Apple Seeds First Beta of macOS High Sierra 10.13.5 to Developers

Apple today seeded the first beta of an upcoming macOS High Sierra 10.13.5 update to developers, just under one week after releasing the macOS High Sierra 10.13.4 update.

The new macOS High Sierra 10.13.5 beta can be downloaded through the Software Update mechanism in the Mac App Store with the proper profile installed. The update does not appear to be listed in the Apple Developer Center at the current time, but it is available for developers who previously installed the macOS High Sierra beta profile.

It’s not yet clear what improvements the fifth major update to macOS High Sierra will bring, but it’s likely to include bug fixes and performance improvements for issues that weren’t addressed in macOS High Sierra 10.13.4.

We are waiting on several features to come to macOS and iOS, including Messages on iCloud, a feature that was in the iOS 11.3 beta but later pulled. Messages on iCloud has been reintroduced in the iOS 11.4 beta and is likely in macOS High Sierra 10.13.5 as well.

The previous macOS High Sierra 10.13.4 update brought support for external graphics processors (eGPUs) along with Business Chat in Messages and several other bug fixes and smaller feature improvements.

We’ll update this post should any new features be discovered in macOS High Sierra 10.13.5.

Related Roundup: macOS High Sierra
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Apple Executives Receive Stock Worth Up to $22 Million as RSUs Vest

Seven Apple executives this week received major stock awards after restricted stock units or RSUs awarded in 2014 and 2015 vested.

Apple issues RSUs to its executives as bonus compensation, with the restricted units vesting after a set period of time as long as the employee stays with the company.

Phil Schiller, Dan Riccio, Jeff Williams, and Eddy Cue all received 130,117 shares, worth more than $22 million at Apple’s current price per share. Luca Maestri, Angela Ahrendts, and Craig Federighi all received ~77,000 shares.

Shares received by each were originally awarded on March 3, 2014; October 17, 2014; and October 5, 2015, with Riccio, Williams, Cue, and Schiller receiving stock from all three dates and Maestri, Ahrendts, and Federighi receiving stock from the October awards. The March 2014 award has now fully vested for employees who received it, while employees who received the other two rewards will see additional shares vest on April 1, 2019 and April 1, 2020.

A portion of each award was withheld by Apple to satisfy tax withholding requirements on vesting of restricted stock units.

Tag: Stock
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Nine innovative indie games for when you want to try something different

Independent games may sometimes be ignored for their bigger-budget brothers, but this trend usually leads to indie developers investing more effort into creating innovative gameplay and design. While mainstream franchises are often predictable, indie games tend to manipulate the regular ingredients needed to make a game, in order to create a completely new experience.

Google itself has recognized the power of indie games when last year, it created a special Indie Corner in the Play Store, with the aim of allowing users to discover new titles more easily.

Even so, new indie titles are being added to the Play Store constantly, so even if you constantly check the section, some games might still slip through the cracks. So for the purpose of this article, we rounded up some cool, innovative indie games that we believe might pique your interest.

Mekorama

What it is:

A puzzle game by Martin Magni featuring expertly crafted graphics and up to 50 free levels to go through.

Why it’s fun:

• As the player, your task is to help guide an adorable lost robot get home, through a series of miniature mechanical dioramas. Each diorama can be rotated 360-degrees, to be viewed from all sides.
• As you progress, the levels get more maze-like and the quirky mechanics start to reveal themselves.
• The game includes the ability to create your own levels with modular components, in the vein of Minecraft.
• The game is based on the “pay what you want” system. If you want to contribute to the game you’re welcome to do so, but nothing is locked and there’s no energy or life that needs to be replenished so you can keep playing.

Install Mekorama

Alto’s Adventure

What it is:

A visually stunning adventure game in which you join Alto and his friends on an endless snowboarding odyssey.

Why it’s fun:

• It’s an addictive snowy endless runner challenge in which you race down the mountain, leap over chasms and rescue runaway llamas.
• Controls are easy, single touch, but the game keeps things challenging with various missions and obstacles.
• The animations and backgrounds are gorgeous, making the game not only fun to play but mesmerizing to watch. The soundtrack also provides an ambient immersive experience.

Install Alto’s Adventure

The Battle of Polytopia

What it is:

A simple yet engaging strategy game with cute low poly graphics. It’s the first game developed by Stockholm-based indie game studio Midjiwan.

Why it’s fun:

• Super-easy gameplay: just pick a tribe and do your best to spread across the map and conquer other tribes.
• Evolve – the more settlements you conquer, the more starts you get. In turn, you can use these stars to unlock new technologies and buildings.
• Each tribe starts off with a technological advantage of its own. For example, the Xin-xi can climb mountains.
• You get multiple gaming modes (including Domination or Perfection) and difficulty modes.
• Maps are almost never the same, as they are generated at random just like in Minecraft.

Install Battle of Polytopia

GeoTap

What it is:

An unusual relaxation game, which wants to help you channel tranquillity every time you play it.

Why it’s fun:

• Who says you have to get competitive while playing a game? GeoTap proves a game can have a soothing effect. Simply tap on the geometric figures to color the sides, while you enjoy the soothing soundscapes.
• Unlock up to 30 unique shapes, as you play.
• You get 3 unique gameplay “mood modes” including Classic, Tranquil and Focus. More will be added soon.
• Helps players test their patience and dexterity.

Install Battle of GeoTap

My Oasis – Relaxing Sanctuary

What it is:

A simulation game that provides users who need a break from life with a serene pastime that will calm their minds and souls.

Why it’s fun:

• Trying to relax after a bad day? My Oasis aims to help you forget about your busy life by placing you in a beautiful virtual oasis.
• Tap on tap on stuff and see what happens and upgrade your oasis. Collect hearts in order to be able to do so.
• Some animals have a musical note hovering over their head. Tap on them and enjoy listening to the melodic voice of nature.

Install Battle of My Oasis – Relaxing Sanctuary

Infamous Machine

What it is:

A beautiful point-and-click adventure game with a creative storyline for those with a love for alternative history.

Why it’s fun:

• You play as Kelvin, the apprentice of a mad scientist who build a time machine. Now Kelvin must stumble through time to help geniuses across history complete their masterworks.
• Superb graphics which will leave you craving more.
• The dialogue is funny and the puzzles are moderate in difficulty.
• Meet iconic characters from history like Beethoven, Da Vinci and Newton.

Install Battle of Infamous Machine

Fluffy Fall

What it is:

Another endless runner game in which you control a cube-like creature as it falls down-down the rabbit hole through an endless series of obstacle-filled tubes.

Why it’s fun:

• Survive the danger-filled tubes and earn as much Gold as you can. Use it to unlock more adorable cube-like monsters.
• There’s a total of 60 fluffy creatures to unlock
• The amazing 3D animation is guaranteed to offer hours of fun.

Install Battle of Fluffy Fall

Rusty Lake Paradise

What it is:

A point-and-click adventure with super interesting graphics and a unique story-line. Perfect for mystery fans!

Why it’s fun:

• Lovers of dark, twisted tales will love Rusty Lake Paradise and its surreal atmosphere. The plot is based on the story of the ten plagues of Egypt.
• Each plague brings with it its unique atmosphere and a series of Rusty Lake brain teasers.
• Every plague has its own theme song and variations.

Install Rusty Lake Paradise

Astra

What it is:

A mystic arcade game inspired by Greek mythology for those who love to solve puzzles and discover secrets.

Why it’s fun:

• The story revolves around Hemera, the goddess of daylight. You need to step in and help her fight darkness and discover the secrets of the Astra universe.
• Astra is an orbital runner. Hemera speeds walks, and when you tap the screen it causes her to jump. Tap the screen twice and Hemera begins her ascent to the nearest world.
• The leaping around is spiced by the presence of wolves, fire-spewing spaceships, and other things to bounce into or destroy.

Install Astra

Have you tried any of these games before? If not which one has caught your attention first?

Know any good indie apps that weren’t included below? Drop us a comment and let us know.

Amazon says it has ‘tens of millions’ of paying Music Unlimited users

As Spotify goes pubic, it’s only natural that competing services might want to tout their own success stories in the streaming business. According to Billboard, Amazon Music reports “tens of millions” of paid customers and that Amazon Music Unlimited subscriptions have more than doubled in the past half year. That puts them in range of Apple Music and Spotify, with 36 million and 70 million reported subscribers, respectively.

This kind of growth is likely due to the growing number of folks who are Amazon Prime members, Amazon Music’s Steve Boom told BIllboard, and the popularity of the company’s integration with Echo and other smart speakers. Boom also said that most of its new paid Unlimited subscribers are coming from the increasingly ubiquitous home devices, and that includes older listeners and country-music fans, both of whom haven’t adopted streaming as quickly as other groups. It’s easier, said Boom, for people to use their voice to listen to music, and Amazon has several tiers to encourage people to sign up, from Prime Music to Amazon Music Unlimited. The former is free for Amazon Prime members while the latter is discounted for them, as well. There are also family and student plans, and even a single-Echo plan for $4 a month.

“We have a lot of evidence that the customers that we’re bringing into our ecosystem are either new to streaming in the first place, or new to premium streaming,” Boom told Billboard. “It’s still day one when it comes to what it means to control a music service and have access to a massive catalog and everything you want to do and control it only with your voice.”

Source: Billboard

Facebook has removed hundreds more Russian troll accounts

Throughout investigations into Russia-backed efforts to sow political discord in the US during the last presidential election, US officials have said that the Internet Research Agency (IRA) played a major role. Last month, the US Department of the Treasury instituted sanctions on the IRA and 13 individuals who are believed to have assisted the Russian group in some way. In February, a federal jury indicted 13 Russian nationals connected with the IRA on various charges related to alleged efforts to interfere with the US election. Facebook has been working to remove all IRA-produced content from its platform and today it took down 70 Facebook accounts, 65 Instagram accounts and 138 Facebook Pages all believed to be controlled by the group.

Of those accounts and Pages, Facebook says around 95 percent were written in Russian and were targeted towards Russian-speaking individuals in countries like Russia, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan and Ukraine. “The IRA has repeatedly used complex networks of inauthentic accounts to deceive and manipulate people who use Facebook, including before, during and after the 2016 US presidential elections,” Facebook said today. “It’s why we don’t want them on Facebook. We removed this latest set of Pages and accounts solely because they were controlled by the IRA — not based on the content.”

In a post today, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said that some of the accounts belonged to Russian news organizations that Facebook believes are controlled by the IRA. Around one million people followed at least one of the now removed Facebook accounts while approximately 493,000 followed at least one of the Instagram accounts.

Last year, Facebook began letting its users know if they followed Pages created by the IRA. Twitter and Tumblr have also been letting users know if they interacted with any IRA content. Facebook says it will soon update its Help Center tool so users can see if they liked or followed any of the newly removed Pages.

Images: Facebook

Source: Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg

Protect your new phone with one of best Huawei P20 cases

There are plenty of reasons to pick the Huawei P20 as your next phone, but the 5.8-inch screen and gorgeous glass back need to be taken care of or you’re going to end up with scrapes, scratches, or even cracks. The smart play is to invest in one of the best Huawei P20 cases and we’re here to help you choose the right one for you. Picking a case is always a balancing act as you weigh protection against style and try to find something that ticks all your boxes. Let’s get started.

Tech21 Pure Clear Case ($40)

If you want to be able to see the beautiful finish on your Huawei P20, but you need drop protection that you can really trust, then this case could be the one. There’s a crystal clear back with a shock absorbing frame that takes the sting out of any impact and enhances your grip at the same time. This case has been rigorously tested and offers protection from falls of up to 10 feet. All the cutouts you need for the camera and ports are there, and the button covers are well-defined.

Buy one now from:

Tech21

Spigen Liquid Crystal Case ($12)

Here’s another clear case designed to allow your Huawei P20’s style to shine through. It’s slim and fairly minimal, though there is a Spigen logo etched into the side. There are slim button covers and accurate cutouts for everything you need access to. Spigen does include air pockets in the corners to try and reduce the risk of drop damage, but this isn’t as protective as something like the Tech21 case we just looked at.

Buy one now from:

Amazon Spigen

Huawei Smart View Flip Case ($24)

This official case from Huawei features a synthetic leather cover with a translucent portion that shows the time, date, incoming calls and messages, and charging status. It’s a stylish way to protect your Huawei P20 from every angle. The shell itself is pretty minimal, offering easy access to all of your phone’s functions. As you’d expect from a case made by Huawei, the fit is perfect. You can pick up this case in blue, pink, or black.

Buy one now from:

Mobile Fun

Kugi TPU Case ($9)

This soft TPU case has a few things going for it, not least the low price. The sides are ridged for extra grip, the cutouts are accurate, and the button covers work well. The flexible TPU should guard your P20 against minor drops and bumps, though this case isn’t going to deliver strong drop protection. It comes in red, gray, black, or navy with a patch on the back that sports a leather-look finish. There’s also a lanyard hole in case you like to attach your phone to a wrist strap.

Buy one now from:

Amazon

Olixar ArmourDillo Case ($12)

It’s not much of a looker, but this chunky case combines a flexible inner layer of TPU with a hard outer shell to give you decent drop protection. There’s extra reinforcement in the corners where you need it most and an extended rim around the screen and camera lens to keep them safe from harm. The textured back and sides enhance grip and there’s also a handy pop-out kickstand on the back to make it easy to prop your P20 in landscape view.

Buy one now from:

Mobile Fun

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No more security updates for Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge

Giuliano Correia/Digital Trends

It seems that the Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge have finally reached the end of their long lives, since Samsung has removed both of these devices from its list of models to receive regular security updates.

The removal of security updates signals that the end has now come for the devices, and that no future updates are planned for either of them. Since the S6 and S6 Edge are both now three years old, having been revealed in the first ever Samsung Unpacked event, it’s not unreasonable for Samsung to cut both of these old flagships off after three years of security and major OS updates.

An earlier report stated that the S6 Edge+ and the S6 Active had also been removed from the list, but that article has been amended to correct that Samsung then re-added both the S6 Edge+ and S6 Active, presumably because both of those devices are still just under three years old — the S6 Edge+ having been revealed at the same August 2015 event as the Note 5, and the S6 Active in June 2015. It’s fair to assume that support for both of these devices will expire later this year, to match the older models in the S6 range. It’s also unclear how this relates to a proposed update to Android 8.0 Oreo for the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge — according to previous reports, the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge would receive the update. However, with this news that seems unlikely. We have reached out to Samsung for comment.

The Samsung Galaxy S6 was revealed in March 2015, and released in April of that same year. The Galaxy S6 signaled something of a change in Android flagship phones, heralding the beginning of a more premium approach, with more premium materials. The Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge were the first phones in the Galaxy S range to embrace a metal-and-glass design, with Gorilla Glass 4 on both the front and the back of the devices. The S6 Edge was also the first S-range phone to come with curved edges on the screen, a trend that continued with the S7 Edge, and eventually resulted in the Galaxy S8 and S9 phones that ditched a flat screen design entirely. While technology moved on and left the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge behind, it’s clear that they started some fine traditions and will be fondly remembered by many.

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New sensor system detects gunshots, can automatically lock down a school

An electrical engineer in Richland, Washington’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory has designed a system that can help keep schools safe from gun violence. Jim Skorpik, who has previously developed sensors meant to detect a missile’s readiness for combat, has now applied his expertise to keeping children safe. His sensor technology has now been licensed by EAGL Technology out of Albuquerque, which has installed and tested the new sensors at Hermosa Elementary School in Artesia, New Mexico.

When paired with a security system, Skorpik’s sensor is able to alert authorities, turn a camera to the scene where shots were heard, set off the alarm, and lock doors. Although the gunshot detectors themselves are about the size of a pack of gum, their diminutive size does not detract from their potentially life-saving abilities.

As Scott Simer, the facilities manager for the Artesia school district, told NPR, the wireless, battery-powered sensors are capable of differentiating between gunshots and other loud noises — say, a dropped textbook or even a firecracker. And this isn’t just theoretical — Simer has put the sensors to the test. “We set off some M-80 firecrackers in the school,” he said. “[The sensors] didn’t pick ’em up.”

“It’s sad that we’re in a society where we have to have stuff like this,” he added. “And that we are testing stuff like this in a school. But the reality is, it happens.”

It’s been a reality for Skorpik for the last few years. The technologist was inspired to create the sensors after three of his grandchildren experienced a gun lockdown of their own. “The youngest one, she was like in kindergarten, and she came home pretty emotional,” Skorpik told NPR. “She was in the gym and the teacher was covering the kids with gym mats.”

But hopefully, with this new technology, Skorpik can help alleviate some of these fears. The good thing about the system is that it is fully automatic. There’s no need for human intervention in order to activate the alarms or send the school into lockdown. That means that teachers and other personnel can focus on moving kids to safe areas, rather than trying to call 911 and attempting to secure their rooms and the building. And because the sensors are small, they don’t draw unnecessary attention from children.

EAGL says that it has seen an increase in inquiries about the system since February’s Parkland tragedy, and as for Artesia Public Schools, the district has plans to add the detectors in six more schools before classes begin in the fall of 2018.

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Grindr admits to sharing user data — including HIV status — with third parties

Just last week, Grindr was being lauded for its proactive stance on HIV prevention, as the popular gay dating app began urging its millions of users to frequently undergo testing. As the New York Times noted, a number of HIV experts “greeted the announcement enthusiastically,” applauding the service’s decision to send a notification every three to six months to men who opted into the service, as well as a nearby clinic. But now, the applause has been silenced, as the app has come under fire for sharing users’ HIV status with third parties.

As originally reported by BuzzFeed News, the dating app “has been providing its users’ HIV status to … Apptimize and Localytics, which help optimize apps.” And not only has Grindr been sharing HIV status, but also its members’ “last tested date,” GPS data, phone ID, and email — that means that Grindr is sharing enough information for folks to effectively tie together a person’s identity and whether or not he has HIV.

As per Antoine Pultier, a researcher at the Norwegian nonprofit SINTEF, which originally discovered the alarming data-sharing system, “The HIV status is linked to all the other information. That’s the main issue. I think this is the incompetence of some developers that just send everything, including HIV status.”

Grindr has since acknowledged that it was indeed sharing this information, but in a response on its Tumblr page, pointed out, “It’s important to remember that Grindr is a public forum. We give users the option to post information about themselves including HIV status and last test date, and we make it clear in our privacy policy that if you choose to include this information in your profile, the information will also become public.” The app also noted that it has “never, nor will … ever sell personally identifiable user information – especially information regarding HIV status or last test date – to third parties or advertisers.” Of course, just because Grindr isn’t selling this information doesn’t mean it’s not being accessed.

All the same, the dating platform added that its vendors “are under strict contractual terms that provide for the highest level of confidentiality, data security, and user privacy,” which means that user data is carefully encrypted before being sent out. But this news may cause Grindr users to think twice about what they’re posting on their profiles.

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Chrome’s built-in scanning tool is now causing a privacy uproar

A recent tweet from Kelly Shortridge at cybersecurity startup SecurityScorecard recently stirred the privacy hornet’s nest regarding Google’s Chrome browser. She’s referring to Chrome Cleanup, a component in the browser dating back to 2014 designed to scan and remove malware and bloatware that could compromise Chrome’s performance. But given the recent Facebook scandal involving Cambridge Analytica, privacy advocates are now on red alert. 

In its early days, Google’s Software Removal Tool was a downloadable component to remove junk software that could cause issues with Chrome, such as the Ask Toolbar. It’s still available as a download now dubbed as the Chrome Cleanup Tool, but the company decided to overhaul this tool and inject it directly into the browser itself in October 2017, renaming it to Chrome Cleanup. 

“Sometimes when you download software or other content, it might bundle unwanted software as part of the installation process without you knowing,” the company said at the time. “That’s why on Chrome for Windows, the Chrome Cleanup feature alerts people when it detects unwanted software and offers a quick way to remove the software and return Chrome to its default settings.” 

Chrome Cleanup is based on detection technology provided by IT security company ESET combined with Google’s sandbox technology designed for Chrome. It’s not meant to replace your current anti-virus program, but merely detects and removes software that violates Google’s unwanted software policy. That policy applies to software deemed deceptive, piggybacks on the installation of another program, affects the user’s system in “unexpected ways,” and so on. 

The built-in version of Chrome Cleanup resides under Settings > Advanced > Reset and clean up > Clean up computer. Click on the arrow, and a new screen appears with a tool for scanning and removing harmful software. Chrome supposedly does this automatically, but you can manually scan for harmful software for better peace of mind. You can also opt out of Google’s reporting component if you feel that the company is just a little too creepy with this PC-scanning tool. 

The problem with Chrome Cleanup is that users have no way of turning it off. One Chrome user points out a solid complaint: The browser should not have the ability to scan the PC without explicit user consent. Windows 10 users can turn off Windows Defender. Why not Chrome Cleanup? Even more, why is it scanning the Documents folder? 

Google’s Justin Schuh spoke out against the recent privacy concerns over Chrome Cleanup, stating that it isn’t a system-wide scan or filter. It runs for up to 15 minutes in the background once a week using normal user privileges to scan browser hijacking points that could redirect the browser elsewhere. 

“The Chrome Cleanup Tool is not a general purpose AV,” he says. “The CCT’s sole purpose is to detect and remove unwanted software manipulating Chrome. The engine is a heavily sandboxed subset of ESET. Every cleanup action requires an explicit user approval.”

He said the team is currently investigating more options to opt-out of Chrome Cleanup, but “that balances against the potential for abuse.” 

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