Google gives students interactive tools for STEM and internet safety

Google launched a new browser-based Google Earth this past April, adding educational tools to make it easier for teachers to show the world off to students without having to leave the classroom. The company also collaborated with the BBC to create a digital storytelling platform called Voyager that helps curate the discovery of various places of interest around the globe. Google is taking things even farther today at the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) conference, announcing a bevy of new tools and virtual experiences to empower students.

The concept here is to help students become critical thinkers and responsible digital citizens as they explore the world around them. Google announced 10 new stories for its Voyager platform in collaboration with National Geographic Society and PBS Education. These new experiences come with additional classroom activities to let teachers help guide their students, and school IT administrators can add Google Earth as a service within their own Google for Education domains.

The team also promises a new self-guided mode, coming “soon,” for the more than 600 currently available virtual field trips via the Expeditions app. A new digital citizenship and safety program called “Be Internet Awesome” is also available to kids. It includes resources for students, educators and families to help kids make smart decisions online. Schools can also purchase a collection of STEM tools for Chromebooks, including a Dremel 3D printer and the littleBits Code Kit, which can be used to help kids become inventors.

Finally, Google is sharing some data around the impact it’s having in schools that use Chromebooks and G Suite with seven new “Impact Portraits” from schools around the US. “In the Metropolitan School District of Wayne Township, for example,” Google says in the blog post, “Indiana’s measure of third-grade reading skills has grown by 10% since adopting Chromebooks.”

Source: Google

Here’s what Nintendo needs to do to make the SNES Classic great 

Before Nintendo unveiled the Switch, its new hybrid game console, to the world, it re-released an old one. The NES Classic Edition was an adorably small box of nostalgia packed with some of the best games for Nintendo’s original home console. Now, the company is doing it again — on September 29th, the Super Nintendo Entertainment System Classic Edition will put games like The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, Donkey Kong Country and Mega Man X back in the living room. Hopefully, it’ll do that while improving on the faults of Nintendo’s first throwback machine.

Truth be told, there wasn’t a lot wrong with the NES Classic Edition. With 30 of the original console’s best games pushed to modern TVs over HDMI, it offered an excellent, easy to use retro gaming experience. Still, it had its flaws. The console’s ridiculously short 2.5-foot controller cables forced players to sit uncomfortably close to their TV, for instance, and a few user interface flubs made the menu weirdly difficult to access. With the SNES Classic, Nintendo has a chance to learn from its mistakes. Here are a few simple ways the company’s new retro console can improve on the original’s failings.

Living-room sized controller cables

This one is an easy fix. The NES Classic Edition’s unnecessarily short controller cables made using the retro console feel weird and uncomfortable. Sitting three feet away from the TV screen may have been fine back in the early 90s, but today most gamers would prefer to play their games from the comfort of a couch. The SNES Classic needs to have controllers that can reach across a standard size living room with ease. And indeed, early reports from Nintendo suggest the new controllers will be longer — but if Nintendo gives players the option to sit back and game comfortably, it’ll have to fix the NES Classics other big flaw, too:

Add a menu button

As awful as the NES Classic Edition’s short controller cables were, they had a single upside: they ensured the player was always within arm’s reach of the console’s reset button — which was the only way one could access the system menu to change games or save and load restore points. It was a choice that felt like a glaring design oversight, particularly when you learned that Wii Classic Controllers and third-party gamepads could call up the menu with the touch of a button. Adding a home button to the SNES Classic controller (or using a button combination to call up the menu) would go a long way towards creating a more user-friendly retro gaming experience.

Put game manuals on the console

Old video game instruction booklets are like little time capsules — they’re filled with gorgeous artwork, expanded story information and often, essential gameplay tips. The NES Classic had a menu option for game manuals, but it just brought up a QR code for accessing them online. Considering some of the games on the Classic couldn’t be completed without hints in the manual (read: Startropics), it was a bit of a let down to find they weren’t technically included with the console. Making manuals natively accessible in the SNES Classic Edition menu would be a nice upgrade.

Let us add more games

As great as Nintendo’s throwback NES console was, it still felt limited by its library. Yes, the 30 games the Classic came with were all great, but if your favorite game wasn’t already part of that library, it never would be. At least not officially. Giving buyers a way to add more games to the SNES Classic Edition would increase its value exponentially. Nintendo would just need to add a wireless radio or a companion PC app that could download games to the console over USB.

This upgrade is even more important for the SNES Classic, which comes with fewer games built-in than its predecessor. Sure, the SNES Classic has four times as many RPGs — ensuring hours upon hours of playtime — but 21 games just doesn’t feel like enough. Don’t count on getting a library upgrade, though. Like its predecessor, the SNES Classic is probably designed to have a short shelf life, which brings us to the Classic Edition console line’s biggest problem:

Make enough consoles for everyone

Despite being a nostalgic toy designed just for the holiday season, consumers responded to the NES Classic as if it was a brand-new, fully-fledged game console. Lines stretched around corners outside of electronics stores, and scalpers hoarded the consoles for later sale on eBay. Supply of the NES Classic never caught up with demand, and Nintendo pulled the product from market less than a year after it launched.

For most fans, this was the biggest point of contention — Nintendo had created something they desperately wanted, but made it almost impossible to obtain. The company put out statements acknowledging the demand, and then cancelled the product in response. The SNES Classic’s outlook appears only marginally better: Nintendo says it plans to produce more of the console than its predecessor, but won’t commit to continuing production past the end of 2017.

At the end of the day, we know that if Nintendo fixes none of the NES Classic’s faults, its Super Nintendo follow-up will probably still be a hit. It has 20 of the SNES’s most popular and iconic games built into it, plus Star Fox 2 — a sequel that was mostly finished in-house, but never made it to market. It’s already destined to be a highly sought after collectable, and a worthwhile prize for anyone who picks one up. Assuming, of course, they can find one.

Apple Working With Hertz on Autonomous Car Testing

Apple’s effort to test autonomous vehicle technology in California involves a collaboration with Hertz, the second largest U.S. car rental company, reports Bloomberg.

The disclosure of the relationship between Apple and Hertz came in documents recently released by the California Department of Motor Vehicles. The documents note Apple is leasing its small fleet of Lexus RX450h SUVs for autonomous driving tests from Hertz’s fleet management group.

The iPhone maker is leasing Lexus RX450h sport-utility vehicles from Hertz’s Donlen fleet-management unit, according to documents released recently by the California Department of Motor Vehicles. When Apple received its license to test three autonomous vehicles from the state’s DMV in April, the documents listed Donlen as the lessor and Apple as the lessee.

Hertz’s stock price is up nearly 15 percent on the news, as investors speculate about a larger partnership between the two companies as Apple’s project moves forward.

The news comes as Alphabet’s self-driving car unit Waymo has announced an agreement with Avis Budget to manage Waymo’s fleet of Chrysler Pacifica minivans.

Related Roundup: Apple Car
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Tim Cook Appears Onstage at Cisco Live to Debut New Enterprise Security Partnership

Apple CEO Tim Cook took the stage at Cisco Live in Las Vegas today, sitting down with Cisco CEO Chuck Robbins to discuss the ongoing partnership between the two companies that has leveraged Apple’s expertise in devices and apps and Cisco’s strength in networking and enterprise tools.

Wow! @tim_cook and @ChuckRobbins announcing our IOS security partnership at #CLUS! https://t.co/izPv9neWvZ pic.twitter.com/AD1LUjhwBa

— ☁ David Ulevitch ☁ (@davidu) June 26, 2017

During the session, Cook argued that business customers who use the integrated Apple-Cisco ecosystem should be granted a benefit in the form of lower cybersecurity insurance premiums, reports Reuters.

“The thinking we share here is that if your enterprise or company is using Cisco and Apple, that the combination of these should make that (cyber-security) insurance cost significantly less,” Cook said. “This is something we’re going to spend some energy on. You should reap that benefit.”

Cisco also announced its upcoming Cisco Security Connector program for iOS devices, launching later this year.

Expected to be released in the fall of 2017, the Cisco Security Connector is designed to deliver the deepest visibility, control, and privacy for iOS devices. The Cisco Security Connector offers organizations the most granular view of what is happening on enterprise-owned mobile devices and provides the best protection for users, anywhere they travel. With the Cisco Security Connector, businesses will now have the ability to meet risk and compliance requirements from auditors and ultimately expand iOS adoption in new ways. […]

With the Cisco Security Connector, organizations gain the following:

– Visibility: Ensure compliance of mobile users and their enterprise-owned iOS devices during incident investigations by rapidly identifying what happened, whom it affected, and the risk exposure.
– Control: Protect users of iOS devices from connecting to malicious sites on the internet, whether on the corporate network, public Wi-Fi, or cellular networks.
– Privacy: Safeguard corporate data and users by encrypting internet (DNS) requests.

Cisco says it collaborating with insurance companies on “more robust policies” for customers taking advantage of continuous security monitoring based on technologies from Apple and Cisco.

Tags: Tim Cook, enterprise, Cisco
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Apple Acquires German Eye Tracking Firm SensoMotoric Instruments

Apple has almost certainly acquired German computer vision company SensoMotoric Instruments, a provider of eye tracking glasses and systems, based on evidence compiled by MacRumors.

On May 2, Apple’s vice president of corporate law Gene Levoff, representing Delaware-based shell company Vineyard Capital Corporation, granted power of attorney to German law firm Hiking Kühn Lüer Wojtek to represent Vineyard Capital Corporation in all business related to the acquisition of SensoMotoric Instruments.

On June 16, SensoMotoric Instruments filed several documents with the German Company Register outlining new articles of incorporation. SensoMotoric’s previous managing director Eberhard Schmidt was replaced by Dr. Ali Sahin, one of the German attorneys representing Vineyard Capital Corporation.

Vineyard Capital Corporation is listed as having acquired all company shares of SensoMotoric Instruments.

Apple takes steps to hide its acquisitions through shell companies, which essentially only exist on paper, but Levoff’s signature on one of the documents is a clear giveaway that Vineyard Capital Corporation is Apple. Levoff even notarized the document in Cupertino, California, where Apple is headquartered.

SensoMotoric Instruments recently updated its website, removing over a dozen pages with detailed information about its products. The website also no longer has a jobs portal, news blog, schedule of events and workshops, contact information, list of distributors and resellers, or mailing list signup form.

An archived version of the website from last week indicated the company was hiring, but the current version does not. Schmidt’s name and headshot have also been removed from the website now that he is no longer managing director. Christian Villwock, Director of OEM Solutions Business, was also removed.

The acquisition is backed up by an anonymous tipster, who told us that he allegedly spoke to an Apple employee today who said the deal has been completed. Additionally, one of SensoMotoric’s clients informed us that they have been attempting to contact the company for several weeks without hearing back.

Apple and SensoMotoric Instruments did not respond to multiple requests for comments. SensoMotoric’s phone line was out of service.

SensoMotoric Instruments, founded in 1991, has developed a range of eye tracking hardware and software for several fields of use, including virtual and augmented reality, in-car systems, clinical research, cognitive training, linguistics, neuroscience, physical training and biomechanics, and psychology.

The company’s Eye Tracking Glasses, for instance, are capable of recording a person’s natural gaze behavior in real-time and in real world situations with a sampling rate up to 120Hz. As seen in the video below, one possible use case is for athletes looking to evaluate and improve their visual performance.

SensoMotoric has also developed eye-tracking technology for virtual reality headsets such as the Oculus Rift, which can analyze the wearer’s gaze and help to reduce motion sickness, a common side effect of VR. The solution can also allow for a person’s gaze to control menus or aim in a game with their gaze.

SensoMotoric’s other eye-tracking solutions include standalone devices, such as the RED250mobile, which allows saccade-based studies to be conducted at 250Hz for researchers who require both mobility and high sampling rate.

Apple has reportedly prototyped a pair of “smart glasses” that would connect to an iPhone and display “images and other information” to the wearer, and SensoMotoric’s eye-tracking technology could feasibly play a role in that product alongside solutions from Apple’s other acquisitions like Faceshift.

Apple CEO Tim Cook has also repeatedly expressed a “profound” interest in augmented reality, calling the technology “a big idea” like the smartphone. He said augmented reality should “amplify” human contact, but noted “there are things to discover before that technology is good enough for the mainstream.”

With iOS 11, Apple is delving into augmented reality in a big way, introducing an ARKit development platform that will allow developers to quickly and easily build augmented reality experiences into their apps and games.

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SensoMotoric Instruments is headquartered in Teltow, Germany, near Berlin, and its website said it had an office in Boston as well. It’s unclear if the company and its roughly 60 employees, according to LinkedIn, will merge within Apple or remain an independent subsidiary. Financial terms of the deal are unknown.

Eric Slivka contributed to this report.

Tags: Apple acquisition, SensoMotoric Instruments
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Apple Releases First Public Beta of iOS 11 to Public Beta Testers

Apple today released the first public beta of iOS 11 to its public beta testing group, allowing non-developers to download and test the update ahead of its fall release. iOS 11 has been available for developers since June 5, and the first public beta corresponds with the second developer beta.

Beta testers who have signed up for Apple’s beta testing program will receive the iOS 11 beta update over-the-air after installing the proper certificate on an iOS device.

Those who want to join the beta testing program can sign up on Apple’s beta testing website, which gives users access to iOS, macOS, and tvOS betas. Before installing a beta, make sure to create a full encrypted iTunes backup and be sure to install it on a secondary device because beta software is not stable and can include many bugs.

iOS 11 brings subtle design changes to the operating system, including a new Lock screen experience and a customizable, redesigned Control Center. Siri is smarter, has a more natural voice, and can do more, Messages features person-to-person Apple Pay, Notes has searchable handwriting and document scanning, and Music now lets you share playlists with your friends.

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A new Files app improves file management on iOS devices, and for the iPad in particular, there’s a new Dock, an App Switcher, and support for Drag and Drop, all of which vastly improves multitasking on the device. An entirely revamped App Store is coming in the update, photos and videos take up less space, iMessages can be stored in iCloud, and developers are getting new tools like ARKit for creating impressive new augmented reality apps and games.

For full details on all of the new features included in iOS 11, make sure to check out our iOS 11 roundup. iOS 11 will be available for developers and public testers for testing purposes for several months ahead of a planned fall release.

Related Roundup: iOS 11
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Apple Seeds First Beta of tvOS 11 to Public Beta Testers

Apple today seeded the first beta of an upcoming tvOS 11 update to its public beta testing group, marking the first time public beta testers have had access to tvOS betas. Previously, public betas were limited to iOS and macOS software likely due to the slightly more complicated tvOS beta installation process, but now public beta testers can access all software platforms with the exception of watchOS.

The first beta of tvOS 11 available to public beta testers corresponds with the second tvOS 11 update made available to developers. Developers have had access to tvOS 11 since June 5, when Apple introduced new versions of tvOS, iOS, macOS, and watchOS at WWDC.

tvOS 11 can be downloaded by connecting an Apple TV to a computer with a USB-C cable and installing the beta software using iTunes. After the proper profile is added to the Apple TV, subsequent betas will be available over-the-air.

Compared to iOS 11, macOS High Sierra, and watchOS 4, tvOS 11 is a relatively minor update that brings few changes to the tvOS operating system. In fact, it received no time on stage at the Worldwide Developers Conference aside from a mention of an Amazon Prime Video app coming to the Apple TV this fall.

According to Apple’s release notes, tvOS 11 introduces automatic light/dark appearance switching based on local time, Home screen syncing options for syncing content between two or more Apple TVs in a household, new background modes and notification support, plus new tools for developers and improvements to Mobile Device Management.

Additional tvOS 11 features may be unveiled ahead of the operating system’s public release, which is expected in the fall alongside other software updates.

Related Roundups: Apple TV, tvOS 10
Buyer’s Guide: Apple TV (Don’t Buy)
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Cozmo visual Code Lab makes robotics programmers out of kids

Why it matters to you

Cozmo may be cute, but he’s also educational, and this new update will only increase his utility for children who are aspiring coders.

Cozmo, the miniature toy that looks kind of like a makeshift forklift, was one of last year’s coolest toys. The AI-powered companion learns names and faces, plays games, and even develops a personality as it gets to know your preferences. But Anki, the San Francisco, California-based startup behind Cozmo, thinks it has just scratched the surface of the little robot’s potential.

To that end, Anki announced Code Lab, a visual programming feature built into Cozmo’s companion app for smartphones and tablets, on Monday. Using Code Lab, kids can reorder sequences of digital blocks to create basic programs — and learn basic robotics along the way.

“Everything we do at Anki is in an effort to advance the state of robotics, whether that is kids learning coding for the first time, or Ph.D. students solving complex computer vision challenges in a lab with Cozmo,” Boris Sofman, CEO and cofounder at Anki, said. “With the launch of Code Lab, Cozmo now helps kids develop the logic and reasoning skills that programming requires.”

Code Lab follows on the heels of Anki’s software developer kit, which lets hobbyists tap into Cozmo’s hardware using Python. Hanns Tappeiner, Anki’s president and co-founder, sees it as an evolutionary step toward an easier-to-use, kid-focused STEM platform.

“Everything you can do in Python you can do in Coding Lab, and vice versa,” he told Digital Trends. “Kids as young as six have been able to [use it]. We’ve made it really simple.”

Code Lab’s language is designed on Scratch, the sprite-based language developed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Media Lab. Kids use four different categories of blocks, including movements (like forward and backward turns), actions (like changing lights and saying short phrases), events (like reacting to a smile or frown), and animations (like a sneeze) to program Cozmo. A series of tutorial-like challenges teach the tool’s fundamentals, and a second, substantially more advanced mode launching later this year will add support for math functions and other features.

In a demo ahead of Code Lab’s launch on Monday, Tappeiner walked Digital Trends through the interface’s basics. It’s largely a drag-and-drop affair. A persistent, expandable menu houses programming blocks depicting Cozmo’s capabilities with colorful iconography. Publishing a program is easy as pairing together at least two blocks and tapping a green “play” icon — a “move forward” and a “move right” command triggers Cozmo to inch forward and rightward, for example.

Special categories of blocks allow for slightly more complicated routines, like a facial recognition program that has Cozmo roam around a plastic cube when it recognizes a cube. But Sofman thinks Code Lab’s real appeal is in its simplicity.

“We now have a powerful tool that gives anyone interested in learning to code a robot the opportunity to unleash their creativity,” he said. “There’s simply no consumer robotics platform available like Cozmo.”

Code Lab is available as a free upgrade for existing Cozmo owners, and launches this week on iOS and Android.

Cozmo visual Code Lab makes robotics programmers out of kids

Why it matters to you

Cozmo may be cute, but he’s also educational, and this new update will only increase his utility for children who are aspiring coders.

Cozmo, the miniature toy that looks kind of like a makeshift forklift, was one of last year’s coolest toys. The AI-powered companion learns names and faces, plays games, and even develops a personality as it gets to know your preferences. But Anki, the San Francisco, California-based startup behind Cozmo, thinks it has just scratched the surface of the little robot’s potential.

To that end, Anki announced Code Lab, a visual programming feature built into Cozmo’s companion app for smartphones and tablets, on Monday. Using Code Lab, kids can reorder sequences of digital blocks to create basic programs — and learn basic robotics along the way.

“Everything we do at Anki is in an effort to advance the state of robotics, whether that is kids learning coding for the first time, or Ph.D. students solving complex computer vision challenges in a lab with Cozmo,” Boris Sofman, CEO and cofounder at Anki, said. “With the launch of Code Lab, Cozmo now helps kids develop the logic and reasoning skills that programming requires.”

Code Lab follows on the heels of Anki’s software developer kit, which lets hobbyists tap into Cozmo’s hardware using Python. Hanns Tappeiner, Anki’s president and co-founder, sees it as an evolutionary step toward an easier-to-use, kid-focused STEM platform.

“Everything you can do in Python you can do in Coding Lab, and vice versa,” he told Digital Trends. “Kids as young as six have been able to [use it]. We’ve made it really simple.”

Code Lab’s language is designed on Scratch, the sprite-based language developed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Media Lab. Kids use four different categories of blocks, including movements (like forward and backward turns), actions (like changing lights and saying short phrases), events (like reacting to a smile or frown), and animations (like a sneeze) to program Cozmo. A series of tutorial-like challenges teach the tool’s fundamentals, and a second, substantially more advanced mode launching later this year will add support for math functions and other features.

In a demo ahead of Code Lab’s launch on Monday, Tappeiner walked Digital Trends through the interface’s basics. It’s largely a drag-and-drop affair. A persistent, expandable menu houses programming blocks depicting Cozmo’s capabilities with colorful iconography. Publishing a program is easy as pairing together at least two blocks and tapping a green “play” icon — a “move forward” and a “move right” command triggers Cozmo to inch forward and rightward, for example.

Special categories of blocks allow for slightly more complicated routines, like a facial recognition program that has Cozmo roam around a plastic cube when it recognizes a cube. But Sofman thinks Code Lab’s real appeal is in its simplicity.

“We now have a powerful tool that gives anyone interested in learning to code a robot the opportunity to unleash their creativity,” he said. “There’s simply no consumer robotics platform available like Cozmo.”

Code Lab is available as a free upgrade for existing Cozmo owners, and launches this week on iOS and Android.

Cozmo visual Code Lab makes robotics programmers out of kids

Why it matters to you

Cozmo may be cute, but he’s also educational, and this new update will only increase his utility for children who are aspiring coders.

Cozmo, the miniature toy that looks kind of like a makeshift forklift, was one of last year’s coolest toys. The AI-powered companion learns names and faces, plays games, and even develops a personality as it gets to know your preferences. But Anki, the San Francisco, California-based startup behind Cozmo, thinks it has just scratched the surface of the little robot’s potential.

To that end, Anki announced Code Lab, a visual programming feature built into Cozmo’s companion app for smartphones and tablets, on Monday. Using Code Lab, kids can reorder sequences of digital blocks to create basic programs — and learn basic robotics along the way.

“Everything we do at Anki is in an effort to advance the state of robotics, whether that is kids learning coding for the first time, or Ph.D. students solving complex computer vision challenges in a lab with Cozmo,” Boris Sofman, CEO and cofounder at Anki, said. “With the launch of Code Lab, Cozmo now helps kids develop the logic and reasoning skills that programming requires.”

Code Lab follows on the heels of Anki’s software developer kit, which lets hobbyists tap into Cozmo’s hardware using Python. Hanns Tappeiner, Anki’s president and co-founder, sees it as an evolutionary step toward an easier-to-use, kid-focused STEM platform.

“Everything you can do in Python you can do in Coding Lab, and vice versa,” he told Digital Trends. “Kids as young as six have been able to [use it]. We’ve made it really simple.”

Code Lab’s language is designed on Scratch, the sprite-based language developed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Media Lab. Kids use four different categories of blocks, including movements (like forward and backward turns), actions (like changing lights and saying short phrases), events (like reacting to a smile or frown), and animations (like a sneeze) to program Cozmo. A series of tutorial-like challenges teach the tool’s fundamentals, and a second, substantially more advanced mode launching later this year will add support for math functions and other features.

In a demo ahead of Code Lab’s launch on Monday, Tappeiner walked Digital Trends through the interface’s basics. It’s largely a drag-and-drop affair. A persistent, expandable menu houses programming blocks depicting Cozmo’s capabilities with colorful iconography. Publishing a program is easy as pairing together at least two blocks and tapping a green “play” icon — a “move forward” and a “move right” command triggers Cozmo to inch forward and rightward, for example.

Special categories of blocks allow for slightly more complicated routines, like a facial recognition program that has Cozmo roam around a plastic cube when it recognizes a cube. But Sofman thinks Code Lab’s real appeal is in its simplicity.

“We now have a powerful tool that gives anyone interested in learning to code a robot the opportunity to unleash their creativity,” he said. “There’s simply no consumer robotics platform available like Cozmo.”

Code Lab is available as a free upgrade for existing Cozmo owners, and launches this week on iOS and Android.