30 most Instagrammed landmarks from around the world

Everyone loves travelling and in a world with high-quality cameras tucked into our pockets in the form of smartphones, it’s remarkably quick and easy to take photos of our adventures.

You only need to take a quick look at Instagram to see how popular the famous landmarks are from around the world. People everywhere are happily snapping and uploading for all to see. 

Noticing a trend, Sony’s Mobile division set about carrying out some research to see just which places people loved the most. Its aim being to help show that you don’t just have to take the same boring clichéd snaps that everyone else does – whether that’s meditating at the Taj Mahal or pushing the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

The data also shows that people tend to take photos from the three same angles of most of the landmarks. So we’ve run through Sony’s list, to show you the most popular places in order of most Instagrammed images. Just try to get pics from other angles too.

The Eiffel Tower, Paris (France)

eiffel_tower_lovers

Topping the list with no less that 4 million images is France’s Eiffel Tower. Interestingly, people tend to take photos of the tower from multiple locations which goes against the trend of other landmarks where people mostly snap the same three angles. 

The Eiffel Tower itself opened in 1889, so it’s reasonable to assume there have been a lot more photographs than that over the last century and a bit. Originally intended as the entrance to the World’s Fair, it initially met with criticism over its design but has since become one of the most recognisable landmarks on the list. 

Big Ben, London (United Kingdom)

bengreenphotography

Second on the list is perhaps one of the other most recognisable landmarks in the form of Big Ben, the Great Bell and clock tower at the end of the Palace of Westminster. When it was originally completed in 1859, the clock was said to be the most accurate chiming clock in the world, it’s unlikely to have retained that title, but no doubt it is now the most photographed. 

With almost 2.5 million photos on Instagram, half of which from the same three angles, Big Ben (or, more accurately, the clock tower) certainly gets a lot of love from adoring world travellers. 

The Louvre, Paris (France)

merveillesdeparis

Despite being established in 1793, the Louvre is surprisingly not the oldest of the man-made landmarks on the list, but it might be one of the most recognisable.

Located in Paris, France, it’s said to be the world’s largest museum and historic monument. As well as having the title of third most Instagrammed, with over 1.7 million photos uploaded, the Louvre also ranks as the world’s second most visited museum with 7.4 million visitors in 2016 alone.

The Empire State Building, New York City (USA)

barreradm1975

Perhaps one of the most iconic and well-known skyscrapers in the world, the Empire State Building was also the world’s tallest building for at least 40 years until it was beaten to the title by the World Trade Center (since sadly and famously destroyed in one of the worst terrorist atrocities ever).

The Empire State, however, can at least boast the crown of most Instragrammed skyscraper with at least a million and a half snaps being uploaded so far.  

Burj Khalifa, Dubai (United Arab Emirates)

millionaireswealth

The Burj Khalifa tower in Dubai now holds the title of world’s tallest building and has done since its opening in 2008. Reaching a staggering 829.8 metres of total height (almost twice that of the Empire State Building). It’s also a popular tourist spot and a strong favourite with Instagram users. 

Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris (France)

paris_tourisme

Towering over the Paris skyline is one of most well-known and most Instagrammed church buildings in the world. The Notra-Dame de Paris (which translated means “Our Lady of Paris”) is said to be one of the finest examples of French Gothic architecture in the modern world and is likely to be one of the oldest man-made structures too.

Originally ground-breaking as the building work was carried out in 1163 with final touches being completed in 1345. It’s reasonable to assume that plenty of people have visited the site since its original construction. 

The cathedral is certainly a strong favourite with Instagram users with more than 1.3 million photos snapped and uploaded so far. Over half of those photos were taken from the three most popular angles too, which shows that travellers have a fondness for certain sides of this monument. 

St Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City (Rome)

heiko_bormann

Another of the oldest church buildings on the list,  St Peter’s Basilica dates back to 1506 and has pride of place in Vatican City as one of the world’s largest religious landmarks. The church is in seventh place when it comes to most snapped, a number that’s no doubt set to progress as the years pass by.

The renowned Renaissance architecture of the building probably goes some way to explaining why Instagrammers love snapping this building from every angle. 

Times Square, New York City, (USA)

ricp2206

Times Square is a hub and major intersection of Midtown Manhattan in New York City and a major centre of the world’s entertainment industry with the Broadway Theater District located close by. It’s no surprise then that this great crossroad is in the top 10 of the most Instagrammed locations from around the globe and the last on our list to top over a million images.

Sagrada Familia, Barcelona (Spain)

venyteexplico

Sagrada Familia, also known as Basílica i Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família – Basilica and Expiatory Church of the Holy Family – is a large Roman Catholic church which resides in Barcelona, Spain.

Construction of the Sagrada Familia began in 1882 but has yet to be finished and continuing development is expected to continue to at least 2028. 

Despite its unfinished state, the church still sees flocks of visitors every year, which is why it appears as ninth in the list of most Instagrammed monuments. 

The Colosseum, Rome (Italy)

s_e_r_g_i_o____

Perhaps the most well-known of all Roman landmarks is the Colosseum – the oval amphitheatre built by the Romans to host gladiatorial contests and spectacles to entertain the people of Rome. It’s estimated that the Colosseum could hold up to 80,000 spectators in its day. Since then, the area has seen many visitors flock from all over the world to marvel at its spectacular design and history. 

Over 860,000 photos of the Colosseum have been taken and shared on Instagram with the majority of the images snapped from the same three popular angles.

Statue of Liberty, New York City (USA)

bklynborn81

Another popular landmark from New York City is the Lady of Liberty, a copper statue that was originally a gift from the people of France to celebrate the date of the Declaration of Independence on 4 July 1776.

The Statue of Liberty is certainly a firm favourite amongst travellers with over four million people visiting her each year. With that in mind, it’s perhaps surprising that she’s only 11th on the list of most Instagrammed monuments with around 814,000 snaps taken so far. 

Machu Picchu (Peru)

canelarodal

Machu Picchu is a Inca citadel located on a mountain ridge in Latin America. Thought to be an estate for an Incan emperor, Machu Picchu is perhaps the most well-known location of Incan civilisation. It was abandoned in the 1500s around the time of the Spanish Conquest but was later restored. Restoration continues to this day.  

As well as appearing on the list of most Instagrammed landmarks, Machu Picchu also has the title of “New Seven Wonders of the World” after being voted for in 2007 from a selection of 200 existing landmarks and monuments. Machu Picchu is most often snapped from the same three angles, probably due to the nature of the views across it from the surrounding hills and mountain tops. 

Alhambra, Granada (Spain)

my_spanish

Alhambra is a palace and fortress located in Granada, Spain. Dating back to 889 AD, its one of the oldest Spanish landmarks on our list and a popular palace for Spanish Royalty since that time. Alhambra is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with a vast and interesting history, not just in the palace building itself, but in the surrounding woodland which sprung up from English elm trees brought to the location by the Duke of Wellington. 

Alhambra is 13th on the list of most Instagrammed with almost 750,000 photos and counting. 

Borobudur, Magelang (Indonesia)

jksphotolog

Borobudur is the world’s largest Buddhist temple, boasting impressive decorations and over 500 Buddha statues. The temple was originally constructed as a shrine to Lord Buddha as well as a place for Buddhist pilgrimage, which begins at the foot of the temple and continues through to the top via stairways and corridors. 

Borobudur is also a popular destination for Instagram travellers from across the world and comes in at 14th place on our list. 

Red Square, Moscow (Russia)

vitaliyakudi

Red Square is probably one of the most well-known locations in the former Soviet Union. It’s the location of the Kremlin and the official residence of the President of Russia. It’s also considered by most to be the most central point of Moscow. Red Square has its name because of the red bricks surrounding the square, not the link to communism as you might expect. 

A strong favourite with the Instagram crowd, Red Square comes in at almost 600,000 snaps to date. 

Christ the Redeemer, Rio de Janiro (Brazil)

worldclasstrek

At the summit of Mount Corcovado, in Rio de Janiro, stands the largest statue of Jesus Christ in the known world. Credited with being the biggest Art Deco-style sculpture to be erected in any country, it’s instantly recognisable and known worldwide.

With spectacular surroundings and an awe-inspiring view, it’s no surprise that Christ the Redeemer hits the list at 16th place. 

Taj Mahal, Agra (India)

traveller.chris

With the exception of perhaps the Great Pyramids, the Taj Mahal is probably the grandest mausoleum in the world. Originally built in 1653, it is estimated to have cost around 32 million rupees which is equal to around $827 million in today’s money. 

The Taj Mahal is another landmark on our list to be designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site and has been described as the “…one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world’s heritage.”

Somewhere around eight million people visit the Taj Mahal every year with over 570,000 Instagrams being snapped so far. 

Burj Al Arab, Dubai (United Arab Emirates)

korihiggins

Burj Al Arab represents another striking landmark from Dubai. This luxury hotel is unusual because it stands on an artificial island which is connected to the mainland by a private bridge. Visitors will note the unique shape of the tower which was originally designed to look like the sail of a ship. 

As well as being the third tallest hotel in the world, Burj Al Arab is also one of only four skyscrapers to appear on the list of most Instagrammed. 

Mount Fuji, Honshu Island (Japan)

doremi_jc

Mount Fuji is the tallest Japanese mountain and among one of the most well-known mountains worldwide. Standing at 3,776 metres, it’s far from the tallest mountain in the world (Mount Everest is 8,848 metres) but it certainly ranks as one of the most popular. 

Said to be at least 100,000 years old, Mount Fuji is certainly one of the oldest landmarks on our list and one of the most photographed too. Over 530,000 snaps have been Instagrammed so far and the majority of them from the same three popular angles. 

Buckingham Palace, London (United Kingdom)

ridedivide

Back to the UK for the 20th landmark on our list. Buckingham Palace is the residence of the Queen when she’s in London and the main location for occasions of state.

With 775 rooms and the largest private gardens in London, the Palace is certainly one of the most impressive Royal buildings in the world, but it might be the pomp and ceremony that keeps people visiting. With the changing of the guard ceremony and tours of the grounds that include an audio tour by Prince Charles, it’s a real regal experience.

Just under half a million people have uploaded photos of Buckingham Palace to Instagram and that number is steadily climbing. With 30 million people visiting London each year, we’ll no doubt see more of the same photos appearing in future. 

Tokyo Tower, Tokyo (Japan)

puraten10

Tokyo Toweris the second tallest in the capital city, towering over the skylines of Japan and a landmark that bares a striking resemblance to another on the list. With an Eiffel Tower inspired design and a familiar lattice work, it stands out as a magnificent sight with striking bold “international orange” and white colour scheme designed to comply with air safety regulations. 

Tokyo Tower is also interesting as it has to be repainted every five years and takes an entire year to complete. Of the 485,000 plus photos of the tower, many include breath-taking shots of it dominating the skyline above Tokyo. 

Ha Long Bay (Vietnam)

mcgill_lisa

Photographs of Ha Long Bay may strike you as immediately familiar and for good reason, as it was featured in the James Bond film “Tomorrow Never Dies”. Besides that fame, Ha Long Bay is a spectacular scatter of islands, a vision of beauty and one of Vietnam’s most popular tourist destinations. 

Ha Long Bay is another landmark on our list which is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one with a fascinating history that includes the discovery of evidence that prehistorical human beings existed in the area tens of thousands of years ago, as far back as 18,000 BC.  

Arc de Triomphe, Paris (France)

marinaruybarbosa

The Arc de Triomphe stands as a grand monument to honour and remember those who fought for France in various wars, including the Revolutionary and Napoleonic wars and more recently the first World War (the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier lies beneath it). It is also at the centre of Place Charles de Gaulle where 12 roads radiate out from its centre.

Construction of the Arc de Triomphe finished in 1836 and it has seen a lot of history since then, including parades through and around it during World War II by both German occupation forces and the Free French army when the war ended. In modern times, it is a great attraction for tourists and Instagram lovers from around the globe. As 23rd on the list of most Instagrammed landmarks, it has just under 450,000 photos snapped.   

Berlin Wall, Berlin (Germany)

kiaoralou

The Berlin Wall stood as a concrete symbol of oppression, cutting off and creating a divide between East and West Germany. Essentially a hangover from World War II, it was erected in 1961 to prevent emigration and defection from East Germany. After many years, the wall was opened again in 1989 and its destruction began shortly afterwards. 

Parts of the wall were left in place to mark its historic significance and visitors to Germany flock to see it in their droves every year, glad the guard towers are no longer manned, preventing them from crossing and leaving. 

Trevi Fountain, Rome (Italy)

work_travel_study

The Trevi Fountain is quite possibly one of the most famous fountains in the world and not just because of how heavily it features on Instagram. The fountain has appeared in multiple films and has a long history that stretches back to ancient Rome where it served as a terminal for the aqueducts that supplied water to the Romans. 

Now the Trevi Fountain acts an attraction for tourists where they gather to admire and throw coins into it.  Tradition dictates that coins should be tossed by the right hand over the left shoulder and with the mass of people visiting, it is estimated that there are around €3,000 thrown into it each and every day. That’s a staggering $1.5 million a year! 

Interestingly, 75 per cent of people taking photos of the fountain snap it from the same three angles. 

Great Wall of China, Huairou (China) 

itravel_1

The Great Wall of China was a form of border protection built East-to-West along the old Northern borders of China somewhere in 700 BC. The wall spans 13,171 miles and has been re-built and heavily maintained since its first construction but, despite this, many sections of the wall have since collapsed or wasted away. 

People visit the wall every year to see the sites and take day tours along the magnificent sections that do still exist. As 26th on our list of most Instagrammed landmarks, the Great Wall of China has over 410,000 photographs on Instagram. 

Sydney Opera House, Sydney (Australia)

cimnews

Perhaps the grandest of the modern opera houses, the Sydney Opera House is probably one of the most instantly recognisable of all our landmarks. The building is likely to be one of the youngest too, with construction only being completed in 1973. 

The size and popularity of the Sydney Opera House means that it hosts 1,500 performances a year and is said to be visited by well over a million people as well. The magnificence of the Opera House and its locale make it extremely photogenic and result in a wonderful collection of Instagram images. 

Table Mountain, Cape Town (South Africa)

capetown

The second and final mountain on our list of most Instagrammed landmarks is located on the coast of South Africa and is an unusually flat-topped mountain that overlooks Cape Town. Impressive cliff faces, magnificent views and the dramatic backdrop of Cape Town encourage thousands of visitors and hikers every year. 

Park Güell, Barcelona (Spain)

george_laliot

Park Güell is a public park with gardens and artistically pleasing architecture. Established in 1914, it wasn’t declared a World Heritage Site until 1986 when UNESCO recognised it as an important work of Antoni Guadi. The artist used organic shapes and geometric designs which give the buildings in the park a distinctive style. 

As well as wonderful architecture, the park is host to a range of wildlife including parrots that aren’t native to the area. At one point, over nine million people a year visited the park and it became incredibly over-crowded to the point where authorities had to restrict access to protect the monuments and help sustain the park. 

Nevertheless, it still appears on our list of most Instagrammed landmarks at number 29. 

Sacré-Cœur Basilica, Paris (France)

bricec

The final landmark on our list is yet another one from Paris. Sacré-Cœur Basilica (also known as Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Paris) is another Roman Catholic church of monumental magnificence. Sitting at the highest point of Paris, it offers spectacular views of the city and the building itself. 

Use of cameras is forbidden inside the church, which is why most of the photographs on Instagram are of the outside of the building. But there is also a garden for meditation and the top of the dome is open to tourists to give an even better view of the surroundings. 

Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Paris, might be last on our list of the top 30 most Instagrammed landmarks, but it still has over 375,000 photos taken so far. 

The Honor 9 is a cheaper, smaller flagship

Slowly, Honor is making a name for itself producing cut-price phones with seriously competitive specs. An offshoot of Huawei, the experimental brand repackages the parts — hardware and software — refined by its corporate sibling, before assessing and undercutting its rivals significantly. For the budget-conscious customer, it’s a tempting offer. Today, Honor is revealing its latest handset for Europe, the Honor 9, which continues that trend. It’s a replacement for the Honor 8 and boasts a spec sheet similar to the Honor 8 Pro, which my colleague Jamie Rigg was smitten by earlier this year. The phone differs in two key areas, however: size and price.

Whereas the Honor 8 Pro had a 5.7-inch, Quad HD display, the Honor 9 comes with a 5.15-inch, 1080p panel. It’s plenty sharp, but doesn’t have the resolution to compete with an LG G6 or Samsung Galaxy S8. On a screen this size, however, the pixel count isn’t much of an issue and the trade-off should mean superior battery life, which is always welcome. Inside, the Honor 9 rocks a Kirin 960 processor, with four 2.4GHz cores and four 1.8GHz cores — like the Honor 8 Pro — 4GB of RAM and 64GB of onboard storage, which can be boosted by up to 256GB with a microSD card.

Both phones charge over USB Type-C and have a fingerprint sensor, although the Honor 9 has its scanner round the front, rather than on the rear-side. Positioning the sensor on the front does make the device a little taller than it might otherwise need to be, but given the display size, it’s still perfectly manageable in one hand. That is, provided the phone isn’t squirming around. The metal frame and so-called “3D curved glass back” is startling, especially in the “Sapphire Blue” I’ve been testing recently. The glass makes it slippery, however, so I highly recommend picking up a case.

It is, at first blush, an attractive phone. But like all Honor hardware, it feels uninspired and unoriginal. The design resembles an early prototype — the first draft of something more ambitious — or the rough amalgamation of everything else that’s come out this year. There are no obvious blemishes or branding that will make you embarrassed to take a call in public. But the design doesn’t say anything either. It’s fine, pretty even, but has little in the way of personality or ideas. Whereas Samsung and even Huawei are pushing for original, distinctive designs, Honor seems happy to play it safe.

There’s also the camera. The Honor 9 offers a dual-shooter system on the back, similar to Huawei’s more expensive P10 smartphone. Both have a 12-megapixel RGB sensor paired with a 20-megapixel monochrome equivalent for improved detail and, if you’re the artsy type, superior black and white shots. The P10 uses Leica-endorsed lenses, however, while the Honor 9 has some nondescript glass at the back. It seems to make a difference; the few shots I’ve taken with the Honor 9 have been lacking, with washed out colors and aggressive sharpening. That’s outside, in glorious sunshine too, which doesn’t bode well for low-light shooting. Hopefully this can be improved with a post-launch software update.

The phone runs Android 7.0 with Huawei’s Emotion UI 5.1 skin lathered on top. In the past, “EMUI” was a pain, obscuring or removing Android fundamentals such as the app drawer. But the company has come a long way in recent years, refining its own ideas and re-introducing parts of the “stock” experience that Android enthusiasts love. It’s no longer garish to look at, or a strange iOS imposter. Of course, some will prefer the untouched Android experience, but that’s now harder to come by at cheaper price points. The Nexus line is no more, replaced by the high-end Pixel line, and the latest OnePlus smartphone starts at £449 off contract.

At £380 SIM-free (roughly $485), the Honor 9 looks to be a bargain. The design is unimaginative but the sheer performance is hard to beat. The closest Motorola phone, for instance, is the £370 Moto Z Play, which comes with a 5.5-inch display and a 3510 mAh battery, but a Snapdragon 625 processor, 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage. It’s also £95 cheaper than the Honor 8 Pro and £169 less than the Huawei P10, which, Leica cameras aside, is near identical to the Honor 9 internally. The phone is available to pre-order today at Amazon and Vmall in “Sapphire Blue” exclusively (hope you like the color) ahead of its launch in Three stores next month.

(A spokesperson for Honor says there is “no word yet” on US pricing and availability. If and when that changes, we’ll be sure to let you know.)

MIT already has your flying car in miniature form

Some drones fly, others drive. Those that can do both, however, can reach places other machines can’t, making them ideal for search and rescue — or package delivery. That’s why a team from MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) have developed a fleet of autonomous drones that have rotors and wheels, giving them the capability avoid obstacles on the ground and to go underneath overhead obstructions. Just imagine a machine that can fly to a disaster zone and then drive in the gaps of collapsed buildings to search for survivors.

The team based these new drones on a previous “flying monkey” robot one of them developed. That one can fly, grasp surfaces and crawl/hop around. These new machines, however, are autonomous, loaded with “path-planning” algorithms to ensure the eight drones in the fleet don’t bump into each other and into other objects. Further, the team attached two small motors with wheels to the bottom of each drone. During their tests, they found that adding those driving components decreased their drones’ max flying distance by 14 percent due to the extra weight. That said, the machines are still capable of flying up to 300 feet, and the loss is offset by the gain in efficiency from driving, which uses less power.

The team’s drones work so well, in fact, that the researchers believe they present another approach to designing flying cars. CSAIL Director Daniela Rus said in a statement:

“As we begin to develop planning and control algorithms for flying cars, we are encouraged by the possibility of creating robots with these capabilities at small scale. While there are obviously still big challenges to scaling up to vehicles that could actually transport humans, we are inspired by the potential of a future in which flying cars could offer us fast, traffic-free transportation.”

You can watch the drones and their path-planning algorithms at work in the video below as they navigate a small makeshift neighborhood with cardboard boxes for buildings:

Source: MIT

Amazon is selling Nokia 6 and Moto E4 with lock-screen ads

Amazon seems to be keen on growing its ad-subsidized “Prime Exclusive” lineup, because the tech titan has added five more unlocked smartphones to the list. One of them is the Nokia 6, HMD Global’s first Android device in the US, which you can get for $180 instead of $229 if you’re a Prime member. Moto E4, which is already incredibly cheap at $130, has also joined its Moto G siblings in the lineup for $30 less its original price. The Alcatel IDOL 5S, A50 and A30 Plus make up the rest of the five new devices and will set you back $200 ($80 lower than retail), $100 ($50 lower) and $80 ($50 lower), respectively.

The e-commerce website launched the Prime Exclusive lineup in 2016 to give its membership program’s subscribers the option to get affordable smartphones for even lower prices. Sure, they’re not top-shelf models, but since they’re unlocked, they’re perfect for those who don’t want to be tied to a two-year contract with carriers. Amazon can sell them for as much as $80 off, because they’re subsidized by ads and offers on the lock screen, though. If that doesn’t bother you in the least, check out the lineup’s official page where the five newest devices are already available for pre-order. The Moto E4 will begin shipping as soon as June 30th, while the other four will start shipping on July 10th.

Wondering which phone to get? HMD’s Nokia 6 runs Android Nougat and has a 5.5-inch HD display and an aluminum body. Inside, you’ll find a Snapdragon 430 processor, 3GB of RAM and 32GB storage with microSD support. The Moto E4, which we recently got the chance to try out, is pretty basic with its 5-inch display, quad-core Snapdragon 425, 2GB of RAM and 16GB of storage space. You can use the Nokia phone with an AT&T or a T-Mobile plan, while the Moto E4 works with any of the four big carriers.

Alcatel’s A50 and A30 Plus both have 2GB of RAM, 16GB of storage space, 13MP rear-facing camera and 5MP front camera. The latter has a 5.5-inch display that’s slightly bigger than the former’s, though A50 has a few more bells and whistles that command a higher price. Finally, Alcatel’s IDOL 5S, the most expensive of the three, is a bit fancier with its curved glass and metal design, 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of internal storage.

Source: Amazon Prime Exclusive Phones

Sony’s unorthodox take on AI is now open source

When it comes to AI, Sony isn’t mentioned in the conversation like Google, Amazon and Apple are. However, let’s remember that it was on the forefront of deep learning with products like the Aibo robot dog, and has used it recently in the Echo-like Xperia Agent (above) and Xperia Ear. Sony is finally ready to share its AI technology with developers and engineers to incorporate them into their products and services, it has revealed.

Sony joins its rivals Google, Facebook, Microsoft, Apple, Amazon and others in making its AI open source. On one hand, it will help developers build smarts into products, and on the other, Sony is hoping that developers will “further build on the core libraries’ programs,” it writes. That will in turn make its AI more useful to everyone.

We gladly give props to Sony as an AI pioneer, but its current products like the aforementioned Xperia Ear, which uses the Siri-like Xperia Agent, are pretty rough compared to the Echo or Google Assistant. Specifically, we noted in our review that Sony’s assistant doesn’t have a very natural speaking voice compared to rivals, and isn’t, well, very smart.

However, Sony’s AI offerings are certainly unique. Unlike the typical machine vision, voice recognition and other functions available from others, Sony offers augmented reality AI, the Lifelog activity tracker app with action recognition tech and, of all things, a real estate “price estimation engine.” That type of specialized AI might help it carve out a certain niche.

And despite being behind others, we wouldn’t write off Sony just yet. It recently purchased an AI firm called Cogitai to jump-start its deep learning work, and has extensive robotics experience plus more types of consumer products than just about any other company. As such, we could see its AI appear in surprising places like VR gaming and cameras.

Source: Sony

How Troy Baker’s Naughty Dog work influenced ‘Shadow of War’

Troy Baker has lent his voice and performances to some of the biggest games of the past decade. From six roles across Darksiders 2 to playing Booker DeWitt in BioShock Infinite or stepping into The Joker’s shoes in Batman: Arkham Origins, you might not realize it’s actually him delivering the lines until you see the credits. That’s because he approaches each performance incredibly differently.

With Middle-earth: Shadow of War his job was particularly complex: In addition to reprising his role as Talion, a Ranger of Gondor who’s more or less possessed by an undead prince, Baker served as the director for all of the game’s performance-capture story sequences.

For that task, Baker relied on his experience with director Neil Druckmann from Naughty Dog and his roles in the studio’s The Last of Us (TLoU) and Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End. Naughty Dog is widely regarded as having some of the best performances and shot composition in video game story sequences — there are definitely worse places to look to for inspiration.

Based on our time with Shadow of War, there are definite parallels between Baker’s direction and Druckmann’s. Character positioning definitely feels more cinematic than in its predecessor, but the early PC build we played (it’s also coming out for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One) lacked a bit of the visual fidelity Naughty Dog is known for eking out of Sony’s hardware. Not everything is going to be a 1:1 transference from project to project.

“You think you’re gonna get this job and it’s gonna be awesome,” Baker said during an interview earlier this month. “And then the reality and the weight starts sinking in and I go, ‘Maybe I bit off more than I can chew.’

“You sit onstage for the first time and everybody’s looking to you: ‘What are we doing?’”

To answer that question, he went back to a simple direction he picked up working with Naughty Dog: “I don’t know, what do you think?” Baker said it’s something his friend and mentor Druckmann would sometimes respond with whenever he had a question while playing Joel in TLoU or Sam Drake in Uncharted 4. “I’ve learned a lot from Naughty Dog; I’ve learned a lot from other people I’ve worked with so we can incorporate all the good tenements and good principles of what it takes to bring in good performances into games.”

Timothy J. Seppala, Engadget

It’s a simple, perhaps unexpected, way to coax a different kind of a performance from an actor. “I have an answer in my back pocket [as a director], but it’s probably not going to be as connected to you as the one you [the actor] have right here. So tell me what you think.”

Baker said that that sort of question requires a lot of trust: trust from the director in his or her actors, and for an actor to trust themselves to come up with a character-appropriate response. It also takes humility on the director’s part, knowing they won’t always have the best ideas on-set.

“For me it’s asking questions, being open to the answer and not just trying to lead people to your answer,” Baker said.

But that gets tricky when you’re playing a principal role both onscreen and behind the camera. Baker admitted he needed a lot of direction with the Talion we’re seeing in Shadow of War. He couldn’t quite call Druckmann for help on that, so Baker relied on writer Tony Elias to keep him on task and his performance true to the script. That was in addition to regular consultations with Ethan Walker and Nate Hendrickson, from Monolith’s cutscene team, watching a take after take from a monitor right after yelling, “Cut!”

“The hard part was not viewing my performance [as an actor], but as a director, just seeing Talion,” Baker recalled. “It’s super easy to nitpick and say, ‘I want myself to do something differently or better’ as opposed to a director being objective and going, ‘No, it works. Get over yourself. It’s not about you, it’s about this scene.’”

NBC App Now Supports Apple’s Single Sign-on Feature on iPhone and iPad

NBC has updated its iPhone and iPad app with support for Apple’s Single Sign-on feature, as spotted by Engadget.

Now, iPhone and iPad users with a cable or satellite TV subscription can sign in once with their TV provider credentials to gain access to content in the NBC app alongside all other supported apps that their pay TV subscription includes.

Single Sign-on is available in the United States only for these providers: Blue Ridge, Cable ONE, CenturyLink Prism, DIRECTV, Dish, Grande Communications, GVTC, GTA, Hawaiian Telcom, Hotwire, MetroCast, Service Electric, and Sling TV.

To enable Single Sign-on on iOS devices, open the Settings app and scroll down to “TV Providers” to sign in. From then on, when accessing a supported app that requires a cable subscription, the app will ask to use the saved sign-on credentials.

NBC’s app, available for free on the App Store [Direct Link], also supports Single Sign-on on tvOS for the fourth-generation Apple TV.

Tags: NBC, Single Sign-on
Discuss this article in our forums

New Apple Patent Describes Sleep Tracking System With Bedtime Ritual Sensing and Power Nap Function

A new patent filed by Apple in 2015, and published today by the United States Patent and Trademark Office, shines some light on what the company could be working on in regards to sleep tracking technology and its recent acquisition of Beddit. Called “Adjusting alarms based on sleep onset latency,” the new patent describes in detail a system that could receive data from devices like an iPhone, Apple Watch, or a Beddit-like flat, flexible sensor, and intelligently track user behavior to help them get their best night sleep possible (via AppleInsider).

The patent explains that most people have typical bedtime habits recurring every night, such as going to the bathroom, shutting blinds, taking a shower, etc. These “sleep ritual activities” directly affect each person’s “sleep onset latency,” or the amount of time it takes you to fall asleep after first lying down and attempting to go to sleep. The problem with most modern alarm apps is that they can’t understand a restless night’s sleep, or a lengthy sleep onset latency period, and Apple’s new patent tries to address these issues.

The first step is for the sensors to determine your sleep ritual activities, and Apple’s patent has a few ways to go about doing that. One is by using sound data, so when the device detects someone brushing their teeth, taking a shower, “or any other activity that generates an identifiable or unique sound,” the sleep tracking system can start accumulating data for that night’s sleep because it knows you’re about to try to rest. Other tips related to sleep rituals for Apple’s sleep tracking system include user movement, light/dark levels in a room, and even app usage.

In some implementations, sleep logic can identify sleep ritual activities based on application usage. For example, the user may have a habit of using specific software applications installed on computing device immediately before going to bed. The user can check calendar application. The user can set a wake up alarm using alarm clock application.

The user can use social media applications, news applications, a game application, an e-book reader application, and/or other applications before going to sleep. Sleep logic can monitor application usage before the predicted sleep time (e.g., 1 hour before, 0.5 hour before, etc.) and determine which applications the user uses before the user’s predicted sleep time. Sleep logic can store the detected application use activities as sleep ritual activities in sleep ritual database.

Taking this information into account, once you actually try to go to bed, the sleep tracking system will begin looking at how long it actually takes you to fall asleep (heartrate and breathing are mentioned), remembering your sleep ritual activities and calculating how they affected your sleep onset latency. Apple’s theoretical system would also understand when you’re obviously not asleep, like if you’re currently on your iPhone on another connected device, and adjust tracking accordingly.

All of this data then feeds into how the system would be able to automatically adjust pre-set alarms because of a potentially inconsistent sleep pattern. The basic idea of the patent simply adds on sleep latency duration to the following morning, so if the system tracked that it took you 45 minutes to fall asleep, and you have an alarm for 7:00 AM, it would wake you up at 7:45 AM.

Of course, that risks some users getting a later start on their day than they are comfortable with, so Apple’s patent has a wide range of features that can prevent you from not waking up later than you intend to. The system would recognize calendar data, so if you have an appointment at 7:30 AM, your 7:00 AM alarm wouldn’t be adjusted. Likewise, travel time to your first appointment of the day would be taken into account.

Similar to nighttime rituals, the system is said to also track how long your morning rituals last over time. Using this data, it’ll also be able to figure out the best wake up time, so if you have a long morning ritual, your alarm might go off earlier than someone whose morning ritual is faster. Over time, all of the data gathered by the sleep tracking system would help users “feel more rested” throughout their day, according to Apple’s new patent.

Particular implementations provide at least the following advantages: the mobile device can help the user feel more rested by automatically adjusting an alarm or suggesting an earlier bedtime based on the determined sleep onset latency to ensure that the user gets enough sleep; the mobile device can automatically determine sleep onset latency using various sensors of the mobile device; the mobile device can automatically identify sleep patterns that may be adversely affecting the user.

Additionally, Apple’s patent even discusses an in-depth “nap function” for sleep tracking. In the user interface (seen below, image right), you would set up a nap schedule, determine when you want to wake up, and press and hold on the iPhone’s display to begin your nap. The system would know the sleep onset latency because of this applied pressure, so when you first apply your finger to the display, it’ll know the period has begun, and when you begin to release pressure (i.e. doze off), it knows you’ve begun napping.

An alternative “power nap function” describes a way for a device — here a “wearable device such as a watch” is specifically mentioned — to wake you up when the system determines that you’ve entered and stayed in a deep sleep for a period of previously-determined time. After figuring out when your heart rate and breathing rate have reached the “deep sleep threshold” for a period of time, the system would begin waking you up, so you can “realize the benefit of sleep without the grogginess that is experienced when a user is awakened from a deep sleep.”

The specific kinds of sensors referenced in the patent — including light- and sound-based sensors — are implemented in modern iPhones, but it’s unclear whether a sleep tracking system described in today’s patent would simply be an addition to an existing Apple device, a new iteration of a product like Beddit, or a combination of both. Apple slowly began expanding its sleep tracking support with “Bedtime” in the iOS 10 Alarm app, but that feature simply tracks the hours between when a user manually inputs a bedtime and when they silence the morning alarm, with no ability to understand how long the user is actually sleeping.

Of course, it’s still unclear exactly what Apple intends to do with Beddit’s technology, and today’s patent comes with the usual warning to take everything detailed in it with a grain of salt. For a closer look at Beddit, check out the technology behind the flexible sensor, as well as our own review of Beddit’s sleep monitor.

Tags: patent, Beddit
Discuss this article in our forums

Lyft aims for speedier trips with suggested pickup locations

Why it matters to you

Lyft’s suggested pickup locations can save you time, so if you’re in a hurry just tap the icon.

No one wants to be kept waiting at a pickup spot when they request a car on their ridesharing app of choice, whether Uber or Lyft. In an ideal world, the vehicle would instantly assemble itself in front of our very eyes the moment we hit the request button, though such a teleportation feature would admittedly do away with the need for transportation services of any kind.

Till then, we’re stuck with waiting around for our driver to arrive. Sometimes they’re quick, sometimes not so much. Sometimes we even have to watch the little car icon on the app as it heads in a direction away from you, perhaps negotiating a detour or stuck in a frustrating one-way system.

If you’re a Lyft rider, you’ll be happy to know that the latest version of its app now offers suggested pickup points so you can start your journey as quickly as possible instead of wasting time hanging around.

But there are other benefits with this feature than simply reducing the time you wait. Suggestions could be a short walk from a busy street to a quieter spot that helps to cut your journey time once you’re in the car.

To use the feature, simply request a ride as usual. Once you’re matched with a driver, the app will assess your location and destination, as well as the position of the driver and the traffic situation, and then suggest a pick-up spot. You’ll also see how much time you can expect to save on your journey compared to if you’re picked up at your current location. And yes, alternative locations will only be suggested if they’re going to save you time overall.

Lyft promises that suggested spots will always be a short walk away, and anyway, you don’t have to select it. If it works for you, tap “update” and head to the suggested spot. If not, just tap “no thanks” and stay right where you are.

If Lyft’s algorithms for selecting pickup points are on the money, then the feature is going to benefit both drivers and riders big time. And it will benefit Lyft, too, because happier riders should translate into more revenue in the long run, right?

Lyft’s biggest rival, Uber, has offered alternative pickup points for a while now, so it’s about time Lyft riders had a similar option.

Uber’s app can suggest several possible pickup locations at the same time — appearing as green dots on the display — and are usually places that have worked well for other riders. If you like the look of one of Uber’s suggestions, you just move your pin right to it and make your way there.

Google hit with a massive $2.7 billion fine in the EU for ‘abusing its market dominance’ in search

Google fined a record $2.7 billion for promoting its own comparison shopping service ahead of rival offerings.

A Bloomberg report from yesterday suggested Google could be hit with a record fine by the European Union’s antitrust regulator over the company’s alleged manipulation of search results. The regulator has now announced that it is levying a $2.7 billion fine on Google for abusing its dominance as a search engine by giving an “illegal advantage” to its own comparison shopping service.

The EU states that Google favored its own price comparison engine — Google Shopping — over rival services, thereby denying companies the ability to compete. From EU Commissioner Margrethe Vestager:

Google has come up with many innovative products and services that have made a difference to our lives. That’s a good thing. But Google’s strategy for its comparison shopping service wasn’t just about attracting customers by making its product better than those of its rivals. Instead, Google abused its market dominance as a search engine by promoting its own comparison shopping service in its search results, and demoting those of competitors.

What Google has done is illegal under EU antitrust rules. It denied other companies the chance to compete on the merits and to innovate. And most importantly, it denied European consumers a genuine choice of services and the full benefits of innovation.

According to the ruling, Google’s manipulation of search results has led to a significant decrease in traffic for rival comparison shopping services, amounting to as much as a 85% drop in countries like the UK. At the same time, the commission found that Google’s own service picked up a 45-fold increase in traffic in the UK. As noted by the EU:

These sudden drops could also not be explained by other factors. Some competitors have adapted and managed to recover some traffic but never in full.

The EU said it decided to impose the fine after conducting a thorough investigation in which the commission reviewed documents from Google and “other market players,” analyzed 1.7 billion search queries, pored through click-through rates along with financial
and traffic data.

The EU commission is giving Google 90 days to stop its “illegal conduct” and tweak its search algorithm to favor rival services just as favorably as its own:

Google has to apply the same processes and methods to position and display rival comparison shopping services in Google’s search results pages as it gives to its own comparison shopping service.

Failing to comply with the decision will allow the EU to fine Google up to 5% of its daily turnover. Given the impact of the EU’s investigation and the fact that it affects Google’s core business, the company is likely to appeal the decision. Google has previously affirmed that its practices were well within the confines of the law, and the search giant is doing the same this time around. In a statement, Google said:

We respectfully disagree with the conclusions announced today. We will review the Commission’s decision in detail as we consider an appeal, and we look forward to continuing to make our case.

This isn’t the only antitrust investigation Google is facing in the EU: the company is also facing charges for preferring its own services on its Adsense for Search platform, and bundling Google Search as the default search engine on Android.