Microsoft and University of Washington show DNA can store data in practical way

The technology industry is always looking for new ways to extend performance and functionality. Sometimes that means pushing contemporary technologies to their max, and other times it’s about accessing materials, concepts, and processes from other areas. One great example of the latter is the use of DNA to store information for archival purposes, where it’s not pure speed but rather longevity that’s most important.

Clearly, DNA can carry data for extremely long periods of time. We have information stored in our DNA that’s millions of years old, for example. DNA can also store massive amounts of information in a very small amount of material. Those two factors make it a great option for archiving information that might not be accessed for decades or even centuries.
Some recent research conducted by Microsoft and the University of Washington has made strides in both saving information in DNA and accessing it later.

Generally speaking, storing data in DNA is done by breaking it up into pieces and then putting it back together in a way that encodes information for accessing it later. Getting the data back out is done by sequencing the DNA, identifying where specific information is being stored, and then decoding the information. The researchers’ contribution is to inject random access in the process, creating a sort of file system.

The value of adding random access is simple: The more data there is, the more difficult it is to convert the four data points stored in DNA — adenine, thymine, cytosine, and guanine — to and from the zeros and ones that computers can understand. By applying a new algorithm to interpret some data — called “primers” — that’s added to the stored information, the process of decoding the data can be sped up considerably. The process is complex, but the results are simple to understand.

As Microsoft Senior Researcher Sergey Yekhanin says: “Our work reduces the effort, both in sequencing capacity and in processing, to completely recover information stored in DNA. For the latter, we have devised new algorithms that are more tolerant to errors in writing and reading DNA sequences to minimize the effort in recovering this information.”

So far, the team has managed to retrieve 35 files amounting to a record 200 megabytes of information including video, audio, images, and text. That breaks the previous record of 22 megabytes accomplished by a collaboration between the Harvard Medical School and Germany’s Technicolor Research & Innovation.

The research takes us closer to a time when DNA might be the preferred storage tool for things like medical records, but that leap is still in the future. For now, it’s merely an indication that DNA storage is not only a durable and dense option, but it can be practical as well.

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The FCC’s net neutrality rules end in April, but 18 ISPs promise to stay honest

The Federal Register shows that the Federal Communication Commission’s (FCC) net neutrality rules will come to an end on April 23. The killing blow entered the register on Thursday, February 22, stating that the FCC returns to the “light-touch regulatory scheme” that kept America’s public-accessed internet in check since the 1990s. That means internet service providers (ISPs) no longer fall under the government-regulated “utility” umbrella. 

“The Commission restores the classification of broadband internet access service as a lightly regulated information service and reinstates the private mobile service classification of mobile broadband internet access service.” 

The demise of the FCC’s net neutrality rules doesn’t necessarily mean ISPs will go wild and start charging outrageous fees and throttle connections on a whim. They didn’t do that prior to the creation of the net neutrality rules, and likely won’t resort to evil plotting once the rules expire this spring. But the FCC does have a few leashes set in place to keep internet subscribers from quivering in their boots. 

Called the Restoring Internet Freedom Order, the regulation forces ISPs like Comcast to publicly provide their commercial terms of service. They must also keep the public informed about their network management practices and their performance characteristics. The FCC believes this level of transparency will protect the “openness” of the internet versus imposing rules that are “costly” rather than beneficial. 

Yet there is still an uncertainty about what happens next. The big fear is that, with the net neutrality rules now eliminated, ISPs will start regulating internet traffic based on content and price. For instance, an ISP could provide its own video streaming service at full speed, but force Netflix to cough up extra cash if it wants customers to experience identical streaming speeds. That rise in cost would trickle down to subscribers. 

This wasn’t a problem prior to the net neutrality rules, but streaming services are now more abundant, hence the fear that the services we use every day — especially for cord cutters — could end up costing more money now to access the same services they loved when net neutrality rules kept ISPs in check. 

Hopefully, the FCC’s transparency push will help customers understand the pros and cons of what an ISP could offer. Right now, just getting the prices of the several different internet tiers provided via Charter’s Spectrum service feels like pulling teeth. It’s little details like price hiding that has internet surfers up in arms about any lack of regulation. 

Many ISPs such as Comcast, Charter, and 16 other companies have already pledged not to block or throttle internet connections outside the piracy envelope. In the case that throttling and/or blocking does occur, they will be required to report the root cause. ISPs must also answer to the Federal Trade Commission, and the Department of Justice. 

Once the net neutrality rules become defunct, customers likely won’t see the aftermath for a few months. Yet with government agencies keeping a watchful eye, ISPs may stay on their best behavior.

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Patent filings suggest Microsoft could be gearing up for a Surface Pen revamp

The trusty Surface Pen, constant companion of Microsoft’s entire Surface lineup, is overdue for an update, and it looks like Microsoft knows that. Over the past few weeks we’ve seen quite a few patent filings sneak their way out of Redmond, Washington. On Friday, we caught a couple more. Microsoft filed patents for two features that could mean we’re going to see a new Surface Pen sooner rather than later.

First up, Microsoft filed a patent for a feature the Surface Pen should probably have already had: The ability to erase. More specifically, the patent outlines a method for using the opposite end of the pen — where you might find an eraser on an actual pencil — as a pressure sensitive eraser. It’s interesting and could end up making the Surface Pen a lot more intuitive in everyday use. Need to erase something? Just flip the pen around like you would an actual writing implement.

The patent details that the problem for such a use-case has been precision. Without sensors in the tail end of the Surface Pen, it wouldn’t have been able to erase as precisely as it should have — especially for creative uses, where a fine eraser is a tool you might need regularly. The design outlined in this patent filing attempts to rectify that by embedding sensors in the tail-end portion of the Surface Pen, so it will be nearly as sensitive as the tip of the pen.

Speaking of which, Microsoft filed another patent that doesn’t seem that interesting on the surface, but could mean we’ll see a more radically revamped Surface Pen than we were anticipating. This patent filing describes an “elastomeric pen tip” for the Surface Pen, in contrast to its current tip which is made out of conductive plastic. The elastomeric tip would be more pressure sensitive, have a smoother feel, and it would be more durable. The patent filing describes that the conductive plastic tip sometimes has a bad habit of breaking when it’s dropped or used too vigorously.

As you can see from the drawings here, this new injection-molded elastomeric pen tip looks more like the soft-touch tip from the competing Apple Pencil, and a lot less like the rigid, fine-point tip on the current Surface Pen. Usually it’s hard to tell whether or not something in a patent filing will end up making its way to store shelves, but given the fact that Surface Pen hasn’t seen a major update since it was launched, and these patents just keep rolling out, it’s clear that Microsoft is spending some time seriously rethinking the Surface Pen.

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Bigelow Aerospace has plans to launch and sell its own space stations

Bigelow Aerospace, LLC

Whether it’s for scientific discovery or recreation, a whole lot of folks have their eyes on the stars — and Las Vegas-based Bigelow Aerospace, a company which creates livable inflatable space habitats, is here to help.

This week, Bigelow announced the creation of a new spinoff company called Bigelow Space Operations that will manage and operate space stations built developed by its parent company. What does that mean? Simply put, the company is totally serious about ushering in a world of commercial space living.

One Bigelow habitat, called the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM), is already connected to the International Space Station (ISS). BEAM demonstrated that the company’s technology not only works in theory but in practice, too. The company next plans to launch additional space stations called B330s, boasting close to 12,000 cubic feet of space when expanded, making them around one-third the size of the ISS. These are planned to launch on two spacecraft in 2021.

After that, Bigelow Aerospace has announced that it plans to manufacture a single space station, launched on a single rocket, containing more than 2.4 times the pressurized volume of the entire ISS.

In all, it’s an enormous undertaking — and something the company is hoping to bank on commercial interest to help support. B330s, it claims, offer an orbiting space which can be used for scientific research that’s far cheaper than the ISS. It’s an intriguing proposition and one which might not just mean another potential entry point for scientific research, but also the possibility of selling space-bound habitats that could be used for low-orbit hotel or other forms of space tourism. Given that Bigeolow Aerospace was founded by hotelier Robert Bigelow, that certainly would appear to be a mission well in the company’s wheelhouse.

The company has also said it’s planning to build a new manufacturing facility, which may be located in Florida or Alabama. Should plans progress as hoped, an additional 400 to 500 employees may have to be recruited to provide support to the various inflatable space stations that will soon be in our orbit.

If you ever dreamed of having your own personal space station, or just a part of one, it may be time to get saving! (There’s no word on the pricing just yet, though.)

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CamSoda’s RubGrub is a pizza-ordering button for your vibrator

CamSoda, an adult entertainment platform, announced a new product this week that aims to satisfy you in a number of ways. The RubGrub is a 3D-printed button attachment made to fit on a Lovense Nora vibrator. And the idea is that when you’re done using the Nora, all you’ll have to do is tap the button and the RubGrub will order you a large pizza. It’s essentially an Amazon Dash Button meant to fulfill your post-coital cravings. However, it orders you a Domino’s pizza, so I hope the time spent with the Nora was more satisfying than your dinner will be.

All you have to do is connect your RubGrub to your phone via Bluetooth and plug in your payment and delivery information. Domino’s is the only option as of now, but CamSoda says that it plans to add Mexican and Chinese food chain options in the future. You can snag the RubGrub alone for $20 or buy it with a Nora for $120.

While RubGrub was developed in collaboration with Lovense, Domino’s appears to have had nothing to do with it. The company told Fox News earlier this week, “This is news to us. We have not worked with this company, nor have we authorized them to use our name in conjunction with their ‘toy.’”

Image: CamSoda

Via: VICE

Source: CamSoda

Nintendo now allows Switch user reviews on game pages

You no longer have to head to a reseller’s site or post a social media diatribe to let others know what you think about a Switch game. Nintendo has updated its website to enable customer reviews on Switch games’ product pages — so long as you sign into your Nintendo Account, you can tell would-be buyers whether or not a title is worth their time. They’re not just the usual star ratings and comments, either. Similar to Steam, you can tag your review with qualities that describe a title (such as “kid appropriate” or “challenging”) to help people find titles with similar traits. You can even summarize your overall experience with games, whether you’re a “core gamer” (read: you play games often) or a parent gauging your child’s reaction.

The reviews aren’t consistently available yet, but they’re listed for at least some first- and third-party releases. We’ve spotted them on Super Mario Odyssey, Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Bayonetta 2 and Xenoblade Chronicles 2, among others.

Nintendo has offered game recommendations for Wii games in the past, but this appears to kick things up a notch. They won’t always be helpful — people tend to leave product reviews when they’re either ecstatic or furious, so you probably won’t see many nuanced, moderate takes. Nonetheless, it’s nice to have an official user review option, whether you’re determined to share your thoughts or just want an alternative to store pages and professional reviews.

Via: Polygon

Source: Nintendo

Twitch’s live game show ‘Stream On’ premieres March 8th

Last December, Twitch announced that it would be making a live-streaming reality show, Stream On. In it, Twitch creators who need a boost to make streaming a full-time gig compete against one another in a series of challenges, Survivor-style, for a grand prize of $60,000, delivered across 12 months. Now the details are out, with the live game show set to debut with 14 competitors on March 8th at 3:00 pm PST.

With Stream On, you’ll get to see up-and-coming Twitch Partners judged on their ability to perform various essential skills for streaming, like motivating viewers with a call to action. You’ll also be able to take part via a custom interactive overlay, which will let you vote on who to eliminate after each round. The 14 participants include competitive gamers, of course, but also chefs, musicians and other creative artists, including 88bitmusic, Banzaibaby, CiraCorellia. CookingforN00b, FerociouslySteph, GlanFM, Koibu, MajinTaj, Suchikuchi, thaButtress, TheOnlyRyann, TheStaceyRoy, Wavy and Xmiramira.

This isn’t the first original programming for the streaming platform, of course, with Twitch Weekly, FreshStock and the mini-documentary Ironsights already in place. The idea with the new game show is to help expose the contestants to Twitch viewers as well as teach everyone how to successfully stream via the Twitch platform. “Our mission at Twitch is to enable creators to make a living doing what they love,” said Twitch’s Marcus Graham in a statement. “With Stream On our goal is to help not just these 14 streamers, but show the thousands at home how to turn their passions into a career.”

Microsoft and Xiaomi will pair up on AI-powered speakers and hardware

In July, Chinese tech giant Xiaomi jumped into the smart speaker race with its answer to Amazon’s Alexa and Google Home, the $45 Mi AI — though it probably won’t find its way to American shores, given how had a time it’s had penetrating the US and European markets. Today, the company made a different move with artificial intelligence, signing a deal with Microsoft to partner up on projects involving AI, cloud computing and hardware to help the device company expand into other markets.

As part of the Memorandum of Understanding, Xiaomi will harness Microsoft’s Azure cloud platform to expand services for its users, including data storage and bandwidth. The American tech company will consult the Chinese tech giant on joint marketing and channel support to get Xiaomi’s laptops into new international markets. And, of course, partnering will give Microsoft access to Xiaomi’s users across the world.

And that Mi Speaker? Both companies will see how well it works when Cortana is integrated with it as a first step toward greater collaboration on smart speaker products. As The Verge points out, Microsoft’s sole entry in that market, the Harmon Kardon Invoke, had a hard time prying market share away from digital assistant speakers by Amazon and Google.

The last item both companies plan to collaborate on are different kinds of Microsoft AI tech like vision, speech, natural language processing, conversational intelligence and more — things to help make Microsoft’s consumer-facing software (Bing, Edge, Cortana, SwiftKey, Skype, etc) smarter. While it’s way to early to name any possible products, the memorandum notes Xiaomi’s strong hardware experience as potential direction for their synergistic efforts. Of course, it’s also just a memorandum, not a binding document, so this partnership isn’t absolutely guaranteed to result in a novel new product featuring the best of both companies’ worlds.

Via: The Verge

Source: Xiaomi Mi blog

How to connect your PlayStation 4 to a smartphone or tablet

In a world dominated by screens, it’s only natural that we want our gaming experiences to be as seamless and integrated as possible. Developers spent many years chasing “second screen” gaming concepts, but none of them — from Xbox SmartGlass to the Wii U — ever felt right. In the years since, Sony has cultivated some less ambitious, but genuinely useful ways to bring your smartphone and PlayStation 4 together.

The PlayStation mobile app allows you to browse PlayStation profiles, compare trophies, and purchase content from within the app, which will then automatically download to your console as long as it’s active or in standby mode. The app lacks some functionality — messaging has been moved to a stand-alone app, for instance — but it remains a worthwhile companion for PS4 owners. If you need to message a friend on PlayStation Network (PSN) or check your PlayStation account from your phone, you can also use Sony’s new My PlayStation social portal in your web browser.

Either way, we’ll take you through the process of connecting your phone to a PS4, step by step.

Using the PlayStation Mobile app

Step 1: Download the PlayStation app

Before downloading the PlayStation application for iOS or Android, you’ll want to update your smartphone or tablet to the latest version of the operating system. For iOS users, you’ll want at least version 6.0, while Android users will need version 4.0 at the very least. Once updated, head over to either iTunes or Google Play and enter “PlayStation” in the search field to locate the app.

Tap the Install button to begin downloading the app to your smartphone or tablet as you would normally, and launch it once installed. You’ll be prompted to sign in to your PSN account, which you’ll need to do. After signing in, you’ll have access to most of the app’s features, including events, live-streams, and the PlayStation Store.

Step 2: Sync your smartphone or tablet with your PS4

To begin the syncing process, tap the Connect to PS4 button in the bottom-left corner of the PlayStation application and select the Second Screen option. From there, you’ll want to choose your console from the network. Once you select it, a code should appear on your TV screen. Type it into the text field on your smartphone or tablet, select Register, and voilà, your devices will begin syncing.

Step 3: Use the app

With your smartphone or tablet now synced to your PS4, you have access to a wide range of features. The biggest difference you’ll notice once your phone and console are linked? Several PS4 games, such as Metal Gear Solid V and Watch Dogs, feature companion functionality you can use while gaming.

The Battlefield 4 app, for instance, provides access to your PSN friends and your multiplayer stats, and even lets you customize your weapons and character loadouts on your mobile device. The PlayStation App did once provide access to a messaging service, but communicating with friends and enemies has been relocated to the PlayStation Messages App, which is also free and available on both Android and iOS.

Using My PlayStation

If you don’t want to use a dedicated app to control your PlayStation friends’ list and a second app to message your friends, Sony also gives you access to your PSN profile through its My PlayStation service in your phone’s web browser. Introduced in February 2018, My PlayStation lets you message friends, view trophies, and update your profile on the go. It does not, however, allow you to connect directly with your console like the dedicated app does.

Once you’ve signed in (more on that below), you can view your friends list, trophies, and profile by clicking on the drop-down menu at the top of the screen. To message individual friends, go to their profile and select the “send message” option.

To use it, just head to my.playstation.com and sign in with your PlayStation Network account. You can also find it by visiting the PlayStation homepage and signing in, after which the My PlayStation tile will be listed in the top-right corner.

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Have back pain? Check out these step-tracking, posture-correcting insoles

Blame it on increasingly sedentary jobs in which we spend hours slouching in a chair if you want, but a lot of us have posture that, quite frankly, sucks. A new Kickstarter device promises to help us solve that, however, courtesy of what may very well be the world’s smartest insoles.

Developed by health experts in Austria, Stapp One will fit into your regular shoe, where they use state-of-the-art textile sensors to collect information about your posture, distribution of weight, movement, and location. Through this approach, its creators claim the insoles can gather details including your weight, calorie burn, posture, activity, and skeletal deformities. This information is then sent to a connected smartphone app and presented to you in a manner that’s understandable, helpful, and easy to use.

While a lot of these metrics can be measured through other fitness trackers, Stapp One’s big claim to fame is the fact that it can hone in on postural problems. In particular, it says it can recognize and help correct back pain, foot pain, neck pain, restricted movement, foot deformities, misalignment of the spine, and musculoskeletal weakness. It’s like having a tiny physiotherapist in your shoe!

“It all started with back pain that got worse every day at the desk or on the plane,” Peter Krimmer, managing director of Strapp One, told Digital Trends. “During a lunch with my friend, the physicist Philip Olbrich, together we had the flash of inspiration to measure the daily movements with a footprint — using an intelligent insole. We started searching for a podiatrist and got lucky within only a few weeks. When I met the renowned Austrian podiatrist Sylvia Strell for the first time, we knew that this was going to work. We ‘just’ had to put Sylvia’s brain into the little CPU within our insoles.”

Kimmer said that the technology is the result of years of collaboration with scientific partners in the fields of podiatry, sports medicine, biomechanics and textile physics. While no peer-reviewed studies have yet been carried out, he claims that the device is more than 95 percent accurate when it comes to recognizing problems. A study will be carried out by a U.S. university later in 2018.

If you’re interested in getting your hands (or, at least, feet) on the Strapp One, you can currently pledge money for one on Kickstarter. As always, we suggest reading this point to alert yourselves of the risks of crowdfunding campaigns first. Prices start at 189 euros ($232), with shipping set to take place in August.

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