Google may be reattempting to enter the console market with a streaming service

Android “consoles” seem to come and go like the latest trend, but Google apparently wants to keep the dream alive by providing its own game-streaming platform and possibly a first-party console. The latest rumor pins down a project codenamed as “Yeti” targeting a subscription-based streaming service playable on Google’s Chromecast devices. That could mean Google plans to release a new version of Chromecast packing Bluetooth connectivity, and a compatible game controller. 

According to an unnamed source, Google developed Yeti for two years. The company originally had the service locked and loaded for a holiday 2017 launch, but reportedly decided to delay the project. So far there’s no indication of when — or if — the Yeti project will ever go retail. An updated Chromecast, however, is inevitable regardless of Yeti’s status. 

Unfortunately, there is no information about the rumored “console.” There is also no information about what Google plans to stream: Will the company simply offer Android games, or team up with Steam to provide a service that supports high-quality desktop-class games?

Possibly fueling Google’s Yeti project is Phil Harrison, who now serves as a vice president and general manager under the search giant’s roof. His previous experience includes three years on the Xbox team, as an advisory for Sony’s Gaikai streaming service, as a board member at Atari, and three other roles at Sony. Bringing Harrison on board at Google may be why the company chose to push back the launch of its Yeti project. He reports directly to Google’s Senior Vice President of Hardware Rick Osterloh. 

Currently, the most popular Android “console” on the market is Nvidia’s Shield TV. It’s an Android TV set-top box at heart, powered by the company’s Tegra-branded mobile processor. But it also focuses on gaming: Android-based games installed on the device, and PC games that you can stream through Nvidia’s GeForce Now service. This may be the market Google is addressing with its unannounced Yeti project. 

Nvidia is currently rolling out a beta of GeForce Now for Windows and MacOS-based PCs. The service creates a virtual desktop in the cloud powered by Nvidia’s GTX 1080 graphics cards.  You install your favorite Steam-based games in this virtual environment and then stream those games to low-end machines. 

Google could likely be backtracking to do something similar along with providing the service on the Chromecast or a micro-console. This could prove to be a great benefit for Chromebook owners who purchased a low-end device, but still want the benefits of playing high-quality desktop games. 

Google attempted to create an Android-based console in 2014 but scrapped its plans given the lackluster retail performance of the Ouya Android console. Ouya started out as a highly successful Kickstarter project that landed $8.59 million in funding but faced a retail roadblock because it didn’t support Google Play apps. Other clones came and went with very little success.

Sony already provides its Gaikai-backed PlayStation Now service that streams more than 600 PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 games. Microsoft plans to enter the streaming market with an Xbox-branded service within the next several years. 

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Intel’s Vaunt glasses are the first, most important step toward the AR revolution

Intel’s Vaunt smart glasses are important. They’re probably the most important AR wearable we’ve ever seen, and there’s a simple reason for that: They’re wearable. These glasses aren’t packed to the gills with the most impressive AR hardware on the market, they’re not going to conjure up an immersive mixed-reality experience like Microsoft’s Hololens, or the Magic Leap. No, those devices are for recreation. They’re high tech toys. The Intel glasses are for everyday use, and that’s an important step.

The use-cases Intel outlined in the video over at The Verge don’t exactly sound like groundbreaking features. Getting directions, viewing restaurant ratings, maybe getting the occasional email notification. These are things your current devices do, but the interesting angle here is how they will translate when they move to a different platform.

How will we respond to notifications when they appear in our peripheral vision? Will we want them to be smaller, shorter, less frequent? What about directions? How will those change when we receive them in a completely different way? These are exciting, if mundane, questions that the Vaunt will answer once people start getting their hands on it.

Just like the first smartphones carried over the basic features of standard cell phones before they started creating new and exciting features of their own, the Vaunt as a platform echoes what your current devices do as a tentative first step.

Intel knows this, that’s why their first priority with the Vaunt was creating a device you’d actually want to have with you all the time. Not some weird thing hanging off of your glasses, or some big blocky cell phone. Something that fits seamlessly into your everyday life with just a couple interesting features.

Think about the first smartphones. Not the iPhone, the other ones. The Blackberries, the Palms, the products that aren’t really around anymore. Intel’s Vaunt could end up being one of those, an influential trailblazer that ends up paving the way for better products. It might not be what Intel would like us to see in this product, but it’s an important step nonetheless. In that way, the Vaunt is an appetizer, and personally I can’t wait to see what the main course looks like.

Editors’ Recommendations

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• Poll: Would you wear Intel’s new smartglasses in public?
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• Samsung Gear Fit2 Pro review

Latest Windows 10 Insider build makes it easier to control your GPUs

Microsoft is working on the next major version of Windows 10, with some indication that it might stick with its recent naming convention and dub the next on “Spring Creators Update.” Whatever it’s eventually called, it’s likely to arrive in March 2018 and will bring with it a few nice features including the Timeline for enhanced productivity. As always, Windows Insiders have the first look at the new version, and Microsoft released the latest build with a host of changes.

If you’re an Insider on the Fast Ring, then you will be able to download build 17093. This latest iteration brings a number of interesting features, including some game bar improvements, a way to gain some control over diagnostic data, some new graphics features, and a change to system security settings.

Game bar improvements

First up is the Game bar, which has received a user interface makeover to make it easier to find different settings. Some new buttons provide quick access to microphone and camera toggles, and editing the Mixer stream title is easier than ever. There is also now dark and light themes to match your overall Windows 10 look and feel.

Diagnostic data improvements

In an earlier build, Microsoft introduced a new Diagnostic Data Viewer that allows users to see what information is being passed to Microsoft when an issue occurs. Now, you can easily delete that data by heading to Settings > Privacy > Diagnostics & feedback.

Graphics improvement

The biggest changes in build 17093 are focused on the graphical subsystem. To begin with, Microsoft has improved high-dynamic range (HDR) support on those systems that support it, specifically a new calibration tool that can help optimize HDR performance for a better balance between details in darker scenes and details in brighter scenes.

Next, in what will be a boon for anyone using a system with more than one GPU, such as notebooks that offer both integrated Intel HD graphics and a discrete GPU, Windows 10 can now manage which GPU runs when you start various apps.

To use the new feature, just go to Settings > System > Display and scroll down to the “Advanced graphics settings” link. There, you can specify “Power saving” mode to use the most efficient GPU (usually Intel HD graphics) or “High performance” mode to use the fastest GPU (usually the discrete GPU). You make the selection for either classic Windows desktop applications or Windows 10 apps, and the “System default” setting will let Windows 10 decide with GPU is best to use for an app.

If you’re accustomed to using the AMD or Nvidia control panels for these features, then you will want to note that setting an app in Windows 10 Settings will override the vendor control panel. Also, if an app has its own settings, then those will override the Windows 10 Settings configuration.

Microsoft Authenticator App support for Windows 10 S PCs

Microsoft has now built support into Windows 10 S for the Authenticator App, allowing you to use the app to set up your Windows 10 S PC. Essentially, that means that you can now use the Authenticator App on a smartphone while you’re running through the out-of-box experience and thus never need to use your password.

In addition, it’s now possible to never use a password with Windows 10 S. Rather, you can use Windows Hello biometrics or a PIN and never use a password again.

Windows Security improvements

Microsoft has renamed Windows Defender page to Windows Security in the Settings app, as well as redesigned the page to put additional emphasis on the various areas of protection. It’s also introduced a new Account Protection Pillar that protects user identities when signing into Windows, encouraging users to use Windows Hello or a PIN for faster sign in. A Device Security Pillar now provides more status information and a way to manage security features.

Other improvements

There are a host of other improvements in Windows 10 Insider build 17093:

• Eye Control: Windows 10 Fall Creators Update introduced eye-control capabilities that make it possible to use Windows by glancing at your display with supported eye-tracking hardware. Microsoft introduced Eye Control to make navigation easier, accelerate tasks like accessing Start, Timeline, Settings, and more, and allowing users to pause control.
• Bluetooth: Pairing and connecting to certain Bluetooth devices has been streamlined. For example, Windows 10 will now kick off a notification whenever a Surface Precision Mouse is close by and ready to connect.
• Microsoft Edge: The Edge browser has received an enhanced full-screen mode so that hovering at the top of the display in full-screen mode or using touch to drag down from the top of the display will provide access to the address bar and navigation controls. There is also now a clutter-free printing mode that strips out ads and other fluff when printing a page.

As always, there are even more changes in build 17093, along with some known issues that you’ll want to consider before hitting the update button. Head over to the Windows blog for all of the details. If you’re taking part in the current Bug Bash, note that it runs through 11:59 p.m. PT on Sunday, February 11, and so get your feedback in before then.

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Litecoin and Dash are fast becoming the go-to currency of the dark web

Drug dealers on dark web websites have at least partly moved on from Bitcoin, with many now accepting payment in alternative cryptocurrencies, the so-called, “altcoins.” Although several have become options for those looking to buy illicit substances over Tor-accessible marketplaces, Litecoin has most popular in recent months.

Bitcoin fans have long known about a problem with the cryptocurrency. Its relatively long block time means it doesn’t necessarily scale well with larger numbers of users. Although changes to the cryptocurrency may fix that issue in time, in recent months it lead to massive spikes in transaction costs up to as much as $50, making it hard to use for buying things online — drugs included.

That’s why sellers on dark web marketplaces have begun opting for swifter currencies with much lower fees. Although a few have been proposed by the wider community of buyers and sellers, Recorded Future’s study of dark web currencies found that Litecoin has proved the most popular. By deep diving 150 of the most popular marketplaces and message boards, it found that around 30 percent of vendors now accept Litecoin as a payment option.

Dash is another cryptocurrency that is seeing a big increase in vendor support, with as many as 20 percent of dark web sellers now accepting it on their digital storefronts. Bitcoin Cash was the third-most-popular alternative cryptocurrency available as a payment option, with 13 percent of vendors accepting it.

As much as this marks a big change in options for buyers and sellers, Bitcoin is still accepted by 100 percent of sellers, according to Recorded Future. That may be because transaction fees have come down in recent weeks as some of the end-of-2017 Bitcoin furore has died down and smaller transactions are now being processed.

Whatever the reason Bitcoin continues to be accepted, though, the faster confirmations and lower fees of altcoins will certainly be attractive. Reducing anxiety related to illegal transactions and speedier completion leading to faster delivery are likely to be major plus points for buyers and sellers. Especially since so many dark web markets have been shut down by the authorities over the years.

Recorded Future believes that the growth in altcoin usage will only continue in 2018, leading to other cryptocurrencies than Bitcoin ultimately becoming the more prominent payment methods on dark web markets.

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Intel starts rolling out new Spectre firmware fixes, Skylake goes first

One of the most important PC stories of 2018 has been the Meltdown and Spectre exploits that affect virtually all machines to one extent or another. Fixes have been rolling out since the problem was first publicized, but some of them caused more problems than they fixed. Some of Intel’s first Spectre fixes were particularly problematic, so much so that they were withdrawn by Intel and PC makers, and now Intel has rolled out a new patch for its Skylake CPUs.

As Tom’s Hardware reports, the fix is aimed at the Spectre Variant 2 vulnerability that affects virtually all Intel CPUs currently in use. The previous fix was identified as causing reboots, instability, and other problems when it was first rolled out, causing PC manufacturers like HP and Dell to remove their own updates, pending a new patch from Intel.

While Intel is working on fixes for all of its contemporary processors, its Skylake iteration is the first to get the fix. According to Intel’s newsroom posting, the fix will roll out to Intel’s original equipment manufacturer (OEM) partners first, who will them release them for their affected systems. Fixes for other platforms are currently undergoing testing and will roll out in the “coming days.”

These updates are important, as Intel puts it, because “(a)ccording to the Department of Homeland Security’s cyber-emergency unit, US-CERT, as many as 85 percent of all targeted attacks can be prevented with — among other things — regular system updates.” As soon as an update is available, in other words, you will want to get it applied as quickly as possible.

In addition to removing the bad patches from their support sites, companies have been taking more aggressive steps to help customers who were affected by poor performance, reboots, and other issues. Microsoft, for example, made a manual patch available that essentially disabled the Intel firmware updates. That removed protection against the Spectre Variant 2 exploit but returned many systems to a more functional state.

If your PC uses a Skylake CPU, then you will want to keep your eye open for an update from your manufacturer. If you’re using a PC with another Intel CPU, then you have to be a little more patient while Intel works on more fixes.

Editors’ Recommendations

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• Intel’s 9th-generation ‘Ice Lake’ CPUs will have fixes for Meltdown, Spectre

Amazon is offering tours of its fulfillment centers in seven U.S. cities

If you’ve ever used Amazon Prime’s free two-day shipping and wondered to yourself just how the gargantuan online retailer is able to ship an item to you so quickly, now you can find out firsthand. Amazon is offering behind-the-scenes tours of its fulfillment centers in seven cities across the United States to show its customers what happens after you click to place an order on Amazon.

Tours will be taking place on the first and third Tuesday of each month at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. local time in the following U.S. cities: Chattanooga, Tennessee; San Bernardino, California; Chester, Virginia; Jeffersonville, Indiana; Phoenix; Robbinsville, New Jersey; and Dallas. Interested participants can register online.

Once you successfully register for a tour, make sure to keep tabs on your email inbox for a confirmation email containing details about the tour. Guests are asked to wear flat, closed-toe, and closed-heel shoes. The tour lasts 60 minutes and is available to anyone ages 6 and older. If the tour you’d like to sign up for is already full, keep an eye on the calendar, as the company says it is planning to create more slots.

The year 2017 was a major one for the online marketplace. Amazon acquired health food giant Whole Foods and now owns 431 of its stores. With AmazonFresh, users can now order Whole Foods products online and receive them via delivery. Amazon also began the hunt for the perfect location to set up the company’s second headquarters, which is planned to be just as large as its current Seattle headquarters. The company asked North American cities to send in proposals, and dozens of cities wrote in to throw their hats into the ring. Amazon has since whittled the 238 bids down to the top 20 candidates, and the company’s second headquarters could end up anywhere from Boston, to Washington, D.C., to Atlanta.

While it remains to be seen just which city will have the fortune of calling itself Amazon’s second home, customers can still get an inside peek at the goings-on within the company. Get a glimpse inside one of Amazon’s 50 fulfillment centers by signing up for a tour.

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The Morning After: Buying a camera in 2018

Hey, good morning! It’s Friday, and we’re figuring out which cameras are worth buying this year, why Snap ditched its Spectacles and discovering that some iPhone source code has leaked into the wild.

We’ve entered a golden age of video and photography.
How to buy a camera in 2018

Stop waving your smartphone at me. Steve Dent takes a tour of the best cameras out there in 2018, running the full gamut from high-powered compacts to top-of-the-range DSLRs that would make fashion photographers recreate that thinking emoji. If you’re looking to upgrade, or are ready to step up from phone photography, here’s where you should be looking.

Apple’s taken it down, but the iBoot code is now in the wild.
Crucial iPhone source code leaks online

Top-secret Apple code for the iPhone’s operating system was posted on Github, opening a new, dangerous avenue for hackers and jailbreakers to access the device. The code, known as iBoot, has since been pulled, but Apple may have confirmed it was the real deal when it issued a DMCA takedown to Github.

iBoot is the iOS code that ensures a secure boot by loading and checking that kernel is properly signed by Apple before running the OS. The version posted to Github and brought to the attention of the community by a Twitter user named @q3hardcore was for iOS 9, but much of it likely still exists in the latest version, iOS 11. Apple has responded: “Old source code from three years ago appears to have been leaked, but by design the security of our products doesn’t depend on the secrecy of our source code. There are many layers of hardware and software protections built into our products, and we always encourage customers to update to the newest software releases to benefit from the latest protections.”

NASA, get ready to take style notes.
Buzz Aldrin wants you to buy this $150 solar backpack

Buzz Aldrin: revered engineer, astronaut of our time and now the face of high-fashion backpacks. Bag brand Sprayground has released a new collection, Mission to Mars, which includes a limited-edition solar backpack that comes with a power pack. Just have to pony up $150 for the bag Buzz endorses.

She literally scheduled her life around this rocket launch.
“SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy launch brought me to tears”

The buzz over SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy rocket launch might have seemed to erupt out of nowhere, but for space enthusiasts, it was a long time coming. Swapna Krishna has followed the development of the Falcon Heavy since it was announced in 2011 and was on the ground at Cape Canaveral to see the launch in person, about three miles away at NASA’s press site. Alright, show-off.

Countries are testing out national wireless networks, even if the US isn’t.
A state-run wireless network isn’t a crazy idea, just ask Mexico

America’s mobile infrastructure isn’t good enough, at least according to former National Security Council officer Brigadier General Robert Spalding. Spalding’s briefing document said the US was lagging behind China in wireless, and the solution was to build its own federal 5G network. The memo cost Spalding his job and sent parts of Washington DC into fits of apoplexy over the proposals. But this idea, deemed too radical to even discuss in the US, has actually been implemented in countries like Mexico, Rwanda and Australia. It might not be 5G, but it proves rolling out national wireless networks is very much a thing, albeit with the requisite positives and negatives.

We’re not Olympians, but we got to play with one of their phones.
Samsung’s Olympic Galaxy Note 8 isn’t for sale, but I wish it was

In addition to the honor of representing their homelands, this year’s Winter Olympic athletes will also receive something else: a limited-edition Galaxy Note 8. Unlike Samsung’s first Olympic phone, though, it’s unlikely this version will ever go on sale to the public. To own one, you have to be a world-class athlete or an Olympic staff member whose job is to support world-class athletes. To play with one, though, you just have to write things on the internet, so here we are.

But wait, there’s more…

• HP’s new 4K display lineup has USB-C connectivity
• Snap is backing away from reckless experiments and that’s okay
• Zeiss’ entry-level VR headset is about to get a lot more fun
• 32 senators want to know if US regulators halted Equifax probe
• Alexa can build Amazon Music playlists for you

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Code suggests Google Assistant will come to all Chromebooks

If you want Google Assistant on a Chromebook, you currently have exactly one option: Google’s own $1,700 Pixelbook. It looks like Google’s about to unleash its voice helper on any ChromeOS device, however, if code spotted by XDA Developers is implemented. In a recent ChromeOS built, there’s a new feature that will let manufacturers enable Google Assistant (by default, it’s off). According to another part of the code, OEMs will be able to decide whether it listens for a keywords or is activated simply by a button press.

Google Assistant code for ChromeOS has been spotted before, but this is the first time we’ve seen a reference to a code commit. While the Pixelbook is a stunning device, many folks choose Chromebooks as an inexpensive web and email machine or basic PC for family members. Having the Assistant, then, will make them a lot more useful for that crowd.

It’s hard to say when the feature will arrive, as the time between a committed feature and wide release can vary drastically. On top of that, it could take manufacturers like ASUS and HP awhile to implement it. On the other hand, it’s a pretty strong selling point, so that could motivate Google and sellers to get it ready as soon as possible.

Via: Droid Life

Source: XDA Developers

Facebook Tests Reddit-Like ‘Downvote’ Feature for Disliking User Comments

Facebook is said to be testing a “downvote” button among some users of the social network, according to a report on Thursday. The “dislike”-like option apparently appeared in the comments section of posts within Facebook groups and on old Facebook memories content, as shown in screenshots shared with The Daily Beast.

A Facebook spokesperson denied that the company is “testing a dislike button”, but then went on to offer an explanation that appeared on the face of it to suggest something just like one.

Image via The Daily Beast

We are exploring a feature for people to give us feedback about comments on public page posts. This is running for a small set of people in the U.S. only.

The feature in testing reportedly gives users the ability to downvote certain comments, similar to the way votes in Reddit work, but it’s unclear how far the tests will go. According to a 2016 Bloomberg report, Facebook executives had rejected a dislike button long ago “on the grounds that it would sow too much negativity” on the social network.

In February 2016, Facebook launched Reactions, an extension of the Like button, to give users more ways to share their reaction to a post. The emoji-like feature extended to Facebook Messenger in March last year.

Facebook regularly tests features with a small number of users and many never reach the stage of a broader rollout to the general public.

Tag: Facebook
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How to Use Your HomePod as a Speakerphone

Apple’s HomePod smart speaker is primarily geared towards playing songs from the Apple Music catalog and listening to music and podcasts in your iTunes library, but it also features a handy speakerphone function that’s ready to use out of the box.

Powering the function is HomePod’s six-microphone array, which features an advanced echo cancellation system so that Siri can understand anyone speaking to it in the room.

This also means that anyone in your household on the same local network can easily hand off calls to the HomePod from a nearby iPhone, with the HomePod able to serve as both a speaker and a microphone for a handsfree conversation, regardless of their position in relation to the device. Here’s how it’s done.

How to Use Speakerphone Mode on HomePod

When you’re next in a call or about to accept a call on your iPhone, tap the Audio option in the call interface.

Choose the HomePod in the list that you’d like to use as a speakerphone.

Wait for the light on top of the HomePod to turn green, which tells you it’s connected to the audio of your call.

Now you can put down your iPhone and continue your call handsfree using the HomePod as your speakerphone.

To hang up the call, simply tap the top of the HomePod, or refer back to your iPhone’s call interface to do so.

Managing Multiple Calls in Speakerphone Mode

With speakerphone mode active, you can also use HomePod’s touch interface to manage multiple calls, either by ending the current call or putting the caller on hold to switch between conversations.

Putting the current caller on hold to answer an incoming call couldn’t be easier: simply tap the green light on top of the speaker. Note that you can switch between calls at any time with a double tap. Alternatively, to end the current call and answer the new one, tap and hold the green light on top of the HomePod until the switchover occurs.

Related Roundup: HomePodBuyer’s Guide: HomePod (Buy Now)
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