‘Overwatch’ rings in the Lunar New Year with capture the flag

Shortly after the hit hero shooter Overwatch launched last May, fans were treated to a slew of new character models themed for the upcoming 2016 Brazil Summer Olympics. That was just the beginning of Blizzard’s extra content train, as they released more for Halloween and Christmas. Last week, they teased new stuff to celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year, which all goes live today. Players will be excited for the new skins, but the real win is the addition of a long-awaited capture the flag mode to the game.

As usual, there are new skins to enjoy, some garbed in traditional Chinese formal wear and adorned with celebratory accoutrements (read: Junkrat has firecrackers). Others are dressed up as characters from Journey To The West, which Blizzard paired an animated scroll depicting them in their roles from the celebrated Chinese novel. And Overwatch finally gets CTF, inaugurating this year’s new Chinese zodiac animal with rooster-clad pennants. Unfortunately, the studio blog post only lists it as a temporary brawl, so we might see the multiplayer mode go away for a bit after the event ends.

The event runs from now until February 13th, when all those awesome skins get retired forever. Likewise, sister Lunar New Year celebrations in World of Warcraft and Heroes Of The Storm end on February 4th and 14th, respectively. Good luck!

Overwatch’s #YearOfTheRooster 🐓 celebration has begun—so here’s to happiness, prosperity, and lots of fun!

🎆🏮 https://t.co/5t0WWUzTL7 pic.twitter.com/xsMsRCtGph

— Overwatch (@PlayOverwatch) January 24, 2017

Source: Overwatch blog

National park tweets, then deletes, climate data after gag order

In the five days since he took office, President Trump has ordered multiple federal agencies to stop sharing news and updates directly with the American public. The gag orders have silenced federal entities like the EPA and the USDA by preventing them from announcing everything from grant awards to scientific breakthroughs made with taxpayer funds. But at least one person with the password to Badlands National Park’s Twitter account attempted to take a stand today by tweeting out facts in the face of President Trump and his science-denying pick to lead the EPA.

“The pre-industrial concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere was 280 parts per million (ppm). As of December 2016, 404.93 ppm,” @BadlandsNPS wrote in a now-deleted tweet Tuesday morning. That tweet was in direct opposition to a memo issued to all National Park Service, ordering them to “immediately cease use of government Twitter accounts until further notice.” But @BadlandsNPS kept at it for almost an hour before the tweets disappeared into the ether.

For later, after those Badlands National Park tweets get deleted, here’s what happened. ht @migold pic.twitter.com/b5vnKjwDnn

— Patrick LaForge (@palafo) January 24, 2017

Although the facts have now been archived in screenshots and @BadlandsNPS has returned to posting idyllic nature photos, civil rights lawyer and Law professor Dr. Anthony M. Kreis noted on Twitter that deleting a government agency’s tweets is actually a violation of the Freedom of Information Act. So, even though one national park sending off a few defiant tweets seems relatively minor, it could cause some legal headaches for the administration.

Deleting tweets violates the Freedom of Information Act. So, who demanded it be removed, when, and why? https://t.co/3mOcQfxxFx

— Dr. Anthony M. Kreis (@AnthonyMKreis) January 24, 2017

According to FiveThirtyEight, the gag orders may only be temporary, at least for some of the federal agencies affected, but they also may be in violation of directives issued by President Obama in 2009 which protect scientists’ ability to speak with the people about publicly funded research. While it is currently unclear how this will play out for the nation’s scientists, there’s no getting around the fact that the planet is still getting hotter every year.

Researchers have built a 1,000-watt ‘super laser’

A team of British and Czech researchers have announced that they’ve constructed and fired a 1000-watt “high peak power laser”. It’s dubbed the “Bivoj”, after a Herculean-like Czech mythical hero. This laser is reportedly ten times more powerful as any other of its kind and should qualify as a new world record holder, according to Martin Divoky a physicist working at HiLASE, the Czech state-owned research facility where the laser was developed. Britain’s Central Laser Facility also contributed to the research.

The Bivoj differs from the two other largest HPPLs in existence — the Texas Petawatt Laser in Austin and the two-petawatt Laser for Fast Ignition Experiments (LFEX) in Osaka, Japan. While these lasers have a higher peak power — to the tune of a billion watts — they need so long to recharge that they can only fire a couple times a day. The $28-million Bivoj, on the other hand, boasts a higher average energy output because it fires a less-powerful beam far more often. The team hopes to commercialize and leverage this new technology for engineering purposes, like hardening metal, as well as industrial applications such as semiconductor processing in the second half of this year.

Source: Phys.org

Google I/O 2017 returns to Mountain View from May 17th – 20th

Once again, Google isn’t straying too far from its home turf for its annual I/O conference. Like last year it’ll be held at Mountain View’s Shoreline Amphitheatre. It’ll be a bit around the same time again too, running from May 17th to the 19th, according to 9to5 Google. The tech juggernaut is going about this reveal in a rather nerdy way, too.

Rather than issue a press release or publish a blog post (thus far) Google has dropped a few clues for developers on GitHub, tasking them to suss out the location via map coordinates and code. It’s an interesting approach, for sure, and should keep people playing along for a bit to help pass the time.

Once the event days actually arrive, you can count on a keynote presentation about the future of Android and Google products (naturally) and maybe even a peek at the new version of the Pixel and Daydream. We saw Nougat last year (née Android N), so there’s a good chance will see the follow up as well. Anyone else have a craving for Oreos now?

Source: 9to5 Google, Save the Date, GitHub

What’s New in iOS 10.3: Find My AirPods, APFS File System, New Apple ID Setting and More

Released this morning, iOS 10.3 is the third major update to the iOS 10 operating system. Its main feature is a new “Find My AirPods” mode for locating lost AirPods, but the update also includes many other smaller changes and feature tweaks.

There’s a new profile option in the Settings app, iCloud usage is broken down more clearly, SiriKit has been updated to include bill paying functionality, and there’s a new file system implemented when first installing iOS 10.3. Check out the video below for a quick rundown on all the new features introduced in iOS 10.3, and make sure to read the rest of the post for even more detail.

App animation – Apple has tweaked the animation for opening and closing apps very slightly. As they open, apps now have more rounded edges, a difference that’s noticeable on apps that open slowly.

Old animation on left, new animation on right
Apple ID Settings profile – There’s a new “Apple ID” profile option that’s displayed at the top of the Settings app. It shows all Apple ID info, including all devices you’re signed into, and it has links to iCloud, iTunes & App Store, and Family Sharing. All of these options used to be listed under an “iCloud” setting.

iCloud storage breakdown – In the iCloud section of the new Apple ID Settings feature, there’s a visual breakdown of how iCloud storage space is being used. It’s more immediately clear how much space photos or iCloud backups are using. Tapping on the new storage option opens the standard iCloud management options. This section also lists all apps that use iCloud and includes the settings for Keychain, Find My iPhone, and iCloud Backup.

Find My AirPods – Find My AirPods is a new option available in the “Find My iPhone” app. It keeps track of the last known location where AirPods were connected to an iOS device over Bluetooth, making a misplaced AirPod easier to find. It also allows users to play a sound to locate a lost AirPod. It does not work when the AirPods are in the case and its functionality is somewhat limited because AirPods have no connection of their own.

SiriKit – SiriKit, the iOS 10 feature that lets third-party apps access Siri, is being updated with new features that will let Siri be used to pay bills, check on the status of payments, and schedule future rides from services like Uber.

CarPlay – CarPlay has been updated with shortcuts for launching the most recently used apps and the location of EV charging stations.

Maps – In the Maps app, there’s now an option to 3D Touch on the weather icon to see a weather forecast and other weather-related details for your current location.

HomeKit – HomeKit has gained support for programmable light switches.

Apple File System – When installing iOS 10.3, the iPhone’s file system will be updated to use Apple File System (APFS). Apple recommends making a backup before downloading the new update. Announced at WWDC last year, APFS is optimized for Flash/SSD storage and includes features like strong encryption, space sharing, copy-on write metadata, cloning for files and directories, snapshots, and more.

App icons (developer) – Developers will be able to update the icons for their apps at any time, with an update no longer required to push out new icon artwork.

Analytics – The “Diagnostics and Usage” option in the Privacy section of the Settings app has been renamed to “Analytics” in iOS 10.3. It continues to allow users to decide whether or not to send usage information to Apple to help the company improve its services. There’s also a new “Share iCloud Analytics” section that allows analytics of usage and data from an iCloud account. Apple uses differential privacy to protect user information.

iPad keyboard – Hidden in iOS 10.3 is a setting for a one-handed floating iPad keyboard layout that can be used on a 9.7-inch or smaller iPad. The feature, discovered by developer Steve Troughton-Smith, is not currently available.

iOS 10.3 is currently only available for developers, but Apple will likely release a public beta for public beta testers in the near future. iOS 10.3 will likely remain in testing for a couple months before it sees a public release, so it could launch in March or April.

Related Roundup: iOS 10
Discuss this article in our forums

Apple CEO Tim Cook Cashes in Another $3.6 Million in Stock

Apple CEO Tim Cook sold an additional 30,000 shares of Apple stock over the course of the last few days, according to a disclosure shared by the U.S. Securities and Exchanges Commission.

Based on the Apple’s stock price of $120 to $120.41 at the time of the transaction, the sale, conducted as scheduled based on Cook’s trading plan adopted back in August of 2015, netted Apple’s CEO approximately $3.6 million.

Tim Cook also divested 30,000 Apple shares last week, so he’s received a total of $7.2 million in 2017 thus far. Following this week’s transaction, Cook continues to own just under 100,000 shares of Apple stock, valued at more than $117 million based on Apple’s current stock price.

In early January, an SEC filing revealed Cook earned just $8.7 million in 2016, down from $10.28 million in 2015. Cook and other Apple executives only received 89.5 percent of cash incentives during the year due to Apple’s failure to meet its target performance goals for net sales and operating income.

Cook’s 2016 salary was, however, supplemented by the vesting of previously awarded stock bonuses worth approximately $137 million, tied to Cook’s tenure and Apple’s performance under his leadership.

Tag: Tim Cook
Discuss this article in our forums

Hands-On With the New Night Shift Mode in macOS Sierra 10.12.4

macOS Sierra 10.12.4, seeded to developers this morning, introduces a major new feature: Night Shift for the Mac.

First introduced for iOS devices in iOS 9.3, Night Shift is designed to gradually shift the display of a device from a blue tint to a more yellow tint during the evening, cutting down on exposure to blue light. A quick overview of how Night Shift works on the Mac can be seen in the video below.

Night Shift can be toggled on and off using the new Night Shift switch located in the Today section of the Notification Center.

Preferences for Night Shift are available in the Displays section of System Preferences. In this section, users can schedule Night Shift to come on at sunset and turn off at sunrise or set a custom Night Shift schedule. There’s also a manual toggle and an option to change the color temperature of the display.

Night Shift-style functionality has previously been available on Macs through the popular and well-known f.lux software, but it will be a built-in feature in macOS Sierra in 10.12.4, eliminating the need for a third-party app. F.lux continues to offer a bit more customization, however, with the option to turn it off on a per-app basis.

macOS Sierra 10.12.4 is only available to developers at the current time, but it should be made available to public beta testers in the near future. It will likely be beta tested for at least a month or two prior to release, so expect to see the update in March or April.

Related Roundup: macOS Sierra
Discuss this article in our forums

‘Pokémon Duel’ brings Pikachu and friends to iOS, Android today

Pokémon Go has a new friend on mobile today: Pokémon Duel is available now, for free, on Android and iOS devices, courtesy of The Pokémon Company International.

Pokémon Duel is a strategy title that plays more like a board game than a traditional Pokémon experience. Players build a party of six Pokémon and move them across a playing field dotted with spaces where the creatures can attack, flank or block their opponents’ adorable armies. The first player to reach the enemy’s goal wins.

The Pokémon are designed like amiibo figurines, rather than animated pets, and players are still able to collect ’em all. Each character has unique abilities and a set number of steps it can take per turn. When a Pokémon lands on a space next to an enemy, the duel begins: Spin the Data Disk to determine which attacks your character will use. Plus, use a special plate at the beginning of each turn to power up your Pokémon in different ways.

Pokémon Duel can be played against real people in the online League Match mode or solo against the game’s AI.

The more you play, the more powerful Pokémon you’ll encounter. Plus, there’s a crafting mechanic that allows players to level up their creatures and improve their Data Disks as the game rolls on.

Pokémon Duel is free, but it includes some in-app purchase options. You can buy Time Boosters that grant you Pokémon and plates, or purchase specific plates directly. It’s also possible to use Gems to open Boosters and purchase items from the game’s shop — earn Gems each day you play Pokémon Duel or by completing daily missions. Of course, you can always buy Gems outright.

Source: Pokemon Duel

Final Android Wear 2.0 Developer Preview arrives, ready for developers to upload apps

App developers only have a handful of days left to get their apps ready for launch.

Google has just released the final Android Wear 2.0 Developer Preview leading up to its official release, which is rumored to be February 9. This final preview puts some final polish on the software, and signals to developers that it’s time to submit their apps targeting the upcoming release to the Play Store.

As developers wrap up their tweaks to apps to be ready for the launch of Android Wear 2.0 they can now use this latest Developer Preview to target watches that are paired to an iPhone, as well as those that need NFC HCE (Host Card Emulation) for mobile payments. If developers submit their apps prior to the launch, they’ll be ready for download the minute the software is released to consumers.

We’re expecting to see the official launch of Android Wear 2.0 alongside a pair of rumored watches from LG at an event in early February, and having a good number of apps that target the system from Day 1 will be important for adoption.

Huawei Watch 2 with cellular connectivity coming in 2017

Another Huawei Watch coming your way in 2017.

With the new Android Wear 2.0 release just around the bend, we’ve been seeing a flurry of news surrounding wearable devices. The latest comes from Huawei, via a report from VentureBeat, with the Chinese manufacturer reportedly working on a followup to their Huawei Watch from 2015.

According to a source familiar to the company, the new model will allegedly be “sportier” than its predecessor, but still feature an identically sized 1.4-inch display and swappable bands. The big addition here is an option to get a Huawei Watch 2 with cellular connectivity — a built-in e-SIM card will allow the watch to remain connected when out of range of Wi-Fi or a paired smartphone. It’s similar to what we saw from Samsung, which released a 3G model of the Samsung Gear S2.

The Huawei Watch is our current pick for the best Android Wear smartwatch, so you know we’re excited to see what Huawei brings to the table in their second go around.

The first Huawei Watch was announced at Mobile World Congress 2015. Based on the timing of this leak — with Android Wear 2.0 set to officially release on February 9 and MWC 2017 scheduled for Feb. 27 to March 2 — we expect Huawei to repeat history and officially unveil the details of this new wearable in Barcelona at the end of next month.