Google just made Assistant a much more prominent feature in Allo

Google Assistant just became a core, easily accessible feature in Allo.

On the same day that Google announced it has begun rolling out Google Assistant via an update to more devices running Android 7.0 Nougat and Android 6.0 Marshmallow, the company also announced a new update for its Allo chat app that makes Assistant easily accessible. It is adding a button so that you can access Assistant directly from the area where you type out a message to friends.

• What is Google Assistant, how does it work, and which devices offer it?

Previously, you had to type “@google” in order to cue up Assistant. Now, pressing the Assistant button will do the same thing, only it’ll save you time, as well as make the feature standout for users who otherwise might not know it exists or don’t know how to find it. The update will also bring Assistant into your chats with other people, so you can quickly use it to find nearby restaurants or whatever.

Google Allo

Apart from introducing an Assistant button, Allo is getting the ability to search for GIFs and some huge emoji that become animated when you use the app’s “shout” feature. The update is rolling out now for Android and should come to Allo for iOS “soon”.

• Google Assistant tips and tricks: Master your Android assistant

Lego is honouring the women of NASA with this cool new set

Lego’s latest set should make space-geek feminists very happy.

The company is developing a new Lego set featuring five historic women who contributed to NASA’s space program. MIT News editor Maia Weinstock created the set, called Women of NASA, and submitted it to the Lego Ideas competition. It racked up the 10,000 votes required for Lego to mull manufacturing it, and now Lego has announced it will make the concept into a real set you can buy.

• Watch NASA’s year-long timelapse of Earth from a million miles away

The five women include computer scientist Margaret Hamilton, who developed the on-board software used in Apollo missions to the moon, physicist and mathematician Katherine Johnson, who calculated trajectories and launches for NASA missions such as Apollo 11, astronaut and physics professor Sally Ride, who became the first American woman in space, NASA executive Nancy Grace Roman, who is known for her work on the Hubble, and astronaut Mae Jemison, who became the first African-American woman to travel to space.

Thrilled to finally share: @LegoNASAWomen has passed the @LEGOIdeas Review and will soon be a real LEGO set! https://t.co/rcyjANsVD9 pic.twitter.com/b9OVx5UBaL

— Maia Weinstock (@20tauri) February 28, 2017

According to the BBC, Weinstock made the set because she wanted to encourage girls to pursue STEM fields like engineering, science, and mathematics, and she wanted boys to “internalise at an early age that these careers are for everyone, not only men.”

Lego should start selling the set this year or in early 2018.

Google Assistant starts rolling out to Android M and N devices

It’s here: native support for Google Assistant officially started rolling out to Android phones running Marshmallow or Nougat on Thursday. As Engadget noted earlier in the week, Google’s conversational digital assistant no longer needs a Pixel phone or the Allo app to work, but you may need to check your phone’s specs before you get access.

Users will need to be running Android M or N on a phone with Google Play services and at least 1.5GB of RAM and a 720p screen to get Assistant’s new features. The rollout will also be staggered so that English language users in the US will see it show up first, followed by another wave of rollouts to Canadians and Australians. German users will also get the service in their native tongue, but other languages aren’t expected until “the coming year.” While the LG G6 gets to claim the title of first non-Google device to ship with Assistant, we can expect other manufacturers with recently released devices to start touting the new bonus feature soon.

There were so many games at GDC’s ID@Xbox showcase

Microsoft’s ID@Xbox showcase is a staple of GDC, packing a ton of independent video games into a single room and letting players go wild. This year, ID@Xbox featured 20 games across a range of genres, from shoot-em-ups and RPGs to first-person cyberpunk horror. It’s impossible to play every game, so we picked four at random: Full Metal Furies, Observer, Moonlighter and Ruiner. And we had a blast.

Full Metal Furies is probably the highest-profile game on the list, coming from Rogue Legacy studio Cellar Door Games. It’s a multiplayer, pixelated brawler that blends Greek mythology with hostile robots in a rapid-fire, extremely challenging experience. It’s due to hit the Xbox One and Steam later this year.

Observer takes things to a darker place. It’s a distinctly cyberpunk first-person horror game set in a dystopian future where corporations reign and advanced technology is reserved for those at the top of the economic ladder. The corporate government hacks the minds of its citizens, splintering the very foundation of reality. Observer is the work of Bloober Team, a studio that proved its prowess with horror when it debuted Layers of Fear last year. Watch out for it in 2017.

On the same gritty page, Ruiner comes from Polish studio Reikon and publisher Devolver Digital; it’s a top-down action game set in a future that’s also been taken over by corrupt corporate entities. Your mission? Kill the boss. Or whoever you’re hired to kill, of course. Ruiner plays like a 3D, highly polished version of Hotline Miami, with enemies swarming in from doorways and down narrow hallways in a cold metal world. Ruiner hits Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC later this year.

Finally, Moonlighter injects some levity into our playtime. Spanish studio Digital Sun Games raised $134,000 on Kickstarter to bring this top-down, pixelated action-RPG to life: It follows a young shopkeeper who lives in a world of heroes and dreams of defeating evil beasts himself. However, for now, he has to keep his store stocked by venturing into the dungeons to find supplies — and battle bunches of enemies in the process. Moonlighter is set to land on Xbox One, PS4 and Steam in October.

Click here to catch up on the latest news from GDC 2017!

Uber’s self-driving cars could be coming back to California

When Uber first tried to roll out its fleet of autonomous taxis on the streets of San Francisco, California’s DMV quickly put the kibosh on those plans. But, after a brief stint in the sunnier parts of Arizona, Uber has announced its intent to bring its cars back to the Golden State — this time with permits in hand.

“These cars are legally registered and are being driven manually,” an Uber spokesperson told TechCrunch on Thursday. “We are taking steps to complete our application to apply for a DMV testing permit. As we said in December, Uber remains 100 percent committed to California.”

For now, however, the company’s fleet of Volvo XC90s won’t be carrying passengers. Instead, they’re currently being used to generate maps of the city streets. Uber hasn’t even actually applied for the permit yet but is working with the department to get its paperwork together and does plan to move forward, per a Mercury News report.

Via: TechCrunch

Source: San Jose Mercury News

‘#Archery’ is a quirky VR party game for the HTC Vive

I wasn’t expecting to start my day using a bow and arrow to shoot ice cream cones at kids, or riding on the back of a pickup truck slinging newspapers in a suburban neighborhood. But thanks to #Archery, a virtual reality game from indie studio VRUnicorns, I was able to do just that through an HTC Vive headset. The title, which will hit Steam Early Access on March 30th for $10, features a handful of main levels and mini games within each one of those. My experience consisted of scenarios like what I mentioned above, where I took charge of a digital bow and arrow to fire different objects at characters around the environment.

You can control the weapon with the Vive’s motion controllers, naturally, and the experience was so fun that the developers basically had to kick me out of their demo booth. After playing for around 20 minutes, my arms and shoulders actually felt sore from all the archery movements and gestures I was making, though that may be more telling of my out-of-shape body than anything related to the game itself. Still, it felt like a good, quick workout and I enjoyed every second of it, even if my bow and arrow shooting accuracy was nothing short of appalling.

While #Archery will only be available on the HTC Vive at first, the developers say the game could come to other VR platforms in the future. And let’s hope so, because everyone deserves a chance to pretend like they’re shooting ice cream cones at kids and turning them into unicorn creatures, which only happens if you hit them before they can destroy your creamery stand.

Source: VRUnicorns

TextWrangler to Be Retired as Bare Bones Software Focuses Development on BBEdit

Bare Bones Software, the company behind popular code editors BBEdit and TextWrangler, this week announced plans to retire TextWrangler as it focuses development on BBEdit.

Going forward, TextWrangler will not be updated for the next version of macOS, but it will continue to be functional so long as the new version of macOS doesn’t introduce any software-breaking bugs.

Bare Bones is instead recommending its customers download BBEdit 11.6, which was released in July. Customers can use BBEdit 11.6 unlicensed indefinitely, and the unlicensed version contains the same features that are available in TextWrangler. BBEdit is not available through the Mac App Store like TextWrangler, but can be downloaded from the Bare Bones Software website.

What you may not know is that last July, we released BBEdit 11.6. You can use this version unlicensed, forever, for free. Without a license, BBEdit now includes all of the features that TextWrangler offers, plus quite a few others. That’s right. You no longer have to pick between them.

BBEdit is free for 30 days, after which a license costs $49.99. Customers who don’t wish to purchase a license can continue to use the software’s free features indefinitely.
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SteelSeries Arctis 7 review: Wireless headphones with a heavy focus on gaming

Up for review today are a pair of wireless headphones from SteelSeries which are designed with gaming in mind. Not specifically mobile games, mind you, but consoles or PC’s, too. We’ve spent a few weeks playing with and listening to the Arctis 7; our review follows.

About

The SteelSeries Arctis 7 headset one of three models in the hardware maker’s premium line of gaming headsets. The Arctis 7 packs nearly all of the features found in the Arctis 3 and Arctis 5, yet it also comes with upgrades and improvements over the other two.

The Arctis line is an over-the-head line of headphones geared to gaming enthusiasts. Each of them is all about performance, comfort, and long-term usage. Because, think about it, you don’t want to buy new headphones all that often. You want to pick out a pair that work well and are there to help enhance your all-night gaming sessions.

First Impressions

A little bit sleek, and a lot bit stylish, the Arctis 7 look comfortable even in the box. Rounded edges, flat and modern colors, and a just-the-facts-ma’am design give the headphones a very hip look.

It’s pretty easy to create gaming headphones that have a gaudy or over-the-top design. This is the exact opposite of that. These might be geared toward console gamers, but we couldn’t wait to put these on and take in some music on our phone.

In the box

• Arctis 7
• Wireless Transmitter
• Mobile/Console Cable
• Micro-USB Charging Cable

Design

The top of the headphones feature a ski goggle-like headband which give it a gentle and evenly distributed fit. The elastic was stylish with a triangle print, and it feels great both in hand and on head.

The steel alloy frame is lightweight but figures to stand up much better than plastic. Good news for those of you who toss your controller down and rip your headphones off after getting pwned in a gaming session. The materials also signal the Arctis 7 will travel well and stand up over time.

The ear cushions have a very soft “AirWeave” material, which SteelSeries says is inspired by athletic clothing. They’re designed to stay cool and dry, even when you wear them for hours at a time. The outside of the headphones have a smooth plastic finish that makes it easy for you to adjust, put on, or take off.

The right ear cup houses the power button and a chat volume adjustment slider. Over on the left we find the standard volume slider, mute, a microUSB port (charging), a proprietary port that connects to a 3.5mm jack. It’s also on the left that we find the microphone. Retractable, it hides out of the way inside of the cup until you need it. When powered on, the mic lights up to show that it’s ready to go.

Connection

I did not realize it until I received them in the mail, but the headphones do not connect in the traditional Bluetooth sense. Instead of pairing to your phone or device in the Bluetooth menu, you plug in a USB dongle.

For consoles like the PS4, Xbox One, or Nintendo Switch, this is incredibly efficient. Stick it in the port and tuck the cable out of the way. After that, you simply turn on the headphones and it connects. Additionally, you can also plug the headphones directly into controllers via the 3.5mm headphone jack. It’s up to you as to how you want to go about connecting.

Moving over to mobile devices, though, you’ll have to go with the 3.5mm headphone jack. I would have loved to connect wirelessly through standard Bluetooth methods, but it’s not a deal-killer. The headphones are gaming-focused first. Given the buttons and microphone, these aren’t exactly the design we’d take out on a daily basis.

Additional Setup

Thanks to the SteelSeries Engine 3 software, listeners can customize and configure sound and equalizer settings. For gamers this could prove invaluable. Create various sound profiles for your favorite games and you’ll be able quickly hop into settings with the press of a button. Surround sound is incredible, especially when you tailor it to your exact liking.

Comfort

I’m not a hardcore gamer, but there have been plenty of times over the years where I’ve spent numerous hours in front of the TV. Having used earbuds, standard headphones, gaming headphones, and Bluetooth devices, I’ve never found something that’s truly comfortable that also delivers excellent sound. The SteelSeries Arctis 7, though, just became my favorite set of cans.

Over the last few weeks I’ve worn these numerous times, each at various lengths. I found them comfortable, clear, and generally very enjoyable. Whether it’s fifteen minutes or three hours, the Arctis 7 never get to the point where you want to pull them off. The cushions are soft and cool and do well to block out noise and distraction.

Sound Quality

The SteelSeries Arctis 7 sound as good as they look, if not better. Even without balancing and customizing, the out of box experience is excellent. Both stereo and DTS 7.1 surround sound are supported here so you’ll get every single detail in games.

Using the headphones for Skype was fantastic and was probably the most pleasurable way I’ve used the software. The same for watching YouTube on a laptop, listening to audiobooks, and other non-console usage. But, as you’d suspect things excel when you plug into a console and get your game on.

You don’t get the same customization or surround sound when connected to a phone, but the quality is still commendable. The headphones travel very well so I do plan to take these with me on my next flight. I’ll trade off the portability of earbuds or truly wireless headphones for the sound and comfort of the Arctis 7.

The sound quality of the microphone is equally good. Online chat and gaming with others proved to be just as clear and crisp for my friends and teammates. The mic includes a proprietary bi-directional design that helps cut out background noises.

Other Thoughts

Like other Bluetooth headphones and accessories, the Arctis 7 give users upwards of 30 feet of range. This is great for when you get off the couch between rounds and need to stretch legs or grab a soda from the kitchen. You’ll stay connected and able to communicate while moving about.

Battery life is rated at around 15 hours which I didn’t really test. Instead, I found myself charging up the headphones every 2-3 times I played games on the PS4. I did this each time I plugged in the game controller out of habit. I don’t like to risk low batteries when it comes to gaming; I hate to switch up in the middle of playing and hang cables out of my devices.

I did not notice any lag whatsoever. There are few things worse than audio that doesn’t sync up, especially when you’re involved in first person shooters with sounds coming from all angles. A fraction of a second could make all of the difference in hiding from a grenade and waiting for the next round to start.

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Conclusion

At $150, the Arctis 7 is the most expensive of the SteelSeries line of headphones. Could you get away with the Arctis 5 or Arctis 3? That depends on your needs. If wireless is high on your list of needs, though, there’s really no other way to go.

PC-based headphones often omit the 3.5mm headphone jack; most quality wireless headphones are going to run this much or more, easily. This is an excellent marriage of the features that gamers care about with an extra nod for other users, too.

The Arctis 7 are incredibly comfortable to wear and they sound as good as anything else I’ve tested in this price point. They’re not the first pair I will grab when I go for a walk or head to the gym; the cord is a nuisance that I’ve come to avoid if at all possible. But, around the office, I really enjoy having these for pairing to a computer or laptop.

Gaming, though, is a no-brainer. These have become “dad’s headphones” and my teenage son is advised to leave them alone. I’ve found myself playing more often at night because the sound is so immerse and detailed. Instead of turning the TV down and trying to deal with sub-par audio, I throw these on.

When playing alone, it’s a blast. When playing with friends online, though, I have to watch how loud I get. The headphones drown out the real world sound and, if I get too excited, I’ll end up talking louder than necessary. Or, when a bomb goes off, I’ll make more noise than a grown man should. Then I risk the glares from my wife or the texts in the middle of the night telling me to keep it down. “Sorry, honey, I’m blaming the headphones. I forgot where I was and didn’t remember it was the middle of the night.

Amazon admits that a typo took the internet down this week

The Great Amazon Web Services Outage of 2017 is behind us. Now, Jeff Bezos’ golden child is ready to explain what happened. Turns out, what took Giphy, Medium, Slack, Quora and a ton of other websites and services down was a typo. As Amazon explains it, some of its S3 servers were operating rather sluggish, so a tech tried fixing it by taking a few billing servers offline. A fix straight from the company’s playbook, it says. “Unfortunately, one of the inputs to the command was entered incorrectly and a larger set of servers was removed than intended.” Whoops.

As for why the problem took so long to correct, Amazon says that some of its server systems haven’t been restarted in “many years.” Given how much the S3 system has expanded, “the process of restarting these services and running the necessary safety checks to validate the integrity of the metadata took longer than expected.”

Amazon has apologized and promises to do better in the future, at least, saying it has altered the at-fault tool (the code, not the employee) so it removes capacity slower. Beyond that, it is adding measures to stop so many being taken offline at once.

Source: Amazon

Windows-targeted malware, harmless to Android, spotted in 132 Play Store apps

Why it matters to you

It’s important to stay mindful of mobile malware, especially as attackers migrate from legacy platforms like PC onto modern mobile operating systems.

While many users are more aware of the threat of mobile malware today than in years past, and Google has made significant strides in protecting phones from those toxic apps, the risk never completely goes away. Vulnerabilities can present in the unlikeliest of ways, as this report from security firm Palo Alto Networks explains.

The company cites 132 apps on the Google Play Store that feature malware — though not the kind that could actually do any harm to your smartphone. The reason being, these apps attempt to install a Windows executable file, which Android devices do not support.

More: This is how Google ensures the Play Store remains free from potential malware

At first glance, it appears to be a completely ineffectual attempt at attacking users, until you consider the possibility that these apps were actually infected with malicious code unbeknownst to the developer. The malware exploits the apps’ use of Android WebView to link to dangerous HTML sites, that then attempt to install a file designed for Windows onto the device. Palo Alto goes into greater detail, identifying specific lines of code that act as the culprits, but the important point to note is that none of it could actually compromise your phone in any way.

On Windows, the malware would reportedly modify firewall settings, alter the network hosts file, and copy and inject itself into numerous other processes. The apps in question span seven different developers, and security analysts speculate it may have arrived on Android by way of a file-infecting virus. These viruses would in turn seek out and infect HTML files on the developers’ computers, and it’s not hard to imagine how they could then spread to software published on the Play Store. A common online development platform used to produce all of the affected apps may have been the origin.

Ultimately, Google would classify this as a “non-Android threat” — terminology for applications that are unable to harm a user’s device, but are potentially damaging to other platforms. After reporting its findings to Google, Palo Alto says all the offenders were removed from the Play Store.

While it’s not terribly comforting to know your device may have been a conduit for malware without ever realizing it, the work done by Google and security firms like Palo Alto does shed some light on the multitude of ways in which a virus can spread — and that will, in turn, make our devices safer.