Real-world ‘Mario Kart’ is headed to Japan’s Nintendo theme park

To celebrate the start of construction on Super Nintendo World, Universal Studios Japan has released its first teaser trailer for the upcoming park attraction. And what’s more, the pair confirmed that a Mario Kart ride will be the jewel in its crown, which should come as a surprise to absolutely no one. Previously published patent documents suggest this guaranteed crowd-pleaser will run on a rail, but let one rider control drift while their kart partner concentrates on power-up and weapon use. Super Nintendo World is set to open at some vague time before the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, though, so it’s unlikely we’ll get any firm details in the immediate future.

The trailer itself isn’t particularly revealing, but it does reaffirm that everyone’s favorite Italian plumber and friends/foes are the stars of the show. You’ll be able to visit the castles of both Peach and Bowser — they’re neighbors, apparently — which’ll presumably serve as the frontages for rides (or shops). Otherwise, it looks exactly how you’d expect a Mario-themed park zone to look, at least in CGI — no doubt the other two planned sites in Hollywood and Orlando will follow this template, too.

It’s hard to muster excitement for something that’s so far off, but the trailer is also a pleasant reminder that a new 3D Mario game is hitting the Switch later this year. Yey!

#USJ『SUPER NINTENDO WORLD』建設着工式、開催！https://t.co/p132eNsWEO を公開！ 600億円超の巨大プロジェクトとして進行。メインアトラクションは「マリオカート」と発表。#任天堂 #マリオ pic.twitter.com/oVhmfagbi6

— コンフェティ(conфetti) (@conpetti) June 8, 2017

Source: Universal Studios Japan (1), (2) (YouTube)

New MacBook Pro and iMac Models Available Today at Apple Stores

Apple’s latest MacBook, MacBook Pro, and iMac models are now widely available at all but a few of its retail stores across the United States, and customers now have the option to reserve a model for in-store pickup on its website.

Apple began accepting online orders for the new MacBook, MacBook Pro, and iMac models on Monday, but delivery estimates currently range between June 12 and June 22 in the United States, so customers looking to purchase a new Mac earlier than next week may have better luck visiting an Apple Store.

Apple’s in-store pickup tool shows the new MacBook, MacBook Pro, and iMac models are also in stock today at select Apple Stores in Canada, but we recommend calling ahead to ensure supplies remain available.

The refreshed MacBook and MacBook Pro models feature Intel’s seventh-generation Kaby Lake processors, improved Intel and AMD graphics options, and faster SSD storage, while the new iMac models received the same treatment plus Thunderbolt 3 ports and brighter Retina displays compared to the previous generation.

Related Roundups: iMac, MacBook Pro, MacBook
Tag: Apple retail
Buyer’s Guide: iMac (Buy Now), MacBook Pro (Buy Now), MacBook (Buy Now)
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Pokémon Go Announces In-Game and Real Life Anniversary Events as Niantic Touts Apple’s ARKit

It’s just under a month until the one year anniversary of Pokémon Go, which began appearing on the iOS App Store in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand in early July of 2016. To celebrate the occasion, developer Niantic today revealed a few events coming to Pokémon trainers both inside of the game and outside, in the form of real-life Pokémon Go Festivals.

Starting off within the game, the Solstice Event will kick off next week on June 13 and feature Fire-type and Ice-type Pokémon prominently in the wild, increased XP bonuses for accurate Poké Ball throws, and Lucky Egg discounts in the shop. Further updates and events were left vague by Niantic, but the company said that trainers can look forward to a new update soon “focused on collaborative group gameplay.”

Gyms will be temporarily disabled for a period of time to prepare for the Solstice Event, but the developer didn’t specify when that will happen. Additionally, Niantic announced that its game has reached 750 million global downloads.

We’re celebrating two amazing milestones—Pokémon GO’s one-year anniversary and 750 million global downloads—and you’re invited to join in on the fun! Over the next few months, we’re hosting real-world and in-game events planned alongside some very exciting new features that will get you outside exploring the world with family and friends. Get ready for an action-packed couple of months!

Staying true to Pokémon Go’s gameplay, Niantic also announced Pokémon Go Fest Chicago, which will encourage players to get outside and visit downtown Chicago’s Grant Park on July 22 to participate in various Pokémon-themed activities. Tickets for the event, as well as more detailed information, will go live on June 19. Similar festivities will be held across Europe from June to September, as well as in Yokohama, Japan where a “Pikachu Outbreak” event will debut in August.

Earlier this week, Apple announced a new augmented reality developer platform called ARKit at its WWDC keynote, describing how the technology will generate more true-to-life AR interactions within games like Pokémon Go. At the Brilliant Minds conference in Stockholm this week (via Bloomberg), Niantic CEO John Hanke reinforced the idea that Apple’s push into AR should not be taken lightly.

“I don’t think anyone should bet against Apple,” John Hanke said at the Brilliant Minds conference in Stockholm. “I personally think AR is going to be a really important next computing platform that can succeed the mobile phone. It’s a few years off.”

According to Hanke, the new and ARKit-backed version of Pokémon Go will be released this fall. During WWDC, Apple’s senior vice president of Software Engineering Craig Federighi presented ARKit and the Pokémon Go update enhancements coming soon, stating, “The Pokémon is so real, he’s right there on the ground. As the ball bounces, it actually bounces right there in the real environment. It’s AR like you’ve never seen it before.”

Tags: Pokemon, Pokémon GO, ARKit
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iOS 11 Introduces Two New Screen Effects Within Messages Called ‘Echo’ and ‘Spotlight’

Messages users sending texts in iOS 11 this fall will be able to share iMessages with two all-new Screen Effects in Apple’s texting app.

Specifically, a new “Echo” option sends any selected piece of text to friends by multiplying the message all over the screen. The second, “Spotlight,” puts an emphasis on your message by placing a large spotlight on the text as it’s sent over to your friend’s iOS device.

No new Bubble Effects have been added to iOS 11, at least not in the first developer beta of the software.

Screen Effects and Bubble Effects made their debut in iOS 10 last year, where Messages as a whole received a major overhaul thanks to the addition of the Messages App Store. On the new platform, apps have become available to download as miniature versions within Messages, including apps for payments, games, dinner reservations, and stickers.

Messages will be getting another overhaul in iOS 11, although one that’s not as big as last year’s update. This fall, the app’s main new addition will be a redesigned App Drawer for your Messages apps, which are placed as a scrollable toolbar below the texting field. Apps should be easier to access in comparison to iOS 10’s user interface, which requires one tap to get into the App Drawer, and another to go to Recents to find the app you want.

Check out the full MacRumors iOS 11 roundup for more features coming to Messages, including peer-to-peer payments using Apple Pay and full chat archive synchronization in iCloud, so transferring over to a new iPhone retains all of your old conversations.

(Thanks, Koohyun Y!)

Related Roundup: iOS 11
Tag: iMessage
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Which Apple MacBook is best for you? MacBook, MacBook Air or MacBook Pro?

Decided you want an Apple laptop, but you’re not sure which one is the right one for you? You’ve come to the right place. With six MacBook models available before you even consider configuration options, it’s not an easy decision, or a simple one.

This feature rounds up all the MacBooks models offered through Apple, from the 12-inch MacBook to the 15-inch MacBook Pro, to help you work out what each model offers, how much they cost, how they can be configured and what their pros and cons are.

Read on to find out which Apple MacBook is the one for you.

Quick summary

The MacBook is the smallest, lightest and most portable MacBook available, but it is also the most restrictive in terms of ports and power.

The MacBook Air is the cheapest MacBook available overall, and the lightest option for those after a little more power, larger screen and the convenience of ports. Its screen isn’t as impressive as any of the other options but it does offer the longest battery life.

The MacBook Pro 13-inch without Touch Bar is lighter and smaller than the 2015 13-inch Pro model, while offering more storage as standard and a brighter display. It doesn’t offer the Touch Bar or Touch ID, and although it has two Thunderbolt 3 ports instead of a single USB Type-C port like the MacBook, it is still restrictive in the port department.

The MacBook Pro 13-inch with Touch Bar is the model for those who want the power, a lighter design, Touch Bar and Touch ID functionality, as well as more Thunderbolt 3 ports. It comes at a cost though, with a starting price of £500 more than the model without the Touch Bar.

The MacBook Pro (2015) 15-inch is the cheapest way to get your hands on an even larger Pro model, with all the ports still intact and a Retina display. It is larger and heavier than the new Pro models though, storage configuration tops out at 1TB and its screen isn’t as bright as the newer Pros.

The MacBook Pro with Touch Bar is the king of the MacBooks with the best power and largest storage options, biggest screen, latest design and the Touch Bar and Touch ID features. It is also the most expensive however and this probably isn’t the MacBook you’ll want if you’re constantly on the move.

Apple

Apple MacBook

• Dimensions: 280.5 x 196.5 x 35-131mm, 920g
• Display: 12-inches, 2304 x 1440 (226ppi), 300nits brightness
• Connections: One USB Type-C port, 3.5mm headphone jack
• Battery: 10 hours
• Price: From £1249 to £1864

The MacBook is the smallest, lightest and most portable of the MacBook family, but it has the smallest display and it’s not as powerful as the MacBook Air or any of the MacBook Pro models.

The base model features a 1.2GHz dual-core Intel Core m3 processor and 256GB of storage, while the highest spec available offers a dual-core 1.4GHz Intel Core i7 processor and 512GB of storage. All models have Intel HD Graphics 615 and are configurable with up to 16GB of RAM.

The MacBook only has one USB Type-C port, which supports charging, USB 3.1, Native DisplayPort 1.2 video output, VGA output and HDMI video output. This means it isn’t the most convenient MacBook for those that need to connect lots of devices, whether that’s a camera, or an adapter to allow for the transfer of images from an SD card.

It comes in Rose Gold, Space Grey, Gold and Silver colour options, all of which have a 480p FaceTime camera.

• Apple MacBook (2016) review: Is port-free still the future?

Apple

Apple MacBook Air

• Dimensions: 325 x 227 x 30-170mm, 1.35kg
• Display: 13.3-inches, 1400 x 900 (125ppi)
• Connections: Two USB 3 ports, Thunderbolt 2 port, MagSafe power port, SDXC card slot, 3.5mm headphone jack
• Battery: 12 hours
• Price: From £949 to £1409

The MacBook Air is the oldest of the MacBook family and although it is no longer the slimmest, it is the lightest MacBook available for those after power and a larger display. It is also the cheapest MacBook and the only one to start under the £1000 mark.

The base model has a dual-core 1.8GHz Intel Core i5 processor and 128GB of storage, while the top-spec available has a 2.2GHz dual-core Intel Core i7 chip and up to 512GB of configurable storage. All models feature Intel HD Graphics 6000 and 8GB of RAM. 

The MacBook Air is a lot more flexible than the MacBook when it comes to ports, meaning you’ll not only be able to pop in an SD card to transfer images, but you’ll be able to charge your MacBook Air while doing so, or connecting to another device. For some, one port on the MacBook will be enough, for others it will be a pain, which is where the Air steps in.

The MacBook Air comes in Silver and it features a 720p FaceTime camera, meaning video calls will be crisper than on the MacBook.

• Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (2013) review

Apple

Apple MacBook Pro 13-inch (No Touch Bar or Touch ID)

• Dimensions: 304.1 x 212.4 x 149mm, 1.37kg
• Display: 13.3-inches, 2560 x 1600 (226ppi), 500nits brightness
• Connections: Two Thunderbolt 3 ports, 3.5mm headphone jack
• Battery: 10 hours
• Price: From £1249 to £2499

The 13-inch MacBook Pro without the Touch Bar is the model for those who want the power, aren’t fussed about the lack of ports and don’t want the Touch Bar and Touch ID, or perhaps don’t have the budget for them.

The base model has a dual-core 2.3GHz Intel Core i5 processor, 128GB of storage and 8GB of RAM. The top-of-the-range model has a dual-core 2.5GHz Intel Core i7 processor, 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage. All configurations have Intel Iris Graphics 640.

Like the MacBook, this 13-inch MacBook Pro lacks in the port department, though it does have two Thunderbolt 3 ports over one USB Type-C port, meaning you’ll at least be able to charge it, while connecting to another device. 

The MacBook Pro without Touch Bar and Touch ID is available in Silver or Space Gray, comes with a 720p FaceTime camera like the MacBook Air and has two microphones.

• Apple MacBook Pro (2016) review: Air apparent
• Apple MacBook Pro (2016) vs Apple MacBook Air: What’s the difference?

Apple

Apple MacBook Pro 13-inch (Touch Bar and Touch ID)

• Dimensions: 304.1 x 212.4 x 149mm, 1.37kg
• Display: 13.3-inches, 2560 x 1600 (226ppi), 500nits brightness
• Connections: Four Thunderbolt 3 ports, 3.5mm headphone jack
• Battery: 10 hours
• Price: From £1749 to £2799

The 13-inch MacBook Pro with the Touch Bar is for those who want the power and the latest features, but still in a compact and easily portable device.

The base model has a dual-core 3.1GHz Intel Core i5 processor, 256GB of storage and 8GB of RAM. The top-specced model has a dual-core 3.5GHz Intel Core i7 processor, 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage. All configurations have Intel Iris Graphics 650.

Like the MacBook and MacBook Pro without Touch Bar, this 13-inch MacBook Pro says bye-bye to the ports again. It does however offer more than the previous two models, with four Thunderbolt 3 ports. You’ll still need adapters to transfer images from an SD card for example, but the extra ports will allow you to do more simultaneously than you could do with the MacBook especially, but also the MacBook Pro without Touch Bar.

The MacBook Pro with Touch Bar and Touch ID is available in Silver or Space Gray, comes with a 720p FaceTime camera and has three microphones.

• Apple MacBook Pro (2016) with Touch Bar: Thinner, brighter, faster, and very touchy feely
• Apple MacBook Pro (2016) vs MacBook Pro (2015): What’s the difference?

Apple

Apple MacBook Pro (2015)

• Dimensions: 358.9 x 247.1 x 180mm, 2.04kg
• Display: 15.4-inches, 2880 x 1800 (220ppi), 300nits brightness
• Connections: Two USB 3 ports, two Thunderbolt 2 ports, MagSafe 2 power port, HDMI port, SDXC card slot 3.5mm headphone jack
• Battery: 9 hours
• Price: From £1899 to £2709

The 2015 15-inch MacBook Pro the cheaper option for those who want the power, larger screen and the ports, but aren’t necessarily as fussed about the latest and greatest features.

The base model has a dual-core 2.2GHz Intel Core i7 processor and 256GB of storage. The top-specced model available has a dual-core 2.8GHz Intel Core i7 processor and 1TB of storage. All configurations feature 16GB of RAM and Intel Iris Pro Graphics.

The MacBook Pro (2015) 15-inch features more flexibility than the MacBook and new MacBook Pros when it comes to ports, as we mentioned. It adds a HDMI port, along with an extra Thunderbolt 2 port to its features in comparison to the MacBook Air.

The MacBook Pro (2015) comes in Silver, has a 720p FaceTime camera like the MacBook Air and offers two microphones.

• Apple MacBook Pro (2016) vs MacBook Pro (2015): What’s the difference?

Apple

Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch (Touch Bar and Touch ID)

• Dimensions: 349.3 x 240.7 x 155mm, 1.83kg
• Display: 15.4-inches, 2880 x 1800 (220ppi), 500nits brightness
• Connections: Four Thunderbolt 3 ports, 3.5mm headphone jack
• Battery: 10 hours
• Price: From £2349 to £3969

The new 15-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar and Touch ID is MacBook for those after the power, the large screen and the latest and greatest features Apple has to offer. You’ll need the budget for this one though. 

The base model has a dual-core 2.8GHz Intel Core i7 processor, 256GB of storage and Radeon Pro 555 graphics with 2GB memory. The top-specced model available has a dual-core 3.1GHz Intel Core i7 processor, 2TB of storage and Radeon Pro 560 graphics with 4GB of memory. All configurations feature 16GB of RAM.

As with the 13-inch MacBook Pro, you’ll need to make sure you allow for buying any adapters you might need because the ports are limited to just Thunderbolt 3, though you at least get a few extra compared to the MacBook’s singular USB Type-C port and the two Thunderbolt 3 ports on the new MacBook Pro without Touch Bar.

The MacBook Pro (2016) comes in Silver and Space Grey, has three microphones, and it has a 720p FaceTime camera, like all the other MacBooks, except the 12-inch MacBook.

• Apple MacBook Pro (2016) with Touch Bar: Thinner, brighter, faster, and very touchy feely
• Here’s how much the new MacBook Pro will cost you in new adapters and cables

Honda sets 2025 deadline to perfect self-driving cars

Japanese car giant Honda has broken down its plans for fully autonomous vehicles, confirming that it intends to introduce cars that require no driver intervention by 2025. In a statement, the company clarified that it will install its autonomous freeway drive system in vehicles by 2020, giving itself an additional five years to develop vehicles that can handle all necessary road conditions without human assistance.

Like many other car makers, Honda’s self-driving systems rely on a mixture of cameras, LiDAR and radar sensors. Using these technologies, it aims to meet standards set out by SAE International, an automotive standardization body. Autonomous freeway driving meets SAE Level 3, enabling drivers offload driving tasks but remain prepared to take back control. SAE Level 4 allows a driver to completely relinquish control while inside the car, meaning the autonomous vehicle can drive itself on highways and city roads under most conditions.

“We will strive to achieve the technological establishment of Level 4 automated driving for personal car use by around 2025,” said Honda CEO Takahiro Hachigo. “We are striving to provide our customers with a sense of confidence and trust by offering automated driving that will keep vehicles away from any dangerous situation and that will not make people around the vehicle feel unsafe.”

Honda appears to be in no rush. Like rival car maker Nissan, the company has brought intelligent driving features to existing models. Honda Sensing and AcuraWatch can handle lane assistive driving, automatic braking and collision warnings. Nissan, however, believes its new ProPilot system will be ready to handle Level 4 driving by 2020, allowing it to deploy a number of autonomous taxis during the Tokyo Olympics.

Source: Honda

Turtle Beach’s new headsets pair seamlessly with Xbox One

When we think of gaming headsets, our minds run screaming towards Turtle Beach, the apex predator in the space. In the run up to E3, the company is wheeling out a pair of new headsets that are compatible with both the Xbox One(s) and PlayStation 4. Although it’s users in the former camp who may be more inclined to check these products out, since they ship with Microsoft’s relatively new Xbox Wireless connection tech. As a consequence, these cans will join with your XBox One, S or (whatever they wind up calling) the upcoming Scorpio without any muss or fuss.

Anyone familiar with how numbers work can guess that the 600 is the lower-end model of the range, packing wireless surround sound, glasses-friendly design and customizable sound. The Stealth 700, on the other hand, comes with all of the above, plus active noise cancellation and Bluetooth as standard. Both are available to pre-order from today, but won’t begin shipping until September, with the 600 setting you back $99.95/£90 and the 700 priced at $149.95/£130.

Flying a DJI Spark by waving your hand isn’t as great as it sounds

DJI’s Spark is the company’s first attempt at a true drone for everyone. DJI has made no secret about the fact it thinks non-RC enthusiasts want a lightweight, compact quadcopter that’s easy to control. That’s exactly what the Spark is. But after spending some time with it (and a Mavic Pro, for comparison), I’m torn. The Spark is, indeed, incredibly fun, simple to use and easy to carry around. But, the gesture controls aren’t as useful, or reliable enough for new pilots. And therein lies the dilemma.

The Spark weighs about 0.7 lbs (300g), and the body is about the size of a soda can (if a little taller and slimmer). The arms don’t fold down like the Mavic, so Spark’s total footprint is actually a bit wider (though shorter) than its older sibling when you’re carrying it. The included case makes portability a cinch, though — it fits in most backpacks with tons of room to spare.

That said, Spark packs a surprising amount into that tiny form. There are forward-facing obstacle avoidance sensors (you’ll still need to be careful flying sideways or backward, as with the Mavic) and there are downward camera sensors that track the surface below. This means Spark can hold its position indoors without GPS (something it does incredibly well, I learned, much to the chagrin of my cat).

Spark has a 12-megapixel shooter good for video at 1080p (30fps) that delivers great, fish-eye free photos and video. Mavic has the same size sensor, but it can capture clips all the way to 4K at 96fps (plus it has a bunch of specialized shooting modes). Spark theoretically could shoot at 4K too, but uses electronic image stabilization that eats up some of the extra pixels available. As for battery life, Spark can fly for about 16 minutes per charge (my experience was a shade under this), while Mavic holds itself in the air for twice that. But why compare two drones that are clearly meant for different people? Because I’m not entirely sure that they are.

What’s really new here is “gesture control.” Hold DJI’s diminutive drone out on your hand, tap the power button twice, and it’ll launch itself. You can guide it in the air by moving your extended palm and shoot perfect impromptu selfies. The problem I discovered is that you can’t take selfies in gesture mode alone.

I learned this only after throwing my hands up in the “picture frame” gesture at the Spark way too many times to no effect. Each time, Spark’s lights would flicker to indicate it thought I wanted to move it with my hand, not take a photo. And then, well, nothing. I kept trying, but several more attempts all failed. After consulting the instruction manual, it seems to indicate (which DJI eventually confirmed) Spark needs to be in ActiveTrak mode for the photo gesture to work. ActiveTrak is when the drone follows your body via camera-tracking. Once I tried this, the “frame” gesture worked every single time.

You might ask, “What’s the problem here?” I guess I was expecting I could position the drone with my hand, throw the gesture and get a picture. But once you’ve got it where you want it, putting it in tracking mode causes Spark to fly up and backward a few meters (and then you initiate the photo). Perhaps I am being a bit unfair about this one minor point, but the gesture to enter ActiveTrak isn’t recognized consistently, requiring a few attempts to trigger, sucking some of the spontaneity out of the moment (and changing your framing since it’s moved). DJI tells me you will eventually be able to do it all as I imagined, but for now, at least, no dice. You can always trigger photos from the app, of course, but throw-and-photo is the dream these mini-drones promise, but we’re still a hair away.

As a rule, I am not a fan of flying drones with just a phone, but the DJI Go app is what makes Spark a lot more useful. Go shows you a live feed from Spark’s camera, and it also imitates a conventional controller with virtual on-screen “sticks”. With these, you can fly Spark much farther away than with gestures, with more control, and it actually works better than most other app-controlled drones (like Dobby). You can, of course, initiate a photo or video from the app, change camera modes, access all the drone settings and see vital info like battery life, GPS info and more.

While DJI made the experience of flying with an app the best I have tried, I’m a stickler for real controls. If you want to get a drone up in the air and place it somewhere with confidence, you can’t beat physical sticks. If you want to buy Spark with a controller, it’ll cost you $699 (rather than the drone-only $499). That closes the gap with Mavic enough for it to be a real dilemma ($999 with controller, $759 without). Yes, $300 is a decent jump, but considering the extra battery life, better video, and all-round-awesome flying experience the Mavic delivers, it’s an excruciating decision — at least, for me.

The intelligent flight/camera modes available in the app are also pretty impressive. I’ve already mentioned gesture control and ActiveTrak. There’s also QuickShot, which gives you four preprogrammed drone maneuvers (like orbit and “rocket”) that let you grab cinematic video clips. Modes like TapFly, on the other hand, take the brains out of flying; you tap somewhere on the video image on screen, and Spark will fly toward it.

These are all great, yet varying degrees of terrifying — as the intrepid little drone starts moving on its own, a sense of powerlessness overcomes you (at least initially). The first time I used “Dronie” mode (yep, drone-selfie: Spark faces you, but flies up and backward rapidly), I wasn’t sure it was going to stop. It did, of course, lingering near a warehouse as a speck in the distance. I called it home via the app without incident, and was, of course, flying somewhere without tall buildings or obstacles, but how long before someone prods that button without really thinking it through?

With the wind in my hair, I decide to see what this button does… #djispark #dji

A post shared by James Trew (@thatstrew) on Jun 5, 2017 at 7:54pm PDT

While the app and smart features are a mixed bag, Spark itself is a solid, agile aircraft. I took it flying on San Francisco’s Treasure Island on an incredibly windy day, and I’ll admit I didn’t have a lot of confidence it wouldn’t get blown into a tree or building. But those doubts evaporated after about three seconds. The plucky little thing held its position, shrugging off multidirectional gusts of wind like a champ. The gimbal (camera stabilizer) has only two axes (the one that’s missing is “yaw”), but the video doesn’t seem to suffer because of how steady it is in flight.

The battery life, while only about a quarter of an hour, is actually quite a long time in drone terms — at least at this size. The problem is that my first few flights were pretty much a wash as I spent that time coming to grips with the controls, checking all the menu options and so on.

It’s worth pointing out that Spark can be charged by micro USB, so if you have a battery pack with you, you can top it up while you get some lunch. It’ll take a while longer charging this way than plugging it into a wall, but I really appreciated having the option.

Despite an all-around positive experience, I’m unsure how to feel about the Spark. Technologically, it’s impressive. Aesthetically, it’s attractive. Yet it’s just not quite the spontaneous, simple experience it needs to be for new pilots. Nor is it quite the video drone that creative users might require.

If I was looking for a drone that was easy to carry and grab great aerial video, I’d probably go with Mavic. Not just because I prefer something built for manual control first, but also for the more comprehensive choice of video features. But those things might not be as important to you. If you just want something casual, then the $499 price might just be a little out of the impulse-purchase range.

My suspicion is that Spark will get better with age. And I don’t mean, “wait for version two.” DJI has made huge strides with its software in recent years. When it launched its camera-based tracking on the Phantom series, it was a bit hit-and-miss. Just turning to your side could throw it off. Now, it’s pretty rock-solid and can even tell the difference between people, bikes (well, people on bikes) and animals. The gesture-control features here feel like the same thing.

The good news is that since the Mavic was released it has been given several updates that have improved camera stability and added new photo and video modes. My gut tells me that Spark is about two or three updates away from being the product that we wanted at launch. In the meantime, Spark is a bunch of fun, with a whole lot of potential. Potential which I hope DJI fulfills.

‘Shenmue 3’ delayed by up to a year

The third part of the Shenmue saga has been delayed, developer Ys Net revealed in a Kickstarter update today. Shenmue 3 was supposed to ship this December, however that always seemed unlikely given how little we’ve seen of the game through screenshots and gameplay snippets. In a video, series creator Yu Suzuki broke the news that the title will now be released in the second half of 2018. “By utilizing new technologies, we have been able to discover new possibilities and expressions,” he said. “In many ways, the game has become bigger and more beautiful than I initially expected. We do, however, need more time to deliver the game to you.”

Shenmue and Shenmue II are considered cult classics from the Sega Dreamcast era. They follow teenager and martial arts student Ryo Hazuki as he tries to track down his father’s murderer. The large, open worlds and ambitious simulation aspects — both games had a day-and-night cycle, for instance — won the pair plenty of praise in 1999 and 2001 respectively. In the years that followed, many assumed the franchise was dead, another victim of Sega’s exit from the console business. But in 2015, Yu Suzuki announced a Kickstarter for Shenmue 3 during Sony’s E3 press conference. The project blew up, raising $6.3 million from almost 70,000 backers.

Today’s delay will be agonizing but, I suspect, acceptable to diehard Shenmue fans. They have, after all, waited 16 years to see the next chapter in Hazuki’s story. What difference will another 12 months or so make? Especially if it produces another game worthy of the Shenmue name.

Source: Shenmue 3 (Kickstarter)

Apple’s Concern With User Privacy Reportedly Stifling Siri Development

Former Apple employees who worked on Siri believe the virtual assistant is struggling to catch up with its rivals because of a lack of ambitious goals stemming from the company’s overarching concern with user privacy, a report by The Wall Street Journal revealed on Thursday.

Unlike Amazon and Google, which leverage and retain user data off-device to inform and enhance queries put to their respective smart speakers, Apple is said to work within a culture that prioritizes user privacy, “making it difficult to personalize and improve” Siri, according to ex-Apple employees. The project has also reportedly suffered from the departures of key members as a result, some of whom went to competitors.

About a year after [Steve] Jobs’s death, Apple hired Bill Stasior, an Amazon search executive, to oversee Siri. Mr. Stasior studied artificial intelligence at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, but his expertise was in search rather than speech or language. This led some members of the Siri team to believe he didn’t fully appreciate the product’s original vision: to expand beyond the iPhone to third-party apps.

Former staff reportedly offered this loss as the main reason behind the departure of Siri co-founders Adam Cheyer and Dag Kittlaus, who left to found Viv, which now powers Samsung’s Bixby assistant. Apple finally started opening up Siri to third-party developers last year, but many former Siri engineers believe it didn’t come soon enough, while developers still remain unhappy at the lack of openness behind the scenes.

The limited scope of Siri’s commands disappointed many developers, said Brian Roemmele, a developer who attended the announcement. “People went from being happy and excited to sitting in workshops and realizing, ‘I can’t use it,’” he said. “Some went back to that attitude: Siri’s always going to be dumb.”

According to the article, the first inkling Apple got that it was falling behind its rivals came when members of the Siri team arrived at an Amazon event in 2014.

Apple’s three-year-old product had gained popularity for its ability to handle calendar appointments, text messaging and a few other simple tasks based on voice commands. Siri had no real competitors.

The outlook quickly changed as the team watched Amazon’s video showing off a small, voice-controlled speaker that could play music, order products and search the web. It demonstrated Amazon had figured out how to isolate voices from background noise and have a digital assistant respond to requests from a distance — abilities Siri hadn’t yet mastered.

‘People at Apple’s anxiety level went up a notch,’ said a former member of Apple’s Siri team who was there that night.

WSJ notes that Siri’s performance still doesn’t match Amazon’s Echo or Google Home because of the collective weight of Apple’s self-imposed limitations. For example, in tests across 5,000 different questions, Siri answered accurately 62 percent of the time, lagging the roughly 90 percent accuracy rate of Google Assistant and Amazon’s Alexa, according to Stone Temple, a digital marketing firm.

It remains to be seen whether Apple feels it needs to compete on these specific AI metrics, or if it sees a future for Siri in other areas, such as linguistics – Siri works across 21 language, while Alexa and Google Assistant only speak English and German.

During this week’s Worldwide Developers Conference, Apple announced a number of forthcoming enhancements to Siri with iOS 11, including live language translation, contextual query comprehension, and an ability to learn a user’s interests. It also unveiled its own Siri-powered premium smart speaker, HomePod, but emphasized sound quality and music enjoyment over the general intelligence of its virtual assistant, which some might say speaks volumes as to Apple’s future ambitions in the AI space.

Tags: Siri, privacy
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