Varo Lab’s XR-3 mixed reality headset is getting new software that will allow users to trace shapes. The shapes can then be used as windows into reality for users wearing virtual reality (VR) headsets. Apple is reportedly planning to release a mixed reality headset next year. “By blending digital and physical elements, MR [mixed reality] creates a much more realistic experience when compared to VR,” David King Lassman, the CEO of mixed reality developer GigXR told Lifewire in an email interview....

Cybersecurity researchers from Red Canary recently discovered a new worm-like malware they’ve dubbed Raspberry Robin, which spreads via infected USB drives. While they’ve been able to observe and study the working of the malware, they haven’t yet been able to figure out its ultimate purpose. “[Raspberry Robin] is an interesting story whose ultimate threat profile is yet to be determined,” Tim Helming, security evangelist with DomainTools, told Lifewire over email....

To help you decide exactly how many channels you need for your home theater system, here’s a breakdown of each channel speaker system. 2.0 and 2.1 Channel Systems Your basic stereo system (a 2.0 system) has two channels of sound—left and right—produced by two speakers. A 2.1 channel system adds a subwoofer into the mix for extra warmth and bass, often a necessity for a music listener who prefers speakers to headphones....

Mora Arias is the head of business development and strategic partnerships for Symba, creator of a management platform for workforce development programs. She is also a part of the company’s founding team. Symba was born in 2017 with a mission of opening up the workforce. The company’s CEO, Ahva Sadeghi, participated in a fellowship with former congressman John Lewis in Atlanta and, as an action project, founded Symba to create equitable access to the workforce....

You just imagined Portal, an app that answers the question, “What’s the point of Spatial Audio?” Apple’s 3D immersive audio trickery really is impressive, but who wants to listen to music like that? And why would you want to make it seem like movie audio is coming from your iPad even when you turn your head? Portal uses this same 3D head tracking tech to make it feel like you really are in the middle of a relaxing soundscape....

How to Get the Excel Power Pivot Add-in Power Pivot gives you the power of business insights and analytics app. You don’t need specialized training to develop data models and perform calculations. You just need to enable it before you can use it. Follow Along with the Tutorial When you want to get up and running with Power Pivot quickly, learn by example. Microsoft has several example datasets available as a free download, which contain the raw data, the Data Model, and examples of data analysis....

What Is a PPTX File? A file with the PPTX file extension is a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation that stores slide shows. The Open XML format is used, which means the data is stored as separate files and folders in a ZIP package. PPTX files can contain formatted text, objects, slides, images, videos, and more. This is the default presentation file format for PowerPoint 2007 and newer. The older version of this format, used in PowerPoint 2003 and older, uses the PPT file extension....

Researchers at Oregon State University are observing human fruit pickers in an attempt to copy their movements with robot fingers. The technology could relieve people of some of the arduous labor of fruit harvesting. “It is likely that robots will require workers for redundant tasks such as harvesting and pruning,” George Kantor, a professor at the Robotics Institute at Carnegie Mellon University, who was not involved in the research, told Lifewire in an email interview....

What Is an RVT File? A file with the .RVT file extension is a project file used by Autodesk’s Revit BIM (Building Information Modeling) program. Inside an RVT file is all the architectural details related to the design, such as a 3D model, elevation details, floor plans, and project settings. How to Open an RVT File The Revit program from Autodesk is used to create RVT files, so it can open files in this format, too....

What is Samsung Family Hub? Samsung is betting that the center of every family is the kitchen. After all, it’s where you wander through to grab something to eat during the day, right? The added 21-inch touchscreen display to the right door of the fridge gives you a method to stay in touch with everyone and everything going on in your life. The Family Hub is the touchscreen and everything it can do....

Facial Recognition, Touch ID, and Strong Passcodes iPhones with a Touch ID fingerprint reader or Face ID facial recognition add a layer of security by allowing users to use a fingerprint or facial scan instead of entering their passcodes. Thieves don’t like these features because people who use them are more likely to have a strong passcode rather than a basic 4-digit passcode. Complex passcode capabilities have been around for a while but are often underused....

Determining the best settings isn’t always easy. For example, if your memory card is starting to fill up, you may want to shoot at small image sizes or quality to save as much storage space as possible. If you know you’re only going to use a particular set of photos in an e-mail or on a social network, you can shoot at a lower resolution and a lower image quality so the photos don’t take as long to upload....

As promising as the subscription world can be—pay a small fee every month, gain access to a large library of content—it has its downsides. Apple Arcade, Apple’s iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV game subscription service, recently made some titles unavailable for the first time after the contracts with their developers expired. It shocked subscribers but probably shouldn’t have been because it’s nothing new. Netflix, Spotify, and other streamers routinely remove content from their services....

You don’t need a special streaming device to play free TV shows and movies. These services have mobile apps so you can start a show on your smartphone or tablet and cast the show to a smart TV. These are our favorite 10 free streaming apps that are easy to use, play on a variety of devices, and contain tons of viewing entertainment. Pluto TV offers live and on-demand TV shows and movies....

Many games are free downloads that offer in-app purchases. Other games cost between $.99 and $2.99, with the expensive games rarely going for more than $6, so you don’t have to break into your kids’ piggy bank to pay for their entertainment. Candy Crush has taken on a life of its own since its release. It mixes the classic connect-the-matching-symbols gameplay with everyone’s favorite pastime: eating candy. Candy Crush Saga is good for toddlers, too, because just tapping the screen results in a lot of graphical fun....

You can do several things to avoid running out of juice at a critical moment. The tips here shouldn’t be used all the time — you wouldn’t want to do without an internet connection in most cases, for example — but they’re good options when you need to extend the battery life of your iPad. Turn off Wi-Fi Your iPad’s Wi-Fi connection drains the battery, whether or not you are using it connected to the internet....

Whether you’re looking to set up a home theater in your basement or simply need to upgrade your TV to a newer or larger model, make sure to read our guide to Smart TVs before diving into our reviews of some of the best Sony TVs on the market. The sound and color are outstanding, offering the closest you’ll get to a movie theater in your home. You’ll benefit from state-of-the-art features, including the X1 Ultimate Picture Processor, Dolby Vision, Pixel Contrast Booster, Acoustic Surface Audio, and X Motion Clarity, all working together to create a premium product....

Whether you’re looking to buy your first fitness tracker and just want something basic to help keep you motivated or you need a tracker that works as hard as you do, Fitbit has something for everyone. We’ve broken down our top picks to help you decide which Fitbit tracker is right for you. With Fitbit’s wellness-tracking capabilities, you can see your heart rate 24/7, your active minutes, steps and distance traveled, calories burned, and even how many floors you’ve climbed....

Some features you’ll want to look for in a Bluetooth headset include comfort, noise cancellation, and battery life. After all, if your headset doesn’t last all day, either because it’s not comfortable or because the battery doesn’t last, it’s not doing its job. Certainly, the ability to answer and dismiss calls easily has to be a consideration as well. Making and receiving calls hands-free is the goal, and our experts have looked at many headsets in the space....

The Windows SketchBook app previously locked many of its features behind a premium membership. However, it has dropped that paid tier completely, with its full functionality now being accessible within the app for free. Anyone can use this drawing app’s 190 customizable brushes, rulers, and unlimited layers without paying a dime or even signing up for an email list or account membership. Download For: The digital creations may look complex, but these drawings are surprisingly easy to make and only require you to drag your Surface Pen or mouse in various directions across the screen to render results....