Sensor-laden fake fruit ensures you get fresh produce

It’s challenging for shippers to check the quality of fruit on its way to your grocery store. Most sensors won’t reflect the conditions inside the boxes, and plucking a sample isn’t going to give you a comprehensive look. That’s where some Swiss researchers might come to the rescue. They’ve created artificial, sensor-packed fruit whose composition is enough like the real thing to provide an accurate representation of temperatures when placed alongside real food. If the fruit in the middle of a delivery isn’t properly refrigerated, the shipping company would know very quickly.

To create the fruit, the team first X-rays a real example and then has an algorithm generate the average shape and texture to produce a 3D-printed shell. From there, the team fills the shell with simulated fruit flesh made of carbohydrates, polystyrene and water. The result is obviously unnatural (and accordingly inedible), but realistic enough to produce accurate results in early testing.

And importantly, this would be relatively cheap. An entire fake fruit would cost about $50 US, and you could reuse it many times. The trickiest part would be getting real-time data. Right now, you have to stop and check the sensors to get results. The current design isn’t equipped to wirelessly transmit data, so there’s no way to get an instant notice while the foodstuffs are in mid-route. Even so, the tech could more than pay for itself if it helps produce companies avoid mistakes and deliver healthier produce to your local shop.

Via: TechCrunch

Source: Empa

Hyperloop Transportation Technologies is building a full size hyperloop passenger capsule

Why it matters to you

At least three companies are battling it out to capture the potential multi-million dollar market for the futuristic hyperloop transportation system. Is this the future of transportation?

There’s a new skirmish in the hyperloop race.

Elon Musk might be ahead of the game when it comes to developing the futuristic hyperloop transportation system, but his competition is gaining on him.

This week, Hyperloop Transportation Technologies (HTT) announced that it’s starting construction on its passenger capsule at its research and development facility in Toulouse, France—a sign that the spunky startup might be more than just vaporware after all. HTT is working with Carbures S.A., a Spanish company that builds components and systems for use in aeronautics, defense, space and other complex technical industries.

More: Could the Hyperloop really happen? Its building contractors say absolutely

The HTT passenger capsule will seat between 28 and 40 people, and is being designed to travel at more than 700 miles per hour. The commercial capsule, so reminiscent of The Jetsons, will be about 100 feet long, with a 9-foot diameter and a weight of 20 tons.

“Our dream of creating the next breakthrough in transportation takes a big step forward today,” said Dirk Ahlborn, Co-founder & CEO of HTT.

HTT already has partnerships emerging with Abu Dhabi, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic regarding potential hyperloop system installations.

But it’s still a crowded field. The original concept for the fabled transportation system, which is intended to move passengers and cargo at airline speeds for a fraction of the cost of air transportation, emerged from a conversation between Elon Musk and Silicon Valley angel investor Shervin Pishevar. The result was the company now known as Hyperloop One, which is also sitting on over $150 million in funding.

More: Engineering students hurl Hyperloop pods down California test track

Hyperloop One is eyeing Dubai for its first commercial system, intended to connect Abu Dhabi and Dubai via hyperloop. However, Hyperloop One has long had the advantage over its competitors, having already demonstrated its technology on a test track in Las Vegas last year.

Simultaneously, Brogan BamBrogan, the former Chief Technical Officer of Hyperloop One, has launched his own hyperloop startup, Arrivo, following a very public lawsuit against Hyperloop One. The former SpaceX engineer has decamped to Los Angeles to seek out public-private partnerships to fund two test sites in the United States.

It’s still up the air as to which firm is going to win the race to build a working hyperloop, but it’s a sure bet the story won’t be boring.

Apple acquisition hints at deep automation in iOS

You’ve had a number of built-in options to automate tasks on the Mac over the years, such as AppleScript and Automator, but you’ve had to turn to third-party apps like IFTTT to do similar things on iOS. You might not have to lean so much on outside help going forward, though. Apple has confirmed that it just acquired Workflow, an app that lets you easily run multi-step, multi-app tasks from your iPhone or iPad. You can upload your latest photo to a cloud service by pushing a button, for instance, or tell a family member when you expect to get home.

Unlike with many buyouts, Apple isn’t planning to shut Workflow down right away. The app is not only sticking around the App Store, but is now free. We wouldn’t count on it lasting forever (Apple eventually shut down HopStop, for instance), but Apple won’t necessarily disrupt your life for the sake of its long-term plans.

Neither Apple nor Workflow has outlined what they might do together, but there are a number of possibilities. On a basic level, it hints at the chance of built-in automation for some tasks in iOS — you might just tap a button to accomplish a number of tasks. That could be particularly appealing to iPad power users treating their tablet more like a computer. It may be helpful for home automation, too, by further streamlining control over all your appliances. Just don’t expect to see any Workflow features show up in iOS in the near future. Apple has likely already settled on the core features for iOS 11 by this point (WWDC is just a few months away), so any OS-level integration may have to wait until much later.

Source: TechCrunch

Apple Responds to Hack Threats, Says There Were no iCloud or Apple ID Breaches

In response to a ransom threat in which hackers are claiming to have access to more than 600 million iCloud accounts, Apple told Fortune there have been no breaches of its systems.

Instead, if the hackers do have access to iCloud accounts, Apple suggests previously compromised third-party services are at fault. From an Apple spokesperson:

There have not been any breaches in any of Apple’s systems including iCloud and Apple ID,” the spokesperson said. “The alleged list of email addresses and passwords appears to have been obtained from previously compromised third-party services.

Apple’s response follows a report from Motherboard that suggests a group of hackers known as the “Turkish Crime Family” have claimed to have access to hundreds of millions of iCloud accounts.

The Turkish Crime Family has threatened to reset the iCloud accounts and remotely wipe victims’ Apple devices if Apple does not pay $150,000 in Bitcoin or Ethereum by April 7. If Apple does not pay in three days, the group plans to increase the amount of money it is asking for.

Originally the group was believed to have access to 300 million icloud.com, me.com, and mac.com email addresses, but that number later jumped to 627 million due to additional hackers allegedly stepping forward to provide account credentials. The hackers say at least 220 million of the login credentials are verified to work and do not have two-factor authentication enabled.

With Apple denying a breach, the iCloud account information has likely been obtained from major hacking incidents that have affected companies like Yahoo. iCloud users who have the same username and password that was used for both a hacked site and for iCloud should change their passwords immediately.

The Apple spokesperson also told Fortune the company is “actively monitoring to prevent unauthorized access to user accounts and are working with law enforcement to identify the criminals involved,” but did not outline what specific steps are being taken to monitor the situation beyond “standard procedure.”

Apple recommends that all iCloud users choose strong passwords, use different passwords for different sites, and turn on two-factor authentication to protect their accounts.
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Nintendo cites ‘manufacturing variation’ for Joy-Con issues

Since the Switch started to show up in gamer’s homes, some have been complaining about issues with its wireless Joy-Cons. Problems with losing connection, particularly on the left one, have plagued some enough to attempt DIY fixes, but in a statement to Kotaku, Nintendo said there could be a reason for problems.

Nintendo:

“There is no design issue with the Joy-Con controllers, and no widespread proactive repair or replacement effort is underway. A manufacturing variation has resulted in wireless interference with a small number of the left Joy-Con. Moving forward this will not be an issue, as the manufacturing variation has been addressed and corrected at the factory level.

We have determined a simple fix can be made to any affected Joy-Con to improve connectivity.”

This jibes with something CNET editor Sean Hollister noticed after Nintendo performed a quick fix on his troublesome left Joy-Con. By taking before and after pictures, he observed that the only change made was the addition of a bit of conductive foam, possibly to shield the controller from interference. Also, a new controller purchased from Amazon lacked the modification, but sported a circuit board with a different manufacturing code.

Nintendo also said that there are other reasons Joy-Cons could have connection issues, but given this information, if you’re having problems then you should contact the company and get the fix.

Source: Kotaku, CNET

FreedomPop’s new family plan isn’t unlimited — but it sure is cheap

Why it matters to you

As great as the luxury of unlimited data is, not everyone needs or can afford it — which is where FreedomPop’s new plan comes in.

If you and your family are in the market for a new wireless provider, don’t eat up a whole lot of data, and would like to spend as little as possible, prepaid service FreedomPop may have what you’re looking for. The company is now offering a base-level family plan beginning at $5 per line, per month for 1GB of shared data, with each line receiving its own 500MB.

Never heard of FreedomPop? It’s a mobile virtual network operator — a service that runs on other networks. In FreedomPop’s case, that would be AT&T and Sprint. All of FreedomPop’s family plans feature unlimited talk and text, and the 1GB plan has no attached monthly data cost — just that $5 per line.

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

If you want more data to share, FreedomPop also offers 2GB and 4GB plans for an extra $15 and $35 per month, respectively. There is also 10GB for $75 and 25GB for $160 for super data-hungry families. All of these come on top of the $5 line access charge, with a max of 10 lines on one account.

Thus far, 2017 has been the year of the unlimited-data plan. Each of the four major post-paid carriers has introduced or revitalized its unlimited plan over the last several months, doing away with data caps, much to the delight of their customers.

The only problem with this trend is that unlimited data is expensive. The cheapest option is Sprint’s, which is currently $50 per month for a single line for a year, after which the cost rises to $60. And even after you pay that much, you’re still beholden to throttling depending on the content you’re streaming. On Sprint, music, for example, is slowed to 1.5Mbps, while gaming is held to 8Mbps.

Additionally, all the big four networks employ a “soft cap” with regard to unlimited data, usually between 22GB and 30GB. Exceed the limit in a payment cycle, and further usage is liable to be slowed depending on network conditions. Those are a lot of asterisks for plans that are ostensibly unlimited, which is why FreedomPop looks to be a compelling alternative — especially for people that are light on data.

Prospective customers can bring an AT&T- or Sprint-compatible device to FreedomPop or buy their own at FreedomShop, which offers used and refurbished phones, as well as new ones at reduced prices.

7 tripods guaranteed to keep your camera steady in every situation

They’re not needed for every genre of photography, but regardless of what you shoot, it’s always nice to have a tripod on hand. Whether you’re capturing B-roll of your photoshoot in action or need your camera still for that 30-second exposure, tripods will help get the job done in the most convenient way possible. And while tripods all rely on a basic structure, the materials and built-in features vary from one brand to the next. Below, we’ve rounded up seven of our favorite tripods for all kinds of photo and video adventures.

More: Our 15 favorite photo bags for every budget

Manfrotto Pixi Evo ($40)

Manfrotto might be most known for its larger tripods, but the company has struck all the right chords with its Pixi Evo series. Designed for smartphones, point-and-shoots, action cameras, and even mirrorless cameras, this little tripod is built like a tank, but packs down small for the sake of convenience. Best of all, it can also be used as a grip for holding your camera when taking video.

Buy it now from:

Amazon

Joby Gorillapod SLR-Zoom ($50)

If you’re looking for flexibility, Joby’s iconic lineup of GorillaPods is both literally and figuratively what you need. Using a trifecta of articulating legs, this tripod can grip onto almost anything imaginable. GorillaPods come in a variety of sizes, too. This particular model, for instance, is capable of holding up a DSLR with a decent-sized zoom lens.

Buy it now from:

B&H Photo

Slik Sprint Pro II ($70)

The Slik Sprint Pro II is a lightweight tripod that gets the job done without any extra frills. Each of the three legs have four extendable sections and the center bracket can be taken down so that lower-angle shooting is possible. With the bullhead mount, the Silk Sprint Pro II is also capable of holding an upwards of 4.5 pounds, which should be more than enough for even a heavier DSLR with a standard zoom lens attached.

Buy it now from:

B&H

Vanguard Alta Pro 263AGH ($160)

Tripod heads come in all shapes and sizes. Vanguard’s Alta Pro 263AGH offers one of the more unique styles, however, amounting to a pistol-style grip that rotates on a ball head. Combined with a 13.2-pound weight limit, this tripod has a lot to offer, especially when you consider the affordable price tag.

Buy it now from:

Amazon

MeFoto Classic BackPacker Travel Tripod ($150)

Compact, colorful, and capable, the MeFoto BackPacker Travel Tripod is one of the more interesting offerings on our roundup. Like most of MeFoto’s tripods, this particular version is available in a rainbow of colors, from silver to purple. As the name suggests, it also packs down so that you can easily stow it in a small backpack. It even manages to hold an upwards of 8.8 pounds on its ball head mount. Want an even lighter tripod? Check out the Air version of the BackPacker.

Buy it now from:

B&H

Manfrotto MK190X3-2W ($250)

If video production is more up your alley, you should skip the ball head mount. Instead, you should opt for a fluid head tripod, and Manfrotto has some of the best options out there in terms of bang-for-your-buck. The Manfrotto MK190X3-2W is one of the company’s mid-tier options, yet it still offers impressive performance despite its compact design.

Buy it now from:

Amazon

3 Legged Thing Eclipse Albert with AirHed 360 Ball Head ($500)

If you don’t mind spending the dough, one of the best tripods you can get your hands on is the 3 Legged Thing Eclipse Albert. The device is made of carbon fiber, which helps reduce weight and increase durability. The tripod also offers a multitude of adjustment points and an incredible amount of support for camera systems that weigh and upwards of 66 pounds.

Buy it now from:

B&H

What is Facebook Live, how does it work, and which devices support it?

In an attempt to rival Twitter-owned Periscope, Facebook lets mobile users broadcast live videos. Now, more than a year after introducing Facebook Live, all users can now go live from a computer.

With this functionality, Facebook is going after desktop-aimed streaming sites, such as Twitch and YouTube Gaming. Desktop streamers can broadcast from their webcam and use external hardware or streaming software, just like they can from Twitch. That means you aren’t limited to one type of stream, as you can broadcast your face or things like gameplay footage and picture-in-picture videos.

Here’s everything you need to know about Facebook Live, including how to broadcast from a mobile phone or desktop.

What is Facebook Live?

Facebook Live is a feature found on Facebook’s website and in the Facebook mobile apps. With this feature, you can start a live video, and your friends and followers can watch and engage with the broadcast in real time. This feature debuted in 2015 and has slowly expanded to more platforms, with the most recent update bringing desktop users into the fold.

How do you go live on Facebook?

iPhone

• Launch your Facebook for iOS app
• Tap “What’s on your mind?” at the top of your news feedTap Live Video
• Write an optional description for your broadcast
• Tap Go Live to begin your broadcast
• Tap Finish when you want to end your broadcast

Android

• Launch your Facebook for Android app
• Tap “What’s on your mind?” at the top of your news feed
• Tap Go Live
• Write an optional description for your broadcast
• Tap Go Live to begin your broadcast
• Tap Finish when you want to end your broadcast

Desktop

• Go to Facebook.com using the Google Chrome web browser
• Click “What’s on your mind?” at the top of your News Feed
• Click Live Video
• Write something about your live video
• Select the audience for your live video
• Click Next
• Click Go Live

External hardware and streaming software

You can go live with external hardware and even streaming software like OBS, Wirecast, or XSplit, making it easy for publishers to switch between cameras, stream PC gameplay, make how-to guides, and incorporate on-screen graphics, titles, and overlays. Facebook said you can go live directly from News Feed, your profile, or this direct link here. Here’s a step-by-step guide.

How does Facebook Live work?

Filters

To add a filter to your live video, go to the iOS or Android app to start your live broadcast, then tap the wand icon and scroll to view all filter options. You can tap any filter to select it. You’ll also see the ability to draw or doodle on videos while live.

Reactions

Facebook offers Live Reactions in live videos to make it “easy for your viewers to express their feelings in real time during a live broadcast.”

Live Reactions features the same reactions that Facebook launched for posts in the news feed. So, you can select Love, Haha, Wow, Sad, or Angry, and then you can see those reactions animate on top of the broadcast. Live Reactions appear and disappear in real time, and when your friend reacts to your video or to a video you are both watching, you will see their profile pic and a starburst before their reaction appears.

This feature really reminds of us Periscope, as that broadcasting app lets you double tap your phone screen in order to send love/hearts (a heart will appear next to your avatar) to a broadcaster in real-time.

Comments

Similar to Periscope, Facebook Live lets you engage with broadcasters using real-time comments. Facebook said it noticed people comment 10 times more on Facebook Live videos than on regular videos. It also wants people watching the broadcast after the fact to still feel as though they’re watching in the moment, so it’ll replays comments as they happened during the broadcast for people watching later. 

Is there a time limit for a live videos?

The time limit for a live video on Facebook is four hours.

How do you find live videos on Facebook?

You will see live videos from your friends and people you follow appear in your news feed, and you may even get a notification when a friend or people you follow start broadcasting (depending on your notification preferences). When you’re watching a live video or a video that was live, you can click Subscribe to be notified the next time that account broadcasts. You can also find live videos on the Facebook Live Map.

How do you manage notifications?

Enable or disable notifications

• Click in the top right and select Settings
• Select Notifications on the left
• Click On Facebook
• Scroll down to Live Videos to make changes to live video notifications

Want to know more?

Check out Facebook’s tips and tricks guide for more handy information.

Instagram is becoming an OpenTable for hair appointments and more

Instagram doesn’t want to just be a photo-sharing app anymore.

The Facebook-owned app told Bloomberg it will soon let people make appointments with businesses, just like you can with other appointment-booking services like OpenTable or Yelp. You will be able to book a haircut by going to a salon’s Instagram account and clicking a schedule button. This change, expected to roll out in the “next couple months”, is all part of an effort to expand Instagram’s consumer uses.

It will also primarily give Instagram’s advertisers another way to measure the impact of accounts. There are currently about eight million businesses with accounts on Instagram, and 80 per cent of Instagram’s users follow at least one of those business accounts. There’s also whispers about Instagram adding other tools, such as the ability to add a review in between liking photos of cats and food porn.

• Instagram tips and tricks: How to master the app and post amazing pics
• Instagram now notifies you if someone takes a screenshot

The whole idea does seem really cool. It’d be neat to use Instagram as a one-stop shop for OOTD inspiration and making an appointment to get new spark plugs for your Mini. Next, we’d like to see buy buttons so we can purchase stuff while we swipe through pics.

New Samsung Galaxy S8 leaks show phone colours, packaging, and more

Yes, we know everything about the Galaxy S8, but nevertheless, here’s the upcoming device in black, gold, and grey.

Reliable leakster Evan Blass has posted more promotional materials for Samsung’s next flagship, which is set to be unveiled on 29 March. He previously revealed the front of the phone and that it would be available in black sky, orchid grey, and arctic silver colours, but now we can see what the colours look like on the back. In pictures from earlier this week, we could only see the front, and it was mostly black.

…and finally: Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus (left to right) in Black Sky, Orchid Grey, and Arctic Silver (top to bottom). pic.twitter.com/pIUJskyFbK

— Evan Blass (@evleaks) March 21, 2017

Honestly, there isn’t much we don’t know about the Galaxy S8, as it’s been fully revealed by reports, rumours, and analysts. And these pictures don’t reveal any surprises about the design. Once again, we see minimal bezels, no physical home button, a fingerprint sensor on the back, etc. What’s new is the colours that Samsung is expected to offer. But that’s not all: Another leak shows off the phone’s packaging.

• When is Galaxy Unpacked 2017 and can you watch it online?

Android Police

This separate leak from Android Police shows the retail packaging, and from the box, we can see that the Galaxy S8 Plus, a larger model of the phone, will be available with 64GB of storage. And finally, a third leak posted to Twitter has revealed the phone should offer three options for screen resolution: HD+ (1480×720), FHD+ (2220×1080), and QHD+ (2960×1440). The default resolution is QHD+, as rumored. 

Galaxy S8 Change screen resolution pic.twitter.com/IBpfPEofPa

— Ice universe (@UniverseIce) March 21, 2017

We’ll know all the official details and specs soon. Samsung is slated to confirm everything at its Galaxy Unpacked event next month. When Samsung formally announces the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus, we will bring you the news as it happens. In the mean time, check out Pocket-lint’s round-up of rumours for more speculation and leaks.