2015 was a tumultuous year in the world of technology. Things we laughed at years ago have become the new standard, and all new types of gadgets have emerged to make us even more confused about what to crave for. Big screen phones and their small screen, wrist-worn counterparts are becoming increasingly craved after, and augmented slash virtual reality is a thing everyone is talking about. But let’s take a better look at what happened in the world of entertainment tech in 2015.
Gaming – screens have gotten bigger
Android phone manufacturers have released large screen smartphones for some time, and in September 2014 Apple has decided to follow suite. With the sixth version of the iPhone, Apple has finally dropped its small-screen phones, and went with the trend. The phone was launched with a whole new hardware, and a new graphics API that promised “console-grade graphics” on the go.
In 2015 mobile games have become more diverse and more beautiful. Even gaming services that are not mobile-first, like the ones offered by the Royal Vegas Casino, have started to become more and more detail rich. The games available through the Royal Vegas mobile interface are starting to make better use of the improved hardware capabilities of mobile devices, becoming more lifelike and working more smoothly on a variety of devices.
To be honest, it feels better to play Royal Vegas games on a phablet. The screen is simply more roomy, the text is easier to read, and the overall experience is better. I’ve played my first Royal Vegas game on a 3.8″ Lumia handset – let me tell you, the difference is huge.
Drones are small enough not to require registration in the US
Except for a few cases, when they are used for serious work, most drones are flown for entertainment – and it is fun! Last year has seen a lot of changes in the world of drones – like the legal requirement to register them in the United States. But the drones themselves have evolved a lot lately. Drones have become much smaller in 2015, leading up to the release of the Axis Vidius, the smallest drone with a camera ever to be released. And, to make things more interesting, it is small enough not to need to be registered with the FAA. It can fly for 7 minutes, and re-charge in 20. It can be controlled through a 2.4GHz controller, or using a smartphone running Android and iOS.
New players at the music streaming market
The music streaming market was dominated by the likes of Spotify or Pandora for long, but this year new players – and big ones – have entered the ring. First it was Apple with its own Music service (which is quite successful) and Google with its Google Music and YouTube Red (which also has a music player component). YouTube has been for a long time the go-to music streaming service – and now it attacks its competitors directly.