This Harman Kardon speaker packs Microsoft’s Cortana

The first speaker with Cortana built-in is almost here.

Last week, Microsoft hinted it wanted to compete with devices like Google Home and Amazon Echo, both of which are always-listening, connected speakers packing their own voice assistants. Although Microsoft hadn’t announced any devices, nor are the company’s device partners, it suggested it was ready to allow Cortana to go up against Google’s Assistant and Amazon’s Alexa.

Now, Harman Kardon has revealed it’ll be the first third-party device maker to add Cortana, which is Microsoft’s version of a voice assistant, to a speaker. It published a video to tease the audio hardware, which is launching sometime next year. In a 30-second clip, it’s obvious that the upcoming speaker looks like Amazon Echo, though it appears to feature a display at the top. Keep in mind Amazon is rumoured to be working on a a new Echo device with a display, as well, though there’s been no sign on when we can expect that to debut.

It appears as though the display on Harman Kardon’s speaker will provide access to Cortana’s user interface. Microsoft has been explaining lately that it wants to put Cortana on devices with screens, including Internet of Things (IoT) gadgets like smart toasters and thermostats.

So, this speaker should be the first of many products designed to showcase Cortana, but we don’t yet know pricing or availability.

California tells Uber to get a permit for its self-driving cars

You know how Uber was certain that its San Francisco self-driving car test was legal, and didn’t need a permit? It might want to rethink that assessment. California’s Department of Motor Vehicles tells Uber that it must get a permit to try out its autonomous ridesharing vehicles on state roads, just as 20 other companies have done. And the agency isn’t asking nicely. In a letter to Uber, the DMV warns that the firm “must cease” the San Francisco operation and apply for a permit if it wants to avoid “legal action.”

We’ve reached out to Uber for comment and will let you know what it says. However, it previously argued that having a driver ready to take over meant that it didn’t require a permit. That’s supposedly only for cars that are completely capable of driving themselves, which isn’t true here. However, it might not be reading the law correctly. As University of South Carolina law professor Bryant Walker Smith explains to the AP, Uber may be obeying the letter of the law but not the spirit — permits were intended as a “gateway” to public launches, and might be necessary regardless.

As it stands, the state may have solid evidence of why it’s so cautious. Mere hours after the test went live, Charles Rotter posted video of a self-driving Uber clearly running a red light. While there were no dire consequences, and Uber states that it was due to “human error” in a vehicle that wasn’t part of the pilot, there’s no guarantee that the next incident won’t be the fault of the car or won’t be as harmless. A permit isn’t a surefire way of preventing accidents, but it would reassure officials that Uber isn’t taking any dangerous shortcuts. In the meantime, you can read Uber’s full statement on the red light incident below.

“This incident was due to human error. This is why we believe so much in making the roads safer by building self-driving Ubers. This vehicle was not part of the pilot and was not carrying customers. The driver involved has been suspended while we continue to investigate.”

Via: AP

Source: California DMV

Twitter wasn’t at Trump’s tech summit because it’s ‘too small’

President-elect Donald Trump held a summit today with leaders from the tech industry, but there was a key omission: Twitter. Reuters reports the meeting included Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, Tesla and SpaceX’s Elon Musk, Apple CEO Tim Cook, Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella among others. Not at the table? Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey. The transition team’s official reasoning is that “the conference table was only so big” and that with a $13.85 billion market capitalization, Twitter was “too small” to invite.

But one of Reuters’ sources claims otherwise, saying it was a retaliation for the microblogging service’s refusal to allow a sponsored hashtag for #crookedhillary during the first two presidential debates — a decision that apparently came down from Dorsey himself. Twitter’s reasoning was that is might mislead users who wouldn’t be able to tell if the campaign had paid for the emoji (a bag of money with wings) that would automatically append the hashtagged tweets.

Given Trump’s love of the platform as a communications tool, a way to delete things he’s said prior, and his 17.3 million followers’ adoration of using it for abuse, Twitter’s absence raised a few eyebrows. We’ve reached out to the company for more information and will update this post should it arrive.

Source: Reuters

Wear some Android and Chill this holiday!

Wear some Android and Chill, and celebrate all things comfortable!

Whether it’s a t-shirt, sweatshirt, hoodie or mug, we’re celebrating all things Android and Chill here at AC. It’s cold in many parts of the world right now, so what better way is there to get comfy than adorning your favorite piece of Android apparel and cozying up to a show on Netflix?

That’s right, for a limited time, grab some Android and Chill and wear it proudly!

See at Teespring

Or, if that’s not what you’re into, check out AC’s entire lineup of apparel, some holiday-themed and some just generally awesome, for some other ideas!

How to watch porn on Google Daydream [NSFW]

Watching porn on Google Daydream doesn’t take much at all.

Porn in VR is popular for plenty of different reasons, not the least of which is being able to experience your adult entertainment in an immersive way that puts you in the middle of the action. If you’re new to VR, or you’ve just picked up that awesome new Google Daydream headset, you may be wondering how it is you actually get to watch porn. After all, it isn’t as though you can search for it in the Play Store.

Well, have no fear, we’ve got all the details for accessing porn on your Daydream headset.

Read More at VR Heads!

OnVocal is bringing Amazon Alexa to your phone in January

Why leave your digital assistant in just a speaker at home? Bring it with you.

Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant technology can be found in several different Echo products, Fire tablets and hotel rooms. Coming in January, you can add your phone to that list for $400.

OnVocal has announced its wireless headset today that not only does the things any other Bluetooth headset can do through Assistant or Siri when paired with your phone but also brings the power of Amazon’s Alexa through your phone’s Wi-Fi or LTE connection. The video demonstration (see it in the link below) shows a wide array of smart Alexa skills like closing the garage door, listening to Amazon Music and ordering a pizza from Domino’s.

OnVocal has the OV headset up for pre-order right now in black for $399. It’s currently for U.S. residents only, and shipments begin on January 10 of next year.

For folks who prefer Alexa to Google Assistant, this could be what you’ve been looking for.

See more at OnVocal.com

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Amazon Prime Air launches in UK: Watch the first drone delivery here

Amazon’s drone delivery fleet has crossed the ocean. Sort of.

The Seattle-based company has announced that its Prime Air drone delivery programme is now making delivering in the UK. It’s already delivered to two customers and will expand to more customers soon. This is a trial restricted to small items up to 5lbs (2.2kg), but it completes deliveries in 30 minutes or less.

On 7 December, Prime Air delivered its first order: an Amazon Fire TV and a bag of popcorn. Amazon said it took 13 minutes for the customer to get the package in Cambridge via Amazon’s own specialised drone. Although Amazon has Prime Air development centers in the US, as well as in the UK, Austria, and Israel, and it plans to test drones in multiple international locations, the company has started trials in the UK, rather than the US, because it’s received permission from regulators in the country.

In July, the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) provided Amazon with permission to test drone operations in rural and suburban areas, as well as permission to test drone sensor performance essential to identifying and avoiding obstacles. It also received permission to test flights where one person operates multiple highly-automated drones. The company said it’s working with regulators and policymakers in other countries, too.

According to The Wall Street Journal, Amazon said it will expand its test in the UK from two customers in a roughly 5-square-mile area of farmland to dozens more in the coming months. As to how it works, Amazon’s drones deliver to customers located near its warehouses, and those customers must print of a QR code supplied by Amazon and stick it outside their house. It acts like a beacon, allowing the drone to locate you and land.

Amazon has a bunch of videos demoing how delivery works. In them, Amazon’s drones appear to be small with no fixed-wings, which indicates they can’t travel very far. Also, they’re much different from the original Prime Air drones that were massive with fixed wings.

First-ever #AmazonPrimeAir customer delivery is in the books. 13 min—click to delivery. Check out the video: https://t.co/Xl8HiQMA1S pic.twitter.com/5HGsmHvPlE

— Jeff Bezos (@JeffBezos) December 14, 2016

Twitter launches live videos: Here’s how to broadcast from the app

Twitter has updated in a major way: you can now broadcast live video from within the iOS and Android app.

In an effort to go after Facebook Live Video and other streaming services that offer broadcasting functionality, which is when you can hit record and show everyone what you’re doing in real-time, Twitter has launched its live video feature that’s “powered by” Periscope, the company’s dedicated app for broadcasting. But the interesting thing is you can use the feature without installing Periscope or creating an account.

Here’s everything you need to know about Twitter’s live video feature.

Twitter live video: What’s happening?

We’re making it easier for you to share what’s happening in your world. Now you can #GoLive on Twitter!https://t.co/frWuHaPTFJ pic.twitter.com/Xpfpk1zWJV

— Twitter (@twitter) December 14, 2016

Starting 14 December 2016, you can create and tweet a live video stream directly from the Twitter app. Once you’re live, anyone on Twitter and Periscope can join your broadcast, comment, and send support in the form of hearts by tapping the screen. Live videos are searchable in the Twitter app, Periscope app, and Twitter website, and it can be embedded on other websites just like tweets.

Twitter live video: How does it work?

Twitter/The Verge

Getting started with (or without) Periscope

Twitter uses your Twitter account to log in to Periscope. That means you don’t have to do anything, including download Periscope and create a Periscope account. However, if you want to take full advantage of the live video features, such as update any of your account settings, Twitter recommends installing Periscope on your iOS or Android device, though it’s not required.

You can learn more about Periscope from here. Keep in mind Twitter had previously offered a Periscope button in its Twitter app, but tapping that button redirected you to Periscope, or to an app store to download it, rather than launch a broadcast option directly within Twitter.

Going live

To go live, compose a tweet (tap the compose tweet icon), then tap the “LIVE” option (live video icon), which will bring you to pre-broadcast screen that allows you to frame your shot. When you’re ready, press “Go Live” (red button) to start broadcasting. You cannot go live from Twitter if you have protected tweets, but you can download Periscope and host a private live video through that app.

Interacting with viewers

During the broadcast, viewers who see your broadcast on their timelines can tap in, comment, and send hearts. You can also interact with other viewers by tapping on their comment to view their account profiles, respond to a comment, or block their accounts.

Ending live videos

When you want to end your live video, simply swipe down and tap the “End video” button.

Finding live videos

You can discover and watch live videos from your Home timeline, notifications, search, and trends. You can watch live videos and replays from anyone on Twitter.

Engaging with live videos

If you want to engage with a live video, you can comment or send hearts. You can comment directly in live videos through Twitter or Periscope. If you open Periscope to chat, press “Enter” to access the text input field and press “Esc” to exit the text input field. Similarly, to send hearts in Periscope during a broadcast, all you have to do is click on the heart in the bottom right corner of the screen or you can hit the space bar.

Deleting live videos

You can delete any of your live videos at any time. All you have to do is delete the tweet with your live video. This will delete it from Periscope as well. However, deleting your live video from Periscope does not automatically delete the tweet from Twitter.

Push notifications

You can opt-in to receive push notifications from accounts you follow when they go live. You can learn more about that from here.

Twitter live video: When will the feature be available?

Twitter’s live video feature is rolling out to everyone on Twitter for iOS and Android right now.

Want to know more?

Check out Twitter’s support page for more details.

Black Lives Matter site faced over 100 attacks in half a year

When you launch protests in the modern era, you don’t just have to worry about aggressive responses on the streets… you have to worry about your online presence, too. Deflect Labs has determined that Black Lives Matter’s official website was subject to over 100 botnet-based denial of service attacks between April 29th and October 15th, a large part of it coming from members of a Ghost Squad hacking collective that had vocally denounced BLM’s campaign. And it didn’t require many people, either. Just two culprits (who may be the same person) launched nearly a fifth of the attacks, one of which tried to flood the site with traffic using nearly 1 million bots.

While there’s evidence that some of the attacks were coordinated, others were “bandwagon” efforts from mobs hoping to ride the coattails of the more successful campaigns. Even the larger attacks didn’t require much effort, either. They created millions of bogus connections by “reflecting” off of innocent Joomla and WordPress blogs, taking advantage of others’ bandwidth. Many attacks only needed “bulletproof” server hosting (supposedly beyond the reach of western law enforcement) that could cost just fractions of a penny per hour.

Thankfully, these campaigns are more symbolic than they are effective. The worst bombardments were rare and didn’t take down the BLM site for long, while the piggyback attacks often had “no effect.” Denial of service attacks also aren’t intended to swipe sensitive data, either. The biggest issue is usually the aftermath. It’s very expensive for site hosts to cover the sudden spikes in traffic, and they’re known to either foist those costs on victims or force them to seek alternatives. That wasn’t a problem here, but other activist groups might not be so fortunate.

Via: Motherboard

Source: Deflect Labs