Twitter’s ‘premium’ tools let more apps use your data

Twitter hasn’t exactly been known for a developer-friendly attitude, but it’s tackling that issue today. The social site has unveiled a “premium” programming framework that bridges the gap between its free-but-limited standard tools and the costly tools limited to big businesses. The initial beta version lets apps and websites not only request more tweets and make more complex requests, but lets them dig through the last 30 days’ worth of Twitter data. Eventually, there will be an option to comb through Twitter’s data history.

How much creators pay depends on how many requests they need to make, but access to higher tiers of access starts at $149 per month. While that’s not trivial, it’s low enough that smaller studios could justify the cost to improve the functionality of their apps.

The move comes alongside a new “self-serve” portal that gives developers a better sense of their data use and, naturally, a quick way to pay for better access when they need it.

Twitter isn’t doing this strictly to be more accommodating. It’s eager to turn a profit, and offering a mid-tier option could pad its bottom line as many more companies sign up. At the same time, this does promise a positive effect. Developers may be more likely to include Twitter-based features in their apps and sites now that they don’t have to choose between the basic framework and an expensive option that may be overkill. There’s also a chance that some who were already using the free tools will pay extra and deliver more powerful features than you’re used to. So long as companies are prevented from misusing data, this could be a very welcome move.

Source: Twitter Developer Blog

‘Final Fantasy XV’ hero Noctis heads to ‘Tekken 7’ next year

Given what cross-promotion Square Enix has done to bring other games into Final Fantasy XV, it’s no surprise that they’re lending out some of its elements, too. The hero of last year’s hit RPG, Prince Noctis, will be added to the roster of Tekken 7 sometime in Spring 2018, though it seems you’ll need to buy the fighting game’s Season Pass to unlock him.

Noctis Lucis Caelum from @FinalFantasy XV is coming to @TEKKEN 7 in Spring 2018! Check out these new screenshots of his moves and stage! Get the Season Pass now @ https://t.co/vpMrP45qKq to secure Geese Howard & Noctis when they enter the ring! pic.twitter.com/TPy19VbIfM

— Bandai Namco US (@BandaiNamcoUS) November 14, 2017

Given the hours upon hours you spend slashing up enemies in Final Fantasy XV, it’s a no-brainer to throw Noctis in Bandai Namco’s brawler. Then again, Final Fantasy heroes (okay, just Cloud) have a history of dropping into fighting games where they don’t belong. The FFVII protagonist was officially added to Super Smash Bros for Nintendo 3DS and wii U back in 2015, half a decade after fans hacked the game’s Wii predecessor to add Cloud.

Source: Bandai Namco (Twitter)

Google Home app features improved interface and search

Google Home is becoming all sorts of useful. You can already use the family of smart speakers along with Chromecast to control your Spotify and Netflix accounts, watch CBS All Access and CW television shows, and manage YouTube’s live TV service. Now, Google is updating the Google Home app with a new, more useful layout, recommended streaming content, a better search system, redesigned controller interfaces and even movie trailers.

The updated app is available today in the Google Play store; the iOS app was apparently updated a few days back. The updates are all aimed at making the Home experience just a bit more intuitive, like putting important navigation buttons at the bottom of the app’s screen. You’ll get a new list of recommended content from all the streaming services you use, and new search filters for actors, artists, genres and categories. If you use Android, your Home app can now cast movie trailers to your big screen TV from your phone. You can also set bass and treble settings for your connected Home speakers right in the app.

Source: Google

‘Dinner Party’ is a VR spin on the most famous alien abduction story

It was just a normal dinner party, with music on in the background and guests splintered off in lively conversation. But just as we were about to sit down to eat, our hostess made a startling confession. She and her husband recently went through a traumatic experience. Rather than just spell it out for us, she played an audio recording of a hypnosis session, which turned out to be their retelling of an alien abduction. Okay, it wasn’t a typical supper shindig.

Even if you’re a UFO skeptic, there’s a good chance you’ve heard the story of Betty and Barney Hill. In 1961, the interracial couple was involved in one of the first widely reported alien abduction incidents. Dinner Party, which premieres at the Engadget Experience today in LA, tells their story through virtual reality. It does more than just let you relive an alien abduction: Creator Lauren Wexler is also aiming to explore the racial dynamics around the event.

After all, the couple each retold the “abduction” in unique ways. And when viewed through a modern lens, their story sounds more like a traumatic traffic stop — the sort of thing that a black man might experience rather than a white woman.

While Dinner Party is only partially completed at this point, it’s clear that Wexler and her team are aiming to create something more immersive than just sitting on a couch and slapping on a VR headset. It’s set up like you’re actually having a group meal with the Hills. I entered a room with an enormous dining table, which featured fancy plate settings and the usual ornaments you’d roll out for impressing your friends. As you’d expect, every seat also featured a Gear VR headset and headphones.

The experience kicks off with Betty recounting the beauty of the stars, which are rendered right in front of you. Eventually, I realized I also had a bird’s eye view of the Hill’s living room when I looked down. In one smooth, continuous take, the camera slowly panned down and through the space, which is rendered in 360-degree video. I ended up spinning in my seat several times to observe everything happening around me. A plate dropped, and everyone turned their attention to Betty, who went on to pull out the hidden tape.

As she hit play, the camera swooped through a nearby window, and we transitioned to the couple driving peacefully through upstate New York. The trees and road weren’t fully rendered yet, but that didn’t matter much since I was mainly focused on the couple. Barney complained about having to make a long drive back home to New Hampshire from Montreal, while Betty nestled in his shoulder. Suddenly, a bright light appeared behind them, and the panic-stricken pair could only hold each other as they braced themselves for the unknown.

Dinner Party

That’s just the first half of Dinner Party, though. Wexler says the second half will explore the couple’s different experiences during the abduction. She’s hoping to have the entire experience ready by early next year, just in time to submit to film festivals.

Wexler aims to make this the first of an ongoing VR series called The Incident, which will tackle famous supernatural tales through a new lens. Think of it as a virtual reality spin on The Twilight Zone. While she hasn’t decided on the next topic yet, she’s intrigued by the story of Doris Bither, the subject of The Entity haunting. Given VR’s ability to transport us to entirely new worlds, it seems like a fitting tool to explore the supernatural.

Dinner Party was made possible through funding from the Engadget Alternate Realities grant program, established in May 2017. It debuted, along with four other prize-winning immersive-media projects, at the Engadget Experience on November 14th, 2017.

What could make the iPhone’s dual lenses more awesome? Why, lasers of course

Apple’s dual cameras brought features such as DSLR-like bokeh to smartphones, but the next camera tech the company is focusing on could make those features look old school in comparison. An anonymous source inside the company recently told Bloomberg that Apple is working on a 3D laser system that expands the camera’s capabilities — and increases the realism of augmented reality effects.

The tech works similarly to the iPhone X’s front-facing sensor that allows users to unlock the phone with their face and fake studio lighting on selfies, but brings a similar idea to the rear-facing camera. While similar in concept and the use of lasers, the rear-facing system would instead measure how long it takes each laser to bounce off a surface, in order to create a depth map of the scene. By timing how long it takes for the laser to travel to those surfaces, the iPhone could create a much more detailed depth map then what the two offset dual cameras can create.

A better depth map could in turn be a big boon for augmented reality. With more data about where everything is in the scene, the future iPhone could create a more realistic placement of AR objects. If the smartphone understands the scene in three dimensions, the placement of virtual objects, and even movement, could be adjusted to fit within that specific space.

The unnamed source suggested that the feature could be coming in 2019, but says that the feature may not make it into the final version if the 3D laser system doesn’t do well in testing. With Apple not discussing unreleased products, the feature can be added to a growing list of iPhone rumors. The company is rumored to be releasing a more budget-friendly iPhone alongside a larger, pricier model in 2018. While initial reports suggested the same TrueDepth tech that allows facial ID, analysts later said the company would be instead focusing on new models with that feature in the front-facing camera, a rumor that supports the claim the feature is coming in 2019.

Depth information is becoming increasing available in high-end smartphones, but the tech behind the feature varies. The iPhone Plus smartphones (including the 7 Plus and the X) compare the views from two different lenses to add depth effects. The Google Pixel 2 instead compares the view from opposite sides of a pixel, a variation that works with the dual pixel autofocus system.

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Compare the gravity on different planets with the Space Museum desk toy

Whether you view it as an educational tool or a geeky space-themed desk toy, there is something incredibly cool about Kristoph Krisjans’ latest Kickstarter campaign. Having previously created the “Moondrop” fidget toy to simulate how gravity affects objects on the moon, Krisjans is now casting his gravitational net a bit wider to let you compare gravitational forces on all eight planets in our solar system.

To do this, the so-called “Space Museum” tabletop display is composed of eight different, precisely machined planetary spheres of equal size, but different weights, intended to represent each planet’s gravity. The Earth unit acts as a kind of control, against which you can compare every other sphere.

Each sphere is made of the same high-grade aluminum (with the exception of the super heavy Jupiter ball, which is stainless steel), but different ones have differently sized hollows in the center so that they weigh the correct relative amounts. It’s a fun demonstration of just how much gravity fluctuates between planets — brought to life in a way that no textbook can quite manage.

While we haven’t yet been able to lay our hands on a Space Museum kit, the high-quality finish looks equally well thought out — with each laser-engraved sphere anodized a different color, based on planet photos from NASA to achieve the correct color tones. The spheres also come in a collector’s case inspired by the toned-acrylic glass used in astronaut helmet visors.

“I believe that whether you are a passionate space enthusiast or just want to discover more about outer space, Gravity Museum would create an exciting way to explore the universe,” Krisjans told Digital Trends. “It would also be a great way to present the science and space exploration to the young generation. It is much easier to excite a person by showing them the physical process than by telling the theory behind it.”

If you want to get hold of a Space Museum of your own, you can currently pre-order one on Kickstarter, with prices starting at $92. Shipping is set to take place in March — if you can … weight that long.

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Face ID is fooled again as 10-year-old unlocks mom’s iPhone X using his own face

When the iPhone X was first announced, it was widely agreed that its most impressive feature was Face ID, which replaced the traditional way of unlocking your phone via Touch ID. While Apple reassured users that it was extremely secure and couldn’t be fooled, a recent video showing a 10-year-old unlocking his mother’s iPhone X proves otherwise.

In the video, the mother explains that even though she set up the facial recognition to her face specifically, her 10-year-old son is still able to unlock it with his. They then demonstrate both the mother unlocking her phone by looking at the screen, followed by her son doing the exact same thing. He points the iPhone X at the camera to show that it’s locked and then again, after staring at the screen, to prove it’s been unlocked.

Face ID uses a neural engine to map the contours and shape of your face in real time. Upon receiving your iPhone X, you’re prompted to set up your Face ID profile. Doing this involves rotating your head in a circular motion — twice — to capture all the different angles of your face.

Next, all you need to do is swipe up the lock screen while looking at your device and you’ll see the padlock icon unlock. Apple has said in the past that there is only a one-in-a-million chance someone can get around the system, and it can’t be confused by hairstyles, beards, or hats.

But the mother-son video shows otherwise. After handing the locked iPhone X off to her son, he was able to unlock it without any issues. It took him only a second to stare at the screen while simultaneously swiping up to reveal the home screen.

According to Wired, the son was able to unlock his mother’s phone after she first registered her face. But after re-registering her face, it no longer gave her son easy access to the device. To take the testing even further, she decided to replicate the same lighting as the first time she set up her Face ID profile and found that her son was able to unlock the phone again.

This isn’t the first time Face ID has been fooled. A video produced by the security firm Bkav shows Face ID being hacked by a mask. The mask in the video is intricately put together, with a silicone nose, specially crafted “skin”, and 3D-printed parts.

It’s important to note that with Face ID, you can only set up one Face ID profile per iPhone — unless you delete one and add another. But Apple recommends to never reset your Face ID, since Face ID’s performance improves the more you use it. Over time, it’s continually updating its model of you. After unlocking it consistently, it could be that the AI learned the young boy’s features, which allowed him access each time.

We’ve reached out to Apple for comment and will update this article with a response.

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Take a sneak peek at the Best Buy Black Friday deals before you buy

With Black Friday on the horizon, it’s becoming easier and easier to find a great deal. Though this buying holiday has predominantly been about waking up at the crack of dawn and rushing to your local retailer, the times are starting to change. Just last year, we saw about 10 million more Americans shopping online than in store.

It may be tempting to skip those Black Friday lines and join the online shopping revolution, but there are still some stores, like Best Buy, that make it worth your while to show up bright and early. To help you on your quest for the ultimate deal, here is a little preview of the Best Buy Black Friday deals.

You can also check out the Amazon Black Friday Deals Store for holiday savings available now.

Best Buy Black Friday preview

Best Buy’s doors will be opening at 5 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day, but don’t worry, some of these deals will be available online as well. Check out the Best Buy Black Friday preview to see the full list of deals, or take a look at our favorites below.

Product availability may vary by store location.

Sharp 50-inch 4K Ultra HD TV — $180

Save $320 on this 50-inch 4K TV. This particular television will be available in stores only, so you’ll have to plan you’re Black Friday route accordingly to take full advantage of this great deal. Make sure to take a look at our review before you buy, though.

You can also check out our favorite 4K TV deals for more options available right now.

Preview

128GB Apple iPad Mini 4 — $275

Normally priced at $400 this Black Friday deal will save you $125 on a brand new iPad. If you’re looking to do a little research before diving headfirst into that iPad life, you check out our hands-on review.

You can also take a look at our practical guide for choosing an iPad to help you decide.

Preview

Google Home Mini — $30 + Gift Card

Save $19 on this Google smart home device and you will also receive a $10 Best Buy gift card with your purchase. Choosing the right smart home device can be difficult, however, so make sure you read our review before you buy.

You can also see how it matches up to Amazon’s Echo dot to help you make the right decision.

Preview

Apple MacBook Air — $800

Normally priced at $1,000 this MacBook will be available for $200 off retail during Black Friday. If you’re an avid Apple follower, then you know that discounts on Apple products are quite rare, so you don’t want to miss this one.

You can also check out our guide for buying a MacBook for more info.

Preview

Xbox One S 500GB Console — $190

With the arrival of the Xbox One X, stores will be providing deep discounts to the Xbox One S. Save $90 on an awesome gaming console this Black Friday at Best Buy.

You can also check out a list of our favorite Xbox games to find the best games available now.

Preview

Looking for more great deals on tech and electronics? Check out our deals page or sign up for our deals newsletter for weekly updates and exclusive offers.

We strive to help our readers find the best deals on quality products and services, and choose what we cover carefully and independently. If you find a better price for a product listed here, or want to suggest one of your own, email us at dealsteam@digitaltrends.com.Digital Trends may earn commission on products purchased through our links, which supports the work we do for our readers.

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Gentlemen, start your engines: Here’s how to watch Formula 1 online

Every Formula 1 Grand Prix event is like a Super Bowl, All-Star Game, and championship party rolled into one. If that doesn’t sound exciting enough, you merely need to remember there are 20 of them each year, scattered across some of the most vibrant and affluent cities in the world. From Monaco to Abu Dhabi, you won’t want to miss even a tenth of a second when it comes to engine roars and tire squeals.

While Lewis Hamilton has already won this year’s championship, and Mercedes-AMG took home the constructor’s championship for the fourth year in a row, the action continues because the season isn’t over yet. Ready to tune in? there are a number of ways to stay up to date on one of the few driving sports that actually gives NASCAR a run for its money. Here is how to watch Formula 1 online.

Streaming options

NBC Formula 1 Live Extra

If you really want to watch Formula 1 racing online and see everything as it unfolds live, then you’ll likely have to opt for NBC. Doing so allows you stream all of the live coverage, so long as you have a compatible cable or satellite TV package.

While NBC disperses the event coverage to a number of different networks, such as CNBC and NBCSN, every race is available for viewing on the NBC Sports site or within the accompanying iOS or Android app. The software is free to download, however, you’ll still need a valid username or password from your television service provider. Once obtained, you can watch each Grand Prix race live from anywhere you have an Internet connection and connected device.

Web iOS Google Play Windows Phone

Other resources

Formula 1 subreddit

While the Formula 1 subreddit offers a few streaming options that are further from the beaten path, it mainly serves as a great resource for discussion and information regarding the world of Formula 1 racing. The user-curated news and updates provide an excellent backdrop for arguing about which constructor brought the best sidepods of the year, or which driver exhibits the best consistency. On top of that, each Grand Prix features a dedicated thread for discussing the event, one in which users from every fanbase squabble and root for their team while chiding others.

Even if you don’t typically watch Formula 1, you’ll find Reddit’s active user base eager to bring newcomers into the fold, along with a wealth of non-F1 related topics you easily spend an entire afternoon perusing — if you can find the time.

Official Formula 1 site

If you want spot-on information, you have to go straight to the source. The official Formula 1 site currently doesn’t offer live streaming for any price, though it does offer a wealth of information on the various teams, constructors, and previous tournaments. The site compensates for the lack of live video with constant highlights, edited shots of the best moments for each team and event, and robust photo galleries of the individual cars and drivers.

Really want to get in on the action? If you sign up for a free account on the Formula 1 site, you can access the same live timing app that the teams use to monitor their drivers in the pits. You’ll get up-to-the-second competition data, vehicle information, and even notes from pit crews and coaches as the race progresses.

Playstation Vue

Don’t have cable or satellite? Don’t want to watch on your smartphone or tablet? Thanks to Playstation’s Vue app, you can stream live F1 coverage through your PS3 or PS4 console to your TV. Playstation’s Vue app uses NBC’s stream, which means you’ll still have to sit through commercials here and there, but you do get coverage of all NBC’s broadcast resources. Some of the highlights of the app include DVR ability so you can watch races you missed later, and pause/rewind/fast-forward controls. One of the only drawbacks is that the app will stop coverage abruptly and jump forward if your internet lags (if you have high-speed internet, this part won’t be an issue).

International streaming options

Channel 4: C4F1 (U.K.)

Those of you living in the U.K. have two good streaming options. The first is Britain’s live television broadcast. Channel 4’s C4F1 will show 10 live races, including the Monaco Grand Prix. The remainder of the races will be shown in delayed highlights. Though Channel 4’s race coverage is limited, if you have the proper receiver equipment, you can watch via free-to-air (FTA) broadcast.

Sky Sports F1 (U.K.)

Sky Sports gives you three ways to watch every Formula 1 race: On live TV — via a “Now TV” pass — and via  Sky Go. Unlike channel 4, Sky Sports doesn’t have any gaps in live coverage — every race is shown. If you have a cable or satellite TV package, you can watch the races on its dedicated channel. If you don’t want to pay for a monthly TV package, you can purchase a Now TV pass for the day, week, or month. If you prefer to watch on your mobile device, just download the Sky Go app or go to the live streaming page, and enjoy.

Antenna 3 (Spain)

Like NBC, Channel 4, and Sky Sports, Antenna 3 is a domestic TV channel for Spanish viewers. Antenna 3 has shown live F1 races since 2012. Like the other TV providers, Antenna 3 requires a cable or satellite TV package, but subscribers can watch races online via the Atres media player.

Sport 1 (Netherlands)

Sport 1 is the official Formula 1 broadcast in the Netherlands. In addition to uninterrupted live race coverage, Sport 1 has dedicated channels for pit lane and onboard camera footage. You can sign up for Sport 1 via traditional TV subscription or pay-per-view. Sport1 offers an online viewing option or streaming via the Ziggo Sport app.

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Action Launcher v31 adds adaptive folders, Essential Phone support, and more

New features, bug fixes, and a bigger focus on performance/stability are in store with Action Launcher v31.

The Google Play Store is filled with third-party launchers to tweak and customize the look of your phone, but one that we keep coming back to is Chirs Lacy’s Action Launcher. The last v30 update that landed in late October added the Pixel 2’s At a Glance widget and further customization options for the Quickbar, and now that v31 of the app is here, there are even more goodies to check out.

One of the biggest additions to Action Launcher with v31 is adaptive folders. Just like how adaptive icons change the shape of all your app icons to create for a more cohesive look, adaptive folders allow your app folders to match the shape of whatever your current adaptive icon style is set to. To celebrate this new feature, Lacy is making adaptive icon support free for all users – something that was previously reserved for Action Launcher Plus.

Also new with v31 is official support for the Essential Phone, the ability to use Google’s Product Sans front throughout your entire desktop for an even more Googley look, as well as support for pinned widgets and shortcuts from other apps.

Adaptive folders in Action Launcher v31.

Top this off with more than 20 different bug fixes, a dedicated support site, and a renewed focus on overall stability and performance of the launcher, and there’s a lot here to take in.

Action Launcher v31 is live on the Play Store now.

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