Facebook: If your feed is an echo chamber, you need more friends
Facebook wants you to know that you’ve only got yourself to blame for the lack of diversity in views on your news feed. The social network has recently conducted a study to find out why people mostly see posts that mirror their own beliefs and to find out if a “filter bubble” is to blame. “Filter bubble” is what you call the situation wherein a website’s algorithm shows only posts based on what you clicked (or Liked) and commented on. For this particular study, the company used anonymous data from 10.1 million Facebook users who list their political affiliations on their profiles. Researchers monitored “hard news” links posted on the website and looked at whether they were posted by conservatives, liberals or moderates.
The result? According to a blog post on Facebook research, which details the contents of the study (emphasis ours):
“While News Feed surfaces content that is slightly more aligned with an individual’s own ideology (based on that person’s actions on Facebook), who they friend and what content they click on are more consequential than the News Feed ranking in terms of how much diverse content they encounter.”
The study admits that the filter bubble effect is real — in varying degrees, based on political affiliation — but it claims the website’s algorithms doesn’t play that big of a part. Who you’re friends with apparently has a more profound effect on your news feed, with the study pointing out that “birds of a feather flock together:”
Friends are more likely to be similar in age, educational attainment, occupation, and geography. It is not surprising to find that the same holds true for political affiliation on Facebook.
However, Eli Pariser, who once gave a TED talk on the perils of the filter bubble, warns that the study might be downplaying the effects of the Facebook algorithm. “Certainly, who your friends are matters a lot in social media,” he writes in his response to the study on Medium. “But the fact that the algorithm’s narrowing effect is nearly as strong as our own avoidance of views we disagree with suggests that it’s actually a pretty big deal.”
Pariser isn’t the study’s only critic either: Christian Sandvig from Social Media Collective argues that there’s a very small percentage of Facebook users that volunteer “interpretable ideological affiliations” on their profiles, which is one of the requirements to be part of the research. He writes: “We would expect that a small minority who publicly identifies an interpretable political orientation to be very likely to behave quite differently than the average person with respect to consuming ideological political news.” Sandvig also finds the way the study was framed to be questionable, almost as if it was written as an alibi: “Facebook is saying: It’s not our fault! You do it too!”
As you can see, the study’s become quite controversial. If you want to come up with your own conclusions, you can pore over the study on Facebook Research for a more thorough look at the results, and see even more details in the paper published in Science.
Via: The Verge
Daily Roundup: LG G4 review, Nintendo makes money again and more!
In today’s Daily Roundup you’ll find our review of the new LG G4, read all about how Nintendo is making money again and get a sneak peek at the new controller for Guitar Hero Live. Get the details on these stories and more past the break.
LG G4 review: refined, but not game-changing
When LG cooked up last year’s G3, we (and many of our contemporaries) fell in love with it. At last, a well-designed phone with a killer Quad HD screen and a custom interface that didn’t make us want to wrap a USB cord around our necks! Building a beloved smartphone is no small feat, but it’s still not as hard as crafting a sequel that will be just as well-received. When it came time for LG to design the new G4, the company latched onto a handful of areas it thought people really cared about. It rebuilt its 16-megapixel camera from the ground up.
Nintendo is finally making money again
Nintendo recorded its first annual profit since 2011 today. Its final results for 2014 (technically April 1st 2014 to March 31st 2015) reveal a $207 million operating profit on $4.6 billion in revenue. That’s nothing to write home about, and way lower than initially expected, but still represents a dramatic improvement from previous years’ consecutive losses. The past three months have actually seen a pretty heavy negative swing for Nintendo, with the international launch of new-and-improved 3DS models failing to make much of an impact, and the Wii U continuing to languish in 3rd place behind the PS4 and the Xbox One.
A close look at the new, yet familiar guitar in ‘Guitar Hero Live’
Tim Dunn and Nate Coppard are on a mission to rewire your brain. They’re respectively the senior producer and senior designer behind Guitar Hero Live‘s new six-button guitar, and while neurological change is not their direct goal, it’s a side effect they seem to relish. The new guitar has two rows of three buttons each, stacked on top of each other at the end of the neck – this not only adds an extra button to the series, but it allows for fresh challenges. “It’s not something people will be familiar with,” Dunn says, glancing down at the Guitar Hero Live guitar in his hands.
‘Guild Wars 2′ cheater faces public humiliation before ban
Most cheaters in online role-playing games face an ignominious end. The developers ban them, and that’s all she wrote. Not one particularly egregious Guild Wars 2 offender, however. When game developer ArenaNet finally took action against a hacker who had been terrorizing player-versus-player battles for weeks, the security team decided that some public humiliation was in order. It stripped one of the player’s characters naked, jumped this persona off a ledge, and proceeded to delete every character linked to the account – all recorded for posterity on video, as you can see below.
Xbox One rumor claims DVR is coming to replace Media Center
Even as Microsoft buries Windows Media Center, there’s a rumor that it actually does have a plan for a replacement. According to Paul Thurrott’s sources, the Xbox One will gain the ability to record live TV “probably this year.” That’s the kind of feature Microsoft originally envisioned for its all-in-on game console, but so far does not offer. The live TV tuner that’s available in Europe and coming to North America offers some trick play pause/rewind support, but full DVR functionality would be a big shift.
This speaker lights on fire (and it’s supposed to)
Your Sonos setup is pretty handy, what with its wireless audio and all that, but you know what it’s missing? A mothereffin’ open flame that bounces along to your music’s beat, that’s what. Because seriously, a jammin’ stereo is basically useless if it doesn’t run the risk of burning down the your house. And before you ask, no The Sound Torch wasn’t concocted by The Talking Heads’ David Byrne. However! Its Danish designers say that it’s perfect for either your next DJ set or family picnic. For the latter you could probably even skip using one of those grody public grills with these feats of pyrotechnics.
Tesla’s first acquisition is a Michigan auto parts maker
Tesla’s just made its first acquisition: a tool and die shop based in Grand Rapids, Michigan (roughy 150 miles west of Detroit) that makes automotive stamping parts. As The Detroit Free Press reports, the current Riviera Tool will eventually become Tesla Tool and Die and will retain its current employees, possibly hiring more in the future.
Filed under: Misc
The Rockstar Editor is coming to ‘GTA V’ on consoles after all
Apparently “exclusive” doesn’t mean what it used to anymore. Rockstar Games recently revealed that its eponymous video editing toolset is coming to the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions of Grand Theft Auto V in a recent question and answer session pulled from its mailbag. Given the extra horsepower it requires, the Rockstar Editor won’t surface on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, but the team hopes to release it for new-gen systems this summer or “as soon as it is ready.” So, maybe don’t hold your breath for too long, but you never know.
The Q and A covers a pretty wide variety of other topics too! The for-now PC-exclusive radio station “The Lab” from legendary DJs The Alchemist and Oh No? It’s coming to all four consoles via a title update. There’s some news regarding fresh online heists if you’ve already exhausted the current supply as well.
The video editor suite sounds like it could be pretty great, but since you can’t exactly install mods on the console versions it means you’ll almost positively miss out on making clips of blue whales plummeting from the skies of Los Santos. You know, like the one below.
Filed under: Gaming, Home Entertainment, HD
Via: IGN
Source: Rockstar Newswire
Google Search offering new ‘Place an order’ button for restaurants
Google continues simplifying search for users around the world with the introduction of the ‘Place an order’ button. Searching for a nearby restaurant returns the usual amount of results, but this new button allows users to jump right into ordering. The ‘Place an order’ button has Seamless, Grubhub, Eat24, Delivery.com, BeyondMenu, and MyPizza.com integration. Having these services, with more on the way, sitting behind a single button means snappy (and happy) ordering.
Source: Google (Google+)
Come comment on this article: Google Search offering new ‘Place an order’ button for restaurants
Rumored Samsung Galaxy Note 5 could be an interesting device
Now that the hype from the Samsung Galaxy S6 and the Galaxy S6 Edge has calmed down just a bit you’d think that nothing would surface from the Samsung camp right? Wrong.
We’ve heard reports that Samsung might release only one variant of the Galaxy Note 5 this fall. The new phablet could feature a 2K or a 4K flat-screen Super AMOLED display, coupled with the Exynos 7422 processor, and the company’s homegrown modem, which after the popularity of the Galaxy S6 and the Galaxy S6 Edge Samsung is very confident of right now. The Exynos 7422 is expected to be the company’s first ever all-in-one solution combining the CPU, GPU, RAM, storage, and modem on a single chip. The Galaxy Alpha also had a similar configuration, but it only combined the RAM and storage in a single package with the phone.
Samsung is also testing Galaxy Note 5 units with a new Exynos 7430 chipset, but this chip is supposed to be an engineering sample only, and the company has no plan to release it for consumers. The reason may be that the Exynos 7430 isn’t ready for the public yet. Also, this could be the same reason that Samsung has testing units with a 2K displays and some with a 4K displays. The technology has to have any problems solved before consumers can get ahold of these new components.
The new model that’s expected to replace the Galaxy Note Edge is codenamed ‘Project Zen’ internally, and it will not be just a curved screen variant of the Galaxy Note 5.
The internals may not be completely high-end. It’s supposed to feature a 5.4 to 5.5-inch Super AMOLED dual-edge curved display with onboard S Pen support. The same hexa-core Snapdragon 808 processor that is currently in use on the LG G4 is rumored to be driving the device.
The memory capacity for the Galaxy Note 5 is supposed to be 16 gigabytes of storage hopefully with a 32gig option at least, and possibly more. The cameras for this phablet are reported to be a 16-megapixel primary camera with Optical Image Stabilization and an 8-megapixel front-facing camera.
Now this is only the early reports of what the Galaxy Note 5 might have. Of course if and when any new information about this breaks, we will let you know.
Source: SamMobile
The post Rumored Samsung Galaxy Note 5 could be an interesting device appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Moto X (2nd Gen.) beginning to receive Android 5.1 soak test in Brazil
Just a few days ago, we got word that Motorola was planning on rolling out the update to Android 5.1 Lollipop for a number of its devices sometime soon, and it looks like we’re now one step closer to that coming into fruition. Motorola has just announced that the Android 5.1 Lollipop soak test is now beginning to roll out to the Moto X (2nd Gen.) for users in Brazil. Soak tests usually don’t last too long, so we’ll likely see a wider rollout sometime in the near future. The company also states that it’s working on bringing the update to multiple other devices, so we’ll need to stay tuned for more information.
Related Videos
.rvs_wrapper
width: 335px;
.rvs_wrapper.align_left
float: left;
.rvs_wrapper.align_right
float: right;
.rvs_wrapper.align_center,
.rvs_wrapper.align_none
width: 100%;
.rvs_wrapper.align_center
text-align: center;
.rvs_wrapper.align_center.cbc-latest-videos ul li
float: none;
display: inline-block;
vertical-align: top;
.rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos:not(.align_none) ul li:nth-child(2n+1)
clear: both;
.rvs_title
font-weight: 600 !important;
margin: 0 !important;
.rvs_wrapper.align_right .rvs_title
padding-left: 20px;
.rvs_title a
font-family: ‘Roboto Condensed’;
color: #3a3a3a;
.rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul
padding-top: 10px;
.rvs_wrapper.align_left.cbc-latest-videos ul li,
.rvs_wrapper.align_none.cbc-latest-videos ul li
padding: 0 15px 0 0;
.rvs_wrapper.align_right.cbc-latest-videos ul li
padding: 0 0 0 15px;
float: right;
.rvs_wrapper.align_center.cbc-latest-videos ul li
padding: 0 7px;
.rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul li > a
font-weight: 400;
.rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul li > a .yt-thumbnail
margin-bottom: 0;
@media only screen and (max-width : 480px)
.rvs_wrapper
width: 100%;
text-align: center;
#page .rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul li
padding: 0 7px;
display: inline-block;
float: none;
vertical-align: top;
Alongside the many notable improvements you’ll find in the update to Android 5.1, Motorola has decided to throw in a new Moto Action that should prove quite useful. In addition to being able to launch the camera by twisting your wrist twice, you’ll now be able to chop twice to activate the flashlight, and chop twice again to turn it off. Motorola says it’s the same motion as chopping an onion with a knife. If you need a clearer picture, check out the .gif below.
If you’re the owner of a Moto X (2nd Gen.), do you find Moto Actions useful? Do you think you’ll use the “chop twice for flashlight” motion? Let us know what you think in the comments below.
US Court of Appeals rules NSA phone data collection illegal
The US Court of Appeals has ruled that the NSA’s unlimited phone data collection program is illegal, claiming that the NSA exceeded its powers granted by Congress. The NSA was insdiscriminately tracking phone history, including numbers, time stamps, and call duration, which was obviously a huge breach of privacy. Chalk this ruling up as a win for common sense.
Unfortunately, the ruling won’t have any effect on the program right away. There is still a reviews process that the decision will have to undergo, and the government is looking into ways to reform the program, not abolish it altogether. Still, it’s a step in the right direction.
source: National Journal
via: Android Central
Come comment on this article: US Court of Appeals rules NSA phone data collection illegal
Electronic mini-city comments on the dangers of surveillance
Nervous about the rise of a surveillance culture, where both companies and governments seem hell-bent on knowing everything they possibly can about you? So is British artist Stanza, who found a clever way of expressing that anxiety about always-watching electronics. His Nemesis Machine project connects a legion of climate and motion sensors in London to a miniature electronic city in Bruges. If the temperature climbs in Britain, for instance, a corresponding mini-building lights up in Belgium. There are even cameras that turn footage of viewers into tiny, Blade Runner-style video walls. The artwork both recreates the frenzied activity of a city and throws modern society’s constant monitoring back in your face — you know what those beeps, buzzes and flashes really mean.
If you want to see the exhibit in person, you’ll have to act fast. It’s only at the Arentshuis Bruges Museum until May 10th, and there’s no mention of bringing it elsewhere at the moment. Whether or not you can make it, this circuit-based urban landscape should get you thinking about whether or not you’re comfortable with the volume of information you share.
https://player.vimeo.com/video/122634416
Via: Fast Company
Source: Stanza
Xiaomi’s 2015 roadmap leaks out, details four upcoming devices
Xiaomi has been extremely busy these past few weeks. After breaking a world record and selling 2.11 million smartphones in just 12 hours, the company went on to release the powerful mid-range Xiaomi Mi 4i. Then, just yesterday the Mi Note Pro was released, offering an incredible list of specifications for a cheap price point. With all of these awesome devices being released, are you wondering what the company has up its sleeve for the rest of 2015? Thanks to a new leak, you can get all of the juicy details ahead of time.
Read more: Xiaomi Mi 4i closer look: picture gallery and videos
Xiaomi’s 2015 roadmap has leaked out, giving us a good look at what’s to come throughout the rest of the year. First, we’ve got the Xiaomi Mi 4S, set to launch June of this year. According to the roadmap, the device will sport a 5-inch Full HD display, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor, a 13MP rear-facing camera with OIS and a 5MP front-facing camera. Next up is the Xiaomi Redmi Note 2, which will feature a 5.5-inch HD display, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 processor, a 13MP rear camera and a 5MP front camera.
Next on the list is the Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 Pro, slated to launch sometime in July. This one will have a 5.5-inch Full HD display, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 processor, a 13MP rear shooter and a 5MP front shooter. Lastly is the Xiaomi Mi 5, which isn’t set to launch until November. This one is the most high-end out of the bunch, featuring a 5.2-inch Quad HD display, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor, and a 20.2MP rear-facing camera.
More great Xiaomi devices!
.rvs_wrapper
width: 335px;
.rvs_wrapper.align_left
float: left;
.rvs_wrapper.align_right
float: right;
.rvs_wrapper.align_center,
.rvs_wrapper.align_none
width: 100%;
.rvs_wrapper.align_center
text-align: center;
.rvs_wrapper.align_center.cbc-latest-videos ul li
float: none;
display: inline-block;
vertical-align: top;
.rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos:not(.align_none) ul li:nth-child(2n+1)
clear: both;
.rvs_title
font-weight: 600 !important;
margin: 0 !important;
.rvs_wrapper.align_right .rvs_title
padding-left: 20px;
.rvs_title a
font-family: ‘Roboto Condensed’;
color: #3a3a3a;
.rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul
padding-top: 10px;
.rvs_wrapper.align_left.cbc-latest-videos ul li,
.rvs_wrapper.align_none.cbc-latest-videos ul li
padding: 0 15px 0 0;
.rvs_wrapper.align_right.cbc-latest-videos ul li
padding: 0 0 0 15px;
float: right;
.rvs_wrapper.align_center.cbc-latest-videos ul li
padding: 0 7px;
.rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul li > a
font-weight: 400;
.rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul li > a .yt-thumbnail
margin-bottom: 0;
@media only screen and (max-width : 480px)
.rvs_wrapper
width: 100%;
text-align: center;
#page .rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul li
padding: 0 7px;
display: inline-block;
float: none;
vertical-align: top;
We aren’t entirely sure that this leak can be trusted 100%, so let’s be sure to take this with a grain of salt. Additionally, there’s a chance that this release schedule is only for China, so we may not see the launch of these four devices line up perfectly in the United States. We’ll be sure to let you know if we hear any more information about these leaks.
Spotify wants to get into web-video streaming to compete with YouTube
Spotify is one of biggest companies at the head of digital music streaming, alongside the likes of Slacker, Pandora, and others. But it looks like the company isn’t happy with just handling music streaming and is planning on jumping into competition with companies like YouTube and Facebook on the video content front, too.
The company has reportedly been in talks with companies that handle content creation for sites like YouTube, and Spotify is trying to figure out the best way to get creators on board with their own service. After all, these services are only worth as much as their content, and a video streaming service with a few dozen videos probably won’t be attracting many views per month.
Spotify would probably employ a similar business model to their music streaming business, including an ad-supported free service and a paid, ad-free service. It’s worth mentioning that Spotify still struggles to turn a profit with its current business model, so pricing for a video service might be a little different to help the company try to pull in some cash. Granted, Spotify would be one of the first subscription-based video services like this, so that alters the dynamic of things a bit.
It’ll be interesting to see if Spotify’s video streaming plans see the light of day, and even more interesting to see if they work.
source: Wall Street Journal
Come comment on this article: Spotify wants to get into web-video streaming to compete with YouTube
AIVAnet 