Mozilla made a game to teach you the basics of encryption
Sure, people will tell you that encryption is important to maintaining your online privacy, but how do you wrap your head around the concept? Mozilla wants to help. It’s introducing a web-based game, Codemoji, that illustrates how ciphers work through emoji. Type in a phrase and Codemoji will both shift the letters and replace them with emoji. The challenge, as you might guess, comes when you get your friends to guess the meaning without turning to the Codemoji website. Mozilla stresses that you shouldn’t use this as an honest-to-goodness secure communication system (it isn’t). However, it should illustrate just why you’d want to protect your chats — if your friends can’t easily read your data, spies and thieves can’t either.
Source: Codemoji, Mozilla Blog
Curiosity finds evidence that Mars was once rich in oxygen
Mars may have had a much more Earth-like atmosphere rich in oxygen, according to JPL’s Curiosity team. Using its laser-firing instrument in the Gale Crater, the intrepid rover found rocks with manganese oxide, which requires oxygen to form. On Earth, such minerals marked a period when our atmosphere became much more oxygen-rich, largely because of microbes. “Now we’re seeing manganese oxides on Mars, and we’re wondering how the heck these could have formed,” says Los Alamos scientist Nina Lanza.
Scientists have zero evidence for past life on Mars, but they do have another theory. At one point in its distant past, Mars had both water and a protective magnetic field, just as Earth does now. However, once the magnetic field disappeared, radiation ionized the water, splitting it into hydrogen and oxygen. Much of the oxygen was absorbed by the planet’s famous red iron-oxide rocks, but manganese-oxide requires a lot more oxygen to form. That has led scientists to believe that in its early history, Mars had more oxygen than they thought.
Curiosity spotted manganese-oxide in the Gale Crater region.
The data could be disappointing for alien-seekers that believe planetary oxygen is a surefire sign of life. “It’s important to note that this idea represents a departure in our understanding for how planetary atmospheres might become oxygenated,” Lanza says. The theory will be hard to prove, but it’s the best one they have for now, unless Curiosity’s next discovery is a Martian bug.
Source: JPL
‘Overwatch’ Competitive Play mode launches on PCs today
Want to prove to the world that you’re a top-notch Overwatch player? You now have your chance. After a quick public beta test, Blizzard is launching the team shooter’s Competitive Play mode on PCs. As before, this isn’t just about participating in seasonal play. The mode invokes sudden death rounds for tie games, modifies the point system and stiffens penalties for bad behavior (such as ragequitting a match before it’s over). In essence, it’s all about keeping the game and its players as fair as possible.
Unfortunately, console gamers will have to be patient. Competitive Play won’t reach the PS4 or Xbox One until sometime next week (that is, the first full week of July). Blizzard is vowing to close the gap between PC and console updates in the future, but that’s not much solace if you’re determined to earn some bragging rights as quickly as possible.
Update: The PC patch is live now, check here for the full list of changes here, including bug fixes, gameplay tweaks and the removal of “avoid this player.”
Source: Battle.net
Artificial intelligence could be used to stop car smugglers
Chances are, you don’t spend a lot of time thinking about the logistics of international shipping — but you shouldn’t be surprised that transportation hubs are ripe for export fraud. Part of the reason for this is that there’s simply too much international cargo moved each month to be manually checked with human eyes. The solution? Teach a computer to inspect that cargo for you.
Okay, automatic, artificial intelligence cargo inspection isn’t actually a thing that’s happening right now, but research at University College London has proven that it’s a viable solution to a very real problem. A team at the school’s Department of Computer Science successfully trained a convolutional neural network to spot automobiles in X-ray images of shipping containers.
The neural network was startlingly accurate — correctly identifying cars 100-percent of the time with very few false alarms. The system even spotted cars in images that were challenging for human observers, finding the vehicles that were intentionally obscured by other objects. It wasn’t a revolutionary study, to be sure, but the project is a great example of how deep learning image recognition will be used to make our lives easier in the future. Check out the source link below for a detailed write-up of the project.
Via: Dave Gershgorn (Twitter)
Source: Arvix
Sony ends Ustream game broadcasts on PlayStation 4
When Sony released details about the PlayStation 4 ahead of its 2013 launch, it promoted a feature letting gamers broadcast their playing on the streaming service Ustream. Today, Sony announced that that partnership was over: On August 1st, PS4 players will only be able to livestream their gaming on Twitch, YouTube, and DailyMotion.
It’s not clear yet what prompted the end of Ustream on Sony devices, but it’s essentially a blackout on all of them. In addition to ending livestreaming from the PS4, users will no longer be able to view Ustream videos from the “Live from PlayStation” portal on the console, the PS Vita and the mobile PS app.
Support for Ustream on PlayStation is ending. Click here for more info: https://t.co/rcEAAetcxt
— PlayStation (@PlayStation) June 28, 2016
In the years since Sony launched the PS4, there’s no doubt that Twitch has become the dominant platform for game streaming. It has only grown in that role since getting acquired by Amazon in 2014, creating a new eSports league and pushing game developers to bake streaming into their games from the outset. On the other hand, we haven’t heard much about Ustream since it was bought by IBM back in January to power its enterprise broadcast services.
Source: PlayStation Blog
iPhone 7 Again Rumored to Have Flush, Touch-Sensitive Home Button
Apple may be planning to introduce a Force Touch home button on the iPhone 7, according to analysts at Cowen and Company (via Business Insider). Citing supply chain “field checks,” Cowen and Company predicts the iPhone 7 will do away with a physical home button, instead adopting a home button that sits flush with the phone.
Apple’s Force Touch technology will reportedly be built into the home button to provide haptic feedback when pressed, much like the Force Touch trackpad on Apple’s most recent MacBooks. With haptic feedback, iPhone users would still feel the sensation of pressing on the home button even without a button to actually depress.
Cowen and Company has a mixed track record, but it’s worth noting that we’ve heard two other rumors about a redesigned home button on the iPhone 7. In April, DigiTimes said Apple was testing a touch-sensitive home button that fits flush with the phone, and a highly sketchy image of what was said to be an iPhone 7 with a touch-sensitive home button surfaced in mid-June.
Given the unreliability of each of the home button rumors, the information should be viewed with some skepticism until confirmed by a more reliable source, but when viewed alongside rumors of improved waterproofing and the removal of the headphone jack, a flush home button is not a rumor that seems entirely out of the question.
For several months, we’ve heard mixed rumors about the possibility of better water resistance in the iPhone 7, but it appears to be shaping up to be a potential feature. Last week, The Wall Street Journal, often a reliable source, lent credence to the rumor by suggesting the elimination of the headphone jack in the iPhone 7 will improve its water resistance.
At the same time, The Wall Street Journal has said the iPhone 7 will feature only “subtle changes,” a sentiment echoed by KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who said the iPhone 7 will be a modest update without “many attractive selling points.” A revamped home button seems like more than a minor change, so we’ll need to wait for additional information to resolve some of the conflicting information we’re hearing about Apple’s next-generation iPhones.
If the physical home button is replaced with a Force Touch home button in the iPhone 7, it will bring Apple one step closer to eliminating the home button all together, something that is rumored for the iPhone 8, coming in 2017. Apple is said to be planning on introducing an edge-to-edge display with built-in Touch ID functionality and no home button.
Related Roundup: iPhone 7
Tag: Cowen and Company
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2016 Mazda Mazda3 i Grand Touring review – Roadshow
The Good The Mazda3 features an engaging ride, interior design above its class and an infotainment system with redundant touch and physical controls.
The Bad The infotainment system lacks the latest smartphone connectivity options, the gorgeous interior can be a bit drab in all black and its ride will not appeal to drivers of all flavors.
The Bottom Line With excellent on-road poise, bang-on aesthetics and an attractive price, the Mazda3 stands as a solid alternative to the segment’s stalwarts.
In a stomping ground long owned by two major players, the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla, other small sedans seem like they’re just playing second fiddle. But the Mazda3 carves its own path, and it’s doing so in the only way that Mazda knows how — driving dynamics.
It would be tough to outclass the stalwarts in other ways. No economy car can truly be a technological runaway these days, not in the era of standard touchscreens and high-tech safety systems. The same goes for the interior — nearly every automaker realizes the days of the hard-plastic penalty box are behind us.
But when it comes to making a car that’s fun to drive without being a complete (and literal) pain in the tuchus for your average owner, boy howdy, that’s where the Mazda3 shines. Aside from the new-for-2016 Honda Civic, the Mazda3 has the whole segment by its neck in this regard.
Handsome without trying too hard
The Mazda3 has one of the strongest body lines I’ve seen. It could cut butter, albeit on a warm day.
Andrew Krok/Roadshow
The Mazda3 keeps to some pretty classic proportions. It doesn’t err on the side of gaudy, choosing thicker tire sidewalls even on higher trim levels. Although prominent, the character lines on the side refrain from giving the car a boy-racer aesthetic. It’s a pretty car that’s a little less futuristic than the new Civic, and it’s likely to age better as a result.
The real visual gem of this car lies inside. The 3’s interior is one of, if not the best in its class. Sure, there’s a bit of hard plastic here and there, but bear in mind this car starts below $20,000. Just like the exterior, the interior manages to avoid being boring without looking like it’s trying too hard.
The leather on the steering wheel and seats feels soft and pleasant to touch. The sensibly laid-out gauges include a perhaps-too-small digital tachometer to the left, and an information display to the right. The infotainment controls, including those mounted on the steering wheel, are easy to figure out and easy to use without distraction.
The biggest point of consternation is the standalone LCD display atop the dashboard. Not everyone likes the look, but I do. It’s certainly better than trying to build a dash bulky enough to swallow the whole screen, and it makes for good sight lines.
Sadly, the rear seat lacks much legroom. It’s smaller than both the Civic and Corolla, which is quite apparent with longer-legged front-seat occupants. Headroom can also be a bit cramped for passengers taller than 6 feet.
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Infotainment, two ways
The knob’s so good, you might even forget the screen is touch-capable.
Andrew Krok/Roadshow
Mazda caters to both early adopters and Luddites with its Mazda Connect system, which features both a touchscreen and redundant controls just aft of the shifter. In fact, I found the physical controls so easy to figure out, that I almost never touched the screen itself.
Mazda Connect is one of my favorite infotainment systems because it’s straightforward. Every page gets its own little dock of icons with descriptions. The navigation map is easy to use, even if not every street name pops up as I approach it. I can stream audio via Bluetooth while the phone is plugged in, which is not a possibility on every model, so my battery won’t die just because I want to listen to music not stored on my phone.
Connectivity options are limited, though. The car lacks both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, or an onboard data connection for destination searches. I found its Aha integration a convenient way to find new points of interest while also expanding my listening options, even though it requires downloading and signing up for Aha’s service.
Frigidaire FPID2497RF review – CNET
The Good The Frigidaire Professional FPID2497RF dishwasher is well-designed and easy to use with handy features like jets that spray deep into your water bottle. The main jets do a good job of scraping dirt off of your dishes and not missing many spots.
The Bad The jets do get a lot of the dirt off initially, but the filter can’t keep up, so if you don’t scrape or rinse your dishes before loading them, you’ll notice small bits of food sprinkled throughout. For $1,100, I wish this dishwasher had a third rack and a couple of unique extras.
The Bottom Line If you’re willing to rinse your dishes, the FPID2497RF is a fine machine, but it needs to be more than that to be worth the premium $1,100 price.
I almost feel sorry for the Frigidaire Professional FPID2497RF dishwasher. It does a great job covering every inch of every dish with water and scraping off coffee, cheese and chili, even egg and wine stains. And we’re pretty tough on our dishwashers when we test them, tasking them with cleaning 13 different types of food that’s been sitting on our plates, bowls, glasses and silverware for 24 hours.
The Frigidaire gets almost all of the food we slather onto the dishes to come off, but the filter lets down the otherwise good design, so bulky foods mix into the water used to clean your dishes and end up spreading across the load.
Like I said, I almost feel sorry for the dishwasher because it does such a good job initially, and because the design of everything but the filter is appealing and effective. But the lofty $1,100 price erases any sympathy points I might have awarded this model. It’s a competent machine with a nice design and a passable number of features and cycles, but I don’t recommend it at its premium price.
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Polished looks
Typical of Frigidaire’s Professional line, the FPID2497RF features straight lines and an attractive stainless-steel finish that does well to resist smudges.
You can purchase the FPID2497RF from Lowe’s, and Frigidaire’s site will direct you to other retailers in your area. As with most large appliances, you can find it cheaper than the listed retail price. Currently, you can buy the FPID2497RF from Lowe’s for $700.
Pull the handle and the display on the right side of the hidden control panel atop the dishwasher’s door lights up.
Pick your cycle and options, and the display will estimate the time it’ll take.
Chris Monroe/CNET
On the left side of the panel, you can switch between the six main cycle options at a touch, then select from five options on the right to add extra dry time or increase the wash temperature. You can also save the cycle and options you use the most to the “My Favorite” button.
The cycles include standards such as a heavy, normal, and express wash, though Frigidaire calls the first one “Powerplus.” The express cycle is aptly named “30-minute wash” and it does do a satisfactory job on more lightly soiled dishes in the shorter time span.
The cycle options.
Chris Monroe/CNET
This Frigidaire doesn’t have any unique cycles or extra options that we’ve found on other high end dishwashers. Both the GE PDT750SSFSS and the LG LDT9965BD distinguished between the normal cycle and an auto-sensing cycle. GE’s dishwasher lets you run a cycle just on the upper or lower rack, and LG’s similarly lets you run a half load and specify if you want an extra rinse.
Inside, the Frigidaire FPID2497RF again isn’t missing anything egregious. The upper rack raises and lowers a couple of inches for added loading flexibility. The back two rows of tines on the bottom rack fold down so you can fit larger dishes. A couple of tines on the upper rack do the same.
This Frigidaire’s stem holders are well designed.
Chris Monroe/CNET
The FPID2497RF even has a couple of nice extras like well-designed wine glass stem holders that firmly clip your fragile glasses into place, and jets specifically meant to spray into tall bottles. The blue of those bottle jets and main jets at the bottom of the tub stand out in an appealing way from the otherwise understated gray of the inside of the tub and the racks.
Samsung Galaxy Note 7 Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET
Apparently, six is overrated. Rumors swirling around the next Samsung Galaxy Note — Samsung’s annual large-screen device with a stylus for navigation and drawing — say its name is jumping from 2015’s Note 5 straight to the Note 7, skipping the Note 6 model entirely.
Another Note will join this rogue’s gallery.
Josh Miller/CNET
But even more important than fretting over the Note’s new name is piecing together its identity: what kind of phone will the Note 7/6 be? Will it simply iterate off of the Note 5 and S7 that came before, or will it wow us with unforetold (or hinted at and unconfirmed) hardware goodies that shake us from the eyelid-drooping expectations of smartphones today?
The most reliable rumors suggest that the Note keeps its 5.7-inch screen, but adds a USB-C port (they’re all the rage) and an iris scanner for unlocking the phone with your eyes. Let’s take stock of the most telling rumors. (P.S. remember, they’re unsubstantiated, so anything could happen!)
Note 7’s the name
Chronology be damned! The internet agrees, the next Note will be the Galaxy Note 7 and not the Galaxy Note 6, even though 2015’s model was called the Note 5 and 2016’s version should logically be the Note 6. But who cares about logic when there’s branding at stake?
However, this would make for a mini-trend in phones named “7.” Samsung already has the Galaxy S7, and ZTE’s Axon lunged from the Axon to the Axon 7, and now this Note 7 rumor. Why? It could be a desire for Samsung to keep the Galaxy S and Note series in line, or perhaps phone makers have no wish to be left behind the gold standard Apple’s already established when and if Apple releases its iPhone 7 this fall as we approach 2017.
And yet, when you count up Notes 1-5 and add in the little-remembered Galaxy Note Edge, this next Note would make the line’s legitimate seventh addition. So there’s that math for ya.
We won’t know for sure until Samsung spills the beans, but the company remains tight-lipped for now.
Launch date: Early August instead of late August
Samsung’s Note line has been a mainstay at the IFA conference held in Berlin, Germany in late August, but whispers suggest an early August arrival. Either way, the phone would come ahead of Apple’s yearly iPhone launch in early September, which usually falls in the first two weeks of the month. Twitter tipster Evan Blass, who has built a reputation of accurate leaks, suggests that the phone will start selling around August 15.
Totally new software interface
New software, new name. The TouchWiz interface that Samsung has used for years to differentiate its phones from other Android-makers could see a major overhaul down to its name. We might kiss TouchWiz goodbye and open our arms to Grace, a more paired-down yet interactive take on the phone software, shown in an allegedly leaked video (below) from Italian site HD.Blog.IT. It’s suggestive even if you don’t understand a lick of Italiano.
The video goes pretty deep on widgets, and transparent folder effects, but one cool reveal is that you can swipe up on an icon to see a window that opens more cool stuff. Likewise, pressing and holding on a quick-access toggle in the notifications shade may snap open extra options for you to act on, like on the flashlight and Wi-Fi settings. For instance, the video shows that you can lower the flashlight brightness and change your Wi-Fi network without having to exit the notifications pull-down.
In essence, this could make the home screen and notifications shade even more of an activities hub than they are now.
The photo gallery could expand and condense with a pinch and zoom of your fingertips.
Updated Note software, too
Samsung usually previews its freshest take on its TouchWiz (or maybe Grace) software on the year’s Note release, but the changes go down to the pen level, too. This time, according to the HDBlog.It video above, we could see a lightly refreshed style with different icons, but much the same functionality to handwrite, scribble and navigate with a touch of the S Pen to the screen.
Pressure-sensitive screen? Not too likely
From what I can see in the Italian video above (which cites the build-of-unknown-origin as “Note5”), then the Note 7 doesn’t look like it borrows Apple’s pressure-sensitive display, which lets you press and hold until the screen gently jostles to pull up more granular data. Still, this is a persistent rumor, and one we also heard about the Galaxy S7 (it didn’t happen).
Iris scanner for real this time
We’ve also heard tell of an iris scanner that can unlock your phone by staring you in the eye. The iris scanner loomed large in Galaxy S4 rumors, too, but turned out to be a different feature that kept the screen from locking when you looked at it often enough. Now that Microsoft’s iris-scanning “Windows Hello” feature in the Lumia 950 has made the security option a reality, it’s much more likely that Samsung will include a real iris scanner this time around.
Other suspected specs
- 5.7-inch screen
- 12-megapixel camera
- 5-megapixel front-facing camera
- IP68 certified against water and dust
- 64GB of space expandable through a microSD card
- USB Type-C port; Quick Charge 3.0
- 4,200mAh battery
- Black, silver, blue colors
What about Android N?
Notably missing from the seething rumor mill is an indication of the Note 7’s operating system. Google’s Android N isn’t out yet and won’t be until fall, so don’t expect the new Note to come with the heretofore unnamed software to debut on this Note. Instead, expect Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow, with an upgrade later on, at least a few months after Google’s Nexus phones get a chance to show off all that N can do.
Price and availability
As a rule of thumb, Samsung’s prices hover on the higher end of the scale, and a stylus-packing handset like the Note goes for more than a smaller, more mainstream model like the S7. If prices hold from 2015, expect the 64GB version of the Note 7 to sashay out for roughly $800, which converts to roughly £600 and AU$1,080. Prices will vary further by region, carrier, storage capacity and promotional deals.
Samsung responded to a request for comment by saying “we don’t comment on rumors or speculation.”
Updated at 11:54 a.m. PT with Samsung comment.
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