Reach Out And Touch (Virtual) Things

AR Evolution Ready for the next evolution of augmented reality? How about being able to actually touch and feel the things you see? Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's (MIT) Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) have developed a technique that allows viewers to manipulate video imagery—move leaves that they see on a screen,or perhaps see how a bridge might sway in a real wind. And while this isn't coming to Pokémon GO tomorrow, MIT's people did mention the game suggesting that a Pokémon could actually interact in a space where it's dropped, say, by causing trash to flutter away by a Rattata.

HoloLens For Sale To All Have $3,000 to spare? That's how much you'll need to drop for Microsoft's HoloLens, which is now available to frankly anyone in the US and Canada. While the site still states the augmented reality headset is for developers, and you will also need a Microsoft Account—which you can easily get.

Energy Secrets Privacy concerns are one of the biggest concerns for users of smart home devices. Can my smart device tell what I'm doing—and who is reading that information? But MIT may have come up with a workaround—a way to use sensors to read how much energy you're using at your home, without sending those readings, and the results, to a cloud (and outside server.) Researchers outlined the way they set up sensors to read lights, motors and devices. (Via ZDNet)

DIY Smart Home Device Have a kid genius at home with a penchant for making their own tech gadgets? Consider picking up littleBits latest launch, the Rule Your Room Kit, which uses Makey Makey Bits to build a hack to turn on your light, even a projectile to attack robbers would try to break into your home. At $99, the kit is aimed at tweens and teens. But at that price, who needs Nest?

VR Headsets For iPhones Have an iPhone and feeling a little but unloved in the virtual reality space? Yes, we know there are limitations for iOS. But we have a selection of VR headsets that work best for iPhone users. Don't believe us? Take a look.