MIT builds an early warning system for sailors

MIT believes that it’s developed an early warning system for rogue waves that could save the lives of sailors. Currently, predicting when a ten foot high wave is going to crash across a ship takes a room full of supercomputers. That’s not helpful for the scrappy fishing boats you see on Discovery Channel shows like Deadliest Food Grabbers and Gruff Seamen at Sea. That’s where this new method from Themis Sapsis and Will Cousins comes in, which spot impending trouble and alert crews to batten down the hatches.

Let’s imagine that every wave is a small, one-off event that just happens to take place around millions of similar one-off events. All of these waves are capable of interacting with each other, although normally that doesn’t mean much. If, however, two of these random interactions are going in the same direction at the same time, they come together to form a bigger wave. Given how many of these waves are milling around, it makes sense that several could merge into one massive ship-threatening rogue wave.

The traditional way to predict rogue waves like this is to build a system that’s similar to a weather-modeling setup. That’s what takes all the power, but the Sapsis/Cousins method just needs LIDAR, RADAR and, presumably, a laptop to do the actual number crunching. The new algorithm just looks at the length and height of all the waves in the vicinity around the ship. If a wave is high and wide enough, then there’s a far greater likelihood that it’ll become problematic in the very near future. Once these rare waves are spotted, it’s just a case of sounding a horn and getting everyone off the deck before trouble strikes.

Source: MIT

‘Alan Wake’ sequel hinted in trademark filing

Quantum Break is a little more than a month away, but already fans are speculating about a possible sequel to Alan Wake, the last big game from developer Remedy Entertainment. A trademark application for “Alan Wake’s Return” was spotted by a user on the gaming forum Neogaf, pointing to another instalment of the Twin Peaks-style thriller. Remedy’s creative director Sam Lake has always said that he would like to return to the franchise, going so far as to release prototype footage. Alan Wake 2 was eventually scrapped in favour of Quantum Break, although some of the team’s ideas eventually wound up in Alan Wake’s American Nightmare.

Remedy hasn’t confirmed the trademark application, so there’s a chance it’s an elaborate fan hoax. The filing does appear to be authentic, however, given it links through to a Remedy account that was also used to trademark Max Payne, Alan Wake and Bright Falls, a six-part live-action mini series. Still, for now any possible sequel is still firmly in “rumor” territory.

Alan Wake was an unusual third-person action game. The titular character, a writer, quickly finds himself reliving a story based on a manuscript he doesn’t remember writing. Pages are scattered throughout the world, teasing horrors and mind-bending dangers that the player will have to deal with. Enemies were townsfolk and objects possessed by a mysterious darkness that Wake could beat back with torches, flares and other sources of light. Managing ammunition and light was a novel experience, especially as light could be used for both offensive and defensive purposes.

It was the story, however, that earned the game a cult following and 4.5 million sales (as of March 2015), despite it going up against Red Dead Redemption at launch. Remedy was able to make two DLC chapters for the main game, the last of which ended with Wake writing a manuscript called “Return.” His adventures continued in American Nightmare, a downloadable sort-of-sequel that shifted the backdrop to Arizona. There he battles through an episode of the fictional TV show Night Springs, which, in the credits, is revealed to be called Return too.

The final piece of evidence? Microsoft is offering Alan Wake for free through backwards compatibility with every copy of Quantum Break. Pre-order and you’ll get American Nightmare too. A perfect opportunity, you might say, to remind people about a somewhat dormant franchise…

Via: Neogaf, Polygon

Source: Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market

Facebook Live Video comes to Android

The ability to broadcast live video will soon be available to every Facebook user on iOS and Android. After its US debut on the iPhone, the company has slowly started to introduce the feature in other markets, including the UK. Now, it’s coming to Google’s mobile OS too, starting with users in the US today. “More countries will be coming soon,” Facebook said in a blog post. In addition, the company has announced that 30 countries now have access through the iOS app: “We’ll continue to roll this out to more people as well as Pages in countries around the world in the coming weeks.”

Once enabled, you can share a live video feed from your phone by tapping the “What’s on your mind?” field at the top of the News Feed, followed by the Live Video icon. Rattle off a quick description and you’re away, with the ability to respond to real-time comments and review how many people are watching. When it’s all over, the broadcast will be archived on your Timeline, where you can choose to keep it or delete it straightaway.

Game on, Periscope.

Copycat Android Phone From Gionee Includes 3D Touch Quick Actions, Peek and Pop

Chinese smartphone manufacturer Gionee debuted its Gionee Elife S8 at Mobile World Congress this week, and the new device mimics the iPhone in both look and functionality. Available in silver, gold, and rose gold shades, the Elife S8’s exterior design more closely resembles an Android device than an iPhone, but it does have a similar rear camera, a 5.5-inch screen, a body that’s 7mm thick, a fingerprint sensor, and an aluminum body.

Image via GSM Arena
Most notably, it includes a pressure-sensitive display with built-in software features that look a lot like 3D Touch on the iPhone 6s. As described by BGR, the Elife S8 steals both Peek and Pop and Quick Actions from Apple. Pressing on an icon on the Home screen brings up a list of shortcuts, as seen in the image below. For example, a press on the camera app includes Quick Actions to take a snapshot, video, or selfie.

Image via BGR
There are also Peek and Pop gestures for previewing content, and a press on the left edge of the screen brings up a list of “Edge” apps. This differs from Apple’s multitasking functionality, but it’s the same general idea. Several hands-on reviews of the Elife S8 have noted the “too close for comfort” similarities between 3D Touch and Gionee’s pressure-sensitive display.

Image via BGR
The Gionee Elife S8’s other features include an octa-core Mediatek MT6755 processor, 4GB RAM, 64GB storage with a micro SD card slot, a 16-megapixel rear camera and an 8-megapixel front-facing camera. It’s priced at ~$500 and will be available to consumers in two months.

Gionee is not the first Android phone to include 3D Touch-like features. The Huawei Mate S has a pressure-sensitive display and launched ahead of the iPhone, but it does not attempt to copy the look of iOS or its specific implementation of 3D Touch. A pressure-sensitive display was also one of the features rumored for the Galaxy S7 and the Galaxy S7 Edge, but the two phones launched earlier this week without the feature.

Tags: 3D Touch, Gionee
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Tim Cook to Discuss Ongoing FBI Battle on Tonight’s Episode of ‘World News Tonight’

ABC World News Tonight anchor David Muir recently sat down with Apple CEO Tim Cook for an interview airing tonight that covers Apple’s ongoing dispute with the FBI.

In the interview, Cook will outline the reasons why Apple is objecting to the court order that would require it to help the FBI break into the iPhone owned by Syed Farook, one of the shooters in the December attack in San Bernardino, California.

Over the past two weeks, Apple and the United States government have been embroiled in a monumental dispute over privacy and encryption, stemming from the FBI’s request that Apple develop new software to help it hack the passcode on Farook’s iPhone 5c. Apple has refused to do so, saying the request sets a “dangerous precedent” that could lead to an overall weakening of encryption policies that endangers the privacy of tens of millions of American citizens.

Opposing this order is not something we take lightly. We feel we must speak up in the face of what we see as an overreach by the U.S. government.

We are challenging the FBI’s demands with the deepest respect for American democracy and a love of our country. We believe it would be in the best interest of everyone to step back and consider the implications.

Since the request was made public, Apple and the FBI have engaged in a very public sparring match. The FBI called Apple’s refusal a “marketing strategy,” while Apple shared details on an Apple ID password change that may have prevented the FBI from obtaining the desired information through an iCloud backup.

The interview will air on World News Tonight at 6:30 Eastern Time. Shortly after, the full show will be available on ABCNews.com.

Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Tags: Tim Cook, Apple-FBI
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Netflix for iOS Updated With 3D Touch Support, iPad Pro Optimization

Netflix today updated its iOS app to add support for Apple’s latest devices, the iPhone 6s and the iPad Pro. The app now includes a layout that’s been optimized for the 12.9-inch screen of the iPad Pro for an improved look that offers more content at a glance.

3D Touch support is available in the form of Peek and Pop gestures, providing more information about movies and television shows from the main browsing screen. 3D Touch support does not extend to Home screen Quick Actions.

Other new features in today’s update include episode auto-play and recommendation features on the iPhone, an improved Kids experience on the iPad, and Arabic support on devices running iOS 9 and later.

What’s New
– Post-Play experience (episode auto-play/recommendations) now on iPhone
– iPad Pro optimized layout
– 3D Touch support
– Improved Kids experience on iPad
– Arabic support for devices running iOS 9 and later
– Performance improvements

Netflix can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]

Tag: Netflix
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StarTech’s Dual-Monitor Thunderbolt 2 Docking Station Features Two DisplayPorts

StarTech’s latest Dual-Monitor Docking Station debuted in December, with a feature that sets it apart from other docking stations: dual DisplayPort 1.2 connections.

The Docking Station has a Falcon Ridge quad-channel Thunderbolt 2 controller for 20GB/s data transfer speeds. It can power two 2560 x 1600 displays through its DisplayPort connections, allowing for a dual-monitor setup that doesn’t require a Thunderbolt-equipped display. It can also power a single 4K display (DisplayPort or Thunderbolt) or a DisplayPort display alongside a Thunderbolt display with a 4K resolution on the DisplayPort monitor.

This Thunderbolt 2 dock lets you connect two displays to your laptop using common DisplayPort monitors. Traditional Thunderbolt docks require that at least one of your monitors is a Thunderbolt display for dual video, which means you might need to spend extra time and money on the additional display. Because it offers two DisplayPort connections, the dock makes it easy to create a highly productive dual-video workstation, with no additional costs or inconveniences.

Along with two DisplayPorts, there are two Thunderbolt 2 connections, a Gigabit Ethernet port, and four USB 3.0 ports (one of which is Battery Charging Specification 1.2 compliant for charging devices when not connected to a laptop). It supports 5.1 digital optical audio output, line input, and includes a 3.5mm headphone jack, plus an eSATA port for connecting external storage devices. Up to 12 peripherals can be connected at one time and Thunderbolt daisy chaining is supported.

The Dual-Monitor Docking Station can be purchased from StarTech for $347.99, but it’s also available from Newegg at the much lower price of $290.
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Latest iOS 9.3 Beta Unbricks iPhones Affected by ‘January 1, 1970’ Date Bug

The most recent beta of iOS 9.3, provided to developers and public beta testers earlier this week, fixes a bug that caused 64-bit iPhones and iPads to be disabled or “bricked” when the date was set to January 1, 1970.

Discovered in mid-February, the “1970” bug occurs whenever an iOS device’s date is manually set to 1970, resulting in a continuous reboot cycle. Speculation has suggested the reboot loop is the result of an integer underflow that causes the iPhone to reset the date to the maximum value, a huge number that iOS devices may be unable to process.

With iOS 9.3 beta 4, the date on the iPhone or iPad can’t be set beyond December 31, 2000 at 7:00 p.m. ET, which equates to 1/1/01 at 12:00 a.m. GMT. That effectively puts an end to the 1970 bug, which was used to trick some people into bricking their devices.

The beta also introduces a fix for devices that had been disabled by the bug. As explained on the MacRumors forums, devices stuck in boot loops were able to be restored to working order through a restore using iOS 9.3 beta 4.

This update fixed the 1970 date bug. Had two retail units stuck in boot loops do to some pricks setting the date to 1970 and restoring in DFU mode did not help. But restorting to this BETA update made both devices go back to normal.

Previously, there was no clear fix for devices that had been affected by the bug aside from disconnecting the battery, requiring users to go to the Genius Bar at an Apple retail store or attempt risky self-repairs. Apple promised a fix in an “upcoming software update,” which appears to be iOS 9.3.

iOS 9.3 is currently only available to developers and public beta testers, but we may be nearing the end of the beta testing period. Apple has said the software will debut in the spring, and it’s likely we will see it launch to the public following the company’s rumored March 15 event where it is expected to introduce the iPhone 5se, the iPad Air 3, and new Apple Watch bands.

Related Roundup: iOS 9
Tag: iOS 9.3
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Design Drawings Suggest iPhone 5se Will Look Almost Identical to iPhone 5s

Multiple rumors about the iPhone 5se have suggested the device will resemble the iPhone 5s, but its exact design has been difficult to nail down because the same rumors have also pointed towards a curved iPhone 6-style display, hinting at two design styles that don’t mix well.

Case maker’s design drawings and schematics shared today by 9to5Mac and OnLeaks (via iGen.fr) give us a clearer picture of what the iPhone 5se may look like, depicting a design nearly identical to that of the iPhone 5s.

The iPhone 5se’s dimensions are essentially the same as the dimensions of the iPhone 5s, measuring in at approximately 123.8mm tall, 58.6mm wide, and 7.6mm thick. In 9to5Mac’s rendering, created from information obtained from a case maker, the power button has been moved to the side of the device, while OnLeak’s schematic still has a power button at the top of the phone.

There’s also conflicting information provided about the camera. The schematic depicts a protruding rear camera with a pill-shaped flash, while 9to5Mac says the iPhone 5se camera matches the camera of the iPhone 5s. It is unclear which is correct, but both agree on the general design of the device.

As for rumors of an iPhone 6-style curved cover glass, the iPhone 5se is said to have a display that curves slightly at the edges, but the curve isn’t as dramatic as on Apple’s newer devices.

In line with our sources have been saying since January, the case maker tells us that the edges of the device and the front glass panel are slightly curved around the edges, but not as curved as the sides of the iPhone 6 and 6s. Schematics shown on website iGeneration also show these curves, but do not show the relocated power switch.

The iPhone 5se will reportedly come in standard iPhone colors — Silver, Space Gray, Rose Gold, and Gold — which will make it nearly indistinguishable from an iPhone 5s at a distance. Its similarity to an iPhone 5s may explain why we have yet to see part leaks for the device despite its imminent launch date.

Case makers often put a lot of time and resources into nailing down the design of products ahead of their launch because being first to market with accessories for a new iOS device can be quite lucrative. Design drawings and schematics aren’t accurate 100 percent of the time, but they often provide a clear look at upcoming product designs.

Apple is expected to introduce the iPhone 5se at an event that’s planned for March 15, with a launch set to take place just a few days later on March 18. Other features rumored for the iPhone 5se include an A9 processor, an improved camera, and NFC to enable Apple Pay.

Related Roundups: iPhone 5se, iPhone 6c
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Apple Shares Videos From Apple TV Tech Talks on Building Apps for tvOS

Starting in December, Apple hosted a series of Apple TV Tech Talks for developers interested in creating apps for the new fourth-generation Apple TV. Hosted by “Apple experts,” the Tech Talks took place in a number of cities around the world, including Toronto, Los Angeles, Austin, Seattle, Cupertino, Berlin, London, New York, Tokyo, and Sydney.

Not all developers were able to attend as Apple distributed tickets via a lottery system, but as of today, the videos from the Tech Talks are available on Apple’s developer website.

There are 11 Tech Talk sessions available, covering the following topics:

• Session 1: Kickoff
• Session 2: Designing for Apple TV
• Session 3: Focus-Driven Interfaces with UIKit
• Session 4: Siri Remote and Game Controllers
• Session 5: On-Demand Resources and Data Storage
• Session 6: Media Playback
• Session 7: Introduction to TVMLKit
• Session 8: Best Practices for Designing tvOS Apps
• Session 9: Tuning Your tvOS App
• Session 10: The Top Shelf
• Session 11: App Store Distribution and Marketing

Each video is approximately a half hour long, with some that are as short as 20 minutes and others as long as 40 minutes. All the videos are accompanied by developer resources and full transcripts of what was covered in the session. Anyone interested in watching the videos can do so on Apple’s developer website.
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