Overhauled Podcast App in iOS 11 to Bring Richer User Experience and Listener Analytics

In a Friday session at the Worldwide Developers Conference, Apple revealed some major updates to is native Podcasts app that will be coming in iOS 11. Some of the changes will affect podcast listeners, while others should make it easier for podcasters to learn more about their audience’s listening habits.

As mentioned at Apple’s WWDC Keynote earlier this week, the Podcasts app is getting an overhaul in iOS 11. Along with a new interface and better title handling, changes to the way Apple’s podcast feed works should make for an improved experience for the end user, as Six Colors’ Jason Snell explained in a blog post on Friday:

New extensions to Apple’s podcast feed specification will allow podcasts to define individual seasons and explain whether an episode is a teaser, a full episode, or bonus content. These extensions will be read by the Podcast app and used to present a podcast in a richer way than the current, more linear, approach. (Since podcast feeds are just text, other podcast apps will be free to follow Apple’s lead and also alter how they display podcasts based on these tags.)

Thanks to the new extensions, users will be able to download full seasons, and the Podcasts app will know if a podcast is supposed to be listened to in chronological order or if the most recent downloaded episode is the most relevant to the listener.

The other updates revealed on Friday are more relevant to podcasters. Notably, Apple is launching in-episode analytics, which will enable podcasters to discover how many people are listening to their episodes and where in the app listeners are stopping and skipping. The analytics will use anonymized data to ensure user privacy while allowing podcasters to know more about listening habits, like how many people skip ads, or how long a podcast runs before listeners lose interest.

The redesigned Podcasts app will come will iOS 11, which Apple is releasing in the fall. A public beta of the operating system is expected later this month.

Related Roundup: iOS 11
Tag: Podcasts
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Chrome OS is ready to use printers without the cloud

Despite decades of attempts to straighten out the connections between printers and computers, it’s a situation that always (at least for me) seems to have an extra complication. On Chrome OS, ever since launch it has by default relied on Google Cloud Print and compatible printers to get the job done, but now that version 59 has reached the Stable release channel, it’s a little easier to use.

That’s because it has a new ability for “Native Printing,” which basically means that it can connect directly to compatible printers on your network, without the need for any cloud connection at all. Some manufacturers and third parties have been getting around the cloud print requirement with extensions like this one, but now support is built in and available to everyone.

You’ll need to know your printer’s IP address to make things work, as well as which protocol it supports. According to Google’s FAQ, for most printers that will be IPP, which is what allows many printers to connect to other devices like your phone or tablet. As Chrome OS spreads throughout schools and businesses, the ability to work with existing hardware has become more important, and at least now you’re probably not looking at a printer replacement along with your new operating system.

Source: Chrome Releases Blog

BBC iPlayer: tips, tricks and other useful features

The BBC has been at the forefront of broadcasting and entertainment since it launched in March 1922. Just over a decade ago, the broadcaster launched iPlayer, which quickly became one of the most popular ways to download and stream TV and radio shows in the UK. Available on a variety of smartphones, tablets, laptops and TVs, the platform allows you to catch-up on the BBC’s extensive range of programming.

Of course, it’s come a long way since its launch in 2007. Not only has the BBC continued to add new shows and channels to iPlayer, the app itself has also undergone numerous redesigns and received new features over the years. More recently, it’s placed an emphasis on 4K Ultra HD content, and BBC Three has become a digital-only channel. If you’re new to the service or just want to watch the latest episode of Eastenders, here are some tips and tricks to get the most out of the BBC’s popular streaming service.

Make sure you’re signed up

While you don’t have to sign up for a BBC account to use iPlayer, you can end up missing out on many extra features and functionalities. By creating a free account, you’re able to sync your favourite shows and channels across your devices, and you’ll also get personalised recommendations. You’re asked for your postcode and personal details when you sign up, but that’s only so the broadcaster can send you relevant information, rather than tracking the things you do (at least for now.

Getting around

You shouldn’t have any issues when it comes to using the iPlayer app, either. The user interface not only looks fresh, but it’s also easy to use. To access all the different channels, categories and TV guide, you just press the ‘menu’ button located in the top left corner of the app, or you can drag it down. What’s more, you can use the search category to find a particular programme, and the My Programmes section lists shows you’ve previously watched, downloaded and bookmarked.

Language and location

Depending where you live, you also have the option to change the app’s location and region. You can do this by going into the app’s settings, which can be accessed via the top right corner. Here, you’ll find regions such as London and the West, as well as options for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Language options include Welsh, Irish Gaelic and Scottish Gaelic.

Live TV

It’s possible to access live television through iPlayer as well. To do that, go to the ‘TV channels’ section and click on the channel icons. These are located on the left. Once you click on a programme, a video window should pop up and start within a few seconds. You’ll need a good connection, as always, and it offers the option to pause and rewind shows.

TV License changes

You’ll also want to be aware of the new License Fee changes, which came into place last year. Before, you only had to pay this fee if you wanted to access live programmes through iPlayer. However, now you need a license for all aspects of the app. Currently, the License Fee costs £147, although it can be paid monthly. This tends to change every few years to be in line with inflation.

Programme information

Most people like to know more about what they’re watching, and iPlayer makes this easy. You can get details on a programme’s plot, its duration and how many days it’s available on iPlayer under the playback screen. There are also options to download, share, buy [this might be going away with the closure of the BBC Store, can you check?] and add shows. If you want to set up subtitles, simple press the ‘S’ icon on the programme you’re watching.

Watching shows in HD

The new iPlayer app will also play shows in HD automatically. Currently, the broadcaster’s HD resolution is at 1280×720 — not Full HD — for laptops and smartphones. When you experience Wi-Fi troubles or low bandwidth, the video will be switched to a standard resolution, so you’ll want to ensure you have a sufficient internet connection.

Using Series Record

There’s nothing more annoying than missing your favourite programme, but the BBC iPlayer Downloads desktop app will make sure this never happens again. To get this up and running, you need to click on the ‘settings’ menu, find ‘series record’ and press ‘on’. When you get it working, selected programmes will download automatically.

Virgin V6: how to get the most out of your set-top box

In the home TV entertainment market, Sky and Virgin have been competing with each other for years. Then came the rise of streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime, and suddenly everything changed.

To stay ahead of the curve, Sky launched the Q set-top box, which offers on-demand shows and a multi-room viewing experience. For while, it was the only next-generation box available and easily beat the traditional TiVo box offered by Virgin Media. However, Virgin Media is now taking the fight to its biggest rival with the V6.

The V6 is Virgin Media’s smallest, smartest and fastest TV box yet. It’s half the size of the company’s previous TiVo box, it comes with 10 times more power, 4K support, HDR output, an intelligent multi-room system and other cool features. Whether you already own one or are looking to upgrade, here’s how you can get the most out of the V6 box.

Virgin TV Anywhere app

The Virgin TV Anywhere app, which is available for Android and iOS devices, brings some cool features to the V6. For instance, you can watch live TV shows and on-demand boxsets anywhere in your home. You just have to have to ensure your box is connected to a WiFi connection.

As is the case with the Sky Q, you can also watch selected recordings around your home and offline. What’s also neat is that you can set, cancel and delete recordings using the app, which is useful when you’re out and about.

While the V6 does come with a remote, you have the ability to control the box with the app too. It adopts a gesture-controlled system, so you can go through shows and menus seamlessly. To enable this, you need to make sure the box’s standby settings are set as Connected Low Power or Always On.

Record six shows simultaneously

It can be pretty annoying when you want to record several programmes, but they end up clashing. You can avoid this situation, to a point, with the V6 as the box is capable of recording six shows simultaneously.

What’s more, you can do this while watching a seventh recording, or you can stream a show through a service like Netflix or Amazon Prime. You don’t have to worry about memory, either. The 1TB box supports 500 hours of SD recordings and 100 hours of HD recordings.

A smarter remote

Like Sky Q, the V6 comes with a beefed-up remote. It uses RF technology, so you don’t have to constantly point it at the box in order for it to work. That means you can hide the box away in a cupboard, as opposed to having it on show.

It’s pretty easy to end up losing technology, so you’ll be happy to know that the box comes with a ‘find my remote’ feature. All you have to do is press a special button on the box, and the remote will start beeping.

Movie store and children’s channel

Sky has always been known for its large variety of shows, movies and rentals it offers, but Virgin is slowly catching up. With the V6, you can get direct access to the new Virgin Media Store. Here, you can purchase popular TV shows and movies.

If you do end up downloading one, you’ll be sent a copy of the DVD in the post as well. That’s something Sky has offered for a while now, so it’s great to see Virgin doing the same thing. There’s also a kids’ channel too, which blocks out adult-focused ads and shows.

Ultra HD ready

Unlike previous Virgin TV boxes, the V6 supports 4K television. That means you can watch and stream shows in Ultra HD. As well as Virgin content, the Netflix and YouTube apps also offer 4K support. To ensure that you get the best picture, all V6 boxes sport HDR.

Multi-room

Multi-room support means you can start watching a programme in one room, and continue it in another. That’s pretty useful if you end up leaving your living room to, say, make a cup of coffee and happen to have a TV in your kitchen. Recordings can also be resumed on a mobile device through the Virgin TV Anywhere app.

Intelligent search

Looking for a specific TV show or movie can be a pain, but this is something you can avoid with the V6’s smart search feature. You can access it by clicking a dedicated button on the remote. Then you’ll be able to search for content across all of Virgin’s apps.

SeriesLink+ is another useful feature available on the V6. It lets you look for TV shows across a variety of apps and see which episodes are available to download. You can also find out shows you’ve already recorded or downloaded, helping you avoid duplicate content.

‘Black Panther’ trailer previews a technologically advanced Wakanda

Tonight during the NBA Finals Disney/Marvel dropped the first trailer for next year’s Black Panther movie. Directed by Ryan Coogler, it will be the first flick to take us into the fictional African nation of Wakanda. Chadwick Boseman takes the title role, serving as king and protector of the isolationist nation where technology has progressed apart from the rest of the world.

As a result, the vision of a technologically advanced society we’ll see here differs from other flicks like this year’s Ghost in the Shell or Blade Runner 2049. Since it’s still a teaser trailer, there were only brief glimpses of a flying vehicle over a cityscape and advanced weaponry, but it’s more than enough to show that this one will be a bit different than other Marvel Cinematic Universe movies when it debuts February 16th, 2018.

Source: Marvel (YouTube)

Levar Burton is reading to you again on his new podcast

In a world where everyone has a podcast (or two — you’ve subscribed to ours, right?), this new one is interesting. Levar Burton is joining the game with a new weekly storytelling podcast that should take millennials right back to their Reading Rainbow childhoods. Levar Burton Reads will be available for free on all platforms beginning June 13th, however starting with episode two, it will appear on Stitcher Premium a week early.

Since being acquired from Deezer by EW Scripps last year the app is (following the lead of others like Spotify and Google Play) investing in original podcasts, including this one. Whether you’re a paid subscriber or not, following the podcast should be pretty easy (RSS, iTunes, Stitcher), unless you just want to wait for Burton to appear at an Engadget event again.

Check out the official trailer for “LeVar Burton Reads.” Ep. 1 debuts June 13 everywhere you listen to podcasts. https://t.co/Squ8CHaqCo pic.twitter.com/lmRzPPVf5V

— Stitcher (@Stitcher) June 10, 2017

Source: Levar Burton Reads

‘Assassin’s Creed Origins’ could arrive on October 27th

Ubisoft is expected to launch a new Assassin’s Creed at E3 2017, but some Game Informer subscribers who got their next issue early might already have the details the developer plans to announce. Based on photographs of the magazine posted by HungryGhost57 on Reddit and Imgur, the new entry in the series entitled Assassin’s Creed Origins will be released on October 27th with the tagline: “As an empire falls, a brotherhood rises.” The announcement’s accompanying illustrations show the titular assassin against a backdrop of pyramids and sphinxes, just like the retail pre-order card that was also leaked a couple of days ago.

The illustrations are a dead giveaway that the game will be set in Ancient Egypt. According to Polygon, previous reports also indicate that it would feature naval combat similar to Black Flag’s and that it’ll come out for PlayStation 4, Windows PC and Xbox One. In the comments section on Reddit, HungryGhost57 posted more details from the magazine, as well. He said the game takes place during the reign of Cleopatra and has more than one playable character, a brand new fighting system, a day/night cycle and no minimap, among other details. As always, though, take these leaks with a grain of salt: you’ll only have to wait a few days to hear the official details from Ubisoft anyway.

Follow all the latest news from E3 2017 here!

Via: Polygon

Source: HungryGhost57 (Reddit), (Imgur)

Apple Pay Cash in iOS 11: What is it and how does it work?

Apple will introduce a feature, called Apple Pay Cash, in iOS 11 to make it easier for you to send money or receive money from friends.

Apple Pay Cash is technically part of Apple Pay, Apple’s mobile payment system, but it lives in Apple’s iMessage app. And all the money you receive via Apple Pay Cash will live on virtual card called Apple Pay Cash card, which exists within Wallet, Apple’s other app for storing credit cards, debit cards, loyalty cards, boarding passes, tickets, and more. So, are you confused yet? No worries.

Pocket-lint has explained everything you need to know below.

• Will my iPhone or iPad get iOS 11?
• iMessage apps: Which should you download first and how to install them?

How does Apple Pay Cash work?

iMessage app

Apple

When iOS 11 launches, Apple will allow person-to-person payments, just like apps Venmo, Square Cash, and believe it or not, Snapchat. Apple Pay Cash can be found in Apple’s iMessage app. All you have to do is tap the Apple Pay thumbnail within the redesigned app drawer in iMessage. You can then set the payment amount, tap either request or pay, and approve the transaction.

TouchID authentication

Apple

If you’re requesting money from someone, a link to make the payment will show up in your iMessage chat window with that person. If you’re paying someone, you must hit the send button and use TouchID to approve the transaction. The TouchID sensor offers secure authentication for any type of Apple Pay Cash transaction, and yes, all transactions will be encrypted.

Wallet app

Apple

Payments will be sent from your debit card or credit card stored in Apple’s Wallet app. But any money received will go into your “Apple Pay Cash” card, a virtual card that lives in Wallet. Apple is partnering with prepaid payment card company Green Dot on the virtual Apple Pay Cash card. From there, you can use the funds in the virtual card to pay others via iMessage and more.

Siri assistance

Apple

Siri will be able to detect any conversation in iMessage about cash or payments. It’ll automatically bring the Apple Pay app to the front of your iMessage app drawer if you or your friends are talking about money in iMessage. Furthermore, if any payment amount is mentioned, that amount will automatically be set when you open up the Apple Pay app, making it a breeze to send cash.

Where does Apple Pay Cash work?

Apple Pay Cash works wherever Apple Pay is supported. You can learn more about Apple Pay from Pocket-lint’s guide here. Not only can you use funds in your Apple Pay Cash card to send and receive money via iMessage, but you can also use it to make Apple Pay purchases at retail locations, on the web, and in apps. You can even transfer the funds to your own bank account.

Which devices support Apple Pay Cash?

Apple Pay Cash will be available through iOS 11 on iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch. But it only works on TouchID-supported devices, including Apple Watch, which means older iOS devices won’t be able to take advantage of the peer-to-peer payments service.

Apple

Here is the list of support devices:

• iPhone SE
• iPhone 6 and later
• iPad Pro
• iPad 5th generation
• iPad Air 2
• iPad Mini 3 and later
• Apple Watch

Are there any fees?

To send money using Apple Pay Cash, you will have to add a debit card or credit card to Apple’s Wallet app. Money-transfer services backed by a debit card will be free, while those backed by a credit card will be charged a 3-per cent fee – the same as competitors. You can transfer directly to a bank account without having to pay a service fee, though the transfer may not be immediate.

When can you use Apple Pay Cash?

Apple Pay Cash person-to-person payments (also called peer-to-peer payments) is coming to iOS 11 this autumn. It will be made available across all your Apple devices, like iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch.

Where is Apple Pay Cash available?

Apple Pay Cash will only be available in the US at launch. There’s no word yet on UK availability.

Are there Apple Pay Cash alternatives?

Apple Pay Cash will go up against competing offerings from PayPal, PayPal-owned Venmo, Square Cash, Snapchat’s Snapcash feature, and popular bank services like Chase QuickPay. But unlike those competitors, Apple’s service is limited to iMessage users on iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch, and it doesn’t offer a ledger option so you can keep detailed memos about each transaction.

Want to know more?

Check out Pocket-lint’s guides for more information:

• Apple iOS 11: 11 new features coming to your iPhone and iPad
• Apple iMessage explained: What’s new and how to use it
• These are the best iOS 11 features Apple didn’t announce
• What is Apple Pay and how does it work?

Xbox exec reveals Scorpio has 9GB of RAM available for games

We’re still a couple of days away from seeing Microsoft officially reveal its Project Scorpio Xbox, but details continue to dribble out. Xbox & Windows gaming platform VP Mike Ybarra tweeted that the team “Unlocked extra GB of RAM for (game developers), now 9GB of GDDR5.” In April, program manager Kevin Gammill told Gamasutra Scorpio would ditch the Xbox One’s 32MB ESRAM / 8GB GDDR3 setup for specs showing 12GB of GDDR5 RAM built-in (the devkits that we’ve seen feature 24GB of RAM), with 8GB available for games. The rest of the resources are reserved to handle system features, multitasking apps and other non-game elements.

We’ll keep tuning Scorpio to empower creators to share the best versions of their games. Unlocked extra GB of RAM for them, now 9GB of GDDR5

— Mike Ybarra (@XboxQwik) June 8, 2017

Sometimes system optimizations can free up resources, as we saw with the PS3, or disabling features, as we’ve seen with the Xbox One using Kinect or Snap picture-in-picture. Early demos of the Project Scorpio hardware have shown its ability to handle 4K, 60fps gaming, but every bit of extra RAM doesn’t hurt, as Ybarra explained that even when games don’t use the extra RAM directly (read: unoptimized existing Xbox One games), it will be available for caching to speed things up. The only thing that hasn’t expanded, however, is the space on your DVR, which you may need since Xbox boss Phil Spencer says the company’s Sunday afternoon press conference is likely to stretch beyond the scheduled 90 minutes.

Games that don’t use the full 9GB, the rest of the RAM will be used as a cache (making things load way faster, etc.). All games = better. https://t.co/yZTGOvBJRx

— Mike Ybarra (@XboxQwik) June 8, 2017

Follow all the latest news from E3 2017 here!

Source: Mike Ybarra (Twitter)

It sounds impossible, but physicists created a magnet that is one atom thick

Why it matters to you

World’s thinnest magnet could have possible application in quantum computing.

You may have heard of graphene, the ultra-thin wonder material that is a single layer of pure carbon, derived from graphene. Well, scientists at the University of Washington and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have just employed the same technique that is used for skimming graphene from graphite to develop the thinnest magnet ever created.

It is so thin, in fact, that it counts as the world’s first 2D magnet, with a thickness of just one atom. This counts as being functionally two-dimensional because electrons can only travel within the atomic sheet, akin to pieces moving on a chessboard. Up until now, no 3D magnetic substance has been able to retain its magnetic properties after being thinned down to a single atomic sheet.

The development demonstrates that magnetism can work in the 2D world, which could have major implications for building future quantum computers.

“In general, magnets have critical application in sensing and information technologies, such as modern hard-disk storage,” Xiaodong Xu, a University of Washington professor of Physics and of Materials Science and Engineering, told Digital Trends. “2D magnets may offer new opportunities in nanoscale spintronic devices along the same line of applications. However, since this is the first discovery of isolated monolayer magnet at the truly 2D limit, lots fundamental questions need to be addressed before figuring out the killer applications.”

The work was described in a paper published this week in the journal Nature. It details the process of creating the magnets, which are derived from a ferromagnetic material called chromium triiodide. This is stripped down into individual flakes one atom thick using a surprisingly low-fi technique: Using Scotch tape to peel off layers. Chromium triiodide has various properties that led researchers to theorize it could be used to create 2D magnets, such as the fact that it is “anisotropic,” meaning that its electrons’ spin direction run perpendicular to the plane of the crystal.

Interestingly, the magnetic signal of the 2D magnet disappeared when the flakes were two atoms thick instead of just one, although the magnetic property returned in sheets of three layers.