LinkedIn adds Snapchat-like video filters because of course it is

Even LinkedIn can’t resist the urge to imitate Snapchat, it seems. The job-oriented social network is adding eerily familiar-looking filters to its video capture tools for Android and iOS, letting you brag about your “side hustle” and other updates as if you’re one of the hip kids. It feels forced, to put it mildly, but it could be helpful for describing a big trade conference or work project when plain footage might put viewers to sleep. The feature should be available today, so it’s worth a try if you’d rather not post Instagram videos in your LinkedIn feed just to seem relevant.

Source: LinkedIn

Google just made paying for the news dead-simple

Good journalism is worth paying for, full stop. As part of a larger plan to help valuable reporting thrive in an age where content is a commodity, Google unveiled a new tool for publishers called Subscribe that makes it trivial to — what else? — subscribe to premium news services.

Now, Google isn’t exactly new to news subscriptions; the ability to buy monthly access to top-tier newspapers and magazines has been a part of the Google Play experience for years. Subscribe is special because it works directly in-browser. If you’ve hit your final free New York Times article for the month, you’ll be able to quickly set up a subscription with your Google account and pay with any card you’ve used with that account in the past. At its most effective, Google’s Subscribe takes a process that lasts a few minutes and involves scrounging around for your credit card and strips it down to a couple of taps. For better or worse (we’d argue better), Google turned premium news into an impulse buy.

Google says it’s working to get more publishers onboard with Subscribe, but the search giant’s initial list of partners is a who’s who of influential media organizations. The first wave includes Les Échos, Fairfax Media, Le Figaro, the Financial Times, Gannett, Gatehouse Media, Grupo Globo, The Mainichi, McClatchy, La Nación, The New York Times, NRC Group, Le Parisien, Reforma, la Republica, The Telegraph, and The Washington Post.

Once you’ve subscribed to any of these publications, you’ll start to see Google operate a little differently, too. Since Google looks at subscriptions as a sign of trust in an outlet, it will highlight articles from that outlet when they’re relevant to your search terms. Google was quick to say that those highlighted results won’t change “search ranking for the rest of the page,” but that still means your trusted news providers get more web traffic than it otherwise might have. You get the news, your preferred publications get more money and better metrics — it all sounds great in theory, but it’ll be a while yet before Google’s system becomes ubiquitous.

Source: Google

Medicare now covers gene sequencing for patients with advanced cancer

Patients with advanced cancer will soon have access to more personalized treatment plans because Medicare will now cover genetic tests that sequence tumor cell DNA and help healthcare providers determine treatment strategies. As Wired reports, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that for Medicare-enrolled patients with recurrent, metastatic, relapsed, refractory or stages III or IV cancer, such FDA-approved tests will be covered by their insurance. And since other insurance companies tend to take their cues from CMS, privately-insured patients will likely get similar coverage soon as well.

Last November, the FDA approved the largest one of these genetic sequencing tests to date — a product called F1CDx that can detect genetic mutations in 324 genes. With information about the specific mutations in a patient’s tumor cell DNA, physicians can then select treatment plans that better fit that individual patient. Or if a relevant treatment option isn’t available, physicians can use the information to determine if patients may be suited for certain clinical trials.

CMS will cover any such tests approved by the FDA and newly approved tests will be automatically covered. There are other similar tests used by doctors that haven’t yet been approved by the FDA and in those cases, local Medicare Administrative Contractors will determine whether Medicare will cover the cost on a case-by-case basis.

Via: Wired

Source: CMS

Amazon’s Michigan Wolverines ‘All or Nothing’ series debuts April 6th

Amazon’s found great success with its All or Nothing series focused on NFL teams. Now the online giant has announced that Prime Video will host additional sports documentaries under this banner. The previously announced eight-episode series All or Nothing: The Michigan Wolverines, which highlights college football and is narrated by Mark Harmon of NCIS fame, will be available Friday, April 6th, on Prime Video.

The company is also rolling its upcoming documentaries on Manchester City FC and the New Zealand All Blacks into the All or Nothing family, sending the message that the company intends for this brand to focus on global sports. We don’t yet have release date information for these two series.

The third official season of All or Nothing features the Dallas Cowboys and premieres on Friday, April 27th. While All or Nothing will highlight different sports under its umbrella, Amazon said the NFL focus will continue to serve “as the cornerstone of the brand” in a release.

Via: Twitter

Source: Business Wire

Amazon Key can require your fingerprint to allow in-home deliveries

As convenient as Amazon’s in-home delivery can be, the app powering it isn’t entirely secure. It normally grants full access to your smart lock and camera footage, which would pose a rather obvious problem if the wrong person had one of your mobile devices. As of now, though, you can throw an obstacle in their way: the Amazon Key app for Android now supports fingerprint authentication. Switch it on and you should be the only one who can open the door.

There’s no mention of a corresponding iOS update so far. The upgrade acknowledges a reality of services like this, however. You’re putting a whole lot of trust in Key and its app, and that makes security particularly important — a vulnerability could lead to people having direct access to your home.

Via: Android Police, The Verge

Source: Google Play

Nintendo Switch’s 2018 indie roster is looking strong

A year ago, Nintendo followed the launch of the Switch with a bold proclamation: The console would get a new indie game every week. This signaled a new era and approach to welcome third-party games, which previous Nintendo systems had failed to court well. Today, it seems like indie titles are lining up to jump on the Switch — and the company announced a dozen new and remastered games will be headed to the console this year.

New:

• Fantasy Strike (Summer 2018): The fighter from Sterling Games is full of myth and monsters, with ghosts, golems, paint magic and time powers. Aside from its lovely art style, it looks to be the same relaxed fighting gameplay that made Dragonball FighterZ a success.
• Just Shape And Beats (Summer 2018): Berzerk Studios’ game is a simple bullet hell title that pulses to a musical rhythm, like a side-scrolling Rez.
• Bomb Chicken (Summer 2018): Nitrome’s side-scrolling platformer looks like someone remade Bomberman with a mad chicken in the lead. Proceed with your poultry destruction.
• Light Fall (Spring 2018): Bishop Games’ speedy platformer trades Sonic’s loops for a summonable block that the player can jump off of to keep their flow going.
• Pode (Spring 2018): The delightfully cute co-op puzzle game is inspired by Norwegian art and culture.
• The Messenger (Summer 2018): This platformer is clearly feeding a nostalgia for Ninja Gaiden’s memorably punishing gameplay, but looks to add novel time mechanics (and graphical swapping from 8- to 16-bit).
• Banner Saga 3 (Summer 2018): One of the best narrative-driven tactics games is headed to the Switch. The third episode of the acclaimed series launches in a few months, but don’t fret if you haven’t played the first two — Banner Saga 1 and 2 are coming soon to the Switch later this year.

Launching first on #NintendoSwitch #eShop later this year, #PoolPanic from @adultswimgames is one wild and giant cartoon game of pool! #Nindies pic.twitter.com/M3NANI29F7

— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) March 20, 2018

Launching first on the Switch:

• Garage (Spring 2018): Tiny Build Games’ top-down shooter evokes the gritty tones of VHS-era horror films with an underworld adventure fighting off zombies and mutants.
• Pool Panic (Later 2018): Adult Swim Games’ adventure game stars a pool ball you knock around stages to solve your problems (aka slamming our heroes into enemies until they go away). It also has local multiplayer.
• West of Loathing (Spring 2018): This simple-looking stick figure role-playing game by the makers of the online RPG Kingdom of Loathing will come out exclusively for the Switch.
• Bad North (Summer 2018): A Norse-inspired rogue-lite real-time strategy game that looks wicked yet simple-to-learn — perfect for the Switch’s screen.

Experience the harmony of light, sound, and intense puzzle-action when LUMINES REMASTERED from @enhance_exp lights up onto #NintendoSwitch #eShop this spring! #Nindies pic.twitter.com/brTGP3ymHH

— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) March 20, 2018

Remastered:

• Mark of the Ninja Remastered (Fall 2018): Klei’s successful stealth platformer will be a great title to pick up, though it’s unclear if it’ll come with additional content.
• Lumines Remastered (Spring 2018): The incredible musical rhythm-based game was originally a launch title for the PlayStation Portable, and it was compared to Tetris as a title that sold systems.
• Reigns: Kings and Queens (Spring 2018): Swipe left or right to rule your kingdom, but be prepared to die in the effort (many, many times). The game also includes the lauded Her Majesty semi-sequel that lets you play as a queen instead.

Source: Nintendo Nindies Showecase Spring 2018

Toyota halts autonomous car testing on public roads

Uber’s fatal pedestrian collision is producing a ripple effect in the self-driving car industry. Toyota has temporarily halted public tests of its Chauffeur autonomous system due to the potential “emotional effect” on its human drivers. It’s not certain how long the pause will last or whether this is prompting a review of Toyota’s technology.

It’s still unclear to what degree Uber’s vehicle was responsible for the tragedy. Tempe’s police chief has said he doesn’t believe Uber is at fault, but the department isn’t responsible for determining the fault in any crash.

The incident came not long after Toyota and Uber had formed a partnership, and just days after a report claiming that Uber was hoping to sell its self-driving tech to Toyota. This isn’t likely to put deals in jeopardy, but it may lead to more caution from both companies as they minimize the chances of a repeat incident.

Source: Bloomberg

Facebook plans to brief Congress on the Cambridge Analytica scandal

Facebook is obviously in some very hot water in regards to Cambridge Analytica’s use of its users’ data. US Congress, the UK Parliament and even the FTC are looking for answers and Facebook is now agreeing to answer them. A company spokesperson has told us that Facebook representatives will be in Washington DC today and tomorrow meeting with staffers for the House and Senate Intel Committees, the House Energy and Commerce Committee, the Senate Commerce Committee and the House and Senate Judiciary Committees. Bloomberg reports that details on committee briefings are being worked out.

Since reports on the Cambridge Analytica scandal (you can read more about that here) began to surface, a number of entities have sought answers from both Facebook and Cambridge Analytica. US Senator Ron Wyden sent Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg a letter this week that requested more information about the situation and the UK Parliament has asked Zuckerberg himself to appear before its Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee.

Facebook representatives are working to hammer out when and how Senate and House briefings will take place as well who from the company will attend them.

Via: Bloomberg

Skywalker Sound and the challenges of making audio for VR films

Lauded Mexican filmmaker Alejandro González Iñárritu, best known for his work on movies such as Birdman and The Revenant, last year nabbed a “special” Oscar award for his VR exhibition Carne y Arena. The virtual reality project, dubbed Flesh and Sand in English, takes viewers into a world where they can experience what it’s like to be an immigrant trying to cross a border. As much as visuals were important to tell this story, one of Iñárritu’s focus was to also to create the most immersive sounds — which can be complicated when going from traditional film to a completely new medium like VR.

To do that, the director recruited Skywalker Sound, an arm of the Lucasfilm motion picture group, to work on making the best spatial, 360-degree audio possible for Carne y Arena. But that wasn’t easy, according to Kevin Bolen and Bill Rudolph, two sound designers from SS who worked on the installation and spoke at GDC 2018 about the challenges of bringing it to life. They said that implementation is half the battle, as there are a number of factors to consider when creating sounds for a VR film, like 3D panning, how the waves are positioned and the artistic spread of the story itself. These are things that video game developers don’t typically think about, per Bolen and Rudolph, which presents a major challenge during production.

Another major factor to consider is that, in a VR movie, everyone who watches it can have a different experience. This means it’s key for the spatial sound to fit into a story’s narrative, regardless of where a viewer’s eyes are focused on while wearing a VR headset and watching a scene. Bolen and Rudolph said Iñárritu was obsessed with getting this right in Carne y Arena, since it was important for him that people could hear the dialogue as it was intended — so even if you’re wandering away from a character who has some key lines, you won’t miss out on what he/she has to say.

Kevin Bolen (far left) Bill Rudolph (middle) speaking at GDC 2018.

Bolen and Rudolph added that after working with Iñárritu on Carne y Arena, they realized they needed to be naive in their approach to applying sounds to a VR film: “You have to throw as many people under the experience as you can. You have to know if someone’s going to stand in a place that none of the developers expected.” This is something that Oculus was doing a great job understanding through VR movies like Lost and Henry, though the company shut down its in-house Story Studio (which was responsible for making those) last year.

At the end of the day, Bolen said it’s best to approach VR films with a new perspective, rather than try to make them feel like a traditional movie. Not just because that’s what is necessary to make them feel more realistic, but because it’s also what directors like Iñárritu see a challenge they need to conquer. “You have to take a fresh look at it,” he said, “and put aside all your preconceived notions.”

Click here to catch up on the latest news from GDC 2017!

‘The Banner Saga 3’ will arrive on Nintendo Switch this summer

The Banner Saga 3 is coming out this summer, and you’ll be able to play it on your Nintendo Switch. The cartoony, crowd-funded, Norse-themed tactical RPG series’ conclusion will be released on Nintendo’s hybrid portable/home console this summer the same time as PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, according to developer Stoic.

The Switch version of #BannerSaga 3 will be launching *simultaneously* with PC, Xbox One and PS4 this summer, 2018! Be sure to put it on your wishlist now. #nindies #nintendoswitch #PS4 #XboxOne #Steam #GoG pic.twitter.com/doZGP5FQUg

— Stoic (@stoicstudio) March 20, 2018

More than that, during its “Nindies” livestream, Nintendo announced that the game’s two prequels would appear on the Switch at some point as well. Progress will carry over from one game to the next, and yep, permadeath for your party members will play a big role with the final game, too. If you’d like a taste of what the series has to offer, the first two games are available on mobile storefronts, in addition to PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.