Epic Games made a mobile app that turns photos into 3D models

Epic Games has built a mobile app that can turn photos into 3D scans. Capturing Reality, a company Epic bought last year, created photogrammetric software called RealityCapture. It can quickly convert laser scans or images into 3D scans of assets. With the RealityScan app, Epic is hoping to give users access to the same tech right on their phone. 

The idea is that creatives will be able to scan real-world objects at any time to use in their projects. After you sign in with your Epic Games account, the app will prompt you to take at least 20 photos of an item. You can also hold down your finger on the capture button as you move around the object. 

After the app processes the images and turns it into a 3D object with the help of RealityCapture’s servers, you can export the scan to Sketchfab (a 3D asset platform Epic also bought in 2021).

You’ll then be able to sell the asset to other creatives or use them for your own 3D, virtual reality and augmented reality projects. Game developers might find the app particularly useful if they’re in need of a particular item to place in a virtual environment. As it happens, Epic just opened up access to Unreal Engine 5.

Epic is testing a beta of the app with a limited number of iOS users before a broader, early access rollout on iPhone this spring. An Android version of RealityScan will arrive later this year.

Opera’s paid Android VPN secures your entire device

Opera has long offered a free VPN to its browser’s Android users, but now it’s hoping you’re willing to pay up. The software maker has launched a beta VPN Pro service for Android that, for a fee, secures connections across the entire device. That sounds much like any other paid VPN service, but Opera is promising a few advantages.

You can subscribe using an existing Opera browser and account, so you won’t have to download a separate app if you’re already using the free option. Opera also won’t maintain data logs that might be used to track your activity. It’s too soon to know if the company will live up to promises of “high-speed servers,” but you can combine Opera’s data-saving mode with VPN Pro to avoid running into any carrier data caps.

The VPN Pro beta is available now if you’re using at least Android 6.0 and Opera for Android Beta 68.2. The price may be appealing, too. Early adopters can subscribe for $2 per month if they commit to three months, or $3 for one month. This won’t be enough if you want VPN service across every device your own, but it might do the trick if you either value a more secure phone or just want to stream services in other countries.

Microsoft unveils system-wide video call upgrades for Windows 11

As part of its hybrid work event, Microsoft revealed some system-wide features designed to improve virtual meetings on Windows 11. Some are hardware-dependent, however, so if you have an under-powered machine, they might not necessarily be available on your PC.

The features include automatic framing (which will refocus your camera on you when you move around), voice focus, voice clarity and background blur. An AI-powered feature called eye contact could make people seem more present in meetings too.

In February, Microsoft started testing a system-wide live captions feature, which could prove helpful for deaf and hard of hearing folks, as well as those for whom a meeting isn’t being held in their first language. The tech generates captions for any audio content, including audio from microphones and web-based audio (such as from video platforms like Twitch and YouTube).

Live Captions in Windows 11
Microsoft

The upgrades might seem familiar to those who’ve spent time in video calling apps over the last couple of years. The likes of NVIDIA, Dolby, Zoom,Skype and Google Meet have tackled issues like environmental noise and visual background distractions. 

Microsoft itself announced some intelligent camera features for Teams in September and has been working to improve meetings in Teams. Integrating these features at the OS level, though, should make virtual meetings more accessible and user-friendly for more people.

Google Maps is getting toll pricing and other route details

With road trip season about to commence, Google Maps is getting an update that should help make vacation planning a bit easier thanks to enhanced details and a new feature that will calculate estimated toll prices. 

Previously, while Google Maps could tell you which routes had tolls or not, you didn’t get much info beyond that. But now, in an update rolling out later this month that will cover more than 2,000 roads across the US, India, Japan and Indonesia, users will be able to see estimated toll pricing sourced from local authorities.

For spring 2022, Google Maps is getting a new feature that will show estimated toll pricing in select countries.
Google

This means you should have more information when trying to figure out the cheapest way to get to your destination, with Google Maps even factoring in things like different payment methods (e.g. paying with a pass versus cash/credit), the day of the week or even the specific time you’re expected hit a toll. And of course, if you want to save as much money as possible, Google will still surface toll-free routes and provide an option to completely block routes with tolls from being displayed.

Enhanced details in Google Maps are coming for spring and summer 2022.
Google

On top of that, to help make driving through unfamiliar territory a bit less scary, Google Maps is also getting enhanced details. Soon, you’ll be able to see things like traffic lights and stops signs along with additional info regarding nearby points of interest and even more precise building outlines. Google also says that in select cities, users will be able to spot details like the shape of the road, including features such as medians and islands. The update is slated to roll out to Android, iOS, Android and CarPlay throughout select countries in the coming weeks. 

Finally, for those with iOS devices, Google is adding a few extra features for use across Apple’s ecosystem. On iPhones and iPads, Maps is getting a new trip widget that will let you pin your next trek to your home screen. Additionally, the standard Google Maps search widget is also getting a size reduction, so you can quickly lookup a destination without the widget taking up too much screen real estate. 

For 2022, Google is adding a new pinned trip widget for Google Maps to iOS, while shrinking the sizer of the default Maps widget.
Google

Meanwhile, for those who want to travel super light, Google is adding deeper support for Google Maps to the Apple Watch. This will allow you to look up a destination and even see directions on your wrist, all without ever having to pick up your phone. Additionally, iOS Spotlight, Siri and the Shortcuts app are also getting Google Maps integration in the coming months, so you can more easily search for a place using voice commands. 

Windows 11 is getting a redesigned File Explorer with tabs

Microsoft just unveiled a set of news around Windows 11 and its capabilities for hybrid work, bringing things like system-wide improvements to video-calling tools on PCs. It also announced some changes coming to the beloved File Explorer, with the biggest being a redesign and a highly anticipated tabs feature.

According to the company’s release, “the redesigned, cloud-powered File Explorer” would let you “see all files in one centralized place.” You will be able to pin files and create tabs, keeping your most frequently visited folders within easy reach. 

In a video demonstrating the new features, it looks like you can right click on a file or document and select “Add to Favorites” to pin it. And if you want to have multiple File Explorer tabs open, you can click a plus symbol at the top left of the window to start a new tab, and they look just like browser tabs. 

The company also added touch Snap layouts to make it easier to quickly arrange your apps on touch-enabled devices. 

Microsoft has called Windows 11 the most accessible and inclusive version of Windows ever, and today it shared more around some assistive tools coming to the platform. A system-wide Live Captions feature, which was announced earlier this year, would transcribe all audio on your PC, including content streaming from the web. A Focus mode could help people with ADHD to be more productive, the company said.

To keep your sensitive information safe, the company is bringing two new tools to Windows 11: Microsoft Defender SmartScreen and Smart App Control. The former will detect when you’re entering your Microsoft account login info into a “malicious application or hacked website,” potentially protecting you from phishing attacks. 

A screenshot showing a video of an interview playing in a window, with captions at the bottom.
Microsoft

Smart App Control, meanwhile, uses the company’s AI and code signing to make sure only trusted applications can be run on your PC. This “[blocks] one of the largest attack vectors on Windows by-default,” Microsoft said. The company also said it plans to bring more features to its Pluton security processor, and can also help organizations ensure their fleets of devices retain the right registry keys.

Microsoft hasn’t shared when exactly these features will be released to the public version of Windows 11 just yet, but it sounds like they’re coming soon.

Nikon Z9 review: A versatile camera with solid 8K video recording

With Sony and Canon dominating headlines, Nikon has been the forgotten company in the mirrorless race. That’s set to change, though, with the launch of the 45.7-megapixel Z9. It’s an innovative professional camera that offers awesome speed, incredible …

The Olive Max 2-in-1 hearing aids come with adaptive hearing tech

Olive Union has started taking pre-orders for Olive Max, its new pair of hearing aids that doubles as a pair of ordinary wireless earbuds. The company says the model was built-on top of the success of Olive Pro, the 2-in-1 hearing aids/earbuds it released back in 2020. While Olive Pro looks like a pair of Apple AirPods, Max uses a custom-built design that wraps around the top the wearer’s ear for a “more stable listening experience.” The new model also serves as a the debut product for Olive’s adaptive hearing technology, which is apparently its most requested feature. 

Olive’s adaptive hearing tech is powered by an AI that learns and improves the feature the more a user wears the device. It then uses machine learning tech to automatically customize Max’s sound settings to suit the wearer’s current environment. The new model also comes with a new voice auto-focus feature and a new sound engine that give it the capability to detect voices better, as well as to more effectively reduce and filter background noise. Olive claims Max is capable of separating voices from noises with such “incredible accuracy” that it won’t distort the user’s own voice while it’s filtering out ambient sounds. 

The Olive Max is an FDA Class 2 hearing aid that works for people with mild to severe hearing loss. It can last for up to 8 hours on a single charge, though its charging case can extend its battery life for up to 18 hours. It also only takes five minutes to set up using its accompanying iOS or Android app. The model is now available for pre-order for $299 and will start shipping in the fourth quarter of 2022. After the promo ends, Olive Max will be sold for $549.

Apple’s 256GB iPad returns to a record low of $429

Apple’s base iPad isn’t for early adopters or those looking to replace their laptop with a more svelte solution. Instead, it’s the iPad for those who just want a more than capable tablet at a relatively affordable price. And if you’ve been eyeing the model with extra storage, you have an opportunity to grab it for $50 less than usual. The 256GB iPad is back down to its record-low price of $429 at Amazon right now. Currently, only the space gray WiFi model is this low, but if you absolutely must have silver, you can get that one for $450, or $30 off its usual price.

Buy iPad (256GB) at Amazon – $429

The 2021 tablet has a few key differences from the previous model. First and foremost, Apple upgraded the processor inside to the A13 Bionic chip, which provides a boost in performance and an overall smooth experience. We didn’t experience any slowdowns or hiccups when using the iPad for things like web browsing, watching videos, messaging, playing games and drawing with the first-gen Apple Pencil. For most people, the A13 Bionic chip is more than powerful enough to handle all of the things you could throw at this iPad.

Apple also updated the base storage and the front-facing cameras on the new iPad. The base model has 64GB of storage now, but with these models on sale, you’re getting the maximum amount possible: 256GB. That will come in handy if you plan on storing a lot of photos or documents on the iPad, or you just have a lot of apps and games you want to keep on the device at all times. The new front-facing camera now supports Center Stage, which is Apple’s new feature that keeps you in the center of the frame during FaceTime video calls. It’s a neat feature that comes in handy if you move around a lot when you’re chatting with friends and family.

Otherwise, the 2021 iPad is much the same as the previous model, with features like a 10.2-inch touchscreen, a physical Home button with TouchID, chunkier bezels, an 8-megapixel rear camera and a Lightning port for charging. If you have the previous iPad, you may not feel the need to upgrade considering the minor changes made to the 2021 version. But if you don’t have an iPad or are looking for a solid tablet at a decent price, this iPad is worth considering.

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PayPal’s credit card will offer up to three percent cashback

PayPal has revealed its upgraded credit card, which will now offer users more cashback, depending on how they make their purchases. As before, users will still get unlimited two percent cashback on anything they buy, wherever a Mastercard is accepted. However, if you check out with PayPal, you’ll get unlimited three percent cashback. This goes for online, mobile and in-store (with the PayPal QR Code) payments.

The new PayPal Cashback Mastercard still has no annual fee and you’ll now get cashback daily, rather than having to wait for a monthly statement. PayPal says it has redesigned the card’s user interface on its app and the web. It promises a more simplified way to access rewards and make payments.

Existing users will automatically get access to the upgraded card, while newcomers will get a bonus of $100 on their first $500 spent. The new PayPal Cashback Mastercard will be available soon, though be sure to look at the fine print before applying.

Offering customers more cashback should help PayPal better compete with rival companies. The Apple Card also has no annual fee. It offers three percent cashback for Apple Store purchases, two percent on Apple Pay purchases and one percent on other purchases.