Valve reveals ‘Artifact,’ the official ‘Dota’ card game

Tonight, during Valve’s “The International” Dota 2 esports tournament the company announced it’s making a spinoff card game associated with its popular MOBA. Other than its name, Artifact, a brief teaser trailer and a release window of 2018, we didn’t get any details, but Dota fans have been dreaming up Hearthstone-like card game iterations for years, so it should be well-received by the community when it drops. Former Double Fine developer Brad Muir (Iron Brigade, Massive Chalice) revealed he’s been working on the project “for a while now” but that’s all we know.

I’ve been working on @PlayArtifact at Valve for a while now! Can’t wait for you guys to play it! :D!

— Brad Muir (@MrMooEar) August 9, 2017

Artifact is the new #Dota card game from Valve. Check out our teaser we just revealed during The International. #TI7 https://t.co/ODoct5vkZL

— Artifact (@PlayArtifact) August 9, 2017

Source: PlayArtifact (YouTube)

‘Smash Bros’-style game ‘Brawlout’ is coming to the Switch in late 2017

The indie fighting game Brawlout emerged around EVO 2016 to wow casual fans with Super Smash Bros-like combat while sneaking in more advanced mechanics for competitive players. Fans finally got their hands on it in April when it launched in Early Access on Steam and have toyed with the game’s first six characters for a few months. Today, the game scored a double coup: Not only is it set to come out on the Switch later this year, but it’s also adding another character — the titular Hyper Light Drifter from this year’s indie instant classic.

Brawlout is coming to the @NintendoAmerica @NintendoEurope #NintendoSwitch late 2017!
Hyper Light Drifter joins the fight! 😉👊 @HeartMachineZ pic.twitter.com/Zi0Sj3wNCf

— BRAWLOUT (@brawloutgame) August 8, 2017

From the footage, the Drifter is a fantastic addition to the game, playing a little like Marth from Super Smash Bros franchise. The character brings some great buzz along with, implying we might see other heavy-hitters from the indie sphere: Sure, the existing cast looks like a unique blend of scrappers, but throwing well-known characters from other games into the mix would open up so many possibilities.

But it’s a much greater achievement to land a slot on the Switch. Heck, there aren’t even that many first-party games slated to come out, and it’s surprising that Nintendo would make room for a title that draws so much of its DNA from one of the company’s best-selling series. Sure, it’ll be fun to get some 2D scrapping under our belts while we wait for the inevitable Switch version of Smash Bros, but it’s good news for indie games in general. Brawlout might signal an openness to hosting indie games none of us expected — and maybe some of these characters will make it to the Smash Bros big leagues themselves one day.

Via: Kotaku

Source: Angry Mob Games (Twitter)

Indie slasher ‘Severed’ comes to Nintendo Switch

Drinkbox’s critically well-received Severed has been available on a slew of platforms, but the march of time has made it harder to find: the PS Vita and Wii U are clearly on the way out, and not everyone wants to play it on a 3DS or iPhone. You’re getting a new choice today, though: Drinkbox has launched Severed on the Nintendo Switch. It’s the same game at heart, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The game’s blend of touchscreen slashing, role-playing elements and disconcerting story (complete with a distinctive, surreal art style) go a long way.

This might be the definitive console version of the game. After all, you’re playing on a relatively large touchscreen that you can take anywhere. Unless you have an iPad, that’s about as good as it’s going to get. It’s also a highlight for the Switch’s still relatively small downloadable game catalog. There are certainly numerous popular indie games in the eShop, but Severed clearly stands out.

Source: Drinkbox Studios (YouTube)

Atari taps Jeff Minter to resurrect classic coin-op ‘Tempest’

As seen in this 1981 commercial, Tempest was one of Atari’s flagship coin-operated arcade games. But unlike Space Command or Centipede, Tempest sent players down geometrically fractal tunnels in an advanced — and vibrantly psychedelic — semi-3D adventure. Atari thinks it’s high time this title was revived for current consoles, and it’s tapped celebrated game designer Jeff Minter to do the job.

Minter actually remade Tempest before when he helped create Tempest 2000 for the Atari Jaguar in 1994, but his more recent indie titles like Space Giraffe in 2007 and TxK in 2014 have all been in the semi-3D shooter style of Atari’s classic arcade game. It was Minter’s next project, the PlayStation 4 and VR game Polybius based upon the urban legend, that drew Trent Reznor’s attention — and the game featured prominently in Nine Inch Nails’ next music video.

While Minter had gotten into legal kerfuffles with Atari over his later games’ similarities to Tempest 2000, they’ve apparently set enough differences aside for him to helm the next version. Tempest 4000 will head to modern platforms later this year, according to Gamasutra.

Source: Gamasutra

Apple’s ‘Carpool Karaoke: The Series’ Television Show Now Available on Apple Music

Apple’s second original television series, “Carpool Karaoke: The Series” premiered tonight and is now available to stream via Apple Music if you have an Apple Music subscription.

The first episode of the series, which is based on the Carpool Karaoke segment made popular by “The Late Late Show With James Corden,” stars James Corden himself and Will Smith. The show starts out with Corden and Smith singing “Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It,” with a full marching band joining in at a stop.

The two then move on, discussing the history behind the song, before going on to sing additional Will Smith songs, including the theme song for “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air,” a TV show Smith starred in from 1990 to 1996.

Produced by James Corden, Ben Winston, and Eric Pankowski, new episodes of “Carpool Karaoke: The Series” will debut on Tuesdays on Apple Music. Each episode will feature a different host and celebrity pairing, with episode length varying each week based on the content.

Participants will include Will Smith and James Corden; Miley, Noah, Billy Ray and the entire Cyrus family; Shakira and Trevor Noah; Game of Thrones stars Sophie Turner and Maisie Williams; Queen Latifah and Jada Pinkett Smith; John Legend, Alicia Keys and Taraji P. Henson; LeBron James and James Corden; and more.

“Carpool Karaoke: The Series” is Apple’s second original television show designed for Apple Music subscribers. “Planet of the Apps,” the company’s first television series, came out back in June.

Update: Apple has also uploaded two new trailers for “Carpool Karaoke: The Series,” teasing future episodes starring Alicia Keys and John Legend and Billy Eichner and Metallica.

Tags: Apple Music, Carpool Karaoke
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World’s fastest X-ray pulse lets physicists record electrons in slow-motion

Why it matters to you

Ultrafast light pulses let scientists capture sharper recorded images of fast-moving electrons in atoms and molecules. It could lead to better understanding of processes such as photosynthesis, as well as faster computer chips.

Researchers at the University of Central Florida have broken a world record with their demonstration of the fastest light pulse ever developed — a 53-attosecond X-ray pulse. To put that figure in some kind of perspective, an “attosecond” is one-quintillionth of a second. In 53 attoseconds, light (which is no slouch in the speed department) moves less than one-thousandth the diameter of a human hair.

Much like high-speed cameras are able to record ultra-slow-motion video of normally fast events, attosecond light pulses let scientists take sharp recorded images of fast-moving electrons in atoms and molecules.

“Attosecond science started a revolution in 2001,” Zenghu Chang, a professor of physics at the University of Central Florida, told Digital Trends. “In that year, attosecond light pulses were first demonstrated experimentally. In the last 16 years, attosecond pulses have been generated primarily by interacting intense femtosecond Ti:Sapphire lasers with noble gases, a process named high-order harmonic generation. One of the issues for applications is the photon energy spectral range that attosecond pulses cover. Attosecond light generated by using Ti:Sapphire lasers centered at 800 nanometers as the HHG driver is in the extreme ultraviolet region of the electromagnetic wave. In this work, a long wavelength laser centered at 1,700 nm was used, which allows the generation of attosecond soft X-rays. The spectral range is 2 times broader that what has been achieved with Ti:Sapphire lasers.”

Aside from bragging rights at the next attosecond drinks mixer, the demonstration is important because the spectrum employed reaches carbon K-edge, the low end of the so-called “water window,” which opens the door for studying the attosecond process using core to valence level transitions in atoms and molecules. In terms of practical applications, this work could be used to better understand processes such as photosynthesis, which could lead to superior solar panels. It could also lead to faster computer chips through the study of electronic processes in solid-state materials.

So how are the losers of the previous attosecond light pulse record holding up? Pretty well, actually. The 2012 record was also also set by Chang’s lab, with a 67-attosecond extreme ultraviolet light pulse.

Can he beat his record one more time? “That is certainly one of our research goals,” he said. “The next milestone is 24 attosecond, the unit of time in atomics physics. It is also important to push the spectral range of attosecond light to hard X-rays, which supports even shorter pulses. Needless to say, there are many technique challenges, [which is] a good thing for new students.”

A paper describing the work was recently published in the journal Nature Communications.

No grapes necessary — Ava Winery makes fine wines molecule by molecule

Why it matters to you

Synthetic wines claim they offer longer-lasting, more affordable vino — and without any bad years, too.

When it comes to consumables, the tech world has given us lab-grown meat, “shrimps” made out of red algae, and now — thanks to one pioneering San Francisco winemaker — synthetic wine. Called Ava Winery, the startup wants to democratize the pricey business of drinking wine by taking it out of the vineyards and into the lab, where different wines can be re-created artificially based on their taste chemistry.

“We can make wine without grapes or fermentation, recreating it molecule by molecule,” CEO Alec Lee told Digital Trends. “Our goal is to be able to scan and print wines the same way you can scan and print priceless family photos. Ultimately, this technology will also allow us to make better, cleaner, faster wines with less impact on the environment.”

Lee describes the company’s mission as making “high-quality wines at price points available to the masses, indefinitely.” Instead of grapes, the wines are produced using molecules sourced from companies which manufacture them for the food industry. The “scan-and-print” approach Lee describes involves using gas and liquid chromatography, along with mass spectrometry, to determine the component parts of each wine. Unlike the unpredictable business of making high-quality wine (which is why people get so excited about particular vintages), Ava Winery says that its solution solves this problem — since re-creating particular wines is just a matter of following a recipe.

“Every year is a great year for these wines because they’re not at risk to changing climate, crop disease, or contamination,” he said. “These wines significantly reduce agricultural water requirements, as well as the presence of pesticides and heavy metal contaminants in the products, because each molecular component can be sourced highly pure. Our products are more stable after being opened and can be stored in the fridge longer than traditional wines, without going bad.”

Currently, the company’s wines are not on sale to the public, although Lee says they hope to have the first products — reportedly including a Moscato d’Asti, a Cabernet Sauvignon and a Pinot Noir — on the shelf within a year.

“This is the future of winemaking the same way that computers are the future of art,” he concluded. “Traditional winemaking will hopefully continue to be part of our society forever. But in the same way that computers democratized art, we hope to be able to democratize great quality wines for the masses to enjoy.”

Color us intrigued, with an optimistic bouquet, and expectant finish.

You can now go live on Instagram with your friends thanks to its newest feature

Why it matters to you

Previously, you could only broadcast your live streams on Instagram as a solo entity.

Camera-shy until you have a companion? Instagram understands and it is doing everything it can to help get you broadcast live to all your friends, family, and followers. On Tuesday, the social media app announced the debut of a “fun way to go live with a friend.” No, it’s not just a matter of having someone else in your frame — instead, Instagram is beginning to let some folks add other users (specifically, those who are already watching your live-stream) directly to their broadcasts. Think of it as a virtual conversation that you are having in public.

Instagram envisions its sizable user base hanging out over Live together “whether you’re just doing homework or catching up on your day.” Once you add a fellow user, your screen will split in two, and the second broadcaster will appear below you. Those viewing your now joint feed will still be able to like and comment as you interact.

If you ever want your own show back, do not worry. Instagram assures its fans that they can remove guests or add another person at any time. And similarly, if you are sharing the spotlight with an Instagram friend, you can always choose to leave. Once you are finished with your broadcast, you can either choose to share the video to Instagram Stories or tap “Discard” to erase the evidence of your two (or more) person show.

“After we launched the first version of Live [last November], we noticed that a lot of folks were using it with friends in person,” Shilpa Sarkar, a product manager on the Live team, told Refinery29. “We wanted to bring that offline behavior online, so to speak, with a feature that allows you to be live with a friend even if you aren’t in the exact same space.”

Social media influencers and celebrities could also benefit from this new feature, allowing them to interact directly with their fans in a unique fashion. “Since introducing live video in November, millions of people have used it to connect with friends and followers in an authentic way. Now, you can have even more fun connecting with people in the moment,” Instagram noted.

Currently, Instagram is testing the tool with a “small percentage” of its user base. A global rollout is expected over the next few months.

How to use Instagram Stories: Everything you need to know

Instagram took on Snapchat last year with the launch of ephemeral Instagram Stories, pictures and videos that disappear 24 hours after being shared. And just like Snapchat Stories, you can write, doodle, and place stickers on your Instagram Stories. There’s a fair chance you’re already familiar with this feature, but if you have yet to dive in beneath the surface, here are all the ins and outs of how to use Instagram stories.

Of course, before we get into the “how” it’s probably a good idea to address the “why.” After all, what’s the big deal? Instagram Stories might seem like another millennial fun-and-games feature (or a waste of time, depending on who you ask), but it is actually a great way to share quick, off-the-cuff moments that you don’t want to live forever on your profile. It’s also a fun way to show your personality which may not be reflected in your regular Instagram posts. Even if you don’t post Stories, you can view your followers’ to discover more about them. And the feature has proven quite popular: After just one year, Instagram reported it had 250 million daily users of Stories, versus 166 million for Snapchat. Businesses are even using Stories to drive engagement: one in five stories posted by a brand receives a direct message from a follower, and more than 50 percent of business accounts created a story in July 2017.

How to watch Instagram Stories

Before we dive into how to create and post your own Instagram Stories, let’s take a look at how you can view them. If you don’t already have an account, download the Instagram app for iOS or Android and make one. While Instagram posts and profiles can be viewed in a web browser, Stories are available only in the Instagram mobile app.

Stories appear at the top of your feed, in a carousel of profile pictures from the people you follow. Additionally, at the top of your Explore tab you can find public stories from a selection of popular accounts. A colorful ring highlights profiles that have published something new, and you can simply tap on one to view the story. You’ll see a chronological feed of the videos and pictures the person has published over the past 24 hours. You can tap on the right or left side of the screen to move forward or backward, respectively, between individual posts, or swipe to jump to the next or previous story. You can also hit the “watch all” option for continuous entertainment.

How to post Instagram Stories

Instagram

If your story is currently empty, you can simply tap on your profile picture in the Stories row of the home screen or from your profile page and it will activate the camera (if you have already added a post to your story, this is how you can view it). You can add to your story at any time by tapping the camera icon in the upper-left of the home screen. Note: This is different from the camera used for posts, activated by a button at the bottom of the screen. From here, shoot a photo or video (or choose one from the last 24 hours in your camera roll) and simply tap the “+ your story” button to add it to your story. You can also save it to your device or send it to individual users.

Congratulations — you’ve started an Instagram Story!

Once you’ve posted your story, you can see who has viewed it at the bottom of the screen. This will probably look something like “Jane Doe and 10 others,” but if you tap on it, it will reveal a full list of everyone who has viewed your story. At the top of the screen, your story will be broken down into thumbnail images of each photo or video that composes it. Simply tap on a thumbnail to the see the viewer stats about that entry.

And that covers the basics!

How to choose an Instagram Story format

Instagram Stories are about much more than sharing simple snapshots, and it starts with the format. When you open the Stories camera, you can select a different recording format by swiping through the options near the bottom of the screen, beneath the shutter button.

• Normal is a regular photo or video, like the kind you shoot with your phone’s default camera app. Tap the button to snap a picture, or hold it to record a video of up to 15-seconds long.
• Boomerang is a looping GIF-style video that plays forward and backward repeatedly. You have just a few seconds with this one, but if you time it right, it’s a creative way to capture fun moments.
• Rewind is just like a normal video, only it plays back in reverse.
• Hands free is another way to take a 15-second video, only you don’t need to hold down the button to do it. Just tap it once, and the camera keeps rolling until time runs out (or you choose to stop it).

How to go live on Instagram Stories

The one format we left out from the above list is “Live.” Going live on Instagram is incredibly simple. Just swipe left to the “Live” option and tap “Start Live Video” and you’ll begin to broadcast yourself to the world — or at least to your followers.

Typically, some of your followers will be notified when you go live (you may have seen these notifications yourself when people you follow have started live broadcasts). Notifications can be turned off if you’d rather not let anyone know, but it’s generally a good idea to alert people to a live broadcast since, you know, it’s live. 

Both business and personal accounts can go live, and during the broadcast, viewers can send reactions and leave comments (unless you disable this option). That makes a live broadcast a great tool to connect in real-time with your followers.

Instagram also lets you save your live broadcasts as a video file to your camera roll, but comments and reactions will not be saved with it. For the next 24 hours, a saved broadcast — like any other photo or video in your camera roll — will be available to be added back into your story.

Trade Commission agrees to investigate Apple for alleged Qualcomm patent violation

Qualcomm claims Apple is infringing on key patents.

The U.S. International Trade Commission has announced that it will be investigating Apple following allegations from Qualcomm that the Cupertino-based company infringed on Qualcomm’s patents with the iPhone 7. Some models of iPhone 7 use an Intel modem rather than a Qualcomm one, and while Qualcomm does not claim that the modem itself violates any patents, Apple’s implementation of that modem reportedly does.

Earlier this summer, Qualcomm filed the claim in early July, and is seeking to keep the infringing products from being imported into the U.S. Going back further, Intel and Samsung filed a statement in support of the ITC’s investigation into Qualcomm’s licensing agreements, specifically whether those agreement violate Qualcomm’s Fair, Reasonable, and Non-Discriminatory (FRAND) commitments. On the other side, a group of companies, including Alphabet (Google’s parent), Microsoft, Amazon and Facebook, support Apple in this case, saying that pursuing this reported patent violation will ultimately harm consumers and the market in general.

Qualcomm released the following statement:

SAN DIEGO — August 8, 2017 — Qualcomm Incorporated (Nasdaq: QCOM) today announced
that the United States International Trade Commission (ITC) has commenced an investigation
into Apple Inc.

The investigation is based on a complaint filed by Qualcomm on July 7, 2017.
The investigation will examine whether Apple has engaged in unfair trade practices by importing
and selling certain mobile electronic devices, including iPhones and iPads that infringe one or
more claims of six Qualcomm patents. Qualcomm is requesting that the ITC issue a Limited
Exclusion Order to bar importation, and a Cease and Desist Order to bar further sales and
marketing in the United States, of iPhones and iPads that use cellular baseband processors other
than those supplied by Qualcomm’s affiliates.

“Qualcomm is pleased with the ITC’s decision to investigate Apple’s unfair trade practices and
the unauthorized importation of products using Qualcomm’s patents,” said Don Rosenberg,
executive vice president and general counsel of Qualcomm. “We look forward to the ITC’s
expeditious investigation of Apple’s ongoing infringement of our intellectual property and the
accelerated relief that the Commission can provide.”

The ITC plans to complete this investigation in the next 45 days.