Apple Launching ‘AC Wellness’ Medical Clinics for its Employees

Apple is planning to open two “AC Wellness” health clinics for its employees and their families this spring, reports CNBC. The clinics, detailed on an accompanying AC Wellness website, will serve Apple employees in Santa Clara County, which is where its Apple Park and One Infinite Loop campuses are located.

One of the clinics, the Apple Park Wellness Center, will be located on the Apple Park campus, according job listings posted LinkedIn, Glassdoor, and Indeed.

AC Wellness Network is an independent medical practice exclusively dedicated to delivering compassionate, effective healthcare to the Apple employee and dependent population at the Apple Wellness Centers in Santa Clara Valley, including the new Apple Park Wellness Center. AC Wellness Network believes that having trusting, accessible relationships with our patients, enabled by technology, promotes high-quality care and a unique patient experience.

AC Wellness job listings also describe the clinic experience, which is meant to offer a “unique concierge-like healthcare experience” for employees and their dependents. Several positions are open at the AC Wellness locations ahead of their planned opening this spring, with Apple seeking physicians, nurses, a clinical exercise coach, a behavioral health partner, and more.

As Apple prepares to launch its AC Wellness clinics, it has scaled back its partnership with Crossover Health, its current in-house clinic provider. Apple considered purchasing Crossover Health at one point, but no deal materialized after several months of discussion.

Sources that spoke to CNBC said that Apple plans to use its medical clinics as a way to “test out” its health services and products. Apple is exploring several health-related advancements, such as non-invasive blood glucose monitoring, and it has begun heavily investing in health-related research with CareKit and ResearchKit.

Most recently, Apple launched a medical study in partnership with Stanford to determine whether the Apple Watch can accurately predict irregular heart rhythms. The study is live and can be joined by downloading the Apple Heart Study app from the App Store.
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Researchers improve spinach-based solar cells by adding blackberry dye

Biohybrid solar cells aren’t nearly as efficient as standard silicon panels, but including natural materials in renewable energy could make it more cost-effective. Scientists have refined one design based on the proteins in spinach leaves by adding natural dye extracted from blackberries, a combination which apparently produces much more voltage than the greens alone.

Renewable energy researchers have been evaluating spinach-based designs for years, but biohybrid tech is still where silicon cells were 30 or 40 years ago, according to Vanderbilt School of Engineering’s blog — back when the most solar powered were digital watches and calculators. Professors of the university’s Chemistry and Biomolecular Engineering departments led the research on including blackberry dye with the photosystem I (PSI) molecules extracted from spinach leaves, which they described in an article published in the journal ACS Applied Energy Materials.

“We showed that this device produced about twice the photovoltage of the blackberry dye alone and 20 times that of the PSI alone,” article coauthor and Vanderbilt professor Kane Jennings told the blog. While the the most the device managed to produce was 500 millivolts, it’s the highest photovoltage ever recorded by the group, who have been investigating the potential of biohybrid solar cells for over a decade.

Via: Phys.org

Source: ACS Applied Energy Materials

All-you-can-stream VR porn will cost you $25 per month

VR porn is many things, but cheap isn’t one of them. Just like conventional movies, you’re going to pay a pretty penny to own anything that isn’t free. For VRPorn.com, the solution is obvious: turn virtual smut into a subscription service. It’s launching a Premium service that, for $25 per month, provides “hundreds” of videos and games from over 25 studios. That makes your Netflix subscription seem like a bargain in comparison, but the company is clearly betting that it’ll justify itself after a few views.

That’s not entirely far-fetched. As with run-of-the-mill VR, one of the biggest barriers to the adoption of virtual porn (after the hardware itself) is paying for that material. It can be expensive to purchase a slew of VR experiences that might not last long or fulfill the format’s potential. This gives you one flat fee that encourages you to take chances on unfamiliar content. And that, in turn, could lead to more VR productions from companies knowing they’ll get more viewers.

Source: VRPorn.com (very NSFW)

How to uninstall McAfee

UllsteinBild/GettyImages

As one of the more common pieces of ‘free’ software installed on prebuilt PCs, McAfee security products are something that many people have encountered, but not everyone wants. Although you could turn to the company founder for advice, your best bet in learning how to uninstall McAfee is to follow the steps below.

Although you’re probably here to uninstall the antivirus that oh so wants you to renew, whether you’re running McAfee Antivirus, McAfee LiveSafe, McAfee Security Scan Plus, or anything else the company has put out, here’s how to uninstall them.

Note: As much as we understand your need to get rid of McAfee, it is important to have antivirus protection on your PC. Windows Defender is good, but using one of the best free antivirus applications is a good second step in protecting your system.

Removing it using Settings

Windows 10 overhauled much of the traditional application management systems of the Windows ecosystem, but if anything it just makes the process easier. Here’s how to get rid of McAfee products with Windows’ own tools.

Step 1: Open the “Settings” menu by either clicking the Start button in the bottom left-hand corner and then the cog icon, or searching for “Settings” using the Windows search box and clicking on the relevant result.

Step 2: Open the “Apps” menu.

Step 3: Use the search box to search for “McAfee” to find everything related to McAfee on your system.

Step 4: Select the McAfee product or app you want to uninstall and click the “Uninstall” button. When asked, confirm your choice by clicking “Uninstall” again.

Step 5: Windows will ask you for permission to continue — as uninstalling an application is an administrative function. Confirm and you’ll be taken through the McAfee uninstaller. Each one is a little different, but follow through with removal instructions and it will automatically uninstall the McAfee product from your PC.

This same process can be used to uninstall just about any Windows app.

McAfee Consumer Product Removal tool

If the Windows App menu doesn’t do the job for you and there are still some elements of a piece of McAfee software kicking around your system, you can use the MCPR.

Note: This tool may request a reboot at the end of its operation, so ensure all work is saved before getting started.

Step 1: Download the latest version of MCPR from McAfee’s website.

Step 2: Run the tool. It does not require an install.

Step 3: Accept the license agreement and input the CAPTCHA code as requested, clicking “Next” as necessary.

Step 4: Wait for the uninstall process to work. When completed, if you would like further information about the process, click “View Logs.”

Step 5: If asked to reboot your system, make sure everything important is saved, and then restart as you normally would.

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Samsung Galaxy S9+ unboxing

You are never going to guess what is inside this Galaxy S9 box. Never.

Fresh from the announcement event in Barcelona, we’ve got a Galaxy S9+ in hand and have decided to dive right in and take a look. This is the retail packaging for the Galaxy S9+, so its contents are going to be nearly identical to your version. There are obviously some small differences with different countries and mobile carriers, but for the most part what you see here is what you are going to get when these phones start shipping on March 16th.

Check out our hands-on preview for more thoughts on the Galaxy S9!

With pre-orders expecting to start on March 2nd, you’ve still got some time to decide on which size Galaxy S9 you’d prefer, and then of course which color out of the impressive options available this year.

We’re going to have a lot more to talk about on this phone very soon, so be sure to drop your questions and thoughts in the comments!

Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+

• Hands-on with the Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+
• Galaxy S9 and S9+: Everything you need to know!
• Complete Galaxy S9 and S9+ specs
• Galaxy S9 vs. iPhone X: Metal and glass sandwiches
• Galaxy S9 vs. Google Pixel 2: Which should you buy?
• Join our Galaxy S9 forums

Fitbit plans a ‘family’ of smartwatches in 2018

Fitbit knows it can’t lean on activity trackers forever, and it’s going to shake things up in 2018. As part of a call discussing its latest earnings, the company said it would produce a “family” of smartwatches this year — it’s not just going to hope a single model like the Ionic will be enough. Details are unsurprisingly thin (this wasn’t an announcement), but the aim is to produce smartwatches with “more mass appeal” while taking advantage of its core strengths in health and fitness. Don’t be surprised if that translates to more aggressive pricing.

The wearable giant also reiterated its push into subscription services and other offerings where it can ensure a steady stream of cash. Its fortunes are currently tied to new device launches, which tanks its business whenever there isn’t something new.

In some ways, the company doesn’t have much choice. While cost-cutting helped it reduce losses dramatically year-over-year, it still lost money — $45.5 million in the last quarter of 2017, and $277.2 million through all of last year. And crucially, unit sales are still on the decline. It sold 15.3 million trackers and smartwatches in 2017, or a whopping 32 percent fewer devices than it did in 2016. That’s a sharp contrast to Apple, whose Watch Series 3 holiday season sales more than doubled those of Series 2. If Fitbit doesn’t transition to smartwatches, it risks handing customers to Apple and other rivals on a silver platter.

Source: Fitbit

Sony’s $2,000 A7 III camera adds 4K video

Following the recently refreshed A7R III, tonight Sony announced its “basic” model update with the A7 III mirrorless camera. This time around it’s packing a 24.2 MP sensor, 4K HDR video capability and what Sony says is the longest rated battery life of any mirrorless camera thanks to its Z series battery. It will cost $2,000 for the body alone when it goes on sale in the US this April, or as a kit with a FE 28‑70 mm F3.5‑5.6 lens for $2,200.

That’s a bit pricier than the A7 II was when it was introduced in 2014, but the list of improvements justifying it is long. The BIONZ-X processor is 1.8 times faster than its predecessor’s chip, and the camera has pulled in a 693-point autofocus system from Sony’s A9 model.

Developing….

Source: Sony (1), (2)

Driverless Autonomous Cars Can Now Be Tested in California

New regulations that allow driverless autonomous cars to be tested on California roads were officially approved by the California Office of Administrative Law on Monday, reports the San Francisco Examiner.

Starting on April 2, companies in the Bay Area that are working on self-driving vehicle technology will be able to deploy cars that do not have a driver behind the wheel. The new autonomous vehicle regulations have been under review since January 11, but were green lit this morning.

The news is of interest as Apple is one of more than 50 companies testing self-driving vehicle technology in the Bay Area. For almost a year now, Apple has been testing autonomous driving software in a series of 2015 Lexus RX450h SUVs, which can often be seen on the streets surrounding its Cupertino headquarters.

While little has been said about Apple’s testing efforts in recent months, the company was spotted using new LIDAR equipment in August of 2017, and as of January 2018, Apple has 27 vehicles running autonomous driving software, up from the three it started with last year.

With the new regulations in place, Apple can potentially apply for a new deployment permit with the California DMV that would allow it to test its software sans drivers. It’s not known, however, if Apple is ready for that kind of advanced testing.

While California is allowing companies to deploy and test fully autonomous driverless cars, a “communication link” must be maintained between the testing vehicle and remote operators. All remote vehicle operators must monitor the status of driverless vehicles at all times and be ready to step in should the vehicle experience “failures that would endanger the safety of the vehicle’s passengers or other road users.” Cars must be protected from cyberattacks and must also be able to transmit information in the event of a crash.

Companies must also certify that a vehicle is capable of operating without the presence of a driver and develop a “law enforcement interaction plan” to be provided to the California Highway Patrol.

Should Apple choose to take advantage of the new policies, the company will need to obtain a permit from the California DMV, and granted permits are made available to the public. So should Apple opt for this route, it won’t be able to keep its work secret. These kinds of regulations have already spurred Apple CEO Tim Cook to confirm the company’s work on autonomous systems.

“We’re focusing on autonomous systems. It’s a core technology that we view as very important. We sort of see it as the mother of all AI projects. It’s probably one of the most difficult AI projects actually to work on,” Cook said back in June of 2017.

Some other states have already adopted more relaxed rules that allow companies to deploy autonomous vehicles without drivers. In Arizona, for example, Google-owned company Waymo is already operating autonomous minivans sans safety driver.

Related Roundup: Apple Car
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Pokémon Day 2018 adds fun to Alexa, Google Home, Snapchat, and more!

The Pokemon Company had pulled out all the stops for this year’s celebration.

February 27th has become a holiday for Pokemon fans, marking the anniversary of the original launch of the first game in 1996, and this year the celebration is leaning heavier than ever on your phone. While there are still limited collectibles at Pokemon Centers and access to the latest Pokemon Movie on Pokemon TV, your digital assistant is also going to play a bit part this year.

Here’s how you can celebrate this year!

Snapchat lenses

You can now add some Pokemon flavor to your snaps with the original starter creatures. Snapchat is unlocking Bulbasaur for you to have fun with tomorrow, with plans to unlock Charmander next and Squirtle sometime after.

These will work like any other Snapchat lenses, and brings you closer than ever to looking like you actually own one of these classics.

Pikachu Talk

Amazon Alexa and Google Home owners can enable the new Pikachu Talk feature, allowing you to have a conversation with everyone’s favorite Pokemon. You can ask questions and get responses in that classic voice, but it’s not available everywhere. Alexa users on most countries will have access to the skull, but Google Home users outside of the US are getting frozen out for this one.

Pokemon Go

Party Hat Pikachu has returned to the game for one day, bringing with it 3X Stardust for each catch. This version of the Pikachu Congress with a special move limited to this version, which is also passed of to it’s Raichu evolution.

Costumes for the outfits worn in Leaf Green and Fire Red versions of Pokemon are also available to buy in-game starting tomorrow.

How are you celebrating Pokemon Day this year?

Court rules FTC data-throttling lawsuit against AT&T can proceed

AT&T has been involved in a long-running battle with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). In 2014, the agency sued AT&T for throttling its customers’ unlimited mobile data plans while not properly informing them it would be doing so. A few months later, the company claimed that its common carrier status meant it wasn’t under the jurisdiction of the FTC and it asked a court to dismiss the agency’s suit. In 2015, a judge rejected the carrier’s claim, but in 2016, a three-member Ninth Circuit appeals court tossed out that ruling and the FTC’s lawsuit saying that AT&T’s common carrier status did indeed exempt it from the FTC’s regulatory jurisdiction. And that brings us to today. As the Wall Street Journal reports, a federal appeals court has ruled that the FTC can proceed with its lawsuit, rejecting the Ninth Circuit court’s earlier decision.

The ruling of the full-panel Ninth Circuit appeals court backs the FTC’s original argument, which says that because the services in question weren’t part of the those that fall under AT&T’s common carrier status, its lawsuit is valid. While it no longer appears to be, at one point, this was a two-pronged assault. In 2015, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced that it would be slapping the company with a $100 million fine for its deceptive practices — a move that AT&T challenged. That fine, however, was never collected and it probably never will be. When the FTC appealed the Ninth Circuit court’s decision last year, the FCC filed an amicus brief in support of the FTC. In it, referring to the FCC’s original decision to issue a “Notice of Apparent Liability” against AT&T for the throttling, the agency said, “A majority of the FCC’s current commissioners dissented from the decision to issue the NAL and no further action has been taken on it.”

The FTC’s lawsuit seeks reimbursement for the AT&T customers who had their data service throttled. FTC Chair Maureen Ohlhausen said in a statement, “I welcome the Ninth Circuit’s ruling as good news for consumers. It ensures that the FTC can and will continue to play its vital role in safeguarding consumer interests including privacy protection, as well as stopping anticompetitive market behavior.” FCC Chair Ajit Pai said, “The Ninth Circuit’s decision is a significant win for American consumers. Among other things, it reaffirms that the Federal Trade Commission will once again be able to police internet service providers after the Restoring Internet Freedom Order takes effect.”

An AT&T spokesperson told Reuters, “Today’s decision on jurisdiction does not address the merits of the case. We are reviewing the opinion and continue to believe we ultimately will prevail.”

Via: Wall Street Journal

Source: FTC, FCC