YouTube’s live TV service is available in half of all US homes

While other services, including Hulu, PlayStation Vue and SlingTV, have been available for a while now, YouTube TV is catching up fast. Launched in April to five basic metropolitan areas, the company added 11 new markets this July. Now, the live TV service has just announced 14 more markets, making its “skinny bundle” available to half the homes in the US. Subscribers to the YouTube service will also get two new networks, Newsy and the Tennis Channel for no extra charge, starting now. Customers in Boston will be able to stream the Red Sox’s pennant race on sports network NESN for free, too. The company is also planning to expand to 17 more markets in the coming weeks and months.

The newly announced markets include Baltimore, Boston, Cincinnati, Columbus, OH, Jacksonville-Brunswick, Las Vegas, Louisville, Memphis, Nashville, Pittsburgh, San Antonio, Seattle-Tacoma, Tampa-St. Petersburg-Sarasota and West Palm Beach-Ft. Pierce.

The upcoming markets will see YouTube TV in the major metropolitan areas of Austin, Birmingham, Cleveland-Akron, Denver, Grand Rapids-Kalamazoo-Battle Creek, Greensboro-High Point-Winston Salem, Harrisburg-Lancaster-Lebanon-York, Hartford-New Haven, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Milwaukee, Norfolk-Portsmouth-Newport News, Oklahoma City, Raleigh-Durham, Salt Lake City, San Diego and St. Louis.

Source: YouTube TV

‘Volume’ developer launches a surprise, bite-sized sci-fi game

Subsurface Circular came out of nowhere.

Well, that’s not entirely true. Mike Bithell, the developer behind Thomas Was Alone and Volume, tweeted a prescient question in April, asking followers if they’d be interested in paying $5 for a unique, hour-long video game. He didn’t mention that his team at Bithell Games was already building Subsurface Circular, a bite-sized, reasonably priced experience for PC and Mac.

Subsurface Circular is a text-driven game about a robot detective solving mysteries on the subway, and it’s available today on Steam for just $4.80 through August 24th. After that, it’ll be $6.

“I have to admit, that was a cheeky bit of research,” Bithell explained on Twitter today. “Because we were making something, and I was glad folks liked the idea. My fear was hype: A hopefully good, polished short game could be ruined if we announced early and set false expectations.”

Subsurface Circular isn’t a throwaway project for Bithell — it’s impressively deep for such a short experience, raising questions about the nature of humanity and the future of automation. Instead, Subsurface Circular is a calculated foray into a new kind of development pipeline: no hype, quick gameplay and an accessible price point.

“So, would that work?” Bithell tweeted just before Subsurface Circular went live on Steam. “If we just launched a short game, announcing it at the point it goes on sale? Let’s find out in 5 minutes.”

The previous project out of Bithell Games was also a departure from traditional development. EarthShape was a cute little launch game for Google’s Daydream VR headset, starring former Great British Bake Off host Sue Perkins.

Source: Steam

An iOS 11 feature can quickly disable Touch ID

Law enforcement authorities have been at odds with the legal system and mobile companies when it comes to gaining access to citizens’ phones. One of the more notable instances was the FBI’s attempt to get Apple to unlock the San Bernardino suspect’s iPhone, but there have been other similar incidents as well. And situations can get extra tricky when it comes to fingerprint unlocking, especially for those entering the US of late. However, with iOS 11, Apple is giving users an option to easily disable Touch ID, which could be very useful for those in sticky legal situations where they might be compelled to unlock their phone with their fingerprint.

The new OS, currently in beta, has a feature that lets you quickly dial 911 in an emergency — just push the power button five times in a row and the option to call for help pops up. But the feature also temporarily disables Touch ID until you enter your passcode. Some people are calling it a “cop button.” And with face unlocking expected to arrive on the next iPhone, this feature could become extra useful.

Source: The Verge

Congressmen call for investigation of FCC cyberattack claims

The FCC has claimed that the site it uses to collect public comment on its plans to roll back net neutrality rules was taken down by a distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack instead of crippled by a massive number of commenters brought about by a John Oliver segment on HBO. When pressed for details, the agency denied that it hadn’t documented the “attack,” that sharing any details would undermine security and have stonewalled any demands for evidence of a cyberattack. On Thursday, however, Senator Brian Schatz and Congressman Frank Pallone Jr. sent a letter to the Government Accountability Office (GAO) encouraging a full review of the FCC’s practices and claims.

Citing “intense public interest,” the lawmakers say that the attacks, if legitimate, were “meant to inhibit or limit public comment on this important proceeding, raising doubts about the efficacy of the FCC’s public comment process.” The letter also says that a flood of fake comments has also undermined the public process, and that the “FCC’s lack of action in preventing or mitigating this issue is also cause for concern.” The letter urges the GAO to find out how the FCC determined the site was actually a victim of a DDoS attack, including evidence and documentation of the event of the FCC response to it. The legislators also request information on the FCC’s procedures for preventing future attacks, and call the general vulnerability of all of the FCC’s systems into question.

These requests have some power behind them, as well. Senator Schatz is a Democrat from Hawaii and a ranking member of the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, Innovation and the Internet. US Representative Frank Pallone Jr., also a Democrat but from New Jersey, is a ranking member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. With this kind of direct questioning, via the Accountability Office, it may be that we find out the truth of the matter sooner than expected.

Source: Senator Brian Schatz

OkCupid just banned a white supremacist for life

OkCupid is the latest company to kick white supremacists off of its platform. In a tweet today, the dating service said that it found out Chris Cantwell — the fascist featured in Vice News’ Charlottesville documentary who cried in a video when he thought a warrant was issued for his arrest — was on its site and subsequently banned him for life. It also said, “There is no room for hate in a place where you’re looking for love,” and told members to report people they come across who are involved in hate groups.

We were alerted that white supremacist Chris Cantwell was on OkCupid. Within 10 minutes we banned him for life.

— OkCupid (@okcupid) August 17, 2017

Other companies that have said no thanks to racists this week include Spotify, Google, GoDaddy, Facebook, Reddit, Discord, GoFundMe, Squarespace and Twitter. And of course, a bunch of CEOs distanced themselves from President Trump yesterday in light of his comments on Charlottesville.

I can’t imagine there are too many people sad about not being able to connect with Cantwell on OkCupid, but it looks like now he has something else to cry about.

Source: OkCupid

BMW’s redesigned 8 Series is cleaner, more aggressive

At the Monterey Car Week BMW just unveiled two new concept vehicles. Both are previews of planned production models of the Series 8 and Z4 Roadster. If the versions you’ll find on the forecourt are even close to these concepts, there are going to be a lot of very happy movie producers and hedge fund managers (thanks to the probable high price and outstanding, but aggressive looks).

Both cars show off the automaker’s new cleaner design language with fewer but sharper lines. The result is beautiful. They look like they’ll slice through the wind with hardly any turbulence thanks to the smoother surface. But the Z4 with its larger footprint but shorter bonnet is especially magnificent. When it does become available, it’ll be in high demand.

The Series 8 concept sees the return of that line after an 18 year hiatus. It, along with the larger more aggressive Z4 signal the return of “sports cars” to the BMW family.

While the cars are built for speed, we expect them to be filled with the current tech found in the rest of the line-up, including BMW’s semi-autonomous adaptive cruise control with “Stop & Go” feature for heavy traffic.

Also don’t be surprised to see the gesture-control feature that lets you turn up the volume by spinning a finger make an appearance — at least in the Series 8 when it drops in 2018. It might be a bit tougher to get the cameras and sensors needed for that feature to work on the open air Z4 though.

Both of the cars look outstanding and while we only have to wait about a year for the Series 8, when we’ll see a final version of the Z4 is still up in the air. Hopefully it’s sooner rather than later.

Source: BMW

Facebook demotes video clickbait posts to improve your feeds

In a bid to promote “authentic communication,” Facebook will now demote clickbait stories that present static images as video along with images with fake playback buttons in them. While the former practice just ends up confusing users, the latter actually tricks people into clicking through to a website. Both techniques are frowned upon by the social network, which says it wants to “improve the integrity of information on Facebook.”

Facebook has been working to halt the spread of hate speech and fake news for a while now. It shut down an internal forum for harassment earlier today, recently started using AI to detect fake ads, began adding facts to fake news shares, acquired a startup’s technology to fight video piracy, disabled modified link previews, and added a set of educational guides to counter fake news. The company has had its missteps, of course, like when it shut down a black activists account for posting threats that she herself had received.

Source: Facebook

Skype’s new look arrives on the desktop in preview form

Skype is making a preview version of its new desktop design available for users to try out. Available today, Mac and non-Windows 10 PC users can download Skype Preview and see the new features that are in the works.

Skype says the changes are made with the larger screen of desktop in mind. Chats are getting a notification panel and you’ll be able to see conversations that @ mentioned you while you were away. There’s also a new media gallery in chat that helps you find images, links or documents that were shared with you through the feature. Group calls are getting some tweaks as well. You’ll be able to use in-call reactions like emojis and the redesign offers real-time screen and photo sharing.

Skype recently made similar changes to its mobile app, but those haven’t been met with much love. Many users really don’t like the look. Some of these desktop changes have already started to roll out to Windows 10 users. And with this desktop preview, Skype is asking users to share their feedback, which you can do via the heart on the Skype menu or through its community forum. Skype Preview is available for download here.

Source: Skype

Apple Now Selling Refurbished 2017 27-Inch iMac Models

Apple today updated its online store for refurbished products to add the new 27-inch iMac models that were first released in June of 2017.

This is the first time those particular machines have been available through the refurbished store since their introduction at the 2017 Worldwide Developers Conference. The iMacs feature Kaby Lake processors, faster SSDs, and AMD discrete graphics.

Apple has a dozen refurbished iMac models available at the current time, with prices discounted by approximately 15 percent. An entry-level model with 8GB RAM, a 1TB Fusion Drive, a 3.5GHz i5 processor, and a Radeon Pro 575 is priced at $1,699, for example, a $300 discount off the standard price.

Apple has a range of configurations available, from low-end to top-of-the-line. As with all refurbished products, stock will fluctuate regularly based on the machines Apple is getting in for repair.

All of Apple’s refurbished products go through a rigorous refurbishment process before being offered for sale, which includes inspection, repairs, cleaning, and repackaging. Refurbished Macs come with a one-year warranty that can be extended with an AppleCare+ purchase. For more tips on purchasing a refurbished product, make sure to check out our guide.

Related Roundups: iMac, Apple Deals
Tag: refurbished
Buyer’s Guide: iMac (Buy Now)
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Apple and Aetna Talked Data Privacy, Cost and More in Apple Watch Meeting

Apple and insurance provider Aetna met last week to discuss ways to offer discounted Apple Watch models to Aetna’s 23 million subscribers, and CNBC has shared details on some of the topics that were discussed at the meeting, attended by Aetna employees, Apple executives, and health providers from major hospitals.

Aetna is aiming to determine whether the Apple Watch can be used by subscribers to improve health outcomes by encouraging them to exercise, eat better, and better manage health issues. Info on the meeting came from Mandy Bishop, an attendee who founded startup Lifely Insights. Much of the meeting consisted of feedback from Aetna employees who have been testing the Apple Watch.

Data privacy, including who had access to what data, was a major topic of discussion, with Apple explaining that Apple Watch health data can only be shared with third-party apps and companies with express user consent.

The Apple Watch’s lack of situational awareness was brought up as a pain point, such as when the device delivers a stand notification when a user is on a plane or in another environment that makes standing difficult. Cost was also a significant topic of discussion.

One theme that emerged during the event, she said, is that many of those who were enrolled in the program wanted to get healthy alongside their families. But many couldn’t afford to spend upwards of $1,000 on devices for their spouses and children.

The cost issue wasn’t entirely resolved, she said, but it proved to be a sticking point. It remains unclear whether Aetna will extend its discounts from employees and/or members to their family-members.

Apple and Aetna are said to be planning to implement some kind of Apple Watch program in early 2018, which would see the company offering free or discounted Apple Watches to its subscribers.

Aetna already has a program that provides a free Apple Watch to its 50,000 employees and it already subsidizes the cost for some subscribers, with data from that program being used to determine if an expansion is worth it.

Related Roundups: Apple Watch Series 2, watchOS 3, watchOS 4
Tag: Aetna
Buyer’s Guide: Apple Watch (Caution)
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