Lenovo Moto Z2 Force vs. LG G6: Which is the better Android phone?

The Moto Z2 Force , the modular successor to last year’s Moto Z Force, is a powerhouse of a smartphone. It features a 5.5-inch QHD (2,560 x 1,440 pixels) Super AMOLED screen with shatter-resistant glass, Qualcomm’s cutting-edge Snapdragon 835 processor, and a 12MP dual-sensor camera that mimics the look and feel of high-end DSLRs.

But the competition hasn’t been slacking. Earlier this year, LG hit one out of the park with the LG G6, the lauded followup to the G5. The G6 features a powerful processor that’s paired with 4GB of RAM, a capable pair of cameras, and an edge-to-edge screen that’s bright, colorful, and incredibly vibrant. Needless to say, the competition is fiercer than ever.

So how do the Moto Z2 Force and the LG G6 compare? Below, we’ve pitted the two against one another to see which is the superior device.

Specs and performance

Lenovo Moto Z2 Force

LG G6

Size
155.8 x 76 x 6.1mm (6.13 x 2.99 x 0.24 in)
148.9 x 71.9 x 7.9mm (5.86 x 2.83 x 0.31 in)
Weight
5.04 ounces (143 grams)
5.75 ounces (163 grams)
Screen
5.5-inch Quad HD Super AMOLED P-OLED touchscreen
5.7-inch IPS LCD touchscreen
Resolution
1,440 x 2,560 (538ppi)
1,440 x 2,880 (564ppi)
OS
Android 7.1.1
Android 7.0 Nougat
Storage
64GB (U.S.) 128GB (International)
32GB (U.S.) 64GB (International)
MicroSD card slot
Yes
Yes
NFC support
Yes
Yes
Processor
Qualcomm Snapdragon 835
Qualcomm Snapdragon 821
RAM
4GB (U.S.) 6GB (International)
4GB
Connectivity
4G LTE, GSM, CDMA, HSPA+, 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi
4G LTE, GSM, CDMA, HSPA+, 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi
Camera
Dual 12MP rear, 5MP front
12MP rear with OIS, 8MP front
Video
4K
4K
Bluetooth
Yes, version 4.2
Yes, version 4.2
Fingerprint sensor
Yes
Yes
Other sensors
Gyroscope, accelerometer, proximity sensor
Barometer, gyroscope, accelerometer, proximity sensor
Water resistant
Yes
Yes, IP68 rated
Battery
2,730mAh
3,300mAh
Ports
USB-C, Moto Mod connector
USB Type-C
Marketplace
Google Play
Google Play Store
Color offerings
Super black, fine gold, lunar gray
White, black, platinum
Availability

Motorola, Best Buy

Amazon, Best Buy

Carriers

AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile

AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile

Price
Starting at $750
Starting at $650
DT review
Hands-on
4.5 out of 5 stars

The Moto Z2 Force and G6 may not share looks in common, but they’re pretty much the same on the inside. In the United States, both have 4GB of RAM, 64GB of base storage, and MicroSD card slots that support memory sticks up to 2TB in size.

If there’s one major difference between the two, it’s the processor. The Moto Z2 Force packs Qualcomm‘s top-of-the-line Snapdragon 835, which is the same chip that drives the Galaxy S8, Galaxy S8 Plus, and HTC U11. The G6, on the other hand, sports the older Snapdragon 821.

The two processors aren’t all that different on the surface, however. They have the same number of cores — four faster, high-powered cores that kick in for intensive tasks and four power-efficient cores that handle background apps — and architecture. But the Snapdragon 835 is built on a 10-nanometer process, which means it crams 30-percent more parts into the same physical space as the Snapdragon 821. That gives it a substantial performance advantage — as high as 40 percent, in some cases.

Benchmarks don’t always translate to real-world results, of course, and we haven’t had a chance to put the Moto Z2 Force through its paces. But if test results are any indication, the Moto Z2 Force has a substantial performance advantage over the G6.

Winner: Moto Z2 Force

Design, display, and durability

There’s no mistaking the Moto Z2 Force for the G6, and vice versa. In terms of design, the two smartphones couldn’t be further apart.

The Moto Z2 Force is cut from the same cloth as last year’s model, with a brushed metal-design and Lenovo‘s distinctive, 16-PIN Moto Mod docking port. The phone’s  rear camera juts out slightly from the phone’s cover, and the oval-shaped fingerprint sensor sits underneath the screen, adjacent to the etched “Moto” logo. The edges are also curved on all four sides, concealing a USB Type-C charging port. The Moto Z2 Force, like its predecessor, lacks a 3.5mm headphone jack.

The G6, however, is constructed mostly of glass and metal. Its 5.7-inch, edge-to-edge display dominates the front, and it’s wrapped around shatter-resistant glass on all sides. The fingerprint sensor on the back of the G6 also doubles as a power button, and sits below a dual-lens camera and a flash.

It’s a close call between the Moto Z2 Force and the G6, but the G6’s clean, utilitarian design and edge-to-edge screen seals the deal in its favor.

The Moto Z2 Force has the edge in the display category. We haven’t gotten a chance to test the screen, but, from a technical standpoint, we expect its 5.5-inch QHD Super AMOLED to have better contrast and color accuracy than the 5.7-inch IPS QHD LCD screen on the G6. Again, spec advantages don’t always translate to the real world, but it’s a safe bet that most apps, games, shows, and movies will look better on the Moto Z2 Force compared to the G6.

That said, the G6 benefits from a wider aspect ratio — and high-dynamic range. LG optimized several of its apps to make use of the 18:9 aspect ratio, so you can see more information without having to pan or scroll. The company also worked with Dolby to incorporate support for Dolby Vision HDR, a format that calibrates colors and contrast to the levels intended by content creators.

Taking everything into account, we’re crowning the Moto Z2 Force’s display the winner. The G6’s aspect ratio and support for HDR are compelling points in its favor, but apps and videos have to be specifically optimized to take advantage of them. The Moto Z2 Force’s screen, on the other hand, elevates all media equally.

If there’s one thing that’s for certain, it’s that the G6 is better equipped than the Moto Z2 Force to protect against bumps and scratches. The device carries an IP68 rating, meaning it can survive dips in up to 1.5 meters of water for up to 30 minutes. It also has a thick, metal frame that cushions the phone against blows from the sides, top, and bottom.

The Moto Z2 Force, on the other hand, isn’t waterproof or water-resistant, though it does have a water repellent nano-coating. Its ShatterShield glass is designed to protect against cracks and scratches, but the jury is still out on its effectiveness — we haven’t had a chance to put it to the test.

Winner: LG G6

Battery life and charging

We won’t get a chance to test the Moto Z2 Force’s battery for ourselves until later this summer, but based on what we know so far, the G6 has the upper hand.

Not only does the G6 have a larger battery capacity (3,200mAh) than the Moto Z2 Force (2,730mAh), but the phone supports Qualcomm’s QuickCharge 3.0 fast charging standard, too. The feature can fully charge the LG G6 in about an hour and a half, while the Moto Z2 Force’s TurboPower is said to deliver six hours of run time in about 15 minutes. This means that, in theory, the G6 should last longer and recharge quicker than the G6.

In addition, the LG G6 has the advantage of wireless charging; it supports both Qi and PMA, two of the most popular standards in the United States. If you have a dock lying around or you’ve previously purchased one for another smartphone, tablet, or smartwatch, chances are it’ll work just fine with the G6.

We’ll have to see if real-world tests match our predictions for the Moto Z2 Force, but we’re not predicting miracles. The two will trade blows, most likely, but we don’t expect the G6 will have a clear advantage over the Moto Z2 Force, for example, or vice versa.

Winner: LG G6

Camera

We’ve yet to test the Moto Z2 Force’s camera, but based on the phone’s official specifications, it’s shaping up to be a great one.

What we know for sure, though, is that the LG G6 boasts capable pair of cameras on the rear. Two 13MP cameras — one with a f/2.4 aperture and a 125-degree lens and one with a 71-degree lens with optical image stabilization and a f/1.8 aperture — capture bright, vibrant, and color-accurate panoramas. In our testing, however, they occasionally struggled to resolve contrast and details in low-light scenarios. But for the most part, the LG G6’s cameras compare favorably to the best we’ve tried.

The cameras on the Moto Z2 Force promise to be just as good, if not better. Lenovo swapped last year’s single-lens camera for twin shooters, albeit at the cost of megapixels — its rear cameras are 12MP as opposed to the Moto Z Force’s 21MP. The phone’s software is akin to the iPhone 7’s camera setup, and uses a second sensor to zoom in on objects. A special, black-and-white mode also allows the phone to capture “true monochrome” images.

It’s a different story when it comes to front-facing cameras, though. The Moto Z2 Force sports the same 5MP selfie sensor as last year’s model, compared to the LG G6’s wide-angle camera. We appreciate the G6’s ability to capture more detail in a single shot, but we’re reserving judgement until we’re able to try out the Moto Z2 Force’s camera for ourselves.

Winner: Tie

Software

The Moto Z2 Force ships with Android 7.1.1 layered over Motorola’s skin, which isn’t too far from stock Android. The Galaxy S8 Plus, on the other hand, ships with Samsung’s TouchWiz.

The Moto Z2 Force features Moto Display and Moto Actions, which condense multiple steps into single taps and swipes to save you time. Moto Actions, for example, allows you to silence your notifications and calls when you place your phone face down. A single-finger swipe down the way can also shrink the Moto Z2 Force’s interface for one-handed use. You can also use the phone’s fingerprint sensor to navigate menus, home screens, and apps.

Apart from LG’s apps and a multitasking mode, which makes use of the phone’s 18:9 aspect ratio to show more information, LG’s UX 6.0 is relatively barebones. Android purists will note changes to the notification shade and settings menu, along with the option to enable the app tray and spread apps across multiple home screens. LG also provides various themes to match the color scheme of your G6, which allows you to quickly change the background, wallpapers, and icons.

LG installs a few of its own apps, such as QuickMemo+, which handily syncs with Google Drive, LG Health, a Tasks app, and the company’s own messaging, music, file manager, and calendar apps. Additionally, there’s an FM radio app, and an audio recorder.

Neither the Moto Z2 Force or LG G6 feature much in the way of software tweaks, but we’re crowning the G6 the winner of this round. The smartphone takes full advantage of the extra-wide screen in a way the Moto Z2 Force can’t, and it’s a little more featured when it comes to theme-changing and app customization.

Winner: LG G6

Price and availability

The Moto Z2 Force will cost you $800 direct from Motorola, however, you can get it for a little less from all the major carriers. Verizon is offering it at $756, you’ll pay $792 at Sprint, and it costs $750 at T-Mobile, though you can always spread the cost or pay less upfront by signing a contract. Either way, it’s more expensive than the LG G6, which starts at $650.

The LG G6 has another advantage: Availability. The Moto Z2 Force is expected to ship later this year — pre-orders are ongoing — while the Moto Z2 Force is available online and in brick-and-mortar stores now.

In light of all this, we’re giving this round to the G6. It manages to come under the Moto Z2 Force’s price tag without sacrificing much.

Winner: LG G6

Accessories

Smartphone manufacturers don’t tend to place a big emphasis on accessories, but for Lenovo, they’re selling points.

The Moto Z2 Force supports the full range of Moto Mods, the snap-on accessories that add all sorts of functionality to Lenovo’s smartphone. There’s one that extends the phone’s battery life, a wireless charger, an external speaker, a projector, a gamepad, and a vehicle dock. Lenovo even recently announced a 360-degree camera, which is slated for released on August 10.

The G6’s selection isn’t nearly as robust. Short of a few protective cases, a wall adapter, and select wireless chargers, it doesn’t have any compelling accessories to speak of.

That’s why we’re crowning the Moto Z2 Force the winner of the accessory round. Lenovo’s Moto Mod ecosystem might not be perfect, but it’s one of the largest and most diverse collections of accessories on the market.

Winner: Moto Z2 Force

Overall winner

The Moto Z2 Force is our overall winner here. There’s no denying that the LG G6 is a great smartphone, especially with its speedy processor, colorful display, and versatile camera. But it’s no match for the Moto Mods ecosystem and the faster processor in the Moto Z2 Force. The G6 is a bit cheaper and supports 4K HDR video, sure, but the Moto Z2 Force can do so much more. If its camera and battery life perform as well as expected, it’ll set a high bar for all flagships to come.

Change the composition after you shoot? Computational zoom makes it possible

Why it matters to you

Computational photography is making the impossible possible — including changing the composition after the shot.

Photographers favor wide-angle lenses to show more of the scene, but favor telephoto lenses for less distortion and more flattering portraits — but what if software could mix the best of both worlds? Researchers from the University of California Santa Barbara and Nvidia recently developed what they’re calling computational zoom, which allows photographers to change the composition after the fact to use more flattering angles or even bring the background closer or farther away from the subject. The researchers presented their work at the SIGGRAPH conference earlier this week.

The technique is a form of computational photography which uses software to create what isn’t possible with hardware alone. To use the technique, the photographer first has to take a series of images, moving further into the scene after each shot. The computer estimates where the camera was when it took each photo. Then, using all of those shots, the software creates a 3D model of the scene. With that model, the user can then pull the background closer or farther away, adjust the position of the foreground or even shorten the distance between the two.

Using the software, the researchers were able to create images that would not have been possible if they had started with a single image. For example, the program can make it appear as though the person in the photo was shot with the flattering look of a telephoto lens, while the background looks like it was shot with a wide-angle lens. The program can bring parts of the scene closer together or farther away, for example, to make something in the background appear more dominant in the image.

“This new framework really empowers photographers by giving them much more flexibility later on to compose their desired shot,” said Pradeep Sen, a UCSB adviser that worked on the project. “It allows them to tell the story they want to tell.”

Photography traditionally has a set number of elements that can be adjusted in post processing and a handful of aspects that cannot be altered after the image is taken. However, computational photography is changing that. For example, focus is traditionally one of the elements that photographers had to get right in-camera. A technique by Panasonic, however, records a 4K video altering the focus through each frame, allowing the focus to be adjusted after the fact using a form of computational photography. Canon also has a form of the technique to create small focus adjustments. And research presented earlier this week uses computational photography to edit images even before the shot.

With the latest research, composition could join the list of previously impossible photo edits that are now not only do-able, but simple to use. Of course, like post focus techniques, the trick only works if you plan to use the process ahead of time — since both options require taking more than a single image.

Chemists figure out how to strip 99 percent of BPA from drinking water

Why it matters to you

BPA is an industrial chemical linked with various negative health effects. A new technique could help eliminate it from our water supply.

Bisphenol A (BPA) is an industrial chemical that has been used to make polycarbonate plastic and epoxy resins dating back to the 1960s. Today, it is found in everything from CDs and DVDs to dental fillings and cash register receipts — as well as nefariously making its way into water sources around the world. Unfortunately, certain studies suggest BPA is not exactly harmless. Its usage has been linked it to a range of negative health effects, including increased blood pressure, adverse impact on brain and nervous system development, cardiovascular disease, and more.

After 15 years of hard work, chemists at Carnegie Mellon University, University of Auckland, and Oregon State University have come up with a solution they claim can quickly, cheaply, and effectively remove upward of 99 percent of BPA from water. The cleanup solution involves catalysts called TAML activators, referring to small molecules which mimic oxidizing enzymes. When these are combined with hydrogen peroxide, the TAML activators are able to effectively break down harmful chemicals, including BPA.

The technique can be used to effectively treat large quantities of water in just 30 minutes. According to its creators, tens of thousands of tons of water can be treated with one solitary kilogram of the catalyst.

“[In our paper], we show how TAML and peroxide processes can remove BPA easily and efficiently from water,” Terrence Collins, the Teresa Heinz Professor of Green Chemistry at Carnegie Mellon, told Digital Trends. “There are two outcomes depending on how much acid is present. At low acid concentrations, the BPA is obliterated. At higher acid concentrations that are typical of environmental waters, the BPA is precipitated by chemistry that sticks BPA molecules together in ways that will not revert to BPA, as with current plastics. In both cases, the removal is effectively quantitative. The BPA elimination chemistry involved is fast and facile: You simply mix traces of catalyst and a little peroxide into the water and the processes takes off quickly.”

Having demonstrated the technique in the lab, Collins now hopes the research can be applied in the real world. “If this chemistry, conducted in pure lab water, transfers to much dirtier real-world situations with similar BPA concentrations, such as landfill leachates and paper recycling streams, then this work could help reduce aquatic contamination by BPA,” he said. “The ball is in the BPA industry’s court.”

A research paper — complete with BPA reviews primarily written by Collins’ postdoc Dr. Matthew DeNardo — was recently published in the journal Green Chemistry.

In all, it is another example of how the work coming out of cutting-edge research labs is helping purify water all around the world in the name of good health.

Monolith BBQ Guru Edition Grill automates temperature control for perfect results

Why it matters to you

Finding good barbeque can be difficult. With the automated Monolith BBQ Guru Edition grill, people can make it themselves.

Grilling outdoors is one of the many great summer activities to enjoy with friends and family. It is a social occasion but constantly checking the food guarantees that one person is going to be stuck at the grill. In order to give grill owners a break, the Monolith BBQ Guru Edition grill comes with smart tech built right in.

Developed by BBQ Guru, the Monolith ceramic grill features a Komodo style and comes with more than a dozen different accessories for pretty much any cooking method. Users can use direct or indirect cooking, two-zone, pizza, or baking. The biggest feature is the addition of the CyberQ Cloud. With this BBQ temperature control device, users can control their Monolith BBG Guru Edition from any smartphone, tablet, or PC.

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CyberQ Cloud works by constantly and automatically regulating the temperature inside the grill. What normally requires abundant attention now allows users to entertain their guests. This is done using a built-in fan that feeds in the right amount of oxygen, which increases the intensity of the charcoal’s heat. When the food is done, a text message or email alert will notify the user. If fingers are too covered in sauce to touch anything, users can try out the voice control and monitor up to three different foods with Amazon Alexa. For example, users could say, “Alexa, ask CyberQ Cloud, what is the temperature of Food One?”

By syncing up with the newly launched website, Share My Cook, grillers can connect with other enthusiasts. Here, they can share recipes, images, and detailed information about the cook. Simple, yet detailed graphs supply all the information others need in order to replicate the cook. Based on the results, users can rate the cook out of five stars.

Prices for the Monolith BBQ Guru Edition starts at $1,144 and come with a variety of accessories. For those who are more interested in the CyberQ Cloud technology than the actual grill, this can also be sold separately, starting at $255. This little device works with almost any smoker available. If a smoker is not on the list, requests can be sent in to ensure the right kit adaptor is available.

Where to buy the Samsung Galaxy S8 in the U.S.

Here’s where you can buy Samsung’s latest phones.

Samsung will sell you a Galaxy S8 and S8+ from just about anywhere you want. Every carrier, retailer and online store you can think of has these phones, and for the most part they each offer the same colors and plan options as well. We’ve rounded up the top places you’ll be looking to buy, and you can find all of the info you need right here.

U.S. carriers

All of the U.S. carriers are offering both the Galaxy S8 and S8+, which come with 64GB of storage and in three different colors: black, orchid grey and silver.

Verizon

Verizon comes in at a pretty standard price for the Galaxy S8 at $756, though now and then you can find a discount or promotion that’ll knock some money off. Spend just $84 more, and you can have the larger Galaxy S8+.

See at Verizon

AT&T

AT&T’s pricing is set at $749 for the Galaxy S8 and $849 for the Galaxy S8+, and offers the longest financing option of 30 months — which spreads out the prices to $25 per month for the GS8 and $28 per month for the GS8+.

See at AT&T

T-Mobile

T-Mobile pegs prices at $750 for the Galaxy S8 and $850 for the Galaxy S8+. If you want to finance your purchase, it breaks down to $30 up front and $30 per month for 24 months for the GS8, or $130 up front and $30 per month for 24 months for the GS8+.

See at T-Mobile

Sprint

Sprint continues to offer the most confusing pricing scheme for its Galaxy phones. The big numbers you see it push are its leasing plans, which are cheap per month but involve returning the phone after 18 months to then pay to get a new one. The Galaxy S8 on an 18 month lease is $31.25 per month, or you can pay that same price per month over 24 months to buy it in full — the full price is then $750. The Galaxy S8+ comes in at $35.42 per month on that 18 month lease, or you can continue to pay the same price over 24 months to pay the full retail price of $850. Those financing deals also mark a $30 discount when ordered online.

See at Sprint

MetroPCS

T-Mobile’s low-cost subsidiary MetroPCS is selling just the standard Galaxy S8 and not the S8+. Its pricing is great, at $729, and the carrier often has incentives if you port over your number.

See at MetroPCS

Cricket

The AT&T-owned prepaid carrier is offering up just the Galaxy S8 and not the GS8+ at the moment. You can get it in one color, midnight black, and it’ll cost you $699 out the door.

See at Cricket

Retailers

Big retailers like Best Buy and Walmart are selling the Galaxy S8 and S8+, typically tied to a carrier with many of the same perks as the carriers offer directly. Historically these retailers have offered slight discounts in the form of gift cards or accessory incentives, so take a look to see which one is offering the best deal.

Best Buy

Best Buy has both the Galaxy S8 and S8+ on all four major U.S. carriers. Pricing matches that of ordering directly from the carriers, for the most part, with some special deals depending on when you go to order.

See at Best Buy

Walmart

Walmart will let you order the Galaxy S8 and S8+ online, but only if you want it as a prepaid phone from Total Wireless or Straight Talk. If so, the prices are great: $659 for the Galaxy S8, and $759 for the Galaxy S8+ — color choices are limited, though, with some models only offering one or two to choose from.

See at Walmart

If you want to buy from Walmart for one of the big carriers — Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, U.S. Cellular — you’ll have to do so in store, at least right now. Prices and availability of different models and carriers may vary depending on your region. You have to use the Walmart “store finder” to get an idea of what you can get.

See at Walmart

Unlocked models

Several weeks after the launch of the carrier-sanctioned versions of the phones, Samsung started making proper U.S. unlocked models available. You can get them from some of the major retailers, as well as Samsung itself.

Best Buy

Right now, Best Buy is the only place that wants to say it is selling an official U.S. unlocked Galaxy S8 or S8+. Pricing is set at $725 for the Galaxy S8 and $825 for the Galaxy S8+.

See at Best Buy

Amazon

You can get the same U.S. unlocked model from Amazon as you can elsewhere. Just be careful that you buy the right one and not some international model that’s imported and doesn’t have the proper U.S. warranty you likely want.

See at Amazon

Samsung

Why not buy your unlocked Samsung phone directly from Samsung? Its own online store doesn’t always have the lowest prices, but is worth considering for some limited-time deals that can crop up. It also offers 24-month financing even when you buy unlocked.

See at Samsung

Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+

• Galaxy S8 and S8+ review!
• Galaxy S8 and S8+ specs
• Everything you need to know about the Galaxy S8’s cameras
• Get to know Samsung Bixby
• Join our Galaxy S8 forums

Verizon
AT&T
T-Mobile
Sprint
Unlocked

Theseus Review on PlayStation VR

Help the girl, slay the Minotaur, escape the labyrinth.

I can feel the slight tug of the red, bloody waters as I trudge towards a narrow tower of light. It’s where two absolutely massive, towering doors stand, the only structure in this strange landscape I find myself in. I manage to reach the doors, push my way through them, and I am absorbed by a bright, blinding white light. I gasp, sitting up on a stone block, surrounded by a flickering torch, and crude stone hewn walls.

This, is Theseus.

Read more at VRHeads

How to disable Bixby voice

You can disable Bixby Voice with just a few taps!

Bixby Voice lets you ask questions to your Galaxy S8 and receive answers vocally. While this is handy for some people, not everybody wants to have Bixby answering questions for them. By turning off Bixby Voice, holding the Bixby button will now launch the app instead of a speech bubble. Turning Bixby Off — or back on — only takes a few moments, and we’ve got the details for you here!

How to turn off Bixby Voice

Launch the Bixby app on your phone.
Tap the menu button in the upper right corner of your screen. (It looks like three vertical dots.)

Tap on settings.

Tap the toggle next to Bixby Voice.

Tap Turn Off.

Questions?

Do you have questions about turning off Bixby Voice? Do you prefer leaving Bixby Voice turned off? Let us know in the comments below!

Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+

• Galaxy S8 and S8+ review!
• Galaxy S8 and S8+ specs
• Everything you need to know about the Galaxy S8’s cameras
• Get to know Samsung Bixby
• Join our Galaxy S8 forums

Verizon
AT&T
T-Mobile
Sprint
Unlocked

‘Minecraft: Story Mode’ arrives on Nintendo Switch August 22nd

The second episode of Minecraft: Story Mode – Season Two will be released on August 15th and like the first episode, it will be available for download on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PC, Mac, iOS and Android devices. Entitled “Giant Consequences,” episode two takes up where the first installment left off — Jesse and company have brought back a lost adventurer, a powerful device and an enemy that the team needs to find out more about. And their next adventure takes them into an “icy unknown.”

Along with the announcement of the second episode’s premiere date, Telltale also revealed that the first season of Minecraft: Story Mode will be available on Nintendo Switch beginning August 22nd in North America and August 25th everywhere else. It includes the five episodes of the original season pass as well as the three bonus “Adventure Pass” episodes. You can snag it as a digital download or a physical cartridge.

Source: Telltale

Facebook is still terrible at managing hate speech

Facebook has failed yet again at managing and removing hate speech. Ijeoma Oluo, a black activist and writer, was on a road trip with her children recently when she decided to make a meal stop at a Cracker Barrel. While at the restaurant, which has been sued numerous times for racially discriminatory practices and has paid millions of dollars to settle such cases, Oluo jokingly tweeted, “At Cracker Barrel 4 the 1st time. Looking at the sea of white folk in cowboy hats & wondering ‘will they let my black ass walk out of here?’”

That tweet launched hundreds of disgusting, racist responses on both Twitter and Facebook, some of which Oluo screenshotted and posted on a Medium article she wrote describing the situation. Somewhat surprisingly, Twitter actually responded in a proactive way, removing abusive content and shutting down accounts. “Now, perhaps it’s because Twitter has made a lot of headlines lately for failing to address abuse and harassment that I’m able to say that Twitter has actually done a pretty good job of handling this abuse,” said Oluo in the article. “Just about everything that I reported for slurs and threats was removed and quite a few of the offending accounts were locked.”

Facebook, however, didn’t react as well. Oluo said she couldn’t report abusive responses from her phone — it wasn’t even an option — and when she was able to report them, Facebook didn’t do anything about them. So, she started posting screenshots of some of the racist comments as well as death and rape threats she was receiving and Facebook suspended her account for it. “I write and speak about race in America because I already see this hate every day. It’s the complicity of one of the few platforms that people of color have to speak out about this hate that gets me,” said Oluo, who added, “Any time people of color, especially women of color, speak the truth — we are silenced. And facebook is helping.”

This isn’t the first time something like this has happened. Last year, Facebook did the same thing to New York Daily News writer and activist Shaun King after he posted hate-mail he had received.

Last month, Facebook addressed the problem of hate speech in its “Hard Questions” series saying, “Sometimes, there isn’t a clear consensus — because the words themselves are ambiguous, the intent behind them is unknown or the context around them is unclear. Language also continues to evolve, and a word that was not a slur yesterday may become one today.” But it also said, “Our current definition of hate speech is anything that directly attacks people based on what are known as their “protected characteristics” — race, ethnicity, national origin, religious affiliation, sexual orientation, sex, gender, gender identity, or serious disability or disease.”

So, the hate speech and threats received by Oluo going largely unanswered while her account is subsequently suspended points to a major flaw in Facebook’s management of this kind of content. Facebook has admitted that it needs to work on this and that it has made mistakes in the past. “Our mistakes have caused a great deal of concern in a number of communities, including among groups who feel we act — or fail to act — out of bias. We are deeply committed to addressing and confronting bias anywhere it may exist,” it said.

But this is an ongoing problem and one Facebook needs to tackle much more aggressively than it has. As Oluo said, “Facebook is failing people of color, just as they are failing many feminists and transgender people, in punishing them for speaking out about abuse. And they need to be held accountable.”

Update: A Facebook spokesperson apologized for the mistake and said, “We know how painful it is when someone feels unwelcome or attacked on our platform, and how much worse it must be when they are prevented from sharing that experience with others. We need to do better and are committed to improving our process on these important issues.” The site is also working on ways to distinguish between hate speech and its condemnation.

Via: TechCrunch

Source: Medium

FBI arrests UK security researcher who stopped WannaCry outbreak (updated)

Marcus Hutchins, the 23-year-old security researcher who is credited with halting the spread of the WannaCry malware program earlier this year has been arrested by the FBI while attending the DefCon security conference in Las Vegas, Motherboard reports.

This is a developing story and details remain scarce as of the publication of this post, however The Telegraph states that “UK law enforcement and security agencies confirmed a British citizen has been arrested” as part of an ongoing FBI investigation.

Hutchins was hailed as a hero in May when he found the killswitch to the WannaCry virus, a malware program that had infected vulnerable targets across Europe and Asia, including the UK’s National Health Service and a Spanish telecommunications company. Hutchins, who works for Kryptos Logic, halted the virus’ spread by registering a web domain that the program’s code relied on.

Motherboard reports that as of early Thursday morning Hutchins was being held in the Henderson Detention Center in Nevada, however he was later moved to an undisclosed location. “I’ve spoken to the US Marshals again and they say they have no record of Marcus being in the system. At this point we’ve been trying to get in contact with Marcus for 18 hours and nobody knows where he’s been taken,” an unnamed friend of Hutchins told Motherboard. “We still don’t know why Marcus has been arrested and now we have no idea where in the US he’s been taken to and we’re extremely concerned for his welfare.”

Engadget has reached out to Kryptos Logic and the FBI for comment. This story will be updated as they reply.

Update (2:29 pm EDT): Hutchins has reportedly been located and is being held at the FBI’s Las Vegas field office.

Finally located @MalwareTechBlog, he’s in the Las Vegas FBI field office. Can anyone provide legal representation?

— Andrew Mabbitt (@MabbsSec) August 3, 2017

Update (2:45 pm EDT): The Department of Justice has just announced that Hutchins is in custody for “his role in creating and distributing the Kronos banking Trojan.” According to the DoJ, between July 2014 and July 2015 Hutchins developed the malware and shared it online.

Source: Telegraph UK, Motherboard