Make a DIY keychain for your iPhone 7’s headphone adapter – CNET
You want to listen to music or watch a video, so you reach for your favorite headphones. But then you abruptly remember: there is no headphone jack on the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus and your 3.5mm adapter is nowhere in sight.
Without going fully wireless or grabbing a pair of Lightning-compatible headphones, you’ll have to get used to adapter life. That means you’ll have to get used to carrying the adapter everywhere you go, which can be annoying.
Wouldn’t it be so much more convenient if there were a keychain attachment for it? Of course it would. So here is how you can fashion your own keychain adapter for your Lightning-to-3.5mm adapter.
What you will need
Taylor Martin/CNET
To make an adapter, you’ll need just three things:
- An old, cheap pair of headphones you don’t mind ruining.
- One pack of Sugru in your color of choice.
- A keyring.
Aesthetically, Sugru may not be the best material. But it’s definitely one of the easiest to work with. You can find it quite easily online in a multipack for approximately $1.84 (£1.42 or AU$2.41) per use. You can sometimes find it in local hardware stores, but it’s typically more expensive and sold in smaller quantities.
Making a keychain attachment
Taylor Martin/CNET
To make the keychain attachment, you will be using a male 3.5mm plug to attach the adapter to a keyring using Sugru.
Use scissors or a knife to remove the cable from the 3.5mm plug on an old pair of headphones. Trim away any leftover cable, leaving just the 3.5mm plug and the housing.
Then apply the Sugru. Choosing a color is sort of important. I chose blue and it slightly stained the adapter. The same will happen with black, red or yellow. If you use white to try and match the adapter, it will turn gray or yellow over time. So choose your poison.
From the time you open the pack of Sugru, you have approximately 30 minutes before it starts to set. Mold it around the housing to the 3.5mm plug, making sure it doesn’t obstruct the plug at all. Shape doesn’t matter all that much. But before you’re done molding the Sugru, be sure to add the keyring and move it around in all directions to ensure that it moves freely.
Taylor Martin/CNET
When you’re finished molding, lay it flat on a clean surface to cure for 24 hours. You may want to consider laying out some cling wrap or wax paper to prevent the Sugru from staining the surface.
Once it has fully cured, you can attach the adapter to your keyring. A gentle pull will release the headphone adapter. And reattaching it is just as easy.
A new Huawei Nexus tablet? Here’s what the branding difference could mean
Whether or not there are any longterm plans for Nexus, the idea of a new Huawei-built tablet isn’t completely crazy.
It’s been a pretty wild day for Google hardware and software rumors. Aside from Chromecast Ultra, “Andromeda” OS and a possible next-gen Pixel in 2017, there’s now a report suggesting that despite Google moving to Pixel for this year’s phones, the long-rumored Huawei/Google tablet will actually use the Nexus brand.
9to5Google reports that the Google plans to “launch” the rumored Android-based Andromeda OS on a Huawei-built, Nexus-branded slate. The outlet doesn’t claim 100 percent certainty over the branding, but states that it’s heard the name from multiple sources.
The HTC/Pixel deal would appear to be a classic ODM arrangement — different from a Nexus partnership.
Keeping the Nexus brand around for a tablet while Google’s phones (and the previous Google tablet) are Pixels might seem counter-intuitive, but it’s not impossible that the Nexus brand could live on, at least in the short term. The Pixel brand has always been Google’s, and with the new phones being referred to as “made by Google,” it looks likely that the arrangement with actual manufacturer HTC is a traditional ODM (original device manufacturer) setup. Essentially, HTC just handles the design and manufacturing of Google’s phones to Google’s spec — in exchange for money, which HTC badly needs. That’s a bit different to how the Nexus program works, where the manufacturer shares the limelight with Google, and neither party really makes any money.
In that context, the idea of Huawei making a Nexus tablet, not a Pixel, looks a bit more credible. For Huawei, Nexus is a prestige project — a way to spread their brand in the West, in particular the United States. A Pixel ODM agreement wouldn’t satisfy that need, whereas another Nexus certainly would. (The situation is the opposite of HTC’s, where the financial incentive of being Google’s ODM outweighs the loss of brand exposure.)
Crazier still is the possibility of this Nexus tablet being a launch device for Andromeda, the rumored Android-based, PC and tablet-centric OS reportedly shipping in 2017. Given the timings involved, it might be surprising to see Andromeda on the tablet, as opposed to plain old Nougat. It’s also possible that the tablet might arrive with Nougat before becoming one of a handful of devices to get an Andromeda preview build ahead of the rumored 2017 launch. (It’s possible we’ll see it at Google’s October 4 event, but by no means certain.)
As for how things play out in future years, that’s anyone’s guess. The rumors surrounding Andromeda, if true, will likely significantly shake up the Android tablet scene.
So when might this new tablet, Nexus or otherwise, break cover? Prolific Evan Blass has previously said that Google-branded, Huawei-built slate will be out “before the end of the year.” That makes Andromeda out of the box appear less likely, but who knows. We’re into new, crazy, uncharted waters when it comes to Google devices.
The Philadelphia 76ers just bought a pair of eSports teams
The Philadelphia 76ers’ ownership group announced on Monday that it has acquired two eSports teams, Team Apex and Team Dignatas, and will merge them into a single organization under the Dignatas banner. The team will compete in League of Legends, Counter Strike: Global Offensive, Overwatch and Heroes of the Storm while the 76ers will handle the day-to-day operations including player recruitment, marketing and sales.
This marks the first time that a North American sports franchise has bought into eSports, unlike in Europe where a number of top football clubs — including Vfl Wolfsburg, West Ham United, Manchester City and Valencia CF — all own their own digital sports teams. A few NBA owners like Mark Cuban, Dan Gilbert and Steve Kaplan have invested in teams and leagues, none have flat out bought one. The closest we have to that is retired NBA star Rick Fox, who purchased team Gravity Gaming before renaming it Echo Fox.
Via: The Verge
Source: NBA
Disney is reportedly considering a bid for Twitter
CNBC reported late last week that Google and Salesforce were interesting in buying Twitter. TechCrunch followed that up with its own report that the list of potential buyers included Microsoft and Verizon. The latest company to be mentioned as a potential suitor is Disney. Bloomberg reports that the company is working with financial advisers on a possible bid for the social network.
Details are scarce for now, but Bloomberg says Twitter has started the process of evaluating bids. The move would make a lot of sense for both sides if Disney were to acquire Twitter. Disney’s entertainment portfolio includes Walt Disney Studios, Marvel, Lucasfilm, Pixar and more. It also owns ABC and a majority stake in ESPN with investments in A+E Networks, Vice Media and Hulu. Disney made a $1 billion investment in BAMTech this summer, the arm of Major League Baseball’s Advancement Media division that powers streaming tech for the likes of HBO Now.
Disney followed up that news by clarifying that it was working on a “direct-to-consumer” option for ESPN that wouldn’t require cable. As much as Twitter has been pushing video streaming as of late, the combination of the social network and the media company could make quite the pair. In fact, Twitter is already using BAMTech to power its weekly NFL streams. What’s more, Twitter’s CEO Jack Dorsey is also on the board of Disney.
Source: Bloomberg
Google’s Android/Chrome laptop may be a year away
We’ve long heard rumors that Google may be merging its Chrome and Android operating systems into a laptop platform, and we’re now getting more substantive reports that point to a Q3 2017 time frame for the hybrid OS. According to Android Police’s sources, the purported Andromeda software is set to debut on a notebook codenamed Bison that is more commonly expected to be called the Pixel 3.
Android Police obtained the news from two sources it described as “independent and reliable,” but cautioned that the details are subject to change. The Bison laptop will reportedly sport a 12.3-inch display, a fingerprint scanner, two USB C ports and a whole host of sensors. It will also support a tablet mode and stylus input, presumably to cater to artists or designers on the go.
According to the report, the notebook will also come with a pressure-sensitive trackpad similar to Macbooks, and its battery is expected to last 10 hours. Google may be going all out against Apple with the Bison, too, as it’s said to be trying to make the laptop less than 10mm thick (thinner than the Macbooks). Plus, the notebook has a reported starting price of $799.
As for the Andromeda OS, it won’t simply be a way to run Android apps on a Chrome platform. Rather, Android Police speculates it will likely be the result of bringing Chrome features to Android, which likely means a version of the popular mobile OS tailored to desktop users. If the leak is true, we are about a year out from seeing the Andromeda-powered laptop. Google may still tease the OS at its upcoming October 4th event, but we’re more likely to see a new WiFi router, 4K Chromecast and Pixel phones then.
Source: Android Police
Uber explores offering short-hop flights across town
Uber has already resorted to more than one unusual method to get you from one side of town to another, but you haven’t seen anything yet. The ridesharing outfit’s Jeff Holden tells Recode that Uber is researching the use of VTOL (vertical takeoff and landing) aircraft for short-hop urban flights. It’d potentially speed up long trips, especially in areas where traffic jams might make a conventional ride excruciatingly slow. You could travel from San Francisco to Oakland in 9 minutes, Holden suggests.
There’s no firm commitment to offering a VTOL choice, although Holden suggests it might happen within a decade. As it stands, any initial offering would be limited by modern technology and city layouts: you’d need piloted vehicles, and the combination of loud engines with limited landing areas would dictate just where these aircraft could touch down. The big breakthrough would come with autonomous, quiet (likely electric) vehicles that could fly almost anywhere. You could get a lift to a rooftop in the heart of downtown, for instance.
And it’s not as if either Uber or the industry are standing still. Remember how Uber recently teamed up with Airbus? Well, Airbus has been researching autonomous air taxis — it’s not a stretch to imagine a future collaboration where Uber uses those taxis to shuttle customers back and forth. While four-wheeled ridesharing isn’t going away any time soon, it probably won’t be your only choice at some point in the future.
Via: TechCrunch
Source: Recode
Square is speeding up EMV chip card transactions
Anyone who has encountered a “NO CHIP, PLEASE SWIPE” sign while trying to pay via credit or debit card has probably noticed the switch from magnetic stripes to EMV chips hasn’t been the smoothest. According to one study cited by the New York Times, it takes an average of eight to 12 seconds just to complete a transaction. While folks outside the country might scoff at American impatience, Square went ahead and did something about it: driving down checkout times with its latest update to the Square contactless and chip reader.
Square says it now takes a snappy 4.2 seconds from the moment you dip your chip until the transaction is completed. And they’d like to see that turnaround time driven down even further, to an even three seconds. Square does have a bit of an advantage in the space because they control both the hardware and software at Square registers, but according the New York Times, Wal-Mart also managed to save customers 11 seconds just by removing an amount confirmation screen.
On the other hand, as the Wall Street Journal pointed out last month, all of this is driving towards a contactless payment future. And, as it turns outs, chip cards were not as secure as we thought in the first place.
Via: TechCrunch
Source: Square
Why is the Oculus founder trying to bring hateful memes offline?
Online abuse and bullying have existed as long as the internet has, but it’s gone mainstream in a big way over the last few years. Perhaps not coincidentally, we’ve also spent the last year-plus subjected to Donald Trump’s presidential campaign, an outing built on lies, harassment, intimidation and a whole host of other behavior not befitting a candidate for the country’s highest office.
These two trends collided late last week when it was revealed that Oculus VR founder and Facebook employee Palmer Luckey donated $10,000 to a pro-Trump group called Nimble America. The group’s stated purpose is to prove “shitposting is powerful and meme magic is real.” Thus far, there’s no evidence that Nimble America has been able to do anything aside from put up one insulting but fairly mild anti-Hillary Clinton billboard outside of Pittsburgh. Despite the group’s lack of impact thus far, the fact that Luckey found Nimble America worth supporting shows just how widespread trolling has become.
Luckey is, of course, well within his rights to support any group he sees fit. But the fact that he thinks bringing Reddit’s worst garbage to billboards for the world to see is, as he says in a Facebook post confirming his donation, a “fresh idea” speaks to just how ugly things have become in 2016 — both online and in the “real world.” In fact, there’s barely any distinction between the two at this point. Hate speech, whether offline or online, is becoming the best way to get what you want. It got Trump to the doorstep of the presidency, when everyone assumed he was a reality TV joke that would get bounced in the primaries.
If you haven’t been paying attention to the Nimble America controversy, here’s a quick recap. Last week, The Daily Beast reported that a Reddit poster under the pseudonym “NimbleRichMan” was providing funds for Nimble America, and Luckey confirmed that he wrote some of the posts published by that handle. Shortly after The Daily Beast published its report, the handle and posts were deleted.
This is a message from @PalmerLuckey, the founder of @Oculus. pic.twitter.com/CWlAA8ugMx
— Cody Brown (@CodyBrown) September 23, 2016
The following day, Luckey apologized on his Facebook page for his actions “negatively impacting the perception of Oculus and its partners.” He also confirmed that he donated $10,000 to Nimble America, said he was a Gary Johnson supporter and that he did not write the NimbleRichMan Reddit posts. But emails between Daily Beast reporter Gideon Resnick and Luckey make it sound as if he wrote the posts and wanted them posted under that handle, even if it wasn’t technically “his” Reddit account. The account may have been under the control of one of the Nimble America founders, but all evidence points to Luckey having written the posts in question.
“A generous understanding of the situation is that in other instances, besides the donation one, he was given a password and used the account occasionally,” Resnick told Motherboard. “So is there wiggle room in the sense that it’s not clear if he wrote each and every post? Perhaps. But he’s not telling the whole truth in terms of his involvement.”
Whether or not we ever hear of Nimble America again is beside the point — the intent of Luckey’s actions is far more significant. A contribution by a prominent employee at one of the world’s largest and most important companies adds an air of legitimacy that is entirely undeserved. The group isn’t interested in debating the issues or even releasing more traditional attack ads that go after a candidate’s background, temperament, behavior or policy positions. They’re trying to turn insulting, racist, sexist, politically incorrect memes into mass media. For now, these memes have been limited to the internet, but Nimble America wants to them to go mainstream.
The one billboard sign that has thus far been attributed to Nimble America says that Clinton is “too big to jail” alongside a grossly distorted image of her face. It’s possibly a reference to her considerable political stature insulating her from prosecution for misuse of a personal email server — but the picture makes it an attack on her looks, as well. Nimble America’s desire to push “shitposts” into the public consciousness makes it clear that this group is more interested in trolling than having any sort of informed debate, and apparently Luckey is on the same page.
It’s a position that has both Oculus fans and developers alike shaking their heads. There’s a thread on the Oculus Reddit with more than 4,000 posts discussing the subject, and a number of developers have come out against Luckey’s statements. “Finding out last night that the founder of one of the main platforms for [virtual reality] basically thinks white supremacy is funny was a crystallizing moment,” one unnamed developer told Adi Robertson at The Verge.
That sums up why Luckey’s actions were so disturbing to me. He’s welcome to use his considerable wealth to support any candidate he chooses, but a quick search of the FEC database shows no donations by Luckey directly to any campaign. This would indicate that believes his money is better spent plastering shitty memes on billboards than it is directly supporting a candidate. That he dropped $10,000 on an organization that seems bent on lowering the level of political discourse even further — when the bar for that is already horrifyingly low as it is — says a lot about Luckey’s judgement. It also highlights how concentrated abuse has become an effective strategy at silencing those you disagree with.
Most recently, actor Leslie Jones was harassed and had her personal information hacked and released; gold medal Olympic gymnast Gabby Douglas faced a disproportionate and abusive backlash this summer for transgressions that should barely be on anyone’s radar. Feminist writer and Guardian columnist Jessica Valenti quit social media altogether after her receiving death and rape threats directed at her child, and superstar singer Adele quit Twitter temporarily back in 2012 after receiving death threats focused on her newborn son. And these are just a handful of high-profile cases; plenty of average internet users have dealt with similar things but had no platform of which to really make them known. (Charlie Warzel at Buzzfeed wrote an excellent feature on Twitter’s abuse problem that has plenty more examples of this behavior.)
Combine this behavior with the hate and anger that Trump has been stoking throughout his presidential campaign (we won’t recount all his horrible statements, but Politico has a comprehensive round-up here) and it’s not surprising to see someone like Luckey putting money towards Nimble America. Their “plan” is the logical outcome of internet abuse and political hate speech becoming normalized. The first presidential debate of the 2016 election is happening in just a few hours. From now until election day, all the hate planted over the last year will be on display for all to see. Here’s hoping calmer, more peaceful minds win out — and that Luckey’s foolish donation ends up being a footnote to a turbulent election year.
Images: Getty (Palmer Luckey, lead); AP Photo/ Evan Vucci (Trump closeup)
Satellites could predict the next human-caused earthquake
Back in March, the US Geological Survey (USGS) changed its method of tracking earthquakes to include human-induced seismic activity. Suddenly, Oklahoma looked as tremor-prone as California, mainly due to the spread of wastewater disposal wells in the state. A team of geophysicists set out to build a model to predict this seismic activity. In their report released today in the journal Science, they analyzed three years of satellite radar data linking land deformation above wastewater disposal to earthquakes in the surrounding area.
The researchers found that wastewater injected in two Texas wells raised the land between them by as much as 3 millimeters every year. As far as they’re aware, this is the first study to directly measure uplift. They put this data into their model of pore pressure, or how tightly water is squeezed into the cracks in subsurface rock, explained Scientific American. More of it means greater strain on underground faults, which can cause them to slip and voila, earthquake.
In their study, the team tracked the land deformation between the Texas fluid deposits using data from May 2007 to November 2010; Two years later in 2012, a magnitude 4.8 quake hit the area. But there are still questions left to answer. For instance, the subsequent earthquakes happened 25 kilometers away from the original site, actually above different wells that were deeper but had less surface uplift. On the other hand, the study made interesting discoveries: For one, seismic activity continued even after the rate of wastewater injected had declined. “If you stop injection today, it’s possible that earthquake activity goes on for the next decade or so,” the team’s lead scientist Manoochehr Shirzaei told Scientific American.
Thus, the study is more a preliminary step adding a new tool in the geophysicist kit on the road to a fully-predictive model. The research team hopes that further analysis of their data will explain why some injection wells might induce seismic activity while others don’t.
Via: Scientific American
Source: Science
Plex Debuts New ‘Plex Cloud’ Beta Service for Accessing Media Anywhere
Plex today announced the debut of a new Plex Cloud service, which is designed to allow Plex users to store their media in the cloud so it’s accessible anywhere without the need to set up a local server.
Amazon Drive allows users to create an always-on Plex Media Server that can stream any media content to any device with Plex installed in 60 seconds or less. As with a local server, media is organized through the Plex app for quick access to TV shows, movies, music, pictures, and more.
To use Plex Cloud, Plex customers will need to subscribe to Amazon Drive, Amazon’s unlimited cloud storage offering. Amazon Drive is priced at $60 per year and will allow Plex users to store as many files as they would like with no size limits.
The service also requires a Plex Pass, priced at $4.99 per month, $39.99 per year, or $149.99 for lifetime usage.
At the current time, the Plex Cloud service is available to Plex Pass customers who sign up to beta test the feature. It is an invite-only beta test and will be limited to a select number of Plex Pass users.
Tag: Plex
Discuss this article in our forums
AIVAnet 