Vibrating utensils won’t stop you from stuffing your face

The weight loss world is full of plausible-sounding advice. We’ve got apps to count calories, smart scales that measure our body fat and even vibrating utensils that promise to slow our eating down. The problem is really knowing which gadgets work and which are just as much empty fluff as a jar of that marshmallow stuff. Unfortunately, those vibrating forks seem to fall under the latter category, according to a new study published in science journal, Appetite.

The study, titled “The effect of real-time vibrotactile feedback delivered through an augmented fork on eating rate, satiation, and food intake,” found that even when a smart fork slows people down when eating, it won’t result in eating less. People assigned the vibrating fork ended up eating a bite or so per minute less than the control group, but each cohort ended up eating the same 1.7 pounds of pasta bolognese during the time period measured, according to The Verge. That’s a lot of pasta, slowly consumed or not. Still, the study only tested eating patterns over 10 minutes — half the time other researchers say it takes for your body to feel the food in your stomach — so it’s hard to call the results utterly conclusive.

The myth that eating slowly will help you lose weight continues to persevere, however, even with quite a few studies saying the opposite. Smart devices like the HAPIfork may indeed help you eat more slowly, but perhaps not slowly enough to make a difference in the amount you eat. If the current study’s conclusions are true, then vibrating utensils may only be as useful as that fitness tracker you never wear.

Via: The Verge

Source: Science Direct

NSA will stop illegally collecting American emails

The National Security Agency has enjoyed relatively broad authority to monitor communications among suspected terrorists and their associates, even when those people happen to be American citizens and even without a warrant. However, The New York Times reports the NSA is stopping one of its most controversial practices: the collection of Americans’ international emails and text messages that mention a foreigner under surveillance.

The NSA is attempting to adhere to a 2011 ruling by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court. The court found this “about the target” collection program violated the Fourth Amendment because some internet companies packaged and processed emails in bundles — meaning if one message contained a foreign target’s email address, the entire group was swept up. The NSA was intercepting domestic communications, resulting in illegal searches.

FISC allowed the surveillance to continue, but with a new safeguard in place: The NSA proposed a program where it would keep these bundled emails in a separate repository where analysts would not be able to see them.

In 2016, the NSA reported the revamped program was not going as planned and analysts were, in fact, still searching the sequestered documents, The New York Times says. FISC delayed renewing the agency’s warrantless surveillance program until it promised to cancel the entire “about the target” collection process.

The NSA has argued its bulk-collection methods help officials track potential threats, as contact with someone under surveillance is grounds for suspicion. Privacy advocates like the American Civil Liberties Union argue otherwise.

“This development underscores the need for Congress to significantly reform Section 702 of FISA, which will continue to allow warrantless surveillance of Americans,” ACLU legislative counsel Neema Singh Guliani says in response to today’s news. “While the NSA’s policy change will curb some of the most egregious abuses under the statute, it is at best a partial fix. Congress should take steps to ensure such practices are never resurrected and end policies that permit broad, warrantless surveillance under Section 702, which is up for reauthorization at the end of the year.”

I’m going to go out on a limb & add a big reason: bulk access going darker
1—email providers moved to TLS/https
2—targets moved to E2E apps https://t.co/zz5WCxOHmZ

— Thomas Rid (@RidT) April 28, 2017

Of course, technology continues to rapidly advance, and online communication has changed a lot since 2011. Today, more people are using end-to-end encryption and email providers are offering more secure ways to communicate, potentially making it harder for the NSA to round up these messages in the first place. In 2014, Google announced it would use HTTPS connections in Gmail specifically because the NSA was poking around in users’ business.

Source: The New York Times

USPS solar eclipse stamps use body heat to reveal the moon

The United States Postal Service is no stranger to letting its nerd flag fly with special edition stamps. The latest in its space series is a little different, though. Rather than just showing off celestial bodies or NASA spacecraft, the new stamps are a tribute to the upcoming total solar eclipse that should occur August 21st. Press your finger to the stamp and your body heat will transform its black circle centerpiece into an image of our moon. Once the heat dies down, the stamp image goes back to black. While it’s not as elaborate as you might think, this is something that’s sure to make philatelics smile.

The USPS says this is its first time using thermochromic ink and that the set will be part of its Forever Stamp collection. So, three years from now, if you really need a stamp and postage price has increased, you won’t have to double up with additional stamps when sending that handwritten letter to grandma.

Want to celebrate the stamp? Maybe plan a summer road trip to the University of Wyoming’s art museum for the postage’s First-Day-of-Issue ceremony on June 20th.

Via: The Verge

Source: USPS

Airbnb makes it easier for road warriors to find a room

Airbnb is becoming a more popular option for business travelers. Employees from more than 250,000 companies around the world have signed up to use it for work, the company says. So, Airbnb caters to these road warriors with a new search tool that shows only listings suited for business travel.

What does that mean, exactly? According to Airbnb, it’s a location with amenities and services essential to business travelers, like Wi-Fi, laptop-friendly workspaces and self check-in. The company says more than 150,000 of those options around the world are currently available through its service.

If you want to try the new search function, you’ll need to link your work email address to your Airbnb account. If you want to register as a business traveler with Airbnb, you can do that here.

Airbnb’s attempts to cater to business travelers aren’t exactly new. It’s been trying to lure them in since 2014, when it launched a dedicated Business Travel portal. This year, it launched a third-party booking tool, so travelers and their managers can make reservation changes and message hosts with questions. It also introduced business-friendly receipts to streamline the expense process.

Airbnb says it’s working on even more business-friendly features this year, including integration with corporate travel booking tools and easier access to amenities like gyms and co-working spaces. That’s surely bad news for the hotel industry, which is already putting legal pressure on the company. Earlier this year, the American Hotel and Lodging Association launched lobbying and research campaigns to convince politicians to “crack down” on Airbnb by imposing more regulatory restrictions.

Via: The Verge

Source: Airbnb

Merriam-Webster’s idea of ‘sheeple’ are Apple fanboys

I’ll admit it: I’m an unabashed Apple fanboy. I spent far too much on a Macbook Pro with specs that would cost half as much in the Windows world, I love my pair of ridiculous-looking and easily misplaced AirPods and I may or may not have a box full of old Newtons and Mac 512K parts. There’s a term for folks like me, and Merriam-Webster just made it official: “Sheeple.” The dictionary’s editors just added the term, calling out its sick burn to Apple fans in a tweet.

Wake up!

‘Sheeple’ is in the dictionary now. https://t.co/pbXVADEoBm

— Merriam-Webster (@MerriamWebster) April 27, 2017

The new entry says that sheeple are those “people who are docile, compliant, or easily influenced: People likened to sheep.” Which sounds fine until you read the final contextual sentence. “Apple’s debuted a battery case for the juice-sucking iPhone — an ungainly lumpy case the sheeple will happily shell out $99 for.” This lovely quote comes from CNN’s Doug Criss back in 2015 as part of his “5 Things” column. Thanks, Doug. The word sheeple itself, though, has been in use since 1945, according to the dictionary page.

Merriam-Webster’s Twitter account has become a surprise hit with the shade it keeps throwing at Trump and his administration. It’s subtweeted Education Secretary Betsy DeVos’ use of the word “historical,” confronted Kellyanne Conway’s use of “alternative facts” and schooled Sean Spicer with an explanation tweet defining “claquer,” or a group of people paid to applaud a speaker.

Being a fan of Apple’s well-designed consumer devices isn’t too tough a row to hoe, of course, but it is a little grating to know that even the dictionary thinks you’re too easily influenced by Apple’s shiny gadgets. I’ll just have to console myself by grabbing one of those neat Smart Battery Cases.

Via: MacRumors

Source: Mirriam-Webster/Twitter

The war for the soul of the password

Obviously, whoever invented the password system was a jerk. And whoever started adding all those little rules for password creation is a sadist. Not the kind of sex-positive sadist with a flag for their kink and a set of consensual negotiation rules that ensure password creation is hot for everyone involved. No, we’re talking about the kind of sadist that simply likes watching people suffer as they’re told to add special characters, but not dollar signs or exclamation points because… reasons.

But our passwords are more than that. They’re how we prove that we’re really us. They are the cornerstone of our digital identities. And everyone wants a piece of them.

There’s a race on right now to control or reinvent our log-in processes. Companies are offering convenience and security in exchange for handing over critical pieces of our identities. You might call it a fight for the soul of our passwords.

MasterCard and Samsung have attempted “selfie security,” which was easily spoofed with photos. There’s big money being poured into biometric security research, where your device “reads” hundreds of different things about you, like gestures, sounds, and more. We’ll probably find out how it fails when we try to log in while drunk in our Halloween costumes.

Another entry in the verification race are fingerprint readers. Things like Apple’s Touch ID, are fast and convenient — great for kids that want to place orders with a parent’s thumb when they’re sleeping, or for police that want to unlock your phone without your consent (fingerprints aren’t protected like passwords are under federal law).

Then there’s the password manager bonanza. These apps manage all your annoying log-ins. But, the market is becoming so saturated that you need to be careful choosing one so you don’t end up with a pile of insecure snake oil.

That being said you should really, really get yourself a password manager. In a world so insane we need dozens of different passwords just to pay our bills, get and keep a job, and manage our health care, this particular security invention is a life saver.

Most security professionals agree: Everyone should be using one. Which is why the password manager market is getting crowded.

Of course, you can just let companies log in for you. When you choose to “log in with LinkedIn” (or Facebook, Twitter, or Google), that third-party gets permission to use your account information. It’s convenient, you don’t have to remember a password or expose it while you type.

Sometimes, though, the third parties get extended permissions, like being able to alter your timeline. Occasionally they get caught abusing that access. It’s why you should always check your “connected apps” and clean out ones you’re not using, or don’t trust.

When you choose this route it becomes Facebook’s responsibility to tell the site that yes, it’s you. Because while no passwords are actually exchanged, what you’ve really handed Facebook, or any of the others, is authority over your identity.

At its recent F8 conference (which is really more like a big in-person ad), Facebook took its quest to control your password’s soul to the next level. The company announced developer release of its “Delegated Account Recovery.”

Facebook presented its new tool as a solution to everyone’s headaches over forgetting passwords and the account recovery process. The company’s post explained that it was created out of the goodness of Facebook’s heart (they’re just “building experiences people love”). The company also used its post as an opportunity to lay down vague fears, uncertainty, and doubt about the security of password recovery processes like reset emails.

On its launch, Facebook security engineer Brad Hill tried to explain to CNN Money how Delegated Account Recovery will make life wonderful for Facebook’s next billion users. Instead he just revealed how disturbingly clueless the company is about user experiences. He said it will “benefit people just beginning to use the internet, who may have Facebook accounts but not an email or phone number.” Except… you need an email address or phone number to create a Facebook account in the first place.

Basically, you’d connect all your accounts to Facebook, which would handle all the authentication for you. In the background, companies send tokens saying it’s a legit login request — taking away the need to verify your identity with individual sites, and making Facebook the ultimate authority.

This is a terrible idea from a company still forcing people — mostly at-risk people who need the safety that comes from controlling their identities — to prove their identity to Facebook in order to recover their accounts. In this model, losing connected services is just another sword over the head of anyone in danger of being outed.

That should bother you, even if that’s not your problem.

It’s not like what it means to be at-risk, to a Facebook employee, has slipped through the cracks of their thought processes. It’s more like our personhood, behind data they trade for cash, somehow got stuffed behind a couch cushion. They’re not even aware they’re averting their eyes.

Besides, there’s so much to do, like solving security problems that don’t affect them or taking advantage of people who are being ground down.

But we seem to be somewhere else in our heads, too.

Because the architects of identity control are so busy fighting for the souls of our passwords, we need to be moving the needle on the discussion. Away from corporate controlled convenience and toward empowerment: Tools of autonomy.

At the very least, handing over account authorization to any company so bloodthirsty to gatekeep our identities should come with a warning label.

A big one, about losing our souls.

Images: Photothek via Getty Images (Password); Facebook (Delegated Account Recovery)

MacRumors Giveaway: Win an iPhone-Connected Pearl RearVision Car Backup Camera

For this week’s giveaway, we’ve teamed up with Pearl Automation to give MacRumors readers a chance to win the Pearl RearVision iPhone-connected wireless car backup camera system.

Priced at $499.99, the Pearl RearVision is a backup camera kit that’s designed to be installed on a car’s rear license plate, giving iPhone users a simple way to get an aftermarket backup camera.

This system, compatible with cars made in 1996 and newer, is designed to work with an iPhone 5 or later, and it includes a Camera Frame, Car Adapter, and Phone Mount for use with the iPhone. It’s easy enough to set up that it doesn’t require a professional – it’s similar to installing a license plate cover.

Once the Camera Frame is installed, it connects to an iPhone running the accompanying Pearl app and displays whatever’s behind the car in either portrait or landscape mode using two wide-angle 180 degree HD camera lenses, one with infrared for night vision capabilities. The Car Adapter also plugs into the car’s OBD port, and the whole thing connects to the iPhone over WiFi and Bluetooth.

Pearl RearVision includes collision detection and gives audible and visual alerts when objects, including cars and people, are in the way of the car. The warning noise varies based on how close an object is to the camera.

Using the iPhone’s screen, it’s possible to pan left and right to get a better view of what’s behind the car, and the frame itself is both water resistant and theft resistant. A built-in solar panel provides power, allowing the device to be wire-free, while a built-in battery stores power.

We have one Pearl RearVision to give away to a MacRumors reader. To enter to win, use the Rafflecopter widget below and enter an email address. Email addresses will be used solely for contact purposes to reach the winner and send the prize. You can earn additional entries by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, subscribing to our YouTube channel, following us on Twitter, or visiting the MacRumors Facebook page.

Due to the complexities of international laws regarding giveaways, only U.S. residents who are 18 years of age or older are eligible to enter. To offer feedback or get more information on the giveaway restrictions, please refer to our Site Feedback section, as that is where discussion of the rules will be redirected.

a Rafflecopter giveawayThe contest will run from today (April 28) at 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time through 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time on May 5. The winner will be chosen randomly on May 5 and will be contacted by email. The winner will have 48 hours to respond and provide a shipping address before a new winner is chosen.

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Apple Asks California DMV to Make Changes to Autonomous Vehicle Testing Policies

Apple has asked the California DMV to alter the rules that require it to publish detailed public reports about the success of Apple’s self-driving car tests, according to papers shared by the DMV. If the DMV complies with Apple’s request, less information would be included in the reports. [PDF]

In a letter, Apple says it is “investing heavily in the study of machine learning and automation, and goes on to say the company is “excited” about the potential of automated systems in many areas, including transportation.

One of the SUVs Apple is using to test its autonomous driving software, courtesy of Bloomberg
The company then proposes that the DMV “amend or clarify” its positions in the areas of disengagement reporting, definitions, and testing without safety drivers. Apple is concerned that inconsistency in how permit holders reports disengagements can lead to media coverage that causes public confusion and misunderstanding. Apple wants disengagement reports to cover times when a driver takes control of a vehicle to prevent a crash or traffic violation, and little else.

Apple suggests the following changes to the disengagement reporting requirements to achieve an objective set of data to accurately and clearly inform the public about the safety of the automated vehicles being tested

A disengagement should be defined as an unexpected event or failure that requires the safety driver to take control of the vehicle in order to prevent a crash or traffic violation.

A disengagement should not be reported for the following:
– Operational constraints where either the safety driver has been trained to disengage the system, or when the system detects the constraint and disengages automatically. For example, a system that requires the safety driver to navigate through a construction zone.
– System errors or failures. For example, a software bug or sensor dropout that does not affect the safe operation of the system.
– Discretionary decisions made by the safety driver. For example, when the safety driver perceives a vehicle is approaching too quickly and opts to disengage the system.
– Any tests that are planned to result in a disengagement.
– The end of a test or experiment.

Additionally, the proposed requirement in §227.50(b)(3)(B)(vi) to describe the type of incident that would have happened without the disengagement should be removed. It requires speculation about future events that have not occurred.

Apple two weeks ago was granted a permit for testing autonomous vehicles on public roads, and has already begun to do so. The company has three Lexus SUVs equipped with sensors and cameras, presumably running the autonomous driving software the company has been working on for the last several months. Those SUVs have been spotted on Cupertino roads this week.

By participating in the DMV’s Autonomous Vehicle Testing Program, Apple will need to publicly share many details about its testing process, which will make it difficult to keep development on the software under wraps.

Related Roundup: Apple Car
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Super Mario Run (review)

Super Mario’s popularity is undeniable. He has been featured in dozens of video games across multiple platforms, a television show, thousands of different toys and various merchandise, and even in an easily-forgettable Hollywood film. Kids across the globe are quite familiar with Mario’s red hat, blue overalls, and his fist-pumping “Wahoo!” callout.

In the past, Mario and his pals have primarily been found on dedicated Nintendo gaming systems, but with the ever-growing popularity of mobile devices, Nintendo has seen fit to create gaming experiences tailored specifically for the mobile platforms. The first game to feature Mario on the Google Play Store is Super Mario Run.

Gameplay

As mentioned previously, Nintendo made the conscious decision to create a Mario game for the mobile platform that plays to the strengths of the devices. Instead of shoehorning an older, more traditional style Super Mario game, Nintendo and DeNA have created a new game world for Mario to traverse. Players are able to control Mario’s actions with just one hand as he moves forward from the start of each level, hurdling over enemies and blocks that lie before him. To make Mario jump (or wall-jump), just tap the screen–this allows Mario to reach new heights, avoid obstacles and enemies, and collect coins along the way.

Super Mario Run has a handful of different ways to up the ante–time challenge, coin collecting and battling your friends

Mario’s main goal is to reach the flag at the end of each level, but along the way he will be collecting different types of coins, hopping onto or over enemies, traversing platforms, slinking through pipes and eventually saving his friends in the mushroom kingdom.

As you complete each world, you’ll unlock new areas to explore, of which there are six in total. Each world has four levels to complete, culminating in a boss fight on the final section. This is a similar formula that is found in other Mario games where Mario usually needs to fight off some type of boss at the end of each world. Mushrooms will make Mario “Super” just as they do in other games, which allows the player to take an additional hit from an enemy before being defeated. Just as before, if Mario falls into an abyss, he will lose a bubble and be sent back to retry a section of the level.

Super Mario Run allows Mario to grab ledges if he doesn’t quite make it far enough on a jump. This is new to the Mario universe but makes the game a little more accessible to newcomers and casual gamers. Returning from the previous games are mushrooms, stars, a multitude of enemies, the ability to spin jump and wall jump as well as the collectible red-coins that allow for some bonuses.

Super Mario Run allows you to build your kingdom up after completing certain challenges–a nice addition that adds value to the Mario Run package

Where Super Mario Run differentiates itself on the mobile platform, is in allowing players to challenge other players in a specific mode called Toad Rally. Toad Rally allows players to compete by uploading “ghost data” of level play-throughs to see who can complete a level in the best possible fashion. Things such as time, total coins and style points are all considered in Toad Rally. This is a nice bonus mode that offers a slight distraction of the main single player mode.

Presentation

Typical to many Mario games before it, Super Mario Run starts out with Bowser kidnapping the princess and holding her hostage in his castle. Meanwhile the Toad people of the Mushroom Kingdom have fled and left Mario to do all the work on his own. The art style is reminiscent of the ‘New Super Mario Bros.’ games that showed up on Wii and Wii U but are rendered nicely on mobile devices. The game features simplistic 3D modeled characters that move about in a two-dimensional plane. This was most likely a decision to keep gameplay simple and approachable while also not requiring much in the realm of processing power.

What would a Mario game be without his nemesis–the forever evil, Bowser!

Music and sound are your traditional fanfare of upbeat tunes and instantly recognizable effects. The famous ding of the Mushroom Kingdom coin plays out with crystal clarity and Mario’s yelps and hoots sound great as he traverses up and across the diverse landscapes. The game moves along at a solid 60 frames per second for silky smooth gameplay that allows for quick-trigger jumping. The entire game is played in a portrait mode and cannot be switched to a landscape view, which is unique for a Mario game. Nintendo did this to keep the gameplay area consistent and to assure that players always have the option to play with one hand on most mobile phones.

Nintendo has done a great job of representing a familiar version of the Mushroom Kingdom on Android devices.  I had no issue with the game loading, rendering game worlds or connecting to the game servers during my multi-hour sessions. Super Mario Run is a decent sized package that will offer many hours of gameplay for even the more experienced gamer and is a great introduction for those that are new to action-platformers.

Final Flag

Mario’s first foray into the mobile market is a solid experience. The simplified controls paired with the ever-recognizable solid gameplay, graphics and sound of the Mario world are a fresh experience on Android devices. Some users have complained about the $9.99 asking price of the complete game, but when you break down what Nintendo is offering here, it’s easy to see that this is a great gaming value.

Nintendo has really delivered a unique and enjoyable experience for mobile gamers with Super Mario Run. Consistent and engaging gameplay within the Mario universe does well for gamers that want a quick challenge in the Mushroom Kingdom. I’d love to see more in the future with additional stage-packs or a full fledged sequel down the line. This is Mario done right on so many levels.

Trading Game wants to make you a Wall Street whiz (Sponsored App Review)

Overview:

Trading Game is an educational tool for would-be investors who want to learn how to be savvy traders in the financial world. It covers regular stock trading, as well as other trading markets such as cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin.

Developer: Finance Illustrated

Cost: Free

Impressions:

Trading Game features several modes that aim to teach you the ins and outs of trading for beginners and also features advanced lessons and tips to expand on what you may already know. The lesson modules feature quizzes that test what you learned and for the correct answer, you get money, not real money of course but in-game money for simulated trading and unlocking more modes.

1 of 8

Other modes include quizzes, which asks you general knowledge based on the learning tab as well as your understanding of financial issues. Also featured is simulated trading, which uses real-time trading data to give you an accurate representation of how your trades will play out. Simulated trading is the most used part of the app, after the learning modules, and does a good job of getting you familiar with trading in real life without having you risk your own money on trial and error.

The app also features a section for helping you find a broker to help you chart your financial path, with ratings and recommendations from top players in the industry.

Conclusion:

I have to say that I was surprised by how useful Trading Game actually turned out to be. The depth of the learning tab and what it had to offer was genuinely useful for helping me understand the basics of trading and how the stock market works. I have a very limited knowledge of the world of finance, and even after a few completed modules, I felt like I could more confidently make a successful and profitable stock trade.

If you’re looking for a foot in the door of the world of finance, but don’t want to take the plunge with your own money and risk losing big on a rookie mistake, tools like Trading Game are great resources to help you gain confidence and get off on the right foot. I’d recommend it to anyone interested in learning more about how their money works or looking to get into the business of day trading.

Download Trading Game from the Google Play Store