When it comes to massive trade shows like CES, many companies feel the need to get extravagant with booth installations just to stand out from the crowd. Case in point: Google set up a musical, Small World-style ride for Assistant that is the very definition of over-the-top. Thankfully, even those of us who aren't attending the event can give this monstrosity a virtual ride through a 360-degree video posted on YouTube.
Read MoreWaymo's new 360-degree video uses incredible visuals to explain how its self-driving tech works
By now, most of you have probably heard of Waymo, Google's (or should I say Alphabet's) self-driving tech company. You probably also know that self-driving cars have a metric crapton of sensors and tech on board, all of which is necessary to ensure that everyone stays safe. But if you were looking for a more visual representation of how exactly Waymo's cars see things, you might want to check the company's latest video out.
Read MoreVLC stable sees first major update in a year (v2.5) including an improved UI, search changes, support for Android Auto and PiP
Popular media player VLC just updated the stable branch of its Android app to 2.5, and it's one of the biggest updates in recent memory. This latest update has a dynamic new UI that better fits with Material Design guidelines, PiP mode, Android Auto support, 360-degree video support, and search improvements (including Google search integration), among a ton of other smaller features. As the first major release in over a year, we've been looking forward to it for quite a while.
Read MorePeriscope for Android now supports broadcasting 360-degree video
What's cooler than running a live stream from your phone? How about a live stream from your phone in 360 degrees? Periscope has been testing the feature with select accounts for a few months now, and just recently opened it up to all iOS users. Now the Android app supports broadcasting in 360 degrees as well.
Read More[Deal Alert] The Samsung Gear 360 camera is $50 off at Amazon, Best Buy, and B&H Photo
360-degree video is So Hot Right Now. Between the launch of Daydream, expanded support in apps like YouTube, and a continuing interest in headsets like Gear VR and the Oculus Rift, video creators wouldn't be unwise to dip a toe into this particular pool. (If only wearables had stayed so hot.) Samsung's consumer-grade 360-degree camera, creatively called the Gear 360, is currently on sale for $50 off at Amazon, Best Buy, and B&H Photo. That brings the price down to $299.99.
Read MoreYouTube live streaming upgraded to 4K for standard and 360-degree videos
4K video, content with resolutions at roughly quadruple that of standard 1080p, is all the rage right now. We're finally seeing 4K-res televisions and computer monitors that are at least moderately affordable, and five will get you ten that some mainstream phone manufacturer next year will brag that it's crammed a 4K screen into a 5.5" form factor. YouTube is way ahead of the curve on this one: they've been offering 4K video uploads and playback on compatible hardware since 2010. Now they're expanding that capability to live streaming videos.
Read MoreYouTube Gains 360-Degree Live Streaming And Spatial Audio
360-degree video can have the effect of making you feel like you're standing in a different place. It's not unlike a previous technological innovation that sought to do the same thing—live video. Watching a live event on TV remains the most common alternative to getting tickets and attending in person.
Today Google has announced a marriage of the two. YouTube now supports live 360-degree video.
Read MoreGoogle's 360 Degree, Cardboard-Compatible Data Center Tour Is VR Porn For Industrial Hardware Enthusiasts
Don't let the information-rich but ultimately sterile presentation fool you. Google's latest 360-degree video, which offers a virtual tour of the company's The Dalles, Oregon data center facility, is porn. Okay, so it's porn for people with incredibly specific tastes. People whose blood starts to boil at the sight of thousands of rack-mounted severs. People who are aroused by a bajillion miles of meticulously organized fiber optic cable. People who get excited at the sight of intense biometric security. But porn nonetheless.
Read MoreThe Best Of AP
[New Story: HELP] Google Releases New 360 Spotlight Story "On Ice," Teases Updates To The Android App
Spotlight Stories is one of the remnants of Motorola that Google kept after selling the company to Lenovo. It's a fun project that releases interesting movies every now and then that aren't like anything you've seen before. They're interactive, shot in 360-degree, and each time you watch them, you can unveil a different storyline and ending by simply moving and looking elsewhere.
Spotlight Stories used to be confined to their Android app, but Google brought them out to YouTube back in December as 360-degree videos that you can only watch on your phone in the YouTube app either on your screen or through Cardboard.
Read MoreSamsung's Gear 360 Is An Action Camera With Twin 180-Degree Lenses, Coming In Q2 2016
In addition to the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge, Samsung also announced an extra-special accessory at its Unpacked event. The Gear 360 is Samsung's first action camera, and not content to compete with GoPro and other conventional models, the company designed a camera that records video in 360 degrees at once. This is achieved with a ball-like body design and two sensors, each paired to a fish eye lens that captures 180 degrees of action. The camera and Samsung's software then stitches the video together for easy 360-degree presentations and VR playback.
The Gear 360 isn't the first 360-degree camera on the market, but with Samsung's marketing muscle behind it (not to mention integration with the company's smartphones), it could become the most popular.
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