Whats New?
Maptia launches redesign to highlight visual experiences Posted on 11/04/2014Travelers have plenty of options for sharing photos, whether it's Facebook, Instagram, Flickr or another service, but few support storytelling in a thoughtful way. An image shared on Instagram is essentially ancient history 12 hours later.
Storytelling platform Maptia wants to give its users the ability to do more than create an ephemeral record of their experiences, with its version 2.0, which launched Wednesday.
With the second iteration of its website, Maptia's team is focusing on presenting photography, creating a platform that allows for longform storytelling, but is more suitable to photo essays.
Some of the improvements include author pages, storytelling themes, a featured stories homepage and a story map.
Samsung Gear VR is on sale, but it's not for everyone Posted on 11/04/2014
You can now join the small but mighty ranks of virtual reality enthusiasts with a Samsung Gear VR Innovators Edition headset, which hits the shelves of Samsung's and AT&T's websites on Monday.
The Samsung Gear VR Innovators Edition is one on a growing list of consumer-grade virtual reality headsets, among those from Sony, Google and Oculus VR. It uses the new Samsung Galaxy Note 4 as its stereo display ad was designed and built in concert with Oculus, maker of the Oculus Rift headset (which, naturally, uses a Galaxy Note 3 for its screen).
But before you shell out $199, know this: If you do not own (or are not planning to buy) a $299.99 Samsung Galaxy Note 4 with a two-year contract, the Gear VR is not for you. And that's just the way Samsung wants it. This launch plan, according to Samsung GM of Immersive Products and Virtual Reality Nick DiCarlo, is "suitable for where VR is today...
DiCarlo added that even its name, "Innovators Edition," is mean to denote "the start of something."
Those who buy in, though, will likely not be disappointed. Sundance Film Festival’s New Frontiers introduced 13 new films on Thursday that use virtual reality, some of which can play on Oculus Rift.
In addition, the device will also come pre-loaded with HeroBound, a dungeon adventure, the space shooter Anshar Wars, and a VR under sea exploration experience called theBlu. Owners can also download content like 360-degree-filmed performance from Cirque du Soleil's Zarkana.
Even though Oculus is owned by Facebook, DiCarlo couldn’t offer any insight into when and how the social netowrk would integrate into the virtual reality experience.
When I used Gear VR earlier this year, I was impressed with the image quality and responsiveness. But I’ve also tried Google Cardboard, a sort of do-it-yourself VR headset made from cardboard, magnets, cheap lenses and Velcro that costs roughly $10. It works with most 4.7-inch Android or iOS devices and the quality is way above decent. So why spend $199 for Samsung's version, especially when it’s a one-phone device?