Elon Musk: You can reserve a Model 3 starting March 31st

Even though Elon Musk said earlier today that he’s not sure how much of Tesla’s Model 3 will be unveiled next month, you’ll still be able to get in line right away. Musk (shown above posing in front of a Model S during its 2009 debut event) just tweeted that Model 3 reservations will be accepted at Tesla stores on March 31st, and online starting April 1st. You’ll need to put $1,000 down towards the car’s price, which will start at $35,000 before any incentives are applied.

No signature series for Model 3. Same reservation amount for all.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 11, 2016

We should note that while Musk says there will no Signature Series this time around (like the high-price limited models that launched Tesla’s Model X), while talking to investors he said the first models will come with many options installed, so the price could be a bit higher for early buyers. Whatever we see at the launch event next month, the Model 3 is supposed to go on sale in late 2017 so you’ll have to let Tesla hold that down payment for a little while and hope there’s no Bolt envy in the meantime. The online reservations will be taken globally, and Musk promises more details “in the coming weeks” — stay tuned.

Source: Elon Musk (Twitter)

Serato’s DJ tech is ready to mix playlists on your iPhone

Creating a great playlist is tough. It’s more than just throwing a bunch of songs together and hoping for the best. You have to make sure the music melds together smoothly, with no jarring transitions. It’s time-consuming, and if you don’t add enough songs, well, it’s just embarrassing when the music ends in the middle of a party. Serato’s new Pyro app for iOS solves many of those problems by keeping the jams going long after you’ve given up trying to mix Kanye with Beyonce.

Serato, best known for its DJ software, is entering the consumer market by taking the technology that’s been helping mixmasters beat-match and cramming it into one dead-simple UI. While the playlists resemble the Clear app’s lists, the underlying transition tech is what really shines here. As CEO A.J. Bertenshaw told Engadget, “What we’ve learned about DJing and audio manipulation is put behind the scenes.”

Upon launch, Pyro asks you to “build a fire.” From there you can add songs, artists and playlists from both your Spotify and your locally stored music — the app allows mixing of music from both sources. You then add as many (or as few) songs as you like. Off the bat, the app’s algorithm offers up suggestions for additional tracks that match the playlist. Just tap on one of those recommendations to add it to the lineup.

If you walk away or get tired of adding new music, the app will automatically cue up new songs to your playlist so that the tunes never stop. The transitions are essentially seamless, because the app speeds up or slows down the tempo of the next track. It then slowly corrects the tempo so the song sounds as it should. Basically, it does what a DJ would do in a club but without the turntables, mixers and glow sticks.

In my own tests, if I got tired of a song, skipping to another immediately activated the beat-matching feature. There were no odd moments of silence; one track would just blend into the next. And the tempo tech is great, too: a fun little feature where if you skip around in a song, it keeps the beat. Both of these little touches remind you of Serato’s strong DJ pedigree.

Bertenshaw says the app isn’t aimed at DJs. Still, I suspect that more than a few clubs will use Pyro to keep the dance floor going.

The free app is currently available for iOS only, with the Apple Watch supported as well. Fortunately, an Android version is on the way, with OS X and Windows versions coming out sometime after that. According to the CEO, the company is also looking at Apple TV. Then you’ll be able to make a playlist from nearly anywhere.

So if you’re the type of person who wants to live their life like they’re in the club or you just want to make sure your next dinner party has enough music to last through the dessert course, Pyro is for you. It’s an easy-to-use music player that does one thing and does it very well.

Source: Serato

Ford will launch an on-demand shuttle service in Kansas City

Ford’s Transit vans, which are typically used to haul equipment and supplies, will soon be shuttling people around in Kansas City. The automaker’s teaming up with ride provider Bridj and the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority to boost public transportation in KC as part of its Smart Mobility plan. When the project called “Ride KC: Bridj” launches in early March, residents will be able to hail on-demand shuttles using Bridj’s mobile app. They’ll then have to meet their rides at one of the pick-up locations, mostly bus stops and similar locations.

Bridj has ongoing shuttle services in Boston and Washington, DC, but this is the first time it’s teaming up with a single automaker. Ford is setting aside 10 vans manufactured at its Kansas City Assembly Plant for the project and is even modifying them to accommodate 14 passengers. Back in December, the company also turned a few Transit vans into passenger shuttles for employees as a test run for what could become an Uber rival.

Upon launch of the one-year pilot program, Ride KC: Bridj will include downtown Kansas City, the near east and west sides, Hospital Hill, Crown Center, portions of Midtown, University of Kansas Medical Center and the Historic 18th and Vine Jazz district. It will evolve to include more locations, though, depending on rider demand. Matt George, Bridj’s CEO, says “only 18 percent of jobs in the Kansas City region are accessible within 90 minutes when using existing mass transit options.” The group is hoping that the project can create more “social and economic opportunities” for everyone in the area.

ISIS help desk tells jihadis how to hide from authorities

The encrypted messaging service Telegram blocked 78 ISIS channels in 2015, but new ones just keep popping up. As detailed in a report provided to The Hill, the group has evolved an expanded technical “help desk” that can provide instructions to jihadists on how to escape the surveillance of Western authorities. It’s operated by a group of ISIS members collectively called the Electronic Horizon Foundation (EHF), which was launched on January 30th. As of the beginning of this week, its Telegram channel had 2,200 members, although it hasn’t posted much yet.

In 2015, the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point discovered a 24-hour team of six experts teaching members about encryption and secure communication tactics, and it appears the technique is spreading. The Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) says it uncovered the group, and called the “freedom and ease by which [the terrorist group] can now obtain that information” alarming. They used to stick to password-protected forums, but now it’s much easier for them to disseminate info needed to avoid capture and coordinate attacks.

Source: The Hill

Vatican uses Telegram to guide Catholics during Lent

When Pope Francis says he sees the internet as a blessing, he’s not just talking a big game. As part of a broader “Keep Lent” campaign beginning Wednesday, the Vatican is sending its daily readings of Gospel verses through a Telegram channel, @pgpompei — last year’s choice of messaging service (WhatsApp) just isn’t as good, it seems. You don’t have to fire up Telegram to listen, but the move shows that the Catholic leadership wants to follow its younger laypeople to the social services they’re using at the moment, rather than sticking to “safe” choices like Facebook or Twitter. Just don’t expect the Pope to get a Peach account any time soon.

Via: Quartz

Source: Vatican Radio