Hacking Emperor

In these times of social distancing, video calling is becoming the technological substitute for face-to-face connections. For those who carry an iPhone, the art of video calling defaults to FaceTime, the native app on iOS that is exclusive to Apple devices. But what do you do if you or the other party is on Android? Unless hell freezes over, Android devices will never have a FaceTime app (FaceTime for web is another story). But that doesn't mean that those who prefer Android can't join in a video call with iPhone fans. It just means that everyone needs to decide on a common platform that can... more http://dlvr.it/S2nGXC

Yo dawg, Snap heard you using Snapchat augmented reality Lenses in your messages, so it's putting its AR Lenses in other messaging apps. On Wednesday, Rakuten Viber flipped the switch on an update that brings Snapchat's popular AR Lenses to many users of its Viber messaging and voice communications app. Don't Miss: Snap Releases Lens Studio 4.0 with 3D Body Mesh & More, Upgrades Scan as Fashion Assistant Viber users will now have access to 30 Lenses at launch for augmented video messaging and photos created in the app, but the selection will expand over time, with Rakuten Viber planning to... more http://dlvr.it/S2nGVs

No, Jack Dorsey's Cash app isn't about to launch an augmented reality device (er, I don't think...), but its latest outing is about as close as we've come to full confirmation that the wearable AR age is upon us. The popular payments app loved by the clout-chasing and the famous alike, which is owned by Square, recently rolled out a flashy new marketing video (see below). And while AR isn't the star, it's worth unpacking the major cultural cues contained in the spot. • Don't Miss: Snap's Non-Creepy, Fashionable Spectacles Wearable Camera Proves We're Ready for Mainstream AR Smartglasses The... more http://dlvr.it/S2kQcj

The herd of augmented reality cloud startups that emerged in 2018 have been hunted to near extinction, with Google-backed Ubiquity6 the latest to move from an independent entity to a wholly-owned asset. On Monday, the company revealed that it has been acquired by Discord, the seemingly ubiquitous chat platform for gamers. Don't Miss: Hands-On with the Lego Snapchat Augmented Reality Experience That Lets You Build With Friends Remotely "Our mission at Ubiquity6 has always been to unlock new ways for people to connect through shared experiences. Joining Discord today allows us to accelerate... more http://dlvr.it/S2fVmC

While Snap may eventually compete with Apple and Samsung in selling smartglasses to consumers, today it is helping them achieve their business objectives via augmented reality. That's not all that's new with Snap. the company has also brokered a major content deal with Universal Music Group and showed off a new AR app for its next-generation Spectacles. On the AR headset front, Microsoft HoloLens 2 is helping one museum wow its visitors, while the Varjo XR-3 is fueling a breakthrough in remote virtual collaboration. Apple Promotes Apple Pay via AR & Snapchat Lens Now that vaccinations have... more http://dlvr.it/S2TJHH

The Paris-based technology conference Viva Technology, which hosted the likes of Apple's Tim Cook and Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg, is now over. But there are still a few more treats to discover from the annual gathering. Namely, from new Magic Leap CEO Peggy Johnson. • Don't Miss: 'The Matrix' Movie Effects Pioneer & Former Magic Leap Exec Reveals 'Tragic Story' of Startup's Recent Struggles Unlike Cook and Zuckerberg, who both appeared at last week's tech conference via remote video, Johnson instead decided to appear in person. Although we're not aware of Johnson's specifics around the... more http://dlvr.it/S2SrXw

The march of Snap to become the world's augmented reality engine isn't slowing down. In a new deal announced on Thursday, Snap has revealed that it has signed an agreement to become the software driving Universal Music Group's (UMG) mobile AR music offerings. • Don't Miss: Taylor Swift Invites You to Dance to Her Music in Augmented Reality As the home to major artists like Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga, Kanye West, the Jonas Brothers, Rihanna, Adele, Justin Bieber, and many others, the deal effectively gives Snap an exclusive pipeline into the some of the most popular entertainment content on the... more http://dlvr.it/S2PcHj