Facebook Launches New Weather Forecast Section in Mobile App

Facebook has come up with another way to convince users to stay within the social networking app, recently introducing a complete weather forecast section that uses GPS location to present a detailed 24-hour and 5-day forecast, powered by Weather.com (via TechCrunch). The feature is an expansion of the previous “weather greetings” that appeared on the Facebook mobile app beginning about a year ago, which include succinct time-of-day greetings along with a stock forecast message.

Now, users can tap on those greetings and jump into a full forecast of their area. Although the greetings link users to the forecast section, sometimes the prompts aren’t always there when the app is opened. To manually find the forecast: open Facebook > tap the hamburger “More” tab on the bottom right of the app > tap “See More” > scroll down and tap “Weather.”

The heading of the section includes doodles that change depending on the weather, alongside the current temperature, high and low estimates for the day, and a one-to-three sentence summation of the present forecast. Under that, users can scroll through the next 24 hours, and look ahead to the next 5 days.

If more information is required, the very bottom of Facebook’s forecast section has a “see more weather info” button that launches Weather.com. To see the weather for another location, the gear icon on the top right of the screen includes a search field to find more cities.

Weather greetings now launch into the new forecast section
According to Facebook, the goal of adding weather forecasts was to “connect people to the things they care about most.”

“We are doing this because our goal is to develop products that connect people to the things they care about most and create moments of joy in people’s day, like simply telling you that it’s going to rain later,” a spokesperson said.

Weather forecasts are now available to around 95 percent of Facebook users globally, on both mobile and desktop. The company is also testing a feature that lets users turn on push notifications in regards to weather forecasts, which should be available widely by the end of the month. Facebook is available to download for free on the iOS App Store. [Direct Link]

Tag: Facebook
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12.9-Inch iPad Pro in Short Supply Ahead of Rumored March Update

Just weeks before Apple is rumored to launch a trio of new iPads, 12.9-inch iPad Pro stock is drying up around the world.

A spot check of Apple’s online store reveals that most if not all 12.9-inch iPad Pro models are now estimated to ship in 2-3 weeks in the United States, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, United Kingdom, and elsewhere—that’s up from a shipping estimate of 1-2 weeks as recently as last weekend.

Apple’s in-store pickup tool lists most 12.9-inch iPad Pro models as available on March 3 to March 6 in locations ranging from New York and San Francisco to Toronto, Canada and London, England. Some models remain available for pickup as early as “today,” but stock has increasingly depleted based upon our checks.

12.9-inch iPad Pro models are also largely out of stock or backordered by several weeks at resellers such as Best Buy, AT&T, and Verizon in the United States. That’s in sharp contrast to the 9.7-inch iPad Pro, which remains well stocked and available to ship immediately on both Apple’s website and at resellers.

Lengthy shipping times can sometimes indicate that a product refresh is imminent, but in this case, the supply chain could be to blame.

In its latest earnings call, Apple CEO Tim Cook said the company underestimated iPad demand this quarter and had an issue with one of its suppliers. Cook said he does not expect the shortage to be totally resolved this quarter, and that could reasonably explain why the 12.9-inch iPad Pro is increasingly hard to find.

Apple analyst Neil Cybart of Above Avalon said Apple has been experiencing “increasingly noticeable supply chain troubles,” as evidenced by long shipping estimates on products that launched months ago, such as Apple Watch Series 2 and AirPods. With a 2-3 week wait, the 12.9-inch iPad Pro can be added to that list.

Rumors suggest Apple will launch an all-new 10.5-inch iPad Pro with slimmer bezels as early as March—or as late as the second half of this year per hit-and-miss supply chain source DigiTimes. Apple is also expected to release updated 9.7-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro models with faster A10X processors.

Japanese blog Mac Otakara said the next-generation 12.9-inch iPad Pro will feature a True Tone display like its current 9.7-inch counterpart, using advanced four-channel ambient light sensors to automatically adapt the color and intensity of the display to match the light in the surrounding environment.

The new 12.9-inch iPad Pro will also gain the 9.7-inch iPad Pro’s same 12-megapixel rear-facing iSight camera and True Tone flash, and it will allegedly still have a 3.5mm headphone jack, according to the blog.

“We’ve got some exciting things coming on iPad and I’m optimistic about where things are headed,” added Cook.

Related Roundup: iPad Pro
Tag: Apple retail
Buyer’s Guide: 12.9″ iPad Pro (Caution)
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Court indicts contractor who stole NSA’s hacking tools

A federal grand jury has indicted former NSA contractor Harold Thomas Martin for what could be the biggest theft of classified materials in the US. According to Reuters, the indictment alleges that Martin has been stealing from NSA, CIA and other intelligence agencies for 20 years as a private contractor with top security clearance. When he was arrested in October 2016, he was working for Booz Allen Hamilton Holding Corp, the same consulting firm that Edward Snowden worked for when he leaked top secret files to the press in 2013. The event forced the company to hire former FBI Director Robert Mueller to audit its security and personnel.

Martin’s indictment listed all the documents he was accused of stealing. One document contained “extremely sensitive US planning and operations regarding global terrorists,” another contained intelligence on other countries’ cyber issues and foreign cyber intrusion techniques. There’s also one that details US military operations. All in all, the DOJ believes he took 50 terabytes of classified data.

The investigators who sifted through all the pilfered data and documents discovered in a computer in his home found 75 percent of the hacking tools that NSA used for special operations, as well. Those tools found their way to the internet after a group called Shadow Brokers posted them online. However, Martin wasn’t indicted for sharing the info he stole. Authorities apparently couldn’t find evidence that he ever had plans to share or sell it, and it’s still unclear how Shadow Brokers got their hands on the NSA tools. Martin’s lawyers said their client didn’t steal from the intelligence agencies to commit espionage — he was merely a “compulsive hoarder.”

Source: Reuters, The Wall Street Journal

Comcast told not to claim it has ‘America’s fastest internet’

Comcast has agreed to stop advertising its Xfinity broadband service as “the fastest internet in America” after an ad industry group said the claim doesn’t jibe with the data. The company based the slogan on user Ookla tests, which the National Advertising Review Board (NARB) said were “not a good fit” for the fastest speed claims. After Verizon (the owner of AOL, Engadget’s parent) first challenged the ads back in August and won, NARB upheld the decision and recommended Comcast discontinue specific assertions.

The problem? For one, Comcast’s own Ookla data showed that Xfinity customers who participated in the tests were on the fastest Xfinity tiers, whereas Verizon’s FiOS users weren’t. And while the Ookla data (which NARB doesn’t dispute) shows a faster 104.56 Mbps Comcast download speed compared to 83.39 Mbps for Verizon, FiOS customers actually had better upload speeds. In addition, it found that Comcast didn’t provide adequate proof for its rather silly “fastest in-home WiFi” claims.

The panel noted that while it did not question the accuracy of Ookla’s data, it agreed with NAD that the Ookla data was not a good fit for an overall claim that an ISP delivers ‘America’s fastest internet.’

The watchdog wrote that it had no problem with advertising Ookla speeds, as long as it “clearly communicates what the data represents.” Comcast said that it would comply with the ruling, even though it “respectfully disagrees,” adding that it hopes the regulator will hold other firms to the same standard. The board did just that back in June though, making Verizon back down on claims that FiOS fiber “is rated number one in internet speed,” as Ars Technica notes.

Decisions of the review board, which is administered by the Better Business Bureau, aren’t legally binding. However, they could become increasingly important for consumers if, as expected, government regulators like the FCC and FTC take a more hands-off approach under the Trump administration. With a lesser threat of fines or other actions, however, businesses like Comcast (which leads the nation in terrible customer service) might start ignoring them.

Via: Ars Technica

Source: ASRC

Rethink’s workplace robot is now smarter and easier to train

Think of a warehouse robot and a huge, cumbersome machine probably comes to mind. They’re reliable, but difficult to reprogram if you’re not a trained specialist. Rethink Robotics is trying to tackle the problem with Sawyer, a one-armed robot with a tablet for a face. A new software update called Intera 5 means it’s now easier to program for new, custom tasks in the workplace. At its core is a “behavior engine” that can be visualised like a logic tree. Similar to basic coding applications, that makes it easier for people to change specific movements and ‘if this, then that’ style reactions.

Sawyer’s best trick is still its teach-by-demonstration feature. Users can move the arm around and trigger different components by hand, such as its wrist-worn camera, to show what a task should look like. Sawyer will then remember the steps and replicate them on demand — a fast, simple way for businesses to automate construction, diagnostics and repairs. When something went wrong, however, it could be tricky for untrained workers to source and fix the problem, because parts of the underlying code were ‘hidden’ or difficult to find. Now, the robot should be easier to tweak, making initial deployments and complex reassignments faster.

Via: IEEE Spectrum, MIT Technology Review

Source: Rethink Robotics

Facebook puts a weather section in its mobile apps

Facebook aims to offer almost everything you’ll want to have on a phone: games, video and photo filters, chat apps, shopping portals and now even week-long weather forecasts. The social network has rolled out a full-fledged weather section right within its mobile apps, and a spokesperson told TechCrunch that around 95 percent of users around the globe should already have access to it.

To check it out, tap the hamburger menu in the app, click “See More…” or “See All” and find the Weather option somewhere underneath Friends, Events, Groups, Nearby, Shops and the like. That’s where you’ll also find a few experimental Facebook features like the public WiFi finder. In addition, you might see a greeting at the top of your News Feed with that day’s forecast along with a link to the section.

When you do get to the Weather section, you’ll find a basic five-day forecast (Sunny, Rainy, etc.) with temperatures for every hour of the current day from Weather.com’s API. It’s set to your current location by default, but you can always change it in the Settings page — plus, you can toggle between Celsius and Fahrenheit.

Dedicated weather apps can offer more comprehensive info, and they typically allow you to have forecasts for several locations at once. But Facebook’s looks like a decent alternative, especially for those who have Android phones with limited space for applications.

Source: TechCrunch

Tim Cook and UK Prime Minister Theresa May Discuss Apple’s Presence in Country Amid Brexit

Continuing on his lengthy European tour today, Apple CEO Tim Cook has now stopped in London and had a chat with UK Prime Minister Theresa May. According to a spokesperson for May speaking with Business Insider, the meeting focused on Apple’s continued investment in the United Kingdom amid the recent turmoil surrounding Brexit. Overall, the meeting was said to have been “a very positive and useful discussion.”

“It was a meeting with the prime minister. It was a very positive and useful discussion. Apple have made a recent announcement about their investment in the UK and they had a conversation around that and the importance of government and business on digital skills which going forward will clearly be a huge part of the future industry. It was a chance for the prime minister to outline her plans for negotiating our EU exit. It was also a chance for her to reiterate and welcome Apple’s investment in the UK.”

The meeting took place at Downing Street at 10AM local time today, and followed Cook’s visiting of locations including Marseille, Paris, Vreden, Berlin, and Glasgow. On the Vreden, Germany leg of his trip that took place earlier this week, the Apple CEO even met with Dula, a furniture manufacturer that works with Apple to create some of the furniture and hardware used in Apple’s retail stores.

Europe is Apple’s second largest market in terms of revenue, and like all other territories the company continues to expand its presence in the area. Last September, it was announced that Apple was working on building a new UK headquarters in London’s Battersea Power Station, expected to be complete by 2021. The UK is expected to leave the European Union by 2019, so it appears Cook is using his European trip to prepare Apple for the upcoming shift in UK business and politics happening over the next few years.

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.

Tag: Tim Cook
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Fossil’s cracking Q Founder smartwatch deal is the cheapest way to enjoy Android Wear 2.0

Why it matters to you

This is the cheapest way to get a beautiful smartwatch, that’s ready to take the new Android Wear 2.0 software update

Android Wear 2.0 has just been released, and promises to give Google’s wearable operating system a new lease of life; but what’s the cheapest and easiest way to enjoy the new software? Fossil has a cracking offer on its website at the moment. It has reduced the cost of the first-generation Fossil Q Founder watches already, and has now added a special code to drop the price even further. It means you can pick up an Android Wear 2.0-ready watch for just $123.

Head to Fossil’s sale section on its website and find the Q Founder. We reviewed the first-generation watch when it came out, and it quickly became one of our favorite Android Wear watches, next to the Huawei Watch. Through Fossil, the Q Founder costs from $165 — down from its original $295 — but add the MORELUV code at checkout, and you’ll get another 25 percent off that price.

More: Missed out on this Q Founder deal? Maybe you can catch this one for the second-generation version

The cheapest option is the Q Founder with the brown leather strap, which is $165 in the sale, down to $123 with the code. We do suggest paying a little more for one of the metal-strapped Q Founder models. The stainless steel model, which featured in our review, is $175 before the code, and $131 after. Bargain.

There’s almost no difference between the first-generation and second-generation Q Founder, and both have the same 1.5-inch, 360 x 326 pixel, flat-tire-style touchscreen, and an Intel Atom processor. The watch is listed as one which will be updated to Android Wear 2.0 by Google, but it probably won’t come with the software ready to go, and will arrive separately at some time in the future. Other features include 4GB of internal memory, and a 400mAh battery for a day’s worth of use, before it needs a recharge.

If you’re tempted, don’t wait around, because the Q Founder models at this price are all in Fossil’s sale and stocks will inevitably be limited.

Samsung Hello could be the Galaxy S8’s answer to Google Now

One location for your news, social, health and travel plans, backed up by voice interactions.

Personal feeds like the Google Feed (formerly Google Now) and HTC BlinkFeed aren’t a new idea, and phone makers never seem to tire of trying to collate all your personal info and updates into one place. “Samsung Hello” could be the company’s latest attempt to do just that, and based on the timing of a recent trademark filing, a launch alongside the upcoming Galaxy S8 is a good bet.

The European trademark, first spotted by SamMobile refers to an app which “gives personalized features and information based on user’s preferences in the fields of weather, music, entertainment, games, travel, science, health, contact, and social news via voice command and voice recognition.” That sounds an awful lot like the Feed within the Google app, though it’s unclear whether Samsung Hello would be entirely voice-only, or whether there’d also be some visual component.

Will Samsung Hello and the ‘Bixby’ AI be one and the same?

On a drier and more technical level, the filing also mentions “software that enable block users or computers and mobile devices to access, aggregate, organize and interact with content, information and images and topics of general interest to such users.” (Read: showing you stuff you might be interested in — another central feature of the artist formerly known as Google Now.)

It’s also not clear how Hello might tie into the Galaxy S8’s rumored ‘Bixby’ AI assistant, or whether they’re one and the same. Most of the features detailed in the trademark filing would seem to overlap with what you’d get from a voice-controlled assistant.

We should be careful about basing too much on a single trademark filing. While they can be useful indicators of what’s to come, Samsung’s past filings have included dubious marks like “Galaxy Fonblet,” which never went anywhere. Regardless, with “AI” becoming one of the major phone trends of 2017, we’ll be watching with interest to see how Samsung’s AI efforts come into focus. The Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus are rumored to break cover at an event in New York City on March 29.

How to use Android Pay on your Android Wear smartwatch

Android Pay is here and easier to use than ever.

The biggest perk about having access to parts of your smartphone from your watch is convenience. Whether that means checking the weather while you are getting dressed, or being able to easily glance down for a moment to check your notifications. Android Pay is now available for use right from your wrist, provided that your watch is running Android Wear 2.0 and has NFC. As of right now, that’s a list populated by only the LG Watch Sport, but it won’t be this exclusive for too long.

How to set up Android Pay on your watch

Using Android Pay is thankfully an uncomplicated affair once you’ve got everything set up. It will take a few minutes to get yourself situated, so it’s something you’re going to want to do before you roll out of the house to run your errands.

First you’ll want to install Android Pay on your phone, and add the card that you want to use. Next make sure that your watch is connected to your phone via Bluetooth. From here you can open up Android Pay on your watch, and tap add card to choose from your previously-added cards. If you want to add a different card all you need to do is tap add card once again and switch back to your phone to verify details. Once it has been verified it will be added to the cards available with the Android Pay app on your watch.

Step by step instructions to set up Android Pay

Install Android Pay on your phone.
Add the card you want to use, verifying with your bank.
Make sure your watch is connected to your phone via Bluetooth.
Open Android Pay on your watch, tap add card to choose from cards on your phone.

And that’s it!

How to use Android Pay on your watch

In a fast-paced world, there are times when convenience is definitely key. Sometimes you only have a few minutes to dart into the corner store for that caffeine rush first thing in the morning, or you’re already distracted. That’s where having access to Android Pay right from your wrist comes in. With just a tap, you’ll be able to pay for your purchases and continue about your day. For anyone who has accidentally left their wallet (or even their phone) at home, this is a serious boon.

As of right now, the only watch that has access to Android Pay is the LG Watch Sport.

First thing’s first, you’ll want to launch the Android Pay app on your watch. As of right now, the only watch that has access to Android Pay is the LG Watch Sport. By default, the bottom side button will launch Android Pay, and even better, it doesn’t need to be connected to your phone in order to make a payment. If you’re ready to pay with your default card, just place the top edge of your watch to the payment terminal. When the payment is accepted you’ll feel a long vibration on your watch, and the payment terminal will likely also beep.

Now, if you want to switch to one of your alternate cards, that’s also easy to do. If you swipe up on your watch screen, it will reveal additional cards that you can choose from. These are the cards that have been entered and verified in the Android Pay app on your phone. If you want to switch to a new default card, tap on the card it view it, swipe up on the card, and then tap the blue bar with a check mark at the bottom. When it’s time to delete a card follow the same steps, but instead of tapping the blue bar, swipe up one more time and then tap the trash can to delete that card.

Step by step instructions to use Android Pay

To get ready to pay, launch the Android Pay app on your watch.
Place the top edge of your watch to the payment terminal until you get a long vibration on the watch.

• The payment terminal will also likely beep to confirm.

If you want to switch cards before paying, swipe up on the screen to reveal additional cards.

• To change a new card to default, tap on the card to view its details, swipe up on the card and then tap the blue bar with a check mark at the bottom
• To delete a card, follow the same steps but give the bar an extra swipe up and tap the trash can to remove

You’re now ready to pay like a pro with just your smartwatch!

Android Wear

• Everything you need to know about Android Wear 2.0
• LG Watch Sport review
• LG Watch Style review
• These watches will get Android Wear 2.0
• Discuss Android Wear in the forums!