Google hints Assistant is nearly ready for Chromebooks

Google’s October 4th event might include more for Chrome OS fans than the rumored Pixelbook. David Cannon and 9to5Google have spotted multiple app references to Google Assistant coming to Chromebooks. Google’s Home app notes that some Assistant apps will work with Chromebooks, for instance, while the Chat with your Assistant app recently started listing compatibility with the Chrome machines alongside the usual gaggle of Android releases. There was code hinting at Assistant support in the past, but these public nods suggest that support is imminent.

There’s no guarantee you’ll see Google talking about Assistant on the 4th, but it wouldn’t be at all shocking. If the Pixelbook shows up at the event, Chrome OS is going to get some time in the spotlight — it’d be a prime opportunity to introduce a major feature. The big question is whether or not the feature will be widely available from the start, provided it launches at the media gathering. Google no doubt wants to put Assistant in as many places as possible, but it might use early access on the Pixelbook as a selling point.

Via: 9to5Google

Source: David Cannon (YouTube)

Pocket Mortys to donate all proceeds earned on Sunday to help hurricane relief efforts in Puerto Rico

This Sunday would be a good time to spend that Google Play credit!

Now there’s another reason to play Pocket Mortys. Besides being incredibly fun, Adult Swim Games has pledged to donate any cash it makes via the game on Sunday, October 1 to help Hurricane Maria relief in Puerto Rico.

The game itself is free to play, but ads and in-app purchases can make for a sizable amount of money, especially now that we have an extra incentive to hand it over to the company. It’s fun to play and chances are you would probably spend a little coin because of it, but this news removes any excuse to not part with a buck or two.

If you’re wondering how to be good humans, play Pocket Mortys on Sunday when all proceeds benefit hurricane relief efforts in Puerto Rico.

— Pocket Mortys (@PocketMortys) October 1, 2017

Remember, Google Play credit can be used to buy in-app purchases, and plenty of us have upwards of $100 or more by using the Opinion Rewards app. There’s no better time to spend it!

Samsung is the latest tech titan to open an AI lab in Canada

If it wasn’t already clear that Canada is becoming a hotbed for AI research, it is now: Samsung has opened an AI lab (shown below) at the Université de Montréal. The school’s faculty and students (including long-time Samsung partner Prof. Yoshua Bengio) will collaborate with South Korean researchers on a slew of AI-related projects, including self-driving car technology, image recognition, translation and robots. While you may not see the first fruits of this lab for years, it underscores both Samsung’s increasing dependence on AI and the tech industry’s rapid shift to the north.

It’s no secret that Samsung wants (and arguably, needs) to bolster its AI work. The Bixby assistant is already a tentpole feature for Samsung’s smartphones, and it’s spreading to devices like smart speakers or even appliances. If it’s going to be a success, it needs to rapidly evolve past its current rough state and become something you’d actually prefer — especially since it does have relatively unique features like object identification. Combine this with Samsung’s early autonomous driving and robotics work and it’s possible that the fate of the company could hinge on the strength of its AI labs.

And one thing’s for sure: Canada’s investment in AI (it earmarked $125 million in federal funding, among other initiatives) is leading to a fierce battle for talent, particularly in Montreal. While major brands are researching AI across the country, such as Google’s DeepMind office in Edmonton and Apple’s self-driving unit in Ottawa, Montreal was already home to teams from Facebook, Google and Microsoft. If Samsung didn’t open an AI lab in the city, it risked losing talent. It’s hard to say how much longer this trend will continue, but it’s easy to see other big names following suit out of fears they’ll miss a big AI breakthrough.

Source: Samsung Newsroom, Universite de Montreal

SEC accuses two digital coin creators of ripping off investors

While initial coin offerings aren’t prohibited in the US like they are in China and South Korea, authorities are still keeping a close eye on them. Case in point: the US Securities and Exchange Commission’s first ICO-related charges brought against a businessman and his two companies. SEC has accused Maksim Zaslavskiy of defrauding investors by selling virtual currencies backed by assets that don’t exist.

Zaslavskiy advertised his first company called REcoin Group Foundation as “The First Ever Cryptocurrency Backed by Real Estate.” According to the agency, he told investors that REcoin has a “team of lawyers, professionals, brokers and accountants” snapping up real estate properties, but truth is that he had never hired anyone to work for the company. Zaslavskiy also reportedly told potential investors that REcoin had already raised between $2 million and $4 million, but the actual amount he had raised was closer to $300,000.

After the government started interfering in REcoin’s activities, he founded the Diamond Reserve Club, which promised to use people’s money to invest in diamonds. SEC said DRC never invested in diamonds and never even started its business operations, but it acted as if it had done both while soliciting investors. The agency has obtained a court order to freeze Zaslavskiy’s assets, as well as his companies’. However, SEC New York director Andrew M. Calamari still wants to warn people about the dangers of putting money into ICOs, which could easily be used as a tool for scamming:

“Investors should be wary of companies touting ICOs as a way to generate outsized returns. As alleged in our complaint, Zaslavskiy lured investors with false promises of sizeable returns from novel technology.”

Via: Coindesk, TechCrunch

Source: US Securities and Exchange Commission

Amazon’s new Fire TV supports picture-in-picture and recording

Amazon is mainly selling the new Fire TV’s hardware-dependent features, such as 4K HDR video and Dolby Atmos sound, but there are some key software improvements, too. The online shopping giant has revealed that the device’s Fire OS 6 underpinnings run on Android Nougat, enabling app features specific to Google’s not-quite-latest platform. You can play picture-in-picture video within apps, so you don’t have to disrupt your show while you check settings. There’s a framework for time-shifting to pause and rewind live video. And apps can record content, including scheduling that can grab content automatically. This doesn’t mean that you’ll be ripping video from your favorite streaming service, but it does make it relatively easy for Fire TV apps to include DVR-like functions or capture epic game sessions. Just don’t expect these features to reach your older hardware.

As Amazon notes, there are no plans “at this time” to upgrade earlier Fire TV devices to OS 6. In other words, you’ll need this latest Fire TV if you want to run apps that use Android’s built-in support for PIP, time-shifting and recording. This doesn’t preclude developers from writing their own solutions for previous-generation gear, but you’re that less likely to get app features that you might see on Android TV or mobile Android devices.

Via: AFTVnews, 9to5Google

Source: Amazon

South Korea cracks down on use of digital cash for crowdfunding

South Koreans who were planning to raise funds using cryptocurrency will have to find an alternative method. The country has decided to follow in China’s footsteps and has banned raising money through all forms of virtual currency, according to Reuters. As TechCrunch noted, businesses around the globe have raised over $1.8 billion this year using the method known as initial coin offering or ICO. It’s a convenient way to gather funding for various products, but it’s not regulated and could easily be used to scam millions out of investors.

People could take advantage of the tool to sell products that don’t exist or gather support for projects that will never materialize. That’s why the South Korean government was alarmed by the increasing number of ICOs in the country. It said anyone involved in ICOs will be hit by “stern penalties,” though Reuters said South Korea’s financial regulator didn’t elaborate on what kind of penalties are waiting for people who break the new rule.

Via: TechCrunch

Source: Reuters

Facebook could let you log in using facial-recognition software

Why it matters to you

Locked out of your Facebook account? Just smile into the camera to get back in.

Getting locked out of your Facebook account is never a fun time. How else, after all, are you supposed to keep tabs on important information, like who is the latest former classmate to get engaged? But now, the key to getting back into your Facebook account might be the simplest thing of all — your face. As per a recent screen grab from The Next Web’s Matt Navarra, the social media giant is testing a facial recognition tool to help you sign into the platform. Because there’s something oddly poetic about using your face to get into Facebook.

NEW! Facebook working on a facial recognition feature to help secure your account

h/t Devesh Logendran pic.twitter.com/demol4dKj1

— Matt Navarra ⭐️ (@MattNavarra) September 29, 2017

Online security has been a hot topic as of late, especially with major breaches like those affecting Equifax and Deloitte in the last few weeks. And while Facebook already has certain measures in place like two-factor authentication, the facial recognition bit could be the most straightforward method yet.

Facebook has confirmed that it is indeed testing such a feature, telling TechCrunch, “We are testing a new feature for people who want to quickly and easily verify account ownership during the account recovery process. This optional feature is available only on devices you’ve already used to log in. It is another step, alongside two-factor authentication via SMS, that were taking to make sure account owners can confirm their identity.”

As ever, Facebook is testing this new functionality first with a select group of users, and if it proves popular and/or useful, the company could roll it out to a wider swath of its user base. They’ll have to first confirm, naturally, that it is foolproof. After all, if a hacker needs only to hold a picture up to the camera in order to bypass the test, then it’s not exactly serving its purpose.

Facial recognition software isn’t exactly new to Facebook either. Most users are familiar with the suggested tags functionality in the platform, which hasn’t always been the most popular feature. That said, this particular application could prove less alarming to folks — after all, it’s meant to be used exclusively for security purposes, and could make hacking your account significantly more difficult than before.

Amazon Fire OS update based on Android Nougat, will add new features

Why it matters to you

If you’re a fan of Android Nougat, you’ll love Amazon’s Nougat-based Fire OS 6, which comes with picture-in-picture mode and more.

Amazon recently just announced, albeit quietly, that its Android-based Fire OS for Fire TV has been upgraded. The Amazon Fire TV Gen 3 will be launching with Fire OS 6, which is based on Android 7.1.2, otherwise known as Android Nougat. It seems that the update first appeared on one of Amazon’s developer pages and was later reported on by Android Police.

But what about the previous Fire TV devices — will they be getting an upgrade as well? In response to this question, Amazon has simply said, “At this time, the previous Fire TV devices will not uplevel to Fire OS 6.”

On the developer’s page, Amazon wrote, “Amazon Fire TV Gen 3 runs on Fire OS 6, which is based on Android Nougat (Android 7.1.2, level 25). However, previous Fire TV devices (Fire TV Stick Gen 1 and 2, Fire TV Gen 1 and 2, and Fire TV Edition) remain on Fire OS 5 (which is based on Lollipop, or Android 5.1, level 22, and some backported Marshmallow).”

So it looks like the upgrade will only be for the third-generation Fire TV. However, it is possible that the update for existing devices will come in sometime the future, since Amazon didn’t necessarily say that they will never be updated.

Amazon Fire OS 6 will also be coming with some nifty features. It will include picture-in-picture mode, which will allow Fire TV to play videos in a small window while you browse for other videos. It will give you the ability to record content — multiple shows at a time — as well as schedule recordings much like a DVR, and allows users to pause, rewind, or even fast-forward through live content.

In addition, Fire OS 6 will be launching with 4K and Alexa support. Although Android Nougat came with the multi-window feature when Google first launched it, the developer’s page does not mention whether or not this will be available for Fire OS 6. So it’s very possible we won’t be seeing that feature here.

Another feature that gives users more control over the app is the ability to check permissions at runtime. And users will also have the ability to revoke individual permissions when they are prompted. Additionally, Amazon recently announced a bunch of new Echo devices.

You can’t have legendary adventurers and heroic quests without an ‘Epic Tavern’

Why it matters to you

If you’re a fan of management sims with a RPG flavor, keep an eye on this one over the next few months.

Every Dungeons & Dragons quest seems to start at the local tavern. There you are, minding your own business, having a quick pint or two before heading home, when you get to talking with a friendly orc about a dungeon rumored to be nearby. Soon an elf joins your table, then a couple of dwarf brawlers, and before you know it, your little raiding party is headed for the hills, more than a little drunk and looking for some treasure.

If you’ve ever wanted to run your own bar frequented by characters straight out of a D&D game, then Epic Tavern might be right up your alley, a promising upcoming RPG/management game currently in Early Access on Steam. As the tavern owner (or “Tavernmaster,” as the devs refer to it), it’s your job to attract different wandering adventurers to your watering hole and then send them out on quests for gold and loot … or to their doom.

The first order of business is to build a respectable establishment and attract some adventurous clientele. This means providing the basics any rugged dungeon crawler would need, such as food, drinks, lodging, and the occasional barroom brawl. Eventually, as your relationships with your customers improves, you’ll get the opportunity to recruit them for various quests.

Run a nice medieval dive bar and you’ll attract even hardier adventurers for your expeditions. Your patrons run the gamut, from skillful mages to burly warriors to stealthy assassins. The quests themselves are reminiscent of a D&D-style campaign. Select a party with the skills you think they’ll need, equip them with weapons and armor, and send them off to do your bidding. On their return from a successful quest, they’ll reward you with cash, various items, and occasionally even tavern upgrades.

The game is the very first title from Hyperkinetic Studios, which nevertheless packs some industry veterans behind the bar. The development team features Tomo Moriwaki from Electronic Arts, Dave Padilla of Sony Pictures, and music composer Neal Acree (World of Warcraft, Diablo III, Starcraft II).

“Epic Tavern’s dynamic systems ensure no two players’ stories will be the same,” Rich Bisso, Co-Founder of Hyperkinetic Studios said in a press release. “We’ve built the tools so Tavernmasters can create and run the fantasy inn of their dreams and be at the heart of every adventure.”

The successful Kickstarter campaign for Epic Tavern raised 170% of its goal, and the early reviews on Steam are pretty positive. The game is generating some buzz in the industry and it’s currently available in Early Access on Steam for $25.

Google Assistant is coming to Chromebooks

The latest Google Home app has confirmed that Google Assistant will be launching soon for Chromebooks.

Since launching alongside last year’s Pixel phones, Google Assistant has since expanded to all Android devices running Android 6.0 Marshmallow and later, Google Home, Android Wear devices, headphones, and most recently, Android TV. With almost all bases covered, it looks like Google Assistant will be launching on one more platform.

9to5Google reports that the Chat with your Assistant game lists supports for Google Home, Allo, Android phones, Chromebooks, and iOS devices. Just to drive the point home (pun intended) even further, there’s an icon of a laptop, right next to an icon of a Google Home and a smartphone. Elsewhere, ChromeUnboxed has found solid evidence that the new Pixelbook will feature a hardware button specifically for triggering Google Assistant. Even without the physical key, Assistant support is important going forward as Chrome looks like it will replace Android (the operating system, not the APIs) on tablets.

Google is expected to announce the Pixelbook, as well as the next Pixel phones and the Google Home Mini at a press event on October 4th. It’s highly likely that support for Assistant on Chrome would also be part of this event, and we don’t have too long to wait.

Would you use Google Assistant on a Chromebook? Let us know down below!

Learn more about Google Assistant!