Sci-tech / 165

Google will shutter Hangouts for Consumers in 2020

December 01, 2018

If the transition from consumer focus wasn't enough, Google has been transitioning their focus for messaging to the " Chat " platform powered by TXT messaging replacement Rich Communication Services ( RCS ) for some time. Google Hangouts is still a popular application with more than 3.6 million user reviews on Google Play alone. Google launched Hangouts back in 2013 as a successor to Google Talk.

Microsoft Office icons on Windows get a new look

December 01, 2018

The new icons will reach apps and the web in the coming months. Icons are one thing but it is being said that there changes being done to the actual Office apps and these icons are part of that change. While Microsoft may not be actively promoting the Windows 10 versions of its Office Mobile anymore, the Office team continues to deliver subtle features to user who previously bought into the company's old vision.

Jeep brings a Gladiator to the arena in LA

December 01, 2018

In exterior styling, the Gladiator freely apes the popular JL Wrangler , incorporating much of the SUV's exterior lighting and design cues while departing in some small ways to improve capability. Its interiors are seen with a standard touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto besides smartphone connectivity. Even with those touchscreens, there are dedicated controls for climate control and media volume.

Instagram now lets you share stories with close friends only

December 01, 2018

Analysts say it's a smart strategy considering users are already flocking from the main feed to Stories. "You can share things that are maybe a bit less polished, less ideal, [and] daily moments from your life", said Debra Aho Williamson, principal analyst at eMarketer who covers social media marketing.

Missing North Carolina girl found alive in Oklahoma

December 01, 2018

The FBI & Rutherford Co SO found 13yo Aubrey Acree safe & alive in Checotah, OK, just before 11:00 p.m. Aubrey was last seen by family members on Sunday night and was reported missing the following day, according to ABC affiliate WSOC .

Google announces new Android Auto features

December 01, 2018

These new messaging features are going live first in Android Messages , Hangouts, and WhatsApp , though like the improvements coming to media browsing and search, they'll also be arriving in other apps in the coming months . Third, Android Auto now supports apps that use MMS and RCS. If you don't have it enabled, try closing the Google Play Store from the Recents menu and reloading, or clearing data in system settings.

Google Assistant gets visual lyrics, "Pretty Please" feature, and Santa calls

December 01, 2018

The feature, called " Pretty Please ", was announced in May, and recently implemented in Google Home devices. You can ask Assistant to read you a story, including holiday classics like Disney's " Mickey's Christmas Carol " and more. First, the sound is much improved-the new Show features sound quality that's impressive, if not category-leading, and it's the best-sounding device Amazon has ever brought to market.

Anthem alpha testing starts on December 8, sign-ups are open

December 01, 2018

EA has announced that Anthem is coming to Alpha soon. During the Alpha Test Session, players will be able to test all four types of Javelin suits (Interceptor, Ranger, Colossus, or Storm). If you are accepted, you will be granted access to download and pre-load the game prior to the tests' starting time. To sign up, simply head to the EA Community Playtesting webpage , sign in with an EA account, choose a platform and when you'd like to play the alpha, and submit .

AWS offers devs tiny autonomous vehicles for machine learning

November 30, 2018

AWS said it will help developers get rolling with machine learning with AWS DeepRacer , a new 1/18th scale autonomous model race auto for developers, driven by reinforcement learning. SageMaker RL is now generally available. The service learns in real time from a sample of labels assigned by humans and automatically applies labels to much of the remaining data.

Huawei blocked from 5G upgrade in New Zealand over ‘significant’ security risk

November 30, 2018

Under New Zealand law, the GCSB must assess major network upgrades. Spark said today it had been notified by the Director-General of the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) that it can not use Huawei gear for the upgrade.

Spire Taps AWS Ground Station to Extend Ground Station Network

November 30, 2018

Through this integration, customers using AWS Ground Station gain the ability to download data from multiple satellites at the same time and to continue downloading data even when unplanned outages like a weather event impact parts of the network.

The FTC Is Investigating Loot Boxes, and the ESA Has Responded

November 30, 2018

Hassan during her questioning. " Loot boxes are now endemic in the video game industry and are present in everything from casual smart phone games to the newest, high budget releases ", said Hassan, "Loot boxes will represent a $50 billion industry by the year 2022".

Honda Reveals All American Passport SUV

November 30, 2018

The exterior of the Passport looks to be a rugged combination of Honda's sedan and SUV styling and is highlighted by standard 20-inch wheels, a matte-black grille and bumper, blackout headlights and black wheels. Honda says the Passport "can tackle the kind of tough terrain normally reserved for less refined body-on-frame and off-road-focused SUVs". Thanks to its limited rear overhang and up to 8.4 inches of ground clearance, the Passport offers an improved approach, departure, and ...

Nintendo is scrapping its YouTube Creators Program

November 30, 2018

Now it's got a fresh set of rules that are much more beneficial to the community - indicating the company might finally , finally be easing its notoriously tight grip on the use of its intellectual property. The NCP website will be taken down on March 20. But given that the guidelines affect uploaded videos as well as livestreams, it leaves a question over what that means for YouTube channels that prefer to upload footage without commentary - say, those doing Let's Plays of older SNES or NES ...

Microsoft snags $480m US Army hardware contract - Audio Visual

November 29, 2018

While we gave the upper hand to Magic Leap , Microsoft ended up winning the contract. The US Army already uses HoloLens headsets for training exercises, but the new deal means that specially-tailored versions could be used in live combat situations.

New Zealand becomes latest country to bar Huawei technology from 5G network

November 29, 2018

Telco Spark on Wednesday said it had been notified by the Government Communications Security Bureau that using Huawei RAN equipment in its introduction of 5G would raise a national security risk. They also added that Huawei is a private company and nothing is controlled by China government. Huawei has been involved in other telecommunications systems in New Zealand such as its 4G mobile network, and is investing NZ$400 million into research and development.

Huawei Mate 20 Pro confirmed to launch on November 27 in India

November 29, 2018

Touted as the world's best smartphone camera is now better than ever with the new Leica Ultra Wide Angle Lens that lets users not only see wider, but also closer with its new macro distance capability. The Huawei Mate 20 Pro price in India is expected to be in line with the worldwide market and it would compete with the new Apple iPhone launched for the high-end market in the country.

Porsche 911 S and 4S: The All-New 992-Generation Is Here

November 29, 2018

Speaking with him on the eve of the Los Angeles motor show at the global reveal of the new 911 , you get the distinct impression he's a no nonsense kind of guy that likes to push the development cars as hard as he pushed the race cars he once drove.

Apple’s Cyber Monday Deals Offer Discounts On iPhones & MacBooks

November 28, 2018

Still cheaper than Apple's latest iPhone model, but you'd be unwise to ignore this if memory is your sticking point. Not only is this Apple's latest design for the iPad - complete with the more advanced 8MP iSight camera and multi-touch display - it also supports the Apple Pencil for people who are looking to do a little more with their new toy than just checking their email and streaming Netflix.

Elon Musk Says There's a 70% Chance He'll Move to Mars

November 28, 2018

Musk said the time spent on Mars in the first years would be establishing bases and exploring the Red Planet and its harsh conditions, a challenge that would be for the most part, a one-way journey. According to Vox , Musk has no strategy to salvage voyagers from radiation extinction before even reaching the red planet and the issues on "human body from atrophying over the course of an 80-day trip in zero gravity".

Google's Project Fi might support Samsung, OnePlus, and iPhones beginning today

November 28, 2018

Google Fi's Network Tools feature will not work on iPhones. And for the first time ever, that list includes iPhones. There's a sweet new logo that you can see above, which renders "Fi" in a Google-colored line art that is increasingly becoming a trend in Google's iconography.

US Supreme Court to hear class action against Apple in early Dec

November 28, 2018

Apple says that previous year alone, developers earned more than $26 billion through the App Store , which offers more than 2 million apps to consumers. A trial court initially dismissed the suit. A ruling against Apple could add to pressure the company already is feeling because of disappointing iPhone sales.

Here's Why Red Dead Online's Mugshots Look Like That

November 28, 2018

In case you need your appetite whetting a little bit more, here is a description of what you can expect from Red Dead Online beta mode, direct from the horse's mouth (the horse is Rockstar Games by the way, and a Wild West reference, all rolled into one).

Cyber Monday Deal: buy Nintendo Switch and get $35 Nintendo eShop credit

November 28, 2018

Cyber Monday 2018 has arrived with fresh online sales on this year's hottest toys and electronics, with discounts on everything from a new iPhone to a 4K TV and more. The hotly-anticipated Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Pokémon: Let's Go, Eevee! will both have been released just two weeks prior to Black Friday.

Google Pixel 3 lite photographed next to original Pixel, several iPhones

November 27, 2018

It is important to note that Google is yet to confirm the Pixel 3 Lite officially; rumours, however, suggest that the phone is in its final stage of production and has been codenamed "Sargo". Another picture of the Pixel 3 Lite has now been leaked online. This time around we get to see it compared to not only the Pixel 3 XL , but also Apple's iPhone XS and iPhone XR .

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is Switch's best pre-selling game to date

November 26, 2018

Those features that we can find in the game obviously have given Super Smash Bros . Retail copies of Super Smash Bros . Ultimate is "punching its way into the record books!" Ultimate the top performances. That will be a big challenge, but it's also not impossible for Super Smash Bros . Each significant Nintendo console release has had a Smash Bros to call its own, and as the games character roster gets bigger and more and more people flock to the franchise, every new title feels ...

Read Dead Online starts tomorrow if you’ve got the Ultimate Edition

November 26, 2018

The earliest someone can play is November 27, 2018 , with general access opening on November 30, 2018 . On Wednesday, all users who played Red Dead Redemption 2 on October 26, according to Rockstar's data, will be open to play. Up to seven people can form a group together and undertake activities. If you bought the Ultimate Edition of Red Dead Redemption II then Red Dead Online will switch on at 1.30pm tomorrow in the UK.

Alien: Blackout could be the next Alien game, Fox trademark suggests

November 26, 2018

Trademark applications do not always result in announcements of a new product. There are signs that a new Alien game for PCs and consoles in is incubation. An apparently unrelated tweet - which featured game producer Hideo Kojima checking out Alien props at FOX Studios - received a odd reply from The Game Awards itself, simply stating "World Will Change!", also the tagline for the December 6 show.

Cyber Monday is Your Last Chance For Big Xbox One Console Deals

November 26, 2018

With a $100 discount on the Xbox One S Minecraft Creators Bundle and a $70 discount on other bundles that pair must-have games like Forza Horizon 4 with a console, Xbox is giving you even more ways to save. In 2017, Black Friday shoppers spent $5.03 billion online . Adobe expects Cyber Monday sales to grow 17.6 percent year-over-year to $7.8 billion.

Best Cyber Monday 2018 PS4 deals

November 25, 2018

Preliminary shopper visit for brick-and-mortar retail stores and shopping centers on Thanksgiving Day and Black Friday declined 1 percent from past year, said ShopperTrak, a retail tracking firm, in a statement. "Then it really calms down". Another popular option this year, according to Adobe , was click-and-collect orders (buy online , pick up in stores), with orders up 73 percent from Thursday through Friday.

All-new Range Rover Evoque revealed

November 25, 2018

These are wholesale changes, but some might mistake it for a facelift. The new baby Range is the first of the family to adopt a 48V-battery to assist the combustion engine to become a mild hybrid (MHEV). The vehicle received improved front suspension. Climb into the cockpit and the seat bases squish with more comfort than before, and it's more obvious this is a new generation from inside than it is outside.

Apple resumes iPhone X production due to weak iPhone Xs sales

November 25, 2018

Apple's rare move reflects sluggish demand for iPhone XR model in Japan , which is a huge market for the company's products. The publication alleges that this is a result of an Apple deal with Samsung to purchase a certain number of OLED screens used in the iPhone X, XS, and XS Max .

Google Duplex Begins Making Its Way To Pixel Owners

November 24, 2018

A Google spokesperson told Venture Beat yesterday that Duplex is being pushed out to a small group of Pixel users in select cities. For the prediction, Google mentioned names of cities such as San Francisco , Atlanta , Phoenix, and New York City will be the recipients for this new technology.

TECH and HEALTH - Apple acquires AI startup Silk Labs

November 23, 2018

Like the other biggest tech companies in the industry, Apple has been seeking to enhance the AI capabilities in its products, though the company's stance against leveraging private customer data has been somewhat of a disadvantage in terms of training its AI systems, such as Siri.

$50 Gift Card Console Black Friday 2018 Deals Up at GameStop

November 22, 2018

As of this writing, the best deal on PS Plus sees a 12-month subscription to the service for $40-a nice $20 savings and the cheapest we ever see these subscriptions go for anymore. This deal is only available on Thursday and Friday. Walmart will have a PlayStation 4 Slim 500GB Console for $229.96 from November 22 to 25. Update: fixed the number of titles on sale as GameStop's sale page links to used games as well, which in our opinion aren't really part of the Black Friday sale .

Amazon customer info exposed only days before Black Friday

November 22, 2018

Inc. said it mistakenly shared customer data with undisclosed parties, a privacy misstep by the world's biggest online retailer heading into its busiest time of year. However, Amazon didn't say how many accounts were impacted or where the email addresses were disclosed. It's not known exactly how many customers have been affected by the breach, although users from multiple countries including the USA and United Kingdom took to social media to report receiving the email.

How to set up a security key for your Microsoft Account

November 21, 2018

The new security feature unlocks options to sign in to Microsoft services without having to enter a password; the functionality is restricted to Microsoft Edge now and to services by Microsoft such as OneDrive, the Microsoft Store, Outlook, or Skype.

Google uses Apple's tools against it, makes Siri launch Google Assistant

November 21, 2018

Well, to use this feature on your iOS device, update to the latest version of Assistant for iOS and you can start using it right away, What do you think about this new feature? The latest version of Google Assistant for iOS supports Apples Shortcuts app, which lets you program a list of tasks to perform using a vocal phrase with Siri or a shortcut that you add to a homescreen.

Skype calling comes to Alexa devices, furthering Amazon and Microsoft’s surprising partnership

November 21, 2018

Individual device makers will have to implement this new feature before customers can take advantage of it. Vizio, LG, and Hisense have already started doing that, and will be rolling out updates "in the next several months", Crum wrote. Indeed, as part of today's announcement, Microsoft Stores in the USA have begun to sell Echo devices , which some are taking as an admission of defeat, although the official line is that Cortana and Alexa will work together rather than against each other.

LG XBOOM AI ThinQ WK9 smart speaker launched in the US

November 21, 2018

Such a device appeared in the range of the company LG has smart ThinQ display XBOOM AI WK9, which received a powerful audio system. The company has developed the smart display in association with Google and Meridian Audio. "Unlike other AI speakers where sound quality takes a back seat to the brain, the WK9 is first and foremost a high fidelity audio product that also happens to be intelligent".

Valve says goodbye to the last few Steam Link boxes

November 21, 2018

Valve have quietly discontinued production of Steam Link hardware , the wee black box which plugs into your telly and home network to let you play PC games on the big screen streamed from another room. In a post on the Steam forums, Valve said that the supply of Steam Link boxes in Europe had been completely emptied, while stock was starting to run low in the U.S.

Pixels Will Be Able to Save Call Screen Transcripts Later This Year

November 21, 2018

There's no official acknowledgement from Google so far when Business Insider reached out for comment. This follows a previous bug that created a second "virtual" notch over the right side of Pixel 3 XL's display. If you are experiencing this issue we suggest getting it replaced by Google - keep trying until you find a customer representative willing to replace it.

Tumblr Removed From Apple Store Over Child Pornography Content

November 21, 2018

We've sifted through the many on-sale titles on both platforms to ensure that you get the best value your money can buy. According to The Verge , Tumblr users first reported issues earlier this week searching in the iOS app while not using Tumblr's Safe Mode for sensitive content.

Facebook and Instagram down reports from across the world

November 21, 2018

Reports of the outage first came in at about 8pm. A widespread issue hit also hit Facebook in July, with Android users in some parts of the world unable to access the social network for up to ten hours. It's amusing how Twitter becomes so popular when Facebook goes down as everyone complains about it and uses the hashtag - #Facebookdown . "We are investigating the issue and working on a resolution".

Variant of Galaxy S10 to Offer 5G, Four Rear Cameras

November 20, 2018

Samsung will live stream the launch event via the company's official website . The base variant is also said to be coming with a 5.8-inch display and will be missing few key features on it, just to cut down the cost. South Korean smartphone manufacturer, Samsung is now working on its next flagship- Galaxy S10 series (probably three variants as we've seen with Galaxy S6 series) and is going to reintroduce flat displays in a basic variant of the upcoming phone.

A popular YouTuber was able to bend the new iPad Pro easily

November 20, 2018

According to a new video that is taking the rounds on social media, the newly launched iPad Pro from Apple seems to bend and break very easily. That, unfortunately, isn't going to happen in time for one poor iPad Pro, after YouTuber JerryRigEverything decided it would make for plenty of views if he took an iPad Pro and bent it in half.

Instagram is finally cracking down on fake followers and likes

November 20, 2018

The company says it will notify the people who use such apps that it's deleted the synthetic interactions, and will make them change their passwords so the apps can no longer hijack their accounts. "We're removing activity like new followers from these apps to protect our community from inauthentic activity". Instagram is arguably the biggest, public social network around right now, and fake likes and followers can really be a problem for the platform's authenticity.

First Fallout 76 post-launch update released, full patch release notes revealed

November 20, 2018

Repair: Fixed an issue that could cause an item to return to a broken state after being repaired. The first patch is expected to roll out on November 19th and will feature mainly game performance improvements created to provide more stability across all platforms.

Apple cuts production orders for all new iPhones

November 19, 2018

Now playing: Watch this: How deep can the iPhone XS and XR go? Production orders for the iPhone XS, XS Max and XR have reportedly been slashed. Sales of the more affordable iOS handset had not reached the point where a boost in supply for the holidays was required, insiders said.

Latest Instagram Bug Exposed Passwords of Some of its Users

November 19, 2018

Instagram's tool that allows users to download a copy of their own data sent these users their passwords in plain text. But a flaw in that tool resulted in their passwords being accidentally exposed in the URL of their web browsers. Anyone whose account was affected is said to have already received an email about the issue from Instagram . Instagram has publicly addressed the issue, stating that only a small amount of users were affected and that the issue has been fixed so it won't ...

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