Roku’s new UK players include an £80 4K streaming stick

Roku is a big name in home entertainment kit, but the UK market hasn’t exactly been the company’s top priority. In fact, aside from a regional mobile app update earlier this year, the last we heard from Roku was back in 2015, when the upgraded Roku 2 player was released over here. Earlier this month, the company launched a five-strong range of new players in the US, but it’s decided Americans aren’t to have all the fun. Two of those devices are hitting UK shores on October 18th, including the £80 Streaming Stick+, which boasts support for 4K and HDR streaming at up to 60 fps.

As well as playing nice with the latest standards, the Streaming Stick+ comes with a fancy remote you can bark voice commands and search criteria into — so, a bit like Amazon’s £40 Fire TV Stick and Alexa remote, but with more Ultra HD.

If you’ve no 4K TV sitting in your living room, then the more basic £30 Roku Express (pictured above) is probably all you need. It outputs at a maximum of 1080p, but otherwise has access to all the apps and channels every Roku player does. Finally, something to fill the hole in our hearts Sky carved out when it purged sideloaded apps from Now TV players.

Source: Roku

The Morning After: Wednesday. October 11th 2017

Hey, good morning!

NVIDIA, a company best-known for its graphics cards, is making computers for self-driving cars, the company behind Overwatch has something new in the works and the Tamagotchi is back — for some reason.

Oops?
Google Home Mini bug could make it record audio 24/7

Voice-controlled appliances need to listen in so they can pick up their hotword, but Android Police received a test Google Home Mini that went a little too far. Apparently, it was recording and uploading nearly every sound it picked up, due to an issue that Google says could’ve affected some other devices, too. As a result, the company pushed a software update to temporarily disable activating the mic via its touch panel, eliminating the issue. Units won’t ship to customers until the 19th; we’ll see if there’s a full workaround in place by then.

The chipmaker prepares automakers for the world of robo-taxis.
NVIDIA introduces a computer for level five autonomous cars

At the center of many of the semi-autonomous cars is NVIDIA processing power. Once automakers realized that GPUs could power their latest features, the chipmaker, best known for PC graphics cards, became the darling of the car world. NVIDIA’s first AI computer, the NVIDIA Drive PX Pegasus, is apparently capable of level five autonomy — far beyond the level two and three vehicles we’re only just starting to see. That means no pedals, no steering wheel, no need for anyone to ever take control.

You can use the dials and sliders with a lot of different apps.

Palette’s Lego-like controls can make you a faster video editor

Until robots take over video editing, you’ll still have to fiddle with cuts, colors and sound levels. A keyboard is not always the best tool for that, and many control surfaces are strictly targeted at Lightroom users. So what’s a video editor to do? One of the more interesting controllers on the market is Palette Gear — it’s expandable, flexible, programmable and looks cool. As Associate Editor Steve Dent discovered, if you’re willing to spend some time learning and programming, it can make you a faster and better editor, too.

Don’t get attached.
The 20th-anniversary Tamagotchi is smaller but still easy to kill

It’s been 20 years since the iconic virtual pet Tamagotchi hit US shores. Many of the first pet ownersthose youngsters now have offspring of their own, and Bandai is hoping to entice both generations by reintroducing the classic 1997 model with a special anniversary edition. But most adults and many children now carry a phone capable of doing so much more than the little plastic egg could. Why would they, or anyone, invest in a Tamagotchi?

I’ve reached the acceptance stage of grief.
After 10 years, I’ve finally accepted that ‘Half-Life’ is dead

How Deputy Managing Editor Nathan Ingraham learned to stop complaining and get over Gordon Freeman.

It claimed the acquisition cost just $9 billion. Bargain.
Dow Jones reported a fake story about Google buying Apple

Fake news.

Now is it time to buy one?
Amazon drops Echo Show price

Thinking about picking up one of Amazon’s smart speakers? While the new Echos have yet to arrive, its first screen-equipped device just got a price cut. The Echo Show doesn’t have access to YouTube anymore, but it does cost $200 — $30 off the original ask. Amazon says it’s a “temporary” price drop, but with new hardware and more competition on the way, we could see this sticking around.

But wait, there’s more…

• Porsche’s $2,000 Passport subscription swaps cars on demand
• Blizzard is recruiting for an entirely new ‘Overwatch’ project
• Amazon reportedly wants one-time access to your home for deliveries
• Samsung’s new robot vacuums banish Darth Vader to cleaning duty
• Dubai airport will scan your face as you walk through a video tunnel

OnePlus is collecting your private data without permission

OnePlus is mainly known as the little upstart that took on the big guns with the help of its solid, yet affordable, handsets. But, its in-house version of Android, dubbed OxygenOS, is once again threatening to dent its hard-fought for credibility. The problem lies with the company’s approach to data-sharing, which is problematic (to say the least). As security researcher Chris Moore has repeatedly pointed out, the manufacturer’s OxygenOS-based devices not only gather a ton of user data, but they also tie this info to individual devices, and user accounts in particular.

Some of the data-gathering is pretty standard fare, including how often you unlock your phone, the apps you open and use, and the Wi-Fi networks you connect to. The problem lies with the lack of anonymity. It turns out, OnePlus is transferring this info along with your phone’s serial number, meaning that your activity is personally identifiable.

As part of its response to the controversy, the company revealed it collects two “streams” of data (you can read its statement in full below). The first is termed “usage analytics,” which helps it to improve its software. It also adds that this type of data-sharing can be turned off by going into settings, selecting “advanced,” and turning off “join user experience program.” The same doesn’t apply to the second stream, pertaining to device info.

OnePlus’ behavior isn’t exactly out of the ordinary, but the real issue lies with the way it’s conducting its data collection. The company isn’t explcitly asking for user permission to amass this type of info, and we’d wager that not all of its customers are aware of the type of data they’re offering up. We reached out to OnePlus, but didn’t immediately receive a response.

“We securely transmit analytics in two different streams over HTTPS to an Amazon server. The first stream is usage analytics, which we collect in order for us to more precisely fine tune our software according to user behavior. This transmission of usage activity can be turned off by navigating to ‘Settings’ -> ‘Advanced’ -> ‘Join user experience program’. The second stream is device information, which we collect to provide better after-sales support.”

Source: Chris’s Security and Tech Blog

Jony Ive: Debut of iPhone X Technology on 10th Anniversary of iPhone is a ‘Wonderful Coincidence’

Finishing the iPhone X in time for the tenth anniversary of the iPhone in 2017 was a “wonderful coincidence”, according to Jony Ive.

The Apple design chief made the comments at last month’s iPhone X event during a brief chat with Japanese design magazine Casa Brutus, which published the interview on Tuesday.

Ive told the magazine that the iPhone X project had an incubation period of more than two years, and with features like Face ID and the TrueDepth camera, is one of the most difficult projects Apple has undertaken.

But the company isn’t resting on its laurels – Ive revealed that Apple is already working on next-generation designs that improve upon the iPhone X’s integrated assembly, with its contiguous chassis and display.

Ive went on to say the replacement of Touch ID fingerprint recognition, which has featured in all iPhone models since iPhone 5s, equates to a heightened user experience, with Face ID being the culmination of years of work towards a non-contact user interface.

Ive concluded by saying he doesn’t think of the iPhone X as the ultimate expression of “iPhone”, rather it represents a new chapter in the platform’s history.

Pre-orders for iPhone X begin on Friday, October 27, with the official launch the following Friday, November 3.

(Via AppleInsider. Source: Mac Otakara.)

Related Roundup: iPhone XTag: Jony Ive
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YouTube Testing Autoplaying Videos in Mobile App Home Screen

Google is reportedly testing a new feature for the YouTube app in which featured videos on the home screen start to play without the user’s permission.

According to AndroidCentral, some users are seeing the first video featured in the Home section automatically play as soon as they open the YouTube app, with subtitles replacing the muted audio.

The video starts from the beginning and plays all the way through if the user allows it, while scrolling further down the Home section causes subsequent videos to also autoplay as they appear on the screen.

While the default behavior is obviously intended to give users a preview of the contents of featured videos, the experimental feature is likely to be seen by some as a distraction, bad news for mobile data limits, or a drain on battery life.

Fortunately, it looks like the autoplay feature can be turned off in Account -> Settings -> General, where a new “Play as you browse” toggle has been added. Toggling the feature also brings up an additional option to only allow autoplay when connected to WiFi, which should go some way to assuage concerns about the feature eating up data allowances.

It’s not clear if or when the autoplay feature will be rolled out to all mobile users, but we’ll keep an eye out for it in future updates to the official YouTube iOS app.

Tag: YouTube
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Discover card users can redeem their points on Apple Pay

Apple Pay gives you many ways to pay for your purchases — and now Discover’s cashback bonus is one of them. Discover and Apple have teamed up to give you the ability to redeem your cashback points through the mobile payment app, so long as you can fulfill a set of requirements. You’ll obviously have to add your Discover card to Apple Pay, download the Discover app, have a rewards balance higher than the amount of the item you want to purchase and, most importantly, you have to be using an iPhone 6 or later.

To redeem your cashback rewards, simply choose Discover on Apple Pay, select “Tap for Details” when you get the redemption message and then tap to redeem your bonus. There’s just one important thing to take note of: you can’t redeem your rewards if you’re on T-Mobile’s network. Unfortunately, it could make redemption harder while you’re on the go if you’re a T-Mo customer, since you’ll have to disconnect your mobile internet and find a WiFi connection instead.

Source: Discover

Discover Now Lets Apple Pay Users Redeem Cashback Bonuses for Purchases

Discover today announced the launch of a new Apple Pay feature that will let Discover cardholders use their Cashback Bonus rewards to pay for Apple Pay purchases.

To use the feature, customers make a qualifying purchase with Apple Pay using a Discover card, select “Tap for Details” in the Wallet app and then tap “Redeem” to add the Cashback Bonus as a statement credit in the amount of the purchase.

“Cashback Bonus redemption through Apple Pay can happen in just two touches for Discover cardmembers,” said Szabolcs Paldy, vice president of e-business for Discover. “We are committed to providing simple and valuable solutions to our customers wherever and whenever they need them. Customer experience hinges on embracing mobile-first technologies like Apple Pay, and this new ability will make Cashback Bonus redemption even easier and more convenient for our cardmembers.”

Using the new Cashback Bonus feature requires a Discover card added to Apple Pay, the Discover Mobile app, and a rewards balance higher than the purchase amount. Discover, like many credit card companies, offers points with qualifying purchases that can be redeemed for rewards or cash back bonuses.

Discover card users can already redeem their Cashback Bonus points for statement credits or as deposits into a bank account, so technically it was already possible to pay for Apple Pay purchases with Discover points.

It’s not entirely clear what the benefit of the new feature is, but with the two-tap redemption method, it may be easier for users to redeem rewards using this method.

Qualifying purchases include those over $1 made with Apple Pay. Discover says that T-Mobile customers will not be able to use the feature unless connected to a Wi-Fi network.

Related Roundup: Apple Pay
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Twitter’s new happening-now feature tells you what’s happening … now

Why it matters to you

If you’re into news and sports, then Twitter’s new Happening Now feature should be a useful addition to your timeline.

Your Twitter timeline is about to incorporate a new feature called Happening Now. Sitting at the top of your feed, Happening Now is a carousel of events that are happening … well … now.

At launch, the feature will focus on sports games, though Twitter promises it’ll soon expand Happening Now to include breaking news events, entertainment updates, and so on.

If one of the events in the carousel catches your eye, tap on it and you’ll be taken to an unfolding list of algorithmically-organized tweets connected to what’s happening. Sports games, for example, will show the latest score at the top of the display and a related stream of tweets underneath.

The company said it’ll tailor the Happening Now suggestions to each user’s interests, so hopefully there’ll be more hits than misses sitting at the top of your timeline. If you’re not sure about a suggestion, you can tap on its downward-facing arrow to find out why Twitter thinks you’ll be interested. If you’re still not persuaded, simply reject it to help Twitter do better next time.

Feel the roar of the crowd, no matter where you are.

We’re rolling out a new way to see what’s happening now, starting with sports in! Available on Android and iOS starting today. https://t.co/lmBFCK4DG0 pic.twitter.com/cv4wL8hCxA

— Twitter (@Twitter) October 10, 2017

For users familiar with Twitter’s growing number of features, Happening Now may sound a bit like Moments, which currently lives under the Trending section in Search. Moments also focuses on particular events, though offered tweets have been specially chosen by a Twitter team in an effort to present an easy-to-follow breakdown of the selected topic. Presentation is a little different with Moments, as each tweet fills the screen and is more likely to include visuals images.

Both Happening Now and Moments are attempts by Twitter to make the service more friendly for new users, which it desperately needs, and also to encourage further engagement with the app among its existing user base.

Happening Now, which is available for iOS and Android in the U.S., has been released ahead of another new feature coming to Twitter that we learned about yesterday. Though currently without an official name or projected release date, the company confirmed on Monday that it’s working on a bookmarking button to let you save tweets for later reference. It’s a feature many on Twitter have been asking for, with many having had to make do with less-than-perfect workarounds.

Israel warned the US about Kaspersky after hacking its network

Kaspersky is in hot water…again. The US government recently prohibited federal agencies from using the company’s products, and the FBI is reportedly convincing private entities to do the same. Its latest headache is linked to the NSA cyberattacks allegedly carried out by Russian hackers, who made away with official cyber defense material in 2015. The US intelligence agency claimed it noticed the stolen files using Kaspersky software. Little else was revealed about the incident (news of which broke last week) until now. It seems Israeli officials tipped off the US about the Russian intrusion, having hacked into Kaspersky’s network, according to The New York Times.

So, to sum things up: Israel-linked hackers were watching Russian hackers breach an NSA contractor’s computer in real-time using a popular anti-virus tool. It all spins an espionage web worthy of a John le Carré novel. As for Kaspersky, its response is the same boilerplate. The company claims it was “not involved in” nor “does it possess any knowledge of, the situation in question.”

But, according to multiple people in the know, the Russian operation turned Kaspersky’s software (to borrow the Times’ phrasing) into a “Google search for sensitive information.” This classified data was then extracted back to Russian intelligence systems. The NSA, however, has always restricted its analysts from installing Kaspersky’s apps (which may explain why the hackers went after an agency contractor).

Kaspersky detailed the attack on its systems back in June 2015. Although it didn’t pin the blame directly on Israel, it did drop a significant hint by referring to the attack as”Duqu 2.0″ (in reference to the Duqu malware, which matches the Stuxnet virus). The latter was a joint Israel-American cyberweapon that inflicted considerable damage on Iran’s nuclear program, in particular on its Natanz facility. But, the virus didn’t stop there. It ended up accidentally spreading to Indonesia, India, and Azerbaijan, among other regions. Kaspersky noted that the breach, which lasted for several months, used the same algorithm as Duqu. The attack’s other victims reportedly matched Israeli targets, several of which were located in the US, ruling out American collusion.

The Times reports that Israeli officials handed over screenshots and documentation of the hack to their American counterparts. The findings led, in part, to the US government’s decision to block federal agencies from using the anti-virus tool — although, Kaspersky’s alleged ties to the Kremlin didn’t exactly help its cause either.

Still, this doesn’t necessarily mean Kaspersky Lab founder Eugene V. Kaspersky was complicit in the breach. Theoretically speaking, there’s always the chance the software could have been exploited without his consent, or the consent of his staff. Nonetheless, it will do little to free Kaspersky from the maelstrom it’s caught up in.

Source: The New York Times

Pizza Hut Parka keeps you as warm as a pizza

Pizza Hut has a history of weird new “products” that are tragically just concepts announced as a stunt (sorry, no pie-ordering hi-top sneakers for you). As we stare down the barrel of another impending winter, it’s only fitting that the ‘za king introduces a parka made of the insulating material it knows best: The lining on its delivery pouches.

As with all our fast food gear, we have ultra-serious questions about this apparel. Will the iPhone X’s Face ID work through the clear smartphone case on the left wrist, ostensibly there to let you order pizza in the cold? For that matter, which of our smart devices can even fit in the triangular pocket on the inside of the parka, save for a pizza-shaped device case? Und so weiter.

Yeah, you’ll never get your hands on one, but at least it’s not like Pizza Hut’s other promotions that only give away zany items outside the US. Not that it’s alone in committing this sin, as sister brand KFC is infamous for its non-American stunts.

Source: Pizza Hut (YouTube)