. It has always seemed like they were just one last upgraded model from the revolutionary device we have been waiting for. This has me very excited. Lets break down what the changes will look like for the Apple Watch series 4. The Apple Watch series 4 is also expected to offer an LTE model as well, similar to last year’s Series 3, although with a more subtle red ring on the digital crown to denote the cellular status.

The Apple Watch Series 4 Updates

First upgrade is the face size. We have been dealing with 38mm or 42mm screen. Its been fine but its not great. I need a big display, like full forearm sized display. I know i’m getting ridiculous but Apple will be offering a bigger display on the watch. From what i’m hearing a 46mm display will be the standard. The larger screen means there’s now room to show even more information, and there appears to be nine complications visible on the new watch face. It will also sport a nearly edge-to-edge, possibly bezel-less design. As you can guess it will have a slimmer size than the previous versions. Apple loves getting slimmer.

The Final Thought

That is what we know so far, but what about what we want. Im going to highlight 2 unverified and completely desired features Id like to see in the Apple Watch series 4. First, A video projector, yeah. I want to beam videos out of my watch like some Syfy madman. It would be cool, but I dont know how they would keep the heat from the projector light from burning your wrist. 2nd feature id love to see is a holographic display. A 3d holographic display even. Come on Apple, wow us, make me buy the Apple Watch series 4.

September 7, 2018
5 Things We Found Out About the Galaxy S9

Think you know everything about the Samsung Galaxy S9 and Samsung Galaxy S9+? We have been posting, researching, speculating on the next big thing in the android world for a year now. Finally it has be unveiled, and we were mostly correct but here are 5 unsuspected things we were surprised to learn about the S9

1.The bezels are thinner then the S8, but the phone is more durable

The top bezel lands at 8.21mm with a 0.39mm reduction, while the bottom bezel measures in at 6.99mm. Impressively, that’s a reduction of 1.01mm. In both cases, the reduction in bezels actually brings the size of the device down by 1.2mm and 1.4mm on the S9 and S9+ respectively. Samsung has made the S9 more durable compared to its predecessor. In short, this comes as the result of using a different type of aluminum.

2. The camera is quieter and does much better in low light

I was blown away by how well the S9+ performed in dim conditions, because the variable aperture on the Galaxy S9 and S9+ goes as wide as f/1.5. Samsung says that its new flagships let in 28 percent more light. With the support of a wider aperture, f/1.7, that kicks in when the ambient light is 100 Lux or below. 100 Lux is the light you’ll see on overcast day or in most office settings. At the same time, Samsung added dedicated memory to its camera in order to reduce noise.

3. Dedicated Fingerprint

This is a new feature for this year’s flagship phones and is for the Secure Folder element. This folder is a compartment for files and apps that you want to keep separate from the rest of the phone. It uses your Samsung account and you can access it using the same security protocol, fingerprint, passcode, iris recognition etc as you do to unlock your phone. Once you’ve moved files to the Secure Folder, nobody can see them without your passcode, fingerprint or whatever.

4. We Get to Keep the Headphone Jack

The S9 and S9 Plus have retained their headphone jacks, unlike other phones in the class, including the iPhone X, 8, and 8 Plus, Pixel 2 XL, or the Huawei Mate 10 Pro. That’s a blessing for audiophiles who just aren’t satisfied with the current state of wireless audio and for people who even have a designated pouch for their dongles but still lose them. Admit it dongles are tiny and easy to misplace.

5. That Sound Really Bumps

Dual stereo speakers to the device for the first time . The S9 finally have Dolby’s surround-sound Atmos technology built-in. Samsung created a device that offers premium sound experiences with stereo speakers tuned by AKG. Whether users are watching their favorite movie or streaming their favorite artist’s latest album, sounds are clear, crisp and rich in quality.

September 6, 2018
Samsung Confirms Folding Phone Coming This Year

Samsung Mobile CEO DJ Koh has confirmed in an interview that we’ll see the company’s long-awaited folding phone this year. That’s right, this very year, 2018. Now, whether we’ll get to actually, you know, buy it, remains to be seen. However, Koh was clear that Samsung plans to unveil the device before year’s end, claiming that it will revolutionize smartphones.

Photo Credit: BGR

Why a Folding Phone?

During the interview with CNBC, Koh claimed that the device is foldable for many reasons. The first, he stated, is for variation of purpose. “When you need to browse or see something, then you may need to unfold it,” he said. The phone will have number of uses while still folded, however. Tasks like answering calls, texting and the like will be completely doable while folded.

Speaking on the difference between the foldable experience and tablets, Koh said they were working to make them distinct. “If the unfolded experience is the same as the tablet, why would they (consumers) buy it?” Koh stated. “Every device, every feature, every innovation should have a meaningful message to our end customer. So, when the end customer uses it, (they think) ‘wow, this is the reason Samsung made it’.”

Our Take

The foldable design seems unusual, at the very least. We’re not saying we’re going to dismiss it out of hand, but we’re skeptical. While Koh seems convinced that the foldable aspect is distinct from tablets, we’re not so sure. If the folding action is satisfying and the phone works equally well folded and unfolded we’ll be intrigued, at least.

However, rumors of the folding smartphone have been rumbling about for years. If you’ve been following this technology, it’s been announced and delay no less than four or five times since 2013. The necessary technology to allow a high-resolution display to fold without compromising its structural integrity seems to have been more complex than anticipated.

Potential Announcements

In any event, we’re cautiously optimistic about any announcements regarding this technology. That goes double for announcements that would have it being shown off in as short as four months. If the device is to be announced this year, it’ll likely be in November. That’s when the annual Samsung developer conference takes place.

With Apple leading the innovation in smartphones once again with the iPhone X, this could be a big moment for Samsung. If their folding phone proves to be popular, they could have a chance to pull back in front. The ongoing rivalry between Samsung and Apple has created no shortage of smartphone innovation. We certainly hope this foldable screen technology follows suit!

September 6, 2018
3D Printed Houses. The Affordable Home of Tomorrow.

3D Printed Homes?

On March 16, 2018 the Austin, TX Construction company ICON completed the first 3D printed home in the United States. The home has been deemed livable and passed all Austin city code compliances. ICON has unveiled the equipment and technology to build a 3D printed house in less than 24 hours for the average price of $4,000.00. The companies plan is to take the equipment to El Salvador to build a massive village full of affordable homes to help improve the countries living conditions. Icon has stated that in later development stages, the equipment will be able to complete a home in just under 12 hours. Based on everything we are seeing, this appears to be a game changer in affordable housing.

How it Works

Along with ICON, there are several other companies on the verge of mass printing homes. A large company in The Netherlands based in Eindhoven, is set to have the world’s first habitable community made from 3D printed Homes. The process is rather simple. A 3D printer is set up in the center of what will be the home and is filled concrete and other certified building materials. The foundation and walls of the home can then be made to fit any type of structure that is designed by the architect and programmed into the printers. Along with providing affordable homes, this process will also offset the Dutch cities extreme shortage of brick masons. The printed homes have apparently been exposed to rigorous testings for quite some time before getting the government approval to move forward for mass production.

Summary

It appears that these companies are making great headway with getting these homes ready for mass production. If so, in twenty or so years, homeless epidemics abroad and at home could be a thing of the past. It’ll be interesting to see how these homes hold up over time and see just how cheap we can build them. These things right here are why we must always push the technological envelope and ask “Why” instead of “Why Not”. At one time, being able to build cheap 3D printed homes was the fevered dream of a mad man. Now here we are standing on its doorstep, no pun intended.

September 3, 2018
Cyberpunk 2077’s new gameplay trailer

Upon first glance

We just watched 55 minutes of gameplay footage for CD Project Red’s new game Cyberpunk 2077. All we can say is…wow. The amount of detail that has been put into this game is not for the faint of heart. The developers has gone above and beyond to fully immerse you into this world. Set a in bleak dystopian future, you play as a fully customizable player making their way through a massive open world map of The Night City. The game is largely set as a first person shooter, but has a third party view when traversing through the city in your car.

What to Expect

Right out the gate, the gameplay throws you right into an action packed shoot ’em up scene. Follow an intense battle, you are escorted through a large apartment building and out into the city. Once you’re on the city level, you get an idea for how incredibly detailed the city. It’s absolutely packed with citizens, vendors, cops, etc. I have never seen that amount of people in an open video game before. It quite simply feels like you’re in a large metropolitan city. The people are just filler, each one them can have an interaction with you if you want. Many vendors flag you down for merch and everyone reacts to you in some way. After a quick mission, you are given some insane upgrades and then shown your car. You can traverse the city in cars motorcycles, and many other vehicle that you will encounter along the way. There also appears to be a wide variety of weapons, gear, and apparel that will assist you in different ways to further customize your player.

Summary

During the 55 minutes gameplay trailer, we saw a lot of stuff to be really excited about. Immense detail, flowing plot, and insanely fun action. We all loved CD Projekt Red’s Witcher 3 series which might actually be the best game ever made, and we really hope that they continue to improve on their good name. For all that is offers though, sometimes 1st person shooters just don’t do it for me? I’m super excited to play Cyberpunk 2077, but also a little concerned it might be a bust. Time will tell.

September 1, 2018
Spiderman PS4 Swings Into Stores Next Week

Here Comes Spiderman!

The Sony exclusive Spider-man game for Playstation 4 releases on September 7, 2018 and I think we’re all anxious to zip around NYC as Spidey. After watching a fair amount of gameplay at E3 2018, Im excited but I also have my reservations. To get an idea and feel for the game, we need to look at the game developer Insomniac Games. Insomniac has put out some pretty decent games such as Ratchet & Clank and Fuse to much success but can they deliver and please Marvel’s unrelenting fans?

What to Expect

Insomniac released an opening cinematic 6 minute trailer at E3 and folks went nuts. The opening scenes show many of Spiderman’s greatest foes such as Rhino, Vulture, Electro, and Scorpion all breaking out of a Maximum Security Prison as Spidey tries to subdue all of them. The ending of the cinematic shows Spiderman getting a serious beatdown by the villians and ends on a bit of a cliff hanger. The trailer has some combat gameplay spliced in with the cinematic and it all looks pretty decent and smooth.

The combat and overall gameplay looks very similar to Rocksteady’s Arkham Series, which is considered the greatest superhero game franchise to date. I don’t blame Insomniac for taking a lot from Rocksteady, the model works. The fighting system was great, and Batman and Spiderman have comparable smart tech that can be upgraded throughout the game. Insomniac also is kind of ripping off Rocksteady with the storyline of the hero having to track down all of his enemies throughout the game as side missions. Im sure we’ll have a lot of Avenger easter eggs, and hopefully maybe one or two of them will make an appearance and help Spidey out in the game?

Summary

To be honest it does appear that Insomniac has taken a good bit from Rocksteady, but I’m perfectly content with a Spiderman based Arkham game. One thing that I did notice about Spidey traversing NYC was that his movements did not appear very smooth. In my opinion, web slinging should be the games cornerstone and has to be perfected for the game to be successful. The way Rocksteady has Batman gliding and dive bombing through Gotham was insanely smooth and well executed. If Insomniac is going to take as much from Rocksteady as they have, they should also take those great mechanics for swinging around the city. Overall the game looks pretty decent and I will definitely be playing the crap out of the game regardless, but my spidey-sense is telling me that we might be disappointed with the one.

August 30, 2018
Red Dead Redemption 2 is Almost Upon Us

Something Red and Dead this way comes.

On August 9, 2018, Rockstar released its first gameplay trailer of RDR2. On first glance it appears that they expanded and improved on everything that made RDR great, while simultaneously sticking close to its roots. With integrating new technologies and new graphics to a great gameplay model , I’m expecting another home run for Rockstar.

What to expect

I think I speak for the general gaming community we I say we all loved Red Dead Redemption. I know I probably put around 300 hours into that game just hunting for pelts. Upon seeing the new gameplay trailer, the first you’ll notice that is that is taking place years after the first RDR and it’s now around the turn of the century. Rockstar’s main goal with the sequel is to provide not just a massive open world game but a deeper, more detailed, and more immersive gaming experience. You’ll play as Arthur Morgan, the head of a notorious outlaw gang who has to deal with the ending of an era as society becomes more civilized. In the trailer we can see that Rockstar has created an incredibly detailed world that appears to incorporate every type of topography from deserts to mountains to swamps. And if I know RDR there will be a plethora of dangerous wildlife accordingly. Some added wildlife we can see at first glance were alligators and desert reptiles. The look of the overgame looks amazing, and there were some great shots of sweeping valleys and ranges in the trailer provided.

Summary

I know it’s easy nowadays for us to overhype games and expect to much from gaming developers. They keep pushing the envelopes and we keep demanding more when they do. It appears that Rockstar has put a lot of effort into keeping Red Dead 2 tied to its roots, which is important. Bringing us back to a time forgotten and offering a view into a developing and chaotic time in American History. Throw in a great soundtrack comparable to the first and I think we’ll all be very satisfied with the end result. They have my Pre-Order.

August 29, 2018