Is that a T. rex in my living room? Use Google to see dinos in the real world
“We have a T. Rex!” Thanks to a new partnership between Google and Universal that lets you add dinosaurs to the real world using AR technology, that famous line from “Jurassic Park” has never been more fitting. RELATED: 5 of our favorite AR apps.
You can add a spiky Stegosaurus to your living room, a towering T. Rex to your kitchen, or even make a tiny Pterodactyl fly across the road, all by simply using Google Search. Before you write this off as a cheesy gimmick, though, you should know that these dinosaurs are actually pretty cool — and pretty realistic.
These dinosaurs were created using technology from Ludia’s “Jurassic World Alive” game, and are some of the most realistic models out there. Let’s look at some of the cool creations and how you can make your own.
How to have some dinosaur fun with AR
“To create the 3D dinosaurs, our concept artists first did preliminary research to discover information about each creature,” says Camilo Sanin, Ludia’s Lead on Character Creations. “Not only did we draw research from various forms of literature, our artists also worked with paleontologists and the ‘Jurassic World’ team to make the assets as accurate and realistic as possible. Even the smallest of details, such as irregularities of skin color and patterns, are important.”
You may also like: Use AR to measure anything with your smartphone
And, while this new AR feature is a great way to add some fun to your world while adding in a few prehistoric virtual dinos into the mix — you won’t have to download any extra apps to your phone to use it.
All you need to have access to is the Google app or any Android browser to make virtual dinosaurs roam your earth. And, this feature works for iPhone and Android as long as you have one of those two downloaded on your phone.
To add a dinosaur on Android:
- Search for “dinosaur” or one of the 10 dinosaurs on the Google app or any Android browser.
- Tap “View in 3D” once the search results pull up.
- You can see 3D content on devices running with Android 7 and above and you can see AR content on ARCore-enabled devices.
- You can also easily explore all dinosaurs using the carousel format.
Update these Google apps now before they stop working
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, more people than ever are working from home. And one of the most popular sets of business productivity tools is Google’s G Suite.
Because of the demand, Google has been busy updating those apps, including its video conferencing service, Google Meet. Tap or click here to find out about a recent feature that’s been added to Google Meet to make your work video calls even easier.
47 apps filling smartphones with malware - see the list
There’s another malware epidemic brewing on the Google Play Store thanks to a batch of deceptive apps that hide their icons and infest phones with advertisements.
Typically, Google removes these kinds of offending apps before more people make the mistake of downloading them. But some of the apps are still live on Google Play for now. Tap or click here to see a recent bad batch of Google Play apps to remove from your phone.
5 best safety apps to download before you need them
If you or your children work late into the evening, you know it can be scary navigating your way home alone. It can be unnerving walking to your car or the nearest bus stop in total darkness.
As a parent, you’re probably worried sick about your kid’s safety whenever they leave the house no matter if it’s night or day and with good reason. The world can be a dangerous place out there and you’ll never stop worrying about your kids, even when they become adults. RELATED: Ways to know if your phone has been hacked.
Delete these apps! 30 downloads filling phones with dangerous adware
Have you been downloading apps from Google Play recently? If so, you might want to scan through your phone for now. A new batch of malicious programs has been deleted from Google Play after it was found that they installed annoying adware and browser redirects without informing users.
Contact tracing apps: 4 potential privacy issues you should know about
Apple and Google made headlines when they announced they’d be working together to bring contact tracing to smartphones all over the world. This practice, now in place in many countries, has been key to slowing the COVID-19 pandemic and preventing extensive community spread of the deadly virus.
Check your phone! Two apps you need to delete now
When you download a useful app with premium features, always check to make sure it’s actually free. A subset of programs on Google Play and the Apple App Store deceptively offer free access when you first download them, only to switch gears and start charging you once your “free trial” ends.
How to find the SpaceX Starlink satellites in the night sky
Have you heard about Starlink yet? No, it’s not an electric train or a Hollywood tour bus — it’s SpaceX’s new communications array designed to optimize the global internet for generations to come.
Here’s how it works: SpaceX launches thousands of small, internet-connected satellites into orbit. Then, these satellites communicate with antenna arrays on the ground, which in turn provides more internet access to isolated parts of the globe and beyond.
Always wanted to learn Morse code? This app makes it easy
Practical and survival skills are hard to come by these days. Whether it’s because fewer people are camping or more people are staying indoors and watching Netflix, skills like woodworking, starting fires, or Morse code are no longer widely taught.
Facebook has a new calling app. Is it worth downloading?
Facebook has been on a bit of an app-design kick recently. Not only has it bought up a good deal of competition for Messenger, but the company is now trying to make it so its software can compete with other platforms altogether!
How many emails went out today? See real-time internet stats
Everybody knows the internet is big, but ask someone “how big?” and they’ll probably look confused.
The information superhighway we all know and love might actually be too big to truly comprehend — with more than four billion active users and more than one billion websites online today.
Download Microsoft's new Apple-inspired update
Windows users may have more compatible programs and video games at their disposal, but they have plenty of reasons to envy Mac owners. That’s because macOS is largely unaffected by Windows’ most common security threats, and certain features like Spotlight make it easy to search for missing files or apps without leaving the keyboard.
Get delicious, unique recipes for what's already in your pantry
Right now, most of us are stocking up at the grocery store to avoid going back every few days for just a couple items. We’re buying the basics, and that can make whipping up fun new recipes hard.
No, we don’t have fresh ginger or whole cumin seeds sitting around, either.
Clever trick to use next time a website or service you need is down
The video conferencing service Zoom experienced audio and video issues Sunday morning, which left virtual Sunday church goers without weekly service. The problem was so bad users were unable to launch the site.
While Zoom users flooded social media to find fellow users and discuss the situation, the company took to fix the issue. Within a few hours, Zoom was back up, offering apologies. Tap or click to reveal the 11 best Zoom tricks you’ll wish you knew sooner.
Online calculator predicts your risk of dying from COVID-19
One of the strangest things about COVID-19 is how widely the symptoms of the virus vary from one person to another. For the most part, seniors are the largest risk group for complications but that hasn’t stopped the disease from claiming the lives of healthy young people.
Don't be tracked, use these Google alternatives
Think for a minute about what Google doesn’t know about you. Its search engine dominates the competition, with more than 91% of market share across the world.
It doesn’t stop there. The web giant owns — among other things — Gmail, YouTube, DoubleClick, Nest and Waze. These apps know what you’re watching, where you’re going and what you’re interested in online.
20 VPN apps tested - see which ones are vulnerable to malware
Software exploits are nothing new, but they can’t be ignored for too long. One critical exploit is enough for hackers to change your settings or sneak malware into your system without you knowing.
In fact, security flaws on the operating system level have led to devastating consequences for Windows users. Hackers even exploited corrupted font files to install malware in the past. Tap or click here to see how they did it.
Here's what Google and Apple's COVID-19 exposure app could look like
So far this year, we’ve seen the rise of a global pandemic and for good measure, now there are Murder Hornets. And it’s only May.
Before the COVID-19 outbreak, it might have seemed strange if two of the biggest names in tech joined forces on a common goal. Yet here we are. Now Google and Apple are now working together to deliver a contact-tracing solution to millions of smartphone owners, and state governments are hoping it can help expedite the process of reopening the economy to workers and consumers. Tap or click here for a quick rundown on how this program will work.
Move over, Zoom: Google's video conferencing is now free for everyone
Zoom’s rapid ascension during the COVID-19 pandemic has been nothing short of remarkable. Once a decently-popular app for business meetings and group projects, the platform exploded in popularity as more businesses took their operations online.
Microsoft wants to fix your crappy writing
Do you struggle at the keyboard? Do you cringe when you need to write a school assignment, work email, or other documents all because you don’t excel at spelling or grammar?
Relax, even those tasked with checking for writing errors have experienced the embarrassment of a misplaced apostrophe or misspelled word. Thankfully, with grammar and spell checkers, your writing errors don’t have to make the front page.