Yelp buys a company that helps you shrink restaurant wait times

Yelp partnered with Nowait last year to let you line up remotely at restaurants and, ideally, skip the physical queue altogether. So how well did it work? Quite well, apparently — so much so that Yelp is acquiring Nowait outright. The buyout gives Yelp an opportunity to tightly integrate more of Nowait’s technology, and should shrink the time it takes to go from finding a place to eat to scoring a table.

The big challenge after the deal may simply be expansion. Nowait’s virtual seating system is active with 4,000 restaurants in North America, but there are clearly many more eateries than that. Yelp may not make the most of the acquisition until the feature is relatively ubiquitous — what good is skipping the physical line if it’s not an option at your favorite place? If Yelp pulls this off, though, you’ll have a good reason to use its app for restaurant searches over Google Maps and other generalized apps.

Via: VentureBeat

Source: BusinessWire

Netflix becomes your personal trainer with its new DIY device

Working out can be tough, but inversely, watching Netflix is super easy. The streaming giant doesn’t want to distract you from your fitness goals, though. Netflix would much rather be your workout buddy, which is why it posted instructions for making a DIY personal trainer gadget.

For the technologically savvy among us, Netflix’s directions include a materials list and all the files you’ll need to make the Arduino-based device yourself. The personal trainer is part of the company’s Make It initiative, which launched in 2015 with directions for creating a “Netflix and chill” button.

Getting this thing up and running might be an ordeal, but using it is simple. It connects to your phone or tablet via Bluetooth and uses an accelerometer to detect whether you’re reaching the activity threshold you set for yourself. Fall below that level, and it will pause your music or Netflix video to deliver a motivational quote from your chosen Netflix character. Users can get comic relief from Bojack Horseman, positive reinforcement from Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, or tough love from Ultimate Beastmaster’s Terry Crews, among other options. Pick up the pace, and your media will resume as normal.

Even if you’re not in the market for a workout companion, this project could still be a solid introduction to working with Arduino. Knowing your way around these inexpensive computers is worthwhile, since they can be used to make just about anything from a robot insect to a LEGO drone.

Source: Netflix

FCC puts its broadband privacy rules on ice

New FCC Chairman Ajit Pai said his agency would halt broadband privacy rules due to go in effect on March 2nd, and he’s making good on his word. The Commission has stayed the regulation at the last minute, giving the regulator time to create a more “comprehensive and consistent” privacy framework (that is, one that encompasses everything) in tandem with the FTC. This doesn’t mean that your internet provider will run roughshod over your privacy in the meantime, the FCC argues. It’ll just have to honor the rules that have been in place for roughly two years, and will still have to account for rules kicking in later this year.

The question, of course, is whether or not these harmonious privacy guidelines will make broadband customers happy. The newly-paused rules would have required an opt-in for personal data collection like your browsing history and location, and would have demanded that ISPs explicitly inform you about what data they’re collecting as well as any breaches. There’s no guarantee you’ll get any of that from a harmonized rule set — especially not when Pai has made deregulation his primary goal. Your internet privacy may not erode significantly, but don’t expect it to improve much, either.

Via: TechCrunch

Source: FCC (PDF)

Second-Generation Apple TV Added to Apple’s List of Obsolete Products

Apple today updated its official list of vintage and obsolete products to add the second-generation Apple TV, originally released in 2010.

The second-generation Apple TV was the first Apple TV that featured a black body and an aluminum Apple Remote, an updated look compared to the silver and white Apple TV that was originally released in 2007.

Apple sold the second-generation Apple TV from September of 2010 until 2012, which is when the company released the third-generation Apple TV with an A5 chip and support for 1080p content.

The second-generation Apple TV is now classified as “vintage” in the United States and Turkey and “obsolete” in the rest of the world. Vintage products are those that have not been manufactured for more than 5 and less than 7 years ago, while obsolete products are those that were discontinued more than 7 years ago.

Both classifications essentially mean Apple is no longer providing hardware service for the device except in Turkey and California, where local statutes require that Apple continue to provide service and parts for a longer period of time.

Related Roundups: Apple TV, tvOS 10
Tag: vintage and obsolete
Buyer’s Guide: Apple TV (Don’t Buy)
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Oculus Rift Support for Macs Not ‘Currently on the Roadmap’

Oculus co-founder Nate Mitchell recently sat down with TechCrunch for an interview discussing the future of the Oculus Rift, where he said that while Mac support is something the company would like to implement, it’s not currently in the works.

According to Mitchell, while Mac support is “near-and-dear” to his heart, Oculus is “just not quite there yet.” Mac integration is, in fact, so far off that it’s not even on the Oculus roadmap for the next six months.

“We do want to do OS X (macOS) support for Rift, it’s not something that’s currently on the roadmap for– I can even say– the next six months,” Mitchell tells me. “We will continue to revisit it, the real challenge for us is just how much we invest into that space because it does require a lot of our time and energy to get it right and to deliver a great experience.”

Early versions of the Oculus Rift did work with some higher-end Mac machines, but during the product’s development period, Oculus was forced to drop Mac support. Mac development was put on hold in order to focus on “delivering a high quality consumer-level VR experience,” on Windows machines with more robust hardware.

Last year, Oculus founder Palmer Luckey made headlines when he said the Oculus Rift wouldn’t offer Mac support until Apple releases a “good computer.” He said Oculus Rift support was ultimately “up to Apple,” and that the company needed to “prioritize higher-end GPUs.”

Hardware requirements for the Rift became less stringent in October thanks to software advancements and will now run on any machine equipped with an Nvidia 960 or greater, an Intel i3-6100 or greater, or an AMD FX4350 or greater. With the changes, some Macs, including the latest MacBook Pro, could potentially work with the Rift, but Oculus isn’t yet prepared to delve into Mac development.

Starting today, Oculus is dropping the price of the Rift and Touch controllers by $100, dropping the price to $598 for both products, a much more affordable price point. Individually, the Rift is now priced at $499 and the Touch controllers are now priced at $99.

Tag: Oculus Rift
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Golf Clash: Is it good enough to be the leader in the clubhouse? (Review)

It’s been a long time since I’ve played a golf game. Remember the glorious days of Super Stickman Golf? Those were the days. Sometimes I think that golf and mobile are meant for each other because of the relaxed nature of the game. This makes it easy to create an intuitive but fun golf-related games. A brilliant example of this is Golf Clash, by Playdemic, which combines very easy to learn controls with well-thought gameplay centered around online matches.

Developer: Playdemic
Price: Free

Setup and Tutorial

When you start the game, it will ask you to link it to your Google Play Games account. Immediately after this, the game will throw you into a very short tutorial that will explain the two main gameplay mechanics.

First, you will determine how far you want the ball to go. Obviously, in the first shot, you would want it to go as far as possible, but in subsequent shots, a compromise has to be reached in order to propel the ball as close to the hole as possible.

Then, you will be able to shoot the ball by pressing the Take Shot button. The shot itself can be done by pulling the ball to a blue target that will appear on the bottom. The game does a good job in indicating where is the sweet spot, so you don’t have to do any guessing. After this, a target with a moving needle will appear, and your goal is to release the ball when the needle is in the center of the target.

1 of 4

This is easier said than done, as you might expect, so the game gives you different feedback based on your performance. If you land it perfectly, the ball will only be moved by the wind. If you do great, the ball will move slightly towards the direction your needle is pointing to. Do horribly wrong, though, and you’ll be stuck in the middle of the bushes or in a sand trap.

When you reach the final section and you have to putt the ball, the controls change slightly. You still need to pull the ball, but now you’ll have to align it to a cyan trail that appears on top of the grass. Then, you’ll need to align two arrows in order to get the perfect shot. You can see the Setup gallery to get what I’m saying.

After going through the tutorial, the game will throw you directly into a match. Do not be intimidated, though. Even though it looks like it searches for a player online, I’m pretty sure that the other player is a bot, since it does everything it can to avoid winning.

Overview

The main menu has a lot of stuff going on.

After getting through the tutorial, you’ll be greeted by a very crowded main screen. The most important element of this screen is the “Play Golf” button, which makes you choose between playing a match against an online player or against a friend. Since I don’t have friends, the online matches will have to do.

There are different tournaments you can choose from. All of them have an entry free that you have to pay in coins, which is one of the two in-game currencies (you already know the drill by know, so you can probably guess the other). In return, winning doubles the coins you disbursed for entry and will also increase your trophy count.

As with so many other games, trophy count is like your overall ranking, and winning matches will increase this rank and unlock new tournaments where stakes are higher. You can’t farm the beginner tournament forever since it can yield a maximum of 20 trophies.

Matches are straightforward: the one who gets the ball into the hole using the least amount of shots, wins. If both use the same number of shots, then you go to a tiebreaker, in which you have only one shot and whoever places the ball closest to the hole, wins.

After winning games, you will also receive chests that open after a certain time (such as the timed blocks in Pokémon Duel, for example). These will yield coins, gems, upgrade cards and other similar items.

Controls are very easy but there’s no training option to hone your skills.

Speaking of upgrade cards, if you know a bit about golf, you would know that they use different kinds of clubs based on the situation. This is also true for the game, and you can upgrade each kind of club by getting upgrade cards and paying some coins. This will improve the accuracy, power and in-game help that the club provides.

This will improve the accuracy, power and in-game help that the club provides. There are a lot of clubs that you unlock when unlocking the upper levels, adding a lot of replayability to the game.

Aside from clubs, you can also buy ball packs. These special balls (no double entendre, please) are much better than the regular ones you use since they have perks such as being less resistant to the wind, reaching farther distances, having more sidespin and such. These can be bought with gems only.

In case you haven’t guessed it until now, gems are the second in-game currency. You can use them to buy new clubs, balls, and chests. You can also use them to open chests received through online matches without waiting for the timer. In case you are low on coins, you can also exchange gems for coins and continue your ass-kicking in online matches. Prices for these gems range from $0.98 for 80 to a whopping $99.34 for 17000. Your choice.

General Impressions

Obviously, 47-trophy Jack is going to win against a noob like me.

Until you get the hang of it, prepare to experience frustration in online matches. It is baffling to me that there’s no practice mode or something similar so that you’re not forced to make a fool out of yourself in online matches until you get decent at the game, but life is hard.

After some matches, though, you will be able to systematically do good shots and you’ll feel more in control of the game. Normal matches are tense because you know that if you make one mistake, you are probably out. The mechanic for deciding who wins in a draw is very interesting and matches can be decided by just portions of a yard.

Regarding online matches, I experienced very few issues with connection. Other games with a higher volume of players have constant connection issues that plague the online matches. However, everything ran smoothly here aside from a couple of seconds of reconnecting dialogs here and there.

However, the problem was with the matchmaking itself. While I was a proud holder of 18 trophies, I got mixed with a guy who had 47, all with fancy clubs and deluxe balls. All I could do was hope for a mistake, which he obviously didn’t make because he was more experienced.

Graphics

Menus are well laid-out, the problem is with graphics during matches.

As always, there are two sides for the graphical aspect. The first one is the user interface, which I like in this game. A lot of animations are present and buttons are very easy to press. Even though sometimes you can get the impression that it is too busy, it works fine most of the time. The in-game help for controls is very responsive and looks good.

Even though sometimes you can get the impression that it is too busy, it works fine most of the time. The in-game help for controls is very responsive and looks good.

However, the graphics in matches themselves leave a lot to be desired. Elements such as trees, grass, and bushes look sub-par, and when you compare them to other games, they look truly archaic and outdated.

This is very noticeable on the screen where you choose the direction of your shot before actually hitting the ball. Trees and other nature elements are very low-detailed and textures are either bad or nonexistent.

Sound

There are a few sounds effects to accompany your actions in the game, such as when you hit the ball, some claps when you do a good shot, and the characteristic sound the ball makes when being introduced into a hole. Also, there’s a voice who says “Perfect Shot” when… Wait for it… You do a perfect shot. However, that’s it.

Club upgrading adds replay value to the game.

I’m serious. Tapping elements on menus yield zero audible feedback. Actually, there’s no background music, neither in the menus nor in the matches. At first, I got a little afraid because I thought that my phone’s speaker was giving in. However, after realizing that it worked fine because the game itself made some sounds, I realized how flawed sound is in this game.

To add insult to injury, the sound effects come turned off by default! I seriously have no idea of what is going on here. A quick trip to the options will change that, though.

Conclusion

Through relatively simple controls and a great emphasis on online interaction, Golf Clash manages to provide entertainment. Also, thanks to the possibility of participating in several tournaments and upgrading clubs, the game has a replay value aspect adhered to it. Where it suffers is in the graphics and sound department, with very low-quality graphics and inexplicable omissions regarding sound. Also, a lack of offline gameplay is a bummer. However, give it a shot and see if you can overcome the bad aspects and enjoy the good ones.

Download and install Golf Clash from the Google Play Store.

Multitalented Nintendo Switch Pro Controller can connect to your PC via Bluetooth

Why it matters to you

The Pro Controller for the Nintendo Switch isn’t restricted to being used with the console itself, making it a much more useful peripheral.

The biggest selling point of the Nintendo Switch is its attempt to combine the strengths of a portable system and a home console, thanks to its unique Joy-Con controllers. However, owners will also be able to opt for a more traditional input device in the form of the Pro Controller, a gamepad that we now know is compatible with plenty of other hardware.

The Pro Controller can be synced with a PC using the Windows Bluetooth Settings menu, according to a report from IGN. This means that PC gamers can use the pad as an alternative to the mouse and keyboard for games that are tailored to a console control scheme.

However, there are some limitations to its connectivity. The Pro Controller can only connect to a PC via Bluetooth, rather than using its USB Type-C cable, and there’s no capacity to charge the device using said cable while a Bluetooth connection is active.

More: Nintendo Switch review

YouTube user DreWoof has also been testing the limits of the Pro Controller’s connectivity. Steam’s Big Picture mode is said to work with the controller, although certain games aren’t playable, depending on the controller input styles that they support on an individual basis. DreWoof also managed to pair the Pro Controller with an Android device, but in some cases input was too laggy for any practical usage.

Confirmation that the Pro Controller can connect to a range of devices via Bluetooth won’t have gamers rushing out to buy the pad, but it’s a nice bonus for Switch owners who were buying the peripheral anyway.

It’s relatively easy to connect a PlayStation 4 or Xbox One controller to a PC, but doing the same with the Wii U Pro Controller required a bit of legwork. It’s good to see Nintendo achieving parity with its biggest competition, even if its with regards to a minor piece of functionality.

Sistine Solar’s custom panel skins give rise to stealthy photovoltaics

Why it matters to you

If you wouldn’t buy solar panels because you think they’re ugly, Sistine Solar might have the solution to saving you money and energy.

If you feel like solar panels break the lines of your home’s aesthetic, or think that covering your roof in solar cells is a waste of advertising space, Sistine Solar’s new solar skins could be what you’re looking for. They let you make your rooftop panels look like whatever you want, without much impact on efficiency.

Winner of the 2013 MIT Clean Energy Prize, Sistine Solar’s design is a relatively simple one: Placing a thin, printable layer within the panel itself. That lets owners match their panels to their roof, or go for a custom color scheme altogether. Some businesses are even considering using the technology for advertising space, helping to offset installation costs.

Sistine Solar is a startup in the earliest stages of development, but has already completed several test installs of the technology and has received a lot of interest in it since. To confirm its efficacy, it’s currently testing its SolarSkin technology at the United States National Renewable Energy Laboratory under a Department of Energy grant. There it will confirm what effect the skin has on the efficiency and longevity of the panels.

More: Lightweight, flexible solar panels may be more efficient than competitors’

Currently there is around a 10 percent increase in installation costs with SolarSkins in place, but Sistine Solar claims that solar will still offer savings of many thousands of dollars over the life of the panels.

The technology behind it is all is all rather hush-hush right now, but Sistine Solar claims to have made innovations in the field of light filtration, to allow the majority of light to pass through the panel to the photovoltaic cells, whilst still projecting the image of whatever the customer desires, to the human eye (as per MIT).

Sistine Solar isn’t the only company looking to innovate the look and function of traditional solar panel designs. Tesla Motors recently unveiled a concept for a solar cell roof tile, replacing the need for separate panels and simply integrating the energy generating functionality into the roof tiles themselves.

Of course, there’s always the chance that windows of the future will do all the sun-catching we need instead.

The best family plan, individual plan, unlimited plan, and more

To say that navigating U.S. carriers’ family plans is a trial is the understatement of the century. Although carriers’ websites have improved and plans have become more transparent, trying to figure out which network offers the best deal for your family is still a nightmare. Luckily, we’ve compiled this comprehensive guide on how to choose the wireless plan that best suits your needs — and saves you the most cash.

Here are our picks for best family plan, best individual plan, best unlimited plan, and more. We’ve also added helpful explainer sections to help you choose your carrier.

Editor’s Note: Each plan we’ve chosen lists only the price of your service bill. You will also pay monthly installments on your new phones’ balances, if you choose to buy new phones from your carrier. This is explained further in the section below called, “How do phone payment plans work?”

Our pick

T-Mobile

Why should you buy this: T-Mobile leads the industry with plans that charge no overages, cost less than the competition, and offer more perks.

The best

T-Mobile

T-Mobile offers the best plans, most perks, and fairest prices, by far.

$50.00 from T-Mobile

Who’s it for: Anyone who wants an unlimited plan, lives in an urban area, or travels internationally a lot

How much will it cost: $50 and up, depending on your data usage.

Why we picked T-Mobile:

T-Mobile is the industry leader in the U.S. with its bold “Un-carrier” moves. When T-Mobile busts out a brand new plan or feature, the rest of the carriers inevitably follow its example. T-Mobile started by ending overage charges, killing the two-year contract, and offering lower prices than its competitors.

Now, T-Mobile offers a wide range of perks, including free gifts on Tuesdays, unlimited data plans, unlimited music and video streaming, free international service, and more. As such, T-Mobile wins our awards for best unlimited plan, best international service, and best urban service.

Of course, you have to look beyond the gimmicks to see the core aspects of T-Mobile’s service. It offers two plans, one with variable data caps called T-Mobile One and one that’s unlimited called Simple Choice. The older Simple Choice plans are hidden under Other Plans when you click on Plans from the main page.

There’s no contract for either plan, and you have to pay the full, unsubsidized price for each smartphone you buy on the plan. You’ll pay for each device in installments (typically $20 to $30 a month per phone). You can also bring your own phone instead of buying a new one.

T-Mobile One Plus, a premium upgrade, starts at $5 a month and includes unlimited GoGo in-flight Wi-Fi, voicemail to text, and caller ID. An international option, the One Plus International plan, includes unlimited LTE hotspots, calls to landlines in 70 countries, and all of the One Plus plan’s benefits.

Data hogs are getting a very good deal with the new T-Mobile One Plan and its unlimited data. It’s cheaper than the previous unlimited data option in the existing Simple Choice Plan. However, if you are a customer who was using only the minimum amount of data each month, the new T-Mobile One plan represents a price increase for you of $20-$70. You do get unlimited data for that extra money, but if you don’t have cash to spare, you may want to stay on your old plan — especially if you never exceeded your data limit in the first place.

Bottom line: Those of you who don’t use too much data will want to choose one of the Simple Choice plans with the minimum amount of data. Large families who eat up data should grab an unlimited plan.

Disclaimer: If you live in a rural area, T-Mobile will not work for you. T-Mobile coverage is still spotty in rural America, though it excels in cities.

The perks that come with all T-Mobile plans:

• Mobile without Borders: T-Mobile users get unlimited talk, text, and data in Canada and Mexico, as well as the United States. Unlimited text and data at lower speeds is also available in almost 150 countries worldwide, though calls cost 20 cents per minute.
• Jump on Demand: You can lease phones for less and upgrade to the latest and greatest phone whenever you want.
• Music Freedom: Stream music on most of the popular streaming apps including Spotify without burning through your data allowance.
• T-Mobile Tuesdays: Download this iOS and Android app to get free deals every Tuesday, like $15 in Lyft credit or a Frosty from Wendy’s.
• No overages on data: Speeds are reduced to 2G on Simple Choice plans. The unlimited plan has no overages.

The downsides of all T-Mobile plans:

• Spotty coverage in rural areas.
• 10 GB of LTE mobile-hotspot data.
• Once you surpass your data limit, speeds are cut back to 2G.

The downsides of the T-Mobile One Unlimited plan:

• All tethering between your phone and other devices is limited to 3G speeds. You’ll have to pay $15 extra per month (per line) for 4G LTE tethering.
• If you surpass 26GB of 4G LTE data, your speeds will be throttled down to 2G.
• You must sign up for Auto Pay on your bills, or T-Mobile will charge $5 extra per line each month.

Read more here

Android devices overtake iPhones in terms of reliability, according to report

Why it matters to you

No smartphone is perfect, and the latest reliability and performance data may help customers choose their next device more carefully.

The findings of a recent quarterly report on mobile device performance and health by analysts at Blancco Technology Group suggest iPhones have been overtaken by Android smartphones in terms of reliability over the past year. According to the study, worldwide failure rates of iPhones have significantly increased from the fourth quarter of 2015, where the percentage stood at 15 percent, to a whopping 62 percent at the end of last year. Comparatively, Android products have been nearly halved in that same time period, from 85 percent to 47 percent.

Blancco defines “failure” in the context of this study as “devices that had excessive performance issues that could not be resolved.” When breaking out the data over individual iPhone models, the iPhone 6 is found to be the least dependable across every quarter.

More: How to factory reset an iPhone (every generation)

The survey speculates the iPhone 6’s issues may have been exacerbated by the iOS 9.3.1, 9.3.2, 10, and 10.2 updates released between April and December of last year, which reportedly caused issues such as general slow down, quicker battery drain, random crashes, spotty Wi-Fi connectivity, and poor Bluetooth call quality. At worst, some devices were bricked after being updated.

According to the data, newer iPhones aren’t entirely without their faults, either. During the most recent quarter, the iPhone 6 was followed immediately by the 6S claiming the second-highest failure rate, and the iPhone 7 took the sixth spot behind the 6 Plus and 6S Plus.

Blancco Technology Group

Conversely, Android devices appear to have come a long away, according to Blancco’s findings. Failure rate took a massive dive between the fourth quarter of 2015 and the second quarter of 2016, dropping from 85 percent to 35 percent, before climbing slightly and stabilizing at 47 percent.

Samsung devices top the Android failure charts every quarter, most likely due to the fact that Samsung far and away claims the most market share of any phone manufacturer running Google’s operating system. Based on Blancco’s data, the company’s products accounted for roughly 88 percent of all Android devices worldwide in the second quarter of 2016, and its brand failure rate swung from a high of 43 percent in the first quarter of last year to a low of 11 percent in the third quarter.

While the report notes Android smartphones “performed considerably better” in contrast to their counterparts running iOS, it does entertain the possibility that the discrepancy might be at least partially the result of a difference between the two communities of users. Blancco says Android owners “may be becoming more tech savvy and taking advantage of smartphone optimization tips provided in tech blogs [and] user forums.”

Finally, the study concludes with an analysis of the specific issues that plague most iPhones and Android devices. App crashing was listed as the No. 1 culprit for most Apple customers, with Instagram and Snapchat noted as the worst offenders. Android phones displayed more diverse problems, ranging from camera errors, to underperforming batteries and USB syncing glitches, depending on the model.

Although app crashing didn’t top Android users’ list of concerns, Google Play Services was found to be particularly troublesome. Not very surprising, considering Google Play Services provides essential support to a large number of apps and processes on all Android devices.

Blancco says its report is based on anonymous data collected from millions of mobile phones around the world brought to manufacturers and carriers for diagnostics testing.