‘Battlefield 1’ helps you make movies on your game console
PC gamers have long had tools to make professional-looking movies. Console players, however, haven’t had much luck… it’s usually either raw gameplay or nothing. DICE and EA want to give living room directors their shot, though. They’re implementing an enhanced spectator mode in Battlefield 1 that’s tailor-made for cinematic productions on not just PCs, but also the PS4 and the Xbox One. You now have extensive control over the camera, and it’s not just about choosing what to look at or how the camera follows a given unit. You can play with the field of view, depth of field and even an array of visual filters that include Noir and Battlefield 3’s signature bluish tones.
This isn’t a full-fledged scene creator like Valve’s Source Filmmaker, so don’t expect to create custom animations, record canned segments or otherwise produce your magnum opus. All the same, this could be an important step in the console world. The developers are recognizing that many people want to watch more than straightforward live streams and “let’s play” videos, and that you shouldn’t have to buy a brawny gaming PC just to explore your creative potential.
Source: Battlefield, Xbox Wire, ShadowSix Films (YouTube)
Indiana Pacers use AI to help you get hot dogs faster
Among the hassles you deal with at sports events, waiting in line is one of the most annoying. What if you miss the start of play because you had to satisfy a hot dog craving? The Indiana Pacers want to alleviate that headache. They’re partnering with tech startup WaitTime to shorten waits through artificial intelligence. The newly-launched system takes photos of arena lines at a rate of 10 times per second, and interprets that data to gauge not just queuing times, but also order completion times and the number of people who’ve given up. The Pacers display the wait times on screens and a mobile app to show you where wait times are short — you’ll know that a given washroom is empty, or whether it’d be quicker to grab nachos instead of a burger.
WaitTime’s AI tech is expensive between its $150,000 install fee and a recurring $9,000 per month cost. However, it could pay for itself over time — and we’re not just referring to the occasional on-screen ad. In addition to pointing you to the shortest lines, the data helps the arena make decisions that can refine its facilities over time. Staff will know which stands need more workers, and can send food carts to longer lines to shoulder some of the demand. The hope is that you won’t just order more food, but will like the experience enough to attend games more often — and that’s good news for both the Pacers and their fans.
Source: Bloomberg, WaitTime
Lady Gaga album leaks through Amazon’s Echo speaker
Lady Gaga is starting to reveal some of the songs on her upcoming album Joanne, but it might not be quite the controlled release she was hoping for. Fans with Amazon’s Echo speakers recently discovered that they could listen to 30-second previews of currently unavailable songs from the album just by asking Alexa to “play Joanne by Lady Gaga.” You couldn’t do that on Apple Music, Spotify or even Amazon’s own website. The trick only worked in the US and has since been shut down, but it’s a reminder that it’s no longer enough to hide store listings these days. If you’re going to keep music under lock and key before its release, it has to be virtually non-existent online.
Source: BBC
Samsung reportedly suspends Galaxy Note 7 production
Latest development follows days of reported battery fires from new Note 7.
Samsung has “temporarily suspended” production of the Galaxy Note 7, according to Korea’s Yonhap News. The outlet cites an unnamed official at one of Samsung’s suppliers.
The halt is in cooperation with consumer safety regulators from South Korea, the United States and China, the official said on the condition of anonymity.
“This measure includes a Samsung plant in Vietnam that is responsible for global shipments (of the Galaxy Note 7),” the official said.
The latest development comes amid reports that new, replacement models are experiencing battery fires. All four U.S. carriers have now suspended sales of the troubled phone, and in the past few hours additional reports of new Note 7s catching fire in the U.S. have emerged.
Meanwhile Australian carrier Telstra says Samsung has “temporarily paused the supply” of replacement Note 7s following the past few days’ reports, according to The Verge:
Please be advised of some updates to the Samsung Note 7 Global Exchange program.
Samsung has temporarily paused the supply of new Galaxy Note7 smartphones following a reported incident in a replacement phone in the US. Samsung is confident in the replacement Note7 and says they have no reason to believe it’s not safe. We’ll let you know the status of your replacement Note7 as soon as we have more information.
We have contacted impacted customers to advise them of the delay.
We’ll update this article with further developments as they emerge. We’ve reached out to Samsung for comment.
Don’t buy a Galaxy Note 7
Samsung Galaxy Note 7
- Galaxy Note 7 recall: Everything you need to know
- Samsung Galaxy Note 7 review
- The latest Galaxy Note 7 news!
- Here are all four Note 7 colors
- Complete Galaxy Note 7 specs
- Join the Note 7 discussion in the forums!
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Samsung reportedly halts Galaxy Note 7 production
After more reports of replacement Galaxy Note 7 phones catching fire, Yonhap News reports that Samsung has temporarily suspended production. The Korean paper cited an anonymous source working at one of Samsung’s suppliers, and the company has not yet commented. Already, AT&T and T-Mobile have said they will stop issuing Galaxy Note 7 sales and replacements while investigations into the incidents continue.
Developing…
Source: Yonhap News
BioWare’s ‘Jade Empire’ gets another shot at life on iOS
BioWare is virtually synonymous with Mass Effect and Dragon Age these days, but it has had its share of experiments. Remember Jade Empire, its China-inspired (and critically well-received) action role-playing title? Aspyr does — it just released versions of Jade Empire: Special Edition for the Mac and, crucially, iOS. You can now relive the story of a martial artist restoring balance to the world using your phone or tablet, not just your computer at home. There are simple controls in the iOS version if you’re not comfortable with a touchscreen, but you can also switch to an expert mode when you’re comfortable with using taps and swipes to defeat other warriors.
Both versions are available now for $10, which isn’t too shabby for a game that combines fast-paced fighting with signature BioWare elements like moral dilemmas. You’ll want to make sure you have plenty of free space, though. The iOS release chews up just short of 4GB, so you probably won’t be playing on a 16GB device unless Jade Empire is going to dominate your mobile life for the next while.
Via: Kotaku
Source: App Store, Mac App Store, Aspyr
Chrome’s December update will be less of a memory hog
Google has spent a while reducing Chrome’s sometimes notorious demands on your system, but it knows that its web browser still needs some work. Accordingly, the upcoming Chrome 55 will include an upgraded JavaScript engine that significantly reduces the memory footprint. Given that many modern websites thrive on JavaScript, this should lead to some dramatic improvements — Google says its test sites (including the New York Times, Reddit and YouTube) used 50 percent less RAM on average than Chrome 53.
You’ll have to wait until December 6th to try the finished version of this update on the desktop, although you’ll almost certainly get to try it earlier if you’re willing to run pre-release code. Whatever you try, it’s important to stress that this won’t improve performance across the board. You’ll mainly notice the difference if your device doesn’t have much memory to start with, or if you’re juggling Chrome alongside other apps (especially if you have many browser tabs open). Take heart if Chrome is still chewing up resources, though — the V8 team still expects more improvements ahead, and it’s particularly interested in lightening the load for entry-level devices with under 1GB of RAM.
Via: CNET
Source: V8 JavaScript Engine, The Chromium Projects
GE made an oilfield drone that can sniff out gas leaks
At the opening of GE’s new oil and gas R&D center in Oklahoma, the multi-business company has also presented its new methane-sniffing helicopter drone called “Raven.” GE started working on the project last year, and it proved that the 20-pound machine can indeed do what it was created for during a test run in July: Raven successfully found gas leaking from a couple of oil wells in Arkansas. A lot of companies in other industries already use UAVs for inspections, including Con Edison and Airbus. GE created the Raven specifically to save oil and natural gas firms money and to help them assess all the data gathered from their facilities.
According to the company, the drone can make gas inspections go three times faster. The Environmental Protection Agency requires oil producers to monitor their fields for leaks, you see. And currently, what they do is send workers armed with infrared cameras to walk around their wells. Raven, with its laser-based sensors, can fly over the field for 40 minutes on a single charge and beam back data to an iPad on the ground. Even better, it can tell how bad the leak is, whereas the infrared camera can only detect its presence, not its severity. The drone is also loaded with custom software that allows it to plan its own flight and analyze the data it gathers.
GE will continue working on the project at its R&D Center in Oklahoma and will soon deploy its third Raven for testing. In the future, the machine might end up going head-to-head against the methane-sniffing drone NASA created, which was based on the sensor the Jet Propulsion Laboratory designed for use on Mars. Other than sniffing out gas leaks, the UAV’s potential applications include inspecting hard-to-reach machineries and and keeping an eye on factory flare stacks.
Source: Bloomberg
HTC’s Android Wear smartwatch emerges in a photo leak
HTC has had on-again, off-again plans for a smartwatch for years, but it looks like something is finally starting to materialize. A Weibo user has posted what are claimed to be photos of the “Halfbeak,” an in-development Android Wear smartwatch that only recently surfaced in a Phandroid rumor. As you might surmise from the Under Armour branding, this would be all about fitness — you’d get a heart rate sensor, a rubber strap and other exercise-friendly design touches.
It’s not certain what HTC would do to spice up Halfbeak’s software, if anything. However, previous reports had it using a 360 x 360 circular display (no flat tire, thankfully) that you can clearly see here. The big question is when the smartwatch would ship, provided it’s still on track for a release. It’s easy to imagine HTC going forward with this wristwear, mind you. The company’s finances still aren’t in great shape, and a smartwatch could help establish its name among customers who currently have no interest in buying an HTC phone.
Via: Techtastic (translated)
Source: Weibo (sign-in required)
Don’t buy a Samsung Galaxy Note 7
In light of recent reports, we’re withdrawing our recommendation of the Galaxy Note 7.
When it’s not catching on fire or exploding, the Note 7 is an excellent phone — arguably the best out there. Like most of you, we expected battery-related issues to be resolved through Samsung’s recall and replacement program. Although serious damage had been dealt to the Note brand, the product itself was still fantastic.
The volume and similarity of these reports means Samsung has likely failed to address an underlying cause of the fires.
Now, multiple reports of fires involving replacement Note 7s from the U.S., Taiwan and Korea suggest the high probability of a continuing battery safety issue with the phone. We’re no longer looking at a single incident on an airplane. The volume and similarity of these reports means Samsung has likely failed to address an underlying cause of the fires.
That’s why today we’re withdrawing our recommendation to buy the Galaxy Note 7, adding a disclaimer to our review to reflect this. We’re also retracting our Choice Award, and will be removing it from our Smartphone Buyer’s Guide over the coming days. As it stands, you should not buy this phone.
If you already have a Note 7 in the U.S., we’d suggest taking advantage of the carriers’ offers to exchange it for a refund or another phone. In other countries, you may be able to return it for a refund within a certain time after purchase.
Where Samsung goes from here isn’t clear. Neither it nor the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has reported any conclusions yet from their investigations — but again, the number of very similar battery fire reports speaks for itself. An unprecedented second recall is a possibility, as is abandoning the product altogether and refunding existing customers. Both would try the patience of consumers. (And should another recall happen, who would have any confidence that Samsung had really fixed the issue in a third run of Note 7s?) The damage caused by this extraordinary situation will surely spill over onto Samsung’s next flagship, the Galaxy S8.
As it stands, you should not buy this phone.
The Note 7 was a great phone, but at this stage the damage is terminal. The lingering doubts over the safety of the phone will never disappear, and it’s unlikely you’ll ever be able to use it on a plane, or easily sell it when it’s time to upgrade next.
So it’s our recommendation that you don’t buy a Galaxy Note 7. Return yours for an exchange or refund if you can, and buy another great Android phone instead.
Samsung Galaxy Note 7
- Galaxy Note 7 recall: Everything you need to know
- Samsung Galaxy Note 7 review
- The latest Galaxy Note 7 news!
- Here are all four Note 7 colors
- Complete Galaxy Note 7 specs
- Join the Note 7 discussion in the forums!
Verizon
AT&T
T-Mobile
Sprint
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