Dropbox bug wipes some users’ files from the cloud
Cautious types will frequently tell you not to rely on cloud storage as your only backup, and a handful of internet denizens have just learned this the hard way. Dropbox has confirmed that a bug in some older versions of its desktop apps deleted the files of some people who turned on Selective Sync, which limits cloud syncing to certain folders. Typically, this would happen after a crash or forced reboot, making a bad problem worse — at least a few users found that they’d lost years’ worth of content through no fault of their own.
The good news? Most of this (though not all) is now past tense. Dropbox says that it’s restoring files when it can; it’s also releasing fixed versions of its apps, preventing older apps from working and putting extra safeguards in place to prevent this kind of error from happening again. Affected users are getting email (such as what you see below) that offers a year’s worth of Dropbox Pro service for the trouble. While these efforts won’t be much consolation if you lost access to files at a critical moment, it at least shows that Dropbox wants to learn from its mistakes.
[Thanks, Michael]
Filed under: Storage, Internet
Source: Hacker News, Michael Armogan (Google+)
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Snake robot climbs sand dunes by mimicking sidewinders’ slithering
Snakes can pretty much slither anywhere they want, inspiring many (and we mean many) military and educational institutions to try and recreate them in robotic form. Carnegie Mellon University, in particular, has been developing a robotic snake for years — one that a team of researchers from various organizations recently tweaked to mimic the movements of a sidewinder. Why? Because prior to the update, it couldn’t even climb sandy slopes inclined by about 10 degrees. The group, which has been observing snakes for a long time and has found out the secret behind sidewinders’ ability to scale sand dunes, programmed the robot to replicate their unique slithering. Carnegie Mellon roboticist Hamid Marvi says it can now “climb on inclinations of up to 20 degrees on loose sand,” all thanks to this upgrade.
If scientists want to send mechanical serpents to rough terrain for search-and-rescue missions, or even to another planet, they’d need to refine them further to be able to climb any surface. At the moment, though, you can read this research’s technical details in the Science paper published by the team, comprised of researchers from the Georgia Institute of Technology, Carnegie Mellon University, Oregon State University and Zoo Atlanta.
[Image credit: Carnegie Mellon University]
Filed under: Robots
Via: Reuters
Source: Georgia Tech, Carnegie Mellon University
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PlayStation 4’s video editing app has a few new clip-splicing tools
Have you or someone you know actually used the PlayStation 4’s SHAREFactory app to make fancy-looking highlight reels of gaming exploits? We ask because despite is being out for awhile now, unlike photo-mode images, we still haven’t run across any samples aside from those produced by Sony. No matter, because the catch-up king is adding a handful of new features to the video-editing app anyway. In addition to new themes and saturation presets and improved audio quality, among other things, the ability to auto-trim longer clips has been added, too. From the sounds of it, this should be a pretty worthwhile patch for those who prefer to do their video-crafting and tweaking from their console as opposed to using external software. What we’re left wondering, however, is when the 2.0 firmware update (the one with Share Play and YouTube exports) for the console itself will finally hit. Maybe we could get application folders and custom themes with it too?
Filed under: Gaming, Home Entertainment, HD, Sony
Source: PlayStation Support
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How would you change Acer’s Aspire R7?
Head into the basement and dust off that Jerry Goldsmith CD, because this week, How Would You Change is looking at Acer’s Aspire R7. With a hinged display, the laptop hybrid could fold down to a tablet, or be used with the screen essentially floating over the keyboard, a mode known internally as the Starship Enterprise. When we dumped it into Sarah Silbert’s lap, she found that the only thing not to like was the slow CPUs, which Acer replaced a few months after. But what about you? Did your inner Trekker win out and compel you to buy an R7, and if so, what did you like, what did you hate and what would you have changed? All you need is a tall ship, a star to steer it by and to head on over to our product forums.
Source: Engadget Product Forums
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The iTunes Store is about to get a flatter look
Apple has flattened the design of just about every interface it makes, but the iTunes Store has remained largely impervious to those changes — reflections, drop shadows and extruded buttons abound. All that is likely to change soon, however. According to 9to5Mac, those trying out the iTunes 12 beta are now seeing a super-flat iTunes Store layout that mirrors what you’ve seen in iOS, OS X Yosemite and iTunes 12 itself. The carousel highlighting new content is no longer full of pseudo-3D effects, and most of the buttons have been reduced to simple wireframes. A few elements are reportedly missing as of this writing, but it won’t be surprising if the new-look storefront gets some stage time on October 16th.
Filed under: Home Entertainment, Internet, Software, HD, Apple
Source: 9to5Mac
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Apple Pay Setup Process Revealed as Retail Employees and Partners Begin Training
Apple has begun preparing its retail employees and retail partners for the upcoming launch of its Apple Pay mobile payments service with a host of new training materials that show the feature in action, reports 9to5Mac.
Users will be able to set up Apple Pay in Passbook or through the Settings app, as up to eight credit or debit cards be connected with an iTunes account or by scanning one in with the iPhone’s camera. Every card connected to the service will allow users to access a number of features, including the ability to see a simple transaction list, the ability to turn on push notifications, and an area that allows quick access to a bank’s phone number and an accompanying app. Passbook will also be able to automatically update an expired card with a new expiration date without the need to re-enter information.
For Apple’s own stores, a customer will be able to return an item simply by holding an iPhone near a payment terminal to give a list of their recent transactions. Receipts from Apple Store purchases will also not display a customer’s contact information or credit card number, but will rather show just the last four digits of a device’s Apple Pay ID. If Apple Pay is not working properly for an Apple Store customer, retail employees will be able to use the “Apple Pay Demo” diagnostic software that can determine whether a device is having a hardware problem or other issue. For non-hardware issues, customers will be referred to their appropriate credit card providers or banks.
Apple’s training materials note that its retail employee should emphasize the simplicity and security of Apple Pay to lure customers into using the service.
All Apple Store employees will receive one hour of mandatory Apple Pay training this week ahead of the service’s impending launch. The report also notes that Apple has already launched Apple Pay at its Caffe Macs cafeteria located in its 1 Infinite Loop headquarters.
An internal memo addressed to Walgreens employees that surfaced yesterday suggested that Apple Pay may be going live next Saturday, October 18. Apple Pay will be enabled on the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus through an update to iOS 8. The seeded versions of iOS 8.1 to developers first revealed hidden Apple Pay settings and set up screens, which may indicate that the service might be launching alongside the update.
Apple is expected to detail full launch plans for Apple Pay and iOS 8.1 at its event this Thursday, October 16. The company is also expected to announce its next-generation iPad Air and Retina iPad mini, new iMacs with at least the 27-inch version receiving a high-resolution Retina display, and perhaps even a new Mac Mini.
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Food for thought: Will Android L be called Android Licorice?
Android L is so close that many of us can smell the new Android operating system already – hell, we’ve already got the Material Design Google Play Store. While many believe that Google is doing away with numbers and letters in their Android nomenclature, there are still the faithful few who believe Google will stick with their candy and dessert naming ways and release Android L with a sweet new name (pun intended). We’ve heard Lollipop, Lemon Meringue Pie and even [Nestle] Lion, but today we have an interesting lead on a new name for Android L: Android Licorice.
This latest revelation comes after Giovanni Calabrese posted the above on Google+, saying “I never had a great liking for Licorice, but damn! there are some great flavors out there !!!” And who exactly is Mr. Calabrese that has got us so excited by his comments? Calabrese is actually one of the designers behind Google’s Android statues that stand on the Google HQ lawn, so perhaps he has some inside knowledge about what’s coming in the future of Android L. Maybe it’s a red herring, but I doubt this will be the last Android name rumour we hear before the official announcement of Android L.
What do you think about the name Android Licorice? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Source: Google+ via Phone Arena
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The post Food for thought: Will Android L be called Android Licorice? appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
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Race as your favorite characters in Cars: Fast as Lightning
Ever wanted to play a Cars racing game with your favorite characters, all while building your own Radiator Springs? Well, now you can with Disney – Pixar’s newest game. Race as 20 different characters, change your paint job, and add loops, straightaways, and lightning-fast turns to Radiator Springs!
To be frank, the game looks just like the movie. There are some nice HQ cutscenes, a big selection of cars, and it even features the voice of Owen Wilson as Lightning McQueen.
Cars: Fast as Lightning has just been released for Android, iOS, and Windows phone, and is available for free in the Google Play Store. Check it out at the link below!
Deals, Discounts, Freebies, and More! Click here to save today! |
The post Race as your favorite characters in Cars: Fast as Lightning appeared first on AndroidGuys.
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Microsoft app gives you more control over the Surface Pro 3’s pen
The Surface Pro 3’s pen is arguably a defining feature, but you haven’t had official control over it so far. As of now, though, you finally get some say over the stylus’ behavior. Microsoft has posted a Surface Hub app that lets you customize both the pen’s pressure sensitivity and its top button. Right now, the software isn’t likely to please demanding artists and note-takers — you don’t have fine-grained sensitivity tuning, you can’t launch any app you like and the side buttons are strictly off-limits. The crew in Redmond is willing to add features based on feedback, so don’t be afraid to pipe up if you have dreams of launching Photoshop with a single thumb press.
Filed under: Tablets, Software, Microsoft
Via: The Verge, Surface Pro Artist
Source: Windows Store
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Sound Off! Share your favorite messaging apps
There’s definitely no shortage of messaging apps around. With services like Google Hangouts, Facebook Messages, iMessage, Path Talk, Snapchat, Whatsapp and countless others, it’s a pretty overwhelming task to figure out the best way to contact your friends. How do you choose which app is the right one for keeping in touch and giving your thumbs a workout? Head over to the Engadget forums and share your favorite way to communicate.
Source: Engadget Forums
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AIVAnet 