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Microsoft files patent for controller with Braille readout

May07
by on May 7, 2019 at 12:30 am
Posted In: Around the Web, gaming


Microsoft has apparently applied for a patent for a new Xbox controller with the ability to show visually-impaired gamers what’s on screen via a haptic Braille readout. If we ever see this controller, it could open up gaming for a whole new group of people, just like Microsoft’s previous efforts in the space — and it could also help games comply with new laws demanding accessibility. The patent application, first spotted by LetsGoDigital, shows a controller that looks very similar to an Xbox One controller, only with a series of paddles along the bottom. The application describes them as such: A…

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Apple quietly released its own iPhone game, starring Warren Buffett

May06
by on May 6, 2019 at 9:58 pm
Posted In: Around the Web, gaming


Apple has apparently made its first game in years, in partnership with, of all people, Warren Buffett, CEO of Berkshire Hathaway. The game, called Warren Buffett‘s Paper Wizard, allows you to recreate the early career of the titular character, tossing newspapers at houses. The game looks simple enough. You ride around a neighborhood while some jaunty music plays. In the manner of Paper Toss, you drag your finger to the bottom of the screen to set a flight trajectory, then release to send your newspaper flying towards the house-shaped targets, avoiding hitting birds, lightposts, and mailboxes. It’s not strictly realistic — towards…

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VisaDB tells you all about your next destination — weather, paperwork, and plugs to bring

May06
by on May 6, 2019 at 6:05 pm
Posted In: Apps, Around the Web


When it launched at the end of 2017, VisaDB provided travelers a much-needed service by letting them know which countries they could visit without a visa. It’s now evolved by leaps and bounds, and is a far more useful resource for folks looking to visit, work, or move abroad. The site lets you look up some 18 kinds of visas worldwide, including travel visas for 200 countries, as well as residency and immigration visas in 130 countries. All you need to do is enter your country of origin, and search for your preferred destination. It’s incredibly useful for determining which…

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WiFi network made of rubber ducks could save lives during natural disasters

May06
by on May 6, 2019 at 5:46 pm
Posted In: Around the Web, artificial intelligence


The IBM-backed developers behind Project Owl, winner of 2018’s Call For Code challenge, have successfully tested their rubber duck-based emergency WiFi network in Puerto Rico. And, with hurricane season quickly approaching, not a moment too soon. Owl, which stands for organization, whereabouts, and logistics, was designed to be deployed in the event of a loss of communications during a natural disaster. It uses dozens of devices based on rubber ducks – yes, the kind that you play with in the bath tub – to create a ‘ClusterDuck’ mesh network that people can connect to with their devices. Emergency response teams…

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