Best Buy’s 1-Day Easter Sale: $1000 Off iMac Pro, $100 Off iPhone X, Save on MacBook Pro and Apple Watch

Best Buy has continued its spring sale initiative with the debut of a few new sales this weekend, some of which are lasting for today only. Prices have dropped on select models of the Apple Watch Series 3 and MacBook Pro, and there are also a few other offers related to the iPhone X, iMac Pro, and certain iPads.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Best Buy. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

Students and parents of students should remember that Best Buy’s Student Deals provide an extra $50 off Mac notebooks, further lowering the savings seen in today’s MacBook Pro sale.

Flash Sale — April 1, 2018 Only

• iMac Pro – Save $1000 / $3999.99
• Apple Watch Series 3 (GPS) – Save $30 on select models / as low as $299 in 38mm, $329 in 42mm
• iPhone X – Save $100 with qualified activation on installment plan with AT&T, Verizon, or Sprint
• MacBook Pro – Save $250–300 on select models / as low as $1499.99 with Student Deals

The retailer also has a few other deals that are extending beyond today, including the chance for customers to get a minimum $125 gift card when trading in select iPad models (in-store only, ends May 5, 2018). Specifically, you’ll get the gift card when you trade in a working iPad mini 2 (with Retina display), mini 3, mini 4, Air, Air 2, iPad Pro, or fifth-generation iPad. This makes a nice companion deal for anyone upgrading to Apple’s new sixth-generation iPad.

Additionally, there are other configurations of the MacBook Pro that will see a sale price of $200 off ($250 for students and parents of students) extend into this upcoming week, ending Saturday, April 7.

To discover more sales happening at Best Buy and many other retailers, be sure to visit our full Deals Roundup.

Related Roundup: Apple DealsTag: Best Buy
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University of Michigan launches outdoor lab for autonomous drones

The University of Michigan’s autonomous vehicle testing grounds are no longer limited to earthbound machines. It just opened M-Air, a 9,600 square foot, four-story facility designed for testing autonomous aircraft outdoors. The complex lets researchers test drones in realistic lighting and wind conditions, but includes netting that prevents wayward drones from smacking into people or other aircraft. The addition enables the kind of experiments that would previously have required permission to fly outside.

Researchers already have a few examples of what they can do. One team has been dropping sensor-laden weights that can gauge what’s happening underground after an earthquake. Another project would test roofing robots that could haul and even install shingles without forcing you to climb a ladder.

M-Air is unusual in the autonomous aircraft space, and the U of M is eager to point out that it’s now the only engineering school in the US with robotic vehicle testing for air, land, sea and space. It might not be the last, mind you. Small drones are quickly becoming valuable tools for tasks like rescue and observation, and test locations like M-Air can accelerate the development of these drones without creating unnecessary risks.

Source: University of Michigan News

Happy April Fools’ Day 2018: T-Mobile Re-Launches ‘Sidekicks’, Roku Streaming Socks, Brewolingo, and More

April Fools’ Day is here once again, and this year it falls on the same day as Easter. As you browse the internet today, be forewarned that many of the stories, press releases, and announcements discovered over the next few hours will likely be hoaxes made by companies with a proclivity for teasing their customers every April 1.

If the past few years have been any measure, you can expect bizarre Apple-related accessories, an absurd product or service unveiling from T-Mobile, wisecracks from Siri, and much, much more.

It’s also worth noting that April 1, 2018 marks the 42nd anniversary of Apple, which was founded on April 1, 1976 by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne, who sold his share of Apple back to Jobs and Wozniak for just $800 later in 1976.

All these years later, Apple’s products have now become a major target for April Fools’ Day pranks, along with jokes coming from companies, apps, services, and accessory makers that are well-known by Apple users, which we’ve accumulated in a list below.

T-Mobile’s Smartshoephone

T-Mobile is bringing back the classic Sidekick smartphone for a new generation with the world’s first “Smartshoephone,” called the T-Mobile Sidekicks. Company CEO John Legere said that the Sidekicks are optimized for unlimited data on T-Mobile ONE, include a slide-out screen like the original Sidekick, have near-field “toe tap” communication with fellow Sidekicks, and more.

T-Mobile usually leans towards wearable tech for its April Fools’ Day pranks, in 2016 introducing a hands-free binge-watching headset and in 2017 showing off the “T-Mobile ONEsie.” For the new Smartshoephone, T-Mobile has even put out a fake Home Shopping Network-style video in which John Legere and COO Mike Sievert laud the advantages of the “fully connected wearable shoes.” The twist is that T-Mobile is selling a plain, non-IoT version of the Sidekicks that you can really buy… for $65.

Roku’s Happy Streaming Socks

Roku is hoping to help customers easily control their next binge-watching session with a new pair of Happy Streaming Socks. The socks have built-in motion sensors for menu navigation, find-my-socks technology, and can heat up to keep your feet warm.

Roku says that its Streaming Socks are a convenient alternative to controlling shows and navigating menus when your hands are messy from snacking while watching TV.

Man Crates’ Porch Piracy Protection

Man Crates has begun a new “Porch Piracy Protection” initiative, aimed at protecting customers from package thieves when orders are left at their doors.

Now when you order from Man Crates, you can choose from a list of free deterrents — like an ill-tempered baboon, creepy clown, or aggressive mime — that are promised to prevent looters from ever getting near your packages.

Duolingo’s Brewolingo

Freemium language-learning app Duolingo has launched “Brewolingo,” a collection of craft beers that the company says will help you become more fluent in a new language. Apparently based on actual research, Duolingo’s prank product promises fluency in French, Spanish, and more just by “getting tipsy.”

We get it. Learning a language is hard. Luckily, research has shown that besides frequent practice and cultural immersion, getting tipsy can help. That’s right, folks: drinking beer can actually help you get fluent.

Enter Brewolingo: four varieties of craft beer brought to you by Duolingo. Featuring a special blend of wheat, hops, water and secret Owlgorithms™, this beer is the only fluid you’ll need for language fluency.

Brand designer Jack Morgan shared a few behind-the-scenes images and details of his work on Brewolingo’s brand identity, packaging, and website design. The four faux flavors include Spring Season-Owl, India Pale Owl, Mad Amber Owl, and Night Owl Stout. Unlike T-Mobile, Duolingo isn’t actually selling a version of its joke — the “Buy Now” link directs you to the company’s legitimate training courses.

Other April Fools’ Day Pranks, Jokes, and Hoaxes:

• Where’s Waldo in Google Maps – Week-long game finding Waldo and his friends throughout the world.
• Chegg’s Osmosis Pillow – Place a textbook under this pillow to “learn via osmosis” while you sleep.
• Pindrop’s Tongueprinting – An all-new biometric security system for smartphones.
• Tech21’s FlexChoc – A case for the iPhone X made up of “the world’s first edible impact protection material.”
• LifeStorage’s Howie – A helpful AI-powered robot meant to help moving day a bit easier.
• OnlineLabels.com’s Labelie – A Siri competitor that can only accomplish one task.
• BritBox’s Interp-Brit – A feature for American users to switch from British to U.S. accents at the touch of a button.
• Sprint’s Magic Ball – A portable all-wireless small cell in a soccer ball.

We’ll update this post in the event that any other noteworthy April Fools’ Day announcements appear online.

Tag: April Fools’ Day
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Help us, our sides have split: The best 2018 April Fools Day gags

Be careful out there, because it’s April Fools Day, and that means much of what you read and see on the internet may be an elaborate gag to catch you out. Sure, this isn’t much different to any other day, except on April 1, a high percentage of the online nonsense you read or see will be funny. At least, that’s the intention.

To help you figure out what’s real and what isn’t, here’s our roundup of the best April Fools Day gags we’ve laughed our way through this year.

Man Crates Porch Piracy Protection

Gift delivery service Man Crates has a plan to thwart those heartless, unscrupulous thieves that steal packages left on your doorstep. It’s called Porch Piracy Protection, and is “available” at checkout, allowing you to select your protection system of choice. This makes your valuable Man Crate less attractive to the sticky-fingered. Our favorite? It’s a tough choice between creepy clown and acoustic guitar man.

Tech21 FlexChoc Case

A good smartphone case should provide protection in the event of a drop, but how many also provide a handy snack when you need a sugar rush? Tech21 has made the FlexChoc, an exquisitely designed, and we imagine exquisitely tasting, chocolate phone case. If we don’t get sent one of these, we’ll be very disappointed.

Genetic Select by Lexus

Don’t laugh, because we have the feeling Lexus’s April Fools Day joke has the potential to be prophetic. Order a new Lexus using Genetic Select, and your DNA shapes everything about it, from the new car smell and tinted windows based on your skin type, to a windshield that matches your glasses prescription. Made in partnership with 23andMe, we can see marketers thinking this would be a really good idea. Also, it’s the first of several tongue-related April Fools Day jokes, oddly.

WArby’s Onion Ring Monocle

“The perfect fusion of two brands,” is how Warby’s describes its partnership with Arby’ — called WArby’s — and the resulting Onion Ring Monocle product. We like this one. It’s smart, amusing, and if you’re in New York, you can actually go and get an Onion Ring Monocle yourself. Plus, we really like onion rings.

T-Mobile Sidekicks

Remember the T-Mobile Sidekick smartphone? It was like a BlackBerry, but worse. T-Mobile remembers, and has used April Fools Day to come up with a product that manages to be even less appealing to use than the original Sidekick. Sidekicks are the world’s first Smart Shoe Phone, and they do everything your smartphone does, but on your feet. The video is funny, the shoes are worryingly believable, and CEO John Legere shows up and swears, so what else could we ask for? What’s more, the shoes — minus the phone part — can actually be purchased.

Roku Happy Streaming Socks

More foot-related April Fools Day jokery, this time from Roku. In an effort to keep the remote control free of greasy, snack-related fingerprints and detritus, Roku’s Happy Streaming Socks control your Roku box via gestures made with your feet. A Wizard Of Oz-style heel click plays your selected movie, for example. They even warm your feet, and have a handy Find My Sock system, because we all know how easy it is to lose a single sock.

Jabra Speaker Sneaker

Continuing the footwear-trend of April Fools Day 2018 (which is in danger of surpassing the use of cute animals, shockingly), Jabra has made a pair of Sneaker Speakers. Providing true music on-the-go, these are voice controlled, have detachable speakers, a dance assist mode, and wireless charging. This is our favorite part, and in the press release — which we suspect may not be serious, despite how seriously Jabra appears to be taking this — it says the “wireless surface charger can also be used as a comfortable blanket to sit on at the same time.” The thing is, we’d actually buy a wireless charger like that.

FreshDirect Rabbit Foraged Herbs

Cute animals are a staple of April Fools Day online gags, and FreshDirect has chosen rabbits as the star of its joke, claiming thousands of them are out foraging for fresh herbs. While there had been no explanation as to how they do this, we do know they’re motivated by treats, so we get to see rabbits munching on a carrot. Ahh, so sweet. We included this here because the trainer’s name is Ned Hopper. Come on. That’s funny.

Master & Dynamic Thermochromium

There’s always at least one April Fools Day product that we half-wish was real, and this is one of them. Expert headphone company Master & Dynamic’s Thermochromium headphones monitor your brainwaves to manipulate the color of the new Thermochromium leather, changing it according to what you’re listening to. It’s bizarre, and we can do without the brain monitoring stuff; but the color changing look is very cool.

Honor Toilet Insurance

Have you had breakfast? Good, then you’re safe to watch Honor’s April Fools Day joke, which introduces an insurance scheme against phones dropped in the toilet. It does this by graphically showing a slightly dehydrated man urinating in a bowl, before his phone takes an unfortunate bath in the liquid. Fewer laughs, and more involuntary retching from Honor this year.

Pindrop Tongueprinting

Less gross than Honor’s April Fools Day joke, biometric technology company Pindrop’s gag will still make germaphobes curl up in a little ball and wish for it never to happen. Pindrop’s new service is Tongueprinting, which uses the unique structure of your tongue to secure your phone. The trouble is, to use it, you have to lick your phone. Yuck.

ThinkGeek Jurassic World Dinosaur Detection System

ThinkGeek always has a good line-up for April Fools Day, and the Jurassic World Dinosaur Detection System is one of the best yet. We won’t give it all away, but if you’re a fan of the Jurassic Park movie, then you’ll recognise the product being pushed here, along with some of the lines used. Every office needs one.

HouzzCoinzz

Home design app Houzz mocks the cryptocurrency craze in its April Fools Day joke. HouzzCoinzz are its own cryptocurrency, which can be purchased or mined and used to buy products seen in the app. A $100 investment may allow you to furnish your entire home as the value skyrockets. However, read the small print — like other cryptocurrencies, that $100 could also become completely worthless.

eHarmony Furever Love

Many a true word spoken in jest. Judging by the amount of Instagram profiles are made for pets, a dating and companion app for pets is surely the next step, and we’re surprised it’s not a real thing already. Relationship app eHarmony’s April Fools gag is the amusingly named Furever Love, where profiles can be created for pets, ready for the company’s algorithms to find the perfect (purrfect?) match. An April Fools joke featuring pictures of cute dogs? Who expected that?

We’ll be updating our list of April Fools Day jokes for 2018, so check back for more.

Glitch launches its ‘YouTube for app creators’

Fog Creek Software (led by well-known entrepreneur Anil Dash) has spent about a year testing Glitch, a sort of YouTube for app creators where people can create, modify and host code in an easy to use, collaborative environment. And now, it’s ready for public consumption: Glitch has dropped the beta tag and is now officially available to everyone. The site lets you upload working code for everything from websites to VR experiences, and encourages you to “remix” them regardless of your skill level. You don’t even have to figure out where to launch them, as Glitch automatically hosts your work.

The project revolves around openness (it recently added the option to embed Glitch-made apps anywhere on the web), and that now extends to the site itself. Fog Creek has opened up the source code for the Glitch website, giving you a chance to shape the community in addition to the apps you make.

There’s no certainty that Glitch will catch on — it’s clearly not meant for typical commercial apps with closed source code. However, it could be particularly appealing to both newcomers to programming and those who are more concerned about making code accessible than turning a profit. Fog Creek envisions Glitch as a hub for artists, activists and teachers who don’t always have platforms for their work and might be intimidated by the usual hurdles associated with writing and delivering code.

Source: Glitch (Medium)

PS4’s revamped video section focuses on shows over apps

If you have a PlayStation 4, there’s a good chance you use it as a video viewer. However, you’ll also know that it isn’t ideal for that role — you have to hop between apps just to see what shows are worth watching. Sony is aiming to fix that. American users now have an overhauled TV & Video section that shows new and trending video from a range of services, including live channels on PlayStation Vue. It’s much like the carousel interface you see in apps for Netflix or Amazon Prime Video, complete with featured and themed sections. You can still launch the apps first if you prefer, but it’s now much easier to skip directly to what you want to watch.

You’ll also see personalized recommendations, starting with YouTube. Link your YouTube account to PSN and you’ll see suggested videos right on your PS4’s home screen. Other services are “coming soon,” Sony said.

There’s no word on international expansion, although that’s likely a question of “when” rather than “if.” Even if PlayStation Vue never goes beyond US borders, Sony still has incentives to both promote its original PlayStation TV shows and convince PS4 owners that their console is more than just a game machine. The more capable the PS4 is, the more likely you are to choose it over a rival like the Xbox One or a a media-focused hub like a Roku player.

Source: PlayStation Blog

Here’s how to defeat the Kraken in ‘Sea of Thieves’

There are many dangers in Sea of Thieves — from pirate crews, to skeletons, to deadly storms. The most terrifying among them, though, is the Kraken, a giant sea monster that tries to sink ships and eat pirates.

The Kraken isn’t so much a boss you hunt down, as it is a hazard that appears at random, attacking ships with its huge tentacles. When that happens, crews have to drop everything and make a major coordinated effort just to save their ship and their lives. The Kraken is tough and can be deadly: Normally, your goal should just be to do enough damage to get out of its clutches and escape. That said, it isn’t invincible — you can defeat the Kraken. A crew working together can fend it off and force the beast to retreat back into the depths.

We’ve already got guides to get you started, teaching you to sail, fight other crews and make a living as a lone pirate in Sea of Thieves. Here’s everything you need to know about how to escape from, and even kill, the Kraken.

Watch for the inky water

You can’t go hunting for the Kraken, but you can prepare for the fight if you know what to look for. The Kraken attacks ships seemingly at random, but it does seem to prefer breaking down galleons — crews of three or four — rather than sloops, smaller boats with one or two players. While you’re sailing, keep an eye out for the water around your ship to turn black: When the water gets inky, you know you’re about to get attacked. The warning gives you a few seconds to prepare as it stops your ship. If you see the sign, you’ll want to quickly load up on cannonballs, planks, and bananas, and switch your gun to the sniper rifle.

It’s generally a good idea to constantly stock up on resources every time you visit an island. This is one of the many reasons why.

Blast the tentacles

When the Kraken attacks, you’ll see a host of tentacles popping up around your ship. Blasting them with your cannons is your primary way of damaging the Kraken. When a tentacle takes enough damage, it will retreat under the water — when you get rid of all of them, the Kraken will leave your ship behind and return to the depths.

At any given time, some of the tentacles will swing in close to your ship to attack you, while others hang back further out in the water. To keep your teammates alive, you generally want to focus on shooting the closer, more active ones as they swoop in to scoop up you and your crew.

You can hit the tentacles in any place to damage them, but each tentacle has a “head” at the end of it, and as it approaches your ship, the head will often open up to reveal a “mouth” inside. Tentacles take significantly more damage and withdraw more quickly if you hit them in their heads. Cannons do the most damage, of course, but they’re hard to use accurately to nail the tentacles. If you’re having trouble nailing tentacle heads with a cannonball, you should swap out your gun for the sniper rifle from your ship’s weapons stores. Shooting the Kraken with a gun doesn’t do as much damage, but a shot to the head seems to be meaningful. Working together to do as much damage as you can is key to surviving the attack.

Counter the Kraken’s attacks

When the Kraken appears, its tentacles will surround the ship. They’re dangerous in a number of ways and you need to do everything you can mitigate the damage they do to your ship and your crew. Luckily, the Kraken tentacles only have two attacks and both of them can be countered with concentrated attacks by your entire team.

First, it uses its mouth to suck up a member of your crew, grabbing them off the deck of the ship. You take damage while you’re in the tentacle’s mouth, and it can also fling you way off into the water, or slam you down against the deck of the ship. If one of your crewmates gets nabbed by a tentacle, it’s a good idea for the crew to turn their attention and unload on it: If you do enough damage, the Kraken will release them. You can’t use your gun on a tentacle when it has you inside its mouth, but you can hack at it with your sword.

Second, the Kraken goes after the ship itself, slamming a tentacle across the bow to damage to your hull. When that happens, again, it’s best for the whole crew to turn its attention to the attacking tentacle and wail on it. You can slice the tentacles with your swords when they’re on the deck to damage them, and it’s best to lay into them with everything you have to get rid of them quickly.

Beware of swimming on the surface

Chances are pretty good that at least some of your crew will find themselves in the water at some point during a Kraken attack. When that happens, you need to be careful. While the Kraken’s tentacles won’t go after you while you’re in the water, you will take continuous damage from the ink that spreads over the attack area. To minimize the damage, swim beneath the surface as much as possible. The ink floats on the top of the water, so you only have to take damage when you come up for air or get back on your ship.

Keep up with repairs

The fight with the Kraken can be perilous as you find tentacles popping up or disappearing beneath the waves. With crew members getting snagged by tentacles and tossed overboard, it can be easy to forget that your ship itself is under assault. Make sure your crew is frequently dropping below deck to patch up leaks. It might even be prudent to designate one member of your crew specifically to keep your ship from sinking throughout the battle. The Kraken can do a lot of damage, and if there is a lapse in your attention, it might take you down to the depths with it.

Make your escape

In case it wasn’t clear before, we want to make sure you know: You do not have to kill the Kraken! Even if you want to, though, it’s a matter of pride. We understand — but you should be prepared to cut bait and flee rather than to stand up to it. Depending on whether you’re losing crew to attacks or taking massive damage, making a getaway might be the best way to stay alive (and keep any treasure you have onboard). You can simply sail away from the Kraken once you knock out enough of its tentacles, and it’s worth noting that if you get attacked while you’re on the move, your sails will still be down and anchor up, so this can happen even by accident. If you can sail out of the inky water, you’ll escape the Kraken’s wrath, so blast away at the tentacles until you can start moving again.

Your rewards — or lack thereof

The Kraken fight is tough, but it isn’t really a boss battle. (The folks at Rare describe it as more of a force of nature, like a storm). As such, don’t expect a pile of loot to float up from the depths when and if you manage to repel it. As of now, you don’t get any substantial in-game rewards for defeating the Kraken, other than your life, a ship that still sails, and a good tale to tell. You will unlock the “Kraken Good Job” achievement for your trouble. At least you can look at that and feel a sense of pride in your accomplishment.

Editors’ Recommendations

• ‘Sea of Thieves’ beginners guide to sailing and plundering
• Who needs a crew? How to sail solo in ‘Sea of Thieves’
• How to master the art of ship combat in ‘Sea of Thieves’ and rule the high seas
• How to team up and sail a galleon like an old salt in ‘Sea of Thieves’
• Dominate multiplayer with our ‘Destiny 2’ Crucible guide

Alexa, who am I? How to set up an Amazon Alexa voice profile

Amazon’s line of Alexa-enabled Echo devices are supposed to simulate having a personal assistant in your home . But how can the experience be personal when you’re sharing the device with family members and friends? Luckily, Alexa has a special skill that makes the user experience a little more personalized: voice recognition. That’s right, you can train Alexa to recognize the sound of your voice so that you can receive personalized information whenever you interact with a compatible device. Every member of your family (and even frequent visitors) can create a voice profile for more customized interactions. The Echo, Echo Dot, Echo Plus, Spot, and Echo Show all have the voice recognition feature. Here’s how to go about setting up a voice profile on your Alexa-enabled device.

Step 1: Open the Alexa App

Open up the Alexa app on your smartphone or tablet. Go to the menu page and tap on “Settings,” “Accounts,” and then “Your Voice.” Hit “Begin” to start the process of training Alexa to learn your voice. Alexa can also guide you through the steps verbally. Simply say, “Alexa, learn my voice,” and the device will proceed to give you instructions on how to create a voice profile.

Step 2: Select a device

If you’re using the Alexa app a voice profile, use the drop-down menu to select which device you want to use to help Alexa learn your voice. If you have more than one Echo device in the house, it’s advisable to temporarily turn the microphones of the other devices off while you interact with the selected device. To turn off the microphone, simply press the “Microphone Off” button on the device. Keep in mind that once you use a device to create a voice profile, the other Echo devices in your home should also automatically be able to respond to your voice as well.

Step 3: Follow the prompts

The app will proceed to give you a series of prompts that you’ll need to say out loud in order for Alexa to learn your voice. Follow the directions on the screen, and speak the phrases as they show up. Stumble over your words? You always have the option of repeating a phrase again, by simply tapping “Try Again.” Once you’re done, tap on “Complete.” A confirmation will pop up on your screen, and Alexa will tell you “good job.” What an encouraging IoT buddy.

To ensure a successful creation of your new voice profile, there are some tips you can follow. When speaking the prompted phrases, try to sit or stand in a place where you would normally speak to your Echo device — for example, the dining table or living room sofa. Try to ensure there isn’t a lot of background noise, and keep the Alexa device you’re interacting with at least eight inches away from the walls. Then, simply speak to Alexa as you normally would.

Step 4: Set Up Amazon Music

If you’re subscribed to the Amazon Music Unlimited Family Plan, you’ll see a screen pop up at the very end of the profile creation process. It will ask you whether you want to link your voice profile to the Amazon Music Unlimited account. All you have to do is sign in on the screen and enter the information associated with the account. That way, whenever you request Alexa to play music, the device can play music that’s curated to the speaker’s tastes.

Step 5: Testing – Ask Alexa who you are

Once the process is complete, you can verify that Alexa has learned your voice by asking Alexa, “Who am I?” If Alexa is able to tell who you are, it will respond by saying, “I’m talking to (your name).” Note that Alexa takes about 15 to 20 minutes to learn your voice after you’ve completed the set-up process, so if the device doesn’t recognize your voice right away, try again a little later.

Is Alexa not pronouncing your name correctly? You can send feedback within the Alexa app. On the menu page, tap on “Help & Feedback,” then choose “Send Feedback.” Scroll through the drop-down menus to select the device and issue, then use the text box to write the complaint.

Step 6: Add more users

Do your family members or friends also want a personalized experience? You can create individualized voice profiles. New users can get started by downloading the Alexa app to their smartphones and signing into the Amazon account used to register the Echo devices.

Step 7: Start asking Alexa questions

Once everyone in your home has created a unique voice profile, they’ll be able to use their voices to call and message people on their own unique contact lists. You’ll also get a curated listening experience when you request music, receive commute times that are specific to your workplace, and hear news briefings from the exact sources that you’ve selected. This way, everyone in the family will be able to experience more personalized interactions with Amazon Alexa.

If someone else in your family has a very similar voice as you, it’s possible Alexa will occasionally mistake your voice for someone else’s. If this happens, you can always say “Stop” or “Cancel” to avoid accessing your family member’s content.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Alexa to play recently heard songs within Amazon Music
• Control this robot kit with your voice using Alexa or Google Assistant
• Furby/Alexa hybrid makes the creepy toy at least a little bit useful
• How to use Amazon’s Alexa app on your smartphone
• You can now use Alexa on your tablet to call your contacts

Everybody dance now! If you can boogie down, ‘Fortnite’ wants your best moves

Epic Games is looking for a few epic dance moves for new victory celebrations. Just post your video on social media and you could be immortalized in video game history.

The retro-styled shoot-em-up Fortnite: Battle Royale is quickly becoming a pop culture phenomenon. A recent Twitch stream of the game featuring rapper Drake broke records for viewers in a non-tournament event. The 16th-seeded Retrievers from the University of Baltimore, Maryland County pulled off the biggest upset in NCAA tournament history with a victory against Virginia, and credited Fortnite with the victory.

@UMBCAthletics knows how to get ready @FortniteGame @Ninja @Drake they’re here for ya @kmbc pic.twitter.com/ZyBoyhSvkz

— Steven Albritton (@StevenAlbritton) March 17, 2018

Pro athletes are getting in on the act as well. Tampa Bay Rays player Xander Bogaerts pulled out the “Take the L” dance after rapping a double on Opening Day. The World Series champions Houston Astros became avid fans and their spring training clubhouse was filled with PlayStations.

“I started out saying, ‘I’m not buying anything on this stupid game. I’m just going generic,’” World Series MVP George Springer told SB Nation. “And then Josh Reddick logged into my PlayStation and bought like $100 worth of stuff.”

“Now I’ve got these crazy costumes and stuff,” he added. “And you know what? I’m glad he did it.”

The Fortnite “Boogiedown” contest runs through April 10, and you can enter via Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram. To participate, just make a short video of a dance or gesture that you think would make a good emote for the Fortnite game, and include the hashtag #boogiedown in the text box.

Only one submission will be accepted per person, and the entries will be judged on such categories as fun, originality, and “Fortnite-ness.”

The winning boogie will be added to the game as a victory celebration, and the best five entries will all get the Boogie Bomb, which was recently pulled from the game due to an infinite weapons glitch. The top hundred entries will all score some in-game cash in the form of V-Bucks.

For more information on the contest, check out the official rules.

If you’re just getting started in Fortnite, we’ve got some tips and tricks to help you survive the first few minutes of this frantic free-for-all. Once you’ve got the basics down, don’t miss our builder’s guide to find out how to use towers to rule the battlefield.

Fortnite: Battle Royale is free-to-play (with cosmetic in-game microtransactions) and available now for PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Android, and iOS.

Editors’ Recommendations

• ’Fortnite’ review
• Playing ‘Fortnite’ on a phone makes me feel old
• You can sign up for the ‘Fortnite: Battle Royale’ mobile beta right now
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With FCC approval, all systems are go for Starlink global internet

Not satisfied with merely ferrying cargo to and from the International Space Station (and putting a red Tesla into orbit around Mars), SpaceX now wants to provide high-speed internet to everyone in the world.

SpaceX CEO and flamethrower enthusiast Elon Musk envisions Starlink as a network of thousands of satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) that will provide broadband internet access to the entire planet. That plan took a big step forward this week when the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved the company’s request to provide broadband satellite services.

Two test satellites were launched aboard a Falcon 9 rocket in February, and thousands more may soon follow. SpaceX plans to eventually have 4,425 satellites in orbit by the mid-2020s, according to Business Insider. “The system is designed to provide a wide range of broadband and communications services for residential, commercial, institutional, governmental and professional users worldwide,” SpaceX said in its FCC application.

The Starlink program will create a mesh network of satellites, each about 850 pounds and the size of a compact car, orbiting in altitudes from 715 to 790 miles above the Earth. Using the Ka/Ku radio frequencies, the network will be able to deliver 1Gbps to terrestrial customers. By comparison, that’s about 200 times faster the average connectivity speed today.

“The focus is going to be on creating a global communications system. This is quite an ambitious effort,” Musk said at a SpaceX event in January 2017. “We’re really talking about something which is, in the long term, like rebuilding the internet in space.”

SpaceX plans to begin operations once a “constellation” of 800 satellites is in orbit. Each satellite will cover an area approximately 650 miles in diameter.

The FCC expressed some concern about the number of satellites SpaceX plans to launch by tying their approval to an updated de-orbit plan, reported Space News. The Satellite Database of the Union of Concerned Scientists estimates there are currently 1,738 operating satellites in orbit.

The FCC cited NASA guidelines when it said the go-ahead for the SpaceX application was conditioned upon “approval of an updated description of the orbital debris mitigation plans for its system.” In other words, they wanted assurances that SpaceX would clean up its trash.

For its part, SpaceX said it will deorbit its satellites only a year after their mission is complete, far less than the 25-year guideline proposed by NASA.

SpaceX has made no announcement of upcoming Starlink launches or a timetable or when the first constellation might be complete.

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