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Pokemon Go Receives a More Realistic AR Pikachu thanks to the Developer’s New Technology

The Augmented Reality (AR) seems to be one of Niantic’s latest innovating areas. Nowadays, the developer is working on improving Pokemon Go by turning the AR tech into something more like actual reality. For that matter, they have created virtual versions of the sweetest characters, Pikachu and Eevee and have given them the possibility to hide behind objects from the real world.

This operation received the Codename: Niantic Occlusion and it has been presented by a brief demo video released by the developer. In this short footage, the Augmented Reality characters are shown as real-world environment characters. Players will be very excited to see this considering the fact that from now on, they won’t see any connection between Pikachu and the top of a camera feed.

The technology is described on Niantic’s YouTube channel

The team which has been working on developing the new technology joined Niantic recently. Under the name Matrix Mill, the specialists spent several years working on the development of a system that can induce information about the environment around us on different cameras.

Once discovered, this technique can redefine the way machines see the 3D world and how digital objects end up interacting with the real elements. The Codename: Niantic Occlusion operation presents AR Pokemon Go figures running among real people and hiding behind different objects from the actual surrounding world.

Also, they are making some independent gestures which show a high level of integration into the natural environment. From the experiment we can conclude that the future of AR is bright and will bring many surprises.

Niantic says that Codename: Niantic Occlusion can serve as concept note for innovative gameplay possibilities. Since virtual characters like Pikachu can become aware that different things are near and hide behind them, Pokémon Go and similar games will become even more challenging if they’re played in AR mode.

In case you are interested, you can see the video Codename: Niantic Occlusion on the developer’s official YouTube channel:

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Firefox Quantum vs. Google Chrome – Which One Wins in 2018?

Recently, Mozilla announced that its latest web browser is prepared for competing with Google Chrome. Firefox Quantum was launched in November 2017 and since then, it has been installed on Android, iOS, Linux, Mac, and Windows devices.

Although it has been over 10 years since Mozilla released its most iconic browser, now the developer claims that they have improved it with features meant to make it twice as fast as its predecessor. Also, it seems that the new browser uses 30% less computer memory than Chrome.

The rumours could be only a marketing strategy, but it is said that there is no smoke without a fire. The best way to analyse the differences is to see what the news brought by Firefox Quantum is.

Let’s see what the new browser has to offer

Technically, the browser it’s called version 57 of Firefox. It received the additional name Quantum as a result of an innovative project which created the present Firefox browser. However, the name is not the only novelty.

New features

Firefox Quantum users will notice that the browser comes with many interesting features. For example, it has a built-in QR code reader and the possibility to copy a URL from the menu. Also, users can streamline screenshotting by capturing a section, the whole screen and an entire webpage at once.

Quantum even lets us invert the browser’s colours by turning on the “Night Mode”. In addition, it gives us the possibility to sync the browser across multiple devices like mobile, desktop or tablet with the purpose of sharing open tabs and to install extensions and add-ons. Firefox Quantum is an open-source browser that won’t ”sell” your online data and has some extra strong privacy features.

Better speed

The new browser comes with an AMD VP9 hardware video encoder that reduces battery consumption and lets you run 3D games at the best speed ever. According to Mozilla, Firefox Quantum uses over 1.70 times less memory than Chrome.

Improved design

Users will notice the visual changes within the browser as soon as they start using it. Furthermore, you have the possibility to customize it according to your preferences. If you are curious to find out more about Firefox Quantum, start using it and see if you like it!

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OnePlus Will Work with U.S. Carriers to Launch its 5G Phone in 2019

With the release of its 5G smartphone planned for 2019, OnePlus is cooperating with U.S. carriers in order to increase sales in the country. It is expected that within the first year since the introduction of 5G in the U.S., the company will be one of the first to create a 5G phone for the market.

Carriers will help OnePlus to reach the U.S. market

Although OnePlus has its own group of fans in the U.S., the company’s products can be purchased only through its website. Knowing that they will never be able to conquer the American market with internet sales alone, the phone makers from China will collaborate with carriers to make their smartphones widely available.

Currently existing obstacles

Considering the fact that OnePlus’ phones are not available in carrier stores where they could be purchased through installment plans or carrier subsidies, the only way to buy them is by paying the full amount at once through the website. Even though the most recent phone, OnePlus 6 costs only about half of iPhone X’s $999 base price while having comparable specifications, its upfront pricing makes this phone less affordable.

Can OnePlus’ 5G phone be a hit?

The situation is expected to change drastically with the arrival of the new 5G phone, which will be available in carrier stores. Various plans will reduce the upfront price of the device, thus making it more affordable. In addition to that, the potential buyers will also have a chance to take a closer look at the phone before the purchase. Since OnePlus’ devices are using Qualcomm chips and it is known that they work just fine on GSM networks in Europe, they will definitely support any carrier in the U.S.

The first 5G phone of the Chinese company, which will most probably use a new Snapdragon X50 family modem, is expected to be launched in early 2019.

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Firefox vs. Chrome vs. Edge vs. Opera – The Best Web Browsers in 2018

Most users think that there is no other software as important as the web browser in our PCs. This opinion is caused by the fact that, when they are using their computer, most people spend their time on websites or apps.

Depending on your needs you could use Chrome, Mozilla Firefox or Opera. During the last months, all of them have gone through major updates like the so-called April 2018 Update. This means that as we speak you could be looking at improved versions of the mentioned browsers. To form an opinion, let’s see what their features are, in random order.

Mozilla Firefox

This browser is perfect for users who want greater privacy and extensibility. The updated version, Firefox 57, also known as Quantum, comes with a new design, refreshed icons and a new library where you will find all the history, downloads or synced tabs. In addition, it comes with an interesting screenshot tool.

Google Chrome

Currently, Chrome is the most popular, according to StatCounter and NetMarketShare chart metrics. It looks like people love the fact that it’s easy to use and that it focuses on the web content instead of the browser’s trimmings.

Chrome allows us to sync bookmarks, passwords or open tabs across devices like mobile, tablet or PC. Also, it comes with a built-in PDF viewer, a practical task manager, Google Translate function and more.

Opera

It was the users favorite before Chrome. It has the capacity to run many Chrome extensions, even one that allows people to install other extensions from the Web Store available on Chrome. Next to other practical features, recently, the browser received its own take on the social sidebar. This means that users can access WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger or Telegram with one click.

Microsoft Edge

This browser is still developing. It has several shortcomings, but many helpful features that some people might find interesting. For example, it makes a webpage easy to clip, annotate and save to a notebook. This is possible thanks to the browser’s deep integration with Windows 10’s inking capabilities and with OneNote.

During the April 2018 update, the browser got some boosting features like the ability to fill forms automatically and mute tabs. The note-taking and e-book reading experience were improved with support for the narration in EPUB files characteristic.

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Skype Preview 8.25.76.2 Update Download Available with Improved Performance

Skype is the world’s leading communication app and it has a massive user base to confirm that. The reason why Skype is so popular is because it makes it easier for people to get in touch with their friends and family members through cool features such as instant-text messaging, video/audio calls and group chats. Moreover, Skype is constantly evolving through new updates that introduce innovative features, software tweaks and bug fixes.

Skype Preview

As previously mentioned, Skype’s developers are on a never-ending pursuit to improve the communication app. Therefore, Skype receives new updates on a weekly basis and they all can be accessed through Skype Preview.

Skype Preview was designed to be downloaded by beta testers and third-party developers so that they can receive access to all the latest features ahead of everyone else. Nonetheless, Skype Preview is a special version of the app and everyone can download and install it on their smartphones in order to see what new features and software tweaks the public version will get in the nearby future.

Latest Skype Preview 8.25.76.2 Update

Keeping in mind the fact that Skype Preview is designed for beta testers, no one should be surprised to find out that a brand-new update which sports the “8.25.76.2” version number has arrived. The update is exclusive to Skype Preview users and it optimizes the app’s performance through software tweaks.

Improved Performance

The developers didn’t include too much information in the patch notes for the new update and the only thing that they mentioned is that it will improve Skype Preview’s overall performance. Therefore, Skype fans who want to get a version of the app that runs faster and is more efficient at executing tasks should consider getting Skype Preview.

Developer Feedback

Skype Preview is open to anyone who is willing to try it out and the only thing that users will need to do is to provide the developers with solid feedback which is going to help them improve the app further.

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