Early Galaxy S8+ prototypes had dual cameras at the back

Samsung was working on dual rear cameras with the Galaxy S8.

Samsung decided to stick with a 12MP “Dual Pixel” rear-facing camera on the Galaxy S8 and S8+, but it looks like the South Korean manufacturer dabbled with a dual-camera setup at least on the Galaxy S8+. Images of early prototypes of the Galaxy S8+ reveal dual cameras at the back along with dual LED flash and a heart rate sensor.

The device in the image above has the same model number as that of the Galaxy S8+ (SM-G955F). The lack of a fingerprint sensor at the back also reinforces earlier rumors that Samsung was working on an embedded fingerprint scanner located underneath the display.

According to reports from Korea a few weeks prior to the launch of the Galaxy S8, Synaptics — the vendor developing the on-screen fingerprint sensors — simply didn’t have enough time to integrate the technology into Samsung’s flagships. With the bezel-less infinity display taking up most of the front of the phone, Samsung decided to move the fingerprint sensor to the back of the phones, which may have necessitated a switch to the traditional single camera setup.

Samsung works on several variations of a design before settling on a retail model, and a version with dual rear cameras was just one of many design variants the manufacturer likely tested out for the Galaxy S8. That said, we may still get to see a dual-camera setup as well as an embedded fingerprint sensor in the Galaxy Note 8 later this year.

Scientists control soft robots with magnetic fields

As slick as soft robots are, they tend to have very simple movements. It’d be a challenge to create a truly complex machine using existing technology. Researchers may have a solution to more sophisticated movement, though. They’ve invented a technique that uses magnetic fields to steer squishier robots. The trick was to cover the robots in a polymer film loaded with iron microparticles made to form parallel chains using a magnetic field. When you want to steer a robot, you just subject its relevant components to another magnetic field — the direction and strength of the field determines what happens.

The scientists used their fresh approach to build three robots that take advantage of this newfound flexibility. One is a cantilever (the “lifter” you see above) that can carry up to 50 times its weight. An accordion bot can expand and contract like a muscle, while a valve can squeeze to act as a pump.

There’s no question that it’ll take a long time to make this method viable for real robots. You’d need an external device to produce the field, for a start. However, the potential uses are already easy to see. The accordion and valve robots would be particularly useful for robots that have to mimic organic functions, not to mention prosthetics, implants and other health care equipment.

Source: NCSU, ACS

5 songs you need to stream this week: Slowdive, Gary Clark Jr., and more

Every week, there are thousands of new songs hitting the airwaves — and it’s just too much for your two ears to handle. With all those options, you can’t be wasting your time on tracks that deserve a thumbs-down click.

But don’t worry, we’re going to save you the hassle. We listen to some of the most-hyped and interesting songs each week, and tell you which are worthy of your precious listening time.

More: Spotify vs. Apple Music: Which service is the streaming king?

Here are our top five songs to stream this week. Also, don’t forget to subscribe to our Spotify page for a playlist of our weekly picks, which can also be found at the bottom of this post.

Slowdive — Sugar for the Pill

After more than two decades, famed English shoegaze pioneers Slowdive have come back in impressive fashion. The second new song to be released from their upcoming album is a punchy new single called Sugar for the Pill. On the bass drum-driven track, the band embraces the same washed-out waves of sound that helped them gain acclaim in the first place, providing listeners with a relaxing new song with which to spend their self-reflection time.

Gary Clark Jr. — Our Love

So long as you can sit through a built-in advertisement for Jameson Irish Whiskey at the start, Gary Clark Jr.’s video for Our Love is sure to enthrall. The guitar player and vocalist owns each note of classic swinging soul, providing the gorgeous ballad with a ripping guitar solo about halfway through. If you’ve got a date night planned this week, this is the song you want on in the background— just the ticket for a loving dance around the living room.

Sufjan Stevens, Bryce Dessner, Nico Muhly, James McAlister — Saturn

Indie star Sufjan Stevens has been dipping both feet into the world of electronic music of late, collaborating with The National’s Bryce Dessner, composer Nico Muhly, and drummer James McAlister on a new solar system-inspired record called Planitarium. The debut single from the album, Saturn, spends its first half as a sort of electronic take on the slow and rhythmic acoustic melodies we are accustomed to from Stevens, before evolving into a full-on dance hall jam at the halfway point.

Syd — Treading Water

This fantastic cut from L.A.-based songwriter Syd will have you bobbing your head all week. With a percussion-driven beat, jazzy guitar chords, and an extremely smooth vocal take, the 24-year-old vocalist showcases his immense talent for crafting hook-driven singles that actually have musical substance. Perfect for the club or a relaxing weekend drive, Treading Water will take your mind off your stresses, transporting you to a world of magical harmony and rhythm.

Whitney — You’ve Got A Woman

Chicago’s up-and-coming indie sensation Whitney released two new covers this week that were recorded amid the band’s positively insane touring schedule. This track, You’ve Got A Woman, is something of a deep cut — a version of a song by 1970s Dutch duo Lion. A funky psych-pop jam with fun hits and shimmery guitar, it retains the upbeat quality that we know and love from the band. It’s a song forsSpring if we’ve ever heard one.

That’s it for now, but tune in next week for more tunes — and check out the playlist loaded with our recent selections below:

Toyota’s hybrid boat will begin testing in the Port of Tokyo in 2018

Why it matters to you

Toyota is the world leader in hybrid electric vehicles, and it is now bringing its resources to the water with hybrid boats.

Toyota has developed the first leisure craft in Japan powered by a parallel hybrid system. The hybrid boats will be studied in Tokyo’s waterways from July 2018 to March 2021. It should come as no surprise that the carmaker is experimenting with new hybrid vehicles, as its Prius is the world’s best-selling hybrid electric car.

Toyota is lending its hybrid boat, the Ponam-28V, to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government at no charge. According to the press release from Toyota, the government will use the boat to assist in routine maintenance of piers and other port facilities at the Port of Tokyo. In addition, the Ponam-28V will be used for special visits to Tokyo Bay during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games, wherein many of the competition venues will be located along the waterfront.

More: Lexus floats a new brand idea, the high-performance Lexus Sports Yacht

Toyota’s new vessel will also serve as a platform for canal tours at the Port of Tokyo for both residents and visitors alike.

With the combination of an electric motor and internal combustion engine, the Ponam-28V’s parallel hybrid system promises a comfortable cruising range. In EV mode, the boat gains greater efficiency, fewer emissions, and low noise levels.

The Tokyo government will send feedback of the boat’s performance to Toyota for analysis. This data can be used to improve the current hybrid system as well as aid in the progress towards future models and systems.

More: New Toyota Mirai billboards in California help clear the air

The Ponam-28V has sibling vessels in the form of the Ponam-31 and Ponam-35. The numbers in each model name indicate their respective lengths: 28, 31, and 35 feet. The Ponam-28V features a 3-liter gas engine paired with a 36 kW electric motor. The latter is powered by an 11 kilowatt-hour (kWh) lithium-ion battery pack. The internal combustion engine puts out about 260 horsepower, while the electric motor provides about 50 horsepower. Maximum torque measures close to 260 pound-feet.

Google tweaks the Pixel C’s interface to match its smartphones

Google will probably put the promising but ultimately ill-fated Pixel C tablet out to pasture before too long — it’s been on sale for a year and a half now, after all. But that hasn’t stopped the company from giving the device some attention in Android 7.1.2; users on Reddit as well as 9to5Google have both confirmed the new software update contains a bunch of tweaks for the Pixel C interface. Chief among those is a new multitasking view designed for the tablet’s bigger screen. Instead of the scrolling list of open apps, the Pixel C app switcher now displays a grid of your eight most recent programs.

The rest of the tweaks here are meant to unify the interface with Google’s own Pixel smartphone. That means rounded app icons abound for Google’s own apps as well as third-party offerings that have updated their look. There’s no more “all apps” button at the bottom of the tablet screen; instead, you’ll swipe up from the bottom of the screen to see every app you have installed.

The last notable change is that the Pixel’s weather and date widget is now in the top right corner of the screen. The Google search bar is gone, replaced by the “G” logo in the top left that you can tap or swipe across to get to the search app. Unfortunately, in classic Android tablet fashion, tapping that new weather widget brings you to a weather page that’s only viewable in portrait mode — super annoying if you have your tablet docked to its keyboard in landscape mode.

The update has been available to those installed in the Android beta program for a while now, but it should be available to all users as of today. Go over to the settings app and check the “about” menu for the system update.

Source: Reddit, 9to5Google

Tesla’s SUV demand is catching up to its sedan

You’d think that Tesla would sell far fewer units of its pricier, slightly frumpier-looking Model X SUV than its mainstay Model S sedan, but that’s not the case these days. The electric car maker has revealed its production levels for the first quarter of 2017, and it’s apparent that the gap has closed dramatically in recent months. Tesla delivered about 11,550 Model X vehicles at the start of the year, or just 1,900 shy of the 13,450 Model S cars that found owners in the same period. It’s a stark contrast to a year earlier, when Tesla supplied 12,420 sedans and just 2,400 SUVs — buyers clearly are clearly willing to trade a bit of cash and style for some extra capacity.

The kicker: the gap might have been even narrower in ideal conditions. Tesla notes that there were “severe” Model X part shortages in the first two months of 2017, and that it just didn’t have the time to ship every last example to customers in the period. To put it another way: expect a big bump in Model X numbers during the spring.

As it stands, this was still a banner quarter for Tesla. The company’s rapidly increasing production goals led it to set yet another delivery record, with 69 percent more EVs trading hands versus a year earlier. With that said, there’s just a few months to go before Tesla starts Model 3 production. However well the Model S and X are doing right now, they’re going to seem like small potatoes before long.

Via: The Verge

Source: Tesla

Soccer icon Maradona threatens to sue Konami

You may have been excited to see sports legend Diego Maradona in Konami’s Pro Evolution Soccer 2017, but the superstar himself is… less than thrilled. Maradona has threatened to sue Konami for allegedly using his likeness in the game without permission. We’ve reached out to Konami for its side of the conversation, but it’s reasonable to presume that this could get messy if a lawsuit goes ahead. That seems likely when Maradona’s lawyer, Matias Morla, has vowed to “crack down” on the PES2017 developer.

Video game licenses for athletes have been a thorny subject for years, and it’s seldom just a matter of signing an agreement and calling it a day. You frequently have to worry about faces, names and jersey numbers as separate concerns, and a misstep can cost you dearly. Even using tattoos without permission can get you into trouble. It’s possible that Konami thought it was abiding by the rules and still didn’t get Maradona’s full permission, assuming this is anything more than a simple misunderstanding.

Source: Diego Maradona (Facebook), Matias Morla (Twitter)

Apple hopes to sell premium TV channels in a bundle

Apple’s attempts to offer its own TV service haven’t panned out. However, it appears to have a Plan B: offer a bundle that includes just a handful of channels you can already watch on its devices. Recode sources understand that Apple is pitching a deal that would offer HBO, Showtime and Starz for one price. It’s not certain whether or not you’d get a discount over the $35 per month it costs to subscribe to each network individually, but the focus would be on convenience. There’s even talk of Apple potentially selling the bundle as a stand-alone product — presumably, as more than just a collection of existing apps.

The tech giant doesn’t have any agreements at this stage, according to the tipsters. None of the involved companies have commented so far. With that in mind, it’d be easier to clinch this deal than Apple’s reported previous plans, which had it working on a many-channel service akin to PlayStation Vue or Sling TV. It’s simpler to negotiate with a smaller number of providers, of course, but all three are already embracing internet-only TV. It’d be much harder to press for deals from less internet-friendly networks that are more likely to dig in their heels.

Source: Recode

Apple Could Offer HBO, Showtime, and Starz Channels as ‘Premium TV Bundle’

Apple is considering offering HBO, Showtime, and Starz television channels in a combined “premium TV bundle” to be delivered to viewers via Apple TV and iOS devices, according to a new report on Sunday.

Apple already enables users to buy the named channels individually, but according to a source who spoke to Recode, Apple has approached the three networks about rolling them up into a single paid package similar to how conventional TV operators market their channels.

However, unlike paid TV operators like Charter, which usually require consumers to subscribe to a basic range of TV channels before offering a premium bundle, Apple wants to provide the package as an upfront standalone option for all its consumers.

Apple has yet to nail down a deal with any of the networks, according to industry sources, while representatives from HBO, Stars, and Showtime declined to comment on the report. Apple also didn’t respond to requests for comment.

Apple currently offers HBO for $15 a month, Showtime for $11 a month, and Stars for $9 a month, but Recode had no information on the price of any possible bundle package.

Apple’s attempts to set up a traditional streaming bundle of TV channels have come to nothing in recent years, despite rival companies like Google and Hulu announcing plans of their own.

In 2015, Apple was in talks for a streaming television service that would bundle several popular live channels and on-demand television at a price point of approximately $30 per month, but Apple canned the project after being unable to establish the necessary deals because content providers were reluctant to unbundle their channels.

The company’s assertive negotiation tactics with cable providers have also been blamed, with Apple executives accused of making demands networks aren’t prepared to meet. Content providers meanwhile have been reluctant to agree to Apple’s terms for fear of potentially compromising their traditional revenue streams.

Apart from its TV subscription service ambitions, Apple is said to be building a “significant” business centered around creating original, scripted television shows and possibly even movies, for a possible launch by the end of 2017.

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German court: Rat out your adult children’s illegal downloads, or pay the fine yourself

Why it matters to you

You may love your family members, but do you love them enough to pay their fines for illegal downloads?

Your little rascals are your responsibility, even after they’re not so little, a German court rules, and that applies in every sense of the word. In this digital age, there are quite a few senses, perhaps the most costly being our kiddos’ penchant for downloading computer games … illegally. Late last week, the European nation’s top court determined that parents must either spill the beans on their adult children’s wrongdoings when it comes to illegal downloads, or pay the price themselves.

The decision, which places obligation to the law above obligation to family, came after a particular case in which members of the same clan said that being related to one another meant that they wouldn’t have to testify against each other. Germany has now voiced its disagreement. Moving forward, parents are under a legal obligation to alert authorities if their kids have illegally downloaded content — be it movies, music, or games — over the family’s internet connection.

More: Breaking the law not your thing? Here are 10 sites for free, legal music downloads

Copyright law is serious business, clearly.

Should parents neglect to hold up their end of the bargain, they’ll have to pay the price. Should the children be caught in their wrongdoing, it is the parents who will be asked to pay the fine, even if the child in question is legally an adult (over 18 years of age).

That said, state prosecutor Christian Rohnke assured nervous Germans that no one will have to “deliver their children at knifepoint.” To be clear, it isn’t automatically the case that parents will end up paying for their children’s mistakes — rather, should an illegal download be discovered in a household’s browsing history, the name on the internet contract will be asked to pay the fine for the crime if he or she does not want to reveal which member of the household is to blame.

So heads up, German parents. We know you love your kids, but are you willing to cough up for their downloads?