Artificial intelligence now used in new tools to sharpen your debating skills

The Center for Argument Technology (ARG-tech) located at the University of Dundee now provides tools based on in-house artificial intelligence designed for arguments. While that may sound completely useless given humans do extremely well at arguing each other, this AI is meant to make those arguments more productive, so everyone involved can reach an agreement.

According to ARG-tech director Chris Reed, his group first turned to the BBC’s Moral Maze 10 years ago. They created large “maps” based on every debate that took place on the show, and turned those maps into infographics using an algorithm to “determine the most central themes.” From that data, the team pulled important issues, where participants stood, the highest points in conflict, and more.

The first public look into ARG-tech’s argument technology appeared on a special edition of Moral Maze on BBC Radio 4 in October. It was followed by the team’s BBC-backed Argument Analytics page that digs into that specific episode along with a similar topic that aired five years ago. This page shows a timeline starting on October 11, the participants in the debate, a detailed map of all arguments made, a timestamped timeline of all recorded arguments, and a conflict hotspot timeline.

But you can also participate in virtual arguments to sharpen your skills. The Test Your Argument page on the BBC’s website pits you against virtual participants in a specific argument, and allows you to make three attempts to plead your case and convince others of your personal view. The current debate will last until around April and focuses on anti-abortion in the United Kingdom. You must argue in defense of this specific topic: “The unborn fetus should have human status in its own right.”

Another argument-based tool is called Debater, which is hosted by ARG-tech. Here, you sit in the middle of a virtual Moral Maze debate inhabited by virtual panelists and witnesses. The two available subjects also deal with abortion in the United Kingdom: this should be a decision made only by women, and a collection of cells create a human. After selecting the topic, you choose witnesses and/or panelists to virtually join the discussion.

“Ultimately, the goal is not to build a machine that can beat us at an argument. Much more exciting is the potential to have A.I. software contribute to human discussion — recognizing types of arguments, critiquing them, offering alternative views and probing reasons are all things that are now within the reach of A.I.,”  Reed said.

He views teams of humans and machines working together to intelligently combat complex issues, a move that could change the way humans interact with artificial intelligence. Relying on machines for points of view could be extremely helpful: Their analysis is based on data that is not intertwined with emotions. But that sterile input could also raise additional arguments, especially when topics involve morals and health.

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Artificial intelligence now used in new tools to sharpen your debating skills

The Center for Argument Technology (ARG-tech) located at the University of Dundee now provides tools based on in-house artificial intelligence designed for arguments. While that may sound completely useless given humans do extremely well at arguing each other, this AI is meant to make those arguments more productive, so everyone involved can reach an agreement.

According to ARG-tech director Chris Reed, his group first turned to the BBC’s Moral Maze 10 years ago. They created large “maps” based on every debate that took place on the show, and turned those maps into infographics using an algorithm to “determine the most central themes.” From that data, the team pulled important issues, where participants stood, the highest points in conflict, and more.

The first public look into ARG-tech’s argument technology appeared on a special edition of Moral Maze on BBC Radio 4 in October. It was followed by the team’s BBC-backed Argument Analytics page that digs into that specific episode along with a similar topic that aired five years ago. This page shows a timeline starting on October 11, the participants in the debate, a detailed map of all arguments made, a timestamped timeline of all recorded arguments, and a conflict hotspot timeline.

But you can also participate in virtual arguments to sharpen your skills. The Test Your Argument page on the BBC’s website pits you against virtual participants in a specific argument, and allows you to make three attempts to plead your case and convince others of your personal view. The current debate will last until around April and focuses on anti-abortion in the United Kingdom. You must argue in defense of this specific topic: “The unborn fetus should have human status in its own right.”

Another argument-based tool is called Debater, which is hosted by ARG-tech. Here, you sit in the middle of a virtual Moral Maze debate inhabited by virtual panelists and witnesses. The two available subjects also deal with abortion in the United Kingdom: this should be a decision made only by women, and a collection of cells create a human. After selecting the topic, you choose witnesses and/or panelists to virtually join the discussion.

“Ultimately, the goal is not to build a machine that can beat us at an argument. Much more exciting is the potential to have A.I. software contribute to human discussion — recognizing types of arguments, critiquing them, offering alternative views and probing reasons are all things that are now within the reach of A.I.,”  Reed said.

He views teams of humans and machines working together to intelligently combat complex issues, a move that could change the way humans interact with artificial intelligence. Relying on machines for points of view could be extremely helpful: Their analysis is based on data that is not intertwined with emotions. But that sterile input could also raise additional arguments, especially when topics involve morals and health.

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Elevate your photography with the 20 best camera apps for the iPhone

There’s an old adage amongst photographers that goes, “The best camera is the one you have with you.” The point being that when the perfect scene pops up, any camera is better than no camera at all. And since most of us carry our smartphones with us everywhere we go, the best camera we have is often an iPhone. Moreover, the camera on the newly-launched iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X — and those adorning nearly all recent iPhone models — are nearly as powerful as the point-and-shoots of yesteryear, with a massive selection of sophisticated apps that render them even more versatile. Whether you’re looking for a new way to shoot, edit, or organize your photos, these are the best camera apps for the iPhone that’ll turn any boring shot into a masterpiece.

Looking for Android apps? We have a list of those, too.

Camera+ ($3)

Even with the latest iOS update, Apple’s native camera app is rather anemic when it comes to features. Thankfully, Camera+ provides a wider range of exposure controls and advanced tools such as continuous flash, frontal flash, touch-focus adjustment, 6x digital zoom, a timer, and preset filters. The well-organized interface also makes it a breeze to utilize, whether snapping or sharing shots on social media.

Download now from:

iTunes

ProCamera ($5)

When iOS 8 launched, rather than updating the existing ProCamera app, developer Cocologics decided to go ahead and make an entirely new app. The new app — now optimized for iOS 10 — still sports a minimalist interface, with a host sophisticated features for setting exposure time, tint, ISO sensitivity, and more. It even features a night camera and full-resolution previews in addition to robust exposure control and more than 70 unique filters and effects.

Download now from:

iTunes

Darkroom

The name might be a bit misleading considering the lack of any analog aesthetics, but Darkroom takes a literal approach with a blacked-out interface designed to let your photos shine. The experience is similar to that of Lightroom, in that you can control everything from hue, saturation, and luminosity (HSL) sliders to curves, but also has a touch of other apps such as VSCO with its integrated filter collections. With a 4.9 rating out of 5 in the iOS App Store, it’s a no-brainer — especially considering it’s free.

Download now from:

iTunes

Halide ($5)

Halide is the perfect camera app for beginners who want to start with automatic and slowly work their way up to manual mode. An automatic mode makes it easy to capture great photos on the fly, but tools like focus peaking, RAW capture, and more give ultimate creative control in an easy to navigate app. Halide even includes portrait effects, such as those touted alongside the latest iPhones.

Download now from:

iTunes

Pro HDR X ($2)

ProHDR X is easily one of the most fully-featured apps we’ve encountered in the HDR category. Unlike its predecessor, ProHDR X has completely redesigned its UI to create an interface that’s far more approachable to the casual photographer. It also offers you a wider range of control over exposure adjustments, tone-mapping settings, and the ability to transport your DSLR images (up to 24 megapixels) to the app’s built-in photo library. It also features an array of beautiful preset filters for you to use, if you’re into that sort of thing, along with options for digitally zooming, cropping, captioning, and setting a self timer, among other features.

Download now from:

iTunes

Adobe Photoshop Express

When it comes to photo editing software, nobody does it better than Adobe. Though the mobile version of their renowned desktop software offers a smaller work space than most apps, it’s still one of the most capable after-effects programs you can buy. Popular Photoshop features such as layers, selection tools, and adjustments all make an appearance, as do options for adding text, applying effects, and blending images. Unfortunately, many features are locked behind in-app purchases, so be ready to spend some dough if Express is your photo editor of choice.

Download it now from:

iTunes

Adobe Lightroom

Although many of Lightroom’s tools require a newer model of iPhone to run, it remains one of the most feature-rich apps on our list, particular for photographers who want to edit their workflow while on the move. The app automatically syncs images with its desktop counterpart – whether you’re using images shot on your smartphone or raw images from a DSLR – allowing you to quickly edit, enhance, and share your photos using a variety of familiar tools. With iOS 10, Lightroom now supports RAW image capture and editing.

Download it now from:

iTunes

This $20 LG external DVD writer works great with laptops that no longer have optical drives

Finally you can bust out that dusty movie collection.

This LG 8X USB 2.0 ultra slim portable external DVD writer is down to $19.99 on Amazon. It normally sells for $25. This is a match for a price it only dropped to briefly over the Black Friday weekend. Before that, the last time this DVD writer dropped even as low as $23 was back in 2016.

An external drive like this would be a great way to make music mixes for a long road trip so you don’t have to listen to the radio, or to make some DVDs to watch at home with your favorite digital movie downloads. Or if you have a new laptop that doesn’t have an optical drive, you can use this to install software or watch movies you already own.

Features include:

• 14mm Height Ultra Slim Portable DVD Writer Drive
• USB 2.0 interface (up to 480Mbits/s, USB 3.0 Compatible)
• Max 8x DVDR Write Speed
• Max 24x CD Write Speed

The drive has 4 stars based on more than 2,600 user reviews.

Grab 30 blank discs for $21 to get started with your new drive.

See on Amazon

HTC U11 Life on T-Mobile getting 8.0 Oreo update

Coming to a phone near you.

The HTC U11 Life isn’t a perfect mid-ranger, but it’s also far from the worst. There’s quite a bit to like with the phone, and if you purchased one through T-Mobile in the United States, you’ll soon be getting an update to Android 8.0 Oreo.

As expected with the Oreo update, this brings picture-in-picture, adaptive notification dots, and quite a bit more to the U11 Life. You’ll still find HTC’s Sense skin layered over it, but even so, this is the same Oreo that we know and love.

HTC started rolling out Oreo to the unlocked (non-Android One) version of the U11 Life at the end of November, so it’s nice to see that it didn’t take T-Mobile too terribly long to get it pushed out to its version.

The update appears to weigh in at 1.32GB, so make sure you’re connected to a Wi-Fi network before downloading it.

HTC U11 Life review: High style at a low price, with compromises

Android Oreo

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• Join the Discussion

Deal: Razer Phone now comes with free $180 Bluetooth speaker

Available through December 19.

Despite its many imperfections, it’s clear that there’s a massive want for the Razer Phone. Razer’s first attempt at the smartphone market isn’t necessarily the worst we’ve ever seen, and if the 120Hz refresh rate and sturdy build are reasons enough to overlook its poor camera performance and dim display, there’s a new deal that makes this one of the best times to pick up Razer’s latest.

Between now and the end of December 19, you’ll get a free Leviathan Mini Bluetooth speaker when ordering a Razer Phone through Razer’s website. The Leviathan Mini typically costs $180 on its own, so you could certainly ask for a worse freebie.

The Leviathan Mini supports Bluetooth 4.0, aptX technology, NFC, and claims to offer up to 10 hours of non-stop music playback. You can connect two Leviathan Minis with Razer’s Combo Play feature, and the included carrying case makes transporting the Leviathan Mini as easy as can be.

To take advantage of this deal, add the Razer Phone to your cart, enter in promo code PHLVLUP, apply it, and the Leviathan Mini will automatically pop up.

See at Razer

Huawei confirms Mate 10 Pro will launch on U.S. carriers in 2018

This is a big step for the company.

As great as Huawei’s devices have gotten over the years, the company still has a very minimal presence in the United States. The Huawei brand just isn’t anywhere close to the recognition of Samsung, LG, or even HTC, but this should start to change come next year.

Speaking to ABC News, Huawei’s President of Consumer Business, Richard Yu, confirmed that the company would launch its Mate 10 Pro flagship phone on a United States carrier in 2018. There have been murmurings about this since the Mate 10 and Mate 10 Pro’s announcement, and we’re quite excited to see how this plays out for Huawei.

Per Richard Yu –

We will sell our flagship phone, our product, in the U.S. market through carriers next year. I think we can bring value to the carriers and to consumers. Better product, better innovation, better user experience.

A previous report suggested the Mate 10 Pro would launch on AT&T in the U.S., and now that we have Yu’s word, it’s likely that this will be one of the carriers the phone will be available through. Yu’s wording of “carriers” hints at the Mate 10 Pro launching on more than one, but it’s unclear at this time what other carrier that could be.

More exact details will be shared at CES this coming January, so we won’t have to wait too much longer before getting the final word on what’s going on.

Huawei Mate 10

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Richard Branson is reportedly Virgin Hyperloop One’s new chairman

Earlier this month, Virgin Hyperloop One co-founder Shervin Pishevar took a leave of absence from the company and his venture capital firm Sherpa Capital following allegations of sexual harassment and a November arrest for rape that didn’t result in a charge. Now, Axios reports that Hyperloop One has a new chairman — Richard Branson.

This fall, the Virgin Group invested in Hyperloop One, putting Branson on the board and adding Virgin to the company’s name. With Branson as chairman, the company has also reportedly gained an influx of new funding — $50 million worth — from current investors Caspian Venture Capital and DP World, which are based in Russia and Dubai, respectively. Virgin Hyperloop One was running out of capital and around 300 employees were at risk of losing their jobs if more funding wasn’t obtained.

The company has demonstrated its technology a couple of times this year and hopes to actually start putting it to work in 2018.

Via: The Verge

We’re listening to: Sia, Tove Lo and ‘Where Should We Begin?’

Welcome back to IRL, our series dedicated to the things that Engadget writers have been playing, using, watching and listening to. This week we’re focusing on music and podcasts, from Sia’s Christmas album through to Rihanna’s stunning Anti. First up, executive editor Dana Wollman on the joy of listening to other people’s problems.

Where Should We Begin?

Dana Wollman
Executive Editor

The premise for the podcast Where Should We Begin? is simple and compelling: A noted psychologist (Esther Perel) records couples’ therapy sessions, for your listening pleasure. The series, which launched earlier this year as an Audible exclusive, is now available on the more popular Apple Podcasts, with a new episode of the first season dropping each Friday. As you might expect, the brave couples in question are anonymous, with any identifying details edited out. And the experience of listening in on them is just as voyeuristic as you’d hope.

Each week presents a new vignette. The couples are diverse in both age and dilemmas, with problems that include sexlessness, the monotony of caring for small kids and, in more than one case, the aftermath of infidelity. Because each episode is billed as a “one-time” counseling session, it’s never clear what became of the couple. To my ears, it is the aural equivalent of a short story: You drop in on these characters mid-narrative and take leave of them before there’s necessarily a conclusion. Did he forgive her for cheating? Can they learn to find sexual compatibility? That we doesn’t know feels appropriate: If there’s a theme underlying the series, it’s that there are no easy answers, relationships are hard, and everyone, even the unfaithful, is ultimately human.

Sia

Billy Steele
Senior News Editor

I like “Deck the Halls” and “Frosty the Snowman” as much as any other joyous holiday tunes, but it’s easy to get burned out on the same Christmas songs you hear dozens of times every year before the actual holiday. Thankfully, the pop mastery of Sia is here to save us from another year of “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town” for the 784th time. Indeed, the singer-songwriter’s Everyday Is Christmas isn’t an album full of traditional selections — and that’s a gift we can all enjoy this year.

Sure, these hooks may not be as catchy as the skill that’s on display in nearly every corner of 2016’s This Is Acting, but the songs here are still super well done. Standouts for me are “Ho Ho Ho” (admittedly because it’s about booze), “Sunshine” and “Underneath the Mistletoe.” Sia’s unique vocal sound and a break from tradition are what make this entire album a winner, though, if I’m honest. If you’re familiar with the singer’s previous work, you know what to expect here in terms of sound: an even mix of bombastic sing-along pop choruses and swooning ballads. Of course, because these songs aren’t so familiar, it’ll take a few listens before you’ll actually be singing along, but that’s just fine with me.

I get it: There’s a limit to how much Mannheim Steamroller, Michael Bublé or Trans Siberian Orchestra you can hear before you start to go insane. It also doesn’t help that even if your favorite artist released a holiday album, it’s probably the same songs you’re bombarded with from Halloween until Christmas Day. If you enjoy that, no judgment here, but I can take only so much of the same stuff before I’m ready to bang my head on the table. And I really don’t want to destroy another festive centerpiece.

Tove Lo

Jessica Conditt
Senior Reporter

Blue Lips isn’t the album to listen to on the way to family holiday parties or stuffy office gift exchanges. This is the music to blast as you drive away from all of the garlands, gravy, ugly sweaters and sweets, heading home or back to your hotel, or to the end of your favorite bar. Blue Lips is heady, sensual and rich. It’s ideal for introspective fantasy; it’s an escape in electropop form.

Tove Lo has a gift for crafting entire worlds in each of her songs, inviting the listener into scenes spinning with sex, drugs, love and dancing. Blue Lips is a celebration of skin and sweat, and all of the emotions that combination can spawn. It’s an honest experience: Tove Lo sings repeatedly, unabashedly, about her love of lust, but this isn’t a Disney star attempting to prove to the world how much she’s grown up. Tove Lo is confident and comfortable in her own sensuality, and a haze of relaxed maturity permeates the album.

Though it touches on themes of heartbreak and loss, Blue Lips is overwhelmingly optimistic. Behind the driving bass and synth beats, Tove Lo paints brilliant, relatable landscapes of lights flashing across dance floors, intimate moments between lovers and late nights with friends. The album is filled with a restrained kind of joy, winking at the darkness while simultaneously soaking up the light. Hedonic and dance-inducing, Blue Lips is incredibly easy to listen to — maybe just don’t call it “easy.”

No Such Thing As a Fish

David Lumb
Contributing Editor

My trivia team was headed for yet another third-place finish when one of our ringers suggested a podcast filled with trivia. On paper, listening to strangers yak on about unrelated facts sounds like asinine torture. But it turns out some folks out there love my flavor of useless information. No Such Thing As a Fish is a damn near perfect weekly serving of knowledge in a reasonable chunk of time. For proof, I’ll present its positive qualities in a neat four-point list:

The four lovably British hosts (Dan, James, Anna and Andy) each serve up one fact per episode, which they riff on and follow up with related trivia. That means you’ll probably end up with 12 to 16 unique nuggets of info to share with peers during the half hour you slack off at work every day.
The facts span a bizarre range. A recent episode featured Roaring Twenties president Calvin Coolidge’s robotic horse, the inventor of email, and which language it’s easiest to speak while drunk. You’ll be able to impress somebody.
Each episode runs around 35 to 45 minutes, which is a bit longer than the average US commute of 25 minutes — but that extra bumper time means you’ll finish an episode between when you walk out your door and finally sit at your desk.
You’ll learn something. I’m serious. If school had presented randomly chosen information from a quartet of snarky enthusiasts, I would’ve paid attention.

Rihanna

Timothy J. Seppala
Associate Editor

Rihanna’s Anti is the dark pop album I’ve been looking for all year. I’m aware that it came out in 2016, but I didn’t happen upon it until over the weekend, after some good-natured prodding from features editor Aaron Souppouris. Now I’m obsessed. Barring her wedding anthem with Calvin Harris — “We Found Love” — I’ve always liked Rihanna’s singles but was pretty content with surface-level appreciation. I’m now realizing what a mistake that’s been.

Every song on Anti could be a single, really. And despite an army of producers, each song feels like a part of a cohesive whole. Anti is an album that takes the listener on a journey from reggae-infused opener “Consideration” to “Desperado,” four tracks later, all the way to the closing combo of “Pose” and “Sex with Me.” Acoustic singer-songwriter songs like “Never Ending” sit comfortably alongside the doo-wop/soul single “Love on the Brain.”

Even lead single “Work,” with its Drake guest spot, feels surprisingly not out of place on the same album as piano ballad “Close to You.” What’s tying everything together is a damn near tangible sense of desperation in Rihanna’s voice. The production isn’t nearly as clean or polished as Taylor Swift’s Reputation or Katy Perry’s Witness, but Anti has something that neither of those albums has: heart.

Anti was the Barbadian singer’s first album on Jay-Z’s Roc Nation label, and she seemed bound and determined to make a statement with it. It’s at once abrasive, beautiful, confident and vulnerable (on “Woo,” specifically) at nearly every turn. Here’s a singer who’s been making music professionally for 14 years, has more than 30 Billboard Top Ten hits and dozens of awards under her belt, and has reinvented her sound multiple times, with nary a misstep, putting her entire career on display. Yet Anti was skipped over for a Best Album nod from the Grammys. If you’ve been left flat by this year’s efforts from the reigning pop queens, you should revisit Anti just to see what happens when pop loses its plasticky veneer.

“IRL” is a recurring column in which the Engadget staff run down what they’re buying, using, playing and streaming.

Kaspersky sues US government over federal software ban

To no one’s surprise, Kaspersky Lab isn’t happy that the US government has banned its software over the potential for Russian influence. The security firm has sued the Trump administration to challenge the ban, arguing that the Department of Homeland Security’s September directive didn’t provide “due process” and unfairly tarnished the company’s reputation.

In an open letter, Kaspersky claimed that officials acted on “subjective, non-technical” sources of information, including “uncorroborated” reports, and that the efforts at reciprocity were largely one-sided. Kaspersky made “good faith” attempts at addressing concerns, according to the letter, but there was reportedly no significant opportunity to be heard before the DHS issued its directive.

The company is particularly upset that the DHS was worried about security risks that are true of antivirus tools as a whole, not any evidence that Kaspersky was up to no good. Many antivirus companies use the cloud to collect and process malware samples, for example, but these were treated as unique problems. As far as Kaspersky is concerned, the DHS issued its fateful directive simply because of the antivirus maker’s Russian origins, facts be damned.

Whether or not Kaspersky has a case, it faces an uphill battle. It offered independent reviews of its source code in a bid to prove it’s not a Russian government mole, but officials have said it wouldn’t be enough to change their mind. Like it or not, it may have to go without US government contracts so long as there’s even a mild suspicion that it might be working on the Russian government’s behalf.

Source: Reuters, Kaspersky Lab