Facebook will test Messenger ads worldwide

You might be cringing at the thought of seeing ads in Facebook Messenger, but Facebook doesn’t appear to have those reservations. The social network has revealed that it’s expanding its beta test of home screen Messenger ads worldwide in the weeks ahead. It’ll be a slow rollout, but the targeted promos should be widely visible by the end of 2017. At least the company isn’t shy about why it’s pushing forward.

Messenger product lead Stan Chudnovsky tells VentureBeat that it’s a simple matter of income: advertising is “how we’re going to be making money right now.” There are “other business models” under consideration, he says, but they all tie into ads. In short: don’t expect Facebook to have second thoughts as long as it’s making billions of dollars in profit from ads.

Facebook does care about the kinds of ads you see. While it’s fine with ads kicking you to a website, it would prefer that ads lead to chats with businesses. You’re more likely to respond to an ad if it takes you to another conversation inside the chat app, Chudnovsky says. The question is whether or not people will simply roll with the changes or balk at them. It’s entirely likely that people will just shrug and move on, but there is a chance this could steer some users toward ad-free alternatives.

Source: VentureBeat

Apple quietly extends first-gen Watch warranty to three years

The first-generation Apple Watch suffered from a few problems, including “ballooning batteries” that ended up displacing a few users’ screens. In response, Apple quietly extended service coverage on first-gen device battery issues for an extra year. Now, they’ve done it again in response to another issue: According to MacRumors, first-generation Apple Watch owners can receive a free repair if the back cover of their device separates from the watch.

First-generation Apple Watch owners who encounter this problem will have a total of three years of coverage from the date of purchase. If your Apple Watch has this issue, you can schedule an appointment at the Genius Bar or an Apple Authorized Service Provider. Additionally, you can call Apple Support and mail the watch to an Apple Repair Center.

Take note, though: While Apple has circulated an internal memo on this topic, they haven’t made the policy public. There are some reports that Apple Watch owners were required to pay for their repairs, despite the warranty extension. If you encounter this problem, escalating your request until you find someone who’s aware of the policy should do the trick.

Via: The Verge

Source: MacRumors

Toyota’s $100 million fund will back AI, robotics startups

Today, Toyota announced the launch of Toyota AI Ventures, a new venture capital subsidiary focused on startup tech companies working on artificial intelligence. The fund has received an initial $100 million from the Toyota Research Institute (TRI), an AI-, robotics- and autonomous car-focused initiative created in 2015.

AI Ventures will direct its investments towards AI, robotics, autonomous vehicles and data and cloud technology. Along with funding, it will also offer companies it invests in both mentorship and support at its Silicon Valley headquarters. “One of the biggest challenges entrepreneurs face is knowing if they’re building the right product for the right market. We can help them navigate that uncertainty, and we’re committed to doing so in a founder-friendly way because their success is our success,” said TRI VP Jim Adler in a statement. AI Ventures says it will also be proactive in how it tracks down companies to invest in. Rather than only considering pitches from those seeking investors, it will also seek out and support new companies aiming to solve key research challenges the fund is interested in.

So far, the fund has invested in three startups. Silicon Valley-based Nauto designs systems for companies that monitor their drivers and road environments in order to prevent accidents and curtail bad driving. SLAMcore is a UK company that develops algorithms for smart tech, like drones and self-driving vehicles, that allow them to create a map of their surroundings and position themselves within it. And the third company, Intuition Robotics, is a social companion technology startup located in Israel.

Toyota joins a number of other companies forming AI-focused venture capital funds including Baidu, which established theirs last year, and Google’s Gradient Ventures, which was announced today. In a statement TRI CEO Gill Pratt said, “TRI is growing quickly, and we recognize the critical importance of expanding our collaboration with the world’s brightest entrepreneurial talent. This venture is a major step towards our mission to empower talented entrepreneurs who share Toyota’s commitment to enhancing the quality of human life.”

Via: TechCrunch

Source: Toyota

Facebook Messenger Home Screen Ads Rolling Out Worldwide

Home screen ads in Facebook Messenger, which have been in testing in Australia and Thailand since January, will soon roll out to all users in a beta capacity, Facebook announced in a blog post this morning.

The Facebook Messenger home screen currently displays recent messages from friends, “Shared Days,” Favorites, and friends who are currently online. When ads roll out, this screen will also feature tailored advertisements similar to the ads already displayed on Facebook and Instagram.

Today we’re pleased to announce the global beta expansion of Messenger ads. People already spend time on Messenger interacting and conducting commerce with businesses and brands they love, and now with Messenger ads, they have an opportunity to discover experiences directly on their home tab.

Home screen ads will join “Click to Messenger” ads that drive customers to Messenger after clicking an ad in Facebook or Instagram, and sponsored messages, designed to let companies to send ads to users after an interaction to “re-engage.”

According to Facebook, a “small percentage” of people will begin to see ads on the Messenger home screen towards the end of the month as the company begins to build ad inventory. Facebook says ads will gradually be extended to additional users over the coming months as it learns from the beta experience to ensure it is “continuing to deliver the best experience.”

Global ads will be available to a select number of advertisers starting today, and those advertisers can begin to add Messenger to their ad campaigns.

Tags: Facebook, Facebook Messenger
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Upcoming 2017 Google Pixel XL May Feature ‘Squeezable’ Frame for Activating Google Assistant

Google’s second-generation Pixel XL could feature a squeezable body, a 6-inch AMOLED display, and thinner bezels, according to information and rendered images leaked today by Android Police.

LG is said to be manufacturing the Google Pixel XL 2, which features a design that’s curved like the original Google Pixel. It continues to offer a rear fingerprint sensor (now located in the aluminum portion of the device) and a large single-lens camera, eschewing the dual-lens camera trend.

Rendering created by Android Police
The XL version, which is the only version covered in the leak, offers a 6-inch LG-made display with a 2:1 aspect ratio, rounded corners, and a “minimal bezel.” Design wise, it could look a little like Apple’s rumored iPhone 8, which is also expected to have a longer design with much thinner side and top/bottom bezels. Current iPhone 8 leaks suggest Apple’s device will have little to no bottom bezel and a smaller top bezel, however.

Most notably, the 2017 Pixel XL is rumored to include a “squeezable” frame like the recently launched HTC U11. The technology will let Pixel users squeeze their handsets to activate Google Assistant “in various ways.”

In the HTC U11, the “Edge Sense” feature lets people use a squeeze gesture to activate pressure sensors that can turn on the flashlight, launch the camera, take a photo, or launch Google Assistant.

It’s not clear when Google’s second-generation Pixel XL device will be released, but the original version was unveiled in October of 2016, so a fall release date could be planned. If that’s the case, the Pixel XL will launch during the same time frame as the iPhone 8 and could be one of the device’s main competitors along with the already-available Samsung Galaxy S8 and the yet-to-be announced rumored Galaxy Note 8.

Tag: Google Pixel
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Most popular Android apps this week: Futurama Worlds of Tomorrow, Bacon Escape, Call of War, and more!

The Google Play Store is filled with many apps, which is great for consumer selection, but can often make app discovery difficult. Some apps just never make it to our homescreen. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of this weeks hottest Android apps that have most likely gone under the radar or are so new that they haven’t had enough downloads to be featured or make it onto a top list.

Futurama: Worlds of Tomorrow
App Info: An exciting Futurama adventure awaits! Collect all your favorite characters, build your own New New York, and explore unfamiliar planets in a mission to save the universe! Download the new mobile game that captures the heart of one of TV’s best animated shows, brought to you by the creator of the original Fox series, Matt Groening, and co-developer David X. Cohen! Free

Bacon Escape
App Info: This little piggy went to market, this little piggy stayed home, this little piggy ESCAPED PRISON AND RAN FOR HIS LIFE! It’s time to bring home the bacon. Free

Call of War
App Info: Call of War:GoldenAgeAgain, a multiplayer online and real time SLG game. Grow and customize your homeland, and train different soldier units to battle. Infantries, archers, horsemen, chariots and knights, all of them are waiting to fight for you! On top of that, alliance is also developed! Work together with your allies for faster growth. Help and get helped! Free

Micron
App Info: Micron is a unique fusion of puzzle and rhythm gameplay. Place pieces on the board to deflect bullets of energy that fire to the beat. Guide the bullets to the exit through 51 challenging levels — and 12 bonus levels — featuring a variety of distinctive soundscapes. Your solutions create the music. Free

Find Hidden Apps
App Info: Free Scanning tool that helps to identify malicious apps that have been granted device administrator privileges and are hidden from view. Free

If you like these apps then drop us a comment below with your thoughts. Also if you have spotted a new app that you think is worth a mention, leave a comment below with your suggestion and we’ll be sure to check it out.

AT&T supports net neutrality but denounces ‘outdated’ rules

It’s definitely odd to have a company like AT&T, who came out against the previous administration’s FCC rules for net neutrality, decide to join the day of action in support of net neutrality, set for July 12th. AT&T’s Senior Executive Vice President Bob Quinn argues that even while his company may see the earlier rules as burdensome, it is all for an open internet, something he calls “critical for ensuring freedom of expression and a free flow of ideas and commerce in the United States and around the world.”

According to Quinn, AT&T supported 2005’s FCC rules, and even testified as a Democratic witness in support of the Open Internet Order of 2010. “We agree that no company should be allowed to block content or throttle the download speeds of content in a discriminatory manner,” Quinn says in a blog post. It’s the FCC’s regulations from 2015 that, according to Quinn, tried to “subject broadband service to an 80-year-old law designed to set rates in the rotary-dial-telephone era” that AT&T took issue with. Now, however, as the current FCC head Ajit Pai aims to gut net neutrality protections, AT&T is firmly on the side of an open internet.

“In the end, the issue is never really about what the rules should be or whether we should have an open internet,” writes Quinn. “Rather, the debate focuses on whether open internet rules should derive from the 80-year-old Communications Act or some other theory of Congressional authority because the current law predates the internet.”

The telecommunications giant joins Facebook, Google, YouTube, Netflix and Amazon — among many other companies — supporting the day of action rally on the 12th. Various non-profit organizations also support the concept and the protest, including the American Civil Liberties Union, the Electronic Frontier Foundation and Greenpeace.

Via: The Verge

Source: AT&T

The biggest battery in the world could be in a salt cave in Germany

Why it matters to you

If this giant cave battery ends up working the way it’s intended to, it could change the way that the world views energy storage.

Caves aren’t just homes to giant bat colonies — thanks to modern technology, they can also house batteries. And not just any batteries — the world’s largest battery. A few weeks ago, German utility EWE unveiled its plans to build an energy storage system in an old salt mine that could ultimately become the biggest battery on Earth.

The ambitious new project has been named “brine4power,” and will take form in underground salt caverns that were previously natural gas storage facilities, and even further back in history, were salt mines. All these caves have a volume of 3.5 million cubic feet, which ought to give the resulting battery a capacity of up to 700MWh at an output of 120MW.

So how would the battery work? The massive undertaking would depend upon redox flow technology (which involves filling these caves with a lot of saltwater). These types of batteries work by storing energy as liquid electrolytes. A positive catholyte and negative anolyte are kept apart by a membrane that only lets ions pass through.

When the battery is charging, the ions move to the anolyte, and when it’s discharging, the ions move back to the catholyte. Charged molecules are then pumped into a storage tank, where the energy can be kept safe for future use for months at a time. And the cool thing about the brine4power system is that it stores the electricity in liquid form. While it certainly takes up a lot more space, it’s also pretty powerful — if it works, this salt cavern battery ought to be able to supply 75,000 homes with their power for a day.

“We need to carry out some more tests and clarify several issues before we can use the storage principle indicated by the University of Jena in underground caverns. However, I expect that we will have an operating cavern battery by about the end of 2023,” says Ralf Riekenberg, head of the brine4power project.

If things go according to plan, EWE Managing Director Peter Schmidt says the battery could “fundamentally change the … market for control energy. The amount of electricity this kind of storage facility contains — consisting of two medium-sized caverns — is sufficient to supply a major city such as Berlin with electricity for an hour. It means that we will have built the world’s largest battery.”

‘Dynamic defrosting’ tech promises to clear your windshield 10 times faster

Why it matters to you

Nobody enjoys having to defrost their car windshield in winter, but new superhydrophobic surfaces can dramatically accelerate the process.

One of the absolute worst things about winter living in a cold place is having to defrost your car windshield every morning. Fortunately, researchers from Virginia Tech are here to help, courtesy of new technology that’s capable of defrosting surfaces 10 times faster than normal. Remember who to thank when this tech lets you get an extra half-hour of shut-eye in deepest, darkest December!

“What we have developed is a water-repellent aluminum surface that traps millions of tiny air pockets underneath a sheet of frost growing atop the surface,” Jonathan Boreyko, an assistant professor in Virginia Tech’s Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics (BEAM) department, told Digital Trends.

“Picture a person lying on top of a bed of nails, but now replace the person with a sheet of frost. Surfaces that trap air underneath water drops are called superhydrophobic and have been well known for about two decades now. But what makes our findings so exciting is that we extend the concept to frost, instead of just liquid water. This is exciting because during defrosting, the underlying air pockets enable the melting ice to rapidly roll down the surface, even at very low tilt angles.”

The researchers call this “dynamic defrosting” — and say it could be used for everything from the aforementioned midwinter car windshields to airplanes to heat pumps. The work is described in a paper published in the journal ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces.

Boreyko says that the work builds on previous research he has carried out regarding superhydrophobic surfaces. Like some of the most significant discoveries, it also came from a deeply personal place.

“My breakthrough regarding the dynamic defrosting idea was realizing that frost is nothing more than frozen dew droplets,” he continued. “So if we could trap air underneath dew droplets to make them highly mobile, it followed that we should be able to trap air underneath frost to make it mobile upon melting. This first occurred to me in the wintertime when I was running late to work, and was getting frustrated at how long it took to defrost my car.”

From here, the plan is to develop the work for possible commercialization, although Boreyko acknowledged that there’s still work to be done in this regard.

“Namely, the nanostructured superhydrophobic surface required for dynamic defrosting is quite delicate and prone to degradation under real-life conditions,” he said. “Other researchers have been investigating self-healing superhydrophobic coatings, so one approach for future work is to attempt a self-healing superhydrophobic defroster. Another possibility is focusing on applications that don’t require long-term durability, such as a RainX-type spray that can be reapplied as needed.”

Once things are ready, though, this is totally a Kickstarter we’re on board for!

Microsoft quietly ends support for Windows Phone 8.1

Why it matters to you

If you’re still rocking a device on Windows Phone 8.1, you’re no longer going to receive software updates.

Microsoft has officially ended support for Windows Phone 8.1, the third iteration of the company’s operating system built specifically for mobile that arrived on the scene in 2014. As of today, it will no longer receive updates going forward, according to Microsoft’s support site.

Every year it seems another aspect of Windows Phone is quietly killed off, and this news leaves only Windows 10 as the remaining active platform for the few handsets capable of running it. The last phone Microsoft released was the midrange Lumia 650 in February 2016.

About this time last year, Microsoft heavily scaled back its mobile group by roughly 1,850 jobs. The bulk of the cuts came to those at the division’s headquarters in Espoo, Finland. Formerly Nokia’s home, Microsoft completed its acquisition of that team in 2014, renamed it Microsoft Mobile, and adopted the Lumia brand while licensing the Nokia name out to HMD.

However, for Windows Phone owners, the death of version 8.1 is perhaps the most serious blow to the platform yet. An estimated 76.3 percent of phones running Windows are still on 8.1 according to figures from AdDuplex. Many of those devices are presumed stranded on 8.1, though analysts add it’s just as likely users abandoned those phones for Android and iOS.

Meanwhile, it is estimated only 17 percent of mobile devices made the leap to Windows 10, which is slated to reach end of life in the fall of 2018. Microsoft unified the Windows Phone brand with Windows 10 in 2016, but the Creators Update released earlier in the year left out any major feature additions for phones.

Combined with the platform’s historical lack of the same breadth of apps available on Google Play and Apple’s App Store, it seems Windows 10 has been condemned to languish on phones for another year and a half, with perhaps the only updates coming in the form of security patches and bug fixes.

Instead, Microsoft has turned its attention to supporting devices it used to compete with. Cortana is now available on Android and iOS. Sprinkles, the company’s machine-learning-powered camera app, is exclusive to iPhone. Even Garage, Microsoft’s hub for unique projects that operates similarly to Google’s Area 120, is routinely pumping out interesting apps that never make it to the Windows Store.

While the fate of Windows Phone appears to be all but sealed, its developers are making sure their best ideas reach the public in one form or another — even if they’re on devices without the Microsoft name printed up top.