Apple’s Tree Buying Spree for Apple Park Causing Shortages

Apple is purchasing so many trees for its upcoming Apple Park campus that it’s becoming challenging for other companies to source trees, according to a report from the San Francisco Chronicle.

“Buying trees is a surprisingly cutthroat business,” reads the Chronicle in a piece about a rooftop City Park that’s being built above the upcoming Transbay Transit Center in San Francisco. Adam Greenspan and Patrick Trollip, who are sourcing trees for that project, say Apple has made it hard to track down trees across California and Oregon.

And it’s been especially challenging to locate desirable specimens because Apple has been buying up 3,000 trees for its new Cupertino headquarters. When Greenspan and Trollip found a tree they fancied they would “tag it” with a locking yellow tag, so that nobody else — like Apple — could get it. Eventually all the tagged trees were moved to a nursery in Sunol, where the transbay project team leased 4 acres.

Apple Park, Apple’s second campus with the famous spaceship-shaped main building, will be completely covered in greenery. Landscaping at the site started late last year, and Apple has said it will plant more than 9,000 native and drought-resistant trees, including fruit trees.

In a separate report on Apple Park, The Economist highlighted the parking situation at the campus. For the 14,000 workers that Apple plans to have on site, Apple has built nearly 11,000 parking spaces, many of them located in underground lots beneath the main building and in two garages at the south of the campus.

In total, Apple has built 325,000 square meters of parking, compared to 318,000 square meters of offices and research buildings. So much space has been dedicated to parking due to Cupertino city laws, which require a certain number of parking spaces for employees.

Employees will begin moving into Apple Park in April, but Apple has said it will take more than six months to transition thousands of employees to the site. Smaller building construction and landscaping has not been finished and will continue into the summer, even after the campus sees its grand opening.
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Google comes for Pinterest (and your dated sense of style)

For years, Pinterest has been the go-to place for many people looking for fashion inspiration. Google wants to change that. That’s why today it introduced a new feature called “style ideas” in the Google app for Android and mobile web.

Let’s say you’re interested in buying a Zara handbag. Type the phrase into a Google image search and you’ll see photos of the product. Tapping on one and scrolling down will then show a grid of more photos that showcase how the product can be worn in real life. That way, you can see if the bag really suits your taste before you click a buy button.

Style ideas isn’t the only fashion-friendly feature Google rolled out this week. The company also introduced “similar items,” which uses machine vision technology to identify products like sunglasses and shoes when you use image search. It then displays matching products in an expanded carousel, along with information on pricing and availability — something brands hope users will click on to buy their products.

All of this is very similar to what Pinterest already offers, and it’s clear Google is trying to set itself up as a competitor. And this isn’t the first time it’s directly targeted the photo sharing website. In 2015, it added a collections feature to Google+, offering users a way to organize and share their interests.

Via: TechCrunch

Source: Google

Could Microsoft’s next Surface device be an education-focused Cloud Book?

Why it matters to you

If you’re a student or a teacher, then Microsoft might have a new Surface device made just for you if recent rumors are true.

Microsoft is holding what’s presumed to be its spring event on May 2, 2017 in New York City. As expected, there is plenty of speculation on exactly what Microsoft will cover, or uncover, at the event after some recent rumors have doused the hopes of many that new Surface Book and Surface Pro machines would be highlighted.

Given the event’s hashtag #MicrosoftEDU, the event will clearly have an educational focus, which has led to further speculation that Microsoft’s upcoming Windows 10 Cloud product will be highlighted. Taking the prognosticating to an extreme is the idea that the company could introduce a completely new version of Surface dubbed “Cloud Book,” as MSPU outlines in a new theory.

There’s some evidence that such a device might be in the works, in addition to mere guesses like the one Microsoft-watcher Mary Jo Foley proposed in a recent story at ZDNet. Merging “Cloud” and “Book” makes some sense on its own, and clearly, Microsoft has the idea itself as demonstrated by a tweet from famous leak source Walking Cat:

interesting, a collection in WinStore for "students and scholars", id is "cloudbook" ms-windows-store://collection/?collectionid=cloudbook pic.twitter.com/JE2th3T1yh

— WalkingCat (@h0x0d) April 13, 2017

Another rumor also works into the mix here, as Windows 10 Cloud is anticipated by some to be Microsoft’s response to Google’s Chromebook initiative, which is making strong headway in the education market by virtue of its low cost of entry and significantly reduced administrative burden. If Microsoft wants to drive the Windows 10 Cloud penetration in education in the same way that it has driven the Windows 10 PC ecosystem forward with Surface in general, then producing a halo-like Cloud Book would make some sense.

There is also the very real possibility that a low-cost Cloud Book for education could utilize an ARM processor, given that Microsoft has already confirmed the full Windows 10 operating system will run on ARM and the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 has been pegged as the likely candidate chipset for the first Windows 10 ARM machines. Running on ARM would lower costs and provide a long-lasting machine that would work well in the classroom, and there’s a rumor of a traditional clamshell Surface device that’s also popped up that would make more sense for a Cloud Book than for a Surface Book.

This is all just speculation, of course, and we’ll have to wait until the event to see what Microsoft actually has up its sleeve. It’s done a great job so far of keeping things like this a secret, with both the original Surface Book and the Surface Studio being mostly complete surprises when they were announced at their own events. One thing is clear, however — with Microsoft Build 2017 also scheduled for next month, Microsoft fans have a lot of new material coming their way very soon.

From true crime to comedy, these are the best podcasts you can download now

Podcasts are awesome. You can stream or download them and listen to them at home or on your way to work. Plus, they cover just about every topic you can think of. The only thing not to love? There are so many to pick from. So let us help with the decision-making process so you can spend less time fumbling through the bad and more time listening to the good.

More: How to download and listen to podcasts in Android or iOS

News

Cited

This documentary-style podcast asks experts and educational professionals questions you would never think there were scholarly answers for. Are racists crazy? Can heroin be used to help stop heroin addiction? These are just a few of the topics hosts Gordon Katic and Sam Fenn explore in their one-hour segment.

Available via:

Soundcloud iTunes RSS Stitcher

Undisclosed

The justice system doesn’t always work, and podcasts like Undisclosed are there to make sure we don’t forget. Undisclosed takes the listener through the investigation, trial, and verdict of controversial cases, such as the death of Freddie Gray, with meticulous detail that makes every episode sound ripe for a multi-part TV documentary.

Available via:

Audioboom iTunes RSS Stitcher

PRI’s The World

The World is PRI’s daily news show that reports news, as the name might suggest, from around the world. What makes it a standout is how the reports connects listeners to topics and people from around in the world in surprising ways — making bus riders in Bogota relevant to morning commuters in San Francisco — while covering some of the most interesting news of the day.

Available via:

iTunes RSS

Global News

This podcasts features just what the name implies: World news from around the globe. It consists of two, 30-minute news broadcasts compiled twice a day from the 24-hours news coverage offered by the BBC World Service.

Available via:

iTunes RSS

Left, Right & Center

Left, Right & Center is a weekly 30-min podcast assembled by one of Los Angeles’ radio stations. The debate forum of the podcast allows its host Josh Barrow, Katrina vanden Heuvel (on the left), Rich Lowry (on the right), and their special guest to analyze politics, policy, and culture from every angle.

Available via:

iTunes RSS

Democracy Now

The award-winning show hosted by investigative journalists Goodman and Juan Gonzalez is unique in it’s independence. If you took media theory 101 (or you listen to On the Media), you know just how unique and important independent news media is — making it arguably the most essential news podcast of the bunch.

Available via:

iTunes RSS

Slate Political Gabfest

Slate’s Political Gabfest is a weekly news round up, discussed by host, David Plotz and, usually, John Dickerson and Emily Bazelon. Their politcal analysis is on point and their repartee adds some levity to the top stories of the week.

Available via:

iTunes RSS

On the Media

Award-winning On the Media is one of the only shows dedicated to covering media news  Hosts Brooke Gladstone and Bob Garfield talk about how the news is covered, regulated, and disseminated. They examine threats to free speech, the element of transparency, and hidden agendas with both intrigue and authority.

Available via:

iTunes RSS

The Takeaway

The Takeaway, hosted by Emmy and Peabody winner John Hockenberry, hosts conversations about the topics that matter with national news leaders. Live reports from the field and listener call ins round out the show and provide an extremely diverse analysis.

Available via:

iTunes RSS

Reveal

As investigative reporting gradually vanishes from American print and broadcast news, podcasts and radio try to stem the tide. Reveal, the Center for Investigative Reporting’s radio show and dedicated podcast, is one such example. In the hour-long show, Reveal aims a spotlight at each topic it covers, remaining interesting and analytical while covering topics of urgent relevancy.

Available via:

iTunes RSS

Citizen Radio

If the daily news leaves you feeling frustrated and depressed, Citizen Radio might be the podcast for you. The show covers news mainstream media often neglects, in a similar fashion to Democracy Now, but with a lot more swearing and humor. Journalist Allison Kilkenny and comedian Jaime Kilstein navigate the show between righteous outrage and comedic analysis.

Available via:

iTunes RSS

Vox’s The Weeds

News website Vox’s brand-spankin’-new podcast, The Weeds, digs into the nitty gritty of policy thoroughly enough to satiate even the biggest policy nerds. In a conversational format, editors Ezra Klien and Sarah Kliff — along with writer and policy nerd Matthew Yglesias — discuss how policy changes the public, and in turn, how the public changes policy.

Available via:

iTunes RSS

Google is helping you stay stylish, thanks to tweak to its Image search results

Why it matters to you

Want to find new ways to keep stylish? Google Images will now help you do so when you’re searching for a new fashion item to buy.

Google Search has slowly but surely been getting better at delivering the information you need straight from search results, but Google Images have largely been absent from that progress. The latest change to Search could change that.

In image searches for fashion-related products, Google will now be offering “style ideas” in both the Google Android app and on mobile browsers. For example, if you search for a Zara bag on Google Images, Google will show a number of images of that product, then it will show a gallery of “inspirational lifestyle images and outfits” showcasing people using the bag.

According to Google, the point here is to allow people to see how the items look in the real world, so they can envion how they might use the items before they buy them. Of course, the feature isn’t just good for users — Google is in the business of selling ads, and alongside those fashion tips, Google will also present similar items that people can buy.

“That means whether you’re researching shorts and sneakers or checking out sunglasses and handbags, you’ll be able to find product offerings that may suit your tastes,” said Google in a blog post. “Uncovering a bargain option without sacrificing style is now accessible right from Image Search.”

The feature itself looks very similar to what Pinterest offers — largely because of its grid-like format, and the fact that it offers fashion recommendations based on what you search. In fact, Pinterest currently offers a very similar tool, in the form of a Chrome extension that allows users to select an item, then see similar items based on Pinterest’s image-recognition functions.

For now, the feature will only be available on mobile — but we may see it roll out to desktop at some point. For iPhone users, the feature will be available in Safari or Chrome, while Android users will get it in the Google and Chrome apps.

‘Pokémon Go’ Easter update adds more Pokémon to 2km eggs, doubles your XP

Why it matters to you

If you haven’t played Pokémon Go in a while, the holiday updates are a good way to get back into them and the Eggstravaganza is no different.

If you need an excuse to burn off all of the chocolate you will be eating over the next few days, Niantic will soon launch the Eggstravaganza Easter update for Pokémon Go. The update adds more candies to just about every activity, increases the number of Pokémon in two-kilometer eggs, and doubles the experience points you get from lucky eggs.

Even if Pokémon Go might not be quite the sensation today it was close to its launch, holiday-themed events have proven to be a popular way to pull people back to the augmented reality game. Easter is no different and with many aspects of the game revolving around eggs, Niantic has jumped at the opportunity to theme its latest update after the holiday.

The update is set to go live at 1 p.m. (PT) on Thursday and will cram far more Pokémon than usual into the game’s most common eggs, making it easier than ever to complete your Pokédex. On top of that, the game’s experience-boosting lucky eggs are 50 percent off in the store and can be stacked with a game-wide 100 percent bonus to experience, leveling up players much faster.

On top of all of the holiday-specific updates, Niantic is also reintroducing its previous holiday bonuses to candies for hatching eggs, so you will receive double the number of candies you did before the update. That should help all players level up quicker and get those rarer, evolved Pokémon.

This is, of course, is a nice way for Niantic to sell a few more of those incubators that help users crack open eggs a lot faster. However, if you don’t plan on spending any money on the game, there is still plenty to enjoy in this latest update.

This Easter-themed event will run for a week, ending 1 p.m. (PT) on April 20.

Desktop CNC milling machine is as small as an A4 sheet of paper

Why it matters to you

Looking for a high-quality, low-cost CNC milling machine, and have limited desk space to store it? Then this Kickstarter project will be right up your alley.

Are you a “maker” with a bit of unaccounted-for desk space, and $800 burning a hole in your pocket? Then, boy, have we got the Kickstarter project for you!

Called the MicroMill, it’s a high quality, low-cost, 3-axis computer numerical control (CNC) milling machine for your desktop, with a working area of 115 x 100 x 64mm, and a footprint no more than that of an A4 notepad.

Controlled via USB from your computer with a wide range of open-source software options, it’s perfect for (quietly) cutting bespoke shapes in materials ranging from soft wax and foam to woods and plastics, and even aluminum. These can be anything from soft prototypes to finished parts — with a precise, high quality finish, and a price tag that’s a fraction of other marketplace rivals.

“What really sets us apart is the level of build quality, the versatility, and the precision you’re getting for your money,” creator Josh Smith told Digital Trends. “We closely studied the specifications of our rivals at all price points, and asked how we could match or better them on every single point.”

Smith said that the U.K.-based RP3d design startup behind the MicroMill didn’t originally set out to create a CNC machine. The necessity to do so came about while the firm was developing another project. Finding that 3D-printed parts weren’t strong or accurate enough to work the way the company wanted, they approached machinists for the job — only to be discouraged by the high quotes and long lead time.

“After giving up outsourcing to machinists, we looked at buying a machine ourselves,” he continued. “Being a startup of limited resources, the prices being charged for the most complete ‘all-rounder’ machines were just completely out of reach.”

Eventually they decided the best thing to do would be to build a machine for themselves. A dozen revisions and several prototypes later, and the MicroMill is what happily emerged.

“The end result is a stiff, robust little machine that weighs less than 6kg, but is capable of cutting parts out from almost all materials softer than steel,” Smith said. “We’re proud of what we’ve achieved and excited to get it into the hands of creative people who can really benefit from its abilities.”

If you want to be among them, you can place a pre-order for the machine over on Kickstarter. Shipping is set to take place in July.

Gfycat’s new Reddit bot supplies your dancing cat images on demand

Why it matters to you

GIFs are one of the most popular forms of media on Reddit, and Gfycat’s new bot makes finding them easier than ever.

If you’ve ever shared an awesome GIF you stumbled upon while web browsing, chances are it came from Gfycat (pronounced “jiffy cat”). The repository of 25 million moving images sees over 75 million visitors watch 1.5 billion user-generated clips per month. And on Thursday, it’s coming to Reddit in a big way.

Gfycat today launched its Gfycat Bot for Reddit, an automated tool that lets users of popular social network Reddit add GIFs to comment threads without having to copy, paste, and post the images themselves.

Using it’s simple. When posting a reply or responding to a comment, the bot’s summoned with a command (“/gfycat,” without quotes) paired with a keyword or phrase. It does the heavy lifting, returning GIFs in the form of comments which can be further commented on.

“We grew out of Reddit, and so much of our content reflects that,” said Gfycat CEO and co-founder Richard Rabbat. “We’ve been a part of the community since day one, and since we’re a [user-generated content] platform Reddit users have been creating the content they wanted to see for years.”

Gfycat said it worked closely with Reddit on the release, which comes on the heels of recent changes to the social network. In March, Reddit began testing a new profile page design that takes a cue from Facebook and Twitter: Users can make posts directly to pages, and users who log in can follow profiles for new posts.

“Reddit is home to some of the largest GIF-sharing communities on the internet, and Gfycat has had a huge presence across our site since its inception,” Reddit business development manager Dip Ghuman said in a statement. “We’re excited to see how Gfycat Bot can give Redditors an even more GIF-filled experience, in posts and in the comments.”

It’s part of a bid to make Reddit “more accessible” to new users, co-founder Alexis Ohanian told Reuters. “If you yourself are someone who wants to share something, it’s pretty daunting,” he said. “We’re in a position where we can start doing product improvements that are admittedly overdue but represent a real level up for Reddit.”

Reddit’s outreach dovetails with Gfycat’s efforts to “reach younger consumers who no longer watch TV,” in Rabbat’s words.

In December, it debuted Gfycat Loops, a GIF creator for Android that converts screen recordings, augmented reality games, videos, video links, and camera content into a GIF-ready format. From there, it can be shared within Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, Instagram, Pinterest, Tumblr, and other messaging and email clients.

In February, the GIF-sharing service launched a software development kit that lets developers tap the service’s millions of alien saucers, dancing cats, and other animated collections.

It’s a strategy that’s worked wonders. Gfycat recently announced a $10 million funding round.

Google Allo update appears to carry hidden features that have yet to go live

Why it matters to you

Google’s new Assistant-powered chat service is becoming more powerful all the time with new features and is definitely worth a look.

Allo may be struggling to gain traction in the already crowded arena of messaging services, but that is not stopping Google from keeping it current with new features. Version 9.0 for Android just hit the Play Store this week and although it doesn’t seem to immediately add much to the experience, 9to5 Google dismantled the APK and found evidence of some interesting features that appear to be waiting in the wings for a server-side update.

First and foremost are chat backups. A pop-up message that has been uncovered in the code alludes to restoring saved conversations and further investigation reveals messages relating to images and videos — indicating Allo will not only back up text but media as well.

What is more, you can apparently choose to back up your chats to either Google Drive or external storage. If you choose the former, there is the typical option to only save to Drive when on Wi-Fi to avoid data charges. You will even be able to set the frequency of backups.

9to5 Google also found a “Start group Incognito chat” string, which refers to Allo’s end-to-end encrypted, private conversation channel that doesn’t involve Google Assistant.

In terms of more fun features, there is Quick Selfie, which made the rumor rounds in March and reappears under the surface here in version 9.0. The feature acts as a small camera button to the right of the text entry field that, when tapped, opens a circular window linked to the front-facing camera.

Finally, what update would be complete without some new stickers? In this case, they are actually stickers generated from selfies, created in your likeness. A reference to the feature was present back in the code for Allo 5.0, then disappeared, and has now returned.

Seeing all these features pop up in code before actually debuting is nothing new for Allo or Google’s apps, as the company typically activates them independently of updates. Doing this allows Google to slowly roll out changes and tweak things on the fly. There is no timetable for release and as history has shown, features referenced in one version may not release in full until many updates down the line.

A beginner’s guide to mindfulness meditation, and the best apps for learning

“Mindfulness” is probably a word you’ve heard a lot of lately. It gets thrown around as a synonym for words like attention and concentration, often as a command or suggestion: “be mindful of the step,” or “be mindful of others’ emotions.” It’s also possible you’ve heard it said by those in the self-help crowds, often dressed in flowery, poetic cushioning. But meditation and mindfulness can have very real, measurable effects on your well being. That said, the practice is more than simply sitting calmly.

More: The man behind Def Jam Records wants you to relax, and has made a meditation app to help

What, exactly, is “mindfulness?”

Mindfulness is, essentially, being aware of your body and your mind; being aware of thoughts and emotions as they pass through your head, and sensations that occur in your body. In modern life, it’s easy to get lost in thought, as we often get distracted and become busy at almost all hours of the day. This makes it hard to recognize that subtle back pain or twinge of irritability, making it easier to act on impulse rather than calmly respond to it. It also makes us less likely to recognize our surroundings or positive emotions, and thus, we miss out on them. So how to do we fix this, and increase our mindfulness? The answer is meditation.

More: Bellabeat Leaf review

Mindfulness Meditation is a form of meditation that incorporates aspects from Buddhist meditation styles, like Vipassana and Zazen, but is presented in basic terms divested of any religious or overtly spiritual/metaphysical vestiges and vocabulary. Traditionally, meditation was thought of as a way to “liberate” oneself of the cycles of life and rebirth, and reach enlightenment, or Nirvana. However, mindfulness meditation focuses purely on the benefits of meditation on your brain and body, and by extension, your relationships and daily life. There are many benefits, all backed up by science. Lots of science, in fact. Lower blood pressure, better focus and creativity, and a deeper sense of compassion and empathy are all within reach.

So what’s the best way to begin meditating? Believe it or not, but you can meditate anywhere, at any time, without a monastery. Here’s how:

• Find a quiet spot, sit comfortably but with your back straight, and breathe.
• Feel your breath going in and out. Make note of it as it does, or count each breath up to 10 before starting over.
• Your mind will wander and be busy, but don’t fret. When you notice this, just gently bring your attention back to the breath.

That’s it — no altered states of mind, levitation, or communing with the universe. Simply breathe, and reset your attention when you notice your mind has wandered.

Ironically, by embracing one of the most egregious distractions we possess — our smartphones — we unlock the potential for more effective meditation. These seven apps will help you begin meditating, learn to stick to it, and practice. Furthermore, they’re all light on (or entirely devoid of) any references to Buddhism or new-age spirituality, and just focus on the facts. Within days, you’ll begin to notice the positive changes slowly taking place.