Apple Hires Carnegie Mellon Researcher to Lead AI Team
Carnegie Mellon University professor Russ Salakhutdinov has been hired by Apple to lead a team focused on artificial intelligence, according to a tweet Salakhutdinov sent out this morning. He will continue to teach at Carnegie Mellon, but will also serve as “Director of AI Research” at Apple.
In his tweet, Salakhutdinov says he is seeking additional research scientists with machine learning expertise to join his team. An included job posting asks that candidates have experience with Deep Learning, Computer Vision, Machine Learning, Reinforcement Learning, Optimization, and/or Data Mining.
Salakhutdinov specializes in statistical machine learning and has authored many papers on neural networks, deep kernel learning, reinforcement learning, and other related topics.
His expertise may be used to improve services like Siri, which has been in the spotlight recently after journalist Walt Mossberg wrote a piece calling the personal assistant “limited,” “unreliable,” and “dumb.” Siri is powered by a neural network and uses machine learning techniques to improve over time, as do other Apple features like Spotlight, QuickType, Photos, autocorrect, Maps, and more.
Salakhutdinov’s hiring comes as rumors suggest Apple is aiming to improve Siri as part of an effort to build the personal assistant into an Amazon Eco-like smart home product that would be able to do things like control smart home accessories.
Apple is also on the verge of finishing an R&D research center in Yokohama, Japan, which will focus on “deep engineering” and developing Apple’s artificial intelligence services.
Tags: Siri, machine learning, artificial intelligence
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AT&T Insurance to Cover Cracked iPhone Screens Starting November 15
Insurance plans offered on a monthly basis from AT&T will soon cover cracked screens, according to recently updated information on AT&T’s website (via AndroidPolice). Starting on November 15, AT&T customers who have an iPhone 6, 6s, 6 Plus, 6s Plus, or SE and an eligible insurance plan will be able to pay $89 to have a broken screen repaired.
A limited number of Android phones are also eligible for screen repairs, but notably missing is Apple’s most recent iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus devices, perhaps due to repair costs or the availability of parts. AT&T warns that repairs may use new or refurbished parts and could include non-original manufacturer parts.
The new cracked screen repair option is available to customers who have Mobile Insurance, Mobile Protection Pack, Mobile Protection Pack for Business and Multi-Device Protection Pack service. According to AT&T, same-day screen repairs will be available in most cases and are done by Asurion-certified technicians. All repairs include a 12-month warranty.
This will give you the opportunity to get your screen repaired as soon as the same day. You can file a claim in the morning and, if approved, schedule an Asurion-certified technician to repair your cracked screen as soon as the same afternoon, subject to appointment availability.
AT&T’s screen repair program comes shortly after AT&T raised its device replacement costs across the board on September 1. The program is launching in 15 markets on November 15, including San Diego, San Francisco, Pittsburgh, Orlando, Los Angeles, and Boston. It will expand to 29 additional markets on December 1.
Mobile insurance from AT&T is available for $7.99 per month and covers damage, loss, theft, and out-of-warranty malfunctions. The $89 screen repair option will be a welcome change for many iPhone owners with AT&T insurance, as replacement iPhones (iPhone 5 and later) are priced at $225 and up [PDF].
Tag: AT&T
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Accurate Weather App
With the most accurate weather app, you can make sure to know more about the weather around you, while also ensuring that the information being given is the best possible information out there. This can be a great way to go about getting the most from the Google Play weather app. You can make sure to know more about the app and all that comes with it when the time comes. You can then move ahead and know much more about the accuracy of the weather app at hand.
Look at All That the Accurate Weather App Has to Provide
When it comes to accuracy, you want to make sure that the weather app is able to provide you with as much as you possibly need and more. This is something that you’re not able to get from just anyone. This is due to the fact that without the weather, you might be stuck in storms that you don’t want to be in. You can make sure that this is something that does not happen to you when it comes to downloading and using the Google Play weather app to your advantage. Download it today to find out for yourself.
Weather Bug can provide you with the most accurate weather when you need it. Additionally, it only takes minutes to download the app to your phone and then use it to your advantage when the time comes. You can ensure that when you download the app, it is going to give you up to date, valuable information right when it is needed. Download the Weather Bug weather app today to find out just how helpful it is able to be when the time comes. You can then make the decision for yourself if this is the best one for you to go with.
How To Edit PDF Text With Able2Extract
PDF is the most popular file format on the Web. It started as an idea by a man called John Warnock, one of Adobe’s founders, and quickly grew into a company’s internal pet project. The initial idea was to create a unique file format so that any type of document could be shared within the company. The final goal was that each file always looks the way you intended it to, regardless of the computer or the operating system it is viewed on.
With that in mind, in 1993, Portable Document Format was created. Twenty three years later, and it is still a number one market leader when it comes to document sharing, viewing and storing.
There are 2 main reasons for that:
- Platform-independence — Once you save a document as PDF, you can rest assured that the information inside it (as well as its look) will remain untouched.
- Security — It is the most secure format available, as its content is locked by default. Security was and still is a significant and much-needed feature, since frauds and document malversations happen often.
These two things alone helped propel PDF into file format superstardom, only to find that it’s not all bells and whistles. As its variety of use grew, so have the people started to realize that they cannot edit PDF documents as they are and that was becoming a really big issue.
Luckily, there were software developers ready to pounce at the opportunity. One of them was Investintech, a Canadian software company specializing in PDF technologies. Today, we are using their flagship product Able2Extract, to perform complicated and tricky PDF edits, without converting the document to other file formats.
Here is quick guide on how to edit PDF text with Able2Extract PDF Editor :
First step
Open your PDF in Able2Extract
Second step
Click on the “Edit” icon in the top toolbar menu. This will pop out the editing panel on the right.
Third step
Select the text line you’d like to edit and then just type over it, as you would with any other text editing software.
Once you are satisfied with your edits, hit the Convert button once again to exit the editing mode and save your new, freshly edited PDF as a new document.
Besides adding and removing text, you can also use Able2Extract to split and merge PDF documents. The added benefit is that everything is done locally, on your computer, which means there’s no need to upload your sensitive information to external servers.
The bottom line is that it’s always good to know that there is software that can get you out of those dire straits, whether it’s PDF or other document related nuisance. For those of you that are often faced with PDF related issues, tools like Able2Extract provide a good, secure backup plan. In the end, you can download it as a 7 day trial and see for yourself.
X-CORE. Galactic Plague. – Ooorly executed twist on a classic game type
X-CORE. Galactic Plague. is an extremely familiar feeling “pandemic” game created by a Russian indie team. X-CORE takes the many virus and bacterium popular with the game type and recasts them into a variety of alien species looking to kill or enslave the planet.
Setup
You can find X-Core. Galactic Plague. for free in the Google Play Store. After download and installation are complete, you are ready to begin playing. Upon launching the game, you will cycle through a few load screens before finding yourself in the middle of a mildly confusing game set up. The lack of a main menu means you are either in a game or in a setup menu to begin a new one. This is my first real problem with the game. The lack of menu or explanations makes it so there is no clearly defined way to continue a saved game, no stats or perk charts to strategize with, and no menu to adjust settings.
Gameplay
The gameplay found in X-Core. Galatic Plague. is extremely simple, repetitive, and not very well explained. Every player will start out as the “Greys,” a well-balanced race with no leaning towards mobility, power, or influence. Should the player navigate them to victory on the normal difficulty or higher, they will unlock the “Reptiles.” The reptiles have very low mobility, low influence, and a lot of power. There are seven other races for the player to unlock throughout the game in the same way, “beat the game with X on a normal difficulty or better.” The only time we see a move away from this is when the app is looking to sell you two of the alien races via in-app purchases. This lack of diversity makes subsequent playthroughs feel “familiar” and the game quickly lost my attention.
X-Core. Galatic Plague.’s gameplay is extremely similar and yet basic compared to many other pandemic games. You start your alien invasion in a country of your choosing. After that initial invasion, you begin to accumulate Skill Points (SP) which you can use to upgrade your alien force. There are five areas you can spend your accumulated SP:
- Mobility – How quickly your alien race can spread
- Military Power – How quickly and inconspicuously your aliens can kill people
- Influence – How effectively your alien race can brainwash the masses
- Awareness – The level of awareness the rest of the globe is to the presence of aliens
- Secret Weapon Prevention – Hurt the progress of the secret weapon designed to kill your alien race. (Known as “The Cure” in normal traditional games)
These five categories contribute heavily to your success, but going all out in any one will likely cause your game to end in defeat.
Conclusion
X-Core. Galactic Plague. is a simple game that is fun for three to five playthroughs after you have figured out the basics (which are not explained to you). After this threshold, the game quickly becomes repetitive, and even switching amongst the unlockable races available to the player does nothing to make the game feel fresh. The fact that the game is free does add some value to picking up the app for the afternoon, but I would not suggest investing any money in the in-app purchases.
Moto Z Play review: The best phone you’ll probably overlook
The Moto Z Play does way more right than it does wrong, but it’s nestled in a very competitive category of $400 smartphones. Can it rise above?
The quick take
It’s hard out there for an OEM. Companies are forced to innovate relentlessly, to reinvent the way we use phones or risk being labelled old news.
When the Moto Z debuted earlier this summer, first as a Verizon exclusive and subsequently as an unlocked model available for AT&T and T-Mobile customers, the market didn’t know what to think. Here’s this phone, thin, light, well-made, with up-to-date specs and a whole lot of innovation thrown in there — and an ecosystem of modular components that can attach to the back to augment the core functionality. To me, it was one of the more exciting announcements of the year, and I still think the phone is an overlooked gem, albeit one with a few critical flaws for the price.
So then Moto Z Play debuts in late August, with an early September release date, and the reaction is… muted. I was a bit stunned, to be honest — I thought the prospect of taking a Moto Z, giving it some extra battery and muddling the spec sheet just enough to bring down the cost by close to half would be enough to make people stand up and notice it. Alas.
The Good
- Incredible battery life
- Great performance for the price
- Consistently good daylight camera quality
- Moto Mods support
The Bad
- Some undesirable bloat on the Verizon model
- Camera isn’t great in low light
- Fingerprint sensor is distracting
Moto Z Play About this review
This review was written after spending two weeks with the Verizon version of the Moto Z Play Droid on both Verizon’s network in the States and Bell’s network up in Canada.
I then transitioned to an unlocked Canadian Moto Z Play meant for the local market, which was better tuned for Bell, the network on which it remained for the balance of the testing.
Moto Z Play Hardware
If you’ve used the Moto Z or Z Force you know what to expect here: a slab of aluminum with a big 5.5-inch display. Solid. Dependable. Ford.
But I digress: the Z Play does make some drastic changes from its thinner, more expensive counterpart: its back is all glass, instead of a fusion of glass and metal; and it is quite a bit thicker, owing to the 3,510mAh battery inside. There are, of course, Motorola’s 16 pins for attaching a Moto Mod accessory or, at the very least, a Style Shell cover to protect the glass.
The phone feels incredibly well made, easily on par with the OnePlus 3 or Honor 8. Buttons are properly calibrated and clicky, and there’s even a headphone jack for those who aren’t living the future.
More: Moto Z Play specs
Like the Moto Z, the Play has a USB-C port to charge with — a TurboPower adapter is in the box, because you’re not an animal — and there’s a squarish fingerprint sensor on the front, just below the 1080p AMOLED screen. It’s not my favorite implementation of the feature; in fact compared to Apple, Samsung, Huawei, Google, Honor, LG, Sony — practically any other OEM — I think it’s pretty horrid. Why? Because it’s small, and very close to the virtual home button. That said, it does the job.
And, even though I know Motorola thinks it is being helpful here, pressing down on it for a second turns off the screen. Normally that would be great, except that I end up doing just that when logging into apps that use the fingerprint sensor itself. Moto seems to have forgotten it’s a system-wide setting that cannot be disabled.
That 1080p display is fine, on par with the OnePlus 3, and not much of a downgrade from the higher density AMOLED screen on the Moto Z.
That 1080p display is fine. It’s certainly on par with the OnePlus 3, with which the Play shares a number of philosophical similarities, and it’s not much of a downgrade from the higher density AMOLED screen on the Moto Z. Of course, the Play has something important over the OnePlus 3, and any other phone: Moto Display. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: If you value notifications — and if you’re using an Android phone, you likely do — Motorola’s screen-off implementation is the best there is.
When comparing the phone to the OnePlus 3 or ZTE Axon 7, the Play’s Snapdragon 625 processor is likely to be compared negatively to their Snapdragon 820, but don’t let the numbers fool you: unless your intention is to spend your days playing graphics-intensive games, you won’t likely notice a difference. Qualcomm hit a home run with this chip, the successor to the ubiquitous Snapdragon 615 from a couple of years ago, except that this one is actually good.
It’s also much more efficient, which gives the Play its two-day battery life. I’m incredibly impressed with the longevity of this phone, and if battery life is a priority it is by far the best mid-range option on the market right now. Let me give you some use cases: I used the Moto Z Play as my main device for two weeks straight, going through my daily routine — email, Slack, Twitter, Instagram, etc. — without actively stressing it. It lasted two days.
I then used the phone as a Wi-Fi hotspot for my other devices, and it lasted 13 hours. I taxed it and taxed it, and it wouldn’t die, and then I when its battery eventually depleted I charged it quickly using the TurboPower adapter, or I used the Incipio Moto Mod that has become an almost-permanent attachment to this incredible phone.
I have to say a few words about this combination of Moto Z Play and Incipio OffGrid power pack: with a combined 5,720mAh capacity, the two add up to so much more than their individual parts. Not only does the OffGrid add wireless charging capabilities to the Z Play, but it intelligently charges the phone using the customizable Moto Mod software.
I’m incredibly impressed with the longevity of this phone, and if battery life is a priority it is the best mid-range option on the market right now.
The experience is seamless and absolutely intuitive, and so, so useful for travel. Together, they add up to a not-so-svelte 13.2mm thickness and 250 grams, but a rounded design and textured back make it much more comfortable to pocket, and hold, than those numbers belie.
Moto Z Play Software
I love Motorola’s take on Android. But for the Nexus (and now Pixel) line, I don’t think any company interprets Google’s original vision for Android — taking the core code and improving upon it without adulterating its emphasis on speed and simplicity — better than the Chicago-based company. Of course, it helps that this ethos was born while Motorola was a Google company, and has thankfully not been ruined under Lenovo, but I just think the Moto Z Play’s software advantage is worth far more than the perceived (or lack thereof) performance differences between a Snapdragon 820 and a 625.
Except for the Nexus line, I don’t think any company interprets Google’s original vision for Android better than Motorola.
Of course, some will point out that you get most of what I’m talking about, plus a Snapdragon 820, on the OnePlus 3, and those people will be right. The difference, to me, is Moto Display, which no other Android maker, not even Google with its Ambient Mode, successfully emulates. It’s not even close. I just hope that Motorola brings Nougat to the Moto Z Play as quickly as possible.
Moto Display brings me back to Motorola phones in a way no other software feature lures; it has workflow advantages, battery advantages, and aesthetic advantages. It’s the original smartwatch. Being able quickly check notifications by bringing a hand close to the screen or picking up the phone is incredibly useful.
Elsewhere, the various gestures embedded as Moto Actions — double-twist to open the camera; double-chop to turn on a flashlight — are just as useful as ever, but no longer unique, as they’re much more easily to recreate than Moto Display.
The real advantage to Motorola’s adherence to what we know as “stock” Android — albeit with a fairly sizeable delay in updates; the Play is on currently on Android 6.0.1 with September 1st security update — is that it generally feels fluid, even months or years after its release. I occasionally bust out my original Moto X from 2013 to see how it’s doing, and it works as well as it did the day I got it. You just can’t say that about many Android devices after three and a half years.
As much as I like the Moto Z, I’d be tempted to buy a Play and a couple of Mods with that extra money.
I also have to commend Motorola on the seamless integration with the growing ecosystem of Moto Mods that I have had the pleasure of using over the past few weeks. I disagree with my colleague Russell Holly in a number of ways when it comes to Motorola’s latest series of releases, impressed that all three devices — Moto Z, Moto Z Force, Moto Z Play — are compatible with the same adds-ons. The Play, especially, arguably benefits more from each of these products given its lower asking price. As much as I like the Moto Z, I’d be tempted to buy a Play and a couple of Mods with that extra money.
Moto Z Play Camera
The 16MP camera on the Moto Z Play is comparable to many in its $400-ish range: good in daylight, with fast autofocus and vivid colors, eking plenty of detail; and mediocre in low light.
I have to commend Motorola for vastly improving its camera app; it has doubled down on simplicity, but added the manual settings and easy-access controls that many enthusiasts covet.
One area the Snapdragon 625 chip does lag behind the 820 found in many other $400 phones today is camera IQ: the shutter isn’t quite as instant as the OnePlus 3, and the 4K video capture isn’t as smooth. Still, it’s an imperceptible difference in most cases, and I’m pretty amazed that the sequel to the maligned Snapdragon 615 produces footage this good.
The phone also has a pretty great selfie camera, along with a front-facing flash for those times you need to be well-lit indoors. The only real knock I’d give against the camera is that it defaults to a 16:9 aspect ratio, which lowers the overall resolution to 11.9 megapixels in exchange for a fuller viewfinder. Motorola makes so many smart decisions elsewhere in its software; I wish it would wise up to this one, too.
Moto Z Play Odds and ends
As I said, I used two different versions of the Moto Z Play, the Verizon-exclusive Droid and an unlocked version of the Canadian SKU. Both of them held solid connections to the various networks I attached them to, and the front-facing headpiece, which pulls double duty as a speaker and earpiece, sounded pretty great in almost every situation except the most challenging — a loud room.
Learn about Moto Mods
Moto Mods are some of the most interesting and unique add-ons you can buy for your Moto Z Play. From a projector to a speaker to a battery add-on, there are so many interesting things you can do.
Read our overview of the Moto Mods ecosystem in our Moto Z review
As Phil mentioned in his review, you’re getting some gnarly bloatware on the Droid version of this phone, much of which isn’t removable. For more on that, you can check the preview I wrote when the phone was first announced, but the upside is this: you can disable most of it. On the Canadian variant, there was no bloatware to speak of, and while that may not be indicative of the retail version, I’ve never been offended by apps installed by Canadian carriers. They just tend to respect their customers more in that regard.
The Play supports Category-7 LTE through the Snapdragon 625 processor, and that’s good for download speeds of 300Mbps and upload speeds of 150Mbps. You won’t get close to that unless it’s the middle of the night and no one else in your neighborhood is using the network, but it’s nice to know you’re not stuck with a phone that isn’t futureproof.
Speaking of future proofing, the combination of 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage, plus microSD expansion, should suffice for most people. Again, I noticed no major performance difference between this and the Moto Z, and that should speak volumes to both Qualcomm’s and Motorola’s commitment to optimization.
The bottom line
Moto Z Play Buy it
I love this phone. I think it does everything right, and sacrifices little on the way. Moto Mods are terrific additions to the Moto Z ecosystem, but I cannot say emphasize this enough: they are not necessary to enjoy this phone.
Of course, it’s battery life that brings you in the door here. I haven’t ever felt this confident about leaving my phone unplugged overnight, and if you’re a heavy user, or just wants a bit of breathing room, the Moto Z Play is the phone for you. Heck, spend an extra $60 and get the 2,220mAh Incipio Moto Mod and unplug for half a week if you’re sparing. You just can’t say that about another phone on the market today.
See at Motorola Canada
From the vivid AMOLED screen to the ultra-efficient and performant Snapdragon 625, to the considerate software additions and promise of faster-than-the-non-Google-competition updates, this phone is almost certain to get overlooked in a sea of competitors — but it shouldn’t. It’s just that good.
Even better — it will soon be available directly from Motorola for $450, unlocked and compatible with AT&T and Verizon. Until then, it’s slightly cheaper at Verizon at $408.
See at Verizon
Save up to 25% on select unlocked Sony phones today only!
Today you can score up to 25% off a variety of unlocked Sony phones at Amazon. Included in the deal is the Sony Xperia XA, Xperia X, Xperia X Performance and others in a variety of colors, so be sure to check them out before the savings are gone. Whether you are looking for a fun color or just like a good deal, you won’t want to miss out on this one. The Xperia XA is down to just $199 unlocked, and it is the U.S. version of the phone so it comes with a warranty as well.
These discounts of up to 25% will only be available for today, October 17, so don’t wait too long to make your purchase. There are a variety of models and colors available, so be sure to check them out now and pick one up before the price jumps up again.
See at Amazon
These are the best free apps for PlayStation VR
There aren’t many out there, but the free apps on Playstation VR are nothing to scoff at.
Sony launched PlayStation VR with a bang, including a ton of amazing games from nearly every genre. If you haven’t spent any time lurking through the PlayStation store since setting up your PlayStation VR, then you might not realize that there are a handful of free apps available for download right now. At the moment, the pickings are a bit slim, but that’s to be expected since we’re only a few short days past launch day. Well, don’t worry about searching through the PlayStation store because we’ve got the details on the best free apps on PlayStation VR.
Read more at VR Heads
YouTube’s future pay-only shows include one from ‘The Rock’
YouTube is more determined than ever to line up major original shows for its Red subscription service. The video giant has scored deals for three new exclusives from names you will definitely recognize. The highlight might just be Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s Lifeline. Apart from its celebrity producer, the sci-fi series revolves around the intriguing (if Minority Report-like) concept of insurers who travel 33 days ahead in time to prevent the deaths of their customers.
Not that you’d overlook other work in the pipeline. Bourne Identity producer Doug Liman is crafting Impulse, a sci-fi flick about a girl who can teleport out of dangerous situations. Community’s Dan Harmon, meanwhile, is writing a comedy series that stars Game Grumps personalities Dan Avidan and Arin “Egoraptor” Hanson in a quest for eSports glory.
As before, YouTube Red isn’t trying to directly take on the likes of Amazon, Hulu or Netflix, despite the high-profile creators attached to its projects. Rather, it’s aiming to create shows that are extensions of what YouTube fans already like — it’s hoping that you’ll pay $10 per month for Red to see more elaborate content from the people you watch every day. It’s far too soon to say if this will work, but it’s apparent that YouTube isn’t worried that it will miss out on the next House of Cards or Transparent.
Source: Variety
iPhone 7 to Launch in Several Additional Countries in Late October
Apple today updated several of its international websites with iPhone 7 and 7 Plus launch dates, announcing the expansion of the new devices to Egypt, Colombia, Cameroon, Kenya, Botswana, Moldova, and Mozambique.
Apple previously updated its websites in Israel, South Korea, Thailand, Morocco, Madagascar, Uganda, Senegal, and Mauritius, other countries that will see late October launches. Launch dates are as follows:
October 20:
Egypt
Israel
October 21:
Colombia
South Korea
Thailand
Mauritius
Morocco
Madagascar
October 28:
Cameroon
Kenya
Mozambique
Botswana
Uganda
Senegal
Moldova
iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus launched in the United States, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and other first wave countries on September 16, followed by more than 30 additional countries on September 23 and another 9 in early October, including India, Macao, Macedonia, Malaysia, Montenegro, South Africa, Turkey, Jordan, and Oman.
Related Roundup: iPhone 7
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