Tokyo 2020 Olympics could deploy facial recognition tech on a huge scale

While the jury is still out on the extent to which facial recognition technology will be used globally years from now, many tech firms are continuing to push ahead with its development, with big players like Apple going so far as to incorporate it into its flagship iPhone X handset.

Now the organizing committee of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics is taking notice of the technology, and wants to use it on a huge scale at the global sporting extravaganza, sources told the Japan Times recently.

Developed by NEC Corp., the committee said the system would aid security by eliminating the problem of forged or stolen ID cards, and also speed up the flow of athletes, officials, and media personnel entering the various venues. It’s estimated the system will manage up to 400,000 people, marking the biggest ever deployment of facial recognition technology at an Olympic Games.

To set up the system, photos of faces will need to be submitted to a database so the technology can compare them with the faces of athletes and workers when they arrive at a venue.

The logistics of the system have been deemed too challenging to operate for spectators, who will be asked to show their tickets at venue entrances as usual.

With the Olympics still more than two years away, the technology is expected to be refined through testing to prevent any delays at the gate that could cause inconvenience and stress to athletes preparing for possibly the biggest moment in their sporting careers.

NEC has been developing facial recognition technology for many years, and in 2014 hit the headlines with a system called NeoFace that apparently helped the Chicago Police Department to track down a suspected criminal. NeoFace analyzes faces in live-streaming security footage and searches for identical faces in its database, alerting the authorities to any matches.

NEC’s technology also showed up recently in a CaliBurger kiosk that the fast-food company is currently testing at one of its restaurants. The machine recognizes customers from previous visits and uses the data to suggest meal orders based on past selections.

But while advancements in the platform have resulted in growing interest from companies and organizations around the world, it’s not all been plain sailing for facial recognition technology. Privacy advocates, for example, are worried that it could lead to increased public surveillance and the potential erosion of civil liberties. Others, meanwhile, question its effectiveness regarding matters of security, an issue that the organizers of the Tokyo Olympics will be studying carefully.

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• Is Face ID everything Apple claims? This unscientific test finds out
• Can facial recognition really replace fingerprints? We asked the experts
• Australian companies may soon be using a national facial recognition database
• Facial recognition and hidden cameras will speed up airport security lines
• Apple opens some iPhone X facial recognition data to developers

Things to do once you set up your new PlayStation 4

Did you just unwrap a new PS4? Here’s where to start.

So you got a brand spanking new PlayStation 4 for the holidays and you couldn’t be more excited. You have your gorgeous new console all set up and ready to go but the only problem is you don’t know where to start. That’s OK! The sheer volume of things you can do with your PlayStation 4 can be a little overwhelming. Let’s take a look at a few of the cool things you can do with your sparkling new PS4.

Customization

Make that baby yours! There are quite a few ways that you can make your PS4 unique to you. You could pick up some accessories, or you can set up a custom theme which will give your dashboard a special look that’s different from the default. You can also set up a custom profile picture. The ways in which you can tweak your PS4 gaming experience is nearly endless so get in there and explore the options!

Apps apps apps

Just like any modern day console Sony has aimed to make the PlayStation 4 a one-stop shop for your living room entertainment. One of the ways they work toward that goal is in the wide wide world of apps. From movies and TV to sports and music, if it can be streamed you can probably do it on PlayStation 4.
Just go to the PlayStation Store, select “Apps” and start downloading to your heart’s content.

Dive into some demos

A great way to taste test the options available to you in the world of games is to download some free demos. There is a whole litany of free demos available to you on the PlayStation store. Just go to the store and select “demos”. It’s just like wandering around in Costco but with way fewer people standing in the way and the free samples are games instead of summer sausages.

The power of Plus!

One thing you might want to consider is signing up for a PlayStation Plus account. There are a few reasons to go ahead and take the plunge but one of the best is that nothing else will help you build a kick-butt game library like a Plus account. As a PlayStation Plus member you will have exclusive access to great discounts and free games. What a beautiful modern world we live in!

Stream the dream

Speaking of beautiful modern worlds, there is no longer any reason to game in a vacuum. The ability to stream your gaming sessions is built right into the PS4. Streaming is no longer relegated to those that bought all sorts of specialized hardware and software. All you have to do is press a button! Simply press the share button on your controller, select Broadcast Gameplay, and then select the service of your choice. Once you’re connected you are ready to share your epic victories and crushing defeats with the viewing public.

The PlayStation app

There’s no reason to leave the PlayStation experience when you’re away from the house. Thanks to Sony’s PlayStation app you can stay connected to the action from your Android or iOS device. It’s actually a pretty well designed little app. You can get notifications, status updates, and message friends but the best functionality is that while you sit at your desk at work you can use the app to purchase a game and have it download directly to your PS4. That way when you finally get home from a long day at the factory you can kick back and start a brand new game without any waiting involved.

There are all sorts of things you can do on your new PlayStation 4 but the most important thing of all is to have fun. Dive in and explore all that is possible but don’t forget to play a few games every now and then!

Why are we reviewing PlayStation 4 games on Android Central? Let us explain.

PlayStation 4

• PS4 vs. PS4 Slim vs. PS4 Pro: Which should you buy?
• PlayStation VR Review
• Playing PS4 games through your phone is awesome

Amazon

‘Star Trek: Bridge Crew’ drops its VR headset requirement

There’s no question that Star Trek: Bridge Crew benefits from VR — it helps fulfill that fantasy of helming a starship. Most people don’t have the VR headset you need to play the game, however, which makes gathering a crew rather difficult. Red Storm and Ubisoft’s solution? Make the game playable for everyone. It just released a “non-VR” update that makes the game playable for anyone with a PS4 or sufficiently capable PC. You can play with others whether or not they have headsets, and there are even graphical enhancements for non-VR players to take advantage of the lighter processing requirements.

We’ve seen a few games drop VR requirements before, but this is still an unusual move when many games are adding VR modes. It’s not surprising that the developers would branch out, though. While VR headsets are increasingly affordable, there’s no question that the majority of gamers don’t have them. That makes VR gaming a tough sell, and it’s not a very sustainable business. Unless studios can afford to experiment, they may have little choice but to write games for regular players first and tack on VR support as a bonus.

Via: Rock Paper Shotgun

Source: Ubisoft

How to download and manage apps from the Google Play Store

How do I download and manage apps and games through the Google Play Store?

Whether this is your first smartphone or just your first using Android, there’s a lot to love here, and it all starts with finding some apps to fill that new phone (or tablet) with. Google Play is the app store that Google runs, and it’s also an important piece of Android’s security as it scans apps before and after they’re downloaded and monitors them for unusual activity. It can be a bit overwhelming when you first open up Google Play, but don’t worry, we’re here to help you get started!

• How to search for apps on Google Play
• How to browse apps in Google Play
• How to download free apps
• How to buy paid apps
• How to update apps
• How to toggle auto-update
• How to uninstall apps
• How to remove apps from your app history

How to search for apps on Google Play

If you already know the name of the app you’re looking for, or have a specific app type in mind, you can search for it rather than browsing through app categories.

Tap the Google Play icon on your home screen.
Tap the white search bar at the top of the screen.

Enter the name of the app (or type of app) you’re looking for.
Tap the search icon on your keyboard (should be in the location of the Enter key).

If you’re not quite as sure what you want, or your search results don’t help you (don’t worry, it happens to all of us), there are other ways to find apps on Google Play.

How to browse apps in Google Play

You can browse through Google Play’s Top Charts to try and find a new app you want to install.

Tap the Google Play icon on your home screen.
Tap Top Charts.

You’re now ready to browse the charts for new apps. Swipe left and right between the charts for Top Free, Top Paid, Top Grossing, Top New Free, Top New Paid, and Trending.

You can also browse through Google Play by category:

Tap the Google Play icon on your home screen.
Tap Categories.
Tap the category you’d like to browse.

Now, some app categories are just a series of Top Charts narrowed to that category of app, but other categories have featured apps and subcategories in addition to the Top Charts for that category.

Once you’ve found one you like, it’s time to install it.

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How to download free apps

Tap on an app in the search results or categories.
Read through the app’s description and reviews to ensure the app seems right for you.
Tap Install.

The app will now download and install itself, usually in a few seconds depending on how large or small the app is. If you’re on a device running an older version of Android, you’ll have to agree to an app’s permissions before it downloads. Read the permissions before clicking Agree. Once it is finished installing, an Open button will appear in the same place the Install button previously occupied.

How to buy paid apps

The process for buying a paid app is just a hair different than downloading a free one, and it goes like this:

Tap on an app in the search results or categories.
Tap the price to bring up the payment options.

Your default payment method will be shown. If you want to change your payment method, tap the down arrow next to your current payment method.

Tap Payment methods.
Tap one of your established payment methods. If you don’t have one, you’ll be prompted to add a credit card, PayPal account, or carrier billing.

Tap Buy.

Confirm your Google Play password.
The payment is processed and the download will begin. Tap Continue to close the window.

How to update apps

Apps need updates from time to time, and if you need to manually update your apps, here’s how you do it.

Tap the Google Play icon on your home screen.
Swipe in from the left edge of the screen OR tap the three line menu icon in the top white bar to open the menu.
Tap My apps & games.
App needing updates will appear at the top of the list. Tap Update All to update all the apps needing updates.

If you want to update a single app rather than all of them, you can do that, too. Follow the same steps above, but instead of tapping Update All:

Tap the app you want to update.
Tap Update.
If there are any new permissions, read them over before tapping Accept.

How to toggle auto-update

Rather than manually updating apps, which is easy to forget, Google Play is set to automatically update apps for you when you’re on Wi-Fi. If you’d prefer that it install updates automatically even when on cellular data — or not auto-update at all — you can change the setting easily.

Tap the Google Play icon on your home screen.
Swipe in from the left edge of the screen OR tap the three line menu icon in the top white bar to open the menu.

Swipe up to scroll down.

Tap Settings.
Tap Auto-update apps.
To turn off auto-update, select Do no auto-update apps. To enable auto-update on cellular data, select Auto-update at any time.

If there are apps you do not want auto-updated, you can opt them out of auto-update while allowing your other apps to stay updated.

Swipe in from the left edge of the screen OR tap the three line menu icon in the top white bar to open the menu.
Scroll down and tap My apps & games.

Scroll down and tap the app you don’t want auto-updating.

Tap the three dot menu icon in the top right corner of the screen (next to the search icon).
Tap to uncheck Auto-update.

How to uninstall apps

Tap the Google Play icon on your home screen.
Swipe in from the left edge of the screen OR tap the three line menu icon in the top white bar to open the menu.

Tap My apps & games.

Scroll down and tap the app you want to uninstall.
Tap Uninstall. Note: if this is a paid app and it’s still within the refund window, you will tap Refund instead.
A window will open confirming you want to uninstall the app. Tap OK.

The app will now uninstall and remove itself from the device.

How to remove apps from your app history

If you install an app, don’t like it, and uninstall it, it’s still attached to your app history in the All section of My apps & games. If you don’t want an app in that list anymore, here’s how you get rid of it.

Swipe in from the left edge of the Google Play store screen OR tap the three line menu icon in the top white bar to open the menu.
Tap My apps & games.

Tap All in the green bar.

Scroll down and find the app you want to remove.
Tap the X in the top right corner of the listing for the app.
The app will disappear.

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Your turn!

What do you love about the Google Play Store?

Updated December 2017: Formatting and minor fixes to ensure steps match updates to Google Play.

Redbox deal with Universal eliminates rental window delay

This week, Redbox, the company behind all those movie rental kiosks, extended its distribution deal with Universal, . The studio had previously held fast on a 28-day window between when it released movies for home purchase and when people could rent them from Redbox. Now, that window has been eliminated. The new terms apply to both the physical locations as well as the company’s new streaming service, which was announced earlier this month.

This matches recent deals that Redbox has put in place with other film studios. Both Sony and Lionsgate have similar same-day rental licensing agreements, while Warner and Fox have a week-long window. Disney has long been a holdout for Redbox; the rental company has found itself in some hot water after selling the digital download codes that came with the Disney movies it purchased. That lawsuit is still ongoing.

Source: Variety

Obama-era plans to ‘zap’ Russian trolls collapsed under Trump

Before departing office, Barack Obama ordered US spy agencies to plan operations to combat Russian cyberthreats, according to the The Washington Post. But, more than a year into Trump’s tenure, his administration remains reluctant to pursue those counter-measures, claims the report.

In its assessment in January, the US intelligence community said that Putin used a mixture of english-language propaganda outlets (such as RT, formerly known as Russia Today) and social media trolls to influence the 2016 US presidential election. Russia had been honing its efforts since at least 2014, when it annexed Crimea, claims the Post. Around March of that year, Obama aides floated the idea of creating Russian-language channels to provide a counter-narrative to RT, and its ilk.

Another potential plan of action involved using cyberweapons to take down Russia’s state-funded online empire and “zap” servers powering fake Russian trolls. US spy agencies even mulled giving Russia a taste of its own medicine by creating fake sites and social media accounts to rebuff the Kremlin’s trolls in Europe.

“Those actions were cooked,” a former official told the Post. “They had been vetted and agreed to in concept.” Ahead, of Trump taking office, a US delegation also reportedly briefed America’s NATO allies on their findings.

Despite Russia’s misinformation campaign showing no signs of stopping, it seems Trump’s administration has been reluctant to implement Obama’s road map. The policy talks have been made trickier by the President’s stance on the special counsel’s investigation into Russia’s collusion with his administration, which he described as a “witch hunt.”

The FBI told the Post that it is utlizing cyber, criminal, and counterintelligence tools to deal with Russia’s disinformation threat. But, officials warn that Russia will escalate its efforts when it returns for the second round in 2020.

Source: The Washington Post

‘Blade Runner 2049’ VFX reel shows CG tricks behind bleak landscapes

There’s no question that Blade Runner 2049 revolves around computer-generated effects, whether it’s the retro-futuristic technology or its holographic AI personas. However, the CG is more pervasive than you might think. Rodeo FX has released a visual effects reel for Denis Villeneuve’s bleak sci-fi movie, and it’s evident that even the seemingly mundane shots were draped in digital artwork. Caution: there are mild spoilers ahead.

It’s not shocking that some scenes are entirely CG (such as flights over the future Los Angeles), or have to use it to fill in landscapes that don’t exist. However, it’s the extent to which it’s used. When K exits his vehicle in Las Vegas, for example, very little of the scene is real — he’s walking toward a green screen held up by a crane. Even moments that don’t look like they need CG, such as visiting a collection of genetic records or a sweatshop, use it to add depth and atmosphere.

The clip highlights not just Rodeo’s CG skills (that’s clearly the main purpose), but also how far effects have come since the original Blade Runner… and really, in the movie industry in general. Where the first movie was dictated by the limitations of filmmaking that was still almost exclusively analog, 2049 could go as far as its creators’ imaginations would allow.

Via: The Verge

Source: Rodeo FX (Vimeo)

Amazon and Microsoft employees caught up in sex trafficking sting

The tech industry has a clear history of sexism and misogyny, but a recent Newsweek report highlights another problem. The publication got its hands on a slew of emails sent to brothels and pimps between 2014 and 2016 that document the industry’s patronage of brothels and purchasing of services from trafficked sex workers. Among the emails, which were obtained through a public records request to the King County Prosecutor’s Office, were 67 sent from Microsoft employee email accounts, 63 from Amazon accounts and dozens more from companies like Boeing, T-Mobile, Oracle and local Seattle tech firms.

Some of the emails were collected during a 2015 sting operation that targeted sex worker review boards and resulted in the arrest of 18 individuals, including high-level Amazon and Microsoft directors. Two opted for a trial, which is currently set to begin in March.

Seattle’s sex industry has grown right alongside its tech industry and the city’s authorities have said that some men spend up to $50,000 per year on sex workers. Brothels are even known to advertise how close they are to tech offices. Alex Trouteaud, director of policy and research at the anti-trafficking organization Demand Abolition, told Newsweek that the tech industry is a “culture that has readily embraced trafficking.”

In a statement sent to Newsweek, Microsoft said, “Microsoft has a long history of cooperating with law enforcement and other agencies on combating sex trafficking and related topics, and we have employees who volunteer their time and money specifically to combat this issue as well. The personal conduct of a tiny fraction of our 125,000 employees does not in any way represent our culture. No organization is immune to the unfortunate situation when employees act unethically or illegally. When that happens, we look into the conduct and take appropriate action. Microsoft makes it clear to our employees they have a responsibility to act with integrity and conduct themselves in a legal and ethical manner at all times. If they don’t, they risk losing their jobs.”

Amazon told Newsweek it’s investigating the matter and said, “Amazon’s Owner’s Manual clearly states that, ‘It is against Amazon’s policy for any employee or Contingent Worker to engage in any sex buying activities of any kind in Amazon’s workplace or in any work-related setting outside of the workplace, such as during business trips, business meetings or business-related social events.’ When Amazon suspects that an employee has used company funds or resources to engage in criminal conduct, the company will immediately investigate and take appropriate action up to and including termination. The company may also refer the matter to law enforcement.”

Via: Newsweek

New Jersey town will close streets to fight navigation app traffic

It’s no secret that some communities hate traffic-savvy navigation apps like Waze with a bitter passion. A congested highway can send legions of commuters down streets that clearly weren’t meant for more than more than a handful of cars at any given time. And one town has apparently had enough. The New York Times has learned that Leonia, New Jersey will close 60 streets to everyone but residents and workers at peak driving periods (6AM to 10AM and 4PM to 9PM) from January 22nd onward. If you’re using a nav app, the town may effectively cease to exist at rush hour.

It’s extreme, but Leonia is in an unusual position. When slow traffic steers people through the town, it can prove a nightmare for residents who might not even have a chance to leave home until the traffic clears. Police chief Tom Rowe told the Times that Leonia had tried limited closures and warning navigation app providers, but that just foisted problems on to other streets — and that’s assuming drivers heeded the redirections in the first place.

A Waze spokeswoman said it would honor any changes that legally declare a road to be private. The Google-owned service wants to “work holistically” with cities, drivers and map editors to improve driving “for all.”

The question is whether or not Leonia’s strategy will hold up under scrutiny. These are supposed to be public roads, after all. It might also wind up passing the buck to other communities. And of course, there’s the reality that people might have genuinely good reasons to pass through Leonia at peak periods besides living or working there. What if you’re visiting someone or have an urgent situation? Short of widening roads, there’s no straightforward answer here. Navigation apps may create headaches for small towns not equipped to cope with morning rush hour, but a drastic attempt to thwart them may create its own share of problems.

Source: New York Times

The best Surface Pro alternatives

The Surface Pro has always been an ambitious device, but in the past couple iterations, it’s really come into its own. It has beautiful design, powerful internals, and a great detachable keyboard. It’s not perfect, though. First off, it’s expensive. The Core m3 version starts at $800 — and that’s without the keyboard or stylus. Secondly, it has apretty old-school port selection, choosing not to opt for USB-C.

As is true with any groundbreaking product, there will always be a host of lookalikes that are worse in some ways and better in others. We’re not even just talking about 2-in-1s here — these are all laptops that explicitly have the same detachable keyboard design of the Surface Pro.

So if the Surface Pro is too expensive, or if you don’t like its port selection, here are four Surface Pro alternatives that might work.

The Best

Eve V – $800+

You may have never heard of the Eve V — after all, it’s not made by any of the usual suspects. Instead, the Eve V is a crowdsourced machine, backed by an Indiegogo campaign that raised over $1.4 million dollars.

The idea was simple. See what people actually wanted out of a 2-in-1 computer, and build it. The result is the best alternative to the Surface Pro, held back only by the stylus, which doesn’t have anywhere near the sensitivity levels of Microsoft’s Surface Pen. In addition, our tests showed that performance wasn’t quite as strong, either.

Other than that, the Eve V does two important things right — the price, and the port selection. The Eve V starts at $800, but that includes both the keyboard and pen. Compared to the same value with the Surface Pro, you’re saving $160. Secondly, the Eve V offers a great port selection, including a USB-C 3.1 port, and a USB-C with Thunderbolt 3 port.

See it

The Rest

HP Spectre x2 – $1,049+

There’s no doubt the HP Spectre x2 resembles the Surface Pro, but there are some significant differences. The first is the sleek, gold kickstand, and refined style of the all-black aluminum body. The Surface Pro looks great as well, but the Spectre x2 offers a decidedly different aesthetic that some people will no doubt favor.

The Spectre x2 also has a slightly higher resolution display, two USB-C ports, and a slightly lower price. Although HP doesn’t offer a Core m3 version like Microsoft and Eve, a similarly-configured Surface Pro is a good $300 more expensive.

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Lenovo Miix 720 – $1,249+

The Miix 720 starts at $1,249 for its Core i7 version — and only goes up from there. However, when you do the price comparison, you’re looking at major savings up against the Surface Pro. On these high-end models, a similarly-configured Surface Pro will cost you over $600 more than Lenovo’s alternative.

What you receive is a wonderfully-made device, using the Yoga-style watchband hinge on the kickstand and finished in the business-class aesthetic Lenovo is known for. The Miix 720 does without adding a bunch of extra weight or thickness, competing with the Surface Pro’s already compact size.

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Dell Latitude 5285 2-in-1 – $900+

Dell’s Surface Pro competitor has everything you’d expect to see: a simple, thin design, stuffed with a Core i3 CPU, 128GB of SSD storage, and 4GB of RAM. It doesn’t have the distinguished style of the Surface Pro, or some of the other options on this list, and it’s a bit heavier. Yet it does have the rest of the bases covered. In particular, if you’re looking for something that will blend in with your office surroundings, the Latitude 5285 2-in-1 is a good choice.

In addition, the Latitude 5285 doesn’t have the best resolution at 1,920 x 1,280. Dell does, however, claim that the device manage up to 12 hours of battery life with its 32 watt-hour battery, which isn’t bad. Again, Dell’s offering is quite a bit cheaper than the Surface Pro, mostly because it includes the necessary keyboard and stylus bundled in.

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Editors’ Recommendations

• Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) review
• Windows 10 Fall Creators Update is enjoying a smoother ride to the top
• Microsoft takes on Apple’s prestige: Surface Book 2 15-inch vs. MacBook Pro 15
• Battle of the 15-inch 2-in-1s: HP Spectre x360 vs. Microsoft Surface Book 2
• Is Google’s Pixelbook a worthy competitor to the Surface Pro?