Facebook users pretend the ‘Bowling Green Massacre’ is real

Some of Facebook’s users are using the Safety Check feature to mock outright falsehoods made by Trump advisor Kellyanne Conway. In a recent interview with MSNBC’s Hardball, Conway fabricated a terrorist attack called the “Bowling Green massacre” as a way to defend the president’s immigration ban.

“I bet it’s brand new information to people that President Obama had a six-month ban on the Iraqi refugee program after two Iraqis came here to this country, were radicalized and they were the masterminds behind the Bowling Green massacre,” she said. “Most people don’t know about that because it didn’t get covered.”

The thing is, this didn’t happen, period. The truth of the matter, as New York Times reports, is that two Iraqis living in Bowling Green, Kentucky were arrested for trying to send money and weapons to Iraq in 2011. One is serving a life sentence in prison and the other has a 40-year sentence with a life term of supervised release. Oh and “some Iraqi refugees were admitted to the United States in every month of 2011,” according to the publication.

Thank you @bgdailynews for fact checking. https://t.co/6PLgCsDAV9

— Bowling Green KY (@CityofBGKY) February 3, 2017

So as a way to show support and deride Conway, users are marking themselves as safe in Bowling Green, Kentucky; Bowling Green, New York and other states with a city named as such.

It’s a two-fold joke, really. On one hand you have Conway, known dispenser of “alternative facts” once again authoring lies to prop up her boss. And on the other you have yet another example of Facebook’s lack of oversight.

The rest of the internet has gotten in on the joke as well, setting up a web page dubbed “The Bowling Green Massacre Victims Fund.” As you might expect, the donation page’s link directs to the American Civil Liberties Union’s donation form. If you want to further show your support, the city of Bowling Green (Kentucky) has overlays of its flag available to download and add to your profile picture.

Source: Gizmodo, MSNBC, Bowling Green Massacre Fund

Nintendo’s ‘Fire Emblem Heroes’ Game Earned an Estimated $2.9 Million During First Day

Nintendo’s newly released game Fire Emblem Heroes earned an estimated $2.9 million in worldwide gross revenue during its first 24 hours of availability, according to data shared by app analytics firm Sensor Tower.

Since being released yesterday morning for iOS and Android devices, Fire Emblem Heroes has been downloaded more than two million times from the iOS App Store and the Google Play store. Download numbers may have been affected by a late release in the United States – the game didn’t become available on iOS devices until the afternoon.

At $2.9 million in gross revenue, Fire Emblem Heroes is not quite the hit that Pokémon GO and Super Mario Run were. Pokémon Go earned an estimated $10.2 million during its first 24 hours of availability, while Super Mario Run brought in $8.4 million.

It was also not downloaded quite as many times, likely due to the fact that the Fire Emblem series isn’t as well known as the Mario or Pokémon franchises nor was it as heavily promoted. Pokémon GO was downloaded an estimated 4.2 million times on day one, while Super Mario Run, was downloaded an estimated 6 million times.

Unsurprisingly, Fire Emblem Heroes has proven to be most popular in Japan, with the United States coming in second.

Bringing classic titles to iOS devices has thus far proven to be a successful venture for Nintendo. Super Mario Run set an App Store record with 40 million downloads in just four days. Since its December release, Super Mario Run has brought in more than $53 million in revenue with more than 78 million downloads.

Nintendo plans to continue releasing a steady stream of iOS games, with popular series Animal Crossing said to be one of the next games on the horizon. Nintendo originally said Animal Crossing would be released by March, but recently delayed the title until the following financial year, which runs from April 2017 to March 2018.

Fire Emblem Heroes can be downloaded from the App Store for free. It doesn’t cost anything up front, but Nintendo makes money on the game through in-app purchases for speeding up gameplay. [Direct Link]

Tags: Nintendo, Fire Emblem, Sensor Tower
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Need cases for your Pixel or Pixel XL? Consider MobileFun’s selection

Are you the proud owner of a Google Pixel or Pixel XL smartphone? What are you using to protect against drops, scuffs, and scrapes? Surely you’re not running around with it fully exposed!

We were recently sent a handful of cases for the Pixel XL from our friends at Mobile Fun. If you’ve never heard of them, they offer a wide selection of products including chargers, cables, car kits, mounts, screen protectors, and wearables.

For those of you in the market for a protective case for your Pixel or Pixel XL, we present a handful of options. Further, if you have a different model phone, you’ll surely find plenty of other products to choose from.

Spigen Rugged Armor Google Pixel XL Tough Case

Purchase from MobileFun for $18.99

They say: The new Rugged Armor is Spigen’s latest addition, delivering exceptional protection in a slimline package. Made from a flexible TPU case, the Rugged Armor has been fitted with Spigen’s trademarked Air Cushion Technology which absorbs shocks and impacts, keeping your Google Pixel XL safe and secure at all times.

We say: Flexible and easy to put on, it’s still strong enough to handle moderate abuse. Feel free to be a little bit rough with your phone as this case can absorb your scratches and scrapes. Moreover, it’s thin enough that the buttons still respond nicely to touch. Best of all, it doesn’t add too much to the size.

VRS Design High Pro Shield Google Pixel XL Case

Purchase from MobileFun for $20.99

They say: Protect your phone from scratches, knocks and drops with the VRS Design High Pro Shield Series Case for the Google Pixel XL. Featuring a tough dual-layered hardshell frame construction and a smooth, metallic frame that is tough enough to protect your device, without adding unnecessary bulk.

We say: Although it adds a little bit of width to the overall experience, this case is easy on the eyes and adds functionality. The kickstand is easy to pop out and makes for a pleasurable Netflix, YouTube, or other video viewing. Buttons are responsive, and the bottom ports are easy to reach. Results may vary for the 3.5mm headphone jack; we had some trouble with select cords fitting all the way in.

Olixar Leather-Style Google Pixel XL Wallet Stand Case

Purchase from MobileFun for $10.49

They say: This wallet case is designed to complement the new Google Pixel XL designs, for a classic and classy appearance. The material used is slim yet tough, offering premium protection for your Google Pixel XL against scratches, scrapes and minor impacts, while adding the luxury look and feel associated with the case. The case is finished with stamped Olixar and X motifs – signs of genuine quality – so you can be sure it’s the real deal. The case closes with an elegant magnetic fastener to keep everything nice and secure.

We say: The slots on the inside left are nice and allow for a few of your most needed credit cards, metro passes, and cash. The magnetic fastener is stronger than we expected and allows for quick opening and closing. If you’re like us, you’d probably bust off a snap inside of a week. Bonus points for the case doubling as a landscape mode phone holder.

Olixar ArmourDillo Google Pixel XL Protective Case

Purchase from MobileFun for $10.49

They say: This tough protective case has been designed for those with an active lifestyle. It provides great shock and impact absorption thanks to its lightweight TPU polymer with a precisely positioned hard skeleton for added protection. The design of the exoskeleton extends out to protect vulnerable parts of your Google Pixel XL such as the corners and sides.

We say: The strongest of the bunch here, you’d have to do a real number on the case if you’re looking to scratch it up. Easy to grip, there’s no slippage whatsoever, even when your hands are wet.  The kickstand is a great touch and adds next to nothing to the profile. It’s thicker than the others in this list, but we definitely feel more secure with it.

Cruzerlite Bugdroid Circuit Google Pixel XL Case

Purchase from MobileFun for $13.99

They say: These Cruzerlite gel cases are made from shock absorbent and scratch-resistant thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU). They are slim-fitting and provide great protection for the Google Pixel XL from day-to-day use, to accidental knocks and drops.

We say: Lightweight, thin, and flexible, this case is more for aesthetics than protection. Available in a variety of colors, it adds a semi-transparent print of what looks to be computer circuits. The cutouts give you full access to the volume and power buttons.

See also

Although we’ve listed five here, nearly all of the above are sold in different colors and finishes. Moreover, there are a number of other brands who offer cases for the Pixel and Pixel XL through MobileFun. Here are a few others to get you started:

• Caseology
• Encase
• Ghostek

Note that these cases were provided to us at no cost and under no obligations; they were for promotional consideration. Other models selected to be highlighted by our editorial staff were done at random.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 will ship with S Pen – but without a slot for it

Samsung is going to be in Barcelona in a couple weeks to launch an Android tablet that will ship with S Pen, according to a new report.

SamMobile has claimed that the tablet, called the Galaxy Tab S3, will come with the S Pen stylus as part of a bundle. Previous Samsung devices that shipped with S Pens, including the Note line, came with a slot in the body for storing the stylus, but the Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 will simply ship with one in the box. In other words, it won’t have a designated slot for you to slide in and store the stylus.

Other accessories, according to SamMobile, will include a “Keyboard Folio” and a “Book Cover case”. The flagship tablet is expected to feature a 9.6-inch 2048×1536 resolution display, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 820 chipset, an upgraded 4GB of RAM, 12-megapixel camera, 5.6mm-thick frame, and availability in both Wi-Fi-only and LTE models. It will also ship with a version of Android Nougat.

• Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 “confirmed” for MWC reveal
• Mobile World Congress 2017: Nokia, Sony, Huawei and more
• Samsung Galaxy Tab S3: What’s the story so far?

Samsung should officially announce the Galaxy Tab S3 on 26 February. In the US, you will be able to buy the Galaxy Tab S3 from Verizon and US Cellular, at the very least. However, Samsung will likely first release the tablet in South Korea by March.

Pocket-lint will be at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona to bring you the very latest from Samsung as it happens.

Take the internet’s best dogs for simulated runs with ‘Good Dogs’

When life gets you down and the world appears to be coming apart at the seams, nothing calms a troubled mind quite like a good run through the park with your favorite doggo. Now thanks to WeRateDogs, the internet’s number one professional dog rater, you can do just that from just about anywhere.

GOOD DOGS

OUT NOW ON IOS AND ANDROID
(it’s a good game, Brent)

DOWNLOAD HEREhttps://t.co/Svxf2qgrGu pic.twitter.com/0PabHnFbuh

— WeRateDogs™ (@dog_rates) February 3, 2017

Good Dogs, which is available on both iOS and Android, is “the most realistic and numerically accurate dog running simulator ever,” according to its developer. It’s an infinite runner in the same vein as Crossy Road or Super Mario Run. Players can buy or unlock seven different breeds of dog including Corgicools, Byzantine Rigatonis, Labracadabradors and even the super rare Peruvian Horned Pup. You can also earn different coat colors for each dog and even find some adorable little hats for them to wear. The park and its obstacles will also change each month, to keep the action fresh.

The game mechanics are simple enough: swipe left and right to turn the dog as she runs and hold down to charge up a pup jump. Beyond that, it’s simply a matter of dodging obstacles while collecting golden bones which can be traded in for digital prizes.

Source: DogRates (Twitter)

Goodbye for ‘Now’: Google Now Launcher will reportedly be discontinued

Why it matters to you

If the Google Now Launcher is removed from the Play Store, there will be no official alternatives for Android devices until the Pixel Launcher is made available for everyone.

Google may be gearing up to discontinue the Google Now Launcher, the default launcher on devices running stock Android before the Pixel was released last fall.

According to a leaked email from the Android team at Google Mobile Services, which was obtained by Android Police, “Google Now Launcher will be unpublished from Google Play” in the first quarter of 2017.

More: Google’s latest Live Case designs inspired by a NYC Ballet performance

“Although users would not be able to download and install the launcher from the Google Play Store, Google will continue to support existing users of the Google Now Launcher by updating the Google Search app,” according to the email.

The Google Now Launcher debuted with the Nexus 5 in 2013, but it was called the Google Experience Launcher at the time. It was rebranded the following year when Google made it available to most Android devices on the Play Store. The launcher introduced the ability to access Google Now directly from the home screen.

Google has been rebranding a lot lately — many of Now’s features are simply a part of the Google search app, and the company recently removed all mentions of “Google Now” from the Google app. The Pixel Launcher became the new standard when the Google Pixel was released in 2016, but it’s currently only exclusive to the Pixel. It’s similar to the Google Now Launcher, in that you can access the Now page by swiping right on the home screen.

More: Discover new recipes and fine-tune your search results via the Google app

In the email, Google says the Search Launcher Services library is available for manufacturers — this means any Android smartphone manufacturer can integrate the Now feed directly into their launcher. The email also says that Google Now Launcher will be removed from the optional Google Mobile Services package on March 1 — any devices with the launcher preinstalled will not be approved.

Google told Digital Trends it does not comment on rumors and speculation.

A mystery Samsung phone has emerged online, sporting a MediaTek processor

Why it matters to you

A low-cost option from Samsung may be on the way, if leaks are any indication.

Historically, Samsung has sourced smartphone processors from its own internal chip division, or from chip maker Qualcomm. The Snapdragon S7 Edge, for example, uses a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor and Exynos 8890, depending on the model. But the company recently inked a contract with MediaTek, a manufacturer of low-cost CPUs, to use the chipmaker’s processors in low-cost smartphones and tablets. If rumblings are to be believed, one of the first fruits of that partnership is on the way.

It February, a mystery Samsung device with the model number SM-G615F was spotted on benchmarking website GFXBench. The listing shows a handset with a 5.7-inch 1080p display, a 2.3GHz MediaTek Helio P20 processor paired with 3GB of RAM, and 32GB of internal storage. It sports a 12-megapixel camera on the front and back and runs the latest version of  Android 7.0 Nougat.

More: Another octa-core chip is coming to Android KitKat phones in 2014

Details about the yet-to-be-announced smartphone are hard to come by. We don’t know when it’s likely to be announced or even which of Samsung’s phones it will replace. SamMobile points out that Samsung referred to the original Galaxy On7 and On7 (2016) as the SM-G600 and SM-G610, respectively, suggesting the phone might be a next-generation On7. But it’s too early to say for certain.

Whichever branding the device receives, it’s a meaningful step forward in Samsung and MediaTek’s relationship. According to some reports, Samsung worked with the chip supplier to build phones running Tizen, its proprietary mobile operating system. In late 2016, MediaTek Chairman Tsai Ming-kai told the press that it was actively working with Samsung on devices that would ship in the coming months.

It’s good news for MediaTek. According to analyst Arisa Liu at the Taiwan Institute of Economic Research, the chip maker’s global market share could substantially increase as a result of its relationship with Samsung, which is expected to order “as much as 10 percent” of MediaTek’s processors this year.

More: Apple vs. Qualcomm: Everything you need to know

Qualcomm’s travails could have something to do with it. In December, the Korea Fair Trade Commission sued the electronics behemoth for allegedly violating antitrust laws in the way that it licenses its patents and sells modems for smartphones and other devices. According to the Korea Fair Trade Commission (KFTC), Qualcomm uses its dominance in the industry to elbow out the competition. Manufacturers are given a choice: Either pay inflated royalties for the use of Qualcomm’s essential patents or face intellectual property lawsuits.

Following the KFTC’s filing, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission filed suit, as did iPhone maker Apple. Both contended that Qualcomm required that Apple pay a percentage of the revenue it made for the iPhone, iPad, and other devices in return for the use of Qualcomm’s patents.

Qualcomm denies the allegations.

Realdoll is building a fleet of AI-powered sex robots with customizable personalities

Why it matters to you

Does your wife criteria include programmable personalities to fit any occasion? If so, you may be interested in Realdoll’s forthcoming sex robot ecosystem. Just remember to put it away when you have visitors!

Sex doll manufacturer Realdoll is dipping its toe (and we don’t want to know which other body parts) into the world of artificial intelligence and robotics with a forthcoming robot sex assistant that promises to form a “real bond” with its, erm, users.

The new system is made up of several components, which will roll out over the course of this year and next. It will begin with the Harmony AI app, scheduled for release on April 15, followed by the company’s “first robotic head systems,” set to launch by the end of the year. A virtual reality platform will ship sometime in 2018.

It’s not going to be cheap, mind you: the head alone will set you back $10,000. No pun intended.

More: Ohroma’s ‘smell-o-vision’ VR wants to put your nose in a porn star’s room

“We are developing the Harmony AI system to add a new layer to the relationships people can have with a Realdoll,” Realdoll CEO Matt McMullen told Digital Trends. “Many of our clients rely on their imaginations to a great degree to impose imagined personalities on their dolls. With the Harmony AI, they will be able to actually create these personalities instead of having to imagine them. They will be able to talk to their dolls, and the AI will learn about them over time through these interactions, thus creating an alternative form of relationship. The scope of conversations possible with the AI is quite diverse, and not limited to sexual subject matter.”

From the sound of things, the Harmony system may be back-compatible with some of the existing dolls the company offers, although we’re sure that more clarification will be made available at a later date. With the AI system, users can choose from a range of personality traits (kind, sexual, shy, naive, brainy, etc.) and then choose how strongly these characteristics are engrained in their new acquaintance.

“We feel that this system, and this technology, will appeal to a segment of the population that struggles with forming intimate connections with other people, whether by choice or circumstance,” McMullen continued. “Furthermore, it will likely attract those who seek to explore uncharted and new territory where relationships and sex are concerned.”

We do worry about the resale value, though.

Alexa hackathon points to future where virtual assistants talk just like humans

Why it matters to you

The digital assistants seen in movies like Her or Iron Man may not be as far off as you think, if the Alexa hackathon is any indication.

While current Amazon Alexa assistive features are great, they are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to what future digital assistants might be capable of. Giving us a hint at that future recently was the Alexa hackathon hosted by Automated Insights, the company behind Wordsmith, the natural language-generation platform.

The idea behind the hackathon was to combine Alexa’s cloud-based assistance with Wordsmith’s natural sounding cadence to create a tool that responds more naturally to users. Teams were tasked with combining the two services in new and exciting ways, and the event drew innovators from The Associated Press, Lincoln Financial, NASDAQ, TicketMaster, and Reverb Nation, among others.

More: Being a Plex user gets even easier thanks to the service’s new Alexa skill

As you might expect from many of the participants, a lot of what they created were new business tools. Alexa, when augmented with Wordsmith, was able to analyze stock options, offer tips before important meetings, and evaluate sports plays.

Other teams were able to have Alexa share information on a child’s academic achievements, suggest new TV shows or movies to watch, and give a report on a vulnerable loved one.

The winning team came from fleet management firm Omnitracs. It created a system where Alexa users could ask about truck driver performance. In return, they would receive information on how the drivers operated that was drawn from the company’s telematics system.

Automated Insights wants to continue exploring integration with Alexa, believing that the human voice could prove to be a fundamental input mechanism for our digital futures.

“It was exciting to see the future of natural language technologies in action. Alexa can now leverage Wordsmith to provide natural spoken conversations, and the possibilities are endless,” said CEO Robbie Allen.

Both Automated Insights and Amazon plan to hold a joint hackathon event later this year.

Cisco Prime Home vulnerability could let attackers into your home network

Why it matters to you

As careful as you might be to keep your internet connected devices updated, access to some — like your router and modem — are completely out of your control.

As we connect more and more devices to the internet, we create more and more potential security vulnerabilities. While we’re usually aware of the gadgets we use every day — our PCs, smartphones, and tablets — we might now always think about just how secure are all of our other connected devices like networked cameras, cable boxes, and internet modems.

Sometimes, our own devices can be compromised by systems outside of our control, such as internet service providers and other companies who can access our devices remotely. Cisco Prime Home is a system that such companies use to remotely manage things like set-top boxes, modems, and routers, and that system has recently suffered a security vulnerability, Bitdefender’s blog reports.

More: On edge after the DDoS attack? Here’s how to prevent your smart home from being hacked

Basically, the vulnerability is in Cisco Prime Home’s web graphical user interface (GUI) and it could allow a remote, unauthorized attacker to access devices managed by the service with administrator privileges. By sending a series of commands via an unsecured HTTP connection to a specific network address, the attacker can gain the same access to managed devices as an administrator.

Having administrator access to anything is a very big deal and this particular vulnerability is a serious one. Someone who exploits the vulnerability could gain access and control over any device managed by Cisco Prime Home. That means that no matter how carefully you secure your devices yourself, there is another possible avenue of attack that is completely outside of your control and knowledge.

Cisco issued a fix for the service, meaning that the companies who use it to manage your devices should have already updated and resolved the vulnerability. You may not even be aware of which of your service providers are using Cisco Prime Home and so there is really not a lot you can do except hope that those companies are keeping up their end of the security bargain.