Amid restructuring, GoPro to expand software with new office in Romania

Why it matters to you

GoPro’s software largely stems from acquisitions and outsourcing, but the action camera company will now be developing software in-house.

GoPro may be restructuring and cutting 200 jobs — but the action camera giant is also opening a new office in Bucharest, Romania, to develop its own software.

Announced on Monday, the new office is expected to hire from the area’s talent pool to develop software, including web and ecommerce platforms. According to the company’s job listings for Bucharest, “GoPro is building tools that allows our user community to easily manage their content, watch what others have created and tell their personal stories.” The move will mean up to 100 additional hires this year for GoPro, which is in the midst of a restructuring to return to profitability after falling camera sales in its dominant markets.

More: GoPro stays king of the slopes, halfpipes and trails with the Hero5

“The decision to expand GoPro’s software engineering operations into Bucharest aligns with our top priorities for 2017: Strengthening execution and managing costs,” chief operating officer CJ Prober said in a press release. “The area is rich with diverse talent from prestigious colleges and universities, as well as Fortune 500 technology companies. We have the opportunity to leverage this talent and consolidate our outsourced software and IT contractors into one centrally located, highly efficient team.”

GoPro’s current software lineup includes several programs acquired from buying out smaller companies. Both the Quik mobile app for automatic video edits and Splice for more custom edits were repackaged from earlier apps bought out from Stupeflix and Vemory. The company also acquired VR startup Kolor, and rebranded its VR viewer under the GoPro name.

“GoPro is focused on making the best products and services in the world, so expanding our engineering team to an international technology epicenter makes perfect sense,” said vice president of engineering Joe Bentley. “We are excited to hit the ground running in our new office and continue to deliver a terrific user experience to our customers around the globe.”

The Bucharest office will open on March 1, with an open house for potential new hires next week, March 8 and 9.

Must-have Chrome extension Breather turns away your most annoying co-workers

Why it matters to you

Sometimes, you can’t be bothered with workplace banter. That’s where this handy new Chrome extension comes in.

We’ve all been there: Your annoying co-worker from across the hall sends you a treatise of an email and wants to talk about it. You, meanwhile, want nothing more than to clear the pile of paperwork leering intimidatingly over your desk. But luckily, there’s now an app for that.

It’s called Breather, and it’s a decoy for workplace distractions. Once you’ve installed the extension for Google’s Chrome browser and saved your cellphone numbers, using it’s as easy as pressing the giant “Nope” button in your Chrome browser. A call is placed to the number you’ve saved, and when you answer your ringing phone, a 60-second audio file plays.

More: Tune out distracting workplace noise with the Orosound Tilde earphones

“Anyone who works in an office can agree: It’s hard to focus in a modern workplace setting, especially those that house chatty co-workers. And nothing is worse than finally getting into the zone, only to be interrupted by that co-worker asking: ‘Hey, do you have a minute?,’” a spokesperson told Digital Trends. “Breather created the NOPE button with the belief that your workspace should empower you to do your best work, not be full of unwanted distractions.”

Breather may sound a little excessive, but workplace distractions are a widespread problem. In a survey of 2,060 employed adults conducted by Ask.com, 63 percent cited “loud colleagues” as the most common distraction in the office, and 40 percent say they’d get a lot more done if co-workers would quit stopping to chat. And according to personal financial management service Think Money, up to a third of workers are distracted for up to three hours a day — which adds up to a total of 759 hours each year.

More: On Facebook at work? Turns out, that should be the least of employers’ concerns

The core idea behind Breather — an escape button for awkward social situations — isn’t exactly a new one. Last year, Chelsea Handler launched Gotta Go!, a new iPhone app designed to get you our of bad dates and boring meetings. You can schedule a call for anywhere between one minute to two hours, at which point the app shoots you a text or gives you a ring. When you pick up, a series of voice prompts guide you through what to say.

Breather may not be quite as robust, but when the colleague who never seems to leave you alone is making a beeline for your desk, it’s salvation.

Psychonauts in VR is a pretty great nostalgia trip

This review is going to be a little biased.

I love Psychonauts. I’ve played through the original more times than I can count, and have a deep appreciation for the world and its characters. If it were possible to camp out behind Double Fine’s offices and watch everyone work on Psychonauts 2, I would do so. Yeah, I’m one of those people and I jumped at the opportunity to play Psychonauts In The Rhombus Of Ruin through PlayStation VR. After all, what could be better than being fully immersed in a game world you already know you love?

Truth is, this game is not simply “Psychonauts in VR”. When you put the headset on, you’re stepping into the weird and wonderful world of Psychonauts, but the way you interact with this world and the unique new way you interact with each of these characters creates an incredible new experience.

Read more on VR Heads!

Huawei Watch 2 Classic hands-on: Metal and leather make for a less sporty smartwatch

The Classic lacks LTE connectivity, but looks prettier than the regular plastic Huawei Watch 2.

I’m not a huge fan of the Huawei Watch 2’s plasticky feel and gigantic bezels. In aesthetic terms, it’s a step backward from the universal style of the first Huawei smartwatch — one of the compromises involved in bringing LTE connectivity and a boatload of other features to a wearable in 2017. The Watch 2 Classic, on the other hand, has a slightly more fashionable look. It’s still big, and bulky, and undeniably not for everyone. But unless you absolutely must have LTE on your wrist, this is the Huawei wearable you’ll want to consider.

Most of the Classic’s spec sheet carries over from the regular Watch 2. You get NFC payments through Android Pay — with an antenna embedded in the bezel, not the strap — together with fitness tracking through the built-in heart rate sensor and other metrics, and all the core functionality of Android Wear 2.0, including the Play Store and the ability to install apps directly on the watch. But because there’s no 4G connectivity, the watch itself is a little smaller and slimmer, while still packing the same Snapdragon Wear 2100 chip and 420mAh battery.

More: Huawei Watch 2 hands-on

Huawei promises up to three days of battery life with the Classic connected over Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, a claim which would put its longevity far ahead of other Android watches.

From a distance, the Watch 2 Classic doesn’t look dramatically different. The body itself is slightly less angular, with a more reserved, rounded bezel and piston-style buttons. And the form factor and screen size are almost identical, as are the dimensions, though the metal-bodied Classic is four grams heavier.

The difference in build quality becomes apparent when you actually wear the Classic — leather and metal make for a refreshing change after using the plastic-clad, and rather cheap-feeling Watch 2.

But these premium materials don’t come cheap. Huawei Watch 2 Classic will sell for €399 in Europe, up from €379 for the LTE Watch 2, or €329 for the non-LTE model — and significantly more than LG’s Watch Sport.

More: Huawei Watch 2 vs. LG Watch Sport

YouTube TV is a slick full cable television replacement

For $35 a month, you can watch a variety of broadcast and cable networks on the same app you use for adorable animal videos.

Google has announced YouTube TV, and it’s exactly what it sounds like. It’s a $35-a-month TV service that packages a bundle of channels from the broadcast networks and various cable networks. The networks includes Fox, ABC, CBS and NBC, as well as their affiliated cable networks, including Fox News, ESPN, and Bravo.

The base package will include roughly three dozen channels. Operators like Viacom (MTV, Nickelodeon) and Time Warner (HBO) will likely not be broadcast since these are either still considered exclusives for pay TV or have successful standalone services already. Showtime is noted on the YouTube TV site as being available for an extra free, but that price hasn’t been revealed yet.

Unlike, say, conventional cable, which is typically watched on a television set, YouTube TV will be pivoted as “mobile first.” The company expects its subscribers will spend a majority of the time consuming content on smartphones, though they’ll also be able to watch it through all the other mediums — including the traditional TV in the living room.

YouTube also heavily pushed the notion of better service to Recode recently. We’ll let Peter Kafka explain it:

What YouTube is really pushing, though, is the notion that while it may have the same programming as its competitors, it will have a better service. YouTube product chief Neal Mohan says the company has been working on YouTube TV for two years; he promises that you’ll see the results when you actually get to play with it.

Since you can’t do that yet, here are some of the features Mohan has talked up:

A cloud DVR with unlimited storage space, included in the base package. (That’s a feature Hulu has been talking about selling as an add-on to base package.)

A recommendation system powered by Google’s AI.

“Reliability and scalability” — a not-veiled reminder that other digital TV services have had technical struggles when they first launched.

Kafka makes some other noteworthy points about YouTube TV, which will launch later this spring, including the fact that the service is likely to directly compete with Hulu, the other anti-cable streaming service.

Anyone eager to jump on this new way to catch television from your phone can sign up to be notified as soon as the service is available here. Are you signing up for YouTube TV? Drop us a line in the comments!

Ford wants its electric self-driving delivery vans to launch drones

Last week, UPS revealed it is testing drone-launching delivery vans, and now, Ford is upping the game by unveiling its own electric self-driving delivery van that can launch a fleet of drones.

The company unveiled its new concept, called Autolivery, at MWC 2017 in Barcelona on Tuesday. The idea behind the delivery van – which, unlike the UPS van, is both electric and self-driving – is that it can drastically speed up distribution. The van is equipped with enough technology so that it is able to launch a fleet of drones capable of picking up and dropping off packages in hard-to-reach areas.

Autolivery aims to address the last-mile challenge in delivery, or rather, the last few metres between the delivery truck and the drop-off place. When UPS showed off its drone-launching van, it estimated that if it could shave a mile off of every driver’s route each day, it would cut about 66,000 miles per day overall, which equals a $50 million savings per year. Now, Ford is tackling that same issue.

In UPS’ case, the van launches a drone from the top of a truck so it can autonomously deliver a package, and then the drone returns to the van, which has already moved to a different location. Ford, of course, is taking a more lux-livery approach. It’s basically envisioning how future delivery services might work. Imagine you’re making a recipe and need milk. You could order it through an app that works with Autolivery, and the van will come to you – even directly to the 30th floor of your building, because the drones will deliver to your balcony.

• Best drones to buy in 2016, whatever your budget

While UPS’ van is best suited in rural areas, where there are large distances between houses, Ford is focusing on urban areas, where people live in high-rise buildings. Either way, both are trying to make delivery services more efficient in terms of cost and for the driver.

Autolivery is currently a concept within Ford’s City of Tomorrow vision, but we’ll keep you posted if it ever starts to test the vehicles.

Walmart’s new app helps you skip store lines

Walmart doesn’t just want its mobile app to speed up your checkout — now, it might help you avoid lines altogether for certain services. An upgrade to the app has introduced “express lane” services for both prescription pickups and money transfers. Once you’ve filled in a medicine or money transfer order on your phone, you just have to waltz up to the appropriate store counter, scan a QR code with the app and complete your business.

You may have to wait a while to use these features. They’ll start rolling out to stores in March, but the deployment will only finish sometime in the fall. Still, this could be a serious time-saver, particularly for prescriptions. If you just need a refill, the biggest hassle in the near future may be the trip to the store.

Source: Walmart

Google now lets developers offer sales on Android apps

During Google’s Developer Day at GDC 2017 today, the company introduced a few new features that will benefit both developers and consumers on the Google Play Store. The one customers will notice most starting today is strikethrough pricing, which makes it more obvious when apps are being sold at a reduced rate.

Now, devs can run promotions on apps while also listing regular prices, which are crossed out above the “Buy” button. This leaves consumers more informed about how much they’re saving, and Google says this leads to more sales. In a pilot phase testing the feature, developers saw installs increase by as much as 20-fold, and that momentum continued some once the sales were over.

Google is also putting more focus on good games that people are actually playing, instead of just installing and forgetting about. Games that have “strong engagement and retention metrics” should become more visible in the Play Store as Google continues tweaking its algorithms, the company says. Additionally, the store will soon be rolling out editorial pages featuring hand-picked games, with sections highlighting titles based on different genres and styles.

Another way for developers to get fingers tapping on screens is to use emojis in their app descriptions, a study recently proved. So basically, game makers, pair that strategy with Google’s new Play Store optimizations if you want to keep it 💯.

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

Source: Android Developers Blog

Tesla engineer sues over sexist workplace culture (updated)

If it wasn’t already evident that Silicon Valley’s issues with sexist culture extend beyond Uber, it is now. Tesla engineer AJ Vandermeyden has revealed that she’s suing her employer over allegations that the electric car maker ignored complaints of discrimination and “pervasive harassment.” She says she was paid less than men she replaced, and that she and fellow female engineers weren’t given promotions even though they were at least as qualified as men. The harassment, meanwhile, included “inappropriate language, whistling and catcalls,” according to the lawsuit.

To make matters worse, Vandermeyden claims that management retaliated whenever she brought up workplace sexism. Higher-ups would say that she could only get a promotion if she hit targets loftier than those expected from men, and that she wasn’t given overtime pay or breaks (including meal breaks) when she was in a sales role. She also maintains that she was punished for whistleblowing when she raised the alarm over cars knowingly sold with defects.

We’ve reached out to Tesla for a response. In a statement to the Guardian, it didn’t directly address the points mentioned lawsuit but did say that it believes in “fostering an inclusive workplace” and that there’s “more we can do to promote diversity.” It also downplayed Vandermeyden’s case, maintaining that there would always be a “small number” of people who make claims against the EV company.

As with Uber, the question isn’t so much whether or not Tesla understands the importance of fighting sexism as whether it’s willing to implement deep structural reforms that would help prevent and punish sexist behavior. Right now, it’s not clear that this is the case — there’s no mention of organizational and policy decisions that would let women like Vandermeyden feel safe and valued.

Update: Tesla now directly disputes Vandermeyden’s claims. A spokesperson tells us that an independent investigator determined the discrimination and harassment claims “have not been substantiated.” Also, it maintains that the engineer’s advancement into “at least one other role” is proof that it rewards skilled workers of all stripes. You can read the full statement below. There’s no guarantee that the court will agree with Tesla’s findings, but it’s important to take them into account.

“Tesla is committed to creating a positive workplace environment that is free of discrimination for all our employees. Ms. Vandermeyden joined Tesla in a sales position in 2013, and since then, despite having no formal engineering degree, she has sought and moved into successive engineering roles, beginning with her work in Tesla’s paint shop and eventually another role in General Assembly. Even after she made her complaints of alleged discrimination, she sought and was advanced into at least one other new role, evidence of the fact that Tesla is committed to rewarding hard work and talent, regardless of background. When Ms. Vandermeyden first brought her concerns to us over a year ago, we immediately retained a neutral third party, Anne Hilbert of EMC2Law, to investigate her claims so that, if warranted, we could take appropriate action to address the issues she raised. After an exhaustive review of the facts, the independent investigator determined that Ms. Vandermeyden’s ‘claims of gender discrimination, harassment, and retaliation have not been substantiated.’ Without this context, the story presented in the original article is misleading.”

Source: Guardian

Unity’s ‘2017’ game engine will focus on artists and designers

Unity’s keynote at this year’s GDC was all about the future of its game engine. The company has outlined plans for the next major version of its platform, Unity 2017, which is being designed with creators in mind. Unity says one of the main goals is to improve team productivity and collaboration features for non-programmers, particularly those who are artists and designers — someone like a cinematic animator, for example. Developers will be able to sign up for a beta in April, marking the end of the Unity 5 cycle that began in 2014.

Before that arrives, though, the Unity 5.6 release will provide further resources for devs who want to create 360-degree experiences, as there’s now support for a 4K video player within the engine. Unity also incorporated something called Navigation Mesh, which uses artificial intelligence to help developers easily control game characters who need to navigate a giant world. This version is scheduled to arrive at the end of next month, on March 31st.

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