Spotify Premium Users Can Now Adjust Track Playback Position From the iOS Lock Screen

Spotify has quietly added the ability for users to adjust the playback position of the currently playing track directly from the iOS lock screen.

The option to adjust the progress of a playing track – also known as audio scrubbing – from the lock screen has been a feature of Apple’s native Music app for some time, but the ability has been missing from Spotify until very recently, as noted by Reddit user kermitch.

The API that enabled third-party app developers to add audio scrubbing to the lock screen was introduced in iOS 9.1+, but it looks as if Spotify only got around to including it with the most recent update to the app on July 4.

It’s worth noting that only Spotify Premium subscribers can scrub tracks, so users on the Free ad-supported tier won’t see any change to their lock screen when playing tracks via the app.

Tag: Spotify
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John McAfee settles Intel lawsuit over the rights to his name

John McAfee made headlines last year for a bunch of reasons, including a short-lived attempt to run for President of the United States. He also sued Intel for the right to use his name, six years after he sold his eponymous anti-virus company to the tech titan for billions. As they say, though, all’s well that ends well now that the two have decided to settle things amicably. According to Reuters, the two parties already signed an agreement and US District Judge Paul Oetken in Manhattan dismissed his lawsuit and Intel’s countersuit as a result. Under the agreement, McAfee can continue using his name — so long as it’s not for or related to cybersecurity and security products and services.

The tech mogul also agreed not to trademark “John McAfee Privacy Phone” or use “John McAfee Global Technologies.” If you’ll recall, the latter is the reason why he sued Intel in the first place. He wanted to rename MGT Capital Investments Inc. where he currently serves as CEO to “John McAfee Global Technologies.” Intel warned him that doing so would infringe its trademarks, since MGT is in the process of “acquiring and developing a diverse portfolio of cybersecurity technologies.”

Despite the limitations, McAfee has retained the right to use his name for promotions, advertisements and presentations. He might not be able to rename MGT after him, but the ability to use the McAfee name for promotion can still benefit his new company.

Source: Reuters

Zeiss will help restore ‘Nokia’ phones to their former glory

Nokia’s strong reputation in phone photography stemmed in no small part from its use of Carl Zeiss optics. Whether you had an N95 or a Lumia 1020, you knew the glass wouldn’t let you down. But what’s happening now that HMD Global is the one making Nokia-branded phones? Are they doomed to photographic mediocrity? Apparently, you can relax. HMD has struck a deal that will see Zeiss’ imaging tech used in Nokia handsets. It won’t just be limited to lens design, either. The two plan to work together on “standard-defining imaging capabilities” ranging from software to screen quality.

The two companies aren’t revealing specifics or launch dates for the first Zeiss-equipped phones in the HMD era.

However, it seems likely that HMD will bet on camera quality as a selling point as it moves to higher-end phones and expands sales to countries like the US. A rumored upcoming model, possibly called the Nokia 9, is believed to pack the dual rear cameras you see on many recent smartphones — a Nokia brand photographer even posted a video that corroborated the leaks. While that specific device might not use Zeiss tech, HMD could clearly use the help as it steps up competition with camera-centric mobile rivals like Apple and Huawei.

This will surely get pulled at some point, so I’ll mirror it here [source: https://t.co/37yp63CAeC%5D pic.twitter.com/GktpXnt4pS

— Evan Blass (@evleaks) May 16, 2017

Source: HMD Global

Prototype ‘3D’ chip from MIT could eliminate memory bottlenecks

Future CPUs will have to deal with growing amounts of data, but all too often they are slowed down by bandwidth issues between the processor and RAM. A prototype chip built by researchers at Stanford and MIT can solve the problem by sandwiching the memory, processor and even sensors all into one unit. While current chips are made of silicon, the prototype processor is made of graphene carbon nanotubes, with resistive RAM (RRAM) layered over it.

The team claims this makes for “the most complex nanoelectronic system ever made with emerging nanotechnologies,” creating a 3D computer architecture. Using carbon makes the whole thing possible, since higher temperatures required to make a silicon CPU would damage the sensitive RRAM cells.

This technology could do more than just speed up the framerate on your next Xbox too, as the current prototype used a top layer of one million carbon nanotube sensors to detect gases, with the information processed and measured directly on the chip. So far, the development has been funded by organizations including DARPA and the NSF. The next step in the process is to work with Analog Devices on new versions of the technology — unfortunately like so many graphene-related breakthroughs we have no idea when this one will be commercially available.

Source: MIT, Nature

Three Apple Developers Join WebVR Community Group

Three Apple developers yesterday joined an open community initiative that aims to make virtual reality content viewable regardless of device or browser. As reported by UploadVR, the staff added their names to the WebVR Community Group members list on Wednesday, in what looks like a continuation of the company’s recent major push into VR.

Apple’s senior front-end developer Brandel Zachernuk, multimedia and software standards representative David Singer, and WebGL spec editor Dean Jackson now appear alongside the names of developers from various other major internet companies like Facebook, Google, and Microsoft.

WebVR’s mission is to enable web users to enjoy online VR experiences whatever hardware or software platform they use, suggesting Apple’s involvement will be focused on Safari compatibility. Working on that assumption, Apple’s participation means every major web browser now has representation in WebVR development, including Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Microsoft Edge.

Google’s Brandon Jones, who is chair of the WebVR Community Group, was first to notice Apple’s appearance in the member list, which includes 147 participants at the time of writing. However, Jones offered the caveat that “group participation does not necessarily imply a commitment to implement”.

Last month at the Worldwide Developers Conference, Apple revealed its first big push into the augmented reality and virtual reality spaces, with a new ARKit developer framework and high-performance iMacs with native support for VR content creation. Native VR support in macOS High Sierra also opens up the possibility for Mac owners to hook up VR headsets to their computer for the first time.

Related Roundup: Apple VR Project
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Google Maps Gains Local Guides Widget and Transit Transfer Reminders

Google Maps received an update on Wednesday that makes it easier to contribute reviews to points of interest and adds the option to get reminders to make a transfer on a transit journey.

The user contribution aspect comes in the form of a new “Local Guides” widget that allows users to propose new places to visit, to comment on existing points of interest, and upload location photos.

The new widget becomes available when people register to become a Local Guide through the Contributions pane in the app. By signing up, users earn points by adding information to Maps like reviews and photos of venues.

The level-based points system is gamified and users can earn rewards, so guides who get to level four receive three months of free access to Google Play Music and 75 percent off rentals in the Google Play Movie store, for example. More information on Local Guides is available here.

Elsewhere in the new update, Google has added an option for users to receive a reminder when it’s time to make a change when following transit directions. The new toggle appears at the bottom of the directions screen, beneath the toggle for a reminder to leave on time.

Lastly, for owners of iPhones that support 3D Touch, Google has added a Peek and Pop gesture to preview list items, such as search results.

Google Maps can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]

Tag: Google Maps
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Track Bluesmart’s latest luggage anywhere in the world

Connected luggage sets are easy to find these days, but Bluesmart stands out: as one of the first out of the gate, it has experience its rivals lack. You’ll be glad to hear, then, that the company is back for another round. It’s crowdfunding Series 2 luggage that builds on the existing formula with some features that, at first blush, appear to be genuinely practical. Both the 22-inch Cabin carry-on bag and 29-inch Check suitcase include a combination of 3G cellular and GPS that lets you track your luggage anywhere in the world (with cellular reception, at least) for free. If your luggage goes to Bhutan instead of Boston, you’ll know it.

The two also include automatic locking when you wander out of range, and the carry-on’s built-in battery is quicker at charging devices. You can top up a laptop (Bluesmart doesn’t say which) in 2.5 hours. That carry-on is also much better for extended trips, as it has both 25 percent more capacity and a 30-day battery life instead of the original’s 7.

There’s a connected laptop bag and a passport pouch too, although their size limits them to Bluetooth tracking. The laptop bag touts its own removable battery pack to charge two USB devices at the same time.

Bluesmart has already hit its crowdfunding target, but it’s not too late to get a discount if you move quickly. The carry-on is available for a $295 pledge (about half the $595 retail price) as of this writing, while the suitcase goes for $325 (normally $695). The laptop bag and passport pouch go for $195 and $95 respectively. Most of these travel companions will ship in November if all goes according to plan. That’s a lot to shell out and won’t satisfy you if you’re looking for a truly cavernous checked bag (the Check holds 80 liters). Even so, the price might be justifiable if you can’t stand the thought of losing your belongings during a lengthy trip.

Source: Indiegogo

Up your ‘gram game: how to get more Instagram followers

In the digital age, the thirst for followers (and elusive likes) is very real. However, outside of our social circles, it can be difficult to add followers in order to promote our brand or simply stroke our egos. That said, there are plenty of easy ways to gain more Instagram followers. You may not garner as many likes as Selena Gomez anytime soon, but these helpful tips should bring your page to a broader audience. And don’t worry about all of these new people perusing the posts you’d like to keep private: The new Favorites feature allows you to share certain posts with only a selective group of friends. Read on to find out how to get more followers on Instagram.

Remember to hashtag

One of the easiest ways to increase your followers is to simply use hashtags. Using popular hashtags will make your photos more accessible to those who utilize the search feature. Lucky for you, we’ve created a list of some of the most popular hashtags, which should make daily hashtag incorporation even easier.

Communicate

Engagement is crucial to increasing your follower base. While liking images is an easy way to engage users, commenting on photos and responding to others on Instagram adds a little personality to your profile.

Timing is everything

As it turns out, when you post on Instagram matters perhaps more than what you are actually posting. For example, people are more than twice as likely to engage with an image posted at 7 p.m. ET on a Monday, opposed to the same image posted at 5 p.m. ET that same day. Instead of listlessly waiting to post your images at these exact times, you can use the Later app to plan and schedule posts for these peak times.

Wait until Wednesday

Later analyzed Instagram data and determined that Wednesday has the highest engagement rate of the week, so, when in doubt, save that selfie for hump day.

Follow other thirsty folks

Don’t worry, you aren’t the only person out there attempting to unabashedly amass followers. You can easily search for other thirsty Instagrammers using #followforfollow, #followme, and #likeforlike. These individuals may be willing to barter a follow for a follow. However, don’t be surprised if they unfollow you days later — it’s simply part of the game.

Add a bio

Filling out the bio portion of your account is another easy way to boost your page. For entrepreneurs and artists, this allows you to clearly express your brand message and link to your other professional webpages.

Network effectively

It’s important to utilize your full social network when trying to increase your Instagram following. You can connect your Instagram account to your contacts list and Facebook, which will allow you to quickly add friends, family members, and other people you marginally care about.

Similarly, to maximize your existing network, it can be helpful to link to your Instagram page via your other social networks — meaning LinkedIn might actually be good for something after all. Also, if your Instagram page is pertinent to your professional life, it can be helpful to list the account on your business card.

Instaglam

With an app based on the visual appeal of images, anything that gives your photos a little extra pop can increase the odds of engagement. Thankfully, Instagram’s apt-titled Layout (iOS and Android) app allows you to create collages, helping your photos stand out in a crowd.

Kinect is pretty great at scanning dino bones

When your fancy high-tech tools aren’t suited for the job, it’s time to call the tinkers. The Field Museum of Natural History had a certain famous Tyrannosaurus rex skull they wanted examined with 3D imaging systems, but their dental scanners couldn’t fit around the dinosaur’s massive jaw. They contacted MIT Media Lab’s Camera Culture group, which scanned the whole five-foot fossil with a $150 makeshift setup featuring a Microsoft Kinect.

While the Kinect’s resolution tops out at 500 micrometers, it only costs $100, compared to thousands of dollars for high-end 3D imaging systems that get down to 50 or 100 micrometers. Still, it was precise enough to scan the skull so scientists can look closer at mysterious holes in the jaw.

There’s an easy joke here about using a dinosaur to scan a dinosaur: After reactive outcry following some of Microsoft’s Kinect ambitions when the Xbox One launched back in 2013, the gaming titan has slowly shut down the motion-capture camera system. Heck, after only two third-party Kinect-playable games came out in 2016, the developer of one of them (the brilliant Fru) told Engadget at this year’s E3 that we shouldn’t expect many more games to use the peripheral.

Which is a shame, given how versatile it is: From Nine Inch Nails shows to trying on clothes, artists and technologists have found novel uses for the aging device. But outside hacker spaces, the camera attachment that once came standard with every Xbox sold rarely appears, except occasionally playing second fiddle to today’s sexy tech, VR.

Source: MIT

Nike will also sell sneakers on Instagram

Turns out Nike will soon start selling sneakers and other sporting goods not only on Amazon, but also on Instagram. Nike CEO Mark Parker has revealed during the brand’s Q4 earnings call that the company will sell goods directly on both platforms, though he hasn’t shared the full details of either partnership. We know that it’s making a limited assortment of items available on Amazon in order to fight the distribution of counterfeit items, but that’s pretty much it. By making its products officially available on Instagram, Nike is likely hoping to connect with younger buyers who tend to spend hours browsing the app.

Based on what we know about Instagram’s plans of expanding beyond photo-sharing, Nike might have joined the list of companies that can use the app’s “shopping tags” launched back in 2016. When you tap on an ad posted by a brand that can take advantage of the feature, the tags pop up with the descriptions and prices of the items in the advertisement. Some tags may even send you straight to the company’s website or app to complete the checkout process. If that’s the case, you’ll soon be able to shop straight from Nike’s feed — you may want to keep those credit cards out of reach if you really just want to window shop.

Source: USA Today, Bloomberg