Pokemon Go still coming to Apple Watch, cancellation rumour just a hoax
Niantic has moved quickly to reassure Pokemon Go fans that it is still working on its Apple Watch application, tweeting that it is coming soon.
The response came after an alleged “leaked” email was posted on Reddit, claiming that the Apple Watch Pokemon Go app was cancelled.
It said that “the game port for the Apple Watch has been shelved”. However, it is now thought to have been a hoax to catch gullible fans as if they were Zubats.
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An official tweet appeared on the @PokemonGo feed soon after, revealing that the Watch version is still on its way.
Pokémon Go for Apple Watch is coming soon. Stay tuned.
— Pokémon GO (@PokemonGoApp) December 17, 2016
Those initially worried can now breath a huge sigh of relief.
- Pokemon Go for Apple Watch: How to play and when can you get it?
- Pokemon Go: How to play and other tips and tricks
- How to use the Pokemon Go Nearby feature
To be honest, there were a couple of telltale signs in the email that didn’t ring true with us. For a start, it said that the Apple Watch version was a “game port”. It is not expected that the Apple Watch app will be a port of the game. It will instead work with the iPhone version, alerting you of nearby Pokemon and even track your calories as you hunt them.
It will not work independently to the existing Pokemon Go app.
When the app was announced during the launch of the iPhone 7, it was revealed to be coming before the end of 2016. It looks like that is still the case.
The Morning After: Monday December 19, 2016
Over the weekend, Tesla’s next EV rival went to the races, Metropolis got a remake, and we tried the Netflix for fine art. Dip in.
If you believe the hype, it’s quicker than its rivals.
Watch Faraday Future’s prototype EV race Bentley, Ferrari and Tesla
Faraday Future continues to hype its electric car ahead of its full January unveiling, and while skepticism is abound, it’s apparently ready enough to race. The fledgling automaker has posted a video showing its prototype EV drag racing against some hot competition: Tesla’s Model X P100D (the obligatory electric rival), Bentley’s Bentayga SUV and Ferrari’s 488 GTB. (Spoilers: It beats them all.)
It’s the closest thing we have to a Netflix for fine art.
Electric Objects’ digital art display can connect with a $10-a-month art sub.
The Electric Objects 2 art display is basically a 23-inch 1080p display with an internet connection. It has a matte finish, which helps it avoid reflecting light sources and keeps it from looking like a glossy TV screen hanging on your wall. If you’re feeling extra classy you can also snap on a $99 hardwood frame (available in maple, walnut, white wood and black wood) to ensure it matches your decor. Just about everything Senior Editor Devindra Hardawar threw on to the EO2 looked good, but he adds that it’s not exactly a revolutionary product and don’t expect it to replace your framed art.
The company says some of the figures don’t make sense.
Apple formally challenges the EU’s tax demands
Apple is about to fight the European Commission’s claims that it must pay the €13 billion in back taxes ($13.6 billion) owed from its deal with Ireland. Apple will appeal the ruling this week on the grounds that it not only can’t abide by the decision, but that the figures don’t make sense. The company argues that two of its business units, claimed by the EC to only exist on paper (and thus didn’t warrant untaxed profits) were real, actively managed companies. Apple adds that European officials ignored advice from Ireland-chosen tax experts when deciding on the penalty, apparently to maximize the financial hit.
Don’t worry: It’ll take billions of years before our sun devours us.
This planet-eating star shows the Solar System’s future
A star some 300 light-years away is apparently rather similar to our own, and has given researchers insight into how planets get absorbed. It also helps predict how solar systems like ours could evolve over time. Before you panic, we’re not getting sucked into an enormous ball of fire anytime soon. Based on the team’s computer simulations, it will take billions of years of gravitational tugs and pulls before our sun starts gobbling up its planets. Besides, Mercury and Venus are up first.
But wait, there’s more…
- Sci-fi legend ‘Metropolis’ is getting turned into a series
- ‘Street Fighter V’ will publicly humiliate rage quitters
- ‘Vanity Fair’ editor sues Twitter troll for giving him a seizure
Google shows off its sleeker self-driving Chrysler minivans
Waymo, Google’s new autonomous vehicle division, has finally unveiled its latest model: a heavily modified Chrysler Pacifica. The hybrid minivan, which can go 30 miles in pure electric mode, was glimpsed earlier in spy photos at a Google facility. It’s now fixed up with the custom computer, sensors and telematics used on Google’s Lexus SUV and other self-driving cars. Waymo didn’t just bolt the tech on, though. Rather, its engineering team worked together with Fiat Chrysler (FCA) at a special facility in southeastern Michigan.
“FCA’s product development and manufacturing teams have been agile partners, enabling us to go from program kickoff to full vehicle assembly in just six months,” said Waymo CEO John Krafcik. The plan was first leaked in May and later confirmed by Google, so it’s actually been over seven months, but Google still met its year-end schedule to unveil the car. Waymo has already done “over 200 hours of extreme-weather testing” in California and at FCA’s Arizona and Chelsea, Michigan proving grounds. Krafcik says.
These aren’t your stock minivans — FCA and Waymo teams modified the electrical, powertrain, chassis and structural system to better accommodate the extra weight and energy draw of Google’s devices. While not glamorous, the Pacifica’s ubiquity made it an obvious choice, Krafcik wrote in a Medium blog. “With this great new minivan on the road in our test markets, we’ll learn how people of all ages, shapes, and group sizes experience our fully self-driving technology.”
Chrylser CEO Sergio Marchionne says such partnerships “are vital to promoting a culture of innovation, safety and technology.” He adds that the deal gives Fiat Chrysler an inside track to autonomous driving tech. “Our partnership with Waymo enables FCA to directly address … a future where fully self-driving vehicles are very much a part of our daily lives.” Judging by a the rush to release new autonomous features, that self-driving future may be dawning faster than automakers hoped.
Source: Fiat Chrysler
Engadget UK giveaway: Win a PowerUp FPV plane courtesy of Mobilefun.co.uk
We know the feeling: You wake up on Christmas morning to a lovingly wrapped selection of socks and scarves. You need these things, of course, but everyone likes to have a little fun around the holidays, don’t they? Perhaps we can keep the Christmas spirit alive with the late present of a PowerUp FPV plane. You can control this paper plane on steroids using your phone, or slot your handset into the supplied cardboard VR viewer for the full first-person cockpit experience. We’ve got two of these to give away thanks to our friends at Mobilefun.co.uk, and if you’re looking for a last-minute Christmas gift, Mobilefun is offering free delivery on the cheaper PowerUp 3.0 plane when you order through the retailer’s iOS app. As always, please give the rules a quick read before entering this week’s giveaway via the Rafflecopter widget below.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
- Entries are handled through the Rafflecopter widget above. Comments are no longer accepted as valid methods of entry. You may enter without any obligation to social media accounts, though we may offer them as opportunities for extra entries. Your email address is required so we can get in touch with you if you win, but it will not be given to third parties.
- Contest is open to all residents of the UK, 18 or older! Sorry, we don’t make this rule (we hate excluding anyone), so direct your anger at our lawyers and contest laws if you have to be mad.
- Winners will be chosen randomly. Two (2) winners will receive one (1) PowerUp FPV plane.
- If you are chosen, you will be notified by email. Winners must respond within three days of being contacted. If you do not respond within that period, another winner will be chosen. Make sure that the account you use to enter the contest includes your real name and a contact email or Facebook login. We do not track any of this information for marketing or third-party purposes.
- This unit is purely for promotional giveaway. PowerUp, Mobilefun.co.uk and Engadget / AOL are not held liable to honour warranties, exchanges or customer service.
- The full list of rules, in all its legalese glory, can be found here.
- Entries can be submitted until December 23rd at 11:59PM GMT. Good luck!
Source: Mobilefun.co.uk
Apple Set to Appeal EU Tax Ruling This Week
Apple is set to appeal this week against the European Commission’s ruling that it must pay up to 13 billion euros ($13.8 billion) to Ireland in back taxes (via Reuters).
EU regulators concluded in August that Apple had received undue tax benefits from Ireland – where the company’s European headquarters are located – which allowed it to pay substantially less than other companies.
Apple CEO Tim Cook vowed to appeal the ruling at the time, calling the back tax calculation a “false number” and the EU’s judgement “total political crap”. The Irish government also rejected the conclusion and said it would fight to reverse it.
On Monday, Apple’s General Counsel Bruce Sewell told Reuters that the company’s imminent legal challenge will be based on its belief that EU regulators willfully ignored tax experts to come to its conclusions.
“The Irish put in an expert opinion from an incredibly well-respected Irish tax lawyer. The Commission not only didn’t attack that – didn’t argue with it, as far as we know – they probably didn’t even read it. Because there is no reference (in the EU decision) whatsoever.”
Sewell also said Apple intends to challenge the EU’s basis for its penalty judgement, and will argue that a “crazy notion of non-residency” was chosen on purpose to produce a punitive amount, when other legitimate tax law arguments could have been used that would “produce much lower numbers”. As to why the EU had gone down its chosen route, Sewell said he believed regulators had singled out the company because of its success.
“Apple is not an outlier in any sense that matters to the law. Apple is a convenient target because it generates lots of headlines. It allows the commissioner to become Dane of the year for 2016,” he said, referring to the title accorded by Danish newspaper Berlingske last month.
Ireland also issued a statement on Monday, saying that the EU commission had “misunderstood the relevant facts and Irish law”.
“Ireland did not give favourable tax treatment to Apple – the full amount of tax was paid in this case and no state aid was provided,” it said. “Ireland does not do deals with taxpayers.”
In addition, Apple says it plans to tell the court that the Commission erred when it ruled that Ireland-based Apple Sales International (ASI) and Apple Operations Europe existed only on paper, with no justification for the billions of euros it posted in untaxed profits. Sewell said that just because a holding company has no employees on its books doesn’t mean it is inactive, since it could be actively managed by employees of its parent company:
“When Tim Cook, who is the CEO of our company, makes decisions that impact ASI, the Commission says we don’t care because he is not an ASI employee, he is an Apple Inc employee. But to say that somehow Tim Cook can’t make decisions for ASI is a complete mis-statement of corporate law, it’s a misunderstanding of how corporations operate.”
The strongly worded statements from Apple and the Irish government form a two-pronged attack on the European Commission as it readies a more detailed version of its ruling for publication before the court case begins.
Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.
Tags: corporate tax, European Commission, Europe, Ireland
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Kindle Paperwhite (2015) review: Simply the best
aThe third-generation Kindle Paperwhite was released in June 2015 so while it’s not the newest or most advanced Kindle around, that’s not to say it isn’t the best.
Succeeded by the significantly more expensive and square Kindle Oasis, the latest Paperwhite also competes with the lighter and more feature-rich Kindle Voyage, but still warrants its place in the eBook market.
Here is why Amazon’s 2015 model of the Kindle Paperwhite is our Kindle of choice, even moving into 2017, despite the pricier alternatives out there.
What’s new in the Kindle Paperwhite 2015?
- 169 x 117 x 9.1mm
- 205g (Wi-Fi) / 217g (3G)
The Kindle Paperwhite’s design hasn’t changed a great deal over the years. In fact, the 2015 model looks pretty much identical to the 2013 model and therefore the 2012 model, aside from a couple of subtle cosmetic changes to the Amazon and Kindle logos.
- Which Amazon Kindle is best for you? Kindle, Paperwhite, Voyage or Oasis?
The Paperwhite is built around a plastic body, but it doesn’t feel cheap. It’s a solid device with a tactile back casing that it is not only a lovely to hold, but greasy fingerprints aren’t an issue either. It is a little fonder of suncream and foundation, but it’s nothing a quick wipe doesn’t sort.
Pocket-lint
The contoured detailing around the Micro-USB and power button also makes way over2013 model, as do the wide bezels on the front of the device. A large bezel on most devices is normally something that would result in criticism, but with an eBook reader it’s a welcomed feature, offering something for your thumb to grip when holding it.
Whether Wi-Fi only or 3G and Wi-Fi model, both third-gen Kindle Paperwhite options feel no heavier than a smartphone in the hand, despite their larger size. Neither model’s 205g/217g weight could be considered heavy, even if the Kindle Voyage is a little lighter.
Kindle Paperwhite (2015) review: Display
- 6-inch E Ink display
- 16-level greyscale
- 1440 x 1080 resolution
- Front light, touchscreen
The Kindle Paperwhite’s design might not have changed much, but its display has. The third-generation model finally sees an increase in resolution with a 6-inch E Ink display bearing a 300ppi density, compared to 212ppi found on both the 2013 and 2012 models. Words are crisp and sharp, while the touchscreen is very responsive.
The 2015 Paperwhite sticks with the Carta E Ink display found on the 2013 model for high-contrast black & white results, but it adds a new font called Bookerly, which is designed for reading on digital screens, as well as a new typesetting engine. These additions, along with the higher resolution all contribute to replicating a reading equivalent that’s as enjoyable as on paper.
Pocket-lint
An illuminated display has always been one of the Paperwhite’s standout features, allowing users to read in both light and dark conditions without the need for an external light. It isn’t the most advanced technology available – with Amazon itself trumping it with the Kindle Voyage and its adaptive front light – but the Paperwhite’s screen is more than adequate.
Kindle Paperwhite (2015) review: Features
- 4GB storage (thousands of books)
- Kindle Store has over 4m books
- Kindle app for phone also available
- Ad removal is £10 per device
As has always been the way with the Kindle, there are plenty of clever features beyond just reading. Some are great, others you may never use, but the beauty of them is that they can be ignored if you’re not interested, allowing you to flick through an eBook as you would if you had a paperback.
For those who would like to take advantage of having a digital device over a paperback, one of our favourites is X-Ray. Accessed with a tap at the top of the screen, this feature presents information on characters, notable clips, terms and common themes.
Pocket-lint
Kindle Page Flip is also great, again accessed with a tap at the top of the screen, followed by selecting Go To. This feature enables you to quickly skip to another chapter or part of the book from a pop-up window.
A tap at the top will also display how much more of the chapter you have left to read in minutes at the bottom, as well as offer access to Settings for turning the screen brightness down and the Kindle Store at the top.
The Kindle’s best attribute isn’t any of the above features though: it is how easy Amazon makes it to buy and download content. The Kindle Store has over four million books, newspapers and magazines to choose from, along with over one million Kindle-exclusive titles, all of which are delivered directly to your Kindle device as soon as you press buy.
Accessing certain settings and working out which books you have or haven’t read in your library could be made simpler though.
Pocket-lint
The Amazon Kindle app, available on most platforms, also means you can pick up where you left off on your smartphone or tablet if you forget your Kindle one morning. It’s like a multi-device bookmark.
One point worth noting is about the “special offers”: these are ads that Amazon serves, which can be removed for the sum of £10. We don’t find them overly disruptive, but if you do it’s not a huge fee. Amazon Prime subscription members can also purchase the Kindle for £5 less than list price, but the ads rule still applies for these members.
Kindle Paperwhite (2015) review: Connectivity and battery
- ‘Six week’ battery life (21-hours approx)
- Four hour recharge cycle
There are two models of the third-generation Paperwhite as we mentioned previously. The Wi-Fi model requires a network connection to download content, while the Wi-Fi and 3G model will allow you to download new content on the go.
Given the £60 price jump between the two, most people will probably be more than satisfied with the Wi-Fi only model, especially given it is possible to connect to your smartphone’s hotspot if you are really desperate for that next book.
Pocket-lint
Amazon claims the Paperwhite’s battery will last six weeks on a single charge, based on reading for 30-minutes per day, all connections turned off and display illumination set to half. That’s a whopping 21-hours.
The E Ink display itself consumes very little power, with power only really needed for page refreshes. Keeping your Paperwhite connected and turning up the display illumination will naturally decrease that battery life. Even so, we’ve found our 3G review model to last for a couple of weeks at a time, rather than mere days.
Verdict
The third-generation Kindle Paperwhite does exactly what we wanted: it increased the resolution of its display for a crisper reading experience.
Add great screen illumination and fast touch response and this Kindle – despite not being the most advanced of Amazon’s offerings – adds up to the perfect balance between a fantastic reading experience and a great price.
It’s simply the best, whether you’re considering upgrading from a 2012/13 model or simply looking to (affordably) dive into eBooks for the first time.
Google’s Keep note-taking app lets Chromebook users doodle
Google has added drawing tools to its widely-used note-taking Keep app on Chrome, giving Chromebook users an Android feature that has been around for a year. Spotted by 9 to 5 Google, it’s only available via the Chrome Web store, and doesn’t work on any browser, including Chrome. You can add a doodle by creating a “new note from drawing,” selecting the pen, highlighter or marker tool and choosing from 28 colors and 6 line thicknesses. You can also add a drawing to any existing note with the “add drawing” option.
Keep doodling is easy on Android, since you draw right on the screen with your finger or a stylus. Though it does work with a mouse or touchpad, it’s less logical on a laptop, unless you have one with a touchscreen. Since Chrome apps are primarily geared to Chromebook owners (Google is phasing out Chrome apps on Windows and Mac), the Keep’s drawing feature perhaps points to a more touchscreen-oriented future for Chromebook. Samsung, for one, is rumored to be releasing a hybrid, stylus-equipped Chromebook Pro for around $500.
Tablet sales down across the board, with the notable exception of hybrid models that can double as a PC, like Microsoft’s Surface or the iPad Pro. It makes a lot of sense for Google to make a stronger push into the hybrid PC game, where it can perhaps offer a better price-point than its rivals.
The search giant has already started by porting tablet-based Android apps to Chrome OS, giving users of select models more to choose from. By making its core Chrome apps more touchscreen friendly, it might motivate its hardware partners to create hardware to match. To get the Keep’s drawing tools on Windows, Mac or ChromeOS, just go to the Chrome Web Store and search for “Keep” (or click here). As mentioned, don’t get to attached to the function on Windows or Mac, though.
Nova Launcher Prime is once again down to just $0.99 on the Play Store
Grab Nova Launcher Prime for just 99 cents.
Nova Launcher is one of the most customizable third-party launchers available for Android, and the premium version is now on sale for just $0.99 on the Play Store, a massive $4.00 discount.
The launcher picked up a huge update to version 5.0 last week, introducing several features from the Pixel Launcher — tinted dock, pull-up app drawer, and the new search widget. The app also supports Android 7.1 launcher shortcuts, additional gestures, and so much more.
It’s an even better deal if you’re in India, as you can grab Nova Launcher for just ₹10 (15 cents). Same goes for the UK, where it is available for 10 pence (15 cents). The discount is valid until January 1, 2017. Hit up the badge above or head to the Play Store to download Nova Launcher Prime.
Top five things to do after switching to Nova Launcher
All iPhone 8 models will have curved OLED screens made by Samsung, says report
It has been reported for a while that Apple plans to make a curved screen iPhone 8, much like the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge, but previous suggestions were that only one version will have an edge to edge display.
The Korean Herald begs to differ, however, claiming that Apple will use Samsung-made curved OLED panels on all its next generation handsets.
Its source revealed that the Cupertino company has placed an order for Samsung displays that could potentially run into the millions: “The OLED version of the new iPhone will all be curved as Apple ordered all plastic OLED – not glass – from Samsung Display. Samsung is capable of supplying a little less than 100 million units of curved OLED displays to Apple,” he or she said.
- Apple iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus: What’s the story so far?
It is thought the bendable, plastic display will be wrapped around the edges to create a bezel-less design, much like Samsung’s own flagship phones.
The newspaper’s source also claimed that Apple might use new sensing technologies on the phone: “The upcoming iPhone may use new sensing technology, which enables the phone to respond when users touch any side of the device. But, Apple may not adopt this technology,” the source said.
A radical new design for the iPhone 8 is expected in order to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Apple’s smartphone line.
Fusion reactor endurance record hints at our energy future
Wondering why a fusion reactor isn’t powering your home right now? There are numerous reasons, but one of the biggest is simply keeping the necessary super-hot plasma in an ideal state for energy generation — it doesn’t last that way for long. South Korea, however, just edged closer to that goal. The conutry’s KSTAR (Korean Superconducting Tokamak Advanced Research) reactor team claims to have set an endurance record for operating with “high performance” plasma. The feat only lasted for 70 seconds, but that’s still a “huge step forward,” according to the National Fusion Research Institute.
The achievement comes through a combination of factors. The KSTAR group used a completely non-inductive mode and a high-power neutral beam to reach the plasma state, and they reduced the heat on plasma-facing parts through tricks such as creating a spinning 3D field. On top of this, they also developed another groundbreaking, more practical mode that should allow for higher pressure at relatively low temperatures.
You’re still a long, long way from seeing practical fusion energy. However, the efforts will help South Korea develop a new reactor, K-DEMO, that should demonstrate the advantages of steady-state fusion power. Think of this as a nudge that gets the ball rolling on a transition toward cleaner, safer and more powerful replacements for the nuclear reactors you see today.
Via: World Nuclear News, Science Alert
Source: NFRI (translated)
AIVAnet 