The Morning After: Thursday, June 1st 2017

Hey, good morning! The biggest aircraft ever is ready for testing. (No it’s not a blimp.) We hacked our very own proper D-pad for the Nintendo Switch and also took a closer look at how AI is changing our world — and doing things better than humans.

Remember Stratolaunch?
The world’s largest aircraft prepares for testing

As we’ve seen with SpaceX, Virgin Galactic and the rest, billionaires love nothing more than funding wild transportation projects. The Paul Allen-backed Stratolaunch is yet another program in that vein, intended as an airborne launch vehicle for future rockets. Now, after a few years of teasing, it appears the “world’s largest aircraft” could be close to taking flight.

Making the Nintendo Switch better with nothing more than plastic and sticky tape.
A 3D printer gave my Nintendo Switch a real D-pad

Nintendo’s most enduring controller innovation is arguably the humble D-Pad: a simple plastic cross that lets players input eight different directions with precision and ease. Strangely, however, this iconic control pad was left out of the Nintendo Switch’s default controller design, and Sean Buckley missed it so much, he did what any reasonable tech blogger would do: 3D-printed his own.

Name a sequel that’s better than the original?
The new Nokia 3310: What’s changed?

Who knew stringing four numbers together and slapping it on a feature phone could evoke such a strong consumer reaction in 2017? The hype is somewhat understandable.For many people, the original Nokia 3310 would’ve been a totem representing their first taste of freedom: an unsupervised connection to friends, a plaything for idle hands. However, many things have changed in 17 years.

That’s one use for gene editing
I bio-engineered glowing beer

The results of Terrence O’Brien’s grand experiment were successful… ish.

Somethings we can do, AI can do better.AI is already beating us at our own game

Although modern AI systems lack the adaptability of humans, they’re already outpacing the intellectual capabilities of their creators in a wide variety of fields. From beating grandmaster Go players to outguessing cardiac surgeons, lipreading to audio transcription, neural networks and machine learning have already surpassed humans — and that list is only going to grow longer. We take a look at how AI is pervading our world. It’s more than just an innocent game of Go.

Neutron star Interior Composition Explorer will help shed light on other mysterious pulsars.
Watch SpaceX carry NASA’s pulsar-observing instrument to the ISS

On June 1st, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will carry supplies and new instruments to the ISS, including one designed to observe some of the strangest objects in the universe: neutron stars or pulsars. The Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER) will be installed outside the ISS, where it will look for and study the extremely dense objects. Neutron stars begin their lives as stars around seven to 20 times the mass of our sun. When they collapse and cause a supernova explosion, they turn into a sphere that’s only 12 miles across, with twice the mass of our sun squeezed inside. Scientists still have no idea what happens to atoms in that density, and that’s what they’re hoping to find out with the help of the new instrument. Its observations will help scientists figure out a pulsar’s interior structure and to find out the mass threshold needed for a star to become a black hole instead of a pulsar.

Don’t forget the super slow-mo camera.
Sony’s Xperia XZ Premium puts 4K HDR in your hands on June 19th

In just a few weeks, you can finally handle Sony’s latest high-end, high-performance flagship phone. Pre-order the Xperia XZ Premium through Amazon and Best Buy starting on June 12th, or just purchase it outright when retailers begin selling it on June 19th. We all like to live life dangerously. It’ll become the second commercially available phone to support gigabit LTE after Samsung’s Galaxy S8, which should offer a degree of future-proofing, at least carrier-wise.

But wait, there’s more…

• Silk Road founder loses appeal and will serve life in prison
• Toyota’s 2018 Camry has an infotainment system built on ‘automotive grade’ Linux
• Twitch ‘Stock Stream’ lets viewers manage a $50k fund
• Fight on the moon in new ‘Overwatch’ Lunar Base map
• North Korea’s Myohyang IT has created its own ‘iPad’

Adobe Scan turns documents into editable PDFs

Adobe has launched a new way to turn your physical documents into PDFs with editable text, and it’s completely free. The company has released a new mobile app simply called “Scan” for both iOS and Android, and to create a digital copy of a document, you merely have to point your phone’s camera at it. There are loads of other scanner apps, out there, including Office Lens — even Google Drive has a built-in scanning feature for Android devices. This app, however, is perfect if you use Adobe’s apps extensively. It automatically uploads your scans to Adobe Document Cloud, so you can access them on any computer, phone or tablet.

You can edit your files on Adobe Acrobat, but you’ll have to pay for Acrobat Pro DC to be able to edit digitized text and to generally be able to tweak documents to your heart’s content. If you’re just after a scanner app, you don’t have to worry about that. But if you need the extra features to be able to edit scanned PDFs for work or school, you’ll have to pay $15 per month.

Scan is far from perfect at this point, based on a few trial runs we did: it still has a hard time recognizing documents, and it tends to cut off printed text boxes or tables. It does work, though, and in case the scan isn’t perfect, you can always rotate it and do some other minor alterations before saving it as a PDF.

Source: Adobe

You can get a Sky Mobile price plan with 500MB data for just £5

Sky has announced a new Sky Mobile 4G SIM-only plan that starts as low as just £5 a month for Sky TV customers. For that, you will get 500MB of data, unlimited texts and unlimited calls on a minimum 12-month plan.

Non-Sky TV customers can get the same plan, but will have to pay £10 extra per month for the unlimited calls and texts. Alternatively, they can opt to pay for calls and texts as they go, priced at 10p a minute or text.

If you find you need more data, you can increase the data allowance to 1GB, 3GB or 5GB, at £10, £15 or £20 a month respectively, or buy a one-off 1GB data add-on for the month. The add-on costs £10.

• What is Sky Mobile, how much does it cost and what is roll over data?

As with all Sky Mobile plans, any data you don’t use in a month will be saved for you to use at a later date. When there is 1GB of accumulated unused data in your locker, you can take it to use that month.

Sky Mobile also includes a “Mix” feature where you can scale up or down your price plan to suit your usage on a month-by-month basis.

Sky also offers handset deals with the new SIM plan, with the iPhone 7, Samsung Galaxy S8 and Sony Xperia XZ Premium among the phones available, starting at £26 a month in addition to the tariff.

Like other networks, Sky now offers free roaming across Europe. An EU directive will enforce free roaming across all member states from 15 June but Sky Mobile extends that to 36 European destinations and the feature is available now.

Google’s ‘innovative’ new London HQ features giant moving blinds

They’ve been a long time coming, but Google has finally laid out its plans for its new “innovative” £1 billion London headquarters located in Kings Cross. This week, the company submitted a detailed planning application to Camden Council, outlining its desire to build an slightly sloped 11-storey building that will sit on a “plinth” of shops and offices, and feature a three-lane 25 metre pool, multi-use games area (hosting basketball, five-a-side football or badminton), a gym and a huge landscaped roof garden.

The 80,819 sq/m “Building A” project, designed by architects BIG and Heatherwick Studio (the team behind its new Mountain View campus), will also host a sprawling events centre that will span its lower ground, first and second floors. The search giant intends to use its 210 seat auditorium for product launches, talks and presentations, but it may also be offered to technology startups, community groups and charities.

The roof garden will provide Googlers with “the opportunity to exercise, meet or engage, away from the office floors.” To assist them in their pursuits, the company will build a 200 metre “Trim Track” with regular exercise stations for runners and an amphitheatre in the north-west corner that offers visitors a 270-degree view of the city.

Google wants employees to interact more, so the building will be designed in a way that encourages people to walk and use the stairs (or escalators), rather than jump in a lift. Central areas host meeting rooms, cafes and other facilities, providing a place for staff to gather and organise functions while keeping noise away from workspaces. The main entrance sits directly opposite Kings Cross Tube station and bike ramps lead directly to a storage facility that can host 686 bicycles, promoting healthy travel (there are a grand total of four car parking spaces, after all).

Architects BIG and Heatherwick Studio have also accounted for the environmental impact of the building. In order to preserve views, the building provides a “daylighting cone” of at least 40 degrees, so it won’t block too much sun from people walking along its main boulevard.

Floor-to-ceiling windows will be installed to maximise sunlight, but on its south facade, Google will install timber mullions that are capable of rotating 180 degrees, reducing the glare on staff as the sun moves across the sky. In addition to that, Google will incorporate solar panels with an annual output of 19,800 kWh, harvest rainwater and build facilities to separate waste materials in its basement, either to store or recycle.

Google’s plans to build a new HQ in London have been beset by delays. When Google first spent $1.6 billion on prime land near King’s Cross station, it immediately drew up plans with architect AHMM, which included a rooftop running track, pool and indoor cycling ramps. However, the internet giant scrapped the project because it wanted to “challenge ourselves to do something even better.”

At the end of last year, Google CEO Sundar Pichai visited the city to recommit to the London campus, unveiling the first renders for what will be Google’s first “wholly designed” building outside of the US.

Currently, Google’s staff are spread across a number of satellite campuses in Covent Garden, Victoria and in the nearby 6 Pancras Square. The new headquarters will bring all of them (up to 4,500 employees) under the same roof.

Camden Council will now invite comments on the project up until June 21st, after which it will decide whether to let Google and its partners break ground on “Building A.”

Via: The Architect’s Journal

Source: Camden Council

Apple’s ‘Siri speaker’ could be unveiled as early as next week

Why it matters to you

If you’ve a liking for Apple kit and you’re after a smart speaker, you may not have too long to wait.

Seems as if we’re just a few days away from Apple unveiling a Siri-enabled speaker similar to Amazon’s range of Echo devices and Google’s Home offering.

The Cupertino-based company has started manufacturing the device, “people familiar with the matter” told Bloomberg this week, and it could be shown off during Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference which kicks off in San Jose, California, on June 5.

However, anyone keen to get their hands on the Siri-controlled smart speaker may have to exercise some patience, as the sources said it won’t be ready to ship until “later in the year.”

This latest news comes just a few weeks after a report from the same media outlet claimed Apple engineers were already testing the speaker out in their own homes, putting it through its paces in a bid to perfect its design, though an “advanced prototype” of the device was apparently ready “late last year.”

Notably, Bloomberg’s sources claim the speaker won’t include a display, setting it apart from Amazon’s recently launched Echo Show speaker that offers extra functionality via its 7-inch color touchscreen.

But apparently it’s under the hood that Apple hopes to really score points, with “more advanced acoustics technology” enabling “virtual surround sound” that’s more powerful and crisper than that offered by rival devices. It may also have built-in sensors that measure a room’s acoustics and adjust the audio accordingly for the best possible sound.

Aiming to weave customers more tightly into the Apple ecosystem, the expected speaker will act as a hub compatible with Apple’s HomeKit platform, enabling users to control home appliances through voice commands. You should also be able to call out questions for Siri to answer, and issue commands such as song requests from your music library or Apple Music to play through the speaker. Further functionality will be possible thanks to Apple’s move last year to finally open Siri to third-party developers.

With talk of an unveil for the speaker at next week’s WWDC, together with rumors of product launches for upgraded MacBooks and a number of new iPads, the event could be the most hardware-focused WWDC in several years. Be sure to check back for all the news from Apple’s much-anticipated event from Monday.

Sweet! Drone delivers donuts to the mayor of Denver in test run

Why it matters to you

It may be a while before donuts can be flown to your door, but the successful trial is another small step toward full-fledged drone delivery services

Donut fans will be drooling with delight at news of one of the first ever donut deliveries by drone.

Drone-delivered pizza is all well and good, but the idea of flying machines carrying donuts on-demand to salivating supporters of the sugary snack is yet another reason why the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) needs to get on with the job of finding further ways to relax rules for commercial drone-based ventures.

The special delivery, received by Denver Mayor Michael Hancock among others, was timed to coincide with Friday’s National Donut Day, ABC News reported. But more importantly (for those involved), it also highlighted the drone services offered by Texas-based Drone Despatch while providing a spot of publicity for the tasty offerings of LaMar’s Donuts, which currently operates 25 stores across five states.

Several donut deliveries were made across a distance of just a single block, begging the question, “Why didn’t the recipients just go and collect them?” Because it’s a lot less fun, that’s why, and Drone Despatch wanted to show how it can safely deliver items to people in urban areas. The company used a DJI Inspire drone for the exercise, carrying the box of donuts on a tether. While the system didn’t look particularly sophisticated, we’re happy to report that it got the job done without any major mishaps occurring.

Of course, the main reason the delivery route was so short can be put down to the aforementioned FAA regulations, which severely limit commercial drone flights in populated areas and insist pilots keep their machine in view at all times.

Mayor Hancock was evidently bowled over by the experience of having a drone deliver his donuts, describing the happening as “exciting stuff” while adding that technology encompassing drones and autonomous vehicles “is our future [and] this is how we’re going to become a more efficient 21st century nation.”

While Amazon is continuing to develop its Prime Air drone that could one day deliver ordered goods to folks living close to its fulfillment centers, it seems to be food and drink that’s getting the most attention when it comes to deliveries by drone. Domino’s, for example, partnered with Nevada-based Flirtey to launch a limited pizza delivery service in New Zealand, and the same company has been working with 7-Eleven in the U.S. to trial deliveries of hot and cold snacks to customers. Google parent company Alphabet, too, teamed up with Chipotle to test out a drone-based service delivering burritos to students at Virginia Tech.

Asus ROG Zephyrus preview: Ultra-slim gaming laptop with Nvidia’s latest architecture

The opening day at this year’s Computex saw some impressive announcements from Nvidia regarding its new Max-Q architecture.

It was also the first to show off Republic of Gamers’ (ROG) exceptionally impressive-looking gaming Laptop: the Zephyrus. Essentially forget everything you think you know about the necessary form factor for a powerful and efficient gaming laptop, because Asus and Nvidia have just rewritten the script. The Zephyrus is packing a vast amount of power in a minuscule package, for instance.

We’re talking a gaming laptop with is just 17.9mm thin at the thickest point and 16.9mm at the thinnest. Of course, any gamer’s immediate thought would be, “How can you run GeForce GTX 1080 on something so slim without some serious overheating?” ROG has come up with an ingenious cooling system it calls Active Aerodynamic System (AAS).

Essentially, there is a flap on the rear of the base that flips out as you open the lid, allowing for a clear airflow. Plus, heat escapes from the large perforated area above the keyboard. Of course, we’d need to see it in action to see if it lives up to the promise.ROG also says that the Max-Q allows the Zephyrus to run at 85-per cent performance for just 50 per cent of the battery use.

• Computex 2017: All the announcements that matter
• Asus Zenbook Flip S preview: A thin convertible jam packed with top kit
• Asus Vivo Book Pro S15 preview: The world’s first laptop with Intel Optane
• Asus Zenbook Pro UX550 preview: Next-level machine with a 4K touchscreen

Again, we’d love to run our own tests when a test model becomes available. The Zephyrus is a sleek, slim device, and despite the slim form, it’s unmistakably got the cool design of other ROG devices. As well as the large perforated vents above the keyboard, we liked the hexagonal power key and the trackpad to the left of the keyboard that transmogrifies into a numeric keypad at the press of a button. 

Alongside the GTX Geforce 1080, it also boasts a 7th-generation Core i7 Kaby Lake processor. It also has the Windows 10 Creator update, which should improve performance via the Games mode.

The lid is made of contoured steel and there’s a lovely diamond cut edge as we have come to expect from the ROG/Asus team. We loved the way that the lid was smooth to open – plus it activates the cooling flap 5 and that it was easy to hold in just one hand at just 1.9 kg or thereabouts.

This really appears to be an innovative device and we are really looking forward to getting our hands on it to put it through its paces.

Control three devices with just one mouse, Logitech Flow software works with two new MX mice

Logitech has announced two new mice, the MX Master 2S and MX Anywhere 2S, and while they are exciting for those looking for wireless functionality and quality at reasonable prices, it is Logitech Flow that is of particular interest.

That’s because it is software that enables a user to use their Logitech MX mouse with up to three separate devices seamlessly.

Logitech Flow is available as a free download as part of Logitech Options software. It works with the MX Master 2S and MX Anywhere 2S and not allows you to switch between computers, controlling each with the one mouse, you can copy and paste content, images and documents between them.

The Logitech MX Master 2S features Darkfield high precision tracking technology, with a resolution of 4,000 DPI for smooth, speedy cursor control. It can track on any surface, including glass, and has a battery of of up to 70 days on a single charge.

• Computex 2017: All the announcements that matter

There is also an adaptive scroll wheel that auto-shifts from click-to-click to fast-scroll. There is also a side wheel for side-to-side scrolling.

The Logitech MX Anywhere 2S has a similar feature set bar the side wheel. It is also design more for travel.

Both mice will be available this month, June, with the MX Master 2S prices at £89.99 and the MX Anywhere 2S £79.99.

Logitech’s latest MX mice are ready for your multi-PC setup

Most mice are designed with the assumption that you’ll pair them with one PC at a time. But that’s just not realistic these days — there’s a good chance you have multiple systems. And Logitech thinks it can do something about this with its latest flagship mice. It’s introducing the MX Master 2S (shown at left) and MX Anywhere 2S, both of which support new Flow software that lets you control as many as three computers with one mouse. You can even use that lone peripheral to copy files from one PC to the other, so this could be helpful if you want to flick a document to your laptop before you leave for coffee.

Of course, the mice aren’t just about software tricks. Both MX models are making huge jumps in precision (from 1,600DPI to 4,000DPI), and you’ll get longer battery life that promises up to 70 days of runtime on a charge. As usual, the biggest differences between the MX models comes down to where you use them. The Master 2S is built for your desktop with a huge ergonomic grip and speed-adaptive scrolling, while the Anywhere 2S is more for the portable crowd with neither of those frills.

The two mice arrive in June in a trio of colors (black, blue and white), with prices starting at $80/£80 for the MX Anywhere 2S and climbing to $100/£90 for the Master 2S. And to be clear, you don’t need one of these pricier mice to use Flow — the M585 and M590 offer similar control for $40. With that in mind, you’re probably looking for more than a basic input device if you have a multi-PC setup.

Source: Logitech

Adobe’s Document Cloud for mobile can now turn your PDFs into editable text

Why it matters to you

If you’re someone who handles a lot of papers and documents, Adobe Document Cloud can now make your workflow a little more streamlined.

Adobe is making some major changes to Adobe Document Cloud, its suite of tools aimed at increasing productivity levels on mobile devices, and the update should offer some pretty helpful new features.

Perhaps the biggest change to Adobe Document Cloud is the addition of Adobe Scan, which is aimed at allowing users to turn their phone into a scanner. Simply take a photo of a document, and the app will automatically crop the photo, fix the perspective of the document, and turn that image into a PDF.

You might be wondering what this tool has that third-party scanning apps don’t — and there are a few things. For starters, the app can capture scanned text, which can then be selected, copied, and edited before being converted into a PDF. It can be a pretty helpful tool, especially if you have a lot of loose papers that you wish you were in an editable digital form.

“The challenge is unlocking the intelligence that lives in those documents, and extracting meaning that can be searched, analyzed, and incorporated into digital workflows,” said Abhay Parasnis, chief technology officer for Adobe. “Adobe Scan, powered by Adobe Sensei’s intelligent services, represents a critical step toward our broader innovation imperative for Adobe Document Cloud.”

Besides scanning, Adobe Document Cloud will also now feature new signing tools through Adobe Sign. Users will be able to access digital signatures on any device and in any browser. There’s also cross-platform support — for example, if your computer isn’t touch-enabled, you can have the service send a text to your smartphone, where you can then sign the document with your finger.

The changes come in the form of updates to two of Adobe’s key apps — Adobe Scan and Adobe Sign. You can download the apps for iOS here and for Android here.