VR Oscar If you're into such things, the Oscar nominations came out yesterday—giving a nod to its first VR movie, "Pearl." The short animated flick (it's about five minutes long) can be watched on HTC Vive or on YouTube as a 360-degree video. (We linked it below as well.) There's also a theatrical version expected to be released later. As VR grows in popularity, filmmakers are struggling with how to use the technology in narratives. VR allows viewers to choose their own angle, which is in opposition to what a director does, which is make choices of how to tell, and show a story. VR allows the viewer to make those decision. "Pearl" may be the first VR film to get noticed by Hollywood. But it won't be the last. (Via Upload VR)

Smart Watch Now here's a smart watch we can get behind: one that doesn't require a smartphone to work. Rumors around Huawei Watch 2 allude to a smart watch that will have cell service of it own, with a built-in SIM card. Short version? You'll be able to make calls right from the watch. Finally: the Dick Tracy device we've always wanted. More to come next month from the Mobile World Conference. (Via Digital Trends)

Umbrella Drone In this case, the headline really says it all. This is a drone. With an umbrella. The flying umbrella drone follows you via GPS, and keeps you dry—without you having to hold an umbrella. The drone is a hack–a limited edition made creation that is retailing online for just north of $1,600. And it works for just 30 minutes. If you bought one, we want pictures. (Via the Mirror)

Smart Home $ We know the smart home market is growing. But research firm Zion Market Research has pegged the global market to hit more than $53 billion by 2022, just five years from now—and more than double the $24 billion valuation from 2016. The report names big players in this field as Legrand, Siemens AD, Samsung and Nest.

Sisters App Sure it's long past Halloween, but who doesn't love to be scared when the weather remains dark and stormy? We take a look at Sisters, a VR app you can watch with a simple Google Cardboard viewer. And yes. Be afraid.