iPhone X Supply Revised Lower Yet Again as TrueDepth System Still Faces Production Issues

A new report today yet again suggests that customers looking to get an iPhone X this year might face quite the challenge.

Jeff Pu, an analyst with Taipei-based Yuanta Investment Consulting, has cut his forecast of the number of iPhone X devices that will be produced this year from 40 million units to 36 million. It’s the second time he has revised down his estimate, which originally totaled 45 million earlier this year.

The underlying reason is that Apple’s suppliers are still struggling to perfect manufacturing of the iPhone X’s TrueDepth camera and 3D facial recognition system, according to Japan’s Nikkei Asian Review. We first heard about the production issues from KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo a few weeks ago.

Multiple reports have claimed it has taken more time to assemble the TrueDepth system’s so-called “Romeo” module than the “Juliet” module.

The “Romeo” module reportedly includes the dot projector that beams more than 30,000 invisible dots to create a precise depth map of your face, while the “Juliet” module includes the infrared camera that analyzes the pattern. Together, they help power new iPhone X features such as Face ID and Animoji.

Pu maintained his belief that the iPhone X will enter mass production in mid-October and begin to be shipped from China to the first wave of launch countries next week. iPhone X pre-orders begin Friday, October 27, just over two weeks from now. The device officially launches Friday, November 3.

Related Roundup: iPhone XTags: nikkei.com, TrueDepth, Jeff Pu
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Unsent text message accepted as valid will by Australian court

An unsent text has been accepted as an official will by a court in Queensland, Australia. The message, found in the drafts folder of a deceased man’s phone, indicated he wanted all his possessions to go to his brother and nephew, instead of his wife and son. The 55-year-old composed the text before taking his own life in October 2016, reports ABC News.

The man’s wife took the case to the Brisbane Supreme Court to manage her deceased husband’s estate. Her argument suggested the text was not valid because it was never sent. But, judge Susan Brown said the phrasing of the message (which included the words “my will”) indicated the man was of sound mind. In the text, he’d also directed for his ashes to be put “in the back garden,” and wrote that he had a “bit of cash behind TV and bit in the bank.” The decision also took into account evidence of the man’s fraught relationship with his wife.

The Queensland government advises that a valid will must typically be in writing and signed in front of two witnesses. But, a change in the law in 2006, allowed for less formal types of documents to be considered as well. A holographic will, without witnesses, being deemed acceptable isn’t a new phenomenon. For instance, the shortest will to historically be recorded was of a Czech man who scribbled “everything to wife” on his bedroom wall in anticipation of his death. A dying Canadian farmer’s will, etched onto the fender of a tractor he was trapped beneath, was also determined by the courts to be valid almost 70 years ago.

Via: ABC News

Xbox One’s customizable dashboard arrives to more testers

The Windows 10 Fall Creators Update is arriving early next week (October 17th), but it looks like Xbox One users will get some new software toys soon, too. Microsoft has released the Xbox One fall preview update to everyone on the Delta and Omega Insider rings, that is too say, the bulk of its beta testers. Those folks will get the much-anticipated Fluent Design for Xbox One that lets you customize the dashboard the way you want, pinning favorite games, apps and people to the home page.

There’s also a redesigned Home menu and “light theme” coming, and Microsoft is speeding things up by removing splash screens when you switch between sections like social and games. It’s also unveiling a spruced-up community section on the dashboard, with a full-screen activity feed and comments. Game hubs, profiles and clubs have also been refreshed for faster navigation (a full video preview is shown below).

The update should be available to all insiders and will start downloading automatically if you use Instant On mode. You can also head to the “Console Info & Updates” section under system settings if you’d rather do it manually. As mentioned, there’s no official launch date yet for the Xbox One fall update, but expect it to arrive around the same mid-October timeframe as the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update.

Via: Windows Central

Source: Xbox Forums

Addison Lee is looking into self-driving taxis too

Driverless car trials are happening all around the UK, but the epicentre is arguably Greenwich, in London. We’ve seen driverless pods ferry passengers around the O2 and autonomous delivery vans drop off Ocado hampers near Woolwich. That’s because a chunk of the borough has been ring-fenced as a “Smart Mobility Living Lab” for autonomous projects and research. The latest initiative to fall under that banner is “Merge,” which will look at how a driverless ride-sharing service could work in the city. The work will be led by Addison Lee, alongside a consortium that includes Ford, the Transport Research Laboratory and Transport Systems Catapult.

The group will spend 12 months developing a “blueprint” for how a self-driving, publicly accessible transport system could be run in the city. It will cover a range of social, commercial and infrastructure issues, including how the public might react to driverless technology, how it could be designed to compliment existing transport options, and the impact it would have on local communities and journey times. The “plan” will also include an “advanced simulation” and a general business model outlining the costs and recommended vehicle specifications. It’s not clear, however, how much testing will be done with self-driving cars in the real world.

Via: The Telegraph

Source: Addison Lee (PR)

NBA will broadcast every game in VR this season

While other broadcasters and sports leagues dabble in virtual reality, the NBA is taking the plunge. It raced ahead of the competition last year by streaming weekly live games in VR. Now, it’s making its entire season immersive for League Pass subscribers. With the NextVR app, you’ll not only be able to watch 27 live games on your Samsung Gear VR or Google Daydream headset, but you’ll also get access to something called the Screening Room. Here you’ll be able to pick and choose from every League Pass game in virtual reality. On top of that, the feature will let you select up to 13 NBA games to livestream on a massive virtual screen. And soon, you won’t even be restricted to a Samsung, Google, or Asus phone — as long as you’re willing to invest in a Windows Mixed Reality headset, that is. Yes, Microsoft’s VR platform (which is coincidentally arriving just in time for the new NBA season) will support NextVR.

Aside from providing more live action, the NBA is also tinkering with the viewing experience. New features include live stats within “the virtual scene.” How that will work remains to be seen — hopefully the infographics won’t be too distracting, seeing as they’re getting inserted within the field-of-play. A new point-of-view feature will also give you more control over the proceedings during the 27 live games (much like what Fox offered as part of its Super Bowl 51 VR suite).

If you don’t want to fork out $200 on a League Pass subscription just to watch in VR, you can pay $7 for the game you wish to stream, courtesy of the NBA’s on-demand service. Schedule details for live VR games can be found on the NBA website.

Plex can beam Live TV broadcasts on Roku

With the launch of Live TV and DVR in June, Plex took a big step toward becoming an all-round media replacement. Since then, it’s wasted no time in introducing the feature to more platforms, including Android and Apple TV. Not to be left behind, Roku devices are now getting Plex Live TV too. But there’s a catch: You can’t yet schedule recordings through Plex DVR on the streaming player. Plus, the perk is still reserved for Plex Pass subscribers (who pay $5 per month, $40 per year, or $120 lifetime for a bunch of extras). To soften the blow, Roku owners will be able to watch recordings from other supported platforms, including iOS, the Plex web app, Android, Android TV, Apple TV, and iOS. The release is currently in beta, and is expected to roll out to all Plex Pass subscribers next week. All you need to get set up is a compatible tuner connected to a TV antenna or cable jack, and you can leave the rest to Plex.

Source: Plex

Toyota’s fuel-cell big rigs are ready to haul cargo

After completing 4,000 “development” miles at the port of Los Angeles, Toyota’s Project Portal hydrogen fuel-cell big rig is ready to start transporting cargo from that port and the one in Long Beach to rail yards and warehouses beginning on October 23.

The class 8 Toyota truck is capable of producing more than 670 horsepower with 1,325 pounds of torque — more than enough for even the heaviest Amazon delivery. The semi began its testing at the ports back in April, with Toyota partnering with drayage (transporting goods over short distances) provider Southern Counties Express. As the trial progressed, more and more cargo had been added until the two companies decided the truck was ready to become part of the proper fleet of vehicles later this month.

Powering the truck are two fuel stacks from Toyota’s fuel-cell Mirai sedan and a 12kWh battery. The automaker says the big rig is capable of transporting 80,000 pounds and has a range of about 200 miles per fill-up. That’s more than enough to move cargo around the Los Angeles area. Plus, it can quickly be put back on the road thanks to the fact that hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles can be refuelled as quickly as traditional gas-powered car.

While automakers have been touting their long-term electric vehicle plans, many of them have been simultaneously working on fuel-cell vehicles as a way to hedge their bets. A hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle can refuel as quickly as a gasoline vehicle, but like an EV, produces no CO2. It seems like it would be a seamless transition from traditional driving, or at least more so than what’s expected from electric vehicles, which need to be plugged in and charged for hours to fulfill their range promises.

At issue is the lack of a robust hydrogen fuel-cell refueling infrastructure. Toyota and other automakers have worked closely with third parties to set up stations in Los Angeles, San Francisco and the north east. Anywhere else, and you’re basically out of luck. But if programs like Toyota’s Project Portal prove to be a hit, it might be just the boost the fuel-cell infrastructure needs for mass adoption.

Equifax may have been hacked again

When Equifax’s interim CEO penned a letter of apology on The Wall Street Journal, he admitted that it will take a lot of effort to regain people’s trust. Unfortunately, the company still seems to be lacking when it comes to security, because according to Ars Technica, it’s been hacked yet again. Independent security analyst Randy Abrams told Ars that he was redirected to hxxp:centerbluray.info and was met with a Flash download when he went to equifax.com to contest a false info on his credit report.

The fake Flash installer apparently tricks people into downloading what Symantec identifies as Adware.Eorezo, an adware that inundates Internet Explorer with advertisements. Unfortunately, we can’t replicate the problem, but Abrams said he encountered the issue on three separate visits and captured one of them on video:

We reached out to Equifax to ask whether the company has already cleaned up the adware downloader. To be safe, though, don’t click on any random Flash installer that pops up when you visit the agency’s website in the near future.

Source: Ars Technica

Nokia 9 CAD renders reveal a curved design, dual cameras, and no 3.5mm jack

New renders give us an early look at HMD Global’s upcoming flagship.

The Nokia 8 is now up for sale in Europe and India, but it looks like HMD Global is working on another high-end flagship dubbed the Nokia 9. The render comes by way of OnLeaks, and given the leaker’s track record, it’s fair to assume this is what the Nokia 9 will end up looking like.

The renders are based on factory CAD blueprints, and show off the Nokia 9 from all angles, revealing a curved display and dual cameras at the back. Unlike the Nokia 8, which has a home button up front, the Nokia 9 has a fingerprint sensor located just underneath the camera sensor at the back.

Based on the renders, it looks like Nokia is emulating the likes of the Mi 6, HTC U11 and the Pixel 2 in ditching the 3.5mm jack. The omission of a headphone jack is unfortunate, but at this point it looks like more and more manufacturers are willing to do away with the analog port. Thankfully, there are a few options available if you’re looking to plug in your wired headphones, like the LG V30.

Rumored specs of the Nokia 9 suggest we’ll see a 5.5-inch QHD display with minimal bezels, Snapdragon 835, 4GB of RAM, and 64GB/128GB storage. The phone has dimensions of 140.9 x 72.9 x 7.5mm, with the area around the camera sensor going up to 8.9mm.

What do you guys think of the Nokia 9 based on the leaked renders?

Oxford plans to be a zero-emission city by 2035

All fuel-burning vehicles could be barred from entering Oxford city centre under new plans designed to turn it into the “world’s first Zero Emission Zone.” In a bid to drastically cut air pollution, Oxford City Council and Oxfordshire County Council submitted a joint proposal that would ban petrol and diesel cars from a small number of streets from 2020 and encompass the entire city centre in 2035.

To begin with, the use of non-zero emission taxis, cars, light commercial vehicles and buses would be restricted in six streets. Those zero-emission areas would slowly be expanded in five year increments, with HGVs finally outlawed in the city by 2035. Officials believe the strategy will reduce toxic nitrogen dioxide (NO2) levels to “near-background levels.”

In George Street, the city’s most polluted area, NO2 emissions could be reduced by as much as 74 percent under the new plans. Oxford has already seen a 36.9 percent fall in harmful NO2 levels over the past decade but many parts of the city centre are failing to meet the 40µg/m3 average set by the European Union, despite its desire to become a true “cycling city.”

From next week, the City and County councils will launch a six-week public consultation, inviting comments on the speed of the rollout and the vehicles and roads that could be affected. Bear in mind that the government plans to ban sales of fossil fuel cars, but officials have given themselves until 2040 to make that happen.

It also helps that the City Council has already been given £500,000 in government funding to install EV chargers for electric taxis and a further £800,000 for charging points for Oxford residents.

“All of us who drive or use petrol or diesel vehicles through Oxford are contributing to the city’s toxic air,” said Councillor John Tanner. “Everyone needs to do their bit – from national Government and local authorities, to businesses and residents – to end this public health emergency.”

Via: The Times

Source: Oxford City Council