Audi reportedly cheated gas engine emissions tests, too
The California Air Resources Board has reportedly discovered that even more VW-Group vehicles were cheating emissions tests. The WSJ and Reuters (via German paper Bild) are talking about how regulators have found software in Audi cars that effectively masked their CO2 output under examination. The revelations were apparently made up to four months ago, but neither Volkswagen, Audi or CARB have made the news public.
According to sources, the software was designed to identify test conditions — slow, straight driving on a rolling road — and reduce gearing ratios. CARB’s tests, however, turn the wheel during examination, which disabled the software and revealed the sheer extent of Audi’s misdeeds. It’s believed that Audi didn’t stop using the software until May 2016 — several months after Volkswagen was ordered to begin recalling its cars.
Of course, Audi had been previously implicated in its parent company’s emissions-cheating scandal, although only in select models. This new revelation, if true, will provide even more problems for a car maker that’s already eyeballs-deep in trouble. Neither CARB or VW have responded to requests for comment from any news source, but we can expect this one to run and run and run and run…
Samsung will implement Viv personal assistant in more than just the Galaxy S8
Samsung has previously announced it bought Viv, a personal digital assistant created by Siri founder Dag Kittlaus. Now, Samsung has confirmed Viv will make an appearance in its 2017 flagship, the Galaxy S8.
- Samsung is getting its own Siri rival, a personal assistant called Viv
But Samsung doesn’t want to limit Viv to the Galaxy S8, the South Korean company has said it plans to use Viv with a range of home appliances and wearable technology devices too. It could be that you can tell your washing machine what cycle to run, or ask your fridge to order more food.
Viv says it’s different to most of the other personal assistants in smartphones because it’s able to understand complex questions and can hold a human-like conversation with the user, as well as support third-party applications.
Google’s new Assistant found on the Pixel and Pixel XL phones is also able to understand when the user is still asking questions about the same topic.
- Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8 Edge: What’s the story so far?
Samsung hasn’t said what sort of services Viv would offer with the S8, but has said that “developers can attach and upload services to our agent”, “even if Samsung doesn’t do anything on its own, the more services that get attached the smarter this agent will get, learn more new services and provide them to end-users with ease”.
The company isn’t stopping at Viv either and has confirmed it will make further acquisitions to help enhance its AI and other software capabilities.
Are these images of the Microsoft Surface phone?
Microsoft has allegedly been working on a Surface Phone for some time now. The phone would run a full version of Windows 10, rather than Windows 10 Mobile that’s found on some Lumia device today.
- Microsoft Surface Phone: What’s the story so far?
There was speculation that Microsoft may have unveiled the Surface Phone, or at least revealed more details, at its recent hardware event that saw the launch of the Surface Book i7 and Surface Studio.
Now though, usually reliable leakster Evan Blass has shared some images on Twitter showing a smartphone running Windows 10. It’s not clear or confirmed that it’s the Microsoft Surface phone and some media outlets have suggested it’s a Windows Phone made by Dell.
Evan Blass
Either way, it’s not a concept, as Blass confirmed to Tom Warren of The Verge that the phone is “much more than a concept” and shared some lifestyle images of the phone. The fact there are lifestyle images of the device all but confirm its existence.
No further details about the phone have been shared, such as which company is making it and what specs it will have, but if it is the Surface Phone, many expect it to come with an Intel processor. Of course, there’s also no word on when the new phone could be announced or released, but hopefully we’ll have more details soon.
Roku’s $30 Express player is more intriguing than its high-end Ultra
Few tech companies are as reliable as Roku. Every year, like clockwork, it releases a new round of streaming video boxes, each a bit faster and better than what came before. There’s the occasional welcome surprise, like the $50 Roku Stick that debuted earlier this year, but for the most part the company’s strategy has focused on incremental improvements, not dramatic ones. Roku’s latest batch of players mostly fit that mold, but they’re notable for two things: reaching a low $30 price point with the Express, and delivering a $100 player that supports 4K and HDR.
That would be enough for a killer lineup, but there’s also a flagship model with more bells and whistles: the $130 Ultra. After spending time with both the cheapest and priciest new Roku players, I was surprised to find myself more intrigued by the possibilities of a $30 player than a high-end powerhouse.
Hardware
Let’s start with the Roku Express, which looks nothing like any of the company’s other players. It’s as if someone took one of Roku’s typical designs, shrunk it down and then chopped it in half. It’s pretty small, resembling a stack of USB sticks stuck together. Notably, though, it’s not nearly as small as the more expensive Roku Stick.
If I had to use one word to describe the Express, it would be “functional.” It’s not attractive or much of a centerpiece device; instead it’s something you’d just stick in front of your TV and forget about. Its singular purpose is to get you 1080p HD streams at the lowest price possible. The Express has an HDMI socket on the back and is powered through a micro-USB port. And yes, it can easily be powered by the typical USB connections you’d find on a TV, if you want to avoid connecting it to an AC adapter.
If you’re looking for old-school RCA video connections, which were typically the main selling point of Roku’s low-end gear, you’ll have to consider the $40 Express+. It’s pretty much the same as the Express performance-wise, except it adds those older connections.
The Roku Ultra, on the other hand, looks like a covert military weapon next to the toy-like Express. It’s basically a dead ringer for the Roku 4 — and most of the company’s relatively recent players, for that matter. On top of the usual HDMI connector, it also features an SD card slot and an Ethernet jack. Notably, it’s also the only Roku device this year to include an optical audio port (which is useful if you’re stuck with a soundbar that doesn’t take HDMI audio) and a USB port for local storage. And if you’re particularly adept at losing your remote, you can also hit the button on top of the Ultra to locate it.
If the name wasn’t enough of a hint, the Roku Ultra is basically made for true power users. It supports 4K and HDR, but strangely enough, it’s not the only player this year to do so. The $100 Roku Premiere+ also offers both of those features, making it a potentially better choice if you have no need for USB and optical audio.
As usual, Roku isn’t giving us much information about the components powering its devices. The company claims the Express is faster than the $50 Roku 1 it’s replacing, and that the Ultra uses a “fast” quad-core processor (but so do the cheaper Premiere and Premiere+). And you can forget about any other technical details, like RAM or onboard storage. Ultimately, what you need to know is that both the Express and the Ultra offer a performance boost over what came before.
When it comes to remotes, the Express features Roku’s most basic offering yet. It has the company’s typical button layout — a four-way directional pad, playback controls and shortcuts for Netflix, Hulu, Sling TV and Google Play. It also relies on infrared to communicate with the Express, so you’ll have to point it at the box whenever you want to control it. The Ultra, on the other hand, includes the company’s full-featured wireless remote with voice search. Its layout is mostly the same, except it has a shortcut to Showtime (really?) instead of Google Play, and it includes two extra buttons for games. And of course, the Ultra’s remote also has a headphone jack, something that Roku diehards are particularly fond of.
Software
If you’ve seen any of Roku’s previous players, there aren’t many surprises with its latest OS. It sports the same black and purple aesthetic, with a heavy focus on lists for the main menu. The company’s big innovations last year were the addition of voice search and the ability to follow actors and movie titles. Unfortunately, there aren’t any major software upgrades for these players yet.
I have the feeling I’m beginning to sound like a broken record for criticizing Roku’s archaic interface design — just go back and look at my reviews of the Stick and Roku 4. But, quite honestly, it’s still worth pointing out. Apple, Amazon and even TV manufacturers like Samsung and LG have made tremendous strides with their streaming interface designs over the past few years. I can understand if Roku doesn’t want to rock the boat too much for its fans, but a little effort would be nice. The company’s mobile app, for example, got a spiffy redesign last year that makes it much easier to use. So what’s the holdup for Roku’s core OS?
At the very least, you probably won’t be staring at Roku’s dull UI for too long. App developers like Netflix and Hulu can make attractive software for Roku’s platform. And while they don’t reach the level of what we’re seeing on the Apple TV, they’re still more visually arresting than Roku’s menus.
In use
Getting started with both players is relatively simple. Just plug them into a power source, hook up an HDMI cable and you’re good to go. After choosing a WiFi network, you just have to sit back and wait for the players to download apps (since I’ve been testing these players for a while, they automatically downloaded around 50 apps during setup). Not surprisingly, the Roku Express took a bit longer to get going, since it’s restricted to slower 2.4GHz WiFi networks. The Ultra, thanks to its speedier processor and support for 802.11ac/5GHz networks, was able to go through the initial setup process around two to three times as fast.
The most surprising thing about the Roku Express: It’s perfectly fine for basic HD streaming. Sure, moving around menus isn’t lightning fast, and it takes a few seconds more than the Ultra to start streaming an HD title on Netflix and Hulu, but heck, it’s a $30 gadget. The fact that it works as well as it does feels impressive. The Express is ideal for throwing on additional TVs in your home, or for gifting to relatives who haven’t yet gotten aboard the streaming bandwagon. The only major issue is dealing with its IR remote, which makes typing in search requests, usernames and passwords a bit cumbersome, since you always have to point at the box.
It’s worth noting, though, that the Roku Express is significantly slower than the Roku Stick. The latter is smaller and sports a faster quad-core processor, and it doesn’t exhibit any hiccups when it comes to moving about menus or streaming media. The Stick’s performance is so good that I said in my review that it made 1080p set-top boxes obsolete. But of course, at that point I didn’t consider the possibility that Roku would be able to drive the price of its boxes down to $30.
If you’re looking for the fastest Roku experience today, then the Ultra is for you. Doing just about anything on the player is lightning fast, be it navigating complex apps or jumping into HD streams on Netflix and Roku. The only area you might notice some slowdown is with 4K/HDR streams, which are more dependent on the speed of your internet connection than the box itself. On my 802.11ac WiFI network, the Ultra took two to three seconds to launch 4K titles on Netflix, Amazon and Vudu. It sometimes took a few more seconds for it to bump up from a low-resolution image to something high-res.
While 4K is a decent upgrade if you own a very large TV, it’s the addition of HDR that will really change how you watch things. That technology allows for a wider color range, deeper blacks and higher contrast than what we’re used to. If you have a television that supports HDR, you’ll quickly notice a bit more depth in shows like Jessica Jones and Chef’s Table on Netflix. In Daredevil, HDR allowed me to see much more detail in the dark fight scenes, and in Amazon’s Mozart in the Jungle it breathed new life into the show’s NYC setting.
Unfortunately, Roku only supports the HDR 10 standard at the moment, not the competing Dolby Vision standard. But while there are some functional differences between the two formats, Amazon, Netflix and Vudu are currently supporting both, so you won’t miss out on much. To make it easier to find high-resolution content, Roku unveiled a special 4K section in its channel store last year. Now that same area highlights apps that feature HDR content as well. Just be ready to sign up for subscriptions or rent films to bask in the glory of HDR.
The competition
Here’s where things get interesting. At the low end, the Roku Express is a solid choice if you’re looking for the cheapest possible streaming solution. But if you need analog connections, you’ll have to spring for the $40 Express+. And if you’re worried about performance issues, it’s probably worth shelling out a bit more for the $50 Roku Stick. That device is significantly faster and more portable, so you can easily bring it with you around the house, or to hotels as you travel. Amazon’s $40 Fire TV stick is another good option, though it doesn’t have as many apps as Roku, and the $90 Fire TV doesn’t yet support HDR.
If you don’t need the optical audio and USB ports on the Ultra, you’d be better off with the $100 Roku Premiere+. That player has 4K and HDR capabilities, and from what I’ve seen it’s just as fast as the Ultra otherwise. The Premiere+ is also a sign that there might not be much of a market left for high-end set-top boxes, especially now that the hardware to play back 4K/HDR content is getting cheaper.
And what of the $149 Apple TV? Last year, Apple’s player was a decent competitor to the Roku 4, even though it was stuck with 1080p content. This year, with a multitude of 4K/HDR players on the market, the Apple TV just won’t fly anymore. Apple might soon unveil a newer player with 4K support, but until then, you’re better off avoiding the current model.
Wrap-up
If there’s one thing we can take away from Roku’s lineup this year, it’s that you don’t have to spend much to get a good streaming player. The $30 Express completely redefines what a set-top box can be, and it’s hard to imagine how Roku can drive down costs even more. And while the Ultra is a fantastic device, most people would be better off spending less for the $100 Premiere+. All of this is good news for consumers, though it might be worrying for Roku, whose business mostly relies on selling these video players.
Recommended Reading: The internet and the truth
How the Internet
Is Loosening Our
Grip on the Truth
Farhad Manjoo,
The New York Times
Thanks to rise of online media, we’re able to find loads of “facts” to support nearly any stance we take on any particular issue. During this year’s presidential election, it has become quite clear that Facebook and the internet as a whole have become an echo chamber where we’re free to hunt for the information that supports a certain point of view rather than actual facts. The New York Times takes a look at how we got here, the damage that’s been done and if there’s any way to reverse the effects.
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Review: ‘Doctor Strange’ Is Marvel’s Best-looking Film. But It’s Not Marvel’s Best Movie. The reviews of Doctor Strange are in and the consensus seems to be that the visual appeal of the film outshines its comic-based narrative. Here’s Vox’s take on the most recent Marvel movie. |
Why Vladimir Putin’s Russia Is Backing Donald Trump Russian ties to Trump’s campaign and a number of hacks during this election cycls aren’t new revelations. However, Newsweek explains why Putin wants the Republican nominee in the White House. |
24 hours with the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II
After being announced in September, Olympus’ OM-D E-M1 Mark II quickly became one of the most anticipated cameras of the year. And for good reason. The new flagship mirrorless, which will hit stores in December for $2,000 (body only), is loaded with high-end specs. That includes a 20.4-megapixel Live MOS sensor (Micro Four Thirds), a dual quad-core Truepic VIII image processor, 121-point autofocus system and in-camera stabilization. Above all, though, the E-M1 Mark II is about sheer speed, featuring 18-fps shooting with continuous autofocus and autoexposure enabled, or an insane 60 frames per second if those settings are locked.
While I’ve only been testing the camera for little more than a day, all of those specs have translated well in real-world use. At least so far. As advertised, the E-M1 Mark II makes capturing moving subjects a breeze, especially compared to its somewhat aging predecessor. That’s namely thanks to the new AF system and improved tracking performance. I also noticed right away how much heavier it feels than the original E-M1, likely due to the bulky 1,720mAh battery, which Olympus claims can handle around 440 shots per charge.
Engadget will publish a deeper dive in the coming days, but for now check out the sample images below.
To view our sample images in full resolution, click here.
Chevy starts manufacturing the Bolt
A new wave of affordable yet practical electric cars is finally reaching production lines. GM has started manufacturing the Chevy Bolt at a plant in Orion Township, Michigan, putting it on track to sell the $30,000 (after tax credits) EV in California and Oregon by the end of the year. It’s not certain just who’ll get first crack at the Bolt besides Lyft drivers (there are no reservations, as the AP notes), but it’s safe to say that Chevy is beating Tesla to the punch — the Model 3 doesn’t enter production until mid-2017.
The Bolt probably won’t be a strong seller, at least at first. IHS estimates that Chevy will move fewer than 30,000 Bolts in the first year, which is a pale shadow of Tesla’s 400,000-plus pre-orders for the Model 3. It’s a cautious step forward for a conventional automaker where Tesla, whose very business revolves around electric power, is jumping in with both feet.
However, it might just get the ball rolling for the electric car industry, at least in the US. Right now, your choices for EVs are generally split between long-ranged but relatively costly offerings (such as the BMW i3 or Tesla Model S) or affordable but range-limited machines like the Nissan Leaf. The Bolt changes all that. Its post-credit cost is less expensive than the typical $34,000 selling price for a new car in the US (according to Kelley Blue Book), but its 238-mile range is long enough that you shouldn’t worry about it running out of energy during lengthy commutes. The biggest limitation is cross-country travel. While Tesla has its Supercharger network to power some long trips, it’s harder to guarantee that you can drive coast-to-coast in other EVs.
Source: AP (Yahoo)
Six innovative wind turbine designs
By Cat DiStasio
The International Energy Association (IEA) announced last week that renewable energy capacity around the globe has eclipsed coal power for the first time ever. Wind power makes up a large percentage of global renewable energy, and with all the recent technological innovations in wind turbine design, it’s no mystery that it’s become the fastest-growing form of clean energy. With refined technology, engineers have developed new devices that are more efficient and safer for birds. Some wind turbines can even generate energy while the air is still.
The world’s first typhoon turbine
The world’s first typhoon turbine was invented by Atsushi Shimizu to tap into the massive amounts of energy contained within storms common to his homeland of Japan. He estimates the energy stored in one typhoon could power the nation for 50 years, if only it could be harnessed. Shimizu’s egg beater-like contraption is a vertical-axis Magnus wind power generator robust enough to withstand the high winds of a typhoon. Tests conducted using a scale model of the wind energy generator have been promising, and Shimizu is on a mission to connect with investors to help build larger practical versions in the hopes of one day feeding typhoon power into the nation’s grid.
A hybrid wind-hydro turbine
How does a wind turbine generate electricity when there’s no breeze? Typical turbines simply can’t, but a new project from Max Bögl Wind AG and GE Renewable Energy pairs traditional bladed turbines with hydropower technology for the world’s first hybrid wind-hydro energy generator. Set to be located in Germany’s Swabian-Franconian Forest, the project will initially feature four wind turbines with a capacity of 13.6 megawatts. The first phase is slated to connect to the grid next year, and the second phase will add a 16MW hydroelectric power plant, expected to be completed in 2018.
Helium-filled floating wind turbines
While most wind energy projects are firmly rooted in the ground or at sea, some recent innovations are putting turbines high in the sky, where wind moves fastest. The world’s first airborne wind turbine launched in 2014 over Fairbanks, Alaska. Held aloft by helium like a giant cylindrical blimp, the BAT-Buoyant Airborne Turbine was designed and built by MIT startup Altaeros Energies to float 1,000 feet in the air and capture wind currents five to eight times more powerful than the breezes at ground level. The 18-month experiment generated enough energy to power a dozen households. Because of their sky-high positioning, BAT systems can also also transmit WiFi and cell signals, and double as weather sensors.
The Vortex Bladeless wind turbine
Bird safety is a big issue in the world of wind turbines. In order to reduce the danger for our flying feathered friends, engineers created the Vortex Bladeless wind energy generator, which is shaped like a tall, thin straw rather than having large rotating blades. The device harvests energy from swirling vortices in moving air, and since the bladeless wind energy generators are tall and thin, several of them can be installed in the space that a single blade turbine takes up. Its creators say the Vortex Bladeless cuts manufacturing costs by 53 percent and maintenance costs by as much as 80 percent compared to traditional turbines, and it has a smaller carbon footprint too.
SheerWind’s INVELOX wind tunnel tower
This innovative wind turbine is capable of producing 600 times more energy than conventional windmills. The SheerWind Invelox turbine is a tunnel-based wind energy generator that harnesses breezes at ground level and funnels them inward, accelerating the air’s speed. The Invelox generator can function even in low-wind conditions and, since it has no external blades rotating at high speeds, it doesn’t endanger local wildlife. It’s also less expensive to build than traditional wind turbines.
Bird-friendly Catching Wind Power
One of the oldest designs in this roundup was created by an 89-year-old military veteran who is also a bird lover. In 2012, Raymond Green designed the Catching Wind Power generator, which funnels wind currents with what looks like a giant megaphone and then compresses the incoming air in order to create more power at the turbine within. There are no external moving parts to pose a threat to birds or bats, though, making Catching Wind Power a lot safer than traditional designs. Green designed the system to be scaleable, hoping that both residential and industrial installations can generate renewable energy without endangering birds.
US is ready to hack Russia if it interferes with the election
American officials are nervous that Russia’s alleged attempt to influence the election could extend to the vote itself, and they aren’t willing to take any chances. A senior intelligence source tells NBC News that US cyberwarfare agents are in a position to hack Russian critical infrastructure (including command systems, the electrical grid and telecoms) if there’s evidence of an attack that disrupts the election in a “significant way.” The US isn’t expecting such a large breach, but the message is clear: we can hurt you if you meddle with the democratic process.
It’s not certain just how much attack capability the US has at the moment. However, the nation may not be leaning solely on a well-timed media leak (provided this is accurate) to dissuade Russian hackers. The American government reportedly sent a “back channel” warning to the Russians, for one thing. Also, this wouldn’t be the US’ first rodeo — it’s launching online attacks against ISIS, and its intelligence agencies are no stranger to having access to whole countries’ telecom networks. You underestimate the potential for retaliation at your own peril, in other words.
The more immediate fear is that Russia will try as much as it can without crossing the line. Guccifer 2.0 (who’s allegedly a cover for Russian spies) and others could disseminate false leaks and bogus voting information in a bid to sway the election at the last minute. That may be difficult to stop. It’s easy for anyone to whip up a temporary social network account that broadcasts misinformation for a few days, and it would be extremely aggressive to launch a hacking campaign as revenge for a fake scandal. Most likely, American leadership will be sitting on pins and needles until the final vote is cast… and possibly beyond that.
Source: NBC News
Uber settles big sexual assault cases in the US
Uber has settled with two Jane Does in the US who were allegedly sexually assaulted by the service’s drivers in 2015, according to Bloomberg. The plaintiffs filed a lawsuit against the company in California because they wanted to hold the ride-hailing service responsible for the suspects’ actions. Uber tried to argue that it can’t be held liable for its drivers since they’re contractors and not employees, but a federal judge denied its request to toss the case in May this year. Now, six months later, both parties have reached an agreement, though the details weren’t released to the public.
According to the first Jane Doe, an Uber driver assaulted her in February 2015 in Boston after dropping off her friends first. The second Jane Doe from South Carolina had a similar story, except she didn’t get away and was viciously raped in August 2015 after the driver dropped off her friends. These two cases put the focus on Uber’s oft-criticized background check process yet again: the company doesn’t fingerprint its drivers and merely checks their names against court documents. In this case, Uber missed one of the drivers’ assault conviction from 2003.
While the ride-sharing service has settled with the two Jane Does, it likely still has to deal with quite a few similar lawsuits. A document that leaked earlier this year showed that the company is dealing with numerous sexual assault allegations in many countries besides the US. India’s capital even banned the service in 2014 following a rape complaint, while a driver in France was suspended after he was arrested for sexual assault. A simple Google search will also bring up tons of stories about sexual assault happening to ride-sharing passengers all over the world.
Source: Bloomberg
AIVAnet 