What’s on your HDTV: Comic-con, ‘BvS,’ ‘Bojack Horseman’

This week the RNC in Cleveland will get a lot of primetime attention, but it’s not the only thing on TV. First, if you haven’t started watching Netflix’s series Stranger Things (it dropped last week), then you should — it’s that good. You can also try the extended cut on Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice, which is available as the first triple layer Ultra HD Blu-ray with footage you couldn’t se in theaters. Also, later this week, Syfy will be broadcasting from San Diego Comic-Con for the first time, while Netflix has season three of Bojack Horseman. Look after the break to check out each day’s highlights, including trailers and let us know what you think (or what we missed).

Blu-ray & Games & Streaming

• Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice (3D, 4K)
• Orphan Black (S4)
• Person of Interest (S5)
• 30 for 30: OJ – Made in America
• Watchmen: The Ultimate Cut (4K)
• Miles Ahead
• The Magicians (S1)
• Man of Steel (4K)
• The 100 (S3)
• Elvis & Nixon
• Neverwinter (PS4)
• Obliteracers (PS4
• Dreambreak (PC)
• Ninja Pizza Girl (PS4, Xbox One)
• Kill Strain (PS4)
• Moon Hunters (PS4)

Monday

• Open Your Eyes, HBO, 7:30PM
• American Ninja Warrior, NBC, 8PM
• So You Think You Can Dance, Fox, 8PM
• WWE Raw, USA, 8PM
• The Fosters, Freeform, 8PM
• 12 Monkeys (season finale), Syfy, 9PM
• Guilt, Freeform, 9PM
• Rizzoli & Isles, TNT, 9PM
• Angie Tribeca, TBS, 9PM
• 2016 Republican Convention, CBS/ABC/NBC, 10PM
• The Making of the Mob, AMC, 10PM
• Major Crimes, TNT, 10PM
• Are You the One?, MTV, 10PM
• Triptank, Comedy Central, 10PM
• Unreal, Lifetime, 10PM

Tuesday

• Difficult People, Hulu, 3AM
• Powers (season finale), PSN, 3AM
• Casual, Hulu, 3AM
• America’s Got Talent, NBC, 8PM
• Pretty Little Liars, Freeform, 8PM
• Zoo, CBS, 9PM
• WWE Smackdown, USA, 8PM
• Animal Kingdom, TNT, 9PM
• Containment (series finale), CW, 9PM
• Deadliest Catch, Discovery, 9PM
• Coupled, Fox, 9PM
• Scream, MTV, 10PM
• F in Fabulous, BET, 10PM
• Feed the Beast, AMC, 10PM
• Tosh.0, Comedy Central, 10PM
• Wrecked, TBS, 10PM
• Not Safe with Nikki Glaser, Comedy Central, 10:30PM

Wednesday

• Chelsea, Netflix 3AM
• Penn & Teller: Fool Us, CW, 8PM
• America’s Got Talent, NBC, 8PM
• Unsung Hollywood, TV One, 8PM
• Young & Hungry, Freeform, 8PM
• Big Brother, CBS, 8PM
• Lucha Underground, El Rey, 8PM
• Baby Daddy, Freeform, 8:30PM
• Suits, USA, 9PM
• American Gothic, CBS, 9PM
• Dating Naked, VH1, 9PM
• Dual Survival, Discovery, 9PM
• Kingdom, DirecTV, 9PM
• Wayward Pines, Fox, 9PM
• 2016 Republican Convention, CBS/ABC/NBC, 10PM
• Mr. Robot, USA, 10PM
• Tyrant, FX, 10PM
• Any Given Wednesday with Bill Simmons, HBO, 10PM
• Another Period, Comedy Central, 10PM
• The Real World/Road Rules Challenge, MTV, 10PM

Thursday

• Live from Comic-Con, Syfy, 8PM
• Battlebots, ABC, 8PM
• Bones (season finale), Fox, 8PM
• Spartan: Ultimate Team Challenge (season finale), NBC, 8PM
• Greatest Hits, ABC, 9PM
• Big Brother, CBS, 9PM
• Beauty and the Beast, CW, 9PM
• Home Free, Fox, 9PM
• The First 48, A&E, 9PM
• Spartan: Ultimate Team Challenge, NBC, 9PM
• 2016 Republican Convention, CBS/ABC/NBC, 10PM
• Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll, FX, 10PM
• Queen of the South, USA, 10PM
• Ridiculousness, MTV, 10PM
• Thirteen (season finale), BBC America, 10PM

Friday

• Bojack Horseman (S3), Netflix, 3AM
• Degrassi: Next Class (S15), Netflix, 3AM
• Live from Comic-Con, Syfy, 8PM
• Big Brother, CBS, 8PM
• Masters of Illusion, CW, 8PM
• Killjoys, Syfy, 9PM
• Bellator MMA, Spike TV, 9PM
• Dark Matter, Syfy, 10PM
• Outcast, Cinemax, 10PM

Saturday

• UFC Fight Night 20, Fox, 8PM
• Live from Comic-Con, Syfy, 8PM
• Indiscretion, Lifetime, 8PM
• Angel from Hell (series finale), CBS, 8 & 8:30PM
• Hell on Wheels (series finale), AMC, 9PM
• In An Instant (season finale), ABC, 9PM
• Rush Hour, CBS, 9PM
• Looking: The Movie, HBO, 10PM
• American West, AMC, 10PM

Sunday

• Popples (S3), Netflix, 3AM
• Big Brother, CBS, 8PM
• The Circus: Inside the Greatest Political Show on Earth, Showtime, 8PM
• Celebrity Family Feud, ABC, 8PM
• MTV Fandom Awards, MTV, 8PM
• The Night of, HBO, 9PM
• The $100,000 Pyramid, ABC, 9PM
• Ray Donovan, Showtime, 9PM
• Preacher, AMC, 9PM
• The Last Ship, TNT, 9PM
• The Hunt, BBC America, 9PM
• Survivor’s Remorse (season premiere), Starz, 10P<
• Braindead, CBS, 10PM
• Motive, USA, 10PM
• Match Game, ABC, 10PM
• Roadies, Showtime, 10PM
• Geeking Out, AMC, 10PM
• Declassified, CNN, 10PM
• The Jim Gaffigan Show, TV Land, 10PM
• Murder in the First, TNT, 10PM
• Vice Principals, HBO, 10:30PM
• Tunnel, PBS, 10:30PM

(All times listed are ET)

B&H Photo offers free wireless headphones, $75 gift card with ZTE Axon 7 pre-order

If you’re looking to get your hands on a ZTE Axon 7, B&H Photo is currently offering a solid bundle deal when you pre-order the phone. For $399, you can pre-order the ZTE Axon 7 and snag a free a pair of Samsung Level U Wireless Headphones and a $75 gift card.

In all, the extras included add up to a total value of $109.95, B&H Photo says. So, if you were eyeing the RAM-heavy 5.5-inch premium phone offering from ZTE anyhow, this is definitely worth considering. Pre-orders are open now, and shipments are expected to start going out on July 27. And if you’re on the fence, be sure to check out our hands-on with the phone for more.

Thanks, James, for the tip!

See at B&H Photo

Android 7.0 Nougat Developer Preview 5 actually comes with an awesome easter egg

So, about that article from earlier…

Earlier, we said there was no new easter egg in the Android 7.0 Nougat Developer Preview 5. We were totally wrong; sorry about that.

In our defense, though, this thing is pretty hard to spot. In fact, the entire game — if one can call it that — is basically a giant test of patience.

What is the new Easter Egg?

Like previous incarnations of the Android Easter Egg, to activate the new one you must open Settings, head to About phone, find the Android version number and tap several times until a cartoon “N” appears.

Unlike the last few versions, though, tapping several times on that cartoon depiction doesn’t enter a game (which is a Flappy Bird knock-off in Android 6.0 Marshmallow), but if you press and hold the N it shows a small cat emoji underneath. Tapping that again reveals a “No entry” emoji, which is, earlier, where we thought it ended.

Turns out that’s just the beginning. Once that “No entry” emoji is present, swipe down your notification quick settings, tap Edit and find the ???? Android Easter Egg quick setting then drag it to your quick settings.

After it’s moved, tapping on the new “Empty dish” quick setting toggle begins a game where you have to entice a cat to feed from an empty plate using either “Bits,” “Fish,” “Chicken,” or “Treats.” Should a feline take the bait, which isn’t guaranteed, you’ll receive a notification with a cat and a number. Tapping on it reveals a new window with a smiling cartoon cat that, when long-pressed, can be shared as an image.

That’s it?

Yep, that appears to be it. The game draws inspiration from the popular Japanese cat “collector” game, Neko Atsume. The word “neko” also happens to be Japanese for “cat,” which keeps with the N theme of the latest Android version.

It’s a cute, creative, and well-hidden Easter Egg. Kudos, Google.

Thanks to Blake Bryant for providing us with initial screenshots and cats.

Android Nougat

Android N (currently in Developer Preview status) is now Android Nougat! It’s the 12th nicknamed version of Android and will be released to the public in the fall of 2016. Here’s everything you need to know so far!

• What’s new in Android Nougat
• All Android Nougat news
• Should you use the Android N Dev Preview?
• About the Android Beta Program
• Join the Discussion

What is BBC+ and why should you download it for iPhone or Android?

The BBC generates an enormous amount of content each day: TV shows, news, radio programming and the thousands of pages of new material added to bbc.co.uk on a constant basis. However, with so much on offer, how on Earth do you find stuff that’s interesting to you?

We don’t mean the headline stuff. Whether it’s sports or current affairs, it is readily and easily available, but what about the rest? What about specific radio interviews or stories about the arts and crafts.

That’s where BBC+ comes in. It is the Beeb’s latest mobile application for iOS and Android that offers the vast array of content it produces daily in a simple, curated form. You can find the stories, clips and even entire TV shows that appeal most to you, all within a few swipes.

So this is our brief explanation of the app and a few reasons why you should download it…

What is BBC+?

BBC+ is a new app that is now available for iOS and Android. It presented curated content from the entire range of BBC output depending on your own personalised selections.

You will also see recommended content that you might not have through to watch, read or listen to before, all from a simple to use interface.

• You’ll need to pay for BBC iPlayer from 2017
• BBC iPlayer Kids is here to make viewing safer and simpler

How much does BBC+ cost?

It is a completely free download, with no adverts or hidden charges.

It is simply a way of providing the same information, TV shows and radio clips available elsewhere, but in an easier to access form.

Pocket-lint

How does BBC+ work?

When you download the application and start it for the first time, you will be required to sign in to or sign up for a BBC ID account. You will then be asked to select the type of content you’d most like delivered to the app on a regular basis.

It gives you different genres and tabs to choose from, which will then determine what type of content you will be fed. For example, select gaming and you will see all of the relevant gaming stories, no matter which department they are posted under.

In addition, thanks to your postcode and location details, you will find local news content more easily than you have before. Which will also be trimmed and presented based on your interests.

The app itself has an “At a Glance”home page but as you swipe left or right, your interests will be presented in sections, such as arts and culture, gaming and even BBC iPlayer TV picks it thinks you’ll most like.

Scrolling up and down on those subsequent pages will then present headlines and snippets of the stories. Tap on any of them and you’ll go into the full version. Hit back and you can go again.

It is remarkably quick to navigate and over time will be refined further, as the Beeb discovers user habits.

For now it’s well worth a download and although we’ve seen plenty of news curation apps in the past, many with more than the BBC to choose from for content, but few have the wealth of information and the inherent link with iPlayer and radio that make it so appealing.

Airbus uses drones to speed up aircraft inspections

Aircraft inspections are one of the best things operators can do to ensure safety in flight, but ironically, the chore can be a little unsafe for inspectors themselves. To properly review an aircraft’s condition, workers often need to utilize cranes and lifts to closely examine an plane’s structure and components. It’s mildly risky, slow and laborious process — but soon, it may not be. Airbus has started testing drone inspections that may speed up the process by over an hour.

Airbus demonstrated its new inspection process at the Farnborough Airshow, where a drone equipped with an Intel RealSense camera autonomously circled an A330 while rapidly snapping photos. The images were then applied to a 3D model of the aircraft that allowed inspectors to get a close, detailed look at the subject. It still takes awhile to inspect the digital model, but in all, it’s much faster. Gathering the inspection data by hand takes about two hours. Using a drone takes only 10 to 15 minutes.

The company expects to finish initial testing the program by the end of the year, and hopes to include a wider range of aircraft in the program soon afterwards.

Via: Digital Trends

Source: Airbus

Mercedes’ autonomous bus makes a landmark trip on public roads

Mercedes-Benz’s CityPilot autonomous bus technology just got a real-world, long-range test drive on the streets and highways of the Netherlands. One of the company’s Future Bus vehicles successfully followed a 20km Bus Rapid Transit route between Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport and the nearby town of Haarlem, navigating through tight turns, intersections and pedestrian areas all without the need for human input.

The CityPilot platform is based on a version of Daimler’s Highway Pilot autonomous trucking technology adapted to handle the specific needs of a city bus. With GPS, radar and a dozen cameras built into the vehicle itself, the bus can recognize traffic signals, pedestrians and other obstacles. The bus has a top speed of 70km/h (or about 43 mph) and all that data taken together allows the bus to position itself within inches of bus stops or raised accessibility platforms.

Although regulations still require a human operator sit behind the wheel in case of an emergency, the vehicle’s intelligent systems make for a much smoother ride for everyone. Unlike other autonomous vehicles, the bus is actually connected to the city network so it can communicate directly with traffic lights and other city infrastructure. The camera systems can even scan the road for potholes, so buses can avoid rough patches on their next run or share that data back to the city.

Technology aside, the vehicle itself is based on Mercedes’ popular Citaro bus with a completely redesigned interior that takes its design cues from city parks. (Albeit a city park with a whole lot of information screens.) With “designer” benches, expansive windows, and grab rails inspired by trees, the interior might even give that driverless Rolls-Royce a run for its money. While the Future Bus isn’t the first autonomous bus to start shuttling people around, it is the first to do so on a public transit system — a major milestone towards implementing driverless vehicles in cities around the world.

Cardinals scout sentenced to 46 months for hacking another team

Last June, the FBI began investigating the St. Louis Cardinals for hacking computers of the Houston Astros to access confidential scouting reports on the teams players. Christopher Correa, the Cardinals’ former director of baseball development, plead guilty to five charges of unauthorized access of a protected computer back in January. Today, the FBI in Houston announced that Correa was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison for tapping into the Astros’ player files without permission. He’s also required to pay $279,038 in restitution for the incident.

The Associated Press reports that Major League Baseball could discipline the Cardinals for the ordeal, but has said it will wait for more info from federal authorities before making a decision. Penalties could include a loss of draft picks or a fine. Correa was able to gain access to the Astros’ files by using a password similar to one a former employee used on a computer while working for the Cardinals. That employee went to work for the Astros afterwards, and while the FBI didn’t offer a name, Houston general manager Jeff Luhnow left St. Louis to join the team in 2011. Luhnow revealed that the team had been hacked in 2014.

Correa was said to have viewed a scouting list of every player in the 2013 draft, trade discussions, player bonus details, stats and information on performance and injuries by the team’s minor-league prospects. In other words, details on nearly every facet of the team’s scouting operations. In total, the hacking was estimated to have cost the Houston Astros $1.7 million based on the fact that the stolen information was used to draft players for the Cardinals.

Chris Correa is sentenced to 46 months in federal prison for illicitly accessing Houston Astros computer #hounews #hacking

— FBI Houston (@FBIHouston) July 18, 2016

Source: FBI Houston (Twitter)

Artificial cell membranes could lead to more effective drugs

Medical science often targets drugs at the proteins in cell membranes. But how do you study everything about their behavior when you can’t control them? That’s what UC San Diego researchers aim to fix. They’ve developed artificial cell membranes that grow and model themselves just like those in mammal cells, making them ideal for testing how drugs will behave. The trick is to use reversible chemical reactions that remodel phospholipids (key molecules in the cell membrane) and make the cell ‘recycle’ them, rather than generate them from scratch. That, in turn, saves the cell a lot of effort as its membrane grows.

So long as scientists can refine their synthetic membrane technique, there’s a lot of potential. They could create more effective drugs, or get a better sense of what happens when disease ravages those membranes. Don’t be surprised if this seemingly small discovery leads to big improvements in treatments in the future.

Via: Phys.org

Source: Devaraj Research Group, Devaraj Lab (YouTube)