The newest weapon for the U.S. Marine Corps is a fleet of quadcopter drones

Each squad in the Marine Corps will soon have a new member — a quadcopter drone that will be used in everything from training to surveillance to battlefield assaults. The Marines purchased more than 800 drones at the end of 2017 and now they’re rolling out quickly to every squad in the service, according to National Defense magazine

“We never had anything like that even at the company level. It was much higher at the battalion level,” said Lt. Gen. Robert Walsh at an industry conference in Washington D.C. “We’re getting one for every single squad in the entire Marine Corps.”

“They’re going fast. We’re talking about two hundred a month,” he added.

Other branches of the service are experimenting with their own drone programs, as are military forces in other countries. But the full-scale integration of drones down to the squad level is a major development.

Each Marine squad is a 13-man unit, with three separate four-man fire teams headed up by a corporal. The 13th man is the sergeant squad leader. According to DefenseOne, however, some commanders have found themselves short on manpower, needing extra soldiers to help with the new technology.

Walsh is reportedly considering giving each squad a “tech assistant” to handle training and maintenance for the drones. It’s not clear if this will necessitate increasing the size of the squad or merely reassigning duties within existing units.

The drones will be used during field exercises, such as storming a beach, as surveillance tools to scout the terrain and map enemy positions in advance. They will also play an important role in training during downtime as well, with each squad utilizing a “Tactical Decision Kit” to game out various scenarios.

It’s all part of a new philosophy called “How an Expeditionary Force Operates in the 21st Century,” devised in 2016. It’s a high-tech way of preparing soldiers for battle that was devised at the Air Ground Combat Center in Twentynine Palms.

The virtual simulations began last year with the Marines’ 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment. “We put the games into the barracks and they really just started gaming,” said Walsh. “Then we took it the field, we said, ‘Use it with these quadcopters, with the Hololens in order to map the terrain.’”

For a generation of Marines who grew up playing Xbox and PlayStation, the new program may have some side benefits as well by keeping them engaged and out of trouble. “It was bringing down disciplinary problems in the unit,” Walsh said. “Instead of doing other things they’re using this to think tactically.”

Editors’ Recommendations

• The U.S. Army is developing battlefield drones that can be 3D printed on-demand
• This ‘drone gun’ can down rogue quadcopters with the pull of a trigger
• Have a need for speed? Learn to race drones with Fat Shark’s 101 training kit
• Watch this coordinated drone swarm fly in tight formation — without GPS
• Desert-themed map for ‘PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds’ finally gets a name

Sir Patrick Stewart busts out the Shakespeare at the Sci-Tech Oscar Awards

Traditionally held two weeks before the big Oscar ceremony, the Academy’s Scientific and Technical Awards recognize significant discoveries and advancements, as well as individuals, that have made an impact in the art of motion pictures. Patrick Stewart hosted the ceremony on Saturday night at the Beverly Wilshire, where the awards were handed out.

Stewart called the honorees “film magicians” and quipped, “I have to tell you, I wouldn’t know the difference between a warp-core breach and a space-time continuum if they got into bed with me!”

Although the ceremony wasnt televised, Digital LA was at the ceremony with a roundup of all the awards. Three Oscar statuettes and nine awards for innovation were handed out.

Two Oscars went to the developers of the Houdini animation system, a suite of tools that has been used in more than 600 films. Mark Elendt and Side Effects Software each received a statue, and four other Houdini collaborators went home with an academy plaque.

The Presto visual effects software, which helps animators create fluid animations, was also recognized. It’s been used in virtually all Pixar films including Inside Out and Coco. Premo from DreamWorks and Intel was another animation program that received a plaque. It was used in How to Train Your Dragon 2 and Boss Baby.

Another award went to the BlockParty procedural rigging system at Industrial Light & Magic. It was used in films like Thor, War for the Planet of the Apes, and the latest Star Wars film.

A rotating helicopter-mounted camera known as Shotover K1 was recognized for the stunning work in Revenant and Dunkirk. A telescopic underwater crane camera was another innovation that received an award. It was recently showcased in La La Land as well as several of the Harry Potter films.

The Gordon E. Sawyer Award, which recognizes extraordinary technological contributions to the film industry, was given to Jonathan Erland. The Hollywood veteran was a co-founder of the Visual Effects Society and his film credits include the original Star Wars and Star Trek films.

“I intend to work until I drop,” he said as he hoisted the statuette. “If we don’t get the science first, there ain’t going to be no art.”

After Erland accepted his award, Stewart said, “it occurred to me that another Englishman wrote something once which is perhaps appropriate for this event. He didn’t know it would be, of course, because he lived 400 years ago.”

The 77-year-old master thespian then ad-libbed by quoting Puck from A Midsummer Night’s Dream: “If we shadows have offended, think but this, and all is mended — That you have but slumbered here while these visions did appear.”

Editors’ Recommendations

• 2018 Oscar predictions: Who’s going to win, who should win, and who got snubbed
• Guillermo del Toro’s ‘The Shape of Water’ leads the pack of Oscar nominees
• Streaming TV and ‘Three Billboards’ were big winners at 2018 Golden Globe Awards
• Johnny Depp, Brad Pitt, and 11 more actors you won’t believe never won Oscars
• Spacey is out, Kinnear and Lane are in: ‘House of Cards’ season 6 takes shape

Chinese tech giant Alibaba joins Coke, Visa as a major Olympic sponsor

Alibaba has just gone Olympic. At January’s World Economic Forum in Davos, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Alibaba Group announced the formation of a long-term partnership that will last through 2028. As part of the new collaboration, Alibaba has become the official “Cloud Services” and “E-Commerce Platform Services” partner of the Olympics, as well as a Founding Partner of the Olympic Channel. And now, we have a bit more insight into what the company’s sponsorship looks like.

This weekend, Alibaba announced a project to create an athletes’ village that is “smarter” and more connected, all while making Olympic stakeholders “more money,” according to executives. While this and other similar projects are still in concept phases, IOC president Thomas Bach noted that a number of Alibaba’s plans “can become operational pretty soon.” Unfortunately, “pretty soon” probably means the next Winter Olympics in Beijing in 2022.

One of the major innovations will be the “sports brain,” a suite of software that is meant to improve how sporting events are run from behind the scenes. Alibaba claims that it “enables various stakeholders to leverage cloud technologies to deliver the future of sports events in a secure, stable, and cost-effective manner and to provide fans with a convenient and engaging experience.” In the meantime, the company promises to provide the current Olympics with the necessary computing infrastructure and cloud services to help digitize operations and become more effective and secure for fans and athletes alike.

“In this new digital world, Alibaba is uniquely positioned to help the IOC achieve a variety of key objectives outlined in Olympic Agenda 2020, while positively shaping the future of the Olympic Movement,” said Thomas Bach, President of the IOC. “This is a ground-breaking, innovative alliance, and will help drive efficiencies in the organization of the Olympic Games through 2028, whilst also supporting the global development of digital opportunities including the Olympic Channel.”

The move puts Alibaba on a global stage, alongside other major sponsors of the games like Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, and Visa. While already a household name in China and across much of Asia, Jack Ma’s company has yet to truly break ground in the western hemisphere.

“Alibaba’s partnership with the IOC is built on a foundation of shared values and a common vision for connecting the world and enriching people’s lives,” said Ma, who founded the Alibaba Group back in 1999. “We are proud to support Olympic Agenda 2020, using our innovations and technologies to help evolve the Olympic Games for the digital era.”

The company will also create an e-commerce platform that will help sell Olympic licensed products and various sports products the world over.

“Alibaba is proud to empower the International Olympic Committee in a game-changing digital transformation, while moving another step closer toward our goal to serve 2 billion consumers,” said Daniel Zhang, Chief Executive Officer of Alibaba Group.

Tsunekazu Takeda, the IOC’s Marketing Commission Chair, concluded, “We are delighted to be working in the long term with Alibaba for the benefit of the Olympic Movement. This strategic partnership underlines the global appeal of the Olympic values and opens an exciting new chapter in this digital age.”

Editors’ Recommendations

• Tokyo 2020 Olympics could deploy facial-recognition tech on a huge scale
• Samsung unveils special Note 8 for PyeongChang Olympic Winter Games
• Intel’s Olympic drone light show just set a world record and looked awesome
• Unlike real life, Russia retains its 2018 eligibility in ‘Steep: Road to the Olympics’
• Ford and Alibaba are teaming up to bring electric vehicles to China

Ripple expands its domain and enters partnership with UAE Exchange

Ripple, the company behind XRP, has signed a deal with UAE Exchange to help handle cross-border exchanges. This deal makes UAE Exchange the latest organization to join RippleNet, Ripple’s network that uses the company’s blockchain technology to handle international payments, Business Insider reports.

UAE Exchange’s CEO Promoth Manghat released a statement praising Ripple’s technology as “game-changing.”

“Incorporating Ripple’s blockchain technology into our payments systems will bring customers an enhanced, new payments experience,” Manghat said. “The early adoption of this game-changing technology allows us to offer a competitive service, as it will have an impact on the speed and cost of cross-border transactions.”

UAE Exchange, whose owner also owns Travelex, says it controls 6.75 percent of the $575 billion remittance industry and is hoping to control 10 percent by 2020. Currently, the UAE Exchange has 800 branches spanning 30 countries.

The deal is a boon for Ripple, which has faced some skepticism in recent weeks, thanks in part to a strong showing of the company’s XRP cryptocurrency. In December of last year, XRP rose to $3.65. It has since fallen, and is currently valued at $1.05.

It currently isn’t clear whether UAE Exchange will make use of XRP or just adopt the underlying blockchain as a way to quickly and securely facitiate international money transfers. Neither Ripple nor UAE Exchange has commented on the specifics of the deal. However, a representative of Ripple did provide a brief statement on the benefits of this deal.

“Adding a market leader like UAE Exchange to RippleNet will bring instant, certain, low-cost payments to the millions of retail customers in the UAE who send money abroad,” said Ripple’s Dilip Rao.

While this deal is certainly advantageous for Ripple, it isn’t a complete surprise. In an interview with Arabian Business, Manghat was enthusiastic about the possibilities of cryptocurrencies.

“The average consumer may never know about blockchain, but indirectly he will reap the benefits of the efficiencies it brings forth across industries in his everyday life,” Manghat said.

This is far from the first such deal that Ripple has reached. Last month, Ripple entered into an agreement with MoneyGram to develop a new “payment flow” network.

Editors’ Recommendations

• MoneyGram teams up with cryptocurrency Ripple on ‘payment flow’ project
• XRP’s value rises amid rumors that Western Union may adopt the blockchain
• Ripple’s XRP saw the strongest growth of any cryptocurrency in 2017
• The best bitcoin alternatives
• What is Ripple?

Keep calm and stay zen with the best Asus Zenfone 4 cases

So you’ve got yourself an Asus Zenfone 4? Good choice! Asus made some fun additions with the Zenfone 4, and it’s a great little budget phone. But it’s not well equipped to deal with the big bad world out there where bumps and drops will shatter your phone’s beautiful glass back, and hard surfaces can scratch your screen. For true peace of mind, you’re going to want a protective case to help provide a barrier against all the world’s hazards. That’s why we’ve put together a list of the best Asus Zenfone 4 cases you can currently get your hands on.

Avidet Shock-Absorbing Gel Case ($8)

Who doesn’t love a simple gel case? Not everyone is a fan of big, bulky cases that scream that they’re rugged and powerful, and for those people there’s always a clear gel case that’s happy to sit unnoticed, protecting your phone from harm. It’s not going to be the most protection you can get, but this clear case from Avidet will absorb minor impacts and shocks, thanks to the flexible TPU material, and it’ll also serve as a barrier against any dirt or grit. The soft surface provides extra grip for your fingers, and keeps fingerprints off your phone’s body. A great choice for anyone who doesn’t like large cases.

Buy one now from:

Amazon

Dretal Carbon Fiber-Style Case ($8)

Looking for some protection that’s a bit more stylish? This TPU cover from Dretal is stylized to look like the super-material carbon fiber, with a series of brushed metal-style lines on the back, changing to two carbon fiber-style panels at either end of the phone. It’s a good look, lending a futuristic, sci-fi style to your device. But it’s not all beauty and no brawn — the flexible but durable TPU adds impact resistance, absorbing the impact from blows and bumps, and a system of airbags at each corner help to distribute the energy away from your phone. More direct threats are also handled well, thanks to the tough exterior of the case. It’s not as heavy-duty as some may need, but it’s a good case for most.

Buy one now from:

Amazon

Moko Anti-Scratch Leather-Style TPU Cover ($8)

How about adding a touch of luxury? Moko‘s case uses TPU to great effect, adding shock resistance (including shock-resistant corners) and durability to your fragile Zenfone 4, but it also comes with a back panel of leather-like material that adds extra grip for your fingers. Not only that, it looks good too, with the addition of fine stitching through the middle. It feels great in the hand and imparts an executive chic style to your phone. It also has edges that protrude around the display and the camera lenses, protecting them from hazardous surfaces when placed face down. A spiderweb pattern on the inside of the case aids with heat dissipation.

Buy one now from:

Amazon

Casevasn Shockproof Flexible Case ($8)

Sometimes you just need a case that doubles down on protection, and you don’t care too much about sacrificing your phone’s slim profile to get the job done. That’s where this case comes in. It’s made from soft and flexible TPU, so we know it has some good shock-absorption qualities, and can guard effectively against damage. But what makes this case really stand out is the reinforced corners. Corners are the part of your phone most likely to hit the ground first during a drop, so they’re the most important part to shield from damage. This case does that with chunky corner covers that distribute the shock away from your phone, and into the case itself. And despite all that, it’s still pretty thin.

Buy one now from:

Amazon

CoverOn Shadow Armor ($9)

And the award for the coolest name goes to … Seriously, you can’t beat “Shadow Armor” as a name. We think our level-60 Rogue had that armor set a few years back. This case is a dual-layer construction, combining the strengths of flexible TPU with hard polycarbonate (PC) to create a soft inner core and a hard outer shell. The soft TPU absorbs shocks from drops and falls, while the outer PC shell protects against more direct threats to the phone. The TPU core pokes through in specific areas, adding soft grip to the case, and a horizontal kickstand on the rear allows you to kick back and use your phone as a handy Netflix-viewing platform no matter where you are — so check out our favorite Netflix shows of the moment to get the best use out of it!

Buy one now from:

Amazon

Editors’ Recommendations

• The best Galaxy S8 cases and covers to protect your device
• Check out 30 of the best iPhone 7 cases and covers for your shiny new phone
• The 12 best ugly Christmas sweaters you can buy on Amazon
• The 10 best windproof umbrella deals to help you weather the storm
• The best Google Pixel 2 XL cases to keep your phone picture perfect

Samsung Pay is great until it isn’t

Our forum users share tips for making the most of Samsung Pay when it derps.

There’s no shortage of mobile payment services to choose from in early 2018, but even so, Samsung Pay continues to be the most versatile and powerful options around. While its basic support for NFC transactions works great, the addition of rewards points and the ability to pay at older MST terminals is what takes Samsung Pay to the next level.

The vast majority of the Android Central community seems to be quite happy with their experiences using Samsung Pay, but as with any other app/service, there are times in which it doesn’t work as it should.

Some of our forum users recently discussed their personal experiences using Samsung Pay, and this is what they had to say.

D13H4RD2L1V3
02-11-2018 10:39 AM

“

And, well, it didn’t work as I had expected.

Long story short, I was at Levi’s getting some clothes. When it was time to check out, I decided to give Samsung Pay a shot.

Levi’s was listed as a merchant on Samsung’s website but in this particular store, the cashier told me that I can try but can’t guarantee that it will work since they are using an older terminal that requires a local wired…

Reply

amyf27
02-11-2018 05:34 PM

“

When you’re new at Samsung Pay it takes a little time to get used to it. Some terminals require debit, some credit, some don’t matter which. Some are more sensitive- there’s a Cracker Barrel by us that it tool me five tries. Ended up having to remove the case. Most terminals though work fine with the case it’s a matter of position.

I use it no problem at:Starbucks, Walmart, Sams Club,…

Reply

honda-Dave
02-11-2018 10:20 PM

“

I have cashier’s tell me all the time, “Apple pay doesn’t work here” and I have to school them that it isn’t Apple pay and it will work, you just have to use credit. it happened today at Kmart and the girl was amazed that it works. I use it at least 3 times a day, you have to just make it work.

Reply

donm527
02-11-2018 11:27 PM

“

I don’t think I have had one fail yet… but I do remember though that the first few times I was new to this and it tooks 2-3 attempts before getting it right. Once I figured the sweet spot for me, it has been pretty much a quick success every time.

In the beginning I didn’t know where exactly on the card reader or if I should wave it an inch or two above the reader where there is usually a…

Reply

Now, we’d like to get some input from you – How has your experience using Samsung Pay been?

Join the conversation in the forums!

Save up to 30% on select Play-Doh sets, Nerf guns, and board games today only

These prices are only good for a short period of time.

Amazon has a big selection of Hasbro’s indoor toys and games on sale for up to 30% off. Kick things off with a 24-pack of assorted color Play-Doh for just $12.43 or the Play-Doh twist ice cream playset for $11.21 and let the little ones get creative. After they clean that up, it’ll be time to burn a little more energy and what better way than with a Nerf war?

This Mega Tri-Break holds three mega darts and is down to just $10.49 and the Nitro LongShot Smash is $13.99 for all your car-blasting long jump needs. Once all the energy is burned, it’s time for some fun games to end the night.

Kick things off with the Disney Animation Edition of Monopoly for $17.49 or some Classic Operation Skill Game for $13.99.

There’s a ton of other great stuff to check out in this sale. Remember, these prices are only good for one day, so don’t miss out.

See at Amazon

Android Oreo now available for Sprint HTC 10

Sprint HTC 10 owners, your time has come.

The HTC 10 was a truly awesome flagship in 2016, and exactly one month ago, its unlocked model was given new life thanks to an update to Android 8.0 Oreo. Now, customers that bought the phone on Sprint are getting similar treatment.

Vice President of Product Management at HTC, Mo Versi, announced on Twitter that an over-the-air update for Oreo will roll out to the Sprint version of the HTC 10 starting today, February 12, 2018.

As with any Oreo update, this means Sprint HTC 10 customers will have access to Android’s new picture-in-picture feature, Google’s Autofill API for easier password entry, notification dots, and more.

If you own an HTC 10 on Sprint, have you received the update yet?

Android Oreo

• Android Oreo review!
• Everything new in Android Oreo
• How to get Android Oreo on your Pixel or Nexus
• Oreo will make you love notifications again
• Will my phone get Android Oreo?
• Join the Discussion

Amazon’s 4K Fire TV is down to just $50, but only for today

Four. Kay.

If you already upgraded your TV to 4K, it’s time to upgrade your streaming media player to match. Amazon’s Fire TV with 4K Ultra HD is a great choice, and with this $20 discount, it’s an even smarter buy. You can also opt for the bundle that includes an HD OTA antenna in case you’ve been considering cutting the cord and are finally ready.

The Fire TV can stream from media services like Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, HBO and many others, and the included remote allows you to search for your favorite content by using just your voice. Not sure if the 4K version is for you? Check out this handy comparison chart to see the similarities and differences now.

You can also get this same deal at Best Buy.

See at Amazon

Android Messages is Google’s best chance to compete with iMessage

After years of trial and error, all the pieces are in place for Android Messages to be a legitimate alternative to iMessage.

To say that Google’s had trouble creating and maintaining a messaging service to truly compete with iMessage would be the understatement of the century. We’ve seen countless attempts in the form of Hangouts, Allo, Duo, Android Messages, and others trying to offer the same experience that attracts and holds so many people within Apple’s ecosystem. Each has brought good ideas to the table, but Google’s yet to unify these ideas under one single umbrella to make things simple for the end-user.

Thankfully, it looks like this will soon be changing. A recent teardown an upcoming version of Android Messages gave us a look at things Google has planned for a future release, and if all of this ends up going the way it looks like it will, we may soon have the iMessage competitor on Android that we’ve been waiting for for so many years.

I know we’ve been teased and disappointed by Google in the past, but this is why going all out with Android Messages is Google’s best chance yet at finally delivering a messaging solution that people will want and use.

The things that Android Messages already does right

Asking your friends and family members to download an app just so you can talk to them is a conversation no one wants to have, but Android Messages is different. The app’s been around on the Play Store for some time, and even if you download it to replace the default SMS app on a phone like the Galaxy S8, all of your existing conversations are still there.

More importantly, some manufacturers already choose to use Android Messages as the default SMS app for their phones. Motorola, Nokia, Huawei, Sony, ZTE, and the Pixel phones (obviously) already do this, and Google’s constantly trying to convince more and more OEMs to follow suit. The combination of this and Android Messages use of SMS makes it far more accessible than anything Google’s done in the past, and while SMS as a platform has its limitations, Google seems to have found a workaround for this (more on that later).

More: Huawei joins RCS movement by using Android Messages as default texting app

Along with your basic text and emoji messaging, Android Messages can already do quite a lot. While it may not be as fully-fledged as something like WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger, you can use it to send a variety of animated stickers, photos, voice messages, your current location, and even money through Google Wallet (soon to be Google Pay). Again, all of this is being done through SMS.

If you’re on Project Fi, you can even use Android Messages to send Smart Replies — automatically generated responses that populate based on the context of your conversations. This is something that Google first introduced with Allo, and it’s yet another step in turning standard SMS conversations into more feature-rich ones that users have access to out-of-the-box.

What Google’s got in the pipeline

In its current form, Android Messages is a powerful texting app with a few fun features, clean design, and easy-to-use interface. Version 2.9 of the app was recently released to the Play Store, and while it doesn’t bring a lot of user-facing changes, strings of code within the update reveal that Google has a lot of exciting things in the works. Here’s a breakdown of what we can expect in the near future:

Screenshot from 9to5Google

• Web client for desktop texting — Android Messages is a great app, but in its current form, you can only access your conversations on your phone. In v2.9, snippets of code reveal that Google is preparing a web-based client so you can send and receive messages right on your computer. You’ll go to a URL on your desktop/laptop, scan a QR code with your phone’s camera, and that’s all there is to it.

• Texting over Wi-Fi — One of iMessage’s best features is the ability to send /receive texts seamlessly through both your wireless service and over Wi-Fi networks. This is another feature Google aims to adopt, and it’ll ensure you can stay in touch with all your contacts no matter what.

• Higher-quality photos — You can already send pictures via Android Messages, but right now, the amount of compression that takes place results in a pixelated mess, since it mainly uses the old MMS standard. In the near future, Google will make it so you can send high-resolution photos that don’t look like garbage.

• Read and typing indicators — Most all messaging apps allow you to see when someone is typing and when your messages have been read. It’s one of those things you don’t really think about, but it’s a core feature we’ve come to know and expect in early 2018. Once again, this is something that’s coming soon to Android Messages.

How Google can make it work this time

While it’s easy to look at all of these features and get excited, I also understand that this is someplace we’ve been before. Whether it be with Hangouts, Allo, or something else, Google’s tried making compelling messaging services multiple times that never caught on the way it was hoping.

However, I honestly believe that things will be different things time around.

Google’s not making a new messaging service – it’s taking texting and making it way better.

For starters, Google’s simply adding new features to an app that already exists. At the time of publishing this article, Android Messages already has 100 million downloads from the Play Store. For comparison’s sake, Allo has just 10 million. That’s still a way off from WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger’s 1 billion+ installs, but it means that Google already has a large user base at its disposal. If Google invests the time and money into marketing campaigns for Android Messages the way it does for Photos and Duo, it can easily add more and more users in a snap.

As for how these new features will be implemented, that’s something still up in the air at this time. Most carriers in the United States still use the older SMS standard for text messaging, but Android Messages is fully capable of supporting RCS. In a nutshell, RCS is an upgraded version of SMS that allows for many of the features listed above. However, in order for phones to take advantage of this, you need support from carriers and manufacturers.

In the code for v2.9 of Android Messages, there’s a line referencing that users can “upgrade” to access the upcoming goodies. Has Google found a way to bypass the need for carriers and OEMs to adopt RCS and instead act as a middle-man of sorts? If so, this would essentially transform Android Messages from a basic SMS app into something much more powerful with the flip of a switch.

My guess is that Google will talk in-depth about what it’s working on in these regards at its I/O developer conference this May, and if all goes as I’m hoping, we may finally have the iMessage alternative we deserve.

Google prepares to turn Android Messages into a true iMessage competitor