The fourth ‘Kentucky Route Zero’ chapter is finally here
Kentucky Route Zero’s fourth chapter is really, actually, truly here. Seriously. Following a two-year-plus gap since the adventure game’s third installment, you can finally grab the penultimate episode from your digital distributor of choice (including Steam, GOG, Humble Store and itch.io). “This has been a challenging process for us, but we’re excited about the work and [are] eager to share it with you,” developer Cardboard Computer writes.
When my coworker Jessica Conditt spoke with developer Jake Elliott earlier this year, he hinted that episode four would shake things up quite a bit. Entirely new settings with new characters are on tap alongside some new gameplay elements. That’s in addition to a bunch of backend improvements.
“It’s hard, having been close to it for so long, this time there’s some anxiety about whether it’s going to land the way that we hope it will,” Elliott said. “That anxiety has had a lot more time to build than it had with the other ones.”
If you’re brand new to the series, Eurogamer reports that the entire series is currently half priced — $12.49 — through July 26th.
Via: Eurogamer
Source: Cardboard Computer
Google’s Art and Culture app turns your phone into a museum
Art is a big subject. It embodies the values of humanity, preserves our culture and serves as a record of our very history. Jumping into it can be daunting and scary, but Google just made it a little easier: the company’s new Art and Culture app puts the works of over 1,000 museums in the palm of your hand. The app is more than just an online gallery, however, it’s a suite of tools that allows users to dive deep into each museum’s collection and beyond — borrowing the best of Google Photos, Streetview and 360-degree videos to bring history to life.
Looking for art featuring horses? No problem: the app’s search bar works a lot like the feature in Google Photos — handily pulling out exhibits to match your query. Curious to explore a historic Cathedral? Take a 360-degree tour of St. Paul’s with Google Street View, or pop your phone into Google Cardboard for a first-person experience. The app features daily news, themed lists and curated exhibits from partner museums, links to a new YouTube channel and even has a “Art Recognizer” mode that will identify paintings in select museums.
The app may be no substitute for going to your museum, but if you can’t make it out to say, the Louvre, it’s an incredible, easy way to experience humanity’s artistic past.
Via: FastCo Design
Source: Google, Google Play
Pokemon Go addicts: Grab these cheap and awesome accessories – CNET
There’s this thing, maybe you’ve heard of it? It’s called Pokemon Go, and I have a sneaking suspicion it might catch on.
Duh. The augmented-reality game is the biggest thing to hit smartphones since Angry Birds. And every single player is looking for an edge, a way to reach higher levels and catch more Pokemon.
For example, perhaps you’ve read CNET’s guide to leveling up fast without spending money. But that doesn’t address some of the bigger Pokemon Go challenges, namely power and protection.
See, the more time you spend hunting Pokemon, the bigger the drain on your battery — and the greater the risk of some tragic fate befalling your phone. Like, say, stray mortar fire from wandering onto a military base.
Fortunately, you don’t need to spend a lot to accessorize your way to Pokemon Go success. Here’s a look at some affordable chargers, cases and other items that’ll help you catch ’em all.
Pokemon Go-friendly mobile chargers
Enlarge Image
For under $20, the Bestoss mobile charger will give you hours of extra hunting time.
Bestoss
There are countless portable power supplies for smartphones. What makes one better than another for, er, Pokemon-ing? (I was just going to call it Go-ing, but I feel like that word’s been taken.)
Size, for starters: You may want a charger that’s slim and compact enough to carry in a pocket, while at the same time comfortable to carry along with your phone in one hand. That’s why I would rule out anything tube-shaped or similarly bulky.
Likewise, look for a charger with a built-in cable, as that’s one less thing you’ll have to remember to bring — and one less thing to get in the way.
One solid pick comes from Bestoss: It’s a 10,000mAh mobile charger that weighs just under 8 ounces and features a built-in microUSB cable — complete with Lightning adapter for iPhone users. Price at Amazon: $19.99. That much extra power should let you hunt all day without ever having to retreat to an AC outlet.
If you really want to Go all day, consider a solar charger.
GRDE
Ah, but what happens if you forget to charge your charger? No problem if you’ve got a solar power pack clipped to your bag. Consider something like the GRDE Solar Charger, a ruggedized, outdoor-friendly battery with dual charging parts and an LED flashlight in case you find yourself hunting after dark.
There are a number of very similar products available on Amazon; this one sports a 10,000mAh battery (which can also be wall-charged — good because the solar panels are really just for “topping off” the unit) and a $17.99 price tag.
Of course, you could also go the DIY route and 3D-print yourself a Pokedex-style smartphone case/charger.
Pokemon Go-friendly cases
When you walk around staring at your phone, the real world has a tendency to rear its ugly head. Brick walls, open manhole covers, cliffs that appear as if from nowhere — these are among the obstacles just waiting to ring your bell, to say nothing of destroy your phone.
The Ninja Loop helps you keep your phone where it belongs: in your hand.
Loop
That’s why protection is critical. Start by adding a bit of grip insurance in the form of a Ninja Loop or Petite Loop — simple hand-straps that help prevent accidental drops. They come in a variety of colors and sell for $4.99 apiece.
Next, Otter up — by which I mean wrap your phone in an Otterbox-style case that can withstand drops, knocks and other kinds of punishment. Note that I said “Otterbox-style,” because there’s a hefty premium to be paid for the actual brand. Hit up Ebay or even your local Five Below store and you’ll find lots of rugged cases (combining rubber and hard shells) for considerably less money.
If you want your phone always at the ready, quick-draw-style, consider a belt-clip case. But don’t bother with a snap-shut enclosure; you want a quick-release system that requires a minimum of fumbling.
Enlarge Image
That belt, though.
Arkon
For that, look to Arkon’s Universal Swivel Belt Clip Holder (about $5 on Amazon), which relies on small circular tab that sticks to the back of your phone (in or out of a case, which is nice) and quickly clips into (or out of) the belt holster.
If you routinely find yourself hunting near pools, lakes, oceans or rainstorms, a waterproof case probably makes sense. On the other hand, that seems like overkill, so do what real cheapskates do and stick your phone inside a Ziploc (or similar) clear plastic bag — preferably one that has two “zippers” instead of just one.
Don’t worry, you won’t have to remove your phone every time you want to use it: Your finger taps will be recognized through the plastic. Because, science!
Finally, we all know it’s insane to hunt Pokemon while driving (please, please, please don’t), but if you want to risk your life while biking, feel free. All you need is a handlebar-friendly phone mount.
Like this one from iPow, which can securely hold just about any size smartphone. Current price: just $12.98.
Pokemon Go extras
Another thing before you Go: Consider a pair of noise-isolating earbuds, which will allow you to enjoy Pokemon Go’s music — and hear audio cues — while searching in particularly noisy environments. (Of course, you can always fire up your favorite playlists and/or podcasts as well.)
Make sure they’re water- and sweat-resistant, too, just in case you work up a sweat while chasing down rare Pokemon — or you’re crazy enough to search in the rain.
Enlarge Image
That explains it.
I’m Playing Pokemon Go
One good option: For as little as $14.99, you can score a set of Vtin Bluetooth Headphones, which incorporate ear-hooks to keep the buds in place and a behind-the-neck cord so you can pop them out as needed. They’re good for up to six hours on a charge and have a sweat-proof design.
Finally, be sure to adorn yourself in Pokemon Go outerwear, if only to let onlookers know why you’re behaving that way.
For example, a new online store dubbed I’m Playing Pokemon Go offers a handful of T-shirt designs, with new ones arriving every two weeks. Among the current options is a shirt that’s emblazoned, “If I’m looking at my phone, 99% chance I’m playing Pokemon Go.”
Etsy, meanwhile, offers a wide assortment of Pokemon Go team accessories, everything from keychains and purses to decals and, yes, cookie-cutters.
What accessories would you consider essential for the modern Go-er?
12 hidden iOS gestures worth knowing – CNET
With the amount of time you likely spend tapping and swiping on your iPhone, I have a dozen gestures that can amount to tremendous time savings. You may know some of these, but others could be hiding in plain sight.
Keep reading for gestures you can use with Mail, Photos, Messages and other iOS apps.
1. Save draft in Mail
Sometimes when you are composing an email message, you need to refer back to a message in your inbox. To move the draft you are currently writing out of the way, just swipe down it and it will sit at the bottom edge of your screen while you dig through your inbox, waiting to be tapped again so you can continue writing.
2. See all drafts in Mail
You can save multiple drafts in the Mail app. To see all of your drafts, tap-and-hold the compose button in the lower-right corner.
3. Return to thumbnails in Photos
When you are viewing a photo in the Photos app, you can hit the button in the upper-left corner to return to the thumbnail view of the photo’s album or collection. On a larger-screen iPhone, however, reaching for that button can be difficult when operating in one-hand mode. A easier way to return to the thumbnail view is simply to swipe down on the photo.
4. Select photos
You don’t need to tap-tap-tap on individual photos to select them to share or delete. A better way to select multiple photos is to tap the Select button in the upper-right corner, then drag your finger across rows of photos.
5. Move to top or bottom of an album
As with many apps, you can tap the top edge of the screen in the Photos app to return to the top of the album or collection you are viewing, which will take you to the oldest photos in the album or collection. Instead of scrolling and scrolling your way to the bottom and the newest photos, just tap the bottom edge of the screen. It’s best to aim for the button of the current view so you don’t switch to another view by mistake. That is, hit the Photos button, for example, to return to the bottom of that view.
6. Zoom in on videos
You probably know that you can pinch-to-zoom in on photos, but you can also pinch-to-zoom in on videos if you want to take a closer look at one area of the frame.
7. Choose your scrubbing speed
With the Music or Podcasts app, you can drag the small vertical line on the timeline to move to a new spot in the podcast or song that’s playing. This movement is called scrubbing. To gain finer control over scrubbing, tap the vertical line and then move your finger up to go from hi-speed scrubbing to half-speed. A little further up gets you to quarter-speed and further still and you arrive at fine scrubbing. Choose a speed and without lifting your finger, you can now move to the left or right to scrub your video at precisely the speed you wish.
8. Move a calendar event
Plans change, and when they do, you need not bother with all the tapping and swiping with opening up a calendar event and adjusting its date and time. Instead, you can drag an event to a new time or day from the day view of the Calendar app. To move an event, tap and hold it (but not with so much pressure that you use 3D Touch to peek-and-pop the event) and drag it up or down to a new time on the current day or drag it to the left or right to move it to another day.
9. Solution for the missing Calculator backspace button
Hi the “C” button on the Calculator app and you lose all of the digits of the number currently entered. If you entered just the last number incorrectly, you can delete it by swiping left or right on the number currently entered. Each swipe deletes the right-most digit.
10. Return to text conversation
If you tap to open an image that someone texted you, you can swipe down on it to return to the conversation in the Messages app. It’s quicker than tapping on the image and then tapping Done.
11. See Safari’s toolbar
As you begin scrolling down a web page in Safari, the address bar at the top and toolbar at the bottom disappear to give you more reading room. You can swipe up to bring them back, but you can also just tap the bottom edge of the screen if you don’t want to move from your current position on the page you are viewing.
12. See Safari’s recently closed tabs
If you want to return to a tab you recently closed in Safari, tap the button in the lower-right corner to view all of your open tabs and then tap-and-hold on the “+” button in the middle of the toolbar. This gesture calls up a list of your recently closed tabs.
Google Nexus 6P review – CNET
The Good One of the first two Android 6.0 phones, Google’s metal Nexus 6P has a sharp, high-resolution screen and a solid camera, an accurate fingerprint reader, loud speakers and works with every major carrier. Its lower cost makes it a good top-tier value buy.
The Bad It’s big, a bit boxy and top-heavy, the fingerprint reader’s position isn’t always convenient and the 6P ditches the wireless charging of previous models.
The Bottom Line The Nexus 6P doesn’t have the most inspiring design, but when it comes to hardware prowess, value for money and Google extras, this best-ever Nexus is hard to beat.
Summer ’16 update
After struggling to find its footing in recent years, HTC, manufacturer of the Nexus One and Nexus 9 tablet, is rumored to be hard at work building the next Nexus smartphone for Google. And a series of leaked images and rumored specs published in recent months paint an increasingly vivid picture of what we might expect.
View full gallery
An image of what is said to be the forthcoming Google Nexus phone. Credit: Android Police.
Android Police
In April 2016, veteran leaker Evan Blass reported that HTC was building devices that would run Android Nougat, Google’s yet-to-be released operating system, following 6.0 Marshmallow. In fact, HTC is believed to be making two devices with similar specs but different screen sizes. The larger phone, which is code-named Marlin, is expected to be equipped with a 5.5-inch Quad HD AMOLED display with a 2,560×1440-pixel resolution. Meanwhile, the smaller device, referred to as Sailfish, is said to feature a 5-inch Full HD display with a 1,920×1080-pixel resolution. The rumors suggest that the next Nexus will feature a curved aluminum exterior.
Other specs include a quad-core Qualcomm processor, 12-megapixel rear camera, 8-megapixel front camera, 4GB of RAM, 32GB of internal storage, a USB-C port and a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner.
Editors’ note: The original Google Nexus 6P review, published in October 2015, follows.
In my mind, there are two things that a Nexus-branded phone is supposed to do, and the Google Nexus 6P does them both very well. First, it’s meant to showcase the very newest Android software. Check! (So does the cheaper, smaller LG-made Nexus 5X.) Second, it should package together very capable hardware for a lower sticker price than more familiar brand-name competitors. Yep, that it does. (See our pricing chart below.)
And then the weighty, 5.7-inch Nexus 6P goes further. It adds a metal frame (a Nexus first!) and a crisp, high-resolution display; a spot-on fingerprint reader; a capable 12-megapixel camera; and strong stereo speakers. It also introduces China-based Huawei, which made the phone, to a whole new audience of people, Google’s Nexus fans. (Although I have to say, this breakthrough, while significant for Huawei, is only a passing curiosity for a buyer who’s focused on finding the right handset.)
This year’s Nexus phones are also compatible with most major carriers, which is terrific, and support Google’s own unique Project Fi wireless service — meaning you can switch among carrier plans without swapping your SIM card or phone. You don’t actually need Fi to do that, though, you can seamlessly carrier-hop on your own without Google’s specialized SIM card, too.
Here’s what I’m saying: the 6P here is the most ambitious and advanced Nexus phone Google has put its stamp on, and it comes closer than previous Nexus devices at meeting and beating premium handsets, big and small — like the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus, Samsung Galaxy Note 5 and Edge+ , Sony Xperia Z5 and Z5 Premium — with its combination of internal performance and relatively low cost.
Like all phones, this one isn’t without flaws. It’s still a large, heavy device. I’m not wild about the design, which is completely fine, but a little generic. The position of the fingerprint reader isn’t always convenient. The native camera has fewer options and controls than many rivals. And unlike the Nexus 6 and other Nexus phones, this refresh lacks wireless charging, which would be extra useful backup if you leave your new Type-C charger at home. The 6P also won’t have the Note 5’s stylus, the Edge+ curves or the Xperia’s waterproofing. You have to decide how important those finishing touches are to you.
Feast your eyes on the Marshmallowy Google…
See full gallery
1 – 5 of 16
Next
Prev
A little warning for those who want to buy the 6P to mine the Android 6.0 Marshmallow software for all its goodies: while the new operating system brings a few interesting and somewhat useful tools — like contextual searching through the Now on Tap feature and battery life boosting that works quietly in the background — the 6P’s real take-home value is less about the wonders of Android 6.0 and more about your total bang for the buck.
Android 6.0’s nice-but-not-astounding bag of tricks may not have been as successful as past Nexus’ braggable features ( Android 5.0 Lollipop was quite the overhaul), but the 6P’s Marshmallow status still nabs you certain advantages, like fewer preloaded apps (“bloatware”) and being first in line to receive Google’s forthcoming software updates. “Pure” Nexus phones are also free from vendors’ custom take on Android, which can be good, bad or neutral depending on your stance. On the one hand, custom layers eat up storage space and delay upgrades, but on the other, they can also add handy features and snazzy design layouts.
Personally, I like the the Nexus 6P quite a lot — it does everything right and very little wrong. While it doesn’t grab me the way the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge’s unique design does, it’s still a phone I’d heartily recommend. As a utilitarian workhorse, the Nexus 6P does the job for less cash, and that’s smart.
Pricing and availability
The Nexus 6P is available for pre-order in the US, UK, Ireland and Japan from Google’s online store, and will be ship in October. Check out pricing for the US, UK, and Australia in this handy chart below:
Google Nexus 6P pricing
| $499 | $549 | $649 |
| £449 | £499 | £579 |
| AU$899 | AU$999 | AU$1,099 |
To sweeten the deal, Google tacks on a 90-day subscription to Google Play Music (plus a $50 credit for its Play Store for US buyers).
Google also wants to sell you a two-year warranty that covers breaks and water damage, which it’s calling Nexus Protect. It costs $89 in the US. If something goes wrong, you can get a new device as soon as the next business day.
In the US, the Nexus 6P works on all major carriers. It’ll also support Project Fi , the company’s SIM card that uses Wi-Fi hotspots for a network connection, falling back on T-Mobile and Sprint networks.
Specifications versus top rivals
Specs comparison
| 5.7-inch AMOLED with 2,560×1,440-pixel resolution | 5.2-inch LCD with 1,920×1,080-pixel resolution | 4.7-inch IPS with 1,334×750-pixel resolution | 5.7-inch AMOLED with 2,560×1,440-pixel resolution | 5.5-inch IPS with 3,840×2,160-pixel resolution |
| 515ppi | 423ppi | 326ppi | 518ppi | 806ppi |
| 6.27×3.06×0.28 inches | 5.78×2.86×0.31 inches | 5.44×2.64×0.28 inches | 6.03×2.99×0.29 inches | 6.07×2.99×0.31 inches |
| 159.4×77.8×7.3mm | 147.0×72.6×7.9 mm | 138.3×67.1×7.1mm | 153.2×76.1×7.6mm | 154.4×76.0×7.8 mm |
| 6.27 ounces (178 grams) | 4.80 ounces (136 grams) | 5.04 ounces (143 grams) | 6.03 ounces (171 grams) | 6.34 ounces (180 grams) |
| Android 6.0 Marshmallow | Android 6.0 Marshmallow | Apple iOS 9 | Android 5.1 Lollipop | Google Android 5.1 Lollipop |
| Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 12.3-megapixel, ultra HD video (4K), 240fps slow motion video | 12.3-megapixel, ultra HD video (4K), 120fps slow motion | 12-megapixel, ultra HD video (4K), 240fps slow motion video | 16-megapixel, ultra HD video (4K), 120fps slow motion video | 23-megapixel, ultra HD video (4K), 120fps slow motion video |
| No | No | No (only 6S Plus) | Yes | Yes |
| 8-megapixel | 5-megapixel | 5-megapixel | 5-megapixel | 5-megapixel |
| Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 | 1.8GHz 6-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 | 64-bit A9 chip with M9 | Octa-core Exynos 7420 | Octa-core Snapdragon 810 |
| 32GB, 64GB, 128GB | 16GB, 32GB | 16GB, 64GB and 128GB | 32GB, 64GB | 32GB |
| 3GB | 2GB | 2GB | 4GB | 3GB |
| No | No | No | No | Up to 200GB |
| No | No | No | Yes, PMA and Qi | No |
| Nonremovable 3,450mAh | Nonremovable 2,700mAh | Nonremovable 1,715mAh | Nonremovable 3,000mAh | Nonremovable 3,430mAh |
| $499, £449, AU$899 | $379, £339, AU$659 | $649, £539, AU$1,079 | ~$700 (but varies), N/A, AU$1,100 | N/A, £630, AU$1,200 |
Google’s first metal Nexus
- 5.7-inch screen with 2,560×1,440-pixel resolution
- USB-C charging port
- Fingerprint reader
- Stereo forward-facing speakers
- Dimensions: 6.3 by 3.0 by 0.29 inches (159.3 by 77.8 by 7.3mm)
- Weight: 6.3 ounces (178 grams)
Big and aluminium with rounded edges and a fingerprint reader on the back, the Nexus 6P embraces quite a few trends of the day. The 5.7-inch display is a skosh more sizeable than the 5.5-inch iPhone 6S and right on par with the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 and S6 Edge+ . Its high-resolution AMOLED display, sometimes referred to as 2K, fits in with the times as well, lending the 6P a sharp and clear screen, with high contrast. (Sony is already pushing boundaries with its world’s-first 4K display , which is probably overkill in most scenarios.)
View full gallery The Nexus 6P is a solid slab of aluminum, a Nexus first.
Josh Miller/CNET
Shape-wise, the Nexus 6P is smaller and narrower than Motorola’s 6-inch Nexus 6. Still, it’s a two-hander. Not the easiest jumbo phone (or, phablet, if you prefer) for my smaller hands to hold. Its slim, straight sides challenged hands larger than mine when I passed the phone around. Some combination of the straight edges and smooth back made the 6P seem unwieldy, slippery, even a little top-heavy. The similarly sized Samsung Galaxy Note 5, S6 Edge+ and iPhone 6S Plus seem proportioned and contoured to fit my mitts better.
Its unibody build means you won’t be able to access the battery, and there’s no microSD card slot for extra storage either. This is a typical trade-off in full-metal phones. During some of my testing, the Nexus 6P’s backing felt warm to the touch, but not dangerously or uncomfortably so.
Since I grip the bottom half of the device to use it, the placement of the Google Imprint fingerprint reader was often a stretch; I sometimes had to shift my grip in order to unlock the phone. If you have larger hands, you probably won’t have the same concerns.
View full gallery Double-click the power button to launch the camera.
Josh Miller/CNET
I like that double-pressing the lock key launches the camera, but I’m not a fan of the haptic jiggle that confirms you’ve opened it, and I haven’t found a way to turn it off.
You can pick up the Nexus 6P in three colors: aluminum (silver), graphite (black) and frost (white), our favorite of the trio. Japan gets it in gold, too. My all-black model looks nice in a generic way, with subtle chamfered edges around the rims, though the design isn’t inspired.
Loud stereo speakers
Audio quality from the dual front speakers was pretty great for a phone. I played a lot of music videos from YouTube. The highest volume setting filled a room, and songs sounded clear. Compared to a set of good headphones or a decent Bluetooth speaker, though, the 6P’s audio still sounded jangly and two-dimensional, where my over-ear In Case headphones sounded rich. But the 6P is still notably better than you’ll get from the default speaker in most rival smartphones.
Type-C marginally better
I like the reversible USB Type-C charging port in theory, and once more phone-makers start using it, charging cables will be easier to come by. If you forget the Type-C to Type-C fast-charger and Type-C to USB cables that arrive in the box, you’ll be hard-pressed to find one lying around — it’s not compatible with your other devices’ cables. Wireless charging would be a convenient backup here, but unlike the 2013 and 2014 Nexus models, that feature is absent.
View full gallery Better keep an extra Type-C cable.
Josh Miller/CNET
If you get the 6P, prepare to also buy a few extra chargers and a micro-USB to Type-C adaptor that fits over the tip. (For Type-C fans, keep in mind that the Nexus 6P uses the Type-C charging shape, but not all the features that also support faster file transfers and charging for other devices. Read more about that here.)
Android 6.0 Marshmallow: Now on Tap is not great
- “Pure” Android software
- Google Now on Tap
- Android Pay support
- Doze function saves battery
A Nexus phone is the first to debut Google’s latest Android software. Always. In our case, that’s the Android 6.0 build , codenamed an ooey-gooey Marshmallow. It promises, as always, to be faster and smoother than the previous generation and filled with more tricks and treats.
The most enticing of these is Google Now on Tap, which is an obscure name for an extra layer of software that lets you more deeply interact with whatever’s on the screen. The classic example is asking Google simply, “Who sings this?” when listening to any given song, without having to specify the track’s title.
View full gallery Google Now on Tap is essentially a shortcuts bar within Android 6.0.
Josh Miller/CNET
Let’s say you’re on a restaurant menu and you press and hold the home button. Mini “cards” pop up on the bottom half of the screen with buttons you can press (shortcuts) to search on Google, open a menu, make a reservation, call the business, navigate there and see Google Street View. You can also use voice search to ask for additional information (“show me her tour dates” for example) without having to reframe the question.
CNET will do much more Now on Tap testing, but in my initial tests, I threw a barrage of questions and commands at it, and opened the Now on Tap cards from a variety of Web pages. Some scenarios seem to work better than others. For example, contextual voice searches usually worked, but interrupted the songs I asked about, which made for a pretty disruptive listening experience, since getting search results on-screen essentially stops the music, at least with YouTube.
Other times, Now on Tap presented useful information, like a restaurant menu link and icon shortcuts to other apps, other times, I didn’t get what I wanted. Also keep in mind that clicking a link from Now on Tap whisks you away to a new page. Either way, Now on Tap cards took about two seconds to load, which felt slow.
June marked 14 straight months of record high temperatures
Thanks to the ocean warming effects of El Niño and the global warming effects of humans in general, planet Earth just experienced its warmest June on record, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reports today. The extremely warm June marks 14 straight months of record-breaking warmth, and the longest hot streak on record.
“Warmer to much-warmer-than-average conditions dominated across much of the globe’s surface, resulting in the highest temperature departure for June since global temperature records began in 1880,” NOAA wrote in its June Global Analysis report. On the other hand, the agency noted that the warm streak could be broken – at least temporarily – when El Niño eventually gives way to La Niña and the tropical waters of the Pacific Ocean cool a bit. While El Niño has also been blamed for symbolically high levels of CO2 in the atmosphere, it’s not the only cause of these high temperatures.
“While the El Niño event in the tropical Pacific this winter gave a boost to global temperatures from October onwards, it is the underlying trend which is producing these record numbers,” NASA’s director of the Goddard Institute for Space Studies Gavin Schmidt said in a statement. In its own study, NASA also found that sea ice in the arctic had hit its lowest point since the 1970s and 80s. While this obviously poses problems for wildlife in the region, NASA researchers believe this could also be affecting the way the Earth itself moves.
The new ‘Overwatch’ hero is causing all kinds of trouble
Online shooter Overwatch is dominating the conversation surrounding video games lately, but not for the reasons developer/publisher Blizzard probably wants. First with the good news: healing sniper Ana is finally available for PC players. And, well, that’s where the favorable bits end. Ana’s appearance has caused some problems both on PlayStation 4 and PC.
On Sony’s latest console, following the update that added the maternal support character into the fracas, players have seen a number of issues crop up. Experience levels, rankings, cosmetic skins and in-game currency bought with real money have disappeared, according to IGN’s sources. From the looks of it, this is a separate problem from the similar one that reared its head last week. A Blizzard customer support agent told IGN that it’s a platform-specific bug and that the development team was working with Sony to resolve it.
On the PC side of things, Ana caused a different kind of trouble. The patch that brought her out of the game’s beta servers was pushed live during the ESL Atlantic Showdown tournament, which caused the action to be delayed by about a half an hour according to Mashable. The patch apparently altered how a few of the competing teams played, with D.Va and Zenyatta getting some love from a few teams thanks to post-patch changes.
The patch caused issues for viewers as well, with the commentators being unable to join the server. Asa result, anyone watching the stream wasn’t able to catch the final moments. More than that, the subsequent game was delayed because one of the teams couldn’t keep a steady server connection either. Hopefully Blizzard takes a look at what tournaments are active next time it pushes a patch.
Source: Mashable, Battle.net, IGN
Twitter permanently bans one of its most offensive users
Twitter has finally done it. After years of provocative actions, repeated suspensions and even an unchecking, Twitter has permanently banned conservative writer and Breitbart Tech Editor Milo Yiannopoulos, from its service. Twitter’s decision appears to come in response to Yiannopoulos leading an online trolling campaign against Ghostbusters star Leslie Jones. Jones has vowed to leave Twitter over her treatment, prompting a major online outcry.
Twitter has been busy over the past few days, scrambling to get ahead of fallout from Jones’ digital assault. The company announced earlier on Tuesday that it will open the verification process to the general public, along with the anti-spam and anti-harassment protections the Blue Checkmark enables.
This isn’t the first time that Twitter has had to show a prominent alt-right celebrity the door. Last March, Chuck Johnson, who once argued that homosexuality caused a horrendous Amtrak train crash and doxxed two NY Times journalists, was permanently barred from the site. Reddit too has recently cracked down on bad behavior in recent months. The site caused an uproar last August when it shut down and disbanded a number of its most virulent and bigoted groups.
We’ve reached out to Twitter for comment and will update when we hear back from the company.
Source: Buzzfeed
China temporarily bans highway testing of self-driving cars
Self-driving cars are no longer welcome on Chinese highways. At least for now. According to a new report from Bloomberg, the country’s auto industry is working with police to create new regulations for autonomous vehicles — and automakers have been told to keep self-driving vehicles off the road until they go into effect.
The announcement isn’t too much of a surprise — autonomous cars have been facing new scrutiny following a fatal Tesla Model S crash last month. China isn’t the first nation to react, either: Germany is said to be drafting legislation that would place “black boxes” in self-driving vehicles. China hasn’t said when the new regulations would be official, but noted that early drafts have already been written. Hopefully, the new rules will be finalized soon and enable China’s auto-makers to resume testing.
Via: Mashable
Source: Bloomberg
Where do you watch television shows and movies?
The days of using a cable provider as the only way to watch your favorite television shows and movies has passed us by.
We’re living in an era where you have real choices as to where you get your content. From using Netflix to binge watch entire seasons of shows in just a few days, to using your TiVo to record your shows off of cable and watch them at your leisure.
Since you’ve got options now, we wanted to know where you choose to watch your television. With that in mind we’ve got seven options for you in this week’s poll: “Netflix,” “Hulu,” “TiVo,” “Chromecast,” “Cable,” “A combination of apps and services,” and “An app or service not listed here.”
Where do you watch your television shows?
Did we miss your favorite service for watching television shows and movies? Do you think one service is better than the others? Let us know about it in the comments below!
AIVAnet 