Snapchat’s 420 Bob Marley filter is just digital blackface

Today is April 20th, and you now what that means — time for everyone to celebrate marijuana! Snapchat is paying tribute to 420 with a few new filters. Sure, the “traveling bong” one is innocent enough, but the Bob Marley filter, well… see above. Not only does it replicate all the creepiness of face-swapping, but it it adds a dash of racial insensitivity to the mix. Basically, Snapchat is giving everyone the ability (and an excuse) to put on digital blackface.

Snapchat is no stranger to controversy. But at a time when a number of silicon valley companies have come under fire for their lack of racial sensitivity and lack of diversity, creating a filter that lets you play dress up as another race seems incredibly shortsighted. We’re sure Snapchat and its employees meant no offense. However, it’s hard not to see this as another instance where a more diverse workforce could have helped identify a potentially offensive feature and worked to correct the problem before it became national news.

When asked for comment a Snapchat spokesperson responded, “The lens we launched today was created in partnership with the Bob Marley Estate, and gives people a new way to share their appreciation for Bob Marley and his music. Millions of Snapchatters have enjoyed Bob Marley’s music, and we respect his life and achievements.” The company would not address concerns about the perceived racial insensitivity.

Samsung Said to Supply Apple with NAND Flash Memory in 2017 After Five-Year Hiatus

Samsung is once again set to begin supplying Apple with NAND flash memory chips in 2017, ending a five-year hiatus dating back to the debut of the iPhone 5 in 2012, according to ETNews. The reason for the dissolution of the original supplier relationship is given as Samsung’s unwillingness to comply with Apple’s electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding requirements via packaging changes or special coatings on the memory packages themselves.

This new claim comes on the heels of an report earlier report, also by ETNews, suggesting Apple was looking to individually shield more parts inside its devices for performance and EMI compliance reasons.

The earlier article claimed the impetus for this change was the use of multiple diverse systems such as 3D Touch along with the presence of various high-speed interfaces, all of which can contribute to and be affected by EMI. Individual shielding would also allow Apple to dispense with discrete metal shielding components, which could ultimately save on logic board space and allow more room for other components inside the devices.

The new report notes that Samsung’s use of ball grid array (BGA) packaging places it at a disadvantage to competing products that use land grid array (LGA) package contacts, which allow the package to sit flush with the printed circuit board.

LGA type lead (left) compared to BGA type lead (right)
It appears Samsung’s existing sputter coat EMI shielding technologies were insufficient for Apple’s performance requirements, given the shielding gaps created by the raised BGA contacts. The emergence of new, cheaper spray techniques for ultra-thin coats of metal shielding seems to be one development that has changed the dynamic of this relationship, as have Samsung’s concerns about a weakening flash memory market.

Samsung remains a leader in NAND type memory solutions, with its 3D V-NAND memories offering up to 256 Gb densities on the market currently. While this development seems most likely to affect the memories used in Apple’s iPhone and iPad products, there would also be an opportunity for Samsung to show up in the entire line of Mac computers, which have become heavily reliant on flash storage. Along with the recent news that Samsung will supply Apple with OLED panels for future iPhones, it appears Samsung very much remains in play as a supplier for Apple devices.

Tags: Samsung, 3D NAND
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Best Mobile VR headsets

Everybody has a smartphone these days, and anyone who doesn’t probably has more pressing matters to attend to than virtual reality games. For the phone-enabled, smartphone VR headsets provide an easy and even cheap inroad into our virtual future. Make no mistake, virtual reality is coming, and 2016 is either the VR equivalent of the Cambrian explosion or something nearly close. However, what should you buy, if you were aiming to get your hands of on VR? Let’s explore some of the better options out there.

The first and the most basic one is Google Cardboard. It’s so basic, we can even list the parts used to make it: a piece of cardboard cut into shape, 45mm focal length lenses, magnets or capacitive tape, a hook and loop fastener (such as Velcro), a rubber band, and, optionally, a near field communication (NFC) tag. Google has released the documentation a long time ago, and cardboard is produced both by the company itself and various third-party producers. However, the $5 price tag comes at a, er, price: the set features no controls nor focus setting and relies entirely on your phone for any kind of functionality, and there are no straps. However, it accepts many kinds of phones, has a lot of material made for it (as the platform is absolutely open) and it’s extremely cheap. Perfect for toe-dipping into VR!

The other most popular mobile VR option is Samsung Gear VR. Unlike Google Cardboard, it’s the exact opposite of “cheap”. It also has a limited roster of supported phones, those being Samsung Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 Edge, Galaxy Note 5, Galaxy S6 Edge+, Galaxy S7, Galaxy S7 Edge devices. But you also get to use apps from Oculus store, hooray! The headset also has straps, so you don’t need to hold it to your face, another major bonus. It also features both volume controls and an integrated trackpad, as well as a “back” button. Headset’s own inertial measurement unit is superior to those used in phones, too. This means that games can be more sophisticated and interactive than those on Cardboard. We heartily recommend EVE: Gunjack, probably the best turret shooter in the market. More than a mere gaze shooter, it relies on trackpad to fire, reload and use special weapons. It’s an amazing experience!

Archos VR comes closer to Cardboard than to Gear. It’s cheaper than Gear VR, for one, but not as technologically sophisticated. You won’t find volume controls or a trackpad on this offering. However, it supports a wide of variety of phones, both iOS and Android. Supported screen sizes range from 4” to 6”. It might lack padding to keep your nose comfortable, but otherwise it’s a good, sturdy system. It doesn’t hurt that it looks like piece of movie camera equipment, too.

Lakento MVR (Mobile Virtual Reality) is an another offering that fits iPhones 5 through 6 Plus and most Android phones. An interesting feature is that the front cover is translucent to allow for augmented reality uses (via your phone’s camera). The headset offers 100 degree view, and is compatible with Google Cardboard games, so you’re never strapped for content (it also comes with free games standard). The foam pads are interchangeable and the head straps are adjustable. Neat!

The IncrediSonic Vue Series VR glasses are fancier, because they have a Bluetooth controller. Unfortunately, as many reviewers mark, it does not work with iPhones – a usual complaint where Bluetooth and iPhones are concerned. Vue works with smartphones with screens from 4.7 inches to 6 inches big, so you can use your iPhone 6S. If you want to use a smaller phone, you will need to use a handy included widget. The headset also comes with batteries (for the controller), replacement nose pads and a microfiber cloth to wipe your lenses. It’s a great budget offer that’s a lot more universal than Gear VR and the controller is easier to use.

One thing that unifies all the mobile VR headsets is that they all use similar – and limited – hardware. All those splendid apps and games run on smartphones, and the phones are straining to support them. This means that mobile VR games have lower requirements for processor intensive stuff like graphics. This makes it easy for newcomers to capitalize on the VR craze. If you have an killer idea for a game, you can do it. Game engines like Unity or Unreal Engine 4 are free, and can support visual programing (you connect blocks of functions rather than writing code). For the visual side of things, use online stock model marketplaces: CGTrader is one of the leading ones, and it has many free models in addition to low-polygon models that VR games so badly need.

So there you have it. We’re but scratching the surface of the mobile VR headset offerings. There are predictions that mobile headset ownership will outnumber PC/console headsets 4 to 1. This is a huge market to tap. And now that you have a headset of your own (you did buy one, right?), you too can become a developer!

Now you can turn any plant into a phone and tablet battery charger

Charge your phone using leaves, nature’s solar panels, thanks to a new smart plant pot called Bioo.

The Bioo, currently on Indiegogo, is able to harness the energy gathering process of photosynthesis in order to create power. You can then plug your phone or tablet cable into the pot’s USB output, cunningly disguised as a rock, and charge your device.

This is a totally green way to power your gadgets. In fact it’s so positive that it could help add another reason to save plants and forests in the future.

The Bioo works by creating a chemical reaction between the organic material in the pot, water and organic materials discharged by the plant photosynthesising. The result should be unlimited power where you barely even need to water the plant much. Check out the video below for more of the science.

Bioo

Bioo’s creators say you should be able to charge two or three times per day at 3.5V and 0.5A, but it works both night and day. At that amperage don’t expect to charge a tablet or phone quickly, but when it’s free and actually helping the environment it’s hard to complain.

The Bioo is currently on Indiegogo where it’s broken its goal. You can order yours for €89 which is about £70, or $100, for an expected delivery date of December this year.

READ: Future batteries, coming soon

E3 2016: All the launches, games and consoles to expect

Each June, the games industry travels en masse to Los Angeles for E3, the western world’s biggest videogames conference in order to show and see the hottest titles around.

Ahead of the event there are always rumours that fly around about specific games, consoles or accessories, right up to the doors opening themselves. That’s why we’ve put together a handy guide on what we’ve seen and heard so far, to give you an idea of how E3 2016 might pan out.

We’ll update this round-up as the show gets nearer so bookmark it if you want to keep abreast of the latest E3 2016 gossip.

What is E3?

First held in Los Angeles in 1995, the Electronics Entertainment Expo (E3) after the games industry decided it didn’t want to share a convention with consumer electronics manufacturers. Until then, CES in Las Vegas each year had a large gaming presence.

E3 was devised to give the rapidly rising industry its own major trade show and platform.

It has expanded, constricted and expanded again over the last 21 years, even switching location on a couple of occasions, but regardless of the more controversial moments it has always endured.

It is the number one event for major game announcements, specifically from Sony and Microsoft. It is currently held in the Los Angeles Convention Center in downtown area of the city.

When does E3 2016 start?

The show itself technically opens its doors at 12pm (PT) on Tuesday 14 June. It ends at 5pm on Thursday 16 June.

Show times are (PT):

• 12pm – 6pm: 14 June
• 10am – 6pm: 15 June
• 10am – 5pm: 16 June

In addition, there are related events on the days prior to the main show opening.

Sony (PlayStation), Microsoft (Xbox), Electronic Arts, Bethesda and Ubisoft each hold press conferences on the Sunday and Monday ahead of E3. That’s on 12 June and 13 June this year.

When are the E3 2016 press conferences?

Not all of the E3 press conferences have been announced yet, with PlayStation, Xbox and Ubisoft yet to send out invites or times.

Electronic Arts has controversially decided not to have a presence at the main E3 show this year, instead hosting its own events on Sunday 12 June in both LA and London, titled EA Play. There will be an EA Play press conference therefore at 1pm local time, 9pm UK time on that day.

Bethesda is the only other company to so far confirm its press conference. It will also be held on Sunday 12 June, but at 7pm local time, so Monday morning in the UK at 3am.

What games companies will be at E3 2016?

Hundreds of publishers and developers show their wares at E3 each year, either on the show floor or behind closed doors in private rooms. This year’s event will be no different.

Surprisingly though, there will be no Electronic Arts or Activision stands at the show itself. There will be some BCD sessions for the latter, while EA is hosting its own separate event, EA Play, on the Sunday beforehand – as detailed above.

Activision will also have some of its new games on partners’ stands, such as the PlayStation and Xbox booths. The new Call of Duty and Skylanders titles are expected to be among those.

The three biggest stands each year are naturally those for PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo. They are each expected to have a massive presence at the show as before, although Nintendo shifted away from an annual press conference at E3 to its online streamed Nintendo Direct announcement format. There could well be an E3-themed version around the same week in June – maybe even with further news on the Nintendo NX console.

The other major companies currently confirmed as appearing at E3 are as follows:

• 2K
• Bandai Namco
• Bethesda
• Capcom
• CD Projekt Red
• Deep Silver
• Focus Home Interactive
• Konami
• Logitech
• Oculus
• Razer
• Sega
• Square Enix
• Take-Two
• Ubisoft
• Warner Bros

There are plenty of smaller developers, publishers and hardware manufacturers we also have our eye on because they promise some great games and accessories this year, including Rebellion, Alienware, Crytek and Nvidia.

What will be the big E3 2016 announcements?

With so many companies showing their latest games and gizmos, there are bound to be plenty of big name products among them. Here are a few of the biggest announcements that could occur during E3 2016.

Nintendo NX

There are rumours that Nintendo will announce its next home console and replacement for the Wii U before E3 starts, perhaps even a month or two prior. If it does, it’s very likely well get to see more on or about it at the show itself.

A couple of different reports suggest that Nintendo might even revert to former years and hold a dedicated NX press conference during the show, but we think that’s less likely.

READ: Nintendo NX: Release date, specs and everything you need to know

The Last of Us 2

Rumours have flown about a PS4 sequel to Naughty Dog’s incredible The Last of Us ever since the original was first released. However, more recent clues have pointed at it being Sony’s big games reveal. Its “one more thing”, so to speak.

It is unlikely The Last of Us 2 will be playable at E3 2016, but we will likely see something during Sony’s press conference.

PlayStation Neo/PS4K/PS4.5

It is also thought that Sony will announce the upgraded version of the PlayStation 4 during its Monday night press event.

There have been some substantial rumours about the machine codenamed “Neo”, with a faster processor, better graphics allocation and 4K output for video all touted. We’ll find out for sure come June, we expect.

READ: Sony PlayStation 4K: What is PS4.5, when is it coming and how will it affect VR?

Xbox One Two

This is more of a guess or a hunch, but with Sony expected to announce a better spec’ed PS4 at E3, Microsoft could be about to do something similar too.

During the Xbox Showcase in San Francisco in February, Xbox head Phil Spencer teased that there would be hardware upgrades coming to the Xbox One. Whether than means an add-on could be on its way to improve performance or a new version of the console, we genuinely think he has something up his sleeve for the Xbox media event on the Monday.

Destiny 2

Wishful thinking perhaps, considering Activision won’t even have its own stand at the show, but there have been rumours that Destiny 2: The Shattered Suns will be announced at E3, while Activision has already confirmed that it will be released next year.

We don’t expect anything to be playable at the show, but it could make an appearance at one of the major press events – most likely Sony’s.

What games will be at E3 2016?

As well the big titles announced but not technically playable or demoed at E3 there will be plenty on the show floor and in private sessions that will be. Here are our picks of what we expect to be available to see or go hands-on with at E3 2016. There will clearly be plenty more too, but these are on our most immediate hitlist.

• Crackdown 3 – Xbox One
• Dead Island 2 – Xbox One, PS4, PC
• Deus Ex: Mankind Divided – Xbox One, PS4, PC
• Dishonored 2 – Xbox One, PS4, PC
• FIFA 2017 – Xbox One, PS4, PC
• Final Fantasy XV – Xbox One, PS4
• Gears of War 4 – Xbox One, PC
• Halo Wars 2 – Xbox One, PC
• Mafia III – Xbox One, PS4, PC
• Mass Effect: Andromeda – Xbox One, PS4, PC
• No Man’s Sky – PS4, PC
• Planet Coaster – PC
• Star Citizen – PC
• South Park: The Fractured But Whole – Xbox One, PS4, PC
• The Legend of Zelda – Wii U
• The Last Guardian – PS4
• Titanfall 2 – Xbox One, PS4, PC
• Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Wildlands – Xbox One, PS4, PC

There will also undoubtedly be a flood of virtual reality games for PlayStation VR, Oculus Rift and HTC Vive. We expect Sony in particular to have many headsets on its stand and in private viewing rooms which will be set up to demo some of the launch titles. PS VR is coming out in October so expect the focus to be massive.

We’ll also update this list as and when we hear of other big name games due to be at E3.

McDonald’s places a large order of Samsung tablets in the UK

If you make a trip to a McDonald’s in the coming months, expect to see a few tablets. As part of an agreement with device management company SOTI, the fast food chain plans to install Samsung Galaxy Tabs in the “majority” of its UK restaurants, giving you the chance to play games, check Facebook or browse the web while you eat.

The rollout comes after a successful trial last year. It falls under McDonald’s’ “Experience of the Future” initiative, which is designed to increase footfall in its restaurants as the company looks to overturn falling sales. Technology is the driving force behind a couple of new launches, particularly the introduction of table service in the UK (with the help of table-mounted tablets) and the unveiling of self-order kiosks in selected stores to reduce waiting times. In Sweden, it even bundled VR goggles inside Happy Meals.

Neither company has confirmed which tablet from Samsung’s broad Galaxy Tab range will be installed in the restaurants, but regardless of their size and features, they’re going to light up like a beacon to families with younger children. That’s good news for McDonald’s, but maybe not for parents who are hoping to wean their kids off technology for a few hours.

Via: The Verge

Source: SOTI (PR Newswire)

San Francisco mandates rooftop solar panels starting in 2017

San Francisco has been pushing toward 100 percent of its energy to come from renewable resources for a while now. And to further that, the city recently passed legislation that would require new construction to install solar panels on building roofs — an extension of existing legislation that stated 15 percent of a rooftop be reserved for solar use. The city says this is the first mandate of its kind, and that new buildings 10-stories tall or shorter will have to install photovoltaic panels or solar water heaters. The law won’t go into effect until January 1st next year.

However, this could just be seen as political grandstanding. The number of sub-10-floor buildings going up in San Francisco is pretty low, especially in terms of residential construction. More than that, buildings are already up against strong opposition from residents for blocking sunlight, so having anything blocking power sources could cause similar situations.

We’ve reached out to the San Francisco Planning Department and the city’s Department of Building Inspection for comment and will update this post should either respond.

Via: Business Insider

Source: Scott Weiner (Medium)

ICYMI: How cancer travels, true hoverboard and more

Today on In Case You Missed It: MIT researchers discovered that cancer cells can unclump to squeeze through teeny capillaries, then reassemble as cancer clumps on the other side. Zapata Racing has a prototype of a real hoverboard that can fly just like the Green Goblin’s, but only for 10 minutes at a time. And a smart toy for pets called PlayDate will let you play with your cat or dog remotely, by moving the ball around through an app and watching your pet’s reaction.

We also wanted you to see the video of some construction equipment in a Transformers-like battle, after the humans operating them got into some sort of argument and decided to settle it like Gladiators of road construction. As always, please share any great tech or science videos you find by using the #ICYMI hashtag on Twitter for @mskerryd.

The Pictar brings SLR-style camera controls to (most) iPhones

There’s no shortage of accessories that promised to turn iPhones into better cameras. But truly useful ones? Those can be hard to come by. Even so, Miggo, a startup best known for its SLR accessories, thinks it’s onto something with its $90 retro-styled camera grip. It’s called the Pictar, and it gives the iPhone 4 and up (except the 6 Plus and 6s Plus) the sort of physical controls that camera buffs just might go nuts over.

Curiously, you won’t find a Bluetooth transmitter or Lightning connector here. It instead communicates with the iPhone using ultrasound, a seemingly peculiar approach that’s actually rather clever. Each action (think: zooming, taking a photo, tweaking your ISO and more) is tied to a specific high-frequency tone. With the Pictar app installed, the phone listens for those tones and does what it’s told. More importantly, the team says the combination of inaudible sound and an algorithm that tells when the iPhone to listen for it enables a shooting experience that won’t burn through your battery.

Unlike, say, the LG G5’s Cam Plus add-on, the Pictar does an impressive job of replicating the manual controls of a proper SLR. In addition to a two-stage shutter button, there are three physical dials: a zoom ring on the front (just under the shutter button), an exposure compensation wheel and a scene select dial for switching between presets like Sports and Landscape mode. Thankfully, it’s fairly simple to re-map those wheels if you want more nuance — the version I played with was decidedly not done, but I could still change those two dials to let me fiddle with white balance and shutter speed. Throw in a cold shoe for accessories and a standard tripod mount and you’ve got a surprisingly well thought-out little package.

Physically, the Pictar grip itself is lightweight and fans of proper cameras will adapt to the control layout very quickly. It’s actually pretty too, with the sort of silver-and-black design that you might see on an old-school Nikon or Olympus. You probably won’t be squeezing this thing into your pockets, though: Its dimensions give it enough room for an easily replaceable AA battery (expect six to eight months of use off a single cell). That’s not to say it doesn’t need a little more finessing before launch, though.

There was a brief delay when trying to focus and snap a photo on the pre-production model, which I’m told was an issue with unfinished software. Apple doesn’t allow developers to leave an iPhone’s microphone on indefinitely, so the Pictar app periodically prompts it to listen for the grip’s telltale tones. At this early stage, it seemed like the microphone wasn’t listening as often as it should’ve been, but a Pictar spokesperson says the team is still doing some algorithmic fine-tuning. Still, if Miggo manages to iron out its software issues and polish up the chassis a bit, the company might have a promising future making more than just camera bags.

Nissan outs Mitsubishi for cheating fuel economy tests

Mitsubishi Motors has admitted to manipulating data in Japanese fuel efficiency tests in order to overstate the fuel efficiency of 625,000 cars.

Unlike the Volkswagen scandal, the cheating wasn’t spotted by officials, but rather Nissan, its partner in a minicar venture. Mitsubishi and Nissan have collaborated on kei minicars — tiny vehicles like the Nissan Dayz and Mitsubishi eK, which are very popular in Japan — since 2013, with the former doing the manufacturing.

Bloomberg says that the company modified the load weight of the cars during testing, which made them appear more efficient. Mitsubishi says that it used a different running resistance figure (a combination of resistance caused by tires and air when a car is moving) than mandated by Japan’s testing body.

Whether this involved physically changing the load weight, or simply changing the relevant figure in a spreadsheet is unclear, but regardless, Mitsubishi accepts that the testing method “provided more advantageous fuel consumption rates than the actual rates.” And it’s this discrepancy between the real-world figures and Mitsubishi’s claims that was picked up by Nissan during in-house testing.

This data manipulation is neither as high-tech nor as widespread as Volkswagen’s emission lies — the German company used software to change the way its diesel cars behaved during standard testing. Nonetheless, another car manufacturer being exposed for doctoring test results does not help engender faith in the auto industry.

Mitsubishi has halted production and sales of all the affected cars — the eK Wagon, eK Space, Dayz, and Dayz Roox — and Nissan has stopped selling the relevant Dayz models. In total, 157,000 Mitsubishi cars are affected, and 468,000 Nissan. The pair will hold talks regarding compensation. With Nissan seemingly the innocent party here, the size of that compensation is likely to be considerable.

Via: Bloomberg, The Verge

Source: Mitsubishi