Facebook’s Express Wi-Fi offers internet service to developing countries

Facebook is dipping its toes into the ISP business with Express Wi-Fi. This app allows users in developing countries to buy data packs that can be used at hotspots. The app is currently live in five developing countries. The hot spots themselves are managed by local business owners, and Facebook hopes it can provide an alternative to the slow data plans offered by cell carriers.

Express Wi-Fi isn’t completely new, but Facebook’s Play Store App offers several key improvements over the first version. For starters, it’s available on the Play Store, which makes it a lot easier to find, plus it no longer requires users to reconfigure their phones. The Play Store app also offers a way for users to find various hot spots nearby.

“Facebook is releasing the Express Wi-Fi app in the Google Play store to give people another simple and secure way to access fast, affordable internet through their local Express Wi-Fi hotspots,” a Facebook representative told Tech Crunch.

Facebook has tried something like this in the past with Free Basics, but that option was widely derided, as it only offered a handful of Facebook-approved services, rather than true internet access.

The app marks a major push to expand Facebook’s market into the developing world, where lack of quality internet can make social media sites difficult, if not impossible, to use. The move comes at a time when Facebook is nearly omnipresent in developed nations, though there are signs that it may be declining a bit. In Q4, Facebook saw its U.S. and Canadian userbase decline by 700,000. This was, in part, due to Newsfeed changes, which no longer emphasized viral videos as much.

In order to sustain itself, the company needs to find new members and the developed world may be nearly tapped out. This is partially why Facebook has embarked on a number of initiatives meant to provide developing countries with affordable access to the internet. In addition to Express Wi-Fi, it is working to develop solar drones, which can provide internet service to people. Though the company may have humanitarian aims in mind with these endeavors, it is also an investment in Facebook’s future. After all, the first step towards getting people on Facebook is getting them online.

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Facebook suspends Cambridge Analytica for misuse of personal data

Facebook has banned the analytics firm Strategic Communication Laboratories and its political arm, Cambridge Analytica, for failure to follow its rules regarding the handling of personal data. While some outlets have reported that this was the result of a breach, the social network denies this claim. In the company’s statement, Facebook VP and Deputy General Counsel Paul Grewal said that the reports regarding a data breach were “completely false.”

Cambridge Analytica, which is best known for its work alongside Donald Trump’s presidential campaign, obtained the information from Dr. Aleksandr Kogan, who created an app called “thisisyourdigitallife.” The app billed itself as a personality test and was downloaded by about 270,000 people. By downloading the app, the users gave permission for the app’s developers to access information regarding the city they lived in, what kind of content they liked on Facebook, and other general information.

While Kogan obtained the information legitimately and in accordance with Facebook’s rules, he then proceeded to violate those rules by sharing them with a third party — in this case, Cambridge Analytica.

“By passing information on to a third party, including SCL/Cambridge Analytica and Christopher Wylie of Eunoia Technologies, he violated our platform policies,” Grewal wrote. “When we learned of this violation in 2015, we removed his app from Facebook and demanded certifications from Kogan and all parties he had given data to that the information had been destroyed. Cambridge Analytica, Kogan, and Wylie all certified to us that they destroyed the data.”

Last week, Facebook received reports that not all of the data had been destroyed as as promised. Facebook has not yet verified these claims, but has chosen to suspend SCL/Cambridge Analytica and Kogan from the site while it investigates these accusations.

Facebook isn’t the only organization looking into Cambridge Analytica. The Guardian has reported that British Election Commission is investigating the organization in regards to the Brexit vote, which saw the U.K. vote to leave the European Union.

“We are investigating the circumstances in which Facebook data may have been illegally acquired and used,” said the Commission’s Elizabeth Denham. “It’s part of our ongoing investigation into the use of data analytics for political purposes which was launched to consider how political parties and campaigns, data analytics companies and social media platforms in the UK are using and analysing people’s personal information to micro-target voters.”

Facebook itself has faced questions regarding how it handles user data as well.

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YouTube’s Kids app suggested conspiracy theory videos

As much work as YouTube may have done to scrub vile videos from its Kids app, there’s still some work to go. Business Insider has discovered that the Kids app was suggesting conspiracy theory videos when you searched for certain keywords. If you looked for “UFO,” for instance, you’d find videos from David Icke parroting numerous discredited conspiracy theories, including the notion that the planet is run by reptile-human hybrids.

YouTube removed the videos after BI got in contact, and was quick to acknowledge the difficulty of keeping the Kids app squeaky clean. The team screens content using “human trained systems,” according to the statement,” but “sometimes we miss the mark.”

The company has lately been taking active steps to fight misinformation, including the use of Wikipedia (much to Wikipedia’s surprise) to debunk hoaxes. However, child-oriented apps unsurprisingly face a much higher level of scrutiny — they’re not supposed to show any false material, contextual help or otherwise. And it’s tough to completely remove that content when hundreds of hours of new videos are uploaded every minute. Unless YouTube can offer virtually flawless filtering, these kinds of incidents may reoccur.

Via: TechCrunch

Source: Business Insider

Video: Samsung Galaxy S9+ cameras explained

Let’s talk about the Samsung Galaxy S9’s cameras. If you’re a fan, they’re what truly sets these phones apart from the competition. If you’re a cynic, they’re the only real upgrade in a relatively boring upgrade cycle. Either way, they’re easily the most interesting thing about Samsung’s latest flagship, and more than two weeks with the S9+ has given us a chance to get to know this area of the phone pretty well.

We’ve covered everything that’s new in the S9’s camera setup in our video new explainer: from variable apertures to telephoto to AR emojis. Take a look to find out everything you need to know about Samsung’s latest and greatest smartphone imaging setup!

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Nissan’s electric SUV concept will enter production

Nissan’s current electric car lineup revolves almost exclusively around the Leaf, but it’s ready to diversify its selection. The company’s European design chief Mamoru Aoki has revealed to Autocar that a production version of the IMx concept SUV (above) will arrive sometime in “a few years.” It’s not certain how much the crossover EV would change, but it’s reasonable to presume that Nissan would want to keep the IMx’s performance. The concept promised 435HP and a 380-mile range, giving Tesla’s Model X a run for its money in some cases.

It’s safe to say some concept car indulgences, such as the giant wheels, won’t make the cut. Don’t rule everything out, however. Aoki extolled the IMx’s unique mix of wood and translucent plastic for the interior, suggesting that you might see some form of it in the finished product.

Renault-Nissan has a solid roadmap for electric cars with plans to field eight by 2022 (not including Mitsubishi), but the Nissan brand’s plans have remained relatively quiet compared to Renault — this sheds some light on what its share of the 2022 lineup might look like. It may also answer those concerned that Nissan might lag behind Hyundai, VW and others who’ve been more vocal about their EV roadmaps.

Via: Electrek

Source: Autocar

Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus vs. Apple iPhone X: Tough competition at the top

The Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus has emerged from the wreckage of MWC 2018, big, bad, and ready to take on the world. But powerful and impressive though it is, it has still has its fair share of competitors, and the Apple iPhone X is chief among them. How does Samsung’s latest fare against the best Apple has to offer? We took a look to find out.

Specs

Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
Apple iPhone X

Size
158.1 x 73.8 x 8.5 mm (6.22 x 2.91 x 0.33 inches)
143.6 x 70.9 x 7.7 mm (5.65 x 2.79 x 0.30 inches)

Weight
189 grams (6.67 ounces)
174 grams (6.14 ounces)

Screen Size
6.2-inch AMOLED display
5.8-inch Super Retina AMOLED display

Screen Resolution
2,960 x 1,440 pixels (529 pixels-per-inch)
2,436 x 1,125 pixels (458 pixels-per-inch)

Operating System
Samsung Experience 9 (over Android 8.0 Oreo)
iOS 11

Storage Space
64GB
64GB, 256GB

MicroSD Card Slot
Yes, up to 256GB
No

Tap To Pay Services
Samsung Pay, Android Pay
Apple Pay

Processor
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845
A11 Bionic

RAM
6GB
3GB

Camera
Dual sensor 12MP rear, 8MP front
Dual sensor 12MP rear, 7MP front

Video
2,160p at 60 frames per second, 1080p at 240 fps, 720p at 960 fps
2,160p at 60 frames per second, 1080p at 240 fps

Bluetooth Version
Bluetooth 5.0
Bluetooth 5.0

Ports
3.5mm headphone jack, USB-Type C
Lightning

Fingerprint sensor
Yes
Yes

Water resistance
IP68
IP67

Battery
3,500mAh
2,716mAh

App Marketplace
Google Play Store
Apple App Store

Network support
T-Mobile, AT&T, Verizon, Sprint
T-Mobile, AT&T, Verizon, Sprint

Colors
Midnight Black, Coral Blue, Lilac Purple
Space Gray, Silver

Price
$840
$1000

Buy From

Samsung, Amazon, Target

AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, Apple

Review Score
4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5 stars

Performance, battery life, and charging

The Galaxy S9 Plus comes with Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 845 and the power increases you’d expect from a chip that’s a faster, improved version of the Snapdragon 835. Our benchmarks of the chip in the S9 Plus show mixed results. The S9 Plus beats the iPhone X’s A11 Bionic chip by a large margin in the AnTuTu 3D Bench test, with a score of 263,591, compared to the iPhone X’s 206,010. However, the iPhone X trounces the S9 Plus in Geekbench 4, with scores of 4,231 single-core and 9,877 multi-core, compared to 2,415 single-core and 8,191 multi-core for the S9 Plus. More importantly, in real world situations, the iPhone X feels smoother.

The S9 Plus has double the RAM of the iPhone X, but since Android and iOS handle RAM differently, that doesn’t mean much. Both phones offer base models with 64GB of storage. Only the iPhone offers a larger 256GB version (for $150 more) — but that’s more than offset by the MicroSD card slot in the S9 Plus.

Packing a 3,500mAh battery, the S9 Plus made it through to 6 p.m. with 25-percent battery left after heavy usage. The iPhone X’s testing also saw out the day, with a similar level of battery left.

Moving over to charging speeds, Samsung chose to stick with QuickCharge 2.0 for the S9 Plus, despite having the Snapdragon 845, which can support QuickCharge 4.0. It’s still able to match the fast charging of the iPhone X. Unlike the S9 Plus, however, the iPhone X does not come with a fast charger out of the box — that’ll set you back another $25 for the right cable. But at least you’ll be able to wirelessly charge with any Qi-compatible pad, as both of these devices come with Qi-standard wireless charging.

Winner: Apple iPhone X

Design and durability

The iPhone X represented a huge shift for Apple away from the established style that debuted with the iPhone 6. It’s a luxurious design, with glass laid over a stainless steel body, and a gorgeous 5.8-inch OLED panel dominating the front of the phone. The notch is a sore point, but it seems that Apple is slowly being proven right on that as Android manufacturers continue to copy the trend.

By contrast, Samsung chose to refine rather than redesign with the S9 range, and it means the S9 Plus looks very similar to the S8 Plus at first glance. That’s no bad thing — it’s not an old design, and it’s gorgeous. Look closer and the changes are more obvious — the unpopular fingerprint sensor position has been shifted to below the camera lenses, and some of the front-facing tech has been made less obvious. It has the same glass over aluminum build that gives the device a pleasing amount of heft, and the curved display is a thing of beauty. The Samsung phone still has a headphone jack, though the influence of that port continues to wane as more and more manufacturers drop it.

In terms of durability, you’re looking at similar results — you’ll want a case for both the iPhone X and the S9 Plus. Glass just isn’t that durable. There is some decent waterproofing on both phones, though the S9 Plus’ IP68 certification places it slightly above the iPhone X’s IP67 — we’re talking about the ability to handle 1.5 meters for half an hour compared to 1 meter for half an hour, respectively.

This is a tough one to judge. These are both gorgeous phones with decent water resistance.

Winner: Tie

Display

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

The curved 6.2-inch AMOLED screen in the S9 Plus is every bit as bright and colorful as you could want a display to be. Apple’s 5.8-inch Super Retina AMOLED screen is not far behind, but it’s slightly smaller and slightly less sharp, with a lower pixel density. You won’t be disappointed by either, but the S9 Plus takes it.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus

Camera

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

It’s dual-lens city here on these devices. The iPhone X is packing two 12-megapixel lenses, one of which is a telephoto lens with a slightly wider f/2.4 aperture, compared to the f/1.8 aperture in the standard lens. It’s a top-tier camera, worthy of its place on our top camera phones list, and capable of creating some stunning shots with bokeh effects that could easily pass as professional DSLR snaps.

The Galaxy S9 Plus sports the S-range’s first ever dual-lens camera suite, with two 12MP lenses blinking at you from the rear. The S9 Plus’s amazing mechanical aperture can also shift between a smaller f/2.4 and larger f/1.5 aperture, delivering fantastic shots in a wide variety of light levels and locations. However, it does suffer from blurriness in portrait modes, which is one place the iPhone X excels.

On the video front, these phones have similar capabilities, though the S9 Plus gains an edge with the option for super slow motion 960 fps video, while the iPhone X can only shoot at 240 fps.

While the S9 Plus’ camera is a technological marvel, with the first mechanically changing aperture that we’ve seen in years and some of the best camera tech we’ve ever seen on a smartphone, it still lacks in a few areas that the iPhone X really shines in. Based on our testing so far, we can’t say that one is clearly better than the other. This one is a tie.

Winner: Tie

Software and updates

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

We’re not going to get heavily into the iOS vs. Android debate here. Both operating systems have been around for long enough now that you likely know which of the two you prefer. At this point, both systems have advanced to the point where differences in presentation and design are fairly minimal anyway, so personal preference plays a larger role here than most people are likely to admit. If you’re a fan of customization, then iOS probably isn’t your bag — but Apple’s design is super slick.

You’ll get AR emojis on both devices, but Apple’s implementation is better. Samsung offers a better virtual reality experience, if you want to try that out.

The decider here is software updates. Apple will push out new versions of iOS to the iPhone X immediately, while you’ll need to wait for Samsung to test Google’s latest Android releases, before tweaking its own user interface to roll them out. This can mean you’ll sometimes be left waiting for the latest security updates and new features on the S9 Plus.

Winner: Apple iPhone X

Special features

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

The Galaxy S9 Plus wins points here for the Dex Station support, which allows you to turn your phone into a kind of desktop computer. But we have to give the iPhone X some kudos for Face ID, which offers a seamless unlocking experience that’s definitely slicker than Samsung’s iris scanning and more secure than face unlock.

Winner: Tie

Price

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

The iPhone X is currently available (but who knows for how long), and prices start at $999. Getting the 256GB model will set you back another $150, making the iPhone X cost a whole lot of pocket change. As an Apple flagship, it’s available from pretty much everywhere phones are sold, with most carriers offering some sort of package for it.

The Galaxy S9 Plus began shipping on March 16. It’ll set you back $840, making it almost $200 cheaper than the iPhone X. Like the iPhone, you’ll be able to find this phone pretty much everywhere, with most U.S. carriers having their own version to sell.

It’s clear which phone is the better value for money — the S9 Plus takes this final round.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus

Overall winner: Apple iPhone X

Brenda Stolyar/Digital Trends

We’d love to sit on the fence here, but we can’t. Honestly, the S9 Plus is probably the better choice for Android fans, but the iPhone X is one heck of a machine, and one of the most gorgeous devices that Apple has ever manufactured. We marginally prefer the overall experience offered by the iPhone X, but the S9 Plus does not disappoint.

Android Auto can unlock your phone with a swipe

Google understandably shuts down easy access to your phone when Android Auto is turned on, since you’re supposed to be focused on the road. But what if you do need access to your phone while it’s still paired with your car? It should be easy from now on: Google has quietly added swipe-to-unlock access to your phone while Android Auto is active. If you absolutely need to pull over and check a third-party messaging app (or have a passenger do it for you), you don’t have to jump through hoops to get to your home screen.

The feature only just appears to be rolling out, so don’t be surprised if it’s unavailable for a while. Google hasn’t formally announced the feature. The objective seems clear at this point, though: it’s a balance between attempts to curb distracted driving and the convenience of accessing the phone directly if and when you really need it.

Via: 9to5Google

Source: Reddit

FIFA approves use of video referees at 2018 World Cup

Video assistant referees are about to get their biggest test to date. In the wake of an earlier general approval, the FIFA Council has authorized the use of VARs at the upcoming 2018 World Cup in Russia. The tool will help refs make decisions on difficult calls involving goals and penalties, any offenses leading up to those moments, mistaken identities and red cards. In theory, at least, this reduces the chances of a country going home early due to a bad call — a distinct possibility given the messes from the last World Cup.

As with virtually any early use of VARs, there are bound to be criticisms. While officials have vowed to minimize the disruption while observers check an incident, there’s no shortage of people arguing that any use of VARs slows down matches by an unacceptable level. Also, they tend to operate out of central hubs, such as the Moscow hub that will be used for the 2018 World Cup. There are concerns this could lead to overseers exerting undue influence over decisions across multiple matches, such as the alleged manipulation of VAR calls in Germany’s Bundesliga. And of course, VARs only come out for glaring errors or serious missed incidents. If a player takes a dive, only the ref will be involved in the call.

The World Cup implementation could have a significant effect on soccer (aka football) matches around the world. Leagues governed by FIFA aren’t required to use VARs at this stage, but they may be more likely to adopt the tech if they see it in action… especially if it keeps their national team in the running.

Via: Fox Soccer (Twitter)

Source: FIFA.com

Cosmetics giant L’Oreal buys AR beauty company ModiFace

Brenda Stolyar/Digital Trends

Cosmetics juggernaut L’Oreal has bought Modiface, the Canadian augmented reality (AR) beauty company that powers the makeup filters on the Galaxy S9‘s Bixby Vision.

We’ve had our eye on ModiFace for some time now, since it first looked into the tech in December 2015. Interest in using AR to see physical changes on one’s face in real time has exploded in the last year, with ModiFace’s software coming to both iOS and Android. The tech works similarly to Snapchat’s filters, applying a layer of makeup directly over your face’s image on your screen, and tracking your head movements in real-time so you can see your digital makeover from multiple angles.

ModiFace’s tech rapidly became industry-leading, powering multiple AR makeup apps, including those by Sephora and Benefit. With the Galaxy S9‘s Bixby Vision featuring this tech as well as the ability to buy the makeup you “try on,” it’s becoming increasingly obvious that the cosmetics world is taking a strong interest in the potential of AR.

This isn’t L’Oreal’s first foray into tech-savvy business — the company previously launched a smart brush that told users how to care for their hair, and recently showcased wearable tech that warned wearers when they’ve had enough sunlight. L’Oreal has also worked with ModiFace in the past, when the two companies collaborated on L’Oreal’s “Style My Hair” tool, which allowed users to see the effect of different hair dyes.

L’Oreal, along with other cosmetics companies, has long been curious of the application of AR in advertising cosmetics when combined with increasing online sales and social media marketing. MAC’s Virtual Try-On Mirror is one example of the tech being used in this way.

The amount that L’Oreal paid for ModiFace has not yet been disclosed, but given L’Oreal now spends 38 percent of its marketing budget on digital campaigns and the broad application of ModiFace’s tech, it’s unlikely that it skimped on the purchase.

“With ModiFace we’ve acquired … the stock of inventions they’ve already created, but more than that, the ability to look at reinventing the beauty experience in the years to come,” L’Oreal’s chief digital officer Lubomira Rochet said.

L’Oreal’s acquisition of ModiFace is likely to be a major blow to other manufacturers who have previously used ModiFace’s technology in their own apps and websites.

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Cosmetics giant L’Oreal buys AR beauty company ModiFace

Brenda Stolyar/Digital Trends

Cosmetics juggernaut L’Oreal has bought Modiface, the Canadian augmented reality (AR) beauty company that powers the makeup filters on the Galaxy S9‘s Bixby Vision.

We’ve had our eye on ModiFace for some time now, since it first looked into the tech in December 2015. Interest in using AR to see physical changes on one’s face in real time has exploded in the last year, with ModiFace’s software coming to both iOS and Android. The tech works similarly to Snapchat’s filters, applying a layer of makeup directly over your face’s image on your screen, and tracking your head movements in real-time so you can see your digital makeover from multiple angles.

ModiFace’s tech rapidly became industry-leading, powering multiple AR makeup apps, including those by Sephora and Benefit. With the Galaxy S9‘s Bixby Vision featuring this tech as well as the ability to buy the makeup you “try on,” it’s becoming increasingly obvious that the cosmetics world is taking a strong interest in the potential of AR.

This isn’t L’Oreal’s first foray into tech-savvy business — the company previously launched a smart brush that told users how to care for their hair, and recently showcased wearable tech that warned wearers when they’ve had enough sunlight. L’Oreal has also worked with ModiFace in the past, when the two companies collaborated on L’Oreal’s “Style My Hair” tool, which allowed users to see the effect of different hair dyes.

L’Oreal, along with other cosmetics companies, has long been curious of the application of AR in advertising cosmetics when combined with increasing online sales and social media marketing. MAC’s Virtual Try-On Mirror is one example of the tech being used in this way.

The amount that L’Oreal paid for ModiFace has not yet been disclosed, but given L’Oreal now spends 38 percent of its marketing budget on digital campaigns and the broad application of ModiFace’s tech, it’s unlikely that it skimped on the purchase.

“With ModiFace we’ve acquired … the stock of inventions they’ve already created, but more than that, the ability to look at reinventing the beauty experience in the years to come,” L’Oreal’s chief digital officer Lubomira Rochet said.

L’Oreal’s acquisition of ModiFace is likely to be a major blow to other manufacturers who have previously used ModiFace’s technology in their own apps and websites.

Editors’ Recommendations

• ModiFace replaces makeup brushes with neural networks, and it’s coming to the S9
• 5 features you may not have heard about on the Samsung Galaxy S9
• How to use Samsung’s Bixby assistant for all of your smartphone tasks
• The Samsung Galaxy S9 has finally arrived — here’s everything you need to know
• Samsung Galaxy S9 review