The BlackBerry Leap , the company’s latest 4G LTE touchscreen device, was announced at Mobile World Congress last month. Now, it’s beginning to hit the stores.
From today, BlackBerry fans in the UK can buy the Leap online from ShopBlackBerry and from carriers. The phone will start to become available in countries including Germany, France, the US, Canada, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and India over the next few weeks.
BlackBerry is pitching the Leap, with its 720p screen, a 1.5Ghz processor, 2GB of RAM and 16GB of onboard storage, at “young power professionals.” I’m not entirely sure there’s anyone outside of the 1980s who defines themselves that way, but good luck to it anyhow.
It’s available to pre-order unlocked in BlackBerry’s online store for $275 ( £199 ).
➤ BlackBerry Leap
Read more: BlackBerry Unveils its Mid-range 4G All-touch Leap Smartphone …
Karma Go Wi-Fi hotspot now has a contract-free unlimited data plan for $50 a month
Karma Go , a contract-less Wi-Fi hotspot device, is to ISPs as Sling TV is to cable. When it shipped this summer, Karma only offered internet service as a prepaid data pack, for which you can buy and use in your own time.
But for power users, now you can opt for more. Karma today announced Neverstop, an unlimited data plan for $50 a month. The plan still runs on Sprint’s network, though it will cap speeds at 5 Mbps so it’s not designed for a literal Netflix and chill all day everyday.
If you don’t need unlimited data all the time, you can also switch between Neverstop or Refuel (pay-as-you-go) month to month.
When you are on Neverstop, instead of earning 100 MB every time you share your public Karma network, you’ll get $1 off your next bill instead. Not a bad deal if you’ve ever left Karma open in a busy airport.
You can also download the Karma iOS or Android app to reload your account on the go. Karma CEO Steven van Wel tells TNW he hopes the Karma Go could be the solution for creatives who work on the go, allowing them to operate wherever they travel – or, at least in the United States for now.
The Karma Go dongle is available for $149 . If you opt for Refuel, one gigabyte of data starts at $14.
Futuremark sets out to establish uniform VR standards
With more than a dozen virtual reality head-mounted displays at various stages of development, there has to be some objective way of discerning how well they work both on their own and in comparison to each other.
Futuremark is developing VRMark, a VR benchmark targeted to manufacturers, analysts and the press to measure performance, latency and accuracy. It will use a combination of hardware and software for the task.
VRMark will test how well a VR system does when offering high-quality experiences for content like photos, videos, games and simulations. It also will test a system’s ability to deliver consistently high frame rates in various settings. VR is especially sensitive to frame-rate variations — and a stable frame rate is critical to a good experience.
VRMark will also measure frame latency and the responsiveness and accuracy of headset sensors. Low latency is key to feeling present and avoiding motion sickness sometimes experienced in VR environments.
As part of this initiative, which will be rolled out this year, Futuremark is inviting VR manufacturers to join its Benchmark Development Program . Futuremark, in conjunction with its parent company UL, also plans to offer customers professional lab-based VR testing and verification.
VRMark is the first component of an initiative that will include developing new standards and certification programs to protect the health, safety and well-being of VR users.
The VRMark will complement the company’s analogous benchmarking programs: 3DMark and PCMark.
➤ VRMark