T-Mobile proposal might salvage a merger with Sprint

Earlier this week, reports surfaced that Sprint’s parent company, Japan’s SoftBank group, was going to call off the carrier’s impending merger with T-Mobile. They’d worked out a broad agreement but couldn’t agree on an ownership ratio. But a source told the Wall Street Journal today that T-Mobile produced a new offer that Sprint is considering, meaning they could reach a deal in a few weeks. Or they could, once again, disagree on the terms and leave the merger behind.

We don’t know the new terms, but according to the Wall Street Journal, T-Mobile is working to keep the deal alive. T-Mobile CEO John Legere met with his Sprint counterpart Marcelo Claure on Wednesday night, and the latter company’s board met on Thursday to discuss. Their top concern: Sprint’s valuation and how much its chairman Masayoshi Son, who runs SoftBank, would be able to direct the course of the combined company.

Son had called off the previous deal, which would have given T-Mobile parent company Deutsche Telekom full control of the firm arising from the merged carriers. The new deal’s terms are still unclear.

Source: The Wall Street Journal

Tim Cook on Augmented Reality: ‘What It Will Be, What It Can Be, I Think It’s Profound’

With Apple focusing heavily on augmented reality in iOS 11 through ARKit, Apple CEO Tim Cook received several questions about AR during today’s fourth quarter earnings call. He was, of course, questioned about augmented reality hardware, a question he dodged by explaining that Apple’s all about the experience.

In terms of monetization of AR/VR, we focus first and foremost on customer experience. We’re all about making sure the customer experience is great. We think if we get the experience right, revenue and profits will follow. We’re very much focused on the experience right now.

On augmented reality in general, Cook said there are “fantastic” people at Apple who are working on incredible things, and that Apple is in a “unique position” to lead when it comes to augmented reality.

I view AR as profound. Not today, not the app you’ll see on the App Store today, but what it will be, what it can be, I think it’s profound, and I think Apple is in a really unique position to lead in this area.

Augmented reality “amplifies human performance instead of isolating humans,” Cook explained. “It’s a help for humanity, not an isolation kind of thing for humanity.” He said the “very cool thing” about augmented reality apps is that they’re “all over the place.” There are more than 1,000 ARKit apps in the App Store now, across a wide range of categories like shopping, gaming, entertainment, and business.

“I see apps that make me want to go to K-12 again and repeat my schooling because it changes the game in the classroom,” said Cook. “The real beauty is that [AR] is mainstream and, of course, Apple is the only company that could have brought this because it requires hardware/software integration.” He went on to compare ARKit to the launch of the App Store in 2008 and its subsequent growth.

This is very much like in 2008 when we fired the gun in the App Store. That’s what it feels like to me and I think it will just get bigger from here.

Though Cook focused heavily on software and Apple’s existing augmented reality experiences during the call, rumors have suggested that Apple is exploring augmented reality hardware solutions that go beyond the iPhone, like a set of augmented reality smart glasses. Work on the smart glasses is said to be in the early stages, with many technical hurdles still to overcome, so a launch is not expected for quite some time.

The entirety of Apple’s conference call is now available from Apple’s website.

Related Roundup: Apple VR Project
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iPhone X Shipping Estimates Improve to 3-4 Weeks in the United States and Canada

iPhone X shipping estimates have now improved to 3 to 4 weeks in the United States and Canada, up from a previous shipping estimate of 4 to 5 weeks.

The updated 3 to 4 week shipping estimate applies to all carriers, colors, and capacities, and it means that orders placed today will arrive right around the beginning of December rather than later in the month.

Earlier today, iPhone X shipping estimates improved to 3 to 4 weeks in countries Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East, while shipping estimates were still at 5 to 6 weeks in North America, but now the iPhone X lists the 3 to 4 week shipping estimate in all first wave launch countries.

With shipping estimates improving, customers who have already placed an order for the iPhone X are also seeing their prospective delivery dates bumped up in many cases, and as available supply grows, delivery estimates should continue to improve further.

Just this afternoon, Apple CEO Tim Cook said Apple is working to increase production week by week to get the iPhone X to as many customers as possible as fast as possible.

iPhone X is here! A big thank-you to all our customers in Sydney, and everyone turning out around the world Friday! 👏 pic.twitter.com/5NKXUnePLu

— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) November 2, 2017

As it’s already November 3 in many countries around the world, the first iPhone X models are in the hands of customers. Apple’s U.S. launch will kick off in the United States at 8:00 a.m. local time, with those on the east coast being the first to get the new devices.

Related Roundup: iPhone XBuyer’s Guide: iPhone X (Buy Now)
Discuss this article in our forums

Apple Sharing iPhone X Support Documents and Tips Ahead of Launch

As the launch of the iPhone X approaches in the United States, Apple has started sharing iPhone X support documents and tips that instruct users on how to operate the device.

The iPhone X is the first iPhone that doesn’t feature a Home button, which means there are a range of new gestures to get used to, as well as several functions like Face ID and Animoji.

Support documents, listed below, cover setting up and using Face ID, getting help with Face ID should it fail, creating and sending Animoji, and using gestures to navigate on iPhone X.

– Use Face ID on iPhone X
– Get help with Face ID on your iPhone X
– Use Animoji on your iPhone X
– Use gestures to navigate your iPhone X

Many of these support documents cover features that have been well-outlined in reviews, first impressions, and hands-on experiences with the iPhone X, but it’s useful to have all of the information in one place.

As for Tips, Apple has several short GIFs and images on topics like turning the iPhone X off, using Face ID, Animoji, Tap to Wake, Apple Pay, Multitasking, using Siri, and accessing the Home screen.

The first iPhone X devices are already being delivered in Australia and New Zealand, and deliveries will expand to additional countries as November 3 rolls around across the globe. In the United States, iPhone X deliveries and in-store sales will kick off first on the east coast at 8:00 a.m. local time.

Related Roundup: iPhone XBuyer’s Guide: iPhone X (Buy Now)
Discuss this article in our forums

Google explains how all those Drive files got locked

On Halloween, some Google Docs users got a spooky surprise when they were locked out of their own documents for ‘violating Google’s terms of service.’ The internet titan sent out a fix and a statement assuring Engadget that the lock-out was the result of faulty code that erroneously marked some documents as abusive. The company mentioned automatic digital security mechanisms that protect users from malware and phishing in their Docs and Drive systems — and it seems those were falsely triggered by this code flaw.

In a blog post, Google stated that its automatic security detects and prevents access to files that might contain viruses, malware or ‘other abusive content.’ The bug caused Docs and Drive to misinterpret the signals from these systems, which resulted in erroneously marking particular files as violating TOS. While it’s as much a mea culpa as you’ll get from the internet giant, getting randomly locked out of your own documents was a wake-up call for some users who realized how much they depended on Google to access their cloud-based files — access that can be revoked or shut off by bugs or intention.

Yep. I can’t trust @googledocs, any more. If this was the day before a grant submission, it could literally cost us £100k+

— Leighton Pritchard (@widdowquinn) October 31, 2017

In the post, Google reassured users that it would strive to keep files secure and safe: “We apologize to our users for any inconvenience this incident caused and remain committed to offering high-quality systems that keep their content safe while fully securing their files.”

Source: Google blog

Some Google Pixel 2 XL phones are reportedly shipping without Android

Google’s Pixel 2 smartphone has had a trail of problems following its launch. From software patches to fix audio issues to screen burn-in, the issues keep cropping up, leading the internet titan to extend warranties to make up for everyone’s trouble. So, here’s another: A small number of users are reporting that their Pixel 2 XL devices are shipping without operating systems.

@madebygoogle WTF GOOGLE. https://t.co/Cs84DdKGx5 Thanks for sending a bricked Pixel 2 XL. I’m not alone either: https://t.co/x8XfwG5ESp

— T (@trevorftard) October 30, 2017

Posts on Reddit and the Ars Technica forums are surfacing from users claiming that their Pixel 2 XL devices are being shipped without a proper installation of Android, preventing them from booting. All some see are black screens with the message, “Can’t find valid operating system. The device will not start,” and a link to a support page (which doesn’t list this particular error). We’ve reached out to Google for comment and will add when we hear back.

Source: Android Police

Our ‘Assassin’s Creed Origins’ guide will teach you how to level up fast

In previous Assassin’s Creed games, skill and the right equipment was all you needed to take down nearly any enemy you encountered from the very beginning. Assassin’s Creed Origins changes things up with an RPG-style leveling system, and if you aren’t within a couple of levels of your opponents, you will find yourself dead on the floor in no time. But fear not! If you focus on the right activities, you can keep Bayek on pace to the proper level in very little time, and you will be ready to conquer all that Origins has to offer. Here are the things you need to know when leveling up.

Do side missions

If there is anything you should take away from this guide, it’s this: Do every side mission you can. As you explore Assassin’s Creed Origins’ massive Egyptian setting, you will come across many, many optional missions, which send Bayek out to help out townspeople, kill key enemies, or even hunt wild animals. Not all of the side activities available in a region will be suitable for your current level, but seek out every one with a suggested level within two of your own. As you do them, your level will go up, and some of the previously impossible side missions will be ready to complete. Make sure you return to previously explored locations after you have leveled up, as well, as many of them will have missions that were far too difficult for you the first time you reached the area.

In general, we recommend venturing to the area where your next main quest takes place and completing as many side missions as you can before actually taking on the next bit of story content. If you do this consistently, you will rarely find yourself unprepared for the level recommendation of an upcoming main mission. This is particularly important once you find yourself tasked with taking out the second batch of key characters (following the “Snake” mission) as a few of them will be five or 10 levels too high for Bayek.

Don’t waste your time killing enemies

There are a lot of enemies roaming the roads and farms of Assassin’s Creed Origins. While it may be tempting to stop and assassinate as many as possible as you make your way to your next objective, this is generally a waste of time. The experience you earn for killing an enemy is minuscule, even after unlocking special perks to increase the rewards for specific types of kills. Plus, you can very rarely kill more than one enemy without alerting a whole mess of guards, and you wind up stuck for several minutes fighting a huge crowd or trying to escape.

Even the enemy camps you find — which contain officers who give additional experience — aren’t generally worth the time it takes to complete them. The reward for killing the officers and finding all the loot isn’t bad, but you earn more experience doing missions or exploring the open world.

Don’t forget the towers

As we mentioned in our beginner’s guide, just because you no longer need to climb towers in order to spot key areas and missions doesn’t mean they aren’t important. Towers will earn you about 200 experience points just for climbing them, and you often find them along the paths you were already taking.

In general, the towers are much shorter and less complex than those in other Assassin’s Creed games, so you maybe need a minute to reach the top. You don’t need to go out of your way in order to find a tower, but the little bonus bits of experience you get for synchronizing will add up, and can often get you to the next level without having to complete a full mission.

Complete papyrus puzzles

An easy, fun way to earn some extra experience points is to complete the papyrus puzzles you find scattered throughout towns and key structures. These are simple riddles lead Bayek from the point where he finds them to a relatively close location where he will find extra treasure — often a piece of powerful gear — as well as a nice chunk of change and experience points.

If you completed all the available side missions in an area and still feel like you could gain another level, make sure you haven’t skipped any of the puzzles. You can check on their completion status any time you’re in a town by pressing the left analog stick.

Invest in the right skills with each level

In addition to making sure you’re always ready for your next mission, it’s important to make sure you’re steadily putting points into Bayek’s skill tree. With every level earned, you gain one ability point that you can spend on three different types of skills: Warrior, Hunter, and Seer. Each branch features a fairly natural progression, but it’s important to keep in mind the skills you’re picking up, as well as what skills you’re working toward: Depending on how you choose to play, not all skills are created equal, so make sure you’re expanding your skill set in a way that works for you. On that note, we have some recommendations based on the skills we found to be most important.

Warrior

The Warrior tree is, unsurprisingly, focused on direct melee combat. Of the three available trees, this should be your first priority, as it’s impossible to make it through the majority of the game without engaging with enemies directly.

You should invest your very first skill point in “regeneration,” which gives you the ability to regain health while you’re still in combat. In addition to being essential in combat, it is a prerequisite for many of the other skills in the Warrior tree. Next, choose “charge heavy attack,” which gives you an extra-powerful version of your heavy attack after holding down the R2 or RT button. Against enemies with full-size shields, this is the only way to stagger them from the front.

Hunter

None of the abilities in the Hunter tree are as crucial as those in the Warrior tree, but there are a few you should acquire fairly early on. “Assassination loot” will save you the trouble of having to manually pick up enemies’ loot after assassinating them from stealth. “Assassination XP” gives you an experience bonus for every target you assassinate without being detected. Both of these cost two skill points, so you will have to gain four levels in order to unlock them.

Seer

Like the Hunter tree, the Seer skills are not absolutely necessary from the very beginning, but there are a few that will make your life a whole lot easier as you raise your level. Get “dawn and dusk” as early as possible: The skill, which lets you manually change the time from day to night and vice-versa, comes in handy in several side missions early on. We also recommend the “salesman” skill, which gives you more money for selling items As you loot bodies and find item chests, you get plenty of trinkets to sell to local merchants. Maximizing what you get from shops for that swag will help you upgrade your gear, so your weapons are as prepared as you are.

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Winterize your car with these cold weather tips

The fall weather is here, along with beautiful changing leaves in many parts of the country, but don’t forget winter is right around the corner. Soon, even driving to the grocery store will be a fight against the elements and other drivers. With winter comes freezing temperatures, ice, and snow, all of which posses the ability to turn a leisurely drive downtown into an accident waiting to happen.

The weather puts unusual strain on your vehicle as well, placing demand on parts and equipment you may have overlooked during the sunny heyday that was summer. Below are a few tips on how to winterize your car and come out unscathed when the snow finally starts to melt.

Shelter your car

If you have the ability to put your car in a garage or under an awning, we recommend taking advantage of it. Waking up in the wee hours of the morning to scrape ice off your windows isn’t particularly fun or easy, and keeping ice off your paint will preserve your ride’s finish. Parking your vehicle in a warm, dry area will make leaving in the morning immensely easier. If you don’t have access to covered parking, you can buy a cover at any hardware or auto parts store to keep the snow and cold out. Remember to wash it regularly to get salt off the body, too.

Check your battery

Car batteries and humans have one thing in common — they hate being cold. Even a working battery can refuse to turn over if it doesn’t like the weather. In fact, low temps can reduce a battery’s power by up to 50 percent. Consider replacing your battery, or, at the very least, take it to the mechanic and get it checked before the worst of winter hits. The tests aren’t always 100-percent accurate, so if you’re concerned, simply opt for a new one or purchase a pair of jumper cables. Either way, keep an eye on your battery posts throughout the year and use baking soda, water, and a small wire brush to keep them free of corrosion.

Schedule an inspection

Just like a visit to the doctor, it’s never a bad idea to bring your car to a licensed professional to make sure everything is in working order. Feel free to skip this step if you can perform the checkup yourself, but with the extra strains of winter, a second opinion is never a bad idea.

A mechanic will inform you whether your car’s various systems and parts — the radiator, brakes, etc. — are in tip-top condition, while ensuring your car’s fluids — antifreeze, brake fluid, oil, etc. — are at the correct levels. We also recommend leaving at least a half a tank of gas in your car at all times to prevent your fuel lines from freezing. Changing the oil before winter isn’t a bad idea, either.

Equip chains or snow tires

Now that the inside of the car is taken care of, it’s time to take your maintenance tasks to the outside. Tires are key to driving safe when in icy conditions. Make sure the tread isn’t worn down to less than 1/8 an inch to ensure proper traction, and be on the lookout for square spots in cold places, which comes from warm air rising inside the tire. Your tires will likely round out once you start driving, but if they don’t, you may want to get them checked out as you could have a bigger problem.

Moreover, you should considering buying tire chains or snow tires if you live in an area that gets a good deal of snow. Whereas you typically put the latter option on your vehicle for the entire winter, you can take the former off whenever you see fit. It’s all based on personal preference. If you choose snow tires, check out our guide on how to jack up a car.

Assemble an emergency kit

While there’s certainly ample you can do to prevent ending up in a dangerous situation, you simply can’t plan for everything. That’s why it’s an excellent idea to pack yourself an emergency kit for the worst-case scenario. Consider adding bottled water, food, flares, blankets, a shovel, flashlights, batteries, and a first aid kit. Amazon has a plethora of pre-made emergency packs for sale, and they range from entry-level kits to more inclusive packages that come with phone chargers, radios, and folding saws.

Also, consider buying kitty litter to melt ice if you get stuck. These are things that are always good to have in your car, especially if you’re worried about getting stuck in a snowbank.

Purchase sand bags

Believe it or not, sandbags can be your best friend if you have a truck or a car with rear-wheel drive. Purchase two large bags and put them in the bed of your truck or in the trunk of your car. This distributes more weight over the drive wheels, giving you more traction when you need it most. Worse comes to worse, you can use the sand inside to get moving if you get stuck in snow or slush. Sandbags are relatively cheap, too, and can be found at just about any hardware store.

Check your wiper blades

Ronan Glon/Digital Trends

Discovering your wiper blades are worn out while driving to work in a blizzard makes for a hellish morning. Wiper blades are cheap, easy to change, and often overlooked, especially if you live in an area that doesn’t get much precipitation during the summer months. If you can’t remember the last time you changed them, we recommend stopping by an auto parts store and buying a new set. It won’t cost much, and changing them is a five-minute job that doesn’t require any tooling. Keep in mind some cars (including many SUVs) also have a rear wiper. Top up your windshield washer fluid while you’re at it, too.

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SEC warns all of us that publicly endorsing Bitcoin may be illegal

Why it matters to you

Unless you really think DJ Khalid is giving out proper investment advice, you probably shouldn’t purchase Bitcoin, or any other kind of investment, based on the endorsement of a celebrity.

The United States Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) released a public statement on Wednesday, November 1, warning against the public endorsement of “virtual tokens” on social media networks. The statement called out celebrities who are encouraging cryptocurrency investments and “appear unbiased, but instead may be part of a paid promotion.”

“Any celebrity or other individual who promotes a virtual token or coin that is a security must disclose the nature, scope, and amount of compensation received in exchange for the promotion,” the statement says.

It goes on to say that may these celebrities “or others” may be liable against anti-fraud laws as “unregistered brokers.” In other words, publicly endorsing Bitcoin may be illegal.

A number of celebrities who have used their platforms to push ICOs (initial coin offerings) or other cryptocurrency investments. Coindesk claims that celebrities ranging from Jamie Foxx to Paris Hilton have posted on social media about their participation in a token sale. Check out this Instagram post by music producer DJ Khaled, who touts a cryptocurrency debit card and encourages people to “get their CTR tokens now!”

I just received my titanium centra debit card. The Centra Card & Centra Wallet app is the ultimate winner in Cryptocurrency debit cards powered by CTR tokens! Use your bitcoins, ethereum, and more cryptocurrencies in real time across the globe. This is a Game changer here. Get your CTR tokens now! #CryptoBilli #Bitcoin #Ethereum #Digitalcurrency

A post shared by DJ KHALED (@djkhaled) on Sep 27, 2017 at 4:09pm PDT

The SEC statement speaks vaguely about cryptocurrencies “virtual coins,” but hammers hard on ICOs and token sales in particular. An ICO is a way of raising money around a large, package sale of crypto tokens and have become an important point of discussion in the world of cryptocurrency as a whole just this year.

Although no legal action against celebrities has been reported as of yet, the SEC statement is certainly a shot across the bow that it could come in the future. You may want to think twice before you make that Instagram post about how sweet that new token sale is that you’re participating in.

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Privacy experts worry as app developers get access to iPhone X facial data

Why it matters to you

The iPhone X will bring facial recognition to millions of new users, creating a number of new privacy concerns.

One of the most exciting features surrounding Apple’s new iPhone X is the replacement of Touch ID and the home button with Face ID. Apple touted Face ID as a safer way to unlock your phone, as it has a false positive ratio of 1,000,000:1 (compared to Touch ID at 50,000:1). But the company’s latest decision to share facial recognition data with app developers has privacy experts concerned.

Face ID lets you unlock your phone with just your face. The iPhone X uses depth-sensing technology and 3D mapping to accurately identify your face, and it can be used not just to unlock your phone but to authenticate payments or enter banking apps. Reuters reports Apple will allow third-party app developers access to some of this facial recognition data. With permission from the user, developers can capture a rough image of a user’s face and more than 50 different facial expressions. Developers can then transfer this information to their own servers.

Apple’s decision to open this data up to app developers is likely intended to create a better user experience. Developers like Snapchat or Facebook could use this face-mapping data to create more accurate filters, while game developers could create interactive avatars. Although developers can capture a rudimentary face map and some gestures, the data they receive will not be able to unlock phones or identify anonymous users.

While the Apple agreement allows app developers an opportunity to collect facial recognition data, it explicitly bans developers from using this information for advertising and marketing purposes. Developers are also prohibited from using the data to create a user profile of anonymous users and cannot sell any of the data to third parties.

In addition to Apple’s agreement with app developers, the company still requires an extensive review before any app makes it to the App Store. Apple also has the right to pull any apps from the App Store, although it’s unclear if the company has ever removed an app for sharing information to third parties without permission.

Even with all of these safeguards in place, privacy organizations like the American Civil Liberties Union and the Center for Democracy and Technology remain concerned that developers could inappropriately use facial recognition and expression tracking to cater content and advertisements to users.

Though Apple appears to be going out of its way to ensure facial recognition is used properly, you should carefully read, and consider the source, before allowing developers access to their camera. We reached out to Apple for comment.

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