ICYMI: DIY Iron Man

Today on In Case You Missed it: British inventor Richard Browning show us his (slow, careful) flights across a test area using his “Daedelus” jet pack prototype. Daedelus consists of six kerosene-powered microjets strapped to his limbs, which doesn’t sound dangerous at all. While that might sound like a bad idea, the system “flies” at a walking pace, and the wearer only hovers about six to ten feet off the ground. For his part, Browning’s convinced the jets are safe, stating that he uses small amounts of kerosene and has a dead-man’s switch to kill the set-up when not pressed. For now, Browning is mostly shopping the device around at exhibitions, but he hopes it will one day be used by rescue or military personnel.

Meanwhile, at the other end of the rocket science spectrum, NASA’s jet propulsion laboratory is working on robots that can withstand roving throughout frozen planets and moons. While scientists would love to be able to explore Europa, or Titan, or subsurface oceans the technology to prepare robotic systems for cryogenic temperatures and rugged terrains doesn’t technically exist yet. JPL is developing tools for future robotic rovers to use while tunneling through the frozen crust of a planet, using thermal insulation and a plutonium energy source. The department is also working on a gripper — or foldable boom arm — to pick up objects as far as 30 feet away, and a projectile launcher that can shoot objects up to 164 feet. Basically a t-shirt gun, but a bit more fancy.

As always, please share any interesting tech or science videos you find by using the #ICYMI hashtag on Twitter for @Dameright.

Apple Updates Mac Pro, Says All-New Model With Apple-Branded Pro Displays Coming Beyond 2017

Apple today introduced spec-bumped versions of the current Mac Pro, marking the first updates to Apple’s pro-oriented desktop in over three years. Apple also confirmed it is working on a “completely rethought” Mac Pro with Apple-branded pro displays that will launch at some point beyond this year.

The existing Quad-Core model with dual AMD FirePro D300 GPUs is now 6-Cores with dual D500 GPUs for $2,999, while the 6-Core model with dual AMD FirePro D500 GPUs is now 8-Cores with dual D800 GPUs for $3,999. Apple said there are no other hardware changes, so Thunderbolt 3 ports remain notably lacking.

Apple marketing chief Phil Schiller via Daring Fireball:

With regards to the Mac Pro, we are in the process of what we call “completely rethinking the Mac Pro.” We’re working on it. We have a team working hard on it right now, and we want to architect it so that we can keep it fresh with regular improvements, and we’re committed to making it our highest-end, high-throughput desktop system, designed for our demanding pro customers.

As part of doing a new Mac Pro — it is, by definition, a modular system — we will be doing a pro display as well. Now you won’t see any of those products this year; we’re in the process of that. We think it’s really important to create something great for our pro customers who want a Mac Pro modular system, and that’ll take longer than this year to do.

In the interim, we know there are a number of customers who continue to buy our [current Mac Pros]. To be clear, our current Mac Pro has met the needs of some of our customers, and we know clearly not all of our customers. None of this is black and white, it’s a wide variety of customers. Some… it’s the kind of system they wanted; others, it was not.

In the meantime, we’re going to update the configs to make it faster and better for their dollar. This is not a new model, not a new design, we’re just going to update the configs. We’re doing that this week. We can give you the specifics on that.

The CPUs, we’re moving them down the line. The GPUs, down the line, to get more performance per dollar for customers who DO need to continue to buy them on the interim until we get to a newly architected system.

More information to follow…

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Apple Says New iMacs Coming Later This Year

Apple’s marketing chief Phil Schiller and software engineering chief Craig Federighi have confirmed that Apple is working on new iMac models that the company expects to launch later this year, as reported by TechCrunch.

Apple did not share specific details about what to expect from the refresh, but Thunderbolt 3 ports and faster processors are likely at the very least.

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Trump Administration Delivers on H-1B Visa Overhaul, Affecting Tech Companies Hiring Foreign Talent

Apple and other technology companies in Silicon Valley will now find it more difficult to bring foreign workers into the U.S. through the H-1B work visa program, thanks to the Trump administration’s follow-through of one immigration-related “America first” promise. In January, the administration drafted an executive order outlining an overhaul of various work visa programs, including H-1B, that tech companies use to hire integral employees from outside the U.S.

The original draft proposal stated that tech companies relying on foreign hiring did not serve “the U.S. national interest,” and now the Trump administration has rolled out a collection of policy shifts to begin pivoting the program to better serve American workers (via Bloomberg). The changes began last Friday when the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services agency “made it harder” for tech companies to bring foreign workers to the U.S. using the H-1B work visa.

This week, both the USCIS and the Justice Department issued memos outlining a rallying of support for the new administration’s focus on American workers who have the same skills as foreign workers. Allegations against the H-1B work visa program point towards tech companies abusing the cheaper cost of foreign workers as a money saving measure, which the USCIS has repeatedly referred to as “fraud and abuse” in its new memo.

The Justice Department has warned employers “not to discriminate against U.S. workers,” and is readying investigative plans that will “vigorously prosecute” any company who is reported to violate the new rules.

The Justice Department cautioned employers petitioning for H-1B visas not to discriminate against U.S. workers. The warning came as the federal government began accepting employers’ H-1B visa petitions for the next fiscal year. The H-1B visa program allows companies in the United States to temporarily employ foreign workers in specialty occupations such as science and information technology.

“The Justice Department will not tolerate employers misusing the H-1B visa process to discriminate against U.S. workers,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Tom Wheeler of the Civil Rights Division. “U.S. workers should not be placed in a disfavored status, and the department is wholeheartedly committed to investigating and vigorously prosecuting these claims.”

While the new guidelines will make it tougher for tech companies to hire foreign workers, they don’t make it impossible. In the USCIS policy memorandum released last week, it’s detailed that companies will have to provide more evidence to prove that the computer programming position in question is “complex, specialized, or unique” in some way that justifies the position being filled by a foreign worker whose skills could not be found in the U.S.

Associate professor Ron Hira, who has researched the H-1B work visa program, previously pointed out that the changes will directly affect companies hiring for cheap labor, while companies hiring for legally skilled workers will have less of an issue with the policy shift. “This is a step in the right direction in terms of tightening up the eligibility,” said Hira. “You’re going to have to beef up your argument for why you need this person.”

In an interview with Bloomberg, Carnegie Mellon University professor Vivek Wadhwa said that while the H-1B visa is “flawed,” the solution to the program’s problem — namely declining salaries — lies in the green card.

“The H-1B visa is a flawed visa, but the problem is the next step – the green card. Because what happens is that when people have applied for permanent resident visas, they’re now stuck in this H-1B visa loop. The easiest fix to the immigration problem, this issue about declining salaries, is to untether the visa from the [hiring] company. In other words, if a company hires someone on a H-1B visa, and [the employee] gets someone offering them a higher salary, then they can leave and continue over there. This way there’s no cheaper labor anymore.”

For Apple, the company has cited concern for the specific ways that Trump’s order “will affect many visa holders who work hard here in the United States and contribute to our country’s success.” In a letter penned by Apple and a collection of various tech companies back in February, the group said that it is “critical” that the U.S. continues to attract intelligent workers from around the world, while telling the Trump administration that they are available as a resource “to help achieve immigration policies that both support the work of American businesses and reflect American values.”

Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

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Apple Says Mac Mini is ‘Important’ But Remains Tight-Lipped About Future Updates

Apple today introduced spec-bumped versions of the current Mac Pro, and revealed that it’s working on a “completely rethought” Mac Pro alongside Apple-branded pro displays that will launch beyond 2017. However, Apple remained tight lipped about the Mac mini, beyond noting that it’s an “important” product in its lineup.

Apple marketing chief Phil Schiller via Daring Fireball:

“On that I’ll say the Mac Mini is an important product in our lineup and we weren’t bringing it up because it’s more of a mix of consumer with some pro use. … The Mac Mini remains a product in our lineup, but nothing more to say about it today.”

Apple last updated the Mac mini in October 2014, a span of over 900 days, according to the MacRumors Buyer’s Guide.

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Qube tent lets you build a larger space by linking lots of smaller ones

Why it matters to you

If you love camping and your current tent has seen better days, you might want to check out the Qube. Or several of them.

If you love camping but sometimes wish your accommodation was a little larger, one option is to buy a really huge tent. Alternatively, you could go for the Qube, a modular offering that lets you build a space as large as you like.

Designed by Brit inventor Jason Thorpe, the Qube will connect with any other Qube — whether it’s the two-, three-, or four-person design — allowing you to create a floor plan that suits both you and your fellow travelers.

The Qube can apparently be set up in less than two minutes, which sounds great if it’s your swear words that can often be heard drifting across the campground every time you struggle to set up the same tent you’ve had for the last 10 years. And with generous headroom of at least 215 cm, there’ll be “no more stooping over or doing ‘the dying fish’ while you try and get your jeans on,” Thorpe says.

A nice touch is the Qube’s black lining, which guarantees a total blackout for sleeping so you won’t be rudely awakened by early morning sunlight pouring in through one of its four windows.

It also features a ventilation system, a “special material treatment process” that claims to reduce condensation, and strong rain protection. Constructed from heavy-duty nylon, the Qube should last comfortably for many years.

Fortunately — and importantly — the tent is easy to pack away, too, “so you won’t need to be an expert in origami to try and get it back into the bag when you’re ready to come home.”

More: REI sets camp in the hammock market with the Quarter Dome Air hammock

While the Qube could certainly pave the way to a fun social camping experience with your buddies at a festival, it could also offer some much-needed privacy and space for larger families on the verge of a nervous breakdown after three days or so at the campground in close quarters.

Downsides? Starting at 32.65 pounds for the two-person Qube, it’s not light, so you won’t want to be carrying it far in a backpack. Or at all. Also, if it’s your buddies you want to go Qube-ing with, you’ll need to persuade them that forking out for the tent is a really good idea.

Speaking of money, the Qube is available via its Indiegogo page starting at $250 for the two-person design. With its funding goal already smashed by a factor of more than 10, shipping to the U.S., Europe, and South Africa is set to start in July, 2017.

Hopes for early U.S. release of performance-tracking ‘smart condom’ premature

Why it matters to you

If metrics matter, here’s a tool for taking your measure.

Taking a male-skewed view of sexual performance, British Condoms recently introduced its contribution to wearable technology, the i.Con smart condom. The product will initially be offered in the U.K. only. Customers in the U.S. and other nations will need to show restraint.

The “world’s first smart condom” isn’t actually a condom. It’s a girth-adjustable ring that will “sit over a condom at the base.” So let’s be polite and call it a penis ring. The company swears it’s comfortable, water resistant, and lightweight enough so you can use it over and over again. The little bugger doesn’t get in the way and you can use any actual condom you’d like with it.

British Condoms says, “you won’t even know it’s there, ensuring maximum pleasure and peace of mind.” Peace of mind, we suppose, unless you’re wondering what your numbers will be like, but that begs the question why you decided to keep track of your member’s numbers in the first place.

More: Brilliant new condom fights HIV infection with an antioxidant-embedded hydrogel

The ring holds a nanochip, sensors, a Bluetooth wireless transmitter, and a battery. The battery charges via a MicroUSB port. Charging takes about one hour and each charge is good for 6 to 8 hours of use. Ponder that for a moment or two.

According to British Condoms, the sensors “measure and remember a number of different variables during your sessions.”  Assuming you’re OK with a wireless transmitter in your penis ring, after you’ve finished, it downloads the session data to whatever mobile device you’ve joined it with. At that point, just as you might expect, it erases the data till next time. Heartless, we know.

But what numbers does the i.Con track? As mentioned above, there’s nothing about Mr. Johnson’s length, but girth is indeed scored, or rather recorded. Other closely gathered metrics include calories burnt, thrust speed, number, and velocity, and average skin temperature as well as session frequency and total session duration. So perhaps in that last bit, there is some data that could matter to others or to one other.

Data on different positions is coming soon, the company promises, but that metric is still in beta testing.

In its FAQ-style release, British Condoms replied to a question about data privacy and if anonymous use is possible. “Absolutely! All data will be kept anonymous but users will have the option to share their recent data with friends, or, indeed the world. You will be able to anonymously access stats that you can compare with i.Con users worldwide.” So we all have that to look forward to should the data migrate to social media.

While no firm date has been set, British Condoms says the i.Con Smart Condom will be available in 2017. After an initial market entry in the U.K., the company says that due to widespread interest from retailers they expect the smart penis ring to be available in the U.S. and around the world.

T-Mobile adds Allstate roadside assistance to its SyncUp Drive connected car service

Why it matters to you

Need a tow and have T-Mobile’s SyncUp Drive connected car service? You’re in luck.

We live in a connected world. Our smartphones are connected. Our homes are connected. Even our car, the hunks of metal on wheels that ferry us around, are connected. That’s generally a good thing, but in that last case — connected cars — the techdoesn’t do much good if you suffer a breakdown. If your car happens to be connected via T-Mobile’s SyncUp Drive service when that happens, though, you might be in luck.

SyncUp Drive, for the uninitiated, is an aftermarket plugin that transforms any car with an OBD-II (on-board diagnostics) port into a 4G LTE hot spot. For $150 a year, subscribers get access to vehicle diagnostics, driving behavior analysis, vehicle and location monitoring, speed alerts, vehicle diagnostics, and more.

More: With T-Mobile’s SyncUp Drive, your car will be more connected than ever

On Tuesday, T-Mobile announced a major SyncUp upgrade: Free roadside assistance. Starting April 4, the self-coined “Un-carrier” will add Allstate’s Motor Club program for all SyncUP Drive customers on qualifying plans at no extra cost.

Here’s how it will work: If you spring a flat tire or need a tow, you’ll be able to connect to a dedicated Allstate Motor Club customer service team via the T-Mobile SyncUp Drive app. It’s available for iOS on the Apple App Store and for Android devices on Google Play — if you’ve already installed it, accepting the latest update will add the Allstate Motor Club feature to the dashboard.

T-Mobile said the demand for SyncUp Drive has “exceeded expectations,” nearly doubling early forecasts.

More: Should you upgrade to T-Mobile’s One or One Plus plans? We break it down

“The response to T-Mobile SyncUp Drive has been phenomenal! Customers are telling us what they love — and what they want to see next. And, as always, the Un-carrier’s listening,” John Legere, president and CEO of T-Mobile, said in a statement. “Customers’ No.1 ask has been for roadside help. So we’ve partnered with Allstate Motor Club to roll out dedicated roadside assistance for SyncUp Drive customers at no extra charge!”

To celebrate the launch of roadside assistance, T-Mobile is offering SyncUp Drive at a discounted rate. For a limited time, you get 2GB of data (or higher) for $48 with a 24-month no-cost finance agreement.

T-Mobile is not the only carrier company targeting the connected car market. In January 2015, Verizon launched Verizon Vehicle, a connected-car subscription service designed to provide roadside assistance, vehicle monitoring, and other services. Shortly after, AT&T inked a deal with Subaru to provide connectivity in the manufacturer’s connected cars. And automaker General Motors recently unveiled AtYourService, a new component of its OnStar subscription service that will let retailers advertise and send deals directly to drivers.

Phones with ‘foldable’ AMOLED displays may not debut until 2019

Samsung Display pours cold water on prospect of a foldable Galaxy anytime soon.

Rumors of a foldable Samsung smartphone have been circulating for years, with the name “Galaxy X” doing the rounds recently to refer to a phone that opens like a book to transform into a larger, tablet-sized screen.

But comments by a leading engineer at Samsung Display — the arm of the Korean electronics giant responsible for making those screens — suggest such a device is still a couple of years off.

Technical challenges and strong demand for bezel-free panels are responsible for pushing back the ‘foldable’ phone.

The Korea Herald quotes Kim Tae-woong, Samsung Display’s principal engineer, at the Display TechSalon in Seoul.

“Because the bezel-free display currently sells well,” Kim says, “we still have enough time to develop foldable display. The technology is expected to be mature around 2019.”

Kim notes that there were still some technical challenges to be overcome before foldable smartphone displays could ship in a retail product, the outlet reports, adding that single-sided foldable phones will likely arrive first. Double-sided foldable devices — where the entire surface area of both sides is basically a screen — should come later.

So unless the demand for bezel-free displays slows unexpectedly in the next year, don’t expect a foldable Galaxy anytime soon. The idea of carrying around a single, super-slim device that can instantly double its screen area as needed remains exciting. But it’s unlikely we’ll see anything besides concept demonstrations from Samsung for the next couple of years.

Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+

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What Windows users need to know about the Samsung Galaxy S8

The Samsung Galaxy S8 is probably the most attractive Android phone yet for Microsoft fans and Windows users at large. Here’s what you need to know.

This year, the Galaxy S8 is particularly interesting for Microsoft fans for a variety of reasons. Microsoft is increasingly pulling away from Windows 10 Mobile, and is now tying itself closer than ever to Samsung’s hardware to push its software.

Here’s what you need to know about the Galaxy S8 and Windows 10.

It’s still preloaded with Microsoft apps

Just as several other recent phones and tablets from Samsung have been, the Galaxy S8 comes preloaded with a selection of Microsoft’s applications. It’s also likely that these can’t be uninstalled, but then, why would you want to do that anyway?

Here’s what you get on the regular Galaxy S8:

• Microsoft Word
• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft Powerpoint
• Skype
• OneDrive

That ‘regular’ is important for a very good reason. There is another way for the Galaxy S8.

The Microsoft Edition

On a hardware level, the ‘Microsoft Edition’ is exactly the same as the Samsung-sold Galaxy S8. The key differences are that Microsoft will be selling it through its own store and that it’s supposedly going to make it “easier” to install and use Microsoft applications beyond the preloaded ones.

Samsung Galaxy S8 ‘Microsoft Edition’ will be available in Microsoft Stores

It’s not exactly difficult to install apps from the Google Play Store, but this version of the Galaxy S8 is expected to include this in the setup process in the retail store.

If you’re a Microsoft fan and a heavy user of the company’s services, this will potentially be the best version of the Galaxy S8 for you. However, it’s also not that likely to be much different to the one Samsung sells.

DeX is like Continuum

Continuum allows you to connect certain Windows phones to a big screen for a PC-like experience, the same is now true of the Galaxy S8 with DeX. By dropping the phone into the dock, you’ll be taken from the small screen to a full PC-like desktop.

Samsung DeX may beat Microsoft’s Continuum, but it’s still no slam dunk

It’s unclear exactly how many apps will be supporting the feature, but importantly for Windows fans is that Microsoft is on board for launch with the Microsoft Office apps. So, with Office preloaded on the phone, DeX will give you a larger, more desktop-like experience to interact with the apps.

So, it’s like Continuum, but running on an Android-powered phone. With support from Microsoft.

DeX is like Continuum for the Galaxy S8 and supported by Microsoft

Other Microsoft apps

It’s completely possible to go full Microsoft on any Android phone, including the Galaxy S8. If there’s something you use and enjoy on Windows, you’ll find it over on Android as well.

It’s not just about the Windows services, either, Microsoft even has both lock screen and launcher apps for Android, too. Google might be responsible for what’s ultimately underneath, but you can easily have a full dose of Microsoft facing front.

The best Microsoft apps for Android

The bottom line

Aside from Windows phones, the Galaxy S8 is looking like the best Microsoft phone that you’ll be able to buy in 2017. Samsung and Microsoft have been partnering for some time now, but the Galaxy S8 takes it up a notch with both DeX and the Microsoft Edition of the phone.

Importantly, if you’re reliant on Windows and Microsoft’s apps and services, with the Galaxy S8 in your pocket, you’ll be in good hands.

Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+

• Galaxy S8 and S8+ hands-on preview!
• Galaxy S8 and S8+ specs
• Everything you need to know about the Galaxy S8’s cameras
• Get to know Samsung Bixby
• Join our Galaxy S8 forums

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