Trump’s Nordstrom tweet isn’t illegal, but it’s still a problem
When Donald Trump became president of the United States, many thought his off-the-cuff tweeting days were over. Surely he would adopt the seriousness of his new role as leader of the free world and apply more discretion over what he says on social media. It seems, however, that he hasn’t. In the past month, he has used Twitter as a platform to shout down federal judges, complain about Saturday Night Live and launch endless attacks on the media. On Wednesday morning, the President once again took to Twitter to air his grievances, but this time, he took aim at Nordstrom. He said:
“My daughter Ivanka has been treated so unfairly by @Nordstrom. She is a great person — always pushing me to do the right thing! Terrible!”
My daughter Ivanka has been treated so unfairly by @Nordstrom. She is a great person — always pushing me to do the right thing! Terrible!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 8, 2017
Many of the responses to this tweet mentioned how weird it seemed for Trump to be talking about his daughter’s clothing line, which seems rather inconsequential when compared to matters of government. What’s even weirder is that the @POTUS account retweeted it, meaning that either he or someone on his team wanted that message spread far and wide.
Some also thought the tweet represented a conflict of interest, because it looks as if he’s using his power for the financial benefit of his family. And indeed, if you look at the US Office of Government Ethics guidelines for the Executive Branch, it clearly states that “an employee shall not use his public office for his own private gain, for the endorsement of any product, service or for the private gain of friends, relatives, or persons with whom the employee is affiliated in a nongovernmental capacity [.]”
The problem, however, is that the President is exempt from this rule. “If he was any other person in the government, it would be a clear violation,” said Jon D. Michaels, a professor at UCLA’s School of Law. “Because he’s attempting to use his position to influence the financial well-being of his family.” But as laid out in federal statute Title 18 US Code Section 202, the President and Vice President aren’t subject to the same rule. They’re not considered officers or employees of the government.
Well, why aren’t they? There are a couple of reasons. “One explanation is that there are certain times where the president needs discretion to act in a way that we wouldn’t accept from a lower-level official,” said Michaels.
But what’s more likely is that until now, it just wasn’t necessary for the law to apply to the president. “Under normal circumstances, we wouldn’t have to dig around for these statutes, because the president knows that all eyes are on him at all times. He’s going to presumably behave in a way that steers clear of such conflict.”
Obviously, however, we live in different times now. “This is new,” Michaels said. Previous presidents never saw the need or desire to take advantage of this exemption. “Largely as a manner of practice and custom, presidents have steered clear of it.” Plus, Michaels pointed out that one of the reasons presidents never did this is because it would have severe political cost, possibly alienating potential voters.
Additionally, the tweet doesn’t make clear the President’s intent. Does he plan to lead a boycott against Nordstrom? Is he planning some kind of regulatory repercussion? It’s not clear that he’s going that far, thus avoiding any potential legal issues, said Michaels.
The President is still subject to a few conflict-of-interest laws of course, such as the emoluments clause that prevents him from accepting presents from foreign governments without Congressional consent. There are also laws that require financial disclosures and anti-nepotism laws that prevent family members from gaining positions of power. But the president has so far skirted most of these issues.
“This administration is essentially getting as close as possible to violating a lot of laws, but never actually stepping past it,” said Michaels. “The more he does, the more he pushes these lines […] the more people will push back. The poll numbers are very low for a president in his first 100 days.”
It’s culturally and politically problematic.
But even if it isn’t illegal, the whole thing still doesn’t look good. “It has all the appearances of serious impropriety,” said Michaels. “It’s not law, but it is much more about the pitfalls of maintaining the legitimacy and impartiality of the office of the president. It’s culturally and politically problematic.”
“While the president directly calling out brands for alleged unfairness towards his daughter and her brand is completely in character for him, it’s not in line with what we expect the president of the United States to be concerned about or focusing his time on,” said Chris Allieri, founder and principal of Mulberry & Astor, a marketing and communications consultancy.
“Imagine if the judges had tweeted back at Trump when he called them out,” said Michaels. “We wouldn’t want that. It would be completely debasing the judiciary. One of the reasons judges command our respect is because they’re careful when they speak.”
“Take a look at who he targets,” he said, pointing out that Trump mostly attacks people who can’t fight back. “Judges can’t fight back. Bureaucracy can’t fight back. Military can’t fight back. They’re sworn to stay out of politics. He’s not being respectful of their limitations and their space.”
“I think that by engaging in this sort of petty, hyper-personalized public discussion, he further weakens his ability to lead a very divided nation,” said Allieri. “He has built a brand on plain-talking attacks, high on timeliness and bravado and low on accuracy, diplomacy, or tact.”
Tesla may start pilot production of the Model 3 on February 20
We have good news for anyone anxiously waiting for delivery of a Tesla Model 3. Reuters reports that Tesla will start pilot production of its cheapest model on February 20. The news outlet cites anonymous sources who are “familiar with the matter,” and points out that Tesla could potentially announce this production when fourth-quarter earnings are released. That’s rather fortuitous timing, if true.
Keep in mind that any cars built in this test phase won’t reach consumers since they will be built to test the production line. It’s also possible that February 20 is a target date that could be missed – something of which Tesla has a history. Plus, as Reuters points out, some final design changes or supplier issues that Tesla can’t directly control could delay test production.
However, it’s also not completely unbelievable that Tesla could be at this point in Model 3 development. It has begun mass production of the battery that will be featured in the Model 3 at the Gigafactory. And if everything went according to plan, it should have had the design for the Model 3 nailed down several months ago, barring any final design changes. Regardless, we will likely know whether Tesla starts production in a couple of weeks.
Related Video:
Source: Reuters
NASA figured out how to make Venus-resistant electronics
There’s a reason why we’re focused on colonizing Mars rather than Venus: the latter is absolutely inhospitable. Its atmosphere is 96 percent carbon dioxide and in terms of pressure, 92 times stronger than Earth’s. That’s not counting the fact that the planet is the hottest in our solar system. Needless to say, getting a computer to work on Venus’ surface is a challenge. But NASA scientists might have cracked what it takes to keep electronics functioning on the sulfuric planet.
Prior to this, any such equipment would require “pressure vessels and/or cooling systems” to keep sensitive electronics safe. Scientists from NASA’s Glenn Research Center tossed an oscillator into the Glenn Extreme Environments Rig, cranked the machine up to Venus-levels of heat and pressure and waited to see what happened. How’d it fare? Pretty well. The interconnect wires, when combined with silicon carbide chips and protected by ceramics, withstood the harsh elements with aplomb. Some 521 hours later, the oscillator was removed.
When you consider the previous record of survival on Venus’ surface was two hours and seven minutes on the Soviet craft Venera 13 in 1982, this is even more impressive. All told, this should dramatically increase the amount of data we can glean about the planet’s caustic environment, and help supplement NASA’s plan for airship cities floating above Venus.
Via: Ars Technica
Source: AIP Advances
Transform your desktop into a concert hall with these computer speakers
Sadly, the built-in speakers lining your laptop or monitor are rarely worthy of praise. With those chintzy stock speakers, you’re missing out on all the nuance that goes into the creation of your favorite songs, film scores, and, of course, Overwatch taunts. So a quality speaker system is essential if you want to make the most of your media.
More: The best headphones you can buy
With that in mind, we’ve put together a list of our favorite speakers for your PC. We can’t guarantee they’ll make Bastion’s fanfare any less infuriating, but at least it will sound better.
The Best
Aperion Allaire ($400)
The Allaire offers the most complete combination of high-end sound quality, versatility, and connectivity in the genre. With Bluetooth, a digital optical input, an analog input, a subwoofer output, and a USB port for charging devices, the Allaire is suitable for almost any installation. It includes a 1-inch dome tweeter and a 4-inch woven fiberglass woofer. However, what really sells us on this set is its outstanding sound quality, which offers rich bass response, pure midrange details, and pristine treble. For a desktop that often doubles as an entertainment center, there is no better choice at this price point.
Read our full review
Buy them now from:
Aperion Audio
Sony Xperia X Series 2017 rumors and news
Why it matters to you
Sony’s newest smartphones will likely feature great cameras at reasonable price points.
It’s that time again: After just about a year of smartphones large, compact, and every size in-between, Sony is gearing up to make two midrange additions to a familiar series. Rumor has it that a new Xperia X and Xperia XA are right around the corner, and the details have already begun to leak in earnest.
Here’s everything we know about the Xperia X and Xperia XA.
Sony Xperia XA 2017
While the Sony Xperia XA won’t be as high powered as the Xperia X, it’s still shaping up to be quite a nice device, especially depending on its price point.
Design
The design of the Xperia X remains a mystery, for now, but we do have a few looks at the Xperia XA. The most recent look comes from a leak that was picked up by Android Headlines, and it pretty much confirms previous leaks of the phone that we’ve seen, including that it looks like the device will be made out of metal. Check out the images for yourself below.
Previously, a rendering of the Xperia XA leaked on Chinese website Eprice in early 2017.
The image in question shows a smartphone very much in line with the outgoing Xperia XA. The new Xperia XA will apparently retain the series’ signature ultrathin bezels, slightly curved edges, and flat, simple look. It’ll have a volume rocker and power button in the same accented style as last year’s Xperia XA, and familiar flat plates on the top and bottom.
The renders revealed a number of potential color options, including red, purple, and blue. Assuming the new models’ pricing remains in line with last year’s entries, the Xperia XA and Xperia X will cost around $280 and $550, respectively.
Specs
The Xperia XA reportedly boasts a USB Type-C port, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a potential bump from 2GB of RAM to 3GB. Sony is expected to stick with a MediaTek processor this time around, same as last year’s Xperia XA. And if the screen resolution doesn’t change, it’ll likely sport a 720p panel.
Sony Xperia X 2017
The Sony Xperia X could end up as quite a nice device if leaks are to be believed. We’ve heard quite a bit about the new Sony Xperia X so far.
Specs
Specifications for the Xperia X leaked in January on benchmarking app AnTuTu under the code name G3221. Assuming they haven’t been doctored, Sony’s second midrange follow-up will sport a Full HD (1,920 x 1,080 pixels) screen and a MediaTek Helio P20 processor paired with 4GB of RAM. It’ll have up to 64GB of internal storage, and launch running Android 7.0 Nougat.
For the sake of comparison, last year’s Xperia X featured a Snapdragon 650 processor, along with 3GB of RAM, and either 32 or 64GB of storage.
It’s too early to say what sort of imaging tech the Xperia XA will be packing, but leaks suggest the Xperia X’s cameras are largely in line with its predecessor.
The Xperia X is expected to boast a 16MP front camera and 23MP rear camera.
Last year’s model marked the debut of Sony’s Exmor RS sensor (1/2.3-inches on the rear and 1/3-inch on the front) and predictive hybrid autofocus, the latter of which helped the handset lock focus on moving subjects.
Release date and price
If history is any indication, Sony will likely unveil the new Xperia X at next month’s 2017 Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain. It was the venue the company chose to debut last year’s Xperia X, alongside the Xperia X Performance and Xperia XA, and the company’s Mobile division has announced a press conference for February 27, during the convention’s media day.
Pricing and availability details will come later. Last year, Sony waited until the annual Computex convention in Taiwan in Junee to launch the new Xperia phones unlocked via online retailers like Amazon, Best Buy, B&H Photo Video, and Reagan Wireless.
Updated on 02-08-2017 by Christian de Looper: Added newly leaked images from Android Headlines.
Want mood music that matches the weather? Try Climatune from Spotify
Why it matters to you
The weather invariably affects your mood, so it ought to affect your music preferences, too. Now you can get those preferences in a playlist from Climatune.
Don’t you want to hear Justin Bieber sing about all those times you rained on his parade on days when it’s raining? Spotify understands, and while it already has a playlist for a rainy day, it’s now upping its game with a new partnership with AccuWeather. Meet Climatune, a new project that understands just how much your mood and your music tastes are affected by the weather.
Meant to give music fans “insights into how the weather around them affects the music they listen to every day,” this new site hopes to provide the soundtrack to every climate. In order to compile these weather-specific playlists, Spotify and AccuWeather poured over some 85 billion anonymized streams in over 900 cities nationwide, and found, perhaps not surprisingly, that sunny days generally lead to happier and higher-energy music listening, whereas rainy days elicit acoustic, sad sounds. Snowy days, curiously enough, are a recipe for instrumental music.
More: Want the perfect pair of headphones? Aiaiai uses your Spotify data to build them
Not everyone, however, is affected by different weather patterns in the same way. For example, those in New York City and Philadelphia seem most adversely affected by what’s happening outside, as they substantially change their music listening habits when it rains to more morose tunes. Conversely, Chicagoans stream happier music, perhaps to combat the feeling of blues that come along with a grey day. Similarly, Miami and Seattle listeners tend to listen to more energetic music on cloudy days, whereas those in San Francisco put a sad song on when the sun’s not out.
“There is a clear connection between what’s in the skies and what’s on users’ play queues,” said Spotify data researcher, Ian Anderson. “For almost all of the major cities around the world that we studied, sunny days translate to higher streams of happier-sounding music,” he added. “Sunny weather has an even bigger impact in Europe.”
Ultimately, all this information has led to the Climatune service, which will pinpoint your geographic location and put together a list of 30 tracks to best reflect your mood and that of the weather. So if you’re on a sunny beach in Miami, you’ll get a very different playlist than you would on a snowy day at the base of the Himalayas.
You can check out the dedicated Climatune site for yourself here.
Developers are free to make feature-rich Windows 10 Creators Update apps
Why it matters to you
Developers can now start making awesome apps for Windows 10 Creators Update, coming in April 2017.
The next big thing in Windows 10 is the upcoming Creators Update, which will introduce a number of new features including Game Mode, better 3D support, and more. Creators Update is expected in April 2017, so it’s only a couple of months away.
Microsoft kicked off its second Creators Update Bug Bash last week, which at this point could be taken to imply that the update is feature-complete. The company announced on Wednesday that the Creators Update software development kit (SDK) is officially feature-complete, as MSPU reports.
More: Everything you must know about Windows 10 Creators Update and Surface Studio
The SDK is what developers will use to create apps that take advantage of all of the new features to be introduced in Windows 10 Creators Update. If Microsoft is finished adding features to the SDK, then that some support to the idea that the company is done adding features to the update as well. Developers can download the latest Windows 10 Creators Update SDK here.
As a refresher, Creators Update will be adding new features aimed at creative professionals, such as enhanced 3D support, a new 3D Paint app, and a new portal where new 3D creations can be saved and shared. Microsoft will also be enhancing the Windows 10’s Windows Holographic virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) subsystem, in support of new lower-cost VR/AR systems on their way from the company’s OEM partners.
Gamers will also get a number of new features, including a new Game Mode to help optimize game performance and integrated Beam game streaming, and will be able to more easily created tournaments via Xbox Live Arena, inviting their friends on both Windows 10 PCs and Xbox One.
The latest Windows Insider preview builds have incorporated many of these new features, and if you’re using the last build then you likely already have an idea of what the ultimate Creators Update is going to look like. If you’re not an Insider, then you don’t have too much more time to wait before Creators Update hits your Windows 10 devices.
‘Lab on a chip’ diagnosis tool costs just one cent, could save countless lives
Why it matters to you
Making medical diagnosis more affordable can go a long way to treating worldwide epidemic diseases.
It’s one thing to invent impressive technology and another entirely to do it at a price point that truly makes it accessible to people around the world.
Researchers at Stanford University have achieved both with an impressive new “lab on a chip” system which, by their estimation, costs just one cent to make — but could help diagnose diseases as wide-ranging as malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV.
More: Harvard’s 3D-printed heart on a chip hopes to make drug testing safer
“The motivation was how to export technology, how to decrease the cost of medical diagnosis, and how to democratize medical research,” researcher Rahim Esfandyarpour, an engineering associate at the Stanford Technology Center, told Digital Trends. “We hope to bring affordable and accessible technology-based solutions to medicine by designing something that everyone can use to create their own required instrumentation.”
The lab on a chip is made up of two parts. There is a transparent silicone microfluidic chamber that is used for housing cells and a reusable electronic strip. Then there is a standard inkjet printer (sold separately) with which an electronic strip can be printed onto a sheet of flexible polyester using conductive nanoparticle ink.
The process requires no fancy “clean room” and printing takes just 20 minutes.
Rahim Esfandyarpour helped to develop a way to create a diagnostic “lab on a chip” for just a penny.
Zahra Koochak/Stanford School of Medicine
The idea is that it can analyze cell types based on how they are pulled in different directions in the microfluidic chamber when an electrical field is applied. Using it, researchers can isolate individual cells and much more — with a price point that, in some cases, is literally $100,000 less than a commercial lab-standard machine would cost to do the same thing.
“Enabling early detection of disease is honestly one of the greatest opportunities that we have for developing treatment and prevention strategy, as well as for reducing the cost of healthcare,” Esfandyarpour continued.
It all sounds complicated and, from a design perspective, it is, but the way in which it can be used makes it accessible to people even with minimal training.
As to when it will be available, Esfandyarpour said there may be a bit of a wait, however. “Although we have very interesting results, it still requires more work in order to carry out commercialization of the solution,” he said. “We’re doing our best to get it ready as soon as possible, but it’s hard to give a specific date because there are some many factors involved — including the funding.”
Nearly half the Oculus Rift kiosks in Best Buy stores are going bye-bye
Why it matters to you
The removal of Oculus Rift kiosks from Best Buy stores may be a signal of the product’s declining status, as well as an impediment to curious customers seeking a demo.
Just under half of the Oculus Rift demo kiosks in Best Buy stores across the U.S. are being shut down, according to a report from Business Insider. The reason? It could be a lack of interest from shoppers.
Apparently, it wasn’t uncommon for Best Buy employees “to go days without giving a single demonstration,” the website said. A memo between a third-party company and store employees reportedly confirmed that the move is due to poor “store performance.” An Oculus spokesperson later confirmed with the website that the Best Buy Rift pop-ups are closing, but said the shift is due to “seasonal changes” and that Oculus is “prioritizing demos … in larger markets.”
More: These 12 Oculus Rift games are the best way to experience virtual reality
The move will reportedly affect 200 of the 500 Best Buy locations in the U.S. that currently have Oculus Rift demo stations. “We still believe the best way to learn about VR is through a live demo,” the spokesperson, Andrea Schubert, said. “We’re going to find opportunities to do regular events and pop-ups in retail locations and local communities throughout the year.” She mentioned that stores in Canada will still have the demo kiosks as well.
Business Insider’s report cited multiple unnamed sources who said that the demo stations were often too buggy to use and demos were infrequent even during the holidays. Another of the site’s sources said that Facebook, which owns Oculus, has considered opening dedicated storefronts to sell the headset, but that those talks are still in the early stage.
Best Buy stores will continue to carry the Rift headsets even if their kiosks get shut down, a Best Buy spokesperson told the site. The Oculus Rift stations first appeared in Best Buy stores early in 2016, with only 48 stores getting units. The partnership later expanded to 500 stores. That number will scale back down to 300.
The Rift kickstarted the current virtual reality craze, but since launching last year has faced stiff competition from the higher-end HTC Vive and the more accessible PlayStation VR.
MrMobile’s best Android tablet (is from 2015)
It’s been 15 months since Google’s Pixel C launched, and it hasn’t diminished in quality (or price). It still has some annoying bugs, and there’s still software that just won’t work in landscape mode, but after over a year since release, I still find myself gravitating toward it whenever I’m able to leave my bigger machines behind.
I’m Michael Fisher, alias MrMobile, and it’d be ridiculous for me to suggest you buy the Pixel C … at full price. But when it goes on sale, or it comes bundled with the attachable keyboard, I’m in enthusiastic agreement with what Jerry Hildenbrand said: the Pixel C is a handy piece of hardware, and it’s (still) my favorite Android tablet of the year (so far). Hit play on this video, and let me tell you what’s great (and not-so) about the Pixel C in 2017.
Featured Products
- Pixel C
- Pixel C Keyboard
Stay social, my friends
- YouTube
- The Web
- Snapchat
AIVAnet 