Consumer electronics companies from all over the world debut their newest gadgets at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, and this year some of the most notable new devices were not phones. The interactive HoloCube by Merge, for example, is an AR system that displays games and educational content on a toy cube. Roborace built a self-driving car that can reach speeds of 200 mph. Additional gadgets that made a splash this year include a new 12-inch Samsung tablet, the 5x Dual Camera Zoom prototype from Oppo, and Giroptic’s 360-degree, live-streaming camera. Continue reading Eye-Catching Products Displayed at Mobile World Congress

Facebook rolled out its initial support for 360-degree Live streams, allowing publishers to stream immersive videos directly to News Feed. The first publisher to do so is National Geographic’s Facebook Page, which will show scientists emerging from 80 days of isolation in pods at Utah’s Mars Desert Research Station and feature footage of the ersatz Mars landscape and interviews with the researchers. Later in the month, Facebook Live 360 broadcasts will be an option in Facebook Live’s API. Continue reading Facebook Launches Live 360 Video with National Geographic

Facebook, which has begun to build VR-like 360-degree videos into its site, now allows users to enjoy a true VR experience on the Samsung Gear VR. The company also launched a microsite to provide potential 360 filmmakers with best practices, guidelines and FAQs. VR producers, Vrse’s Chris Milk and Aaron Koplin also show the best way to make immersive video. Facebook has jumped into VR to stay fresh and, while offering users a chance to enjoy VR, also add some juice to its own VmaRketing. Continue reading Facebook Pushes 360 Videos, Both Branded and Independent

YouTube has made some compelling new changes in the last week. The video site just announced the launch of its “Cards” system, which is designed to eventually supplant annotations. The company also announced its new site, “YouTube for Artists,” essentially a resource guide for music artists promoting their work on YouTube. In addition, YouTube now supports 360-degree video formats in most of its mobile and Internet platforms, a move the company promised earlier in the year to address the growing interest in virtual reality content. Continue reading YouTube Upgrades Support Music Artists and Virtual Reality

Google confirmed that it plans to add native support for 360-degree videos for its YouTube streaming video service “in the coming weeks.” At the 2015 CES, French company Giroptic revealed that its soon-to-be-released $499 360cam — a rugged, lightweight, waterproof camera looking to take on the GoPro — would be the first 360-degree camera that YouTube plans to support. The announcement could also be good news for users of new cameras such as the Bublcam, Kodak SP360, Ricoh Theta, VSN Mobil V.360 and others. Continue reading YouTube to Support 360-Degree Videos from Giroptic 360cam

VSN Mobil has begun shipping its $399 V.360, billed as “the first device to capture 360 degrees of video or still images with a 4K/16 megapixel imager in full 1080p high definition.” The camera, currently available via Amazon and VSN Mobil’s store, could become the GoPro of panoramic video, an emerging market sector growing in popularity amongst manufacturers. The V.360 joins a variety of panoramic offerings, including the 360cam, the Bublcam, the Centr, the Giroptic and the Panono. Continue reading VSN Mobil Device Joins Crowded Field of Panoramic Cameras