Geek News

It's easier to appreciate nature when you witness it first-hand, but that's rather difficult with the ocean unless you have a submarine at your disposal. The BBC and Google have a more practical solution: they've launched a BBC Earth: Life in VR app that illustrates the underwater ecosystem on Daydream View headsets and compatible phones. You can explore environments ranging from kelp forests to deep sea trenches , and life as large as whales or as tiny as plankton. Yes, you could sit down to watch Planet Earth II without donning headgear, but the two companies are betting that the advantages of VR will make all the difference. It's not just that you're engrossed in situations that would be difficult or impossible to record on camera -- it's that you're an "active participant" rather than a mere bystander. If all goes well, you'll have a better understanding of the aquatic ecosystem than you would by watching an ordinary documentary. So...

Like the thought of switching payment methods for a purchase long after you've left the store ? You now have a chance to try it. Curve has launched its smart card in the UK, letting you not only consolidate your credit cards (currently just Mastercard) and debit cards, but switch between them for payments up to 2 weeks after the transaction. If you know you're going to hit your credit limit, for instance, you can switch a purchase to debit to give yourself some breathing room. The companion mobile app also adds a slight twist to the smart card formula by placing an emphasis on financial management. You should have a better sense of your spending habits, and you can lock cards if need be. Curve is promising that you can use your cards overseas without currency exchange fees or other unstated costs. It's currently free to sign up for a Curve card, although spending £50 for Premium promises additional rewards. Just be ready to wait, especially if you're outside of th...