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5 Ways Technology Is Going To Change Your Life This Summer

2016 isn't even half over, and we already have six spectacular favorites.

By Alexander George
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Real wireless charging, great TVs, and more breakthroughs finally coming to your home.

The Finally Perfect, Finally Affordable TV

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Organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) have been producing a picture that even an untrained eye would call gorgeous, but physics and chemistry make it difficult to arrange those molecules on a screen bigger than 55 inches. LG figured it out, and now, the 77-inch G6 is the best screen you can buy. Compared with regular LCD displays, OLED images aren't as bright, but that's how it produces dark blacks that make other colors so vibrant. If you don't need a TV that covers your entire wall—and want to spend a little less to get it—LG also makes a smaller OLED model that looks almost as spectacular.

AVAILABLE: Now

Completely Wireless Charging

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Ossia's new power base is about the size of a watermelon. When your phone comes within a few yards of it, Ossia senses its location and begins to charge through the air. It's slower than a traditional cable but with a base near your desk and another near the living room, you're getting constant power. And we asked: Ossia figured out how to make it safe. The base is constantly sending out a signal, looking for the radio receiver in your phone case. Only when the phone is located does the base start sending power. Ossia is so precise that the power is sent only to your phone, to within a few centimeters of the receiver. The company will also make AA batteries that work the same way, which means you'll never have to replace the batteries in your smoke detector or TV remote again.

AVAILABLE: Late 2016

Augmented Reality That Helps You Fix Your Car

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Most auto manufacturers would rather have you drive to the dealership than get your hands dirty. It's that creeping don't-void-the-warranty attitude that keeps me from opening up my iPhone. But with Hyundai's augmented-reality app, you can pop the hood of your 2015 Sonata, point your phone's camera at the engine bay, and the app identifies the washer fluid, coolant, dipstick, fuse box, air filter, and battery. Tap on the part you want to repair or replace and animations guide you through a jump-start or an air-filter swap. Open the app from the driver's seat and you'll get an interactive guide to all those indicator lights on the dashboard. (That exclamation point inside two parentheses with a zigzag line on the bottom? Low tire pressure warning, probably worth knowing.) It'll also show you how to adjust the seat or pair Bluetooth devices. This is the way owner's manuals should be.

AVAILABLE: Spring 2016

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Homemade Virtual Reality

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Thanks to the Samsung Gear VR, Google Cardboard, and the forthcoming (and unfortunately pricey) Oculus Rift, civilians have the tools to watch immersive video. So far, however, the video options have been mostly limited to mountain bike ride-alongs. This year, new 360-degree cameras from Nikon (right) and GoPro are small, modestly priced, and as user-friendly as any regular camera. Strap one to your helmet, hit record, and, at the end of the day, you have an uncannily evocative recording of your adventure. For friends who don't have a VR setup, you can upload the videos to YouTube 360. The video plays normally, but viewers can move the perspective to see in any direction.

AVAILABLE: Summer 2016

Faster Data Ports

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Until our beautiful wireless-power future arrives, USB Type-C will make wired charging and data transfer fast enough to get that full charge before you board the plane. There are more pins in the connector, which means more amps, which means that battery percentage climbs quickly. Plus, the cables are symmetrical, so that they can send data or power in either direction. You can use the same cord to get power from your phone to your computer or from your computer to your phone. But best of all, the plug is reversible. Unlike traditional USB, there's no way to insert it upside down. Make sure to look for devices that specifically use USB 3.1. The name "Type-C" means that the device has the new type of plug, and 3.1 means you'll see all the speed benefits.

AVAILABLE: Now

From: Popular Mechanics
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