Nike will team up with Amazon to fight fake kicks

Amazon has realized that counterfeit products posing as the real deal annoys consumers and dilutes trust in its marketplace. That’s likely why it came down harshly on vendors last fall, requiring a hefty $1,000 to $1,500 fee and tons of paperwork to sell products from prime brands like Samsung, Adidas, Hasbro. But that was a stopgap move: Amazon has allegedly been working on a registry of approved vendors to assure consumers that the merch they buy is the real deal, and Nike might be the first brand to get this thorough vetting.

Reports surfaced last November that Amazon would start implementing the idea in 2017 as a greater push to combat counterfeit goods. In short, the commerce titan would reach out to vendors and compel them to prove they had the brand’s permission to sell its products. A source told Bloomberg that Nike will get this treatment first, allowing the brand to control who can and can’t sell its merchandise.

Currently, only third-party vendors can hawk Nike shoes. This includes Zappos, which is owned by Amazon, but the hints that Amazon itself could sell Nike’s products more or less directly sent stocks in footwear companies Foot Locker and The Finish Line plunging, according to Bloomberg. We’ve reached out to Amazon to confirm any change in its relationship with Nike and will update when we hear back.

Source: Bloomberg

GE is working on a massive 3D printer for jet engine parts

3D printing is coming of age in numerous ways. On a large scale, MIT researchers built a 50-foot-wide, 12-foot tall igloo in just 13 hours. They’ve also debuted the first completely 3D-printed rocket engine. On a much smaller level, our own Sean Buckley printed a little d-pad for his Nintendo Switch, while medical researchers have produced a 3D-printed patch that can heal scarred heart tissue. Now we’re seeing this technology coming to the industrial world with a new laser-powered metal 3D printer from GE.

GE Additive is a new business under the larger GE umbrella. It is developing what it calls “the world’s largest laser-powered 3D printer” to create parts that fit within one cubic meter cubic of space. “The machine will 3D print aviation parts suitable for making jet engine structural components and parts for single-aisle aircraft,” said GE Additive’s Mohammad Ehteshami in a statement. “It will also be applicable for manufacturers in the automotive, power, and oil and gas industries.”

Additive printers fuse fine layers of powdered metal with a laser beam to print objects. The new process could make complex parts like jet engine components easier and less costly to make than traditional casting and welding techniques. GE Aviation is already printing fuel nozzles for jet engines that will be found in Airbus, Boeing and narrow-body jets. GE has a prototype large-scale metal prnter, called ATLAS, that can print 2D objects up to 1 meter long, but the new one will extend that to a third dimension. Beta versions of the new printer should be ready by the end of this year, according to Ehteshami, with a production version slated for 2018.

Source: GE Reports

Scientists may have solved a key barrier to fusion power

We’ve been working towards nuclear fusion, a near-limitless source of clean energy, for the past six decades, and now scientists have made a major breakthrough. A new article published in Physical Review Letters details how to solve a dangerous issue with runaway electrons that has, until now, posed a major problem for fusion reactors.

Fusion reactors model themselves on the reactions that power our stars: Hydrogen atoms collide at such incredibly high speeds that they fuse into helium. That process releases astounding amounts of energy. It’s the same thing that’s happening in our sun’s core right now.

Runaway electrons are simply free-floating electrons that are energized by potent electric fields. In the high energy of nuclear fusion, the levels and speeds to which these runaway electrons are charged can be catastrophic. The team discovered that it’s possible to decelerate the electrons by injecting heavy ions, like neon or argon, into the reactor. The electrons collide with these neutral atoms, resulting in energy loss and slower speeds.

It may seem like a small step, but every problem we solve with nuclear fusion moves us closer to finally achieving it here on Earth. Linnea Hesslow, coauthor of the article, told Wired, “Many believe it will work, but it’s easier to travel to Mars than it is to achieve fusion.” We’ve got a long way to go yet, but eventually (hopefully), we’ll get there.

Via: Wired

Source: Physical Review Letters

eBay will match prices from Amazon and Walmart on certain items

eBay announced a new Price Match Guarantee today, ensuring many of its items will cost the same or less than those offered by other major retail competitors. It’s the company’s latest move in the ongoing business battle with giants like Amazon and Walmart.

The items eligible for price match are those sold in the website’s trending inventory section Deals. The products have to be new and identical to those sold through the outlet being price matched. They also have to be in stock at both eBay and its competitor at the time of purchase. The online retailers eligible for price match are Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, Walmart’s Jet.com, Home Depot, Sears, Target and Wayfair.

If an eBay customer spots one of those sites selling the same product for less, they’ll have to call customer service before purchasing and get a coupon for the price difference. The coupon will expire 24 hours after it’s issued.

Earlier this year, eBay announced another feature that would boost its competitiveness with Amazon. Its Guaranteed Delivery program, which has yet to launch, promises three-day delivery or less on millions of its items. If a package doesn’t arrive on time, shipping costs will be refunded or, in the case of free shipping, a coupon that can be used towards a future purchase will be issued. The website will also integrate an additional search option, allowing customers to sort items by one-, two- and three-day delivery times.

The price match feature is available to US customers starting today and the shipping program is scheduled to launch later this year.

Source: eBay

Kuri home robot can tell your pets from people

Mayfield Robotics’ Kuri isn’t out yet, but that isn’t precluding the company from giving it some big upgrades ahead of the robo helper’s late 2017 debut. Kuri can now recognize cats and dogs — it’ll know the difference between your pet and your significant other. The robot’s vision cameras are also receiving an upgrade to 1080p, so you can expect higher-quality views of what’s going on at home.

Even Kuri’s feet are improving. Instead of conventional drive wheels, Mayfield is switching to belt treads. They’re quieter, more maneuverable and better-suited to driving over rugs and room-to-room threshholds.

The bot is still expensive at $699, and it remains to be seen how well it’ll work in practice. Having said that, it’s only so often that you’ll see companies upgrading hardware (let alone a robot) before a single unit has shipped — if nothing else, this is a promising sign.

Via: TechCrunch

Source: Kuri’s Blog

STM Kings review: Is this the best bag available?

When it comes to keeping your devices safe on the go, most of us try to find the best backpack while traveling. There are a few different aspects that go into this search – comfortability, pockets, space, and price.

With many different options available on the market, it can be a bit difficult to stand out from the crowd, but that’s exactly what STM attempted to do with its Kings backpack. Before jumping any further, I would like to make note of my familiarity with STM Bags.

As I have been a writer for the better part of 10 years now (wow, has it really been that long), I had the pleasure of being able to check out various STM offerings. I made my decision and had been using a now-discontinued STM product for the last 3 or 4 years. Unfortunately, that bag met its demise and I was thrust into the search for a new option.

Considering that I had used STM for so long, I wanted to see what the market looked like, and the results weren’t too great. There were bags that offered everything that I wanted, but not for at the price tag. Then there were other options which seemingly wanted to overcharge for nothing more than just a one or two pocket bag. Nope.

After wrestling around for a few weeks trying to find a replacement, I decided to check out the STM website and noticed the company’s latest offering. The STM Kings bag seemingly had everything I wanted, as well as a few extras.

Starting with the barebones, the Kings offers a total of 12 different pockets for your various devices. You’ll be able to get an idea as to how durable the Kings bag is as soon as you hold it. The outer shell has a canvas feel to it, which may remind you of something that would be used by someone going on a trek in the woods.

This may sound like some overkill, but when you use a backpack as frequently as I do, you’ll come to appreciate the small things. But the zippers…the zippers are amazing. I can’t tell you how many times that I’ve had zippers get stuck or broke or whatever during even heavy usage, and that has not been the case here.

It’s no secret that the most important part of a bag is protection. STM knocks this one out of the park with its new SlingTech protection. What this means is that instead of your laptop resting against the bottom of the bag, it’s actually suspended with a “gapless corner” below.

This allows you to put your bag on the ground, and not have to worry about your laptop, tablet, or anything else from banging against the floor. Plus, in the off chance that you put your bag down a little too hard, STM has included some extra padding to help keep your belongings safe from disaster.

The second most important part of a backpack is how comfortable it is to carry on your shoulders all day. STM definitely doesn’t disappoint here, as the Kings bag features “breathable Airmesh fabric” which helps to ensure that your back and shoulders won’t get sweaty. As you would expect, the arm straps are padded and don’t cause any issues from rubbing.

As for the aforementioned pockets, there are two smaller side pockets, which can be used for an array of products. On the front, there are also two pockets – one smaller pocket at the top and another pocket with the zipper facing off to the right.

This larger pocket won’t house anything of value but will be able to hold up to two books before it starts to get cramped. There is also a smaller pocket within, which you can throw some odds and ends into for safe keeping.

Moving onto the bigger pockets, STM really thought ahead when it came to the Kings. The pocket that rests against your back no longer houses your laptop of choice. Instead, there are two pockets which allow for you to slide your tablets or thin notebooks into. These are also big enough to house an iPad Air 2 with a case on, and I won’t feel anything pushing against my back.

Now for the mac daddy of the King’s pockets. This pocket will be the home for your laptop, with a pocket large enough for a 15-inch laptop. The bag is also deep enough where you can put an array of other items in it. For example, I was able to put my laptop, Nintendo Switch in its hard-shell case, laptop charger, portable charger, and the included “Stash” bag.

Speaking of the Stash bag, this is an included bag that attaches to the inside of the main pocket. This included pouch is large enough that I was able to stick an array of charging cables, pens, and even the Nintendo Switch Joy-Con Grip, into it.

But the fun doesn’t stop there. If you look at the inside of this main pocket, you may notice some orange holsters on that follow alongside the edges of the pocket. Following this trail down to the bottom of the bag, you’ll notice a smaller bag nestled against the left side.

This pocket is designed to house your portable charger, making it easy for you to charge your mobile devices. Hell, if you’re fancy enough to have one of those new MacBook Pro’s, you could even charge your laptop on the go without ever having to worry about running out of juice when it’s time to leave.

This is an extremely convenient feature to add to your bag, especially when you think about how many devices we carry with us. This will be an excellent way to keep everything charged, so that when it’s time to get to work, you can do so.

Finally, there is another small pocket on the outer shell, which is actually lined with fleece and can hold up to 2 pairs of sunglasses. However, I’ve been using it to carry my spare smartphone or MX Master mouse when I’m on the go.

If I’m 100% honest, I absolutely am in love with this bag. There is only ONE qualm that I’ve had with it, and it’s the fact that there’s no quick-access pocket for a water bottle. This isn’t enough to make me go crazy, but it’s just something to consider.

All-in-all, STM really hit a home run with its latest offering, the Kings. The bag has pockets for just about everything you can imagine, while also making sure that all of your valuables are protected from the outside elements.

You can grab the STM Kings backpack from either the STM Goods website or Amazon for $149.95. Let us know what you think about this bag and if you could see yourself using it.

NBC is the next big TV network to jump into eSports

Seemingly every big TV network wants in on eSports. NBC Sports has revealed that it’s launching an international two-on-two Rocket League tournament this summer. It’ll start online July 22nd with regional qualifiers using Faceit’s eSports platform, but players will eventually face each other in person through studio competitions and the grand finals on August 26th and 27th. Naturally, there will be plenty of video coverage: NBC is promising over 40 hours across both online sources and TV, including live coverage of the finals on NBCSN (in the US) and Syfy (in the UK and other countries).

The Rocket League tourney is still small potatoes compared to the many hours of live conventional sports, but its very existence and its international reach are notable. Like other TV providers, NBC is now confident enough in eSports’ future that it’s willing to broadcast some events beyond the internet. Also, running the tournament gives it a stake in eSports — it has a strong incentive to promote the concept of competitive gaming.

Source: NBC Sports Group

Apple eyes streaming terms on par with Spotify’s label deals

Apple’s iTunes and Apple Music agreements with record labels’ are set to expire at the end of the month and both sides have been negotiating new terms. Today, Bloomberg reports that Apple is looking to reduce record labels’ share of streaming revenue.

As of now, 58 percent of the revenue generated from Apple Music subscribers goes to record labels. That rate is higher than what Spotify offers, which was recently dropped from 55 percent down to 52, though that reduction hinges on Spotify’s continued growth. According to Bloomberg, the record labels are amenable to a rate reduction from Apple under similar terms. Apple’s in a good position there, showing steady growth over the last two years. It’s subscriber rate is currently around 27 million, up from 20 million just last December.

Streaming services have made a few concessions to record labels recently. Last month, the head of Apple Music, Jimmy Iovine, said that the streaming service would be moving away from exclusive music in light of push back from record labels. And Spotify has begun limiting what’s offered through its free streaming version while also making an effort to actually pay royalties correctly.

Apple’s new deal with record labels will probably also include their continued promotion of iTunes, a major source of music sales. If a deal isn’t reached by the end of June, the current agreements will likely be extended until negotiations are finalized.

Source: Bloomberg

The VR goggles seen in HBO’s ‘Silicon Valley’ are a real prototype

Why it matters to you

HBO’s use a of an actual prototype instead of a prop is just one way the company is striving to keep its fictional Silicon Valley close to its real-world counterpart

HBO is using an actual prototype of Avegant’s head-mounted display called Glyph in an episode of Silicon Valley. It appears in the current season’s eighth episode aired on June 11, The Keenan Vortex, as a set of virtual reality goggles created by fictional character Keenan Feldspar. The character is loosely based on Oculus Rift creator Palmer Luckey, despite the massive beard.

In the episode, Feldspar’s VR headset is the latest sensation in Silicon Valley. He’s the current “it” boy and offers to the company purchase Pied Piper for a certain amount. But protagonist Richard Hendricks counters with a $25 million proposition in hopes that Feldspar rejects the number, but the VR genius accepts.

In the next episode, Hooli-Con, the Pied Piper crew attend a tech event. There, viewers see Avegant’s booth promoting the current Glyph head mounted display now sold on the market for $400 along with other booths provided by 360fly and Oculus in the background.

The VR goggles look thin, light, and highly futuristic compared to the PC-based VR headsets used today. But the resulting, real world Glyph product has nothing to do with virtual reality but instead engulfs the wearer’s view with a “screenless” headphone form factor. There are no screens involved, thus the device projects media into the user’s eyes using low-power LEDs, 2million microscopic mirrors, and patented optics.

Because images are beamed directly onto the retina, Avegant claims that users will not see pixelized images, and they will not suffer from eyestrain or related headaches. Plus, the device includes headphones, making it an all-in-one head mounted display that plugs into any device with an HDMI port. That includes smartphones and tablets with HDMI output capabilities using the proper adapter.

“Fully adjustable optics compensate for most prescriptions, meaning you can enjoy extended viewing without the need for glasses,” the company says. “Image clarity is hardly distinguishable from viewing the natural world. Immersive, yet not shut off from your surroundings.”

HBO’s original comedy television series, Silicon Valley, premiered on April 6, 2014. It focuses on Hendricks, who in the beginning worked at internet company Hooli while creating a music app called Pied Piper on the side via a live-in startup business incubator. This app included a “revolutionary” data compression algorithm that Hooli wanted to obtain. Hendricks abandoned his Hooli job to form the Pied Piper team.

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

When it comes to subscribers, the undisputed king of on-demand streaming music is Spotify. The Swedish-born service helped pioneer the current market, and has tens of millions more paid users than the competition, not to mention millions more free users. But Apple Music, known for its high-level exclusive releases and full integration into Apple’s popular iOS system, is the hottest service on Spotify’s heels. Apple’s streaming service has shown impressive growth in listenership since its inception, garnering about half the number of Spotify’s paying users since it went live in June of 2015 — nine years behind Spotify.

It’s hardly surprising that Apple Music is so successful. Not only is it backed by one of the biggest brands in the world, it also gives users access to the entire iTunes library, a swath of curated playlists, and a 24-hour radio station helmed by BBC-alum Zane Lowe. Even the required subscription fee of $10 per month is no great barrier for entry, as Apple Music offers a three-month free trial and a discounted family plan.

Given that these two are the biggest streaming services on the market, we thought it important to take stock of how the two compare back to back. Follow us below to see if Apple has what it takes to steal Spotify’s crown, and find out which service is best for you.

Music library

Spotify first gained its dominant position on the strength of its impressive 30 million-plus song catalog. Couple this with the fact that it adds over 20,000 new songs each day, and the service offers more music than your ears even know what to do with. While several holes do exist in its library — Garth Brooks, Taylor Swift, Tool — Spotify’s catalog is extremely deep, and set the gold standard. Moreover, the Swedish streaming service brings all the latest record releases, exclusive live sessions, and various new singles right to its New Releases tab each Friday, providing a great way to hear the latest from established artists, and rising stars alike.

However, Apple’s service touts around 40 million songs, which is superior to Spotify’s “more than 30 million” figure (though we’re not sure by how much), and also outdoes newer contenders like Amazon’s paid streaming service and Jay Z’s Tidal. Moreover, Apple has taken steps to secure more exclusives than the competition, Taylor Swift’s oeuvre being a prime example. Spotify isn’t too happy with artists signing exclusivity deals with Apple, either. Reportedly, Spotify has a history of altering search rankings for artists who release their music through Apple first.

There’s another area where Apple Music has the leg up on its competition: Integration of the iTunes library. Any music you’ve got — whether previously purchased via the iTunes Store, ripped from a physical CD, or uploaded to iTunes Match — will appear in your Apple Music library, giving you the option to freely browse your own music alongside Apple’s standard catalog. Spotify offers a similar function, relegating your local music files to a separate tab, but you can’t access your local music via broad searches like you can with Apple Music.

Winner: Apple Music

Music discovery

With so many songs at the ready, Spotify’s library can seem daunting for those who want to find new music, but the company provides a lot of useful tools for finding new songs to suit your individual taste.

Playlists like Release Radar, New Music Friday, and Monday’s personalized Discover Weekly provide fantastic opportunities for subscribers to latch on to new music. The program’s deep well of 32 base genres to choose from — and another 20 to 30 selectable playlists — makes new music ripe for the picking, and other personalized playlists like Daily Mixes are constantly being added to the mix.

Discover Weekly in particular deserves high praise in the streaming world. Added to your feed every Monday morning, the feature delivers a two-hour playlist of personalized music recommendations based on your listening habits, as well as the habits of those who listen to similar artists. Playlists are often chock-full of music you haven’t heard before, as well as deep cuts from some of your favorite artists, thus broadening your listening repertoire with a collection of songs right up your alley. Listen to a lot of Black Keys? Your weekly playlist might include The Arcs, a side project of Black Keys guitarist Dan Auerbach. Fan of Dawes or Neil Young? Expect to find the likes of Laurel Canyon prodigy Jonathan Wilson on your playlist. The feature is not always on point, but it’s often pretty impressive.

Furthermore, Spotify gives you the chance to create, share, and follow playlists of any kind — including those shared by friends — with a simple click, along with expertly curated playlists for any mood or genre you’re into to keep things fresh.

As for Apple Music, upon creating an account users will be prompted to select some of their favorite artists so the service can get a sense of their tastes. The interface for this is a digital ball pit, in which  each ball represents an artist, with users tapping particular balls to indicate artists they like or love. You can also always head back via the Account tab — accessible by tapping the icon in the top right corner of “For You” — to re-select your favorite genres and artists. While it is a visually striking way to dictate music preferences (the pink on a white background is pure Apple-chic), the style stomps on the utility a bit. On mobile devices in particular, the balls quickly clog up the screen, sluggishly bouncing off each other and making it a pain to select more artists.

Thankfully, once the process is complete, Apple Music does a great job curating playlists to appeal to your preferences. Playlists might be based on style (mellow, jazzy hip hop), a particular artist, or even a particular activity like driving. Apple claims the playlists are curated by a “team of experts.” This cabal of tastemakers — whoever it comprises — does a good job creating varied playlists that are at once familiar yet fresh, like a mixtape you might get from a friend.

The level of individual curation is impressive, with one DT staffer quick to highlight a Behind the Boards playlist he received that encompasses music from audio engineers who have helped create some of the best music of their time from the studio control room. Spotify also offers “expertly-curated” playlists, but Apple Music’s playlist selections come from individual DJs on the Apple payroll.

Apple Music’s Beats 1 Radio function also plays a major role when it comes to music discovery. It’s refreshing to see Apple move beyond sophisticated algorithms for a human approach to facilitating true music discovery, but Spotify has its own magic at work, and its personalized playlists are only growing.

The bottom line is, Spotify’s hands-off playlists, especially its fantastic Discover Weekly, give it the edge here. Until Apple Music can compete with this algorithm-based approach, we’ll give Spotify the win.

Winner: Spotify